INTRODUCTION TO

RESEARCH
AYO NELSON
BPH
LESSON OBJECTIVES

• Define the term research

• Describe the characteristics of research

• Identify the objectives/ purpose of objectives

 introduction

• The word “research” originated from the old French word “

recerchier ” meaning to search and search again. It literally
implies repeating a search for something and implicitly
assumes that the earlier search was not exhaustive and
complete in the sense that there is still scope for improvement.
Research in common parlance refers to a search for knowledge.
 Definition
• It may be defined as a scientific and systematic search for pertinent information
on a specific topic/area.

• The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English lays down the meaning
of research as “a careful investigation or inquiry especially through search for
new facts in any branch of knowledge”.

• Redman and Mory define research as “a systematized effort to gain new

knowledge”. Some people consider research as a movement, a movement from
known to unknown. It is actually a voyage of discovery
 DEFINITION…..

• Research is the systematic study of trend or event which

involves careful collection, presentation, analysis and
interpretation of quantitative data or facts that relates man’s
thinking with reality.

• John W. Creswell, defined research as a process of steps used

to collect and analyze information to increase our
understanding of a topic or issue
Cont……..

• Research is a scientific approach of answering a research

question, solving a problem or generating new knowledge
through a systematic and orderly collection, organization, and
analysis of information with an ultimate goal of making the
research useful in decision-making.
Cont……
• Systematic research in any field of inquiry involves three basic operations-

1. Data collection: It refers to observing, measuring, and recording information.

2. Data analysis : It refers to arranging and organizing the collected data so that
we may be able to find out what their significance is and generalize about them.

3. Report writing: It is an inseparable part and a final outcome of a research study.

Its purpose is to convey information contained in it to the readers or audience.
In conclusion therefore;

• Research is the systematic, rigorous investigation of a situation or

problem in order to generate new knowledge or validate existing

knowledge.
CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH

• Empirical - based on observations and experimentation

on theories.

• Systematic - follows orderly and sequential procedure.

• Controlled - all variables except those that are

tested/experimented upon are kept constant.

• Employs hypothesis - guides the investigation process

 Characteristics………………
• Analytical - There is critical analysis of all data used so that there is no
error in their interpretation

• Objective, Unbiased, & Logical - all findings are logically based on

empirical

• Employs quantitative or statistical methods - data are transformed into

numerical measures and are treated statistically.

• Generalization. Research conclusions can be applied to a large population

Cont…….

• Credibility: The extent to which an analysis of finding can be

treated to be trustworthy is termed as credibility. This can only
be assured by the use of the best source of information and
best procedures in research.

• Reliability: This is a the degree to which the result of a

measurement, calculation, or specification can be depended on
to be accurate
 OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH

• The purpose of research is to discover answers to

questions through the application of scientific
procedures. The main aim of research is to find out the
truth (information, causes, purposes, facts, knowledge,
philosophy and so on) which is hidden and which has not
been discovered as yet.
 Objectives cont…………………
• To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular individual, situation or a group (studies with

this object in view are known as descriptive research studies)

• To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with which it is associated with

something else (studies with this object in view are known as diagnostic research studies)

• To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables (such studies are known as

hypothesis-testing research studies)

• To understand clearly an observed phenomenon and explain its logic and reason for happening.

• To get insights about problem.

• To find solutions for a problem

• 1) To gather useful information
• Research provides information necessary for the progression of various fields of work, study oroperation. For example, most companies do research before beginning projects in
order to get ideasabout the things they will need to do to achieve successful projects. Research also helps them getacquainted with the processes and resources involved in the
project and its market reception.
• (2) To institute helpful changes
• Sometimes, there are in-built problems in a process or a project that are difficult to resovle withoutcareful investigation. Research helps find the root cause(s) of practical
problems and reveals theelements associated with processes in various field so that they can be improved. Such research ofteninvokes demands for helpful change(s) and
sometimes research is successful in instituting changes. Forexample, many UN researches have paved way for changes in policies.
• (3) Improving standard of living
• Inventions and discoveries come to life through research. For example, it was C.V.
• Raman’s research
• that prompted invention of radio communication. Without Graham Bell
• ’s
• invention of the telephonecommunication today would be much harder and life more inconvenient. All the luxuries and theamenities that are now available to man are the result
of research. And with new crises, research has become indispensable for the evolution of new solutions.
• (4) For improved health and safety
• Groundbreaking discoveries and developments in the fields of health, nutrition, food technology andmedicine have been achieved through research. These have improved the life
expectancy of the humanrace in all parts of the world and helped eradicate diseases like polio and smallpox completely.Diseases that were untreatable are now history, as new
inventions and research in the field of medicinehave led to the advent of drugs that not only treat the once-incurable diseases, but also prevent themfrom recurring.
• (5) To know the truth
• Over time many established truths have been refuted with the evidence adduced from research.Research, by it objectivity and elevation of generalizable knowledge has led to
the investigation andestablishment of new principles, laws, theorems and the continual testing of the validity of hypotheses.
CLASSIFICATION OF RESEARCH

