DEFINITION OF RESEARCH

Over the years, many experts have given their own definitions of the word "research." Different perspectives on
the subject have been adopted that resulted in the following definitions:
1. Research follows a step-by-step process of investigation that uses a standardized approach in answering questions or
solving problems (Beck & Polit, 2004).
3. Research plays an important role in tertiary education. Though there are many problems confronted by higher
education, developments are realized through research. After all, its main purpose is to answer a question or to solve an
issue (Palispis, 2004).
4. Research is a continuous undertaking of making known the unknown (Sanchez, 2002).
5. Research is an investigation following ordered steps leading to a discovery of new information or concepts (Sanchez,
1999).
6. Research is a very careful investigation of something that purports the contribution of additional or new knowledge
and wisdom (Bassey, as cited in Coleman & Briggs, 2002).
7. Research is a tested approach of thinking and employing validated instruments and steps in order to obtain a more
adequate solution to a problem that is otherwise impossible to address under ordinary means (Crawford, as cited in
Alcantara & Espina, 1995).

IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
1. Research provides a scientific basis for any practice or methodology in any field or discipline.
2. Research is undertaken for the continuous development and further productivity in any field.
3. Research helps develop tools for assessing effectiveness of any practice and operation
4. Research provides solutions to problems concerning almost all issues encountered in the different areas of work.
5. Research impacts decision-making.
6. Research develops and evaluates alternative approaches to the educational aspects of any discipline.
7. Research aims to advance the personal and professional qualifications of a practitioner.

ROLES OF A RESERCHER
According to Nieswiadomy (2005), the researcher serves different roles in a study. As the researcher takes on a
particular role, certain adjustments are made to ensure that results will not be adversely affected.
The different roles are the following:
1. As principal investigator
2. As member of a research team
3. As identifier of researchable problems
4. As evaluator of research findings
5. As user of research findings
6. As patient or client advocate during study.
7. As subject/respondent/participant

CATEGORIES OF RESEARCH
Basic Research This is the type of research that is a purely direct application but increasing the nature of understanding
about the problem. It develops the scientific theories to be more understandable to the readers.
Applied Research It is a type of research that needs an answer to a specific question. It provides solutions and
validation in order to apply to the real setting.

GOALS OF CONDUCTING RESEARCH

Researchers may have different goals and purposes for doing research depending on their interests and the nature of
their profession. However, it can be assumed that the ultimate goal of all types of research is to seek and explore new
knowledge that will be beneficial to a certain community or society as a whole.
Specific goals for conducting research:
1. To produce evidence-based practice
 Disciplines must adopt best practices proven by research.
 Health professionals use research to improve clinical practices.
 Share findings in books, journals, seminars, workshops for wider adoption.
2. To establish credibility in the profession
 Prove ideas as facts through multiple research studies.
 Credibility in a profession grows with more research conducted.
3. To observe accountability for the profession
 Every professional action must have a rationale.
 Professionals must be accountable for efficient task execution.
4. To promote cost-effectiveness
 Share research findings with intended audience.
 Results must satisfy researcher's goals before sharing with others.
 Allows others in similar conditions to benefit, saving on redundant research expenses.
 The definitions of research lead to the following common characteristics of research:
1. The research should be systematic.
 There is a system to follow in conducting research as there is a system for formulating each of its parts. There
is a big system (macro) and under it are small systems (micro). In research writing, what is referred to as the
"system" is composed of the chapters and their elements.
-macrosystem is composed of chapters that are organized in a logical and scientific manner.
-microsystem consists of the detailed contents of each chapter. The contents are further divided into elements that are
organized following a systematic procedure.
2. The research should be objective.
 Analyze phenomena objectively, overcoming personal biases.
 In qualitative research, maintain clarity and explicitness in data collection, analysis, and interpretation.
3. The research should be feasible.
 Consider time, resources, and topic scope for feasibility.
 Focus on specific, possible topics to ensure realistic research goals.
4. The research should be empirical.
 Support variables with evidence and references.
 Avoid plagiarism; validate results through proper attribution.
5. The research should be clear.
 Explain the choice of variables in the study.
 Ensure correct language, free from errors, and apply principles of unity and coherence.
6. The research should be reliable.
 Conduct research that yields consistent results upon repetition.
7. The research should be valid.
 Ensure research results are true and not manipulated.
 Findings and conclusions should be applicable to real-world settings.
8. The research should be accurate.
 Utilize validated tools for correct and acceptable answers to research questions.
9. The research should be generalizable.
 Apply findings from samples to larger populations.
10. The research should be controlled.
 Maintain control over variables, especially in experimental research, for accurate results.

