Certification Course

  • Home
  • Certification Course

CERTIFICATE COURSE IN RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Short-Term Certificate Course in Research Methodology for Ph.D. Scholars

Offered by: Salar-E-Millat Research Centre, Princess Esra Hospitals, Hyderabad

 

Course Duration: 9 Weeks

Schedule: 3 Days a Week | 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Total Contact Hours: 81 Hours (27 sessions × 3 hours)

Who Should Attend?

  1. Aspiring Researchers: Teachers and NET/JRF qualified candidates planning to pursue a Ph.D.
  2. Current Scholars: Candidates already registered for a Ph.D. program.

1. Course Rationale & Orientation

Many Ph.D. scholars/aspirants struggle with:

  • Framing researchable problems
  • Choosing appropriate designs
  • Using SPSS confidently
  • Writing proposal, methodology, and data interpretation chapters
  • Publishing in indexed journals

This application-oriented course is designed to directly address the issues identified above.

2. Course Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

  • Formulate research problems, objectives, and hypotheses
  • Select suitable research designs and sampling methods
  • Develop and validate research tools (questionnaires/scales)
  • Perform data analysis using SPSS
  • Interpret results and write thesis-ready chapters
  • Prepare a complete Ph.D. research proposal
  • Understand publication ethics, plagiarism, and journal selection

3. Course Structure (Week-wise)

MODULE I: Foundations of Research (Weeks 1–2 | 18 Hours)

Week 1

Session 1
  1. Nature and scope of research
  2. Basic vs applied vs action research
  3. Research in Social Sciences, Health, Education & Management
Session 2
  1. Identification of research problem
  2. Research gap analysis
  3. Variables and constructs
Session 3
  1. Research questions
  2. Objectives (general & specific)
  3. Hypothesis formulation

Week 2

Session 4
  1. Review of Literature
  2. Sources: Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar
  3. Use of reference managers (Zotero/Mendeley – demo)
Session 5
  1. Conceptual & theoretical frameworks
  2. Models and diagrams
Session 6 (Practical)
Drafting:
  1. Problem statement
  2. Objectives & hypotheses
  3. Conceptual framework

MODULE II: Research Design & Sampling (Weeks 3–4 | 18 Hours)

Week 3

Session 7
Research designs:
  1. Descriptive
  2. Exploratory
  3. Experimental & quasi-experimental
Session 8
Qualitative designs:
  1. Case study
  2. Phenomenology
  3. Focus group discussions
Session 9
  1. Mixed-methods research
  2. Triangulation

Week 4

Session 10
  1. Population & sampling
  2. Probability vs non-probability sampling
Session 11
  1. Sample size determination
  2. Power analysis (conceptual level)
Session 12 (Practical)
Selecting:
  1. Research Design
  2. Sampling method
  3. Sample size for individual Ph.D. topics

MODULE III: Tools, Measurement & Ethics (Weeks 5–6 | 18 Hours)

Week 5

Session 13
Types of tools:
  1. Questionnaires
  2. Interview schedules
  3. Observation checklists
Session 14
Scaling techniques:
  1. Likert, Semantic differential
  2. Index construction
Session 15
  1. Validity & reliability
  2. Pre-testing

Week 6

Session 16
  1. Research ethics
  2. Informed consent
  3. Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC)
  4. Plagiarism & similarity index
Session 17
  1. APA 7th edition formatting
  2. Citations, references, tables & figures
Session 18 (Practical)
  1. Tool development & pilot testing
  2. APA-style reference list preparation

MODULE IV: Data Analysis Using SPSS (Weeks 7–8 | 18 Hours)

(Highly attractive component for Ph.D. scholars)

Week 7

Session 19
Scaling techniques:
  1. Introduction to SPSS
  2. Data coding & entry
  3. Codebook preparation
Session 20
Descriptive statistics:
  1. Frequencies
  2. Percentages
  3. Mean, SD
Session 21 (Practical)
  1. Creating tables & graphs
  2. Interpretation of outputs

Week 8

Session 22
Inferential statistics:
  1. t-test
  2. Chi-square
  3. ANOVA
Session 23
  1. Correlation & regression
  2. Introduction to SEM (conceptual)
Session 24 (Practical)
  1. Writing SPSS-linked result narratives
  2. Chapter IV writing style

MODULE V: Thesis Writing & Publication (Week 9 | 9 Hours)

Week 9

Session 25
Types of tools:
  1. Ph.D. proposal structure (UGC/University format)
  2. Chapter-wise writing strategy
Session 26
  1. Journal selection
  2. Predatory journals
  3. Publication ethics
Session 27
1. Finalization of:
    1. Proposal draft OR
    2. Methodology & analysis chapter
2. Individual feedback & mentoring

4. Assessment & Evaluation Plan
ComponentDescriptionWeightage
AttendanceMinimum 75% mandatoryQualifying
Assignment 1Research problem + objectives10%
Assignment 2Tool & sampling plan20%
Practical TestSPSS data analysis20%
Final ProjectPh.D. proposal / chapter draft40%
ParticipationPresentations & discussions10%
Total100%

5. Certification Criteria

  • Minimum 75% attendance
  • Minimum 50% overall score
  • Certificate titled:
“Certificate Course in Research Methodology”

6. Unique Selling Points (USP)

  • Designed specifically for Ph.D. scholars
  • Strong hands-on SPSS training
  • Proposal/thesis-oriented teaching
  • Small batch, mentoring approach
  • Ideal for social sciences, health sciences, education & management

7. Optional Add-ons (You May Offer)

  • Individual thesis mentoring (paid add-on)
  • Journal paper writing workshop
  • Plagiarism check & correction support
  • Ethics committee proposal guidance
“Certificate Course in Research Methodology”

8. Teaching–Learning Methods

  • Lectures
  • Hands-on practical sessions
  • Case studies
  • Individual and group assignments
  • Presentations
  • Mentoring and guided writing

9. Assessment & Evaluation Scheme

ComponentWeightage
Attendance (minimum 75%)Mandatory
Assignment I (Problem & Objectives)10%
Assignment II (Tool & Sampling Plan)20%
Practical Examination (SPSS)20%
Final Project (Proposal/Chapter Draft)40%
Seminar/Presentation10%
Total100%

10. Certification Criteria

  • Minimum 75% attendance
  • Minimum 50% overall marks
  • Successful completion of final project

11. Certification Awarded

Certificate Course in Applied Research Methodology with Practicals

Issued by Salar-E-Millat Research Centre, Princess Esra Hospitals, Hyderabad

12. Course Fee

 ₹9,000.00

13. Course Coordinator

Dr. D. K. Lal Das

Research Consultant
Salar-E-Millat Research Centre
Hyderabad