We can classify the research according to;

1. The Purpose of Research

2. The Uses of Research

3. The handling of time during the research

4. The technique uses in research

 Uses of the research

• Basic research/ Pure/ Fundamental research is the research to find the

basic knowledge or to refine the basic knowledge. Basic research is also
called pure research and fundamental research.

• Applied research/ Action research is research that is useful for a human

being. Applied research is conducted for solving practical life problems.

• For example, research conducted for the patients of Wuhan in China. The
doctors are trying to prepare a vaccine for the benefit of human beings.
Comparison between Basic and Applied
Research
• READ AND MAKE YOUR OWN NOTES
 According to the Purpose of doing the
research
1. Descriptive research presents a detailed picture of the problem or situation.
Descriptive research is in more detail as compared to exploratory research.

2. Correlational Research the main emphasis is to discover or establish the existence of

a relationship/association/interdependence between two or more aspects of a
situation. What is the impact of an advertising campaign on the sale of a product?
What is the relationship between stressful living and the incidence of heart attack?
These studies examine whether there is a relationship between two or more aspects of
a situation or phenomenon and, therefore, are called correlational studies.
 Purpose………..

3.Explanatory/ causal Research: attempts to clarify why and how

there is a relationship between two aspects of a situation or
phenomenon. This type of research attempts to explain, for
example, why stressful living results in heart attacks; why a decline
in mortality is followed by a fertility decline; or how the home
environment affects children’s level of academic achievement.
 Purpose………….

4. Exploratory research. This is when a study is undertaken with the

objective either to explore an area where little is known or to
investigate the possibilities of undertaking a particular research
study. When a study is carried out to determine its feasibility it is
also called a feasibility study or a pilot study. It is usually carried out
when a researcher wants to explore areas about which s/he has little
or no knowledge
 According to time dimension of
research
1. Cross-Sectional Research: In this type of study, researchers
observe at one point in time. Cross-sectional studies are
simpler and less costly than longitudinal studies.

2. Longitudinal Research: Longitudinal researchers examine

features of people or other units at more than one point in
time. Longitudinal studies can be very costly and complex.
 Types of Longitudinal Studies

1. Time Series: A longitudinal study in which the same type of

information is collected on a group of people or other units across
multiple time periods.

2. Panel Study: The researcher observes exactly the same people,

group, or organization across several time periods. This type of
research is very costly and many times may be impossible due to
its potential price tag
Cont……

3. Cohort analysis: A longitudinal study that studies a category of

people who share a similar life experience within a specified time
period.

4. Case Study: A special type of longitudinal study in which a

researcher examines in depth many features of a few cases over a long
duration of time. Often times the data collected includes very detailed
and personal information about a person, organization, etc.
 According to type of data

• Quantitative research refers to the systematic empirical

investigation of any phenomena via statistical, mathematical or
computational techniques. The objective of quantitative
research is to develop and employ mathematical models,
theories and/or hypotheses pertaining to phenomena.
Quantitative research is generally made using scientific method
Cont………….

• Qualitative research is research dealing with phenomena that are

difficult or impossible to quantify mathematically, such as beliefs,
meanings, attributes, and symbols

• Qualitative researchers aim to gather an in-depth understanding of

human behaviour and the reasons that govern such behaviour. The
qualitative method investigates the why and how of decision making,
not just what, where, when.
 According to the nature of the study

• Descriptive research usually involves surveys and studies that aim to

identify the facts. In other words, descriptive research mainly deals with
the “description of the state of affairs as it is at present”, and there is no
control over variables in descriptive research.

• Analytical research, on the other hand, is fundamentally different in a

way that “the researcher has to use facts or information already available
and analyse these in order to make a critical evaluation of the material”.