PRACTICAL RESEARCH

DAY 01

Basically, in this setup, learners are granted a variety of choices and take more responsibilities for their
own learning. Therefore, flexible learning requires learners to be more skilled at self-regulation in terms of
goal setting, self-monitoring and make adjustments and instructors to promote active learning so
that learning in such situations can be engaging and effective (Collis, 1998).

DAY 02: Identifying Types of Research Design and the

Characteristics, Strengths, and Weaknesses of Quantitative
Research
Research design- an approach you can use to solve a research problem.

TYPES OF RESEARCH DESIGN

1. Qualitative- exploring and understanding the meaning individuals or groups ascribe to a social or
human problem.
2. Quantitative- Testing objective theories by examining the relationship among variable
3. Mixed- an approach to inquiry that combines both qualitative and quantitative

According to Mujis (2011) and Sharp (2012), Quantitative Research Design uses numbers in stating
generalizations about a given problem or inquiry in contrast to qualitative research design that hardly uses
statistical treatment in stating generalizations.

Standards Qualitative Quantitative

Researcher’s involvement with Subjective; sometimes personally Objective; least involvement by
the object or subject of the study engaged the researcher

Expression of data, data analysis, Verbal Language (words, visuals, Numerals, statistics
and findings objects)
Research Plan Takes place as the research Plans all research aspects before
proceeds gradually collecting data
Behaviour toward research Desires to preserve the natural Control or manipulation of
aspects/ conditions setting of research features research conditions by the
researcher
Obtaining knowledge Multiple methods Scientific method
Purpose Makes social intentions Evaluates objective sand
understandable examines cause-effect
relationships
Data analysis technique Thematic codal ways, Mathematically based methods
competence-based
Style of expression More inclined to purposive Impersonal, scientific, or
sampling or use of chosen systematic
samples based on some criteria
Mental survey of reality Results from social interactions Random sampling as the most
preferred
Cause- effect relationship Explained by people’s objective Exists in the physical world
desires
Sampling Technique Personal, lacks formality Revealed by automatic
descriptions of circumstances or
conditions
Quantitative research- makes you focus on
specific things by means of statistics that involve
collection and study of numerical data. It seeks to
answer to questions starting with how many, how
much, how long, to what extent, and the like and
the answer to these questions come in numerals,
percentages and fractions.
Research is a way of making any phenomenon or
any sensory experience clearer or more meaningful
by gathering and examining facts and information.
You uses mathematical operations to study and
express relationships between quantities or
magnitudes shown by numbers or symbols.
CHARACTERISTICS
 Methods of data gathering include age,
gender, educational status that call for
measurable characteristics of the
population
 Standardized instruments guide data
collection, ensuring the accuracy,
reliability, and validity of data
 Figures, tables, or graphs showcase
summarized data collected to show
trends, relationships and difference among
variables and also for the evidence
collected
 Large population yields more reliable
data but principles of random sampling
must be strictly followed to prevent
researcher’s bias
 Can be repeated to verify findings,
reinforcing validity of findings
 Puts emphasis on proof, rather than
discovery
STRENGHTS
 The most reliable and valid way of
concluding results,giving way to new
hypothesis or to disproving it
 Results are more reliable and valid due to
the bigger number of population
 Filter out external factors, if properly
designed. Results can be seen as real and
unbiased
 Useful for testing the results gained by a
series of qualitative experiments, leading
to a more reliable results
WEAKNESSES
 Costly, difficult and time consuming.
 Requires extensive statistical treatment
requiring strict standards
 Tend to turn out only proved or unproven
results, leaving little room or grey areas.
DAY 03: INTRODUCING KINDS
OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
DESIGNS
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS
 Experimental research- a study that strictly
adheres to a scientific research design. It
includes a hypothesis, a variable that can be
manipulated by the researcher, and
variables that can be measured, calculated
and compared. It is completed in a controlled
environment
 It allows the researcher to identify cause and
effect relationship between variable and to
distinguish placebo effects from treatments effects.
It supports the ability to limit alternative
explanations and to infer direct causal relationships
in the study and provides highest degree level of
evidence.
BRANCHES
1. True experimental design- a type of
experimental design where the researcher
randomly assigns test units and treatments to
the experimental groups.
2. Quasi-experimental design- involves the
manipulation of an independent variable
without the random assignment of participants
to conditions or orders of conditions
