RESEARCH

• Research is a skill and a way of thinking
• Research is a systematic, objective, and comprehensive investigation of a certain phenomenon
• Types of research:

  • Qualitative:
  • Subjective
  • Seeks to gain insights and understand people's experience and perspectives
  • Focuses on the "why" rather than the "what"
  • Quantitative:
  • Objective
  • The process of collecting and analyzing numerical data
  • Involves averages, making predictions, testing casual relationships, and generalizing results to a wider population
• Purposes of research:

  1. Verification of existing knowledge

  2. Acquisition of new knowledge

  3. Application of new knowledge

  4. Advancement of researcher's expertise
• Considerations in selecting a research topic:

  • Interest
  • Relevance
  • Place
  • Magnitude & Availability of data
  • Vision and Mission of the Institution
  • SMART - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound
• 4 Ps of a Perspective:

  • People: individuals/groups involved
  • Problem: issues faced
  • Program: service provided
  • Phenomenon: cause and effect
• Background of the Study:

  • Articulates the origin of the problem
  • Establishes the context of the study
  • Aims to convince the reader that there is a need to study a particular phenomenon
  • Contains the rationale, key problem statement, and a brief overview of the research questions
• Types of Literature Sources:

  • Theoretical Literature:
  • Delve into existing theories related to a topic
  • Often found in books or general references
  • Not based on "hands-on" experience
  • Empirical Literature:
  • Focus on specific problems or topics
  • Rely on repeated observations and established methods
  • Based on actual observations or experiments
  • General Reference:
  • Provides factual information, overview of a topic, and guides to in-depth research on a topic
• Writing the Background of the study:

  • C.A.R.S. (Creating a Research Space) Model:
  • Developed by John Swales
  • Consists of three phases: Establishing a Territory, Establishing a Gap, Occupying the Gap
• Literature Review:

  • A comprehensive analysis of previous research related to a specific problem, research area, or theory
  • Purpose is to offer a description, summary, and critical assessment of works in connection to the research problem
  • Parts and Components include Empirical Research (Body) and Conclusion or Synthesis
• Ways of Organizing the Body of Literature:

  • Chronological Structure
  • Thematic Structure
  • Theoretical or Methodological Structure
• Types of Research Gap:

  • Research Gap
  • Evidence Gap
  • Knowledge Gap
  • Practical-Knowledge Gap
  • Methodological Gap
  • Empirical Gap
  • Population Gap
• Statement of the problem:

  • Puts the problem in context
  • Describes the precise issue that the research will address
  • Shows the relevance of the problem
  • Sets the objectives of the research
• Characteristics of a Good Problem Statement:

  • Address a gap in knowledge
  • Be significant enough to contribute to the existing body of research
  • Lead to further research
  • Render itself to investigation through the collection of data
  • Be of interest to the researcher and suit his/her skills, time, and resources
  • Approach towards solving the problem should be ethical
• Research Question:

  • Is the question around which you center your research
  • A question that a study or research project aims to answer
  • Purpose is to narrow down a broad topic of interest into a specific area of study and serve as a guiding framework for research