Prieto, et.al. (2017) added that the following are involved in the Research Processes:
1. DEFINE RESEARCH PROBLEM: What is the problem?
2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE: What evidence is already presented?
3. FORMULATING HYPOTHESIS: How are we going to find/look for the answer to questions being studied?
4. RESEARCH DESIGN: Where will the study be shown and with what population?
5. COLLECTING DATA: Are we ready to gather the data? Where do we find the data?
6. ANALYZING DATA: How do the data answer the research queries?
7. INTERPRET AND REPORT: What are the implications of the results?

According to Resnik, 2007, ethical norms are significant in conducting research studies as explained in the following:
First, ethics promotes the pursuit of knowledge, truth, and credibility. It also fosters values that are essential to
collaborative work.
Second, ethical norms help individuals to be accountable in every act that the researcher/s undertake.
Third, ensure that researchers are held accountable to the public.
Lastly, an ethical norm in research also needs public awareness. This can be evaluated by the researcher before
conducting the study because this may help a certain population in an area once the study is completed.

ETHICAL CODES AND POLICIES FOR RESEARCH, RESNIK, 2007

Given the importance of ethics in the conduct of a research, you will follow codes and policies for research:
Honesty Maintain all communication. Data should not be faked.
Objectivity Avoid biases in experimental designs, data analysis, interpretation, expert testimony, and other aspects
of research.
Integrity Keep your promises and agreements.
Carefulness Avoid careless errors and negligence.
Openness Share data, results, ideas and tools. Be open to criticism and new ideas.
Confidentiality Protect confidential communication.
Responsible Publication Avoid duplicating publications.
Responsible Mentoring Help to educate, mentor, and advise others.
Respect Colleagues Treat all peers fairly.
Social Responsibility Strive to promote social good. Avoid social harm.
Non- Discrimination avoid discrimination against colleagues or students on the basis of sex, races, ethnicity, and or
others.
 Legality Be informed and obey relevant laws and institutional governmental policies.
Respect of Intellectual Property Give proper acknowledgment or credits to all researchers.
Human Subject Minimize risks that involve human lives, dignity, and privacy.

GENERAL FORMS OF RESEARCH

1. Scientific research is a research method that seeks to explain naturally occurring phenomena in the natural world by
generating credible theories. It is a systematic process that involves formulating hypotheses, testing predictions using
relevant data and other scientific methods, and finally coming up with a theory. As such, this study requires rational and
statistical evidence to draw conclusions.
2. Research in the humanities seeks to define the purpose of human existence by tapping into historical facts and future
possibilities. While studies on natural and social sciences require hard evidence to draw conclusions, this form of
research derive explanations from human experiences that cannot be simply measured by facts and figures alone.
3. Artistic research provides alternative approaches to established concepts by conducting practical methods as
substitutes for fundamental and theoretical ones. The main purpose of this form of research is to expound on the
current accepted concepts and open them to further interpretation. As such, the word “artistic” does not solely refer to
the arts but rather to the kind of approach a researcher assumes in this type of research. This research generates new
knowledge through artistic practices such as defining new concepts, creating new processes, and devising new methods.

