PRACTICAL RESEARCH 2

(MODULAR LEARNING MATERIAL)

Name: Grade & Strand:

PR2- Grade 12 (ALL STRANDS)

Introduction Research is a scientific,
experimental, or inductive
There are many things you want to know in this world. People, things, places, manner of thinking. Starting
events-their characteristics or qualities make you wonder continuously, frequently, or from particular to more
intermittently. Marveling at them, you tend to immerse yourself in a situation where complex ideas, you execute
you seem to be grappling with a problem or a puzzle. Questions after questions on varied thinking acts that
the many aspects of the object of your curiosity prod you to move, act, or do range from lower-order to
something to find answers to your questions or to discover truths about your higher-order thinking
inferences or speculations on such object. Behaving like an investigator asking and strategies reflected by these
seeking answers to some questions about the thing you find puzzling indicates the research activities:
true nature of inquiry or research. identifying the topic or
problem, gathering data,
CHAPTER 1 MODULE 1: NATURE OF INQUIRY AND making theories,
RESEARCH formulating hypotheses,
analyzing data, and drawing
At the end of this module, you are expected to: conclusions. Cognitively
1. Explain the meaning of research in relation to inquiry; and driven terms like empirical, logical, cyclical, analytical, critical, methodical, and
2. Describe characteristics, strengths, weaknesses, and kinds of quantitative replicable are the right descriptive words to characterize research. These powerful
research; that your previous research subject, Practical Research 1, explained to a certain
extent, are the very same terms to characterize any quantitative research you intend
LESSON 1 INQUIRY VS. RESEARCH: A REVIEW to carry out this time.

One goal of education is knowledge acquisition. However, education is not
just stocking your brain with knowledge, but it also encourages you to use acquired
knowledge for a deeper understanding of the world-an understanding that inspires
you to create, construct, or produce things tor the betterment not only your own life,
but of the whole world as well. How is this possible?
Inquiry, a term that is synonymous with the word "investigation,' is the
answer to this question. When you inquire or investigate, you tend to ask questions
to probe or examine something You do this kind of examination through your HOTS
or higher-order thinking strategies of inferential, analytical, critical, creative, and
appreciative thinking to discover more understandable or meaningful things beyond
such object of your inquiry, Thinking in this manner makes you ask open- ended
questions to elicit views, opinions, and beliefs of others in relation to your research.
(Small 2012)
PR2- Grade 12 (ALL STRANDS)
The data you work on in research do not come mainly from yourself but also
from other sources of knowledge like people, books, and artworks, among others.
Hence, One cardinal principle in research is to give acknowledgment to owners or all
sources of knowledge involved in your research work. Giving credit to people from
whom you derived your data is your way of not only thanking the authors of their
contribution to the field, but also establishing the validity and reliability of the findings
of your research that ought to serve as instrument for world progress . (Muijs 2011;
Ransome 2012)
Methods of Research
To be a researcher is to be a scientist, who must think logically or
systematically; that is, your research activities must follow a certain order, like doing
inductive thinking that makes you ponder on specific ideas first, then move to more
complex concepts like conclusions or generalizations. Or, do the opposite of
inductive thinking which is deductive thinking that lets you start from forming
generalizations to examining details about the subject matter. These are not the only
approaches, though, that you can adhere to in planning your research work.
Depending on your topic and purpose you learned in your previous research subject,
Practical Research 1. (Gray 2011; Sharp 2012)
Inquiry vis-à-vis Research
One scholarly activity that greatly involves inquiry is research. Similar to
inquiry that starts from what you are ignorant about, research makes you learn
something by means of a problem-solving technique. Both inquiry and research
encourage you to formulate questions to direct you to the exact information you want
to discover about the object of your curiosity. Your questions operate like a scrutiny
of a person's attire to find out what are hidden between or among the compartments
or folded part s of his/her clothes. Although the core word for both inquiry and
research is investigation or questioning they are not exactly the same in all aspects.
Research includes more complex acts of investigation than inquiry because the
former follows a scientific procedure of discovering truths or meanings about things
in this world. (Goodwin 2014; Lapan 2012)
Keep in Mind:
Inquiry is a term that is synonymous with the word "investigation,' is the answer to this
question.
