Practical Research 1 (Quarter 1, Module 1, Lesson 1)

Compiled by: Engr. Hens Christian B. Fuentes

 What is research?
- Research is a logical and systematic search for new and useful information on a particular
topic. In our life new problems, events, phenomena, and processes occur every day.
Practically, implementable solutions and suggestions are required for tackling new
problems that arise. Scientists have to undertake research on them and find their causes,
solutions, explanations, and applications.
- Because of research, we know that cigarette smoking is injurious to health;
methamphetamine is addictive; cow dung is a useful source of biogas; there is no drink,
hot or cold, that will protect you from coronavirus or cure the illness.
 What are the purposes of research?
1. To discover new facts about known phenomena.
2. To find answers to problems which are only partially solved by existing methods and
information.
3. To improve existing techniques and develop new instruments or products.
4. To discover pathways of action of known substances and elements. (end of 1st online class)
5. To provide basis for decision-making in business, industry, education, government, and in
other undertakings.
Example of this purpose is when a university advises their engineering graduates to enroll
in a review class in preparation for their board exam since according to their research,
most of their graduates who did not enroll in a review class failed during the exam.
6. To satisfy the researcher’s curiosity.
An illustration of this is the curiosity of Thomas Edison (the man behind the incandescent
light bulb; see picture below) about how a mother hen hatches its eggs. Because of his
curiosity when he was still a child, he sat on a goose egg thinking he could brood and
hatch them. Later on, when he already grew up, he made a research on that and invented
the incubator – an apparatus used to hatch eggs artificially.

Incandescent Lamp. Picture from: Dengarden, https://dengarden.com/home-improvement/The-Facts-About-Incandescent-Light-Bulbs

 7. To find answers to queries by means of scientific methods.
One question that may be asked which can be answered only by means of research is:
What factors affect the growth of women during their teenage years?
8. To expand or verify existing knowledge.
This usually happens when researches are replicated. Newly discovered facts may be found
to expand knowledge gained from a previous research or verified if the same facts are
found.
9. To improve educational practices for raising the quality of school products.
The University of the Philippines conducted a research in 2020 on how they would admit
students in their university - without compromising the quality they are upholding - given
there is an ongoing pandemic. Some of the choices they are eyeing were face-to-face
entrance exam (following minimum health standards set by the IATF), online exam,
combination of face-to-face and online exam, scholastic records, and postponement of
entrance exam.
10. To promote health and prolong life.
This purpose is very obviously demonstrated in pharmaceutical, nutritional, and medical
research.
11. To provide man with more of his basic needs – more and better food, clothing, shelter,
etc.
The works of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Baños, Laguna is a
good example of this purpose. IRRI is the one responsible in developing high-iron and high-
zinc rice to complement current interventions that aim to alleviate iron and zinc
deficiencies.
12. To make work, travel, and communication faster, easier, and more comfortable.
Due to research airplanes are made to fly faster, land vehicles to run faster, labor-saving
machines have been invented and improved, radio and television bring news immediately
to the remote areas, and more wonders of electricity are making life easier and better.
 What are the steps in conducting research?
- Scientific method is the guiding force of research. It has five basic steps, plus one feedback
step:
1. Make an observation. Let us suppose that you get two slices of bread, put them into the
toaster, and press the button. However, your bread does not toast.

2. Ask a question. Why didn't my bread get toasted?

3. Propose a hypothesis. A hypothesis is a potential answer to the question, one that can
somehow be tested. For example, our hypothesis in this case could be that the toast did
not toast because the electrical outlet is broken.

This hypothesis is not necessarily the right explanation. Instead, it is a possible explanation
that we can test to see if it is likely correct, or if we need to make a new hypothesis.

4. Make predictions. A prediction is an outcome we would expect to see if the hypothesis is

correct. In this case, we might predict that if the electrical outlet is broken, then plugging
the toaster into a different outlet should fix the problem.

5. Test the predictions. To test the hypothesis, we need to make an observation or perform
an experiment associated with the prediction. For instance, in this case, we would plug
the toaster into a different outlet and see if it toasts.

 If the toaster does toast, then the hypothesis is supported—likely correct.

 If the toaster doesn't toast, then the hypothesis is not supported—likely wrong.
 The results of a test may either support or contradict—oppose—a hypothesis. Results that
support a hypothesis can't conclusively prove that it's correct, but they do mean it's likely
to be correct. On the other hand, if results contradict a hypothesis, that hypothesis is
probably not correct. Unless there was a flaw in the test—a possibility we should always
consider—a contradictory result means that we can discard the hypothesis and look for a
new one.

6. Iterate. The last step of the scientific method is to reflect on our results and use them to
guide our next steps.

 If the hypothesis was supported, we might do additional tests to confirm it, or revise
it to be more specific. For instance, we might investigate why the outlet is broken.
 If the hypothesis was not supported, we would come up with a new hypothesis. For
instance, the next hypothesis might be that there's a broken wire in the toaster.
In most cases, the scientific method is an iterative process. In other words, it's a cycle
rather than a straight line. The result of one go-round becomes feedback that improves
the next round of question asking.
 What are the characteristics of research?
1. Empirical - Research is based on direct experience or observation by the researcher.
2. Logical - Research is based on valid procedures and principles.
3. Cyclical - Research is a cyclical process because it starts with a problem and ends with a
problem.
4. Analytical - Research utilizes proven analytical procedures in gathering the data, whether
historical, descriptive, and experimental and case study.
5. Critical - Research exhibits careful and precise judgment.
6. Methodical - Research is conducted in a methodical manner without bias using systematic
method and procedures.
7. Replicability - The research design and procedures are replicated or repeated to enable
the researcher to arrive at valid and conclusive results.
 What are ethical considerations in conducting research?
- Ethics generally is considered to deal with beliefs about what is right or wrong, proper or
improper, good or bad. According to a dictionary definition (Webster‘s 1968), to be ethical
is to conform to accepted professional practice.

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 What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative research?
- Qualitative research is based on quality or something related to kind. For example, when
we investigate the human behavior. Quantitative research is the measurement of quantity.
It is applicable to the things which can be measured in terms of quantity.
 Sources:
- https://thesishub.org/all-you-need-to-know-about-research-methodology/
- https://innspub.net/types-of-scientific-research/
- Methods of Research and Thesis Writing by Jose F. Calderon
- https://www.irri.org/biofortification
- https://www.khanacademy.org/science/high-school-biology/hs-biology-foundations/hs-
biology-and-the-scientific-method/a/the-science-of-biology
- Quarter 1 Module 1: Practical Research 1 by DepEd Cebu City
- https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethics/whatis/index.cfm
- Quarter 1 Module 1: Practical Research 1 for Grade 8 Students by DepEd Cebu City
(RDMNHS Special Science Class)