RESEARCH DESIGNS
The research design enables the researcher to organize the components of his or her research in an orderly and
coherent manner. This will ensure that the research or study will effectively address the research topic or problem. The
research design is also a template for the collection, measurement, and analysis of data. The research problem
determines the research design that will be used in the study.
Having a well - developed research design will enable the researcher to achieve the following :
1. Clearly identify and describe the research problem or topic , and justify the selection of the appropriate design to be
used
2. Review and synthesize previous studies and literature related to the topic
3. Formulate viable hypotheses scientifically 4. Determine the data necessary to test the hypotheses and explain how
the data will be obtained
5. Describe the methods that will be used in the analysis of the data gathered in order to evaluate the hypotheses of the
study
SPECIFIC RESEARCH DESIGNS
Examples of specific research designs include the following:
1. Action research. This is a short - term research for an identified problem that needs immediate solution.
2. Causal design. This research explores how a specific change impacts a certain situation. This research design employs
hypotheses that seek to establish a cause - and - effect relationship between variables. Essentially, this research design
seeks to determine whether " variable X caused Y. "
3. Descriptive design. This design answers who, what , when , where , and how questions related to a particular research
problem. This design is used to obtain information about the present situation to gain an understanding of a certain
phenomenon.
4. Experimental design. In this design, the researcher controls the factors and variables related to a certain
phenomenon and tries to change or manipulate one or several factors to determine the possible effects.
5. Exploratory design. This research focuses on topics or problems which have had little or no studies done about them.
The purpose of this design is to gain information and insights that can be used for later researches.
6. Cohort design. This research identifies a group of people sharing common characteristics who are then studied for a
period of time. The researcher seeks to identify how these groups are affected by certain factors or changes and relates
the information gathered to the research topic or problem.
7. Cross - sectional design. This research design looks into a large group of people, composed of individuals with varied
characteristics. The researcher seeks to determine how these individuals are affected by a certain variable or change and
gathers data at a specific period of time.
8. Longitudinal design. This research follows a group of people over a long period of time. Throughout the period of
study, observations are made on the group to track changes over time and identify factors that may have caused them.
9. Sequential design. This research is carried out in stages to gather sufficient data to test the hypothesis. This design is
often combined with a cohort or cross - sectional study as it identifies specific groups for each stage. At the end of each
stage, the data is collected and evaluated.
10. Mixed - method design. This research combines aspects of various research designs and methods. It primarily
combines qualitative and quantitative research designs to gain a complete picture of the research problem and gather
data that will fully determine the validity of the hypotheses.

QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS

Beck and Polit (2004) define quantitative research as " the traditional positivist scientific method which refers to
a general set of orderly, disciplined procedures to acquire information . " In their book, Nursing Research Principles and
Methods, they explain that the research method utilizes deductive reasoning to generate predictions that are tested in
the real world.
 Deductive reasoning, a form of analysis that focuses on general ideas and breaks them down to specific ones,
allows the researcher to implement a systematic process in coming up with conclusions. It is systematic because the
researcher progresses logically through a series of steps, according to a pre-specified plan of action.
However, a quantitative research has its disadvantages as well. Quantitative research is considered to be
limiting when it comes to studying the complex and diverse minds of human beings. This is because quantitative
research can only explain a small fraction of the human experience (e.g., behavioral impulses and varying personal
preferences).
In quantitative research, these human complexities are usually controlled or removed entirely instead of being
analyzed. The inflexible and narrow vision of quantitative research tends to present the human experience in a
restricted manner.
Qualitative research is defined as the " naturalistic method of inquiry of research which deals with the issue of
human complexity by exploring it directly " (Beck and Polit, 2008 ). Unlike quantitative research, qualitative research
puts an emphasis on human complexity and an individual's ability to decide and create his or her own experience.
Qualitative research focuses on gaining insights and understanding about an individual's perception and
interpretation of events. This type of research collects data through methods such as interviews and participant
observation.
CHARACTERISTICS OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Kania (2008) presents the following key distinguishing characteristics of qualitative research:
1. Qualitative research is conducted in a systematic and rigorous way. However, it is more flexible than quantitative
research.
2. It usually follows an iterative process, which means that data collection and analysis flexible than quantitative
research. occur simultaneously. Data already collected are updated by the ongoing data collection.
3. It focuses on gathering information from people who can provide the richest insights into the phenomenon or
interest. As a result, small samples are commonly used in qualitative research. Study participants are usually selected in
a purposive manner, using only those for whon the topic under study is relevant.
4. Collection of data is continuous until saturation, or when it reaches the point where no new information is revealed
with respect to the key themes emerging from the data.
5. Qualitative data collection examines everyday life in it’s natural context or in an uncontrolled naturalistic setting.