Research is a scientific, experimental, or inductive manner of thinking. Starting from
particular to more complex ideas, you execute varied thinking acts that range from lower-
order to higher-order thinking strategies reflected by these research activities: identifying the
topic or problem, gathering data, making theories, formulating hypotheses, analyzing data,
and drawing conclusions.
To be a researcher is to be a scientist, who must think logically or systematically; that
is, your research activities must follow a certain order, like doing inductive thinking that
makes you ponder on specific ideas first, then move to more complex concepts like
conclusions or generalizations. Or, do the opposite of inductive thinking which is deductive
thinking that lets you start from forming generalizations to examining details about the subject
matter.
One scholarly activity that greatly involves inquiry is research. Similar to inquiry that
starts from what you are ignorant about, research makes you learn something by means of a
PR2- Grade 12 (ALL STRANDS)
problem-solving technique. Both inquiry and research encourage you to formulate questions
to direct you to the exact information you want to discover about the object of your curiosity.
LESSON 2 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
Quantitative research is
an objective, systematic empirical
investigation of observable
phenomena through the use of
computational techniques. It
highlights numerical analysis of
data hoping that the numbers yield
unbiased results that can be
generalized to some larger
population and explain a particular
observation. Simply, quantitative
research is concerned with numbers and its relationship with events.
Quantitative research using statistical methods starts with the collection of
data, based on the hypothesis or theory. Usually a big sample of data is collected –
this would require verification, validation and recording before the analysis can take
place.
An example that we can give for this study is a study comparing the
performance of Grade 12 in Sapang Palay National High School and Kaypian
National High School in Physical Science when ICT is integrated in teaching. This
can be approached by getting the average performance of both schools before and
after integrating ICT. Then the averages can be compared and analyzed to see the
differences or effectiveness. In this case, numbers are used as data for analysis.
Another is surveying what do viewers in Nasugbu, Batangas prefer to watch: is it
GMA dramarama or ABS-CBN Golden Kapamilya noontime show. In here, it may be
approached by making a survey questionnaire asking for the preference of viewers in
Nasugbu, Batangas.
Characteristics of Quantitative Research
1. OBJECTIVE. Quantitative research seeks accurate measurement and
analysis of target concepts. It is not based on mere intuition and guesses.
Data are gathered before proposing a conclusion or solution to a problem.
2. CLEARLY DEFINED RESEARCH QUESTIONS. The researchers know in
advance what they are looking for. The research questions are well-defined
for which objective answers are sought. All aspects of the study are carefully
designed before data are gathered.
3. STRUCTURED RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS. Standardized instruments
guide data collection, thus, ensuring the accuracy, reliability and validity of
data. Data are normally gathered using structured research tools such as
questionnaires to collect measurable characteristics of the population like
age, socio-economic status, number of children, among others.
4. NUMERICAL DATA. Figures, tables or graphs showcase summarized data
collection in order to show trends, relationships or differences among
variables. In sum, the charts and tables allow you to see the evidence
collected.
5. LARGE SAMPLE SIZES. To arrive at a more reliable data analysis, a normal
population distribution curve is preferred. This requires a large sample size,
depending on how the characteristics of the population vary. Random
sampling is recommended in determining the sample size to avoid
researcher’s bias in interpreting the results.
6. REPLICATION. Quantitative methods can be repeated to verify findings in
another setting, thus strengthen and reinforcing validity of findings eliminating
the possibility of spurious conclusions
7. FUTURE OUTCOMES. By using complex mathematical calculations and with
the aid of computers, if-then scenarios may be formulated thus predicting
future results. Quantitative research puts
emphasis on proof, rather than discovery.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Quantitative
Research
Strengths
The advantages of quantitative research includes
the following:
1. It is objective. The most reliable and valid
way of concluding results, giving way to a
PR2- Grade 12 (ALL STRANDS)
new hypothesis or to disproving it. Because of bigger number of the sample
of a population, the results or generalizations are more reliable and valid.
