Practical Research Reviewer
4 Major Topics in research
- Experiment
- Investigation
- Inquiry
- Knowledge
Objectives of Nature of Inquiry and Research
- Share research experiences and knowledge
- Explain the importance of research in daily life
KWL Chart
1.1 Inquiry
- "Inquiry" is defined as "Seeking for truth, information, or knowledge”
- “Seeking information by questioning."
1. Nature of Inquiry
- Inquiry is the dynamic process of being open to wonder and puzzlements and
coming to know and understand the world
- Inquiry is an approach to learning that involves a process of exploring the
natural or material world, which leads to asking questions and making
discoveries in the search for new understandings.
2. What is Inquiry?
- It is a problem solving technique.
- It elevates a person’s thinking power.
- It is a cooperative learning.
- It is driven by questions of interest rather than general topics.
- It makes you think in different ways.
3. Foundations of Inquiry
- 1. John Dewey
- Theory of Experiential Education
- Connected Experiences for Exploratory and Reflective Thinking
- Good experience now would impact future decisions
- Human experiences influence the capacity to learn
- 2. Lev Vygotsky
- Social Development/ Sociocultural Theory
- Zone of Proximal Development stresses the essence of provocation and
scaffolding in learning.
- 3. Jerome Bruner
- Constructivist Theory
- Learners’ varied world perceptions for their own interpretative thinking of people
and things around them
- Learning is an active process in which learners construct new ideas or concepts
based upon their current/past knowledge.
4. Inquiry-Based Learning
- The scientific process
- Focus on ‘how we know what we know’ (evidence)
- Indirect transfer of knowledge
- Teacher’s role = facilitator of learning
- Student’s role = active, independent learner (investigator)
- Inquiry-based learning is a process where students are involved in their learning,
formulate questions, investigate widely and then build new understandings,
meanings and knowledge.
RESEARCH
1. Research
- It is a careful study that is done to find and report new knowledge about
something
- It pertains to any systematic investigation of any social or natural phenomena
where results and conclusions are aimed at contributing to generalizable
knowledge.
- It requires that data are collected, analyzed, and interpreted to understand,
describe, predict, or control a phenomenon.
- It contributes to a body of science.
- It follows a scientific method
2. Science
- It refers to a systematic and organized body of knowledge in any area of inquiry
that is acquired using the scientific method.
3. Scientific Method
- It refers to a standardized set of techniques for building scientific knowledge.
- It allows researchers to impartially test preexisting theories and prior findings, and
subject them to open debate, modifications, or enhancements.
4. Importance of Research
- Understand history.
- Understanding history can help us better understand our current society and the
behavior of the people.
- Develop personally and professionally.
- Research challenges us to become better individuals through new ideas and skills
that we can get when doing research.
5. Purposes of Research
- To learn how to work independently
- To learn how to work scientifically or systematically
- To have an in-depth knowledge of something
- To elevate intellectual abilities
- To improve reading and writing skills
- To be familiar with the basic tools of research and the various techniques of
gathering data and presenting research findings
- To free yourself from the influence of a single textbook or from the teacher’s
viewpoint
NATURE OF RESEARCH
1. Learning Competency:
- Describe characteristics, processes, and ethics of research.
2. The Research Process
- Accurate - gives correct, accurate, appropriately documented data
- Objective/Empirical - deals with facts obtained through a thorough investigation
- Timely - fresh, new, and interesting to the present society
- Relevant - must be instrumental in improving society or in solving problems
- Clear -must succeed in expressing its central point by using simple, direct,
concise and correct language
- Systematic -must take place in organized or orderly manner
- Analytical - Analyzes and interprets the gathered data
- Cyclical - Begins with a problem and ends with a resolution
- Original - A product of novel ideas
3. Ethical Norms in Research
- Honesty
- Objectivity
- Integrity
- Carefulness
- Openness
- Respect for Intellectual Property
- Confidentiality
- Legality
- Animal Care
- Human Subjects Protection
A. Case 1:
The research protocol for a study of a drug on hypertension requires the
administration of the drug at different doses to 50 laboratory mice, with chemical
and behavioral tests to determine toxic effects. Tom has almost finished the
experiment for Dr. Q. He has only 5 mice left to test. However, he really wants to
finish his work in time to go to Florida on spring break with his friends, who are
leaving tonight. He has injected the drug in all 50 mice but has not completed all
of the tests. He therefore decides to extrapolate from the 45 completed results to
produce the 5 additional results.
B. Case 2:
Dr. T has just discovered a mathematical error in his paper that has been accepted
for publication in a journal. The error does not affect the overall results of his
research, but it is potentially misleading. The journal has just gone to press, so it
is too late to catch the error before it appears in print. In order to avoid
embarrassment, Dr. T decides to ignore the error.
Quantitative and Qualitative
“There are two different observations the teacher described in her remark.”