3. Pre-experimental design- the simplest form
of research design. It is either a single group or
multiple groups are observed subsequent to
some agent or treatment presumed to cause
change
 Non-experimental research or Descriptive
Research Design - the label given to a study
when a researcher cannot control, manipulate
or alter the predictor variable or subjects but
instead, relies on interpretation, observation or
interactions to come to a conclusion
BRANCHES
1. Survey Research Design- used when the
researcher intends to provide a quantitative or
numeric description of trends, attitudes or
opinions of a population by studying a sample
of that population
2. Correlational research- a researcher
measures two variables, understands and
assesses the statistical relationship between
them with no influence from any extraneous
variables
3. Comparative design- involves comparing
and contrasting two or more samples of study
subjects on one or more variables
 4. Evaluative design- seeks to assess or judge
in some way, providing information about
something other than might be gleaned in mere
observation or investigation of relationships
Quantitative methods- emphasize objective
measurements and the statistical, mathematical, or
numerical analysis of data collected. It is dependent
on the researcher’s aim in conducting the study to
the extent to which the findings will be used.
DAY 04: IDENTIFYING KINDS OF
VARIABLES
VARIABLES
 Characteristics, or a quantity of a
phenomenon that is the focus of a research
project.
 Can be measured, categorized, and
their values vary across unit or time.
 It is also a logical groupings of
attributes. Attributes are characteristics or
qualities that describe an object
EXAMPLES OF VARIABLES
PRIMARY KINDS OF VARIABLES
Independent variables- are those that the
researcher chooses to study in order to assess their
possible effect(s) on one or more other variable. It
is presumed to affect or somehow influence at least
one other variable. They are invariably called
treatment, manipulated, antecedent or predictor
variables.
Dependent variable- the variable that the
independent variable presumed to affect. It
“depends on” what the independent variable does to
it, how it affects it. It shows the effect or results or
outcome of the influence of the I.V
Intervening or mediating variable- those that are
in-between the independent and dependent
variables, that is, showing the effects of the IV on
the DV
Control Variable- those that are measured in a
study because they potentially influence the
dependent variable, using statistical procedures like
analysis or co-variance to control this variable
Confounding variable- those are not actually
measured but they exist. These variables may have
operated to explain the relationship between the
independent and dependent variables.
Extraneous variables- are independent variables
that have not been controlled
 DAY 05: WRITING A RESEARCH  A title consists of 4-15 words will do but it
TITLE depends on the length of your article. Longer
articles requires longer titles.
 It’s safer to use nominal title because it is
Title- a gateway to the contents of a scientific
frequently used
article. It condenses article content in a few words
and captures reader’s attention.
A research title or research project is a product of
real world observations, dilemmas, wide readings,
A good title for a research article is the one which
selective viewing, meaning interactions with
is able to introduce the research work to the fullest
significant others, and deep reflection
extent but in a concise manner.
The title of the research is the research problem in a
The research title serves four things according to
capsule form so it must clearly reflect the topic of
Hairston and Keene (2003)
investigation and must be original, clear, concise or
specific.
1. It predicts content
2. It catches the reader’s interest
TECHNIQUES IN NARROWING DOWN A
3. It reveals the nature or genre of the
BROAD TOPIC
manuscript
1. State your broad topic.
4. Contains keywords that will make it easy to
2. Describe your broad area more specifically
search.
3. Ask familiar questions such as what, who,
According to Bavdekar (2016), research paper title
where, when, why and how
condenses the manuscript’s content in a few words
4. Name a specific topic to your broad topic to
and captures reader’s attention. It’s the entryway to
make it a focused topic
the content for it’s the first part of an article that the
readers see. This will be the basis that the article is
relevant for the readers. The title should be specific
and indicate the problem the research project had
addressed using keywords that will be helpful in
literature reviews in the future.

TITLES ARE CATEGORIZED IN FOUR

TYPES

1. Nominal titles- captures the main themes of

the paper.
2. Compound Titles- also called as hanging
titles. This are made of semi-colons and
consists of two phrases on the other side of the
colon.
3. Full sentence titles- apt to be longer and
accentuate the outcome of the study.
4. Question titles- are generally aimed to catch
the reader’s attention.

A good research title should:

1. Indicate the article content
2. Catch the reader’s interest
3. Reflect the tone or slant of the piece of
writing
4. Contain keywords that will make it easy to
access by a computer search.

 The title should not be too short nor too long.