Since it provides numerical data, it can’t be easily misinterpreted.
2. The use of statistical techniques facilitates sophisticated analyses and allows
you to comprehend a huge amount of vital characteristics of data.
3. It is real and unbiased. If the research is properly designed it filters out
external factors, and so can be seen as real and unbiased.
4. The numerical data can be analyzed in a quick and easy way. By employing
statistically valid random models, findings can be generalized to the
population about which information is necessary.
5. Quantitative studies are replicable. Standardized approaches allow the study
to be replicated in different areas or over time with formulation of comparable
findings.
6. Quantitative experiments are useful for testing the results gained by a series
of qualitative experiments, leading to a final answer, and narrowing down of
possible directions to follow.
Weaknesses
The disadvantages of quantitative research are as follows:
1. Quantitative research requires a large number of respondents. It is assumed
that the larger the sample is, the more statistically accurate the findings are.
2. It is costly. Since, there are more respondents compared to qualitative
research, the expenses will be greater in reaching out to these people and in
reproducing questionnaires.
3. The information is contextual factors to help interpret the results or to explain
variations are usually ignored. It does not consider the distinct capacity of the
respondents to share and elaborate further
information unlike the qualitative research.
4. Much information are difficult to gather
using structured research instruments,
specifically on sensitive issues like pre-
marital sex, domestic violence, among
others.
5. If not done seriously and correctly, data
from questionnaires may be incomplete and
inaccurate. Researchers must be on the
look-out on respondents who are just
guessing in answering the instrument.
Kinds of Quantitative Research Designs B. QUASI – EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN. In this design, the researcher
can collect more data, either by scheduling more observations or
Research design refers to the overall strategy that you choose in order to finding more existing measures. Quasi-experimental design involves
integrate the different components of the study in a coherent and logical way, selecting groups, upon which a variable is tested, without any random
thereby ensuring you will effectively address the research problem. Furthermore, a pre-selection processes. For example, to perform an educational
research design constitutes the blueprint for the selection, measurement and e
analysis of data. The research problem determines the research you should. x
Quantitative methods emphasize objective measurements and the statistical, p
mathematical, or numerical analysis of data collected through polls, questionnaires, e
and surveys, or by manipulating pre-existing statistical data using computational r
techniques. The kind of research is dependent on the researcher’s aim in i
conducting the study and the extent to which the findings will be used. Quantitative m
research designs are generally classified into experimental and non-experimental as e
the following matrix on the right. n
t
,
The following are the various kinds of quantitative research design that a researcher
may employ: a

I. EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN. This allows the researcher to c

control the situation. In doing so, it allows the researcher to answer the l
question, “What causes something to occur?” This kind of research also a
allows the researcher to identify cause and effect relationships between s
variables and to distinguish placebo effects from treatment effects. s
Further, this research design supports the ability to limit alternative
explanations and to infer direct causal relationships in the study; the m
approach provides the highest degree level of evidence for single studies. i
g
A. PRE-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN. A type of research apply to h
experimental design that with least internal validity. One type of pre- t
experiment, the simple group, pretest-post-test design, measures the
group two times, before and after the intervention. b
Instead of comparing the pretest with the posttest within one e
group, the posttest of the treated groups is compared with that of an
untreated group. Measuring the effect as the difference between a
groups marks this as between-subjects design. Assuming both groups r
experienced the same time-related influences, the comparison group b
feature should protect this design from the rival explanations that i
threaten the within-subject design. t
r
PR2- Grade 12 (ALL STRANDS)
 arily divided by alphabetical selection or by seating arrangement. The
division is often convenient and, especially in an educational situation,
causes as little disruption as possible. After this selection, the
experiment proceeds in a very similar way to any other experiment,
with a variable being compared between different groups, or over a
period of time. There are two types of quasi-experimental design,
these are:
a. Non-Equivalent Control Group. This refers to the chance failure
of random assignment to equalize the conditions by converting a
true experiment into this kind of design, for purpose of analysis.
b. Interrupted Time Series Design. It employs multiple measures
before and after the experimental intervention. It differs from the
single-group pre-experiment that has only one pretest and one
posttest. Users of this design assume that the time threats such
as history or maturation appear as regular changes in the
measures prior to the intervention.
