Chapter 1: Nature of Inquiry and Research

Identifying the Inquiry and Stating the Problem

Nature and Inquiry of Research

Innovations and breakthroughs that you come to know and enjoy are products of research.
Etymologically, research comes from the middle French word reserche, which means “the act of
searching closely.” Additionally, the word “research” is a combination of the prefix re-which means
“again,” and search which means “to look for.”

Scientific Method in Research

Knowledge that came from research that employs scientific method is characterized by the following
elements:

1. Empirical approach – knowledge is gained through direct observation and experimentation. Only
those data derived from scientific procedures are considered factual.
2. Observation – your awareness of your environment constitutes your ideas. But if you rely on your
awareness alone, it results in information bias, decreasing the validity of your findings.
3. Question – knowledge come from the inquiries that are answerable. Questions must be answered
through scientific investigation and must generate tangible proof.
4. Hypothesis – an educated guess, an attempt to explain a phenomenon. Once formulated, it should
help you formulate a prediction.
5. Experiments – the given hypothesis should assure testability in a crafted condition for the
accuracy and reliability of results. The process of experimentation itself is a proof of scientific
procedures.
6. Analyses – for findings to be reliable, the data gathered are subjected for analysis through
statistical methods. The statistical treatment to be employed depends on the design of the study,
type of data, and given questions.
7. Conclusion – the process of making inferences involves concrete data to rule out opinions. A
conclusion must be objective and supported by meticulous analysis of data.
8. Replication – this means doing the same study once again to a different set of participants to test
the soundness of the obtained result.

Goals of Research

When you follow the scientific method in conducting a research, you offer an explanation or clarification
to the phenomena in question with greater reliability and validity. The following comprises the goals of
scientific research:

1. Description – refers to the way in which phenomena being studied are defined, classified and
categorized. The goal of describing is to provide essential information.
2. Prediction – entails stating the possible consequences of present events based on existing
knowledge of something else. The purpose of prediction is to control one’s action and behavior
through careful planning derived from a set of given information.
 3. Understanding/Explanation – is the process of analyzing information to find out the causes
behind phenomena. To understand and explain data, a relationship between events must already
be established; one should cause the effect to the other; and other explanations of causality
between them must be ruled out.

Variables in Research

Constructs are mental abstractions derived from the combination of concepts, or your mental
representation of the world around you. In the context of research, variables are constructs that can be
understood differently because of their differences in values. For example, height is a variable because
there are different descriptions of height: small, average and tall.

Variables can be observed directly or indirectly. Variables that are based on direct observation are those
that can be easily gauged by senses (size, brightness, odor and taste) whereas, variables that are made
through indirect observations can be determined only by using tool or instruments. Most often, they are
abstract constructs. To be able to concretize it, an attitude survey instrument must be used.

Kinds of Variables

1. Independent Variables are manipulated variables that a change in another variable. Usually,
these are treatments or conditions that produce a varied response or effect.
2. Dependent variables are those that are affected by independent variables. Simply put, they are
the responses or effects that result from the treatment or conditions employed.
3. Confounding or extraneous variables are those variables usually indicated in an experimental
research. They are not included in the study but in one way or another causes effect on the
independent variable.
4. Categorical variables are those that characterize and describe the quality of data. They are often
classified into mutually exclusive categories/nominal variables (e.g., civil status) and extensive
categories/ordinal variables (e.g., size).
5. Continuous variables are those variables in which values are based on a given interval or
continuum. These variables rely on numbers for description (e.g., temperature).
6. Quantitative variables are those variables that give details regarding the number or level of
something. These variables count the frequency of responses or effect.
7. Qualitative variables are those variables that represent kinds or types of objects. They are often
categorized into names, labels or groups. Responses such as yes or no; few, many and too much;
agree or disagree, are some examples of these.

Variables and Their Level of Measurement

Variables must be measured based on the way they are defined operationally. Levels of measurement are
the association of the values that are linked to a variable.

The following are the four levels of measurement:

 1. Nominal scales are just concerned with the names and categories of responses. They do not intend
to quantify the data. Qualitative and categorical variables are examples (nationality, hair color).
2. Ordinal scales are used for data to be ranked. This scale is expressed through sequential and
numerical order and therefore allows a comparison of degree. Qualitative and quantitative
variables are measured using this scale (first, second, third; good, better, best)
3. Interval scales use equal units to know the distance between them more than the sequence. An
interval scale does not use zero as its base point. Quantitative data are usually measured by
interval scales (temperature, attitude, IQ).
4. Ratio scales are the highest level of measurement. Variables will be more accurately measured
because a ratio scale uses zero as its base point. It permits the comparison of both differences in
scores and the relative magnitude of scores (height, weight, age).

