On Methodology and Methods

Research methodology is an integral part of the curriculum of social sciences, social work, development studies, management studies, etc, especially at the postgraduate level. In programmes where research work is not a compulsory part of the curriculum, it is primarily taught and learnt as an “information” component. However, in programmes where research work is a prerequisite for obtaining the academic credential, as in PhD, MPhil, and in some master’s programmes, research methodology has, in addition, a “skill” component. In the latter case especially, a good textbook will be useful to the student both as a resource to understand the science behind methodology and as a manual to master the art of doing research, and to the teacher as a manual for imparting knowledge and skills in methodology.

The textbooks on research methodology used in universities and colleges in India are, by and large, written by Western scholars, mainly based in the United States. The availability of (not-so-cheaper) Indian (or South Asian) editions of these books has resulted in their being uncritically adopted in the curriculum in our country. Even Indian scholars writing textbooks on research methodology are strongly influenced by these books. How does the instant textbook by Sameer S Phanse, an experienced marketing and political consultant, and teacher of research methodology, compare with its extant counterparts?