Quantitative - passing mark of 75
Qualitative - Your classmate seems uninterested to study the lessons
Qualitative Study - is an inquiry process of understanding a social or human problem
based on building a holistic picture formed with words, reporting detailed views of
informants, and conducted in a natural setting.
Quantitative Study - is an inquiry into a social or human problem based on testing a
theory composed of variables, measured with numbers, and analyzed with statistical
procedures, in order to determine whether the predictive generalizations of the theory
hold true.
1. Quantitative
- usually characterized by a numerical measure.
A. Examples of Quantitative Data
1. height
2. weight
3. age of a person
4. income
2. Qualitative
- describes a certain phenomenon or event
- can be observed through the senses
- collects data in the form of words or statements
1. Qualitative Research
- It is more subjective.
- It involves gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data based on observations.
- The data can be in the form of ideas and actions.
- There is no definite number of participants.
Examples :
• Gender and cultural gaps in the classroom
• Science practices of the Mangyan tribe
1. Quantitative Research
- Research questions are usually geared toward measuring hypothesis using statistical
tools.
- It is more objective.
- Statistical treatments are important.
- It follows a certain sample size.
Examples :
• Predictors of Science performance
• Growth performance of organic fertilizer
• Population rate in Metro Manila in the next 20 years
Ontological
What is the nature of reality?
1. Qualitative
• Reality is subjective and multiple as seen by participants in a study.
2. Quantitative
• Reality is objective, singular, and can be measured objectively by using a
questionnaire or an instrument.
Epistemological
What is the relationship of the researcher to that researched?
1. Qualitative
• Researcher interacts with that being researched.
2. Quantitative
• Researcher is independent from that being researched.
Axiological
What is the role of values?
1. Qualitative
• It is value-laden.
2. Quantitative
• It is value-free
Rhetorical
What is the language of research
1. Qualitative
• It uses informal, personal voice.
• It uses words such as understanding, discover, and meaning.
2. Quantitative
• It uses formal, impersonal voice.
• It uses words such as relationship and comparison.
Methodological
What is the process of research
1. Qualitative
• It uses the inductive process.
• It is context-bound.
2. Quantitative
• It uses the deductive process, cause and effect.
• It is context-free.
Qualitative Research and Its Importance in Daily Life
Objectives:
1. Describe the characteristics, strengths, limitations, and kinds
of qualitative research.
2. Illustrate the importance of qualitative research across fields.
• IQualitative Researchh developing explanations of social phenomena.
• It is concerned with the social aspects of our world and seeks to answer
questions about:
Why people behave the way they do How opinions and attitudes are
formed
How people are affected by the events that go on around them.
How and why cultures and practices
role in qualitative research.
• Qualitative data presented in a
are gathered and
form of words,
descriptions, pictures, or meanings.
• Qualitative researcher is concerned with the process involved.
• Inductive reasoning is used in analyzing qualitative data.
• Qualitative researcher is
concerned with meanings and
depth.
• Interviews are not restricted to specific questions and can be
guided/redirected by the researcher in real time.
• The researcher framework and direction can be quickly revised as new
information emerges.
• The data based on human experience is powerful.
• Data are usually collected from a few cases or individuals, so findings
cannot be generalized to a larger
•Limitationslves a lot of researcher’s subjectivity
in data analysis.
•It is hard to know the validity or reliability of the data.
•Its open-ended questions yield “data overload” that
requires long-time analysis.
•It involves processes, which
several
results
greatly depend on the researcher’s views or interpretations.
•Research quality is heavily dependent on the individual skills of the
researcher
and more easily influenced
Limitations
•The volume of data makes analysis and interpretation
time consuming.
•It is sometimes not as well understood and accepted as quantitative
research within the scientific
community.
• The researcher’s data gathering
presence during
can affect the
respondents’ responses, which is often unavoidable in qualitative research.
• Issues of anonymity and confidentiality can present
problems when presenting findings.
• Findings can be more difficult and time consuming to
characterize in a visual way.
1. CASE STUDY
• involves a long time study of a person, group, organization, or situation
• allows the search and deep exploration of complex issues
• issues on education, sociology, and community-based problems
• a small geographical area or a very limited number of individuals
• interviews, questionnaires, observations, and documentary analyses
Example
Topic: Women and Beauty Magazines Background:
Magazines specifically written for women have been in circulation for
over sixty years, discussing whatever issues were relevant to women at the
time (Moskowitz, 1996). Some of the earlier magazines focused on a war-
time rebellion of feminism. Moskowitz (1996) conducted a study about
the effects of war-time magazines and said, “Women’s magazines of the
Cold War era remain symbols of antifeminism” (p. 66). Moskowitz (1996)
found that many women liked the articles because many magazines
discussed important issues to them, such as stress, emotionalism, and
feminism (p.66).
Example
Purpose/Objective:
The purpose of this study was to determine whether women like or dislike
beauty magazines, why they like or dislike them, and how frequently
women read beauty magazines.