C. TRUE-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN. It controls for both time-related and
group-related threats. Two features mark true experiments: two or
more differently treated groups; and random assignment to these
groups. These features require that the researchers have control over
the experimental treatment and the power to place subjects in groups.
True experimental design employs both treated and control
groups to deal with time-related rival explanations.
A control group reflects changes other than those due to the
treatment that occur during the time of the study. Such changes
include effects of outside events, maturation by the subjects, changes
in measures and impact of any pre-tests.
True experimental design offers the highest internal validity of
all the designs. Quasi-experimental design differs from true
experimental design by the absence of random assignment of
subjects to different conditions. What quasi-experiments have in
common with true experiments is that some subjects receive an
intervention and provide data likely to reflect its impact.
II. NON-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN. In this kind of design, the researcher
observes the phenomena as they occur naturally and no external
variables are introduced. In this research design, the variables are not
PR2- Grade 12 (ALL STRANDS)
deliberately manipulated nor is the setting controlled. Researchers collect
data without making changes or introducing treatments. This may also
called as Descriptive Research Design because it is only one under
nonexperimental design.
DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH DESIGN’s main purpose is to
observe, describe and document aspects of a situation as it naturally
occurs and sometimes to serve as a starting point for hypothesis
generation or theory development.
The types of descriptive design are as follows:
A. SURVEY. It is used to gather information from groups of people by
selecting and studying samples chosen from a population. This is useful
when the objective of the study is to see general picture of the population
under investigation in terms of their social and economic characteristics,
opinions, and their knowledge about the behavior towards a certain
phenomenon.
B. CORRELATIONAL. It is conducted by researchers whose aim would be
to find out the direction, associations and/or relationship between different
variables or groups of respondents under study. Correlational Research
has three types, these are:
a. Bivariate Correlational Studies – It obtains score from two variables
for each subject, and then uses them to calculate a correlation
coefficient. The term bivariate implies that the two variables are
correlated (variables are selected because they are believed to be
related).
Example: Children of wealthier (variable one), better educated
(variable 2) parents earn higher salaries as adults.
b. Prediction Studies – It uses correlation coefficient to show how one
variable (the predictor variable) predicts another (the criterion
variable).
Example: Which high school applicants should be admitted to
college?
c. Multiple Regression Prediction Studies – All variables in the study
can contribute to the over-all prediction in an equation that adds
together the predictive power of each identified variable.
 Example: Suppose the High School GPA is not the sole instead, it is the rate of progress that happened among the students who
predictor of college GPA, what might be other good were exposed to modular instruction.
predictors? Example: A test of children in school is used to assess the effectiveness
of teaching or the deployment of a curriculum.
C. EX-POST FACTO or CAUSAL-
COMPARATIVE. This kind of research derives conclusion G. METHODOLOGICAL. In this approach, the implementation of a variety of
from observations and manifestations that already methodologies forms a critical part of achieving the goal of developing a
occurred in the past and now compared to some scale-matched approach, where data from different disciplines can be
dependent variables. It discusses why and how a integrated.
phenomenon occurs. Keep in Mind:
Example 1: A researcher is interested in how weight influences stress-
coping level of adults. Here the subjects would be separated into different
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
groups (underweight, normal, overweight) and their stress-coping levels
- Use number in stating generalization about a given problem or inquiry.
measured. This is an ex post facto design because a pre-existing
STRENGTHS CHARACTERISTICS WEAKNESSES
characteristic (weight) was used to form the groups.
 Objectivity  Objective  Requires large
Example 2: What is the Effect of Home Schooling on the Social Skills of
 Real & Unbiased  Clearly defined number of
Adolescents?
 Facilitates research respondents
sophisticated questions  Costly
D. COMPARATIVE. It involves comparing and contrasting two or more
analysis  Structured  Contextual factors
samples of study subjects on one or more variables, often at a single
 Analyzed in quick research are ignored
point of time. Specifically, this design is used to compare two distinct
& easy way instruments  Difficult to gather
groups on the basis of selected attributes such as knowledge level,
 Replicable  Numerical data data
perceptions, and attitudes, physical or psychological symptoms.
 Useful in testing  Large sample  Little glitch in the
Example: A comparative Study on the Health Problems among Rural and
Qualitative sizes procedure leads to
Urban People in Ilocos Region, Philippines.
Research  Replication incomplete and
 Future inaccurate data
E. NORMATIVE. It describes the norm level of characteristics for a given
outcomes
behavior. For example: If you are conducting a research on the study
habits of the high school students you are to use the range of score to
describe the level of their study habits. The same true is when you would KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
want to describe their academic performance. EXPERIMENTAL NON-EXPERIMENTAL/
DESCRIPTIVE
F. EVALUATIVE. It is a process used to determine what has happened  Pre-Experimental  Survey
during a given activity or in an institution. The purpose of evaluation is to  Quasi-Experimental  Correlational
see if a given program is working, an institution is successful according to  True-Experimental  Ex Post Facto
the goals set for it, or the original intent was successfully attained. In  Comparative
other words, in evaluation judgments can be in the forms of social utility,  Normative
desirability, or effectiveness of a process. For example, we can cite here  Evaluative
a situation. In evaluation study, it will not just be considering the  Methodological
performance of the students who were taught under modular instruction;
PR2- Grade 12 (ALL STRANDS)
 CHAPTER 1 MODULE 2: NATURE OF INQUIRY AND Health Sciences (Medical Technology, Dentistry, Nursing, Medicine, etc.) use
quantitative research designs like descriptive, pre-experimental, quasi-experimental,
RESEARCH true-experiment, case study, among others.
At the end of this module, you are expected to:
1. Illustrate the importance of quantitative research across fields; and Quantitative Research & Accounting, Business and Management (ABM)
2. Differentiate kinds of variables and their uses.
Researches can help design a new product or service, figuring out what is
LESSON 3: IMPORTANCE OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH ACROSS FIELDS needed and ensure the development of product is highly targeted towards demand.
Businessmen can also utilize research results to guarantee sufficient distribution of
People do research to find solutions, even tentative ones, to problems, in their products and decide where they need to increase their product distribution.
order to improve or enhance ways of doing things, to disprove or provide a new Conducting researches can also help a business determine whether now is the
hypothesis, or simply to find answers to questions or solutions to problems in daily proper time to open another branch or whether it needs to apply for a new loan. It
life. Research findings can affect people’s lives, ways of doing things, laws, rules and may also help a small business decide if a procedure or strategy should be change
regulations, as well as policies, among others. Widely, quantitative research is often to meet the requirements of the customer base. Research is important for any
used because of its emphasis on organization to remain in the market. The primary function of research in ABM is to
proof rather than discovery. correctly determine its customers and their preferences, establish the enterprise in
the most feasible location, deliver quality goods and services, analyze what the
In recent times, research competitors are doing and find ways on how to continuously satisfy the growing and
studies are gaining an unprecedented varied needs of the clients.
focus and attention. Then, only the
faculty in higher education has so Quantitative Research and Anthropology
much interest and conduct
researchers, but now even the Anthropology is a research method of combining qualitative and quantitative
teachers in the basic education are research data. It is concerned with exploring connections simultaneously, amidst
engrossed in researches and devote cultural differences, alternatives and identity. In the contemporary academic, socio-
time and effort in conducting cultural and political climate these concepts have immense symbolic overtones.
researches to improve educational
practices that may lead to more Quantitative research is use in Anthropology in many aspects. Like, true
quality learning of the students. Many teachers do action researches because there experiments may use in studying people provided that you follow certain steps
is a serious need to identify the problems of the deteriorating quality of education. By (Bernard, 2004). This is to look into the Effects of an intervention in ethnic behavior
doing so, they can address systematically and make educational decisions regarding of a group. In here, you need at least two groups, called the treatment group and the
the problems met. Innovative teaching strategies are product of research. control group. On group gets the intervention and the other group don’t. Next,
individuals may be randomly assigned, either to the intervention group or to the
In the natural and social sciences, quantitative research is the systematic, control group to ensure that the groups are equivalent. Then, the groups are
empirical investigation of observable phenomena via statistical, mathematical or measured on one or more dependent variables; this is called the pre-test. After
computational techniques. The objective of quantitative research is to develop and which, the intervention is introduced. Lastly, the dependent variables are measured
employ mathematical models, theories and/or hypotheses pertaining to phenomena. again. This is the post test.
