Research method and Ethics

• Research


  A careful, systematic, patient study and investigation in some field of knowledge, undertaken to establish facts or principles
• Research


  • It is a structured enquiry that utilizes acceptable scientific methodology to solve problems and create new knowledge that is generally applicable
  • It consists of systematic observation, classification and interpretation of data
• Research can lead to new contributions to the existing knowledge
• Only through research is it possible to make progress in a field
• Research is done with the help of study, experiment, observation, analysis, comparison and reasoning
• Research seeks predictions of events and explanations, relationships and theories for them
• Research criteria


  • It is undertaken within a framework of a set of philosophies (research approaches)
  • It uses procedures, methods and techniques that have been tested for their validity and reliability
  • It is designed to be unbiased and objective
• Philosophies


  Approaches e.g. qualitative, quantitative and the academic discipline in which you have been trained
• Validity


  Correct procedures have been applied to find answers to a question
• Reliability


  Quality of a measurement procedure that provides repeatability and accuracy
• Unbiased and objective


  Each step taken in an unbiased manner and each conclusion drawn to the best of your ability and without introducing your own vested interest
• Bias is a deliberate attempt to either conceal or highlight something
• Characteristics of research


  • Controlled
  • Rigorous
  • Systematic
  • Valid and verifiable
  • Empirical
  • Critical
• Controlled


  In exploring causality in relation to two variables (factors), you set up your study in a way that minimizes the effects of other factors affecting the relationship
• Rigorous


  You must be scrupulous in ensuring that the procedures followed to find answers to questions are relevant, appropriate and justified
• Systematic


  The procedure adopted to undertake an investigation follows a certain logical sequence, where some procedures must follow others
• Valid and verifiable


  Whatever you conclude on the basis of your findings is correct and can be verified by you and others
• Empirical


  Any conclusions drawn are based upon hard evidence gathered from information collected from real life experiences or observations
• Critical


  Critical scrutiny of the procedures used and the methods employed is crucial to a research enquiry. The process of investigation must be foolproof and free from drawbacks
• Types of research


  • Application of research study
  • Objectives in undertaking the research
  • Inquiry mode employed
• Research application


  • Pure research
  • Applied research
• Pure research


  Involves developing and testing theories and hypotheses that are intellectually challenging to the researcher but may or may not have practical application at the present time or in the future
• Applied research


  Done to solve specific, practical questions; for policy formulation, administration and understanding of a phenomenon
• Research objectives


  • Descriptive
  • Correlational
  • Explanatory
  • Exploratory
• Descriptive research


  Attempts to describe systematically a situation, problem, phenomenon, service or programme, or provides information about, say, living condition of a community, or describes attitudes towards an issue
• Correlational research


  Attempts to discover or establish the existence of a relationship/ interdependence between two or more aspects of a situation
• Explanatory research


  Attempts to clarify why and how there is a relationship between two or more aspects of a situation or phenomenon
• Exploratory research


  Undertaken to explore an area where little is known or to investigate the possibilities of undertaking a particular research study (feasibility study/pilot study)
• In practice most studies are a combination of descriptive, correlational and explanatory research
• Research inquiry mode


  • Structured approach
  • Unstructured approach
• Structured approach


  Usually classified as quantitative research, where everything that forms the research process- objectives, design, sample, and the questions that you plan to ask of respondