Research in Daily Life 1/PR1

NATURE OF INQUIRY AND RESEARCH

Lesson 1: The Importance of Research in Daily Life
What is Research?
 Research is defined as the scientific investigation of phenomena which includes
collection, presentation, analysis and interpretation of facts that lines an individual‘s
speculation with reality.
 Solutions to problems must be based on knowledge not on mere beliefs, guesses or
theories.
 In research a systematic and well-planned procedure is required to meet the need in order
that information is acquired and evaluate its accuracy and effectiveness.
 It is a process of inquiring.

Nature of Inquiry. (Lichman,G.,2013)

 Inquiry is defined as “a seeking for truth, information or knowledge”. It is a problem
solving technique.
 The information and data pursued through questioning begins with gathering by applying
the different human senses.
 Individuals carry on the process of inquiry from birth till death.
 Inquiry is synonymous with the word investigation.

Investigation and Immersion

 Investigation has a deeper meaning compared to “inquiry”. It is a systematic examination
of a certain event or phenomenon.
 Immersion is a process whereby a researcher immerses (deeply involves) himself in the
data gathering activities and the data he has gathered is carefully read or examined by
him in detail.
 Combining the idea of “inquiry”, “investigation” and “immersion”, the concept of
“research” comes in.

Differentiate Inquiry from Research

 Inquiry is a term that is synonymous with the word ‘investigation’. When you inquire or
investigate, you tend to ask questions to probe or examine something to request for truth,
information, or knowledge.
 Research is systematic and objective creation of knowledge systematic (with a system or
method, the scientific method), objective (no bias, all angles presented), knowledge
creation (a creative process)

Purpose of Research
 To inform action.
 To prove or generate a theory.
 To augment knowledge in a field or study.

Importance of Research in Daily Life

 Research directs us to inquire about the right information by conducting further
investigation of the actual condition. It leads us to be cautious in giving results and
findings by proving lies and supporting the truth.
 Research empowers us with knowledge and discovers new things and issues in life. It
helps us solve problems in health, crimes, business, technology and environment.
  Research facilitates learning as an opportunity to share valuable information to others as a
way of recognizing various concerns for public awareness.

Activity: Direction. Answer the questions briefly. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.
1. What is research?
2. What is inquiry and its nature?
3. What is the difference between inquiry and research?
4. How important is research in your daily life activities?
5. Why is there a need to conduct research?

