RESEARCH

Objective: To know the….

1. definition and importance of
research
2. the characteristics, processes,
and ethics of research.
3. differences between quantitative
and qualitative research.
4. kinds of research across fields.
What is
RESEARCH?
Epistemology
 Is the study of our methods
of acquiring knowledge.
 It answers the question,
“How do we know?
Two kinds of knowledge:
1. a priori knowledge

2. A posteriori knowledge
 a priori knowledge
 Is
acquired through anything that is
independent from experiences, which is a
product of pure reason or deduction as with
math or tautologies.
Rationalism
Views as the source of knowledge or
justification and suggests that the criterion
of truth is not sensory but rather intellectual
and deductive.
 a posteriori knowledge
 Is acquired by experience or empirical
evidences, as with most aspects of science
and personal knowledge.

Empiricism
 Says that knowledge can only come from
experience and through observation..
What is Research?
Research
 Refers to systematic process
of collecting and logically
analyzing information (data)
for some purpose.
Key characteristics that explains
scientific research

1. Research is empirical.
2. Research is logical.
3. Research is cyclical.
4. Research is analytical.
5. Research is methodical
6. Research is replicable.
7. Research is critical.
 Important things to remember:
Itis a must that a systematic process be
followed to explore, describe, explain, and
predict a natural phenomenon, human
behavior, or a social issue or social problem.
A research to be termed as scientific, a
method of inquiry must be based on
gathering observable, empirical, and
measurable evidence subject to specific
principles or reasoning.
A scientific inquiry follows a process which indicates specific
steps and key question/s as guide to pursue a social research
interest:

Stages of Research Key Questions

Process
Identifying and delimiting the
problem
Review of related literature
Developing the Theoretical
Framework
Formulating Hypothesis
What is the problem and why should it
be studied?
What information is already available?
What are the variables and what
relationship exists?
How are we going to obtain answers to
questions being studied?
Selecting the Research Where will the study be conducted and
Design with what population?
Sampling How to identify or select your respondents?

Specify Methods to collect What method to use to measure variables?

the Research data
Finalizing and Reviewing Are there any pitfalls and shortcomings?
the Research Plan Are there any ethical violations?
Collecting of Data Are we ready to collect the data? Where to
collect the data?
Preparing the data for Which of the data are relevant/important?
analysis Which data are related?
Analyze the Data How do we answer the research questions?
Interpreting the Results What are the implications of the
findings?
Drawing Conclusions How is the finding in relation to
the hypothesis?
Communicating and Publishing the How do I impart the result of my
findings research?
Utilizing the Findings How can the study be
used/utilized? How can the
findings be applied?
 QUALITATIVE VS QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH
 QUALITATIVE

provides descriptions of the basic nature or the

characteristics of the phenomenon.

 QUANTITATIVE

measures the magnitude, size, or extent of the

phenomenon
 QUALITATIVE QUANTITATIVE
Subjective Objective
Research questions answer WHAT and Research questions answer HOW MANY
WHY or STRENGHT OF RELATIONSHIP OR
DIFFERENCE
Literature review may be done as the Literature review is usually done before
study progresses the study
Develop theory Test theory
Interpretive Measurable
Reports rich, narrative, individual Reports statistical analysis
interpretation
Basic elemnt of analysis is words/ideas Basic element of analysis is numbers

Researcher is part of the process Researcher is separate

Participants Subjects
Context dependent Context free
Reasoning is dialectic and inductive Reasoning is logistic and deductive
Describes meaning, discovery Establishes relationship
QUANTITATIVE

Students’ imagery of Chemistry

Gender and cultural gaps in the
classroom
Science practices of the Mangyan tribe
QUALITATIVE

Predictors of Science performance

Growth performance of organic
fertilizer
Population in the Metro Manila
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
 Relies
primarily on the collection of quantitative data
(numerical data).
 Often rely on statistical analysis of many cases to create valid
and reliable general claims.
 The building block or the necessary item is the VARIABLE (set of
related attributes)
Dependent Variable – is the one affected and influenced, and
the one being observed. (response or predicted variable)
Independent Variable – is the variable that explains the
response variable. (explanatory or predictor variable, could
be categories or values)
Experimental Research
 strict control of independent variable/s
 Purpose is to study the cause and effect relationship of
variables.

Nonexperimental Research
 It lacks a true independent variable which is
manipulated by the experimenter. This is useful in
situations where it is not possible or not ethical to
manipulate the variable of interest.
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

 Relies od the collection of qualitative data.

 Qualitative designs emphasize understanding of social
phenomenon through direct observation, communication
with participants, or analysis of texts, and may stress
contextual subjective accuracy over generality.
FIVE MAJOR TYPES OF QUALITATIVE
RESEARCH:
1. Phenomenology – understand how one or more individuals
experience a phenomenon.
2. Ethnography – focuses on describing the culture of a group of
people.
3. Case study research – providing a detailed account of one or
more cases.
4. Grounded theory – a qualitative approach to generating and
developing a theory from data that the researcher collects.
5. Historical/research – research about events that occurred in
the past.
Mixed Method Research

 Combination of both quantitative and qualitative

research.
 It would demand more time, effort and resources from
the researcher.
ETHICAL PRINCIPLES IN RESEARCH
1. Honesty
2. Objectivity
3. Integrity
4. Carefulness
5. Openness
6. Respect for Intellectual property
7. Confidentiality
8. Responsible Publication
9. Responsible Mentoring
10. Respect for Colleagues
11. Social Responsibility
12. Non-Discrimination
13. Competence
14. Legality
15. Animal Care
16. Human Subjects Protection
 KINDS OF RESEARCH ACROSS FIELDS
According to the purpose of the researcher:
1. Basic/Pure – advances fundamental knowledge or
aims to generate new knowledge (ideas, principles,
theories)

2. Applied/practical – aims to benefit from the

immediate usefulness of the outcome or findings of
the research
 According to level of Investigation done on
the variables:
1. Exploratory – the researcher familiarizes oneself on a
topic and deals with the question – “What are the
variables?”
2. Descriptive – the researcher observes and describes
what was witnessed to answer the question – “Are
the variables related?”
3. Explanatory – the researcher expounds and explains
to address the question – “Is the relationship of
variables casual?”
According to logic of reasoning to be used:

1. Deductive – top-down approach

2. Inductive - bottom-up approach
According to time available in conducting the
research:

1. Cross-sectional - data is gathered once.

2. Longitudinal - data collection at multiple
points in time.