NATURE OF INQUIRY AND RESEARCH

Inquiry
• It is a learning process that motivates you to obtain knowledge or information about people, things,
places, or events.
• You do this by investigating or asking questions about something.
• It requires you to collect data, meaning, facts, and information about the object of your inquiry, and
examine such data carefully.
• In your analysis, you execute varied thinking strategies that you ought to perform in discovering and
understanding the object of inquiry.
Characteristics:
• It is an active learning process.
• It is a problem-solving technique.
• It elevates your thinking power.
• It allows you to shift from one level of thought to another.
• It does not go in a linear fashion; rather, it operates in an interactive manner.
• It includes cooperative learning
Research Defined
• 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.

Characteristics of Research
1. Empirical. Research is based on direct experience or observation by the researcher.
2. Logical. Research is based on valid procedures and principles.
3. Cyclical. Research is a cyclical process because it starts with a problem and ends with a problem.
4. Analytical. Research utilizes proven analytical procedures in gathering the data, whether historical,
descriptive, and experimental and case study.
5. Critical. Research exhibits careful and precise judgment.
6. Methodical. Research is conducted in a methodical manner without bias using systematic method
and procedures.
7. Replicable. The research design and procedures are replicated or repeated to enable the researcher to
arrive at valid and conclusive results.

Ethics in Research
Ethics generally is considered to deal with beliefs about what is right or wrong, proper
or improper, good or bad. According to a dictionary definition (Webster‘s 1968), to be
ethical is to conform to accepted professional practice.
Plagiarism is the use of another's work, words, or ideas without attribution.
Quantitative research is a type of educational research in which the researcher decides what to study; asks specific,
narrow questions; collects quantifiable data from participants; analyzes these numbers using statistics; and conducts
the inquiry in an unbiased, objective manner.

Qualitative research is a type of educational research in which the researcher relies on the views of participants;
asks broad, general questions; collects data consisting largely words (text) from participants; describes and
analyzes these words for themes; and conducts the inquiry in a subjective, biased manner.
Differences between Quantitative and Qualitative Research
Quantitative Methodologies
Preference for precise hypothesis stated at the
outset
Preference for precise definitions stated at the
outset
Data reduced to numerical scores
Much attention to assessing and improving
reliability of scores obtained from instruments
Assessment of validity through a variety of
procedures with reliance on statistical indices
Qualitative Methodologies
Preference for hypotheses that emerge
as the study develops
Preference for definitions in context or
as study progresses
Preference for narrative description
Preference for assuming that reliability
of inferences is adequate
Assessment of validity through
crosschecking sources of information
(triangulation)

Types of Research
1. Based on Application of Research Method (Goal)
a. Pure research deals with concepts, principles, or abstract things. It aims to increase your knowledge
about something. (e.g.Theories and principles of Science)
b. Applied aims apply your chosen research to societal problems or issues, finding ways to make positive
changes in society. (e.g. new technological inventions, plans and designs)
2. Based on Purpose of Research
a. Descriptive research aims at defining or giving a verbal portrayal or picture of a person, thing, event,
group, and situation
b. Correlational research shows relationships or connectedness of two factors, circumstances, or agents
called variables that affect the research.
c. Explanatory research elaborates or explains not just the reasons behind the relationship of two factors,
but also the ways by which such relationship exists.
d. Exploratory research's purpose is to find out how reasonable or possible it is to conduct a research
study on a certain topic.
e. Action research studies an on-going practice of a school, organization, community, or institution for the
purpose of obtaining results that will bring improvements in the system.
3. Based on Types of Data Needed
a. Qualitative research requires non-numerical data, which means that the research uses words rather than
numbers to express the results, the inquiry, or investigation about people’s thoughts, beliefs, feelings, views,
and lifestyles regarding the object of the study. Verbal language is the right way to express your findings in
qualitative research.
b. Quantitative research involves measurements of data. It presents research findings referring to the
number of frequency of something in numerical forms
4. Based on Levels of Investigation
a. Exploratory research- the researcher studies the variables pertinent to a specific situation.
b. Descriptive research- the researcher studies the relationships of the variables
c. Experimental research- the experimenter studies the effects of the variables on each other
5. Based on Type of Analysis
a Analytic approach- the researcher attempts to identify and isolate the components of the research
situation.
b Holistic approach- it begins with the total situation, focusing attention on the system first and then on
its internal relationships.
6. Based on Time element
a Historical research describes what was.
b Descriptive research describes what is.
c Experimental research describes what will be.
Characteristics of Qualitative Research
1. Human understanding and 4. Specificity to generalization
interpretation 5. Contextualization
2. Active, powerful, and forceful 6. Diversified Data in real-life situations
3. Multiple research approaches and 7. Abounds with words and visuals
methods 8. Internal analysis

Strengths of Qualitative Research

1. It adopts a naturalistic approach to its subject matter; which means that those involved in the research
understand things on what they find meaningful.
2. It promotes a full understanding of human behaviour or personality traits in their natural setting.
3. It is instrumental for positive societal changes.
4. It engenders respect for people’s individuality as it demands the researchers’ careful and attentive stand
toward people’s world views.
5. It is a way of understanding and interpreting social interactions.
6. It increases the researchers’ interest in the study as it includes the researchers’ experience or background
knowledge in interpreting verbal and visual data.
7. It offers multiple ways of acquiring and examining knowledge about something.

Weaknesses of Qualitative Research

1. It involves a lot of researchers’ subjectivity in data analysis.
2. It is hard to know the validity or reliability of the data.
3. Its open-ended questions yield “data overload” that requires long-time analysis.
4. It is time-consuming.
5. It involves several processes, which results greatly depend on the researchers’ views or interpretations.
TYPES OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
1. CASE STUDY involves a long-time study of a person, group, organization, or situation. It seeks to find
answers to why such a thing occurs to the subject.
2. ETHNOGRAPHY is the study of a particular cultural group to get a clear understanding of its
organizational set-up, internal operations, and lifestyle.
3. PHENOMENOLOGY is the study of how people find their experiences meaningful.
4. CONTENT & DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
▪ CA is a method that requires an analysis or examination of the substance or content of the mode of
communication (letters, books, journals, photos, etc) used by a person, group, organization, or any
institution in communicating.
▪ DA is when there is a study of language structures used in the medium of communication
to discover effects on the content.
5. HISTORICAL ANALYSIS makes you understand the connection of past events to the present time.
6. GROUNDED THEORY takes place when you discover a new theory to underlie your study at the
time of data collection and analysis.