This book is one of the most widely used reference texts for undergraduate and postgraduate students in commerce, management, economics, and social sciences in India and beyond.
| (Random, unbiased) | Non-Probability Sampling (Based on judgement) | | :--- | :--- | | Simple Random (lottery method) | Convenience (asking whoever is nearby) | | Stratified (dividing into groups like age/income) | Purposive/Judgement (choosing specific people) | | Cluster (randomly selecting whole groups) | Quota (filling a quota for each category) |
It sounds like you are referring to the classic textbook (often abbreviated as C.R.).
But what exactly does the book teach, and why is it so important? Let’s break down the core concepts of research methodology as presented by Kothari. Kothari distinguishes between Research Methods (the specific techniques used to collect data) and Research Methodology (the science of understanding how and why we use those methods). Key Quote from the book: "Research Methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problem." In short, methods are the tools , while methodology is the strategy . The 4 Main Types of Research (Kothari’s Framework) Kothari classifies research into four major categories. Knowing which one to use is the first step in any project:
If you are a student, focus on Chapters 1–5 (Research Problem & Design) and Chapters 9–12 (Sampling & Statistics) for your exams. Have you used C.R. Kothari’s book? Which chapter did you find most helpful? Let us know in the comments below!