Major Approaches Used in Research

A. Qualitative approach aims to provide description of characteristics, kind and quality of a

subject, while interpreting and attempting to understand an event. By using narrative descriptions
from in-depth interviews, the purpose of this approach is to share the perspective that was
obtained from the subjects.

Advantages
 It provides description about the real
experience of the people in the situation
being studied.
 The researcher can expound more on the
responses of the participants and can also
elaborate their answers. Through this,
research can have a rich explanation.
Disadvantages
 Few and chosen samples are used to
participate in the study. Because of the
small number of participants, the
credibility of the data gathered may be
reconsidered.
 Since it is dependent on the subjective
view of the researcher, describing a
situation leads to certain level of bias.

B. Quantitative approach tests hypothesis and makes predictions through measured amounts, and
ultimately describes an event by using numerical figures. Statistical analysis is therefore applied
to interpret the numbers obtained from the data.

Advantages
 It uses the confirmatory scientific method
because it tests hypothesis. By examining
numbers taken from the data, a certain
level of bias is removed.
 Because the variables under investigations
are operationally defined,
generalizability of the findings is high.
Disadvantages
 The focus of the study is limited only to the
object under investigation. Therefore, the
interpretation of results will be based only
on the findings derived from statistical
data.
the  Often, explanations and descriptions are
narrow.

C. Mixed method approach involves collection and analysis of data using both quantitative and
qualitative approaches to be able to address the disadvantages of the two and provide better
 understanding of data. Using quantitative method will strengthen the results obtained from
qualitative data.

Advantages
 This method can make the description
easier because it has both subjective data.
 It is beneficial to both qualitative and
quantitative data because its findings will
increase the validity and reliability of the
variables under investigation.
Disadvantages
 Combining the two methods in a single
study takes a lot of time for the study to be
completed.
 Because it provides few guidelines in
applying both methods, discrepancies in
findings are difficult to resolve.

The Quantitative Approach

Quantitative methods center on objective measurements and numerical analysis of data through
questionnaires and generalizing the results across groups of people. The aim of quantitative research
study is to classify features, count them, and construct statistical models to explain the observable
phenomenon.

Quantitative Research Designs

 Descriptive research involves the collection of data to either test a hypothesis or describe the
variables mentioned in the study. For example, if you want to describe the process of
photosynthesis, you have to observe the occurrence of the event, write your observations, and
integrate the data for description.
 Correlational research attempts to determine the level of relation between two or more
quantifiable variables. To determine the strength of the relationship, researchers get the
correlation coefficient and the p value.
 Causal comparative research attempts to establish cause-effect relationship among the variables
of the study. In this research, the independent variable usually involves a demographic (gender,
age, race, etc.) in which the researcher has no control of. The researcher will test how the
independent variable will cause a significant effect on the dependent variable. For example, “Low
percentage of jobless people reduces poverty rate of the country.
 Experimental research is similar to causal-comparative research in that it also measures the effect
of the independent variable (cause) to the dependent variable (effect). However, the researcher
can control the independent variables in the study, wherein the participants are randomly
assigned.
 Quasi-experimental designs are an alternative to determine the causes and effects between two
variables that cannot be subjected to experimental control. This design is used on a naturally
given phenomenon. Example is when you want to know the effect of a calamity on its victims.

The Introduction of the Research Study (Chapter 1)

1.1 Nature and Background of the Study

1.2 Statement of the Problem
 1.3 Purpose of the Study
1.4 Significance of the Study
1.5 Scope and Limitation

1.1 Nature and Background of the Study

The following are the suggested information that you can include in the background of the study:

 Definition
 Causes and effects
 Methodology
 Historical background
 Problem/issues
 Comparison of ideas/methods used
 Advantages and disadvantages

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The statement of the problem or research question provides the direction of how the study will push
through. It also identifies the variables that will be studied. This section of the introduction concentrates
on the issue or problem that the research intends to investigate.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

Upon stating the problem, among the most common formats of purpose is as follows: “This study will
compare, contrast, investigate, describe, determine, examine, develop, clarify, test, or evaluate the issue
being studied.”

1.4 Significance of the Study

The significance of the study points out the advantages that will come from the results. It emphasizes the
concerned population to which the findings will be favorable. Usually, the advantages that may come
from your study should be detailed in this section.

1.5 Scope and Limitation

This section of your study launches limits of the process in which your study will be conducted. Here,
you will discuss the variables that you will examine and the method that you are going to use. You will
mention the number of participants, the place where you will get your data, thee instruments to be used,
and the time frame for completing your study. Determining the scope and limitation of your study will
declare the feasibility if doing the investigation.
SMART OBJECTIVES

Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound Objectives