Research Methods
Aim to conclusion — the hypothesis, variables and error.
Good research runs a clear sequence: aim, objectives, scope and limitations, then a researchable question or a hypothesis, then methods, results and conclusion. Learn the difference between the single broad aim and the specific objectives; the hypothesis — null vs alternative, directional vs non-directional — and that it is a testable, falsifiable prediction, not a guess; the five variables with a clean architecture example for each; and Type I vs Type II error.
Learning objectives
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to — mapped to the course outcomes for Research Methods & Field Studies:
Sequence a study — aim, objectives, scope, limitations, question/hypothesis, conclusion.
Distinguish aim from objectives and write a researchable question.
Formulate null and alternative hypotheses and identify the variables.
Explain Type I vs Type II error and why a hypothesis is falsifiable, not a guess.
From aim to hypothesis
The aim is one broad purpose; objectives are the steps to it; and the hypothesis is a testable, falsifiable prediction — though not every study needs one.[2, 3]
One purpose, several steps
The AIM is the single, broad, overarching PURPOSE of the study — one statement of intent ('to assess how courtyard form affects thermal comfort in hot-dry Indian homes'). The OBJECTIVES are the specific, measurable STEPS that together achieve the aim — usually several, each actionable ('to measure indoor temperatures', 'to compare courtyard and non-courtyard houses', 'to survey occupant comfort'). MISCONCEPTION→correct: 'aim and objectives are the same' — the aim is the destination; objectives are the steps to it.[3]
Variables & error
Know the five variables — independent, dependent, control, confounding, extraneous — and the two errors of testing: a false positive (Type I) and a false negative (Type II).[2]
Cause, effect and noise
Take a study of office LAYOUT and PRODUCTIVITY. The INDEPENDENT variable (IV) is the presumed cause you manipulate or group by — layout type (open-plan vs cellular). The DEPENDENT variable (DV) is the outcome you measure — productivity (tasks/hour). A CONTROL variable is held constant on purpose — temperature fixed at 24 °C. A CONFOUNDING variable is an uncontrolled one that influences BOTH IV and DV and distorts the result — daylight, if open-plan offices happen to have more windows. An EXTRANEOUS variable is any other factor that could affect the DV (age, experience, noise) — it becomes confounding if it correlates with the IV.[2]
At a glance
| Aspect | Detail | Note |
|---|---|---|
| States | Null H₀: no effect/relationship | Alternative H₁: there is one |
| What you do | Test H₀ | Reject or fail to reject it |
| Type I error | Reject a TRUE null | False positive (α) |
| Type II error | Fail to reject a FALSE null | False negative (β) |
| Tails | Directional: predicts direction | Non-directional: relationship only |
Key terms
One broad purpose vs several specific, measurable steps toward it.
A testable, falsifiable prediction of a relationship — not a guess.
H₀: no effect/relationship; H₁: there is one.
The presumed cause you vary / the outcome you measure.
An uncontrolled factor affecting both IV and DV, distorting the result.
False positive (reject a true null) / false negative (miss a real effect).
Studio task
Frame a small study: “does adding a courtyard reduce indoor summer temperature in a row house?” Write its aim and two objectives, a null and an alternative hypothesis (and say whether it is directional), and identify the independent, dependent, one control and one possible confounding variable. Then state, in one line each, what a Type I and a Type II error would mean for this study.
Self-assessment
1. A confounding variable is one that —
2. A Type I error is —
3. After testing, the correct statement is —
Recap
References & further reading
- [1]Linda Groat & David Wang, Architectural Research Methods — hypotheses, variables, the logic of inquiry.
- [2]C.R. Kothari, Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques — hypothesis testing, variables, Type I/II error.
- [3]Booth, Colomb & Williams, The Craft of Research (Univ. of Chicago Press) — aim, question, significance.
- [4]Ranjit Kumar, Research Methodology: A Step-by-Step Guide — objectives, problem formulation.
Further reading
- C.R. Kothari — Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques.
- Booth, Colomb & Williams — The Craft of Research.
- Linda Groat & David Wang — Architectural Research Methods.
Sources gathered and fact-checked June 2026. Published values vary by source, sample and method — treat as indicative and confirm against the cited standard before structural use.