The process of measurement is central to quantitative research because it provides
the fundamental connection between empirical observation and mathematical True in experiments with people in laboratory are also common. Laboratory
expression of quantitative relationships. experiments often produce results that beg to be tested in the natural world by
PR2- Grade 12 (ALL STRANDS)
Anthropologists. Aaron and Mills (1959, as cited by Bernard, 2004) demonstrated in
a lab experiment that people who go through severe initiation to a group tend to be
more positive toward the group than are people who go through a mild initiation.
They reasoned that people who go through tough initiation rites put a lot of personal
investments into getting into the group. Later, if people see evidence that the group
is not what they thought it would be, they are reluctant to admit the fact because of
the investments.
In Field, Janet Schofield and her colleagues did a 3 year ethnographic study
in middle school. During the first year, they noticed that African-American and while
children seemed to react differently to “mildly aggressive acts’ – things like bumping
in the hallway, poking one another in the classroom, asking for food, or using another
student’s pencil without permission. There appeared to be no event of racial conflict
in the school, but during interviews while students were more likely to report being
intimidated by their African-American peers than vice versa . (Sagar & Schofield,
1980, as cited by Bernard, 2004)
Quantitative Research and Communication
Researchers are often interested in how an understanding of a particular
communication phenomenon might generalize to a larger population. For example,
researchers can advance questions like “What Effect do punitive behavioral control
statements have on a classroom? What communicative behaviors are associated
with different stages in romantic relationships? What communicative behaviors are
used to respond to co-workers displaying emotional stress? (Allen, Titsworth, Hunt,
2009)
Quantitative Research and Sports Medicine
Quantitative research is used to analyze how sports may be used as an
alternative way of medicating an illness. An example is the research done by
University of Eastern Finland which investigated the relationship between
mushrooming of fast food chains and obesity, as well as the intervention needed to
prevent children’s obesity from reaching serious proportions. The research focused
on the children’s physical activity and physical inactivity and the concomitant impact
on the children’s amount of adipose tissue (fat mass) and the endurance fitness. The
study is used to analyze certain the effect of physical activity in weight control.
PR2- Grade 12 (ALL STRANDS)
Quantitative Research and Medical Education
Quantitative research in medical education tends to be predominantly
observational research based on surveys or correlational studies. The designs test
interventions like curriculum, teaching-learning process, or assessment with an
experimental group. Either a comparison or controlled group learners may allow
researchers to overcome validity concerns and infer potential cause-effect
generalizations. Researchers are using to cope with the emerging trends in recent
times.
Quantitative Research and Behavioral Sciences
Relationship Questions in today’s quantitative trend tend to explore how one
behavior exhibited by people is related to other types of behavior. Examples are
verbally aggressive behaviors related to physical aggression – that is, when a person
has a level of verbally aggressive behavior, does he or she tend to be physically
aggressive? Are certain supervisor communication skills related to the emotional
experiences of employees?
Questions of difference explore how patterns of behavior or perceptions
might differ from one group or type of a person to another: Do people with disabilities
experience emotional labor differently from those without disabilities? Do women
perceive talkativeness (or lack of it) differently form men? Do communication styles
differ from one culture to the next? (Alle, Titsworth, Hunt, 2009).
When quantitative researchers explore questions of differences or questions
of relationships, they do so in an attempt to uncover certain patterns of behavior. If
the researcher discovers that a certain relationship exists in sample that she or he
has drawn form the population, she/he is then in a position to draw generalizations
about patterns expected of human behavior.
Quantitative Research in Education
Quasi Experiments are most often used in evaluating social problems.
