RESEARCH FUNDAMENTALS

(Almeida et al., 2016)

GOALS OF RESEARCH
1. To produce evidence-based practice
2. To establish credibility on the profession
3. To observe accountability for the profession
4. To promote cost-effectiveness through documentation

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD RESEARCH

1. Controlled – i.e. physical sciences
2. Rigorous – relevant, appropriate, and justified procedures
3. Systematic – logical sequence of investigation
4. Valid and Verifiable – consistent and correct
5. Empirical – hard evidence from collected information
6. Critical – question its own claims, assumptions, and methods
7. Transparent – methods, assumptions, arguments, data, and claims are stated
explicitly and clearly; results are disclosed fully

TYPES OF RESEARCHES
A. BASIC
- The primary consumer is the community.

B. APPLIED
- The primary consumers are practitioners.

1. Action Research – always relevant to the participants.

2. Impact Assessment Research – estimate the consequence of a planned
change or an alternative
3. Evaluation Research – measure the effectiveness of a program, policy, or
way of doing something.
a. Formative – built-in monitoring or constant feedback
b. Summative – final program outcomes
CLASSIFICATION OF RESEARCH
A. QUANTITATIVE – focuses on a verifiable observation that may be
expressed in numbers; numeric information from some type of formal
measurement analyzed with statistical procedures.
Types:
1. Survey – uses interviews, questionnaires, and sampling
2. Correlational – establishes the effect of one (two) variables (s) on the
other to predict future conditions
3. Causal-Comparative – uncovers a cause and effect relationship
(comparison)
4. Experimental – guided specifically by a hypothesis

B. QUALITATIVE – uses in-depth studies of small groups of people in order

to construct hypotheses; results are descriptive and not predictive.
Types:
1. Phenomenology – examines uniqueness of individual’s lived situations
2. Ethnography – involves collection and analysis of data about cultural
groups or minorities; researcher frequently lives with the people and
becomes a part of their culture; key informants provide important data.
3. Historical – describe and examine events of the past to understand the
present and anticipate potential further effects.
4. Case Study – describe in-depth experience of one person, family, group,
community or institution; involves comprehensive and extensive data
collection through interview using audio or video tapes.
Phases:
1. Orientation and Interview
2. Focused Exploration
3. Confirmation and Closure

C. MIXED METHODS RESEARCH DESIGN

1. Mixed Method Research – the researcher uses the qualitative paradigm
for one phase and the quantitative paradigm for another phase
2. Mixed Model Research – the researcher mixes both qualitative and
quantitative research approaches within a stage of the study or across the
stages of the research process (Johnson, 2007).
 Purpose for Conducting Mixed Methods:
1. Triangulation
2. Complementarity
3. Initiation
4. Development
5. Expansion

ETHICAL GUIDELINES AND CONSIDERATIONS IN RESEARCH

Ethical Questions: (Brinkmann, 2012)
1. What are the beneficial consequences of the study?
2. How can informed consent of the participants be obtained?
3. How can confidentiality of the participants be protected?
4. What are the consequences of the study for the participants?
5. How will the researcher’s role affect the study?

ETHICAL CONCERNS
1. Integrity of the Researcher – professionalism; acknowledgment of the
sources or reference materials
2. Deception or misrepresentation – politics, personal interests, and etc.
3. Informed Consent – voluntary consent of the human subject(s)
4. Privacy, Confidentiality, and Anonymity – non-disclosure of identities or
any personal information about the participants

INTRODUCTION:
(Background of the Study)

What is the Why is it a How it should Why it should What is the

problem? problem? be solved? be solved? purpose of the
study?
FORMULATING THE HYPOTHESIS
A research hypothesis is a specific statement of expected outcomes of an
experiment. It includes who the subjects are, the experimental conditions, and the
statistical test to be applied.
Hypotheses are testable explanations of a problem, phenomenon, or observation.
Characteristics:
1. Logical – founded on established theories
2. Testable – observable and measurable variables ( real situations and events)
3. Refutable – possibility of obtaining results contrary to the prediction.
The null hypothesis is a statement about the subjects being examined that always
states that there is no effect, no change, no difference, or no relationship. In short,
nothing happened.
Purpose: to evaluate the evidence and to determine if the results are sufficient

CONTENTS OF THE FINAL OUTPUT:

CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Introduction (Rationale)
Statement of the Problem
Significance of the Study (Who can benefit and How?)
Scope and Delimitation (Who, What, Why, When, Where, and How?)
Definition of Terms (conceptual and operational definitions)

CHAPTER II CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK AND REVIEW OF

LITERATURE AND STUDIES
Conceptual Framework (discussion and diagram)Related Literature and
Studies (combined and categorized per topic)

CHAPTER III RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

Research Design (discussion and diagram)
Research Locale
Respondents of the Study (Use Participants, if qualitative)
Research Instruments
Sampling Techniques
Data Gathering ProcedureData
Analysis and Interpretation
Ethical Consideration