Factors Affecting the Quality of Research in Education: Student's Perceptions

Abstract

The major function of universities is to create new knowledge and preserve it for the next generation. The quality of research at higher level is not satisfactory. Quality of research may defined in operational term as “the research which is completed in time, having rigorous research design which is internally and externally valid, based on reliable data sources, use of appropriate analytical methods which are meaningful in practical and statistical terms. The present study focused on those factors which are directly or indirectly hampering the quality of research in education. To analyze the research student's perceptions about the direct factors regarding teachers, research course, facilities and supervisors. An expletory research with cross-sectional study design was conducted with a study population of ninety research students at PhD and M.Phil level of International Islamic University, Islamabad. Whole population was treated as sample. Data was collected through self administered three point Likert scale questionnaire and analyzed through percentages. The major findings were that students were not satisfied with the teaching and the course content. Although the facilities were satisfactory but the system of supervision was not satisfactory. It was recommended that by the improvement of these factors quality of research can be improved. It was also suggested that training may be imparted for the improvement of teaching.

Keywords: Factors, Quality of research, Research Student perceptions