THE VALUE OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

The value of qualitative study comes from its focus on the lived experience of the participants, which enables
development of a greater understanding concerning the outcomes that are important, relevant, and meaningful to the
people involved.
COMMON TYPES OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
There are various types of qualitative research based on different fields of inquiry (Merriam, S. B, et al, 2002) The
following are some of the common types of qualitative research represented by sample research questions:
1. Phenomenological study. This study explores the complex meanings of simple units of experience. It seeks to
understand a certain phenomenon as it is perceived and experienced by the research participants. In other words, it
aims to describe what it is like to be in a particular situation based on one's personal experiences.
Example: What are the common experiences encountered by a person with a spouse who is undergoing rehabilitation?
With the given problem, the researcher has to discover the inner feelings, emotional hardships, and mental disturbances
that the respondent is experiencing,
2. Ethnographic study. This study involves the collection and analysis of data about specific groups of people sharing a
common culture. In this type of research, the researcher immerses himself or herself in a community to observe the
behaviors and interactions of its members up close and experience some of their daily activities and struggles firsthand.
During the immersion process, the researcher talks to the key persons and personalities called key informants who
provide important information for the study.
Example: How do children with an indigenous cultural orientation learn and use several speech varieties in diferent social
contexts? (Jamora, 2014)
3. Historical study. This study is concerned with the identification, location, evaluation, and synthesis of data from past
events. This is not only limited to obtaining data from the past, but it also involves relating their implications to the
present and future time.
Example: What were the roles of women in the Katipunan?
To examine the roles of women in the Katipunan, there are multiple means of gathering information. One is to go
through original Katipunan-era documents to find names and information about the female members. Another is to
conduct interviews with the relatives of female Katipunan members.
In a historical study, gathering of data relies mainly on certain sources, such as the following:
a. Documents - printed materials that can be found in libraries, archives, or personal a collections
b. Relics and artifacts - physical remains or objects from a certain historical period
c. Oral reports - information that is passed on by word of mouth

The data sources are classified as follows:

a. Primary sources - materials providing first-hand information, e.g, oral histories, written re cords, diaries,
eyewitness accounts, pictures, videos, and other physical evidence
 b. Secondary sources - second-hand information such as an account based on an original source, or a material
written as an abstract of the original materials