Suppose a researcher has invented a technique for improving reading
comprehension among third graders. She/he selects two third grade classes in a
school district. One of them gets the intervention and the other doesn’t. Students are
measured before and after the intervention to see whether their reading scores
improve. This design contains many of the elements of true experiment, but the
participants are not assigned randomly to the treatment and control groups.
Quantitative Research and Psychology
 Mertens (2005) says that the dominant paradigms that guided early
psychological research were positivism and its successor, post positivism. Positivism
is based on rationalistic, empiricist philosophy that originated with Aristotle, Francis
Bacon, John Locke, August Comte, and Immanuel Kant. the underlying assumptions
of positivism include the belief that the social world can be studied in the same way
as the natural world, that there is a method for studying the social world that is value-
free, and that explanations of a causal nature can be provided.
Quantitative Research & Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics
(STEM)
Medical practitioners, for example, conduct researches to obtain significant
information about diseases trends and risk factors, results of various health
interventions, patterns of care and health care cost and use. The different
approaches to research provide complementary insights. Researchers help in
determining the effectiveness and even side effect of drugs and therapies in different
populations and various institutions. It is also necessary in evaluating experiences in
clinical practice in order to develop mechanisms for best practices and to ensure
high quality patient care. Researchers in these fields ultimately aim for man’s
longevity.
As for engineers, architects, and other builders, research helps in providing designs
which are creatively beautiful and at the same time give more convenience and
efficiency as they utilize modern technology to adapt to the ever changing society.
New materials and procedures may be developed so as to further strengthen the
structural materials than can withstand various calamities and disasters.
Keep in Mind:
The importance of quantitative research lies greatly in the production of
results that should reflect precise measurement and an in-depth analysis of data. It is
also useful in obtaining an objective understanding of people, things, places, and
events in this world; meaning, attaching accurate or exact meanings to objects or
subjects, rather than inflated meanings resulting from the researcher's bias or
personal attachment to things related to the research. Requiring the use of reliable
measurement instruments or statistical methods, a quantitative study enables people
to study their surroundings as objective as they can.
PR2- Grade 12 (ALL STRANDS)
LESSON 4 THE VARIABLES IN RESEARCH
The term ‘variable’ has been mentioned several times so that it is necessary
to define it here. In research, a variable refers to a “characteristics that has two or
more mutually exclusive values or properties”. (Sevilla and Other, 1988) Sex, for
instance, has two properties which are maleness and femaleness. The ages of
different persons have different values; so with their size, height, weight and income.
The phenomenon of variety is what makes life interesting; it is one of the motivating
factors of the research undertaking.
The root word of the word variable is “vary” or simply “can change”. These
variables are among the fundamental concepts of research, alongside with
measurement, validity, reliability, cause and effect; and theory. Bernard (1994)
defines a variable as something that can take more than one value, and values can
be words or numbers. For instance, as years go by, your age or intelligence
increases. But placed in a situation where you are afflicted with a disease or have no
means of reading or no access to any sources of knowledge, your intelligence tend
to decrease. (Suter 2013, p. 137)
A variable specifically refers to characteristics, or attribute of an individual or
an organization that can be measured or observed and that varies among the people
or organization being studied. (Creswell, 2002)
In research, especially in a quantitative research, one important thing you
have to focus on at the start of your study is to determine the variables involved in
your study. Unless you spend some time pondering on variables in your research,
your work has no chance of attaining its goal. Your research problem or research
topic to which you devote much of your initial research time finalizing stands great, if
it has wordings on the basic variables involved in your study.
Basic Types
Basically, variables are of two types: independent variables and dependent
variables.
1. Independent Variables – Those that probably cause, influence, or affect
outcomes. They are invariably called treatment, manipulated, antecedent or
predictor variables. This is the cause variable or the one responsible for the
conditions that act on something else to bring about changes.
EXAMPLE: A study is on the relationship of study habits and academic performance
of UTNHS senior high school students. STUDY HABITS is the independent variable
because it influenced the outcome or the performance of the students.
 2. Dependent Variables – those that depend on the independent variables;
they are the outcomes or results of the influence of the independent variable.
That is why it is also called outcome variable.
