S. Rajasekar
School of Physics, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli – 620 024, Tamilnadu, India∗
P. Philominathan
Department of Physics, Sri AVVM Pushpam College, Poondi, Thanjavur – 613 503, Tamilnadu, India
V. Chinnathambi
Department of Physics, AKGS Arts College, Srivaikundam – 628 619, Tamilnadu, India In this manuscript various components of research are listed and briefly discussed. The topics considered in this write-up cover a part of the research methodology paper of Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) course and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) course. The manuscript is intended for students and research scholars of science subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, statistics, biology and computer science. Various stages of research are discussed in detail. Special care has been taken to motivate the young researchers to take up challenging problems. Ten assignment works are given. For the benefit of young researchers a short interview with three eminent scientists is included at the end of the manuscript. I. WHAT IS RESEARCH?
arXiv:physics/0601009 v2 25 Jan 2006
(3) to analyse an event or process or phenomenon to identify the cause and effect relationship (4) to develop new scientific tools, concepts and theories to solve and understand scientific and nonscientific problems (5) to find solutions to scientific, nonscientific and social problems and (6) to overcome or solve the problems occurring in our every day life.
B.
Research is a logical and systematic search for new and useful information on a particular topic. It is an investigation of finding solutions to scientific and social problems through objective and systematic analysis. It is a search for knowledge, that is, a discovery of hidden truths. Here knowledge means information about matters. The information might be collected from different sources like experience, human beings, books, journals, nature, etc. A research can lead to new contributions to the existing knowledge.