The validity of materials used in the study are assessed through the following processes:
a. Internal criticism. This involves establishing the authenticity or originality of the materials by looking at the
consistency of information. Motives and possible biases of the author must be considered in trying to determine
the accuracy of the materials.
b. External criticism. This is based on the analysis of the material: the ink and the type of paper used, the layout
and physical appearance, as well as the age and texture of material itself.
4. Case study. It is an in-depth examination of an individual, a group of people, or an institution." Some of its purposes
are to gain insights into a little-known problem, provide background data for broader studies, and explain socio-
psychological and socio-cultural processes. It provides information on where to draw conclusions about the impact of a
significant event on a person's life (Sanchez, 2002).
Example: How do cancer survivors look at life?
The researcher is able to give an overview of the problem by interviewing a cancer survivor about his or her experiences.
5. Grounded theory study. The method involves comparing collected units of data against one another until categories,
properties, and hypotheses that state relations between these categories and properties emerge. These hypotheses are
tentative and suggestive, and are not tested in the study.
Example: Ten school counselors were given structured interviews to help determine how their professional identity is
formed.
This data was coded first to form concepts. Then, connections between these concepts were identified. A core concept
emerged and its process and implications were discussed. School counselors' professional interactions were identified as
defining experiences in their identity formation (Brott & Myers, 1999).
6. Narrative analysis. The main sources of data for this type of research are the life accounts of individuals based on
their personal experiences. The purpose of narrative analysis is to extract meaningful context from these experiences by
identifying patterns, themes, or meanings, based particularly on chronology. It accepts the idea that knowledge can be
acquired through stories that can be relayed, stored, and recollected.
The common types of narrative analysis are as follows:
a. Psychological - This involves analyzing the story in terms of internal thoughts and motivations. It also analyzes
the written text or spoken words for its component parts or patterns.
b. Biographical - This takes the individual's society and factors like gender and class into account.
c. Discourse analysis - This studies the approach in which language is used in texts and contexts.
7. Critical qualitative research. This type of research seeks to bring about change and empower individuals by describing
and critiquing the social, cultural, and psychological perspectives on present-day contexts. As such, it ultimately
challenges the current norm, especially on the distribution of power in society, building upon the initial appraisal of the
said present-day perspectives.
8. Postmodern research. Postmodernism is essentially a way of thìnking about art, culture, phílosophy, and daily life. It
suggests that there is no real "truth" that people can know. All knowledge is constructed and is based on someone's
reality, and all ideas and facts can only be "believed" and not "known" Because postmodernism believes that no one can
totally know the truth, different people may have different truths and each person has his or her own set of realities;
hence the statement “truth is relative.”
9. Basic Interpretative Qualitative Study. This is used when a researcher is interested in identifying how individuals give
meaning to a situation or phenomenon. It uses inductive strategy which is a process of analyzing patterns or common
themes or produce a descriptive account that summarizes and analyzes the literature that defined the study. Inductive
strategy looks at specific themes and patterns to come up with summsries and conclusion that can be generalized from
the data.
Example: An interview of a 45 different women from varying backgrounds and a comparison of a developmental patterns
discerned with earlier findings on male development . They found women’s lives evolved through periods of tumultous,
structure-building phases that alternated with stable periods (Levinson & Levinson 1996)

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Anderson (2010), in her article "Presenting and Evaluating Qualitative Research,“ lists the following strengths of a
qualitative research:
1. The study requires a few cases or participants. Data collected are based on the participants’ own categories of
meaning.
2. It is useful for describing complex phenomena.
3. Issues can be examined in detail and in depth.
4. Interviews are not restricted to specific questions and can be guided or redirected by the ability of researcher in real
time.
5. Subtleties and complexities about the research subjects or topic are often missed by more empirical and observable
inquiries.
6. It provides individual case information.
7. Cross-case comparisons and analysis can be conducted.
8. It provides understanding and description of people's personal experiences of phenomena (i.e., the emic or insider's
viewpoint).
9. The researcher can study dynamic processes (i.e., documenting sequential patterns and change).
10. The researcher can use the primarily qualitative method of grounded theory to inductively generate a tentative but
explanatory theory about a phenomenon.
11. It can determine how participants interpret constructs (e.g, self-esteem and 1Q).
12. In qualitative research, data are usually collected in naturalistic settings, which identifies contextual and setting
factors in understanding a phenomenon.
13. Qualitative approaches are especially responsive to local situations, conditions, and stakeholders' needs.
14. Qualitative data in the words and categories of participants lend themselves to exploring how and why particular
phenomena occur.
15. You can use an important case to vividly demonstrate a phenomenon to the readers.
16. It can determine idiographic causation (i.e., determination of causes of a particular event).

Anderson (2010) also enumerates the following weaknesses of qualitative research:

1. The knowledge produced might not be applicable to other people or other settings (i.e, findings might be unique to
the relatively few people included in the research study).
2. Inflexibility is more difficult to maintain, assess, and demonstrate.
3. It is sometimes not as well understood and accepted as quantitative research within the scientific community.
4. The researcher's presence during data gathering, which is often unavoidable in qualitative research, can affect the
subjects' responses.
5. Issues of anonymity and confidentiality can present problems when presenting findings.
6. It is difficult to make quantitative predictions.
7. It is more difficult to test hypotheses and theories with large participant pools.
8. lt might have lower credibility with some administrators and commissioners of programs.
9. It generally takes more time to collect the data compared to quantitative research.
10. Data analysis is often time-consuming.
11. The results are more easily influenced by the researcher's personal biases and idiosyncrasies.