EXAMPLE: A study is on the relationship of study habits and academic performance
of UTNHS senior high school students. ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE is the
dependent variable because it is depending on the study habits of the students; if the
students change their study habit the academic performance also change
In an experimental research, the independent variable as the condition or
treatment applied to the experimental group is under the control, direction, or
manipulation of the researcher or experimenter. For instance, to determine the
positive effects of one modern grammar theory called SFG (Systemic Functional
Grammar) on IC (Intercultural Competence), you apply this theory in varied ways like
realizing this in a collaborative, oral, or written activity. In this case, the SFG serves
as the independent variable and the IC as the dependent variable.
PR2- Grade 12 (ALL STRANDS)
Variable Relationships
In a scientific way of studying cause-effect relationships, these two variables,
independent and dependent are part and parcel of the research because the first
one is the cause of the second, the effect that you can subject to any to more
variables or extra variables crop up to create an impact on the relationship between
the independent and dependent variables. Being extra variables, they form this other
type of variables called extraneous variables.
For example, in the case of SFG Ds. IC, (the first as the independent
variable; the second as the dependent variable) extraneous variables like age,
gender, or personality traits may suddenly surface to create effects on the
relationships of the two basic variables. Such extraneous variables are called
participant variables if they refer to the moods, emotions, or intelligence of the
subject; situational variables, if they pertain to nature of the place smelly, chilly,
cold, hot, spacious, and the like.
Other Types of Variables
Extraneous variables are to be controlled by you, the experimenter. But if
they do not give in to your control, they become confounding variables that can
strongly influence your study. Dealing with these types of variables gives you
difficulty in determining the real cause of changes in the dependent variables; that is,
whether it is due only to the independent variable or to the combination between the
confounding and the independent variables. The involvement of confounding
variables in the research results in the production of "mixed up, confusing, or
bewildering results." Involved not within the research situation but outside the
research process, the extraneous variables exist as nuisance variables," whose
potency need to go down to prevent from affecting the results negatively. (Suter
2013, p. 137; Thomas 2013; Schreiber 2014)
There are other types of variables which are as follows (Russell 2013; Babbie 2013):
1. Constant- do not undergo any changes during an experiment
2. Attribute - characteristics of people: intelligence, creativity, anxiety, learning
styles, etc.
3. Covariate - included in the research study to create interactions with the
independent and dependent variables
4. Continuous - quantitative in nature and is used in interval or ratio scale of
measurement
5. Dichotomous - has only two possible results: one or zer0
6. Latent - cannot be directly observed like personality traits
 7. Manifest- can be directly observed to give proofs to latent variables
8. Exogenous - found outside an identified model
Endogenous - found inside; as a part of identified model

Keep in Mind:

A variable specifically refers to characteristics, or attribute of an individual or

an organization that can be measured or observed and that varies among the people
or organization being studied (Creswell, 2002).
Basic Types
1. Independent Variables – Those that probably cause, influence, or affect
outcomes. They are invariably called treatment, manipulated, antecedent or
predictor variables. This is the cause variable or the one responsible for the
conditions that act on something else to bring about changes.
2. Dependent Variables – those that depend on the independent variables;
they are the outcomes or results of the influence of the independent variable.
That is why it is also called outcome variable.

Extraneous variables are to be controlled by you, the experimenter.

There are other types of variables which are as follows (Russell 2013; Babbie 2013):
1. Constant- do not undergo any changes during an experiment
2. Attribute - characteristics of people: intelligence, creativity, anxiety, learning
styles, etc.
3. Covariate - included in the research study to create interactions with the
independent and dependent variables
4. Continuous - quantitative in nature and is used in interval or ratio scale of
measurement
5. Dichotomous - has only two possible results: one or zer0
6. Latent - cannot be directly observed like personality traits
7. Manifest- can be directly observed to give proofs to latent variables
8. Exogenous - found outside an identified model
9. Endogenous - found inside; as a part of identified model
REFERENCE:
Baraceros, Esther.(2016).Practical Research 2.Manila, Philippines. Rex Bookstore.
https://www.scribd.com/document/356714282/Practical-Research-2-Module

PR2- Grade 12 (ALL STRANDS)