Lesson 2: The Characteristics, Processes and Ethics of Research

Characteristics of Research
Empirical
Research is based on direct experience or observation by the researcher.
Logical
Research is based on valid procedures and principles.
Cyclical
Research is a cyclical process because it starts with a problem and ends with a problem.
Analytical
Research utilizes proven analytical procedures in gathering the data, whether historical,
descriptive, and experimental and case study.
Critical
Research exhibits careful and precise judgment.
Methodical.
Research is conducted in a methodical manner without bias using systematic method and
procedures.
Replicability.
The research design and procedures are replicated or repeated to enable the researcher to
arrive at valid and conclusive results
The Seven Steps of the Research Process
Step 1. Define and develop your topic (Research Problem).
 Factors to Consider in Selecting a Research Problem
1. Researcher‘s area of interest
2. Availability of funds
3. Investigator‘s ability and training
Step 2. Find background information about your chosen topic (Review of Related Literature).
Step 3. Plan your research design including your sample (Methodology).
Step 4. Gather necessary data using open ended questions (for qualitative research) and closed-ended
questionnaire or paper pencil test questionnaire (for quantitative research) (Data Gathering Activities).
Step 5. Process and analyse data using thematic analysis (for qualitative research) and statistical tools
(for quantitative research).
Step 6. Formulate new insights gained (for qualitative research) conclusions (for quantitative research)
and recommendations.
Step 7. Define new problem
 Ethics in Research
Research ethics provide guidelines for the responsible conduct of research which educates and
monitors researchers to ensure high standard. It promotes the aim of research, such as expanding
knowledge and supports the values required for collaborative work, such as mutual respect and fairness.
 Ethical considerations in conducting research
1. Objectivity and integrity
2. Respect of the research subjects ‘right to privacy and dignity and protection of subjects from personal
harm
3. Presentation of research findings
4. Misuse of research role
5. Acknowledgement of research collaboration and assistance
6. Distortions of findings by sponsor
 What are these ethics in research?
1. Informed Consent. This is required to secure in order protect the rights of the participants in your
study. Inform your participants about the criteria set for choosing them as informants and the schedule of
one-on-one interview at the convenient time they are available. Participation to the study will be
completely voluntary.
2. Honesty. It report data, results, methods and procedures, and publication status. Do not fabricate,
falsify and misrepresent the data.
3. Objectivity. Avoid bias in experimental design, data analysis, data interpretation, peer review,
personnel decisions, grant writing, expert testimony, and other aspects of research.
4. Integrity. Keep your promises and agreements; act with sincerity; strive for consistency of thought and
action.
5. Carefulness. Avoid careless errors and negligence; carefully and critically examine your work and the
work of peers. Keep good records of research activities.
6. Openness. Share data, results, ideas, tools and resources. Be open to criticism and new ideas.
7. Respect for Intellectual Property. Honour patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets and other
forms of intellectual property. Do not use published or unpublished data, methods, or results without
permission. Give credit where credit is due. Never plagiarize, fabricate and falsify.
8. Confidentiality. Protect confidential communications, such as papers or grants submitted for
publication, personnel records, trade or military secrets, and patient records.
9. Responsible Mentoring. Help to educate, mentor, and advise others. Promote their welfare and allow
them to make their own decisions.
10. Responsible Publication. Publish in order to advance research and scholarship, not to advance your
own career. Avoid wasteful and duplicative publication.
11. Respect for Colleagues. Respect your colleagues’ opinion, treat them fairly and do not outsmart
others.
12. Social responsibility. Strive to promote social acceptance and prevent or mitigate social harms
through research, public education, and advocacy.
13. Non-discrimination. Avoid discrimination against colleagues or students on the basis of sex, race,
ethnicity, or other factors that are not related to their scientific competence and integrity.
14. Competence. Maintain and improve your own professional competence and expertise through
lifelong education and learning; take steps to promote competence in science as a whole.
15. Legality. Know and obey relevant laws and institutional and government policies.
16. Animal Care. Show proper respect and care for animals when using them in research. Do not conduct
unnecessary or poorly designed animal experiments.
17. Human Subjects protection. When conducting a research on human subjects, minimize harms and
risks and maximize benefits; respect human dignity, privacy, and anonymity.

Rights of Research Participants

1. Human Rights. They are moral principles or norms that describe certain standards of human behaviour
and are regularly protected as natural and legal rights. They constitute a set of rights and duties necessary
for the protection of human dignity, inherent to all human beings.
2. Intellectual Property. It protects creations of the mind, which have both a moral and a commercial
value.
3. Copyright Infringement. It is the use or production of copyright-protected material without permission
of the copyright holder. Copyright infringement means that the rights accorded to the copyright holder,
such as the exclusive use of a work for a set period of time, are breached by a third party
Examples:
a. Downloading movies and music without proper payment for use.
b. Recording movies in a theatre
c. Using others’ photographs for a blog without permission
d. Copying software code without giving proper credit
e. Creating videos with unlicensed music clips
4. Voluntary Participation. People must not be coerced into participating in research process. Essentially,
this means that prospective research participants must be informed about the procedures and risks
involved in research and must give their consent to participate.
5. Anonymity. It is the protection of people’s identity through not disclosing their name or not exposing
their identity. It is a situation in data gathering activities in which informant’s name is not given nor
known.
6. Privacy. It is someone’s right to keep his personal matters and relationships secret. It is the ability of an
individual to seclude him from disturbance of any research activity.

Ethical Standards in Research Writing

Research Misconduct includes fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism. It doesn’t include honest
error of differences of opinion. It can erode trust between researchers and funding agencies, which make
it more difficult for colleagues at the same institution to receive grants.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism refers to the act of using another person’s ideas, works, processes, and results without
giving due credit. It should not be tolerated as the unauthorized use of original works, a violation of
intellectual property rights.
Three different acts are considered plagiarism:
1. Failure to cite quotations and borrowed ideas,
2. Failure to enclose borrowed language in quotation marks, and.
3. Failure to put summaries and paraphrases in your own words.