Example
Procedure/Method:
The sample used for this study consisted of twenty young women between
the ages of nineteen to twenty-five. The women interviewed were
randomly selected from students attending the University of Minnesota at
noon on three separate days: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. The
students filled out questionnaires distributed to them while they were
engaging in various activities.
Instrumentation:
The instrument used was a questionnaire consisting of six questions.
Example
Results:
Although much research has been done on women’s opinions of beauty
magazines, the results have been inconclusive as to whether more women
like the magazines and read them regularly or whether more women
dislike the magazines and never read them. There is higher percentage of
women who liked beauty magazines and regularly read them than those
who disliked beauty magazines and never read them.
2. ETHNOGRAPHY
• is a study of a particular cultural group to get a clear understanding of its
organizational set-up, internal operation, and lifestyle
• focuses on studying shared practices and belief systems of a group of
people over a prolonged period of time
• both formal and informal interviewing
• often several
interviewing individuals on
occasions
3. PHENOMENOLOGY
• refers to the study of how people find their experiences meaningful
• gaining thoughts, insights, and perceptions to a particular phenomenon
• participants reliving their experiences
Examples: Studies about the athletes’ experience in joining national
and international events, students who
volunteer in relief operations, teachers
Example
Topic: Experience of Dementia-related Anxiety aged Female Caregivers
for Family Members with A Phenomenological Study
in Middle-Dementia:
Background:
Dementia is a progressive brain disorder leading to a loss of memory,
judgment, and the ability to perform activities of daily living. According
to a nationwide study on the prevalence of dementia in Korea, the risk of
dementia increases with age; it reached 9.18% in those 65 years and older
in 2012.
Example
Purpose/Objective:
The purpose of this study was to describe the lived experience of dementia
related anxiety in middle-aged female caregivers for family members with
dementia.
Example
Procedure/Method:
A descriptive phenomenological study was conducted. After institutional
review board (IRB) approval, data were collected through face-to-face in-
depth interviews by the researchers from February to August 2014.
Interviews were conducted in each participant's home or office, or at their
parent's nursing home, depending on the participant's preference. A
purposive sampling strategy was used to recruit participants. Twelve
middle-aged women (40-59 years, mean age = 51.90 years) who were
family caregivers were interviewed from February 2014 to August 2014.
Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed
using Giorgi's method.
Example
Results:
The essential structure of the phenomenon was a fear of losing self-
identity. The main essence was represented by six components: keenly
feeling the effects of aging because of memory deficit, continuous
comparison of the family member's behavior with that of the participant's,
finding it painful to see a family member with dementia as he/she does not
know how this will end, not knowing the conclusion of the disease
process, reducing the risk of dementia, and trying to change one's lifestyle
from what it used to be in the past.
4. DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
• is the study of language in use
• refers to the analysis of real life discourse or naturally occurring
language
• data taken from written texts or tape recordings
• involves examining various dimensions of discourse such as style,
syntax, tone, intonation, idioms, and gestures, the relationship between
discourse and context, the relationship between
5. HISTORICAL ANALYSIS
• is the examination of primary documents to make you
understand the connection of past events to the present time
•entails interpretation and understanding of
various historical events,
Kinds
6. GROUNDED THEORY
•is the development of new theory through the collection and
analysis of data about a phenomenon
•interview, observation, documentary analysis
Example
Topic: Cultivating Learning: A Grounded Theory of Skills Acquisition for
Vocation in Modern Apprenticeships
Background:
Apprenticeship training system involves various parties to ensure that
training system runs effectively. It is not just training to get the skills to
vocation, but it is the process of lifelong learning. The learning process
will not stop as soon as it is certified, but it continues in different location
and design in the workplace.
Example
Purpose/Objective:
The system implemented is to create high-skilled workers.
Example Procedure/Method:
Respondents were selected based on theoretical sampling in which we
believe that those elected can contribute to the substantive area of the
study. Selected sampling method is using the snowball and convenient.
Respondents were selected among the group of apprenticeship trainees
from multiple trade under National Dual Training System (NDTS).
Example
Instrumentation:
To achieve the objectives and answer the research questions set, we used
three main methods of data collection through interviews, observation and
document analysis. Interview sessions conducted using a set of open
interview question guide developed by us as a guide for initial questions
before going to the general question of existence based on the responses
given by the respondents.
Example
Results/Findings/Conclusion:
The five phases shows us clearly that the initial selection of trainees to
training institutions is an important process. It helps us determine the
success of the training provided to trainees. If the apprenticeship trainees
are not interested in what follows, it will affect the overall learning
system.
7. INDUCTIVE THEMATIC ANALYSIS
•is the most common qualitative analysis method employed in the social,
behavioral, and health sciences
•examines themes from textual data
•results in recommendations
Kinds
8. NARRATIVE RESEARCH
•narrating the life experience of an individual told to the researcher or
from available document or material
•highlights special events
