UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO

KIDAPAWAN CITY CAMPUS

Sudapin, Kidapawan City

ME 327: Methods of Research for Mechanical

Engineering

Analiza B. Bingil
COE Faculty
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 Nature and Characteristics of Research

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 What is Research?

• in common parlance “refers to a search for knowledge”.

• define as a scientific and systematic search for pertinent
information on a specific topic.
• is a “systematic, controlled, empirical, and critical investigation
of hypothetical propositions about the presumed relations
among natural phenomena” (Kerlinger, 1973) .

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 Objectives of Research

1. To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights

into it (studies with this object - Exploratory or formulative research
studies
2. To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular individual,
situation or a group - Descriptive research studies
3. To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with
which it is associated with something else - Diagnostic research studies
4. To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables -
Hypothesis-testing research studies

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 Motivation in Research

What makes people to undertake research?

1. Desire to get a research degree along with its consequential
benefits;
2. Desire to face the challenge in solving the unsolved problems,
i.e., concern over practical problems initiates research;
3. Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some creative work;
4. Desire to be of service to society;
5. Desire to get respectability.

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 Types of Research based on Different Purposes

1. Basic Research: The purpose of this research is to

understand and explain, i.e. the research is interested in
formulating and testing theoretical construct and
propositions that ideally generalize across time and space.
This type of research takes the form of a theory that explains
the phenomenon under investigation to give its contribution
to knowledge. This research is more descriptive in nature
exploring what, why and how questions.

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 Types of Research based on Different Purposes

2. Applied Research: The purpose of this research is to help

people understand the nature of human problems so that
human beings can more effectively control their environment.
In other words, this type of research pursues potential
solutions to human and societal problems. This research is
more prescriptive in nature, focusing on how questions.

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 Types of Research based on Different Purposes

3. Evaluation Research (summative and formative):

Evaluation research studies the processes and outcomes
aimed at attempted solution. The purpose of formative
research is to improve human intervention within specific
conditions, such as activities, time, and groups of people; the
purpose of summative evaluation is to judge the effectiveness
of a program, policy, or product.

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 Types of Research based on Different Purposes

4. Action Research: Action research aims at solving specific

problems within a program, organization, or community.
Patton (1990) described that design and data collection in
action research tend to be more informal, and the people in
the situation are directly involved in gathering information and
studying themselves.

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 3 Categories of Research and Development

1. Pure (or basic) research is directed at understanding what

something is or how it works. There is no immediate
expectation of a short-term payoff. Basically, pure research
is an attempt to satisfy our curiosity about something
unknown.

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 Ex: For example, engaging in a research program to develop
brain implants to help people with brain injuries and
disorders requires an initial research to be directed at
learning how the medical issues are reflected in brain activity.
If that can be determined, then perhaps advanced medical
technology can be invented. But first, they have to find out
more about how the brain works which is simply pure or
basic research.

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 3 Categories of Research and Development

2. Applied research is any fact gathering project that is conducted with

a focus to acquire and apply knowledge that will address a specific
problem or meet a specific need within the scope of an entity. It is a
form of systematic inquiry involving the practical application of science.
Ex.
• Researching which strategies work best to motivate workers
• Studying different keyboard designs to determine which is the most
efficient and ergonomic
• Analyzing what type of prompts will inspire people to volunteer their
time to charities
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 3 Categories of Research and Development

3. Development activities - refer to a wide range of business,

governmental, and academic activities designed to use new or
old knowledge to produce new products or processes, so that
people are able to live a longer and healthier life, are more
knowledgeable, are more able to access the resources needed
for a decent standard of living and are more able to participate
in the life of the community.

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 What are the characteristics of research?

• Good research follows a systematic approach to capture accurate data.

Researchers need to practice ethics and a code of conduct while
making observations or drawing conclusions.
• The analysis is based on logical reasoning and involves both inductive
and deductive methods.
• Real-time data and knowledge is derived from actual observations in
natural settings.
• There is an in-depth analysis of all data collected so that there are no
anomalies associated with it.

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 What are the characteristics of research?

• It creates a path for generating new questions. Existing data helps

create more research opportunities.
• It is analytical and uses all the available data so that there is no
ambiguity in inference.
• Accuracy is one of the most critical aspects of research. The
information must be accurate and correct. For example, laboratories
provide a controlled environment to collect data. Accuracy is
measured in the instruments used, the calibrations of instruments or
tools, and the experiment’s final result.

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