Unit 1: Nature of Research

Lesson 1: Research and Its Importance

Engage

Introduction

Fig. 1. Question mark pile

At present, we are surrounded by products of technology that make our lives easier, whether in
school, at home, at work, or even in a foreign country. There is a product available for almost any
human need, and the development of these products is still ongoing. Have you ever wondered
how these products came about? How were they produced? How did their creators know the
purposes they would serve?

Human innovation is made possible by doing research. Research allows people to expand their
knowledge on simple curiosities and to apply the newfound knowledge creating products that
can make lives easier and more comfortable. This lesson gives the definition, types, and
importance of research.
 Objectives

In this lesson, you should be able to

● Define research and the different types of research.
● Explain the academic and practical importance of doing research.

DepEd Competencies
● Share research experiences and knowledge. (CS_RS11-IIIa-1)
● Explain the importance of research in daily life. (CS_RS11-IIIa-2)

Explore
Find a partner for this pair activity. As a pair, ask each other the following question: “What do
you know about the importance of doing research?” Write your answers on the space below.

NAME ANSWER

1.

2.
Explain and Elaborate

Defining Research
O’Leary (2004) cites the Oxford English Dictionary in defining research as “the systematic study
of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.” Being a
systematic process with the goal of establishing facts, doing research goes beyond a simple
question-and-answer type of inquiry. It requires following a logically-ordered procedure that
often starts with a question and ends with an answer that is supported by facts.

Research begins with a question. This question may have been formulated based on everyday
life experiences, individual curiosities, or random observations. Once an individual engages in
the process of gathering information to answer a question, he/she is already conducting simple
research.

For example, you like chocolate-flavored drinks. You noticed that when you take a chocolate-
flavored drink at night, it takes you a longer time to fall asleep than you usually do. This
observation then leads you to ask, “Why do I have a hard time falling asleep when I take a
chocolate-flavored drink at night?”

You then proceed to find out whether your favorite chocolate-flavored drink has a role in your
sleeping patterns. You look at the list of ingredients and use the Internet or other reference
materials to establish a connection between these ingredients and sleeping patterns. Your
inquiry gives you the answer that a particular ingredient found in chocolate can boost energy
levels. With this simple process, you have made sense of your observation of why your favorite
chocolate-flavored drink keeps you awake at night.

This process of starting with an observation, developing this observation into a question, and
undertaking a certain process to answer this question is the process of doing research.

Types of Research
The example above of establishing the connection between chocolate-flavored drinks and
sleeping patterns is a simple research problem that is based on everyday life experiences and
observations. At a broader level, research can be classified into two major types: basic research
and applied research.

Basic Research

According to Vanderstoep and Johnston (2009), basic research is “an investigation that adds to
the knowledge of a particular area of study.” O’Leary (2004) also refers to basic research as “pure
research.” Basic research is primarily undertaken to gain a broader understanding of a particular
problem or phenomenon. The result of a basic research may not necessarily be directly
applicable to real-world settings, but it can be a source of new ideas, concepts, or theories.

Examples of basic research include answers to curiosities, such as the role of the government in
providing basic social services, the therapeutic effects of pet ownership, and studying parenting
styles across different Asian cultures. At this level, these examples are mostly theoretical and are
not directly applicable as solutions to real-life problems and concerns.

Applied Research

In contrast to basic research, applied research is “an investigation that does have obvious and
immediate applications” (Vanderstoep and Johnston, 2009). According to O’Leary (2004),
“knowledge gained from applied research is meant to find solutions to actual problems.”

Examples of applied research include medical research (e.g., the effectiveness of vaccines in
preventing infectious diseases), political science research (e.g., the effectiveness of mass media
in electoral campaign), and market research (e.g. the effectiveness of social media
advertisements in increasing sales). These examples of applied research have their
corresponding fields of application, thus making them directly useful in real life.

Basic research and applied research are related to each other. Still, basic research can be
conducted independently from applied research since it is more theoretical than practical. The
knowledge generated from basic research can be used as the foundational ideas for applied
research.

For example, mathematical research such as the development of number formulas and
sequences constitutes basic research. This mathematical knowledge can be used in the
development of new technology, such as computer codes, which then constitutes applied
research.

Another example is the development of medicines. The development of a particular medicine for
 a specific disease demonstrates the use of applied research. However, knowledge about the
chemical components of the said medicine, reactions of these chemical components with one
another, and the nature of the disease being treated are products of basic research.

Remember
The main goal of basic research is to acquire knowledge to understand
the world better. On the other hand, the main goal of applied research
is to use the acquired knowledge in the daily lives of people.

The Importance of Research

In general, doing research is important because:

● It helps us understand the world better. Research often begins with a simple question
that is drawn from everyday experiences or observations. Gathering information to
answer any question that sparks interest contributes to a broader understanding of the
world.

● It allows us to find answers to problems. The systematic procedure of doing research

provides a logical structure of finding answers to problems. These answers

may come in the form of new ideas, as in the case of basic research, or practical
solutions, as in the case of applied research.

● It enables us to evaluate our answers to different problems. The solutions generated

from research can be the source of more questions. Doing further research on an
existing answer can lead to a broader understanding of how this answer is a
corresponding solution to a particular problem.

Specifically, both basic research and applied research are essential. Basic research is most useful
in an academic setting because it generates new ideas or leads to the expansion of these ideas.
On the other hand, applied research is used most appropriately in practical and real-life settings.
The theoretical knowledge established through basic research can serve as a reference for
applied research.

Activity 1
Think of two researchable questions based on everyday life experiences, encounters, or
 observations. If you were to seek answers to these questions, classify which type of research is
applicable to each of them.

Questions Classification (Basic/Applied)

1.

2.

Guide
Basic research serves the purpose of satisfying human curiosities. If the answer to your
common question does not have direct application to real-life instances, then you are
thinking about a question that is best answered by doing basic research.

Applied research is done for specific purposes and applications. If the answer to your
common question has an immediate application in real life, then you are thinking of a
question that is best answered by conducting applied research.

Evaluate
A. Identify the concept described below. Write your answer in the space provided.

1. This is the type of research that is most useful for practical purposes.

2. It is the systematic process of gathering information to find answers to questions.

3. This is the type of research that generates new knowledge, ideas, concepts, or theories.
 B. Classify each example of a research topic as basic research or applied research. Write
your answer in the space provided.

1. The relationship between social media use and the sleeping habits of teenagers

2. Improving user engagements in online business advertisements

3. Assessment of alternative routes to decongest roads and to improve traffic flow in Metro
Manila

4. Potential effects of volcanic eruptions on the atmosphere

5. A survey on new food combinations for a restaurant menu