2nd reporter

Methods of research

-refers to how the research is to be carried out. It is an operational framework within which the facts are
placed so that their meaning may be seen more clearly (Leedy, 1993).

- It is also called research design which is the plan, structure, and strategy of investigation conceived in
order to obtain answers to research problems and also control variance.

There are 2 classifications of method of research:

1. Qualitative - implemented in cases where a relationship between collected data and observation
is established on the basis of mathematical calculations. Theories related to a naturally existing
phenomenon can be proved or disproved using mathematical calculations. Researchers rely on
qualitative research design where they are expected to conclude “why” a particular theory
exists along with “what” respondents have to say about it.
- Qualitative research aims to give answers to why and how something is happening.
2. Quantitative - implemented in cases where it is important for a researcher to have statistical
conclusions to collect actionable insights. Numbers provide a better perspective to make
important business decisions. Quantitative research design is important for the growth of any
organization because any conclusion drawn on the basis of numbers and analysis will only prove
to be effective for the business.
- aims to give answers to questions like who, what, when, where, and how many?

A. QUANTITATIVE METHODS OF RESEARCH

- Uses statistics to analyze and interpret the data.

The quantitative methods of research are descriptive and experimental.

Descriptive research – most popular approach used in research project. The word descriptive is
derived from the Latin word de meaning from and scribe meaning to write. Descriptive research
is a type of research that describes a population, situation, or phenomenon that is being
studied. It focuses on answering the how, what, when, and where questions If a research
problem, rather than the why. This is mainly because it is important to have a proper
understanding of what a research problem is about before investigating why it exists in the first
place.

Other authors have different definitions of descriptive research:

1. According to Manuel and Medici, descriptive research describes what is. It involves description,
recording, analysis, and interpretation of the present nature, composition, or process of
phenomena.
2. According to Aquino, descriptive research is a fact-finding with adequate interpretation. It is
something more and beyond just data-gathering; the latter is not reflective thinking nor
 research. The true meaning of the data collected should be reported from the point of view of
the objectives and basic assumptions of the project underway.
3. According to Best and Kant, descriptive research describes and interprets what is. It is
concerned with conditions of relationships that exist; practices that prevail; beliefs, processes
that are going on; effects that are felt, or trends that are developing. It is concerned with
hypothesis formulation and testing analysis of the relationships between non-manipulated
variables, and the development of generalization.
4. According to Good and Scates, descriptive research is simply to describe particular phenomena
as they are.
5. According to Whitney, descriptive research is fact-finding with adequate interpretation. It
reveals conditions or relationships that exist or do not exist; practices that prevail or do not
prevail; beliefs or views or attitudes that are held or not held.
6. According to Project Talent (U. S Office Education), descriptive research seeks to find answers
to questions through the analysis of variables relationships. Descriptive research may be defined
as a purposive process of gathering, analyzing, classifying, and tabulating data about prevailing
situations, practices, beliefs, processes, trends, developments as well as cause-effect
relationships and then making adequate interpretation about such data/information with or
without the aid of statistical methods.
7. According to Katz and Kerlinger, descriptive research seeks what is rather than predicts
relations to be found.
8. According to Seltiz, et.al, descriptive research is a study where the major emphasis is on
discovery of ideas and insights.
9. According to Leedy, this is a method that simply looks with intense accuracy the phenomena of
the moment and describes precisely what the researcher sees.

In short, descriptive research describes current events and that the research questions raised are
based on the appreciation of present phenomena, events, state of affairs. The purpose of this
method is to describe” what is”. It deals with the prevailing conditions of objects, people, and
events.