Activity: Direction. Answer the following questions. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.
1. Can you identify the processes involved in conducting research and its characteristics? Enumerate
those processes.
2. What are the various research ethics and rights of a research participant?
 Lesson 3: Quantitative and Qualitative Research
When to use Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research
 Quantitative data can help you see the big picture.
 Qualitative data adds the details and can also give a human voice to your survey results.

Concept Map showing the Designs of Research.

II. Difference: Qualitative Research versus Quantitative

Qualitative Quantitative
Objective It aims to create new theory based The purpose is to test a hypothesis
on the gathered data. or theory.
 A fact-finding research used to gain
understanding of individual
differences in terms of feelings and
experiences.
Data Description -natural setting
-making stories out of a certain
phenomenon.
-Uses pictures, words,
sentences, paragraphs,
compositions, narrations and short
stories
Sample (size) Small judgment (by decision)
sampling
Data Gathering Unstructured or semi structured
(flexible processes)
Uses interviews, participant
observation, group discussions.
Ex: Case Study, field research
Uses open ended questions.
It is a freeform survey questions
allow a participant to answer in
open-text format, responses are
unlimited to a set of options.
Example:
Guide questions for the
interviews
1. What were your experiences
during quarantine period on the
COVID-19 pandemic? How did you
handle the situation caused by the
pandemic?
2. Was the support of the
National and Local Government
enough for your basic needs?
Did they conduct evaluation for
those who were affected?
Inductive
Activities The researcher starts with the
observations, an open mind
without biases, gathering all
exact details of the topic and
generalization or new theory is
given towards the end of the
research process.
Measures problem using rating
scale and other research
parameters of group similarities.
-measurement setting
-performs measures out of a
certain phenomenon.
- Uses numbers, scales,
hypotheses, calculations,
computations and statistics tools.
Large sample representatives of
population
Standardized /Structured
Uses census, survey questionnaire,
checklist, paperpencil test and
experimentation.
Uses closed ended questions.
This questions can only be
answered by selecting from a
limited number of options,
usually “multiple-choice”, “yes or
no”, or a rating scale
Example:
Strongly agree to strongly
disagree
In quantitative research closed
ended questions are the basis of all
statistical analysis techniques
applied on questionnaires and
surveys.
Sample Question:
Do you agree on online modality
class in transitioning the new
normal of education?
a. Strongly agree
b. Agree
c. Disagree
d. Strongly disagree
Deductive
Starts from a hypothesis or
already created theory
emphasizing the previously
researched phenomenon from
different views (tested against
observations).
 Data discussions and Uses both inductive and deductive
Presentation They are not mutually exclusive with each other in research.

Inductive method or “bottom-up” is used if the researcher starts

discussions from the lowest and highest means then explains the overall
mean.

Deductive or “top-down “if discussion is from the overall mean going to

the lowest and highest means, deductive.
Opinions are based on experience Opinions are based on laws, rules,
or observation. or other recognized principles.
There are no criteria used in data
discussions.
Data Analysis Synthesize data, interpret, thematic. Statistical

Subjective Objective

Data analysis is influenced by the The researcher employs

personal experiences and views. standard criteria in analyzing data.
Outcome Cultivates understanding with high Endorse a development.
validity. Has high output replicability.

There are no conclusions Conclusion is formulated towards

formulated. the end of the research process.

III. Similarities: Qualitative Research and Quantitative Research

1. Both have the process of inquiry and investigation.
2. Both improve life and help us in understanding various issues of life and in giving solutions to our
problems
3. Both start with a problem and end with a new problem.
4. Both use textual forms in analyzing and interpretation of data.
7. Both use inductive and deductive methods of presenting data.

Activity: Question and Answer

Directions: Answer the questions briefly. Write your answers in a separate sheet of paper.
1. How do you define the two designs of research: qualitative and quantitative?
2. What are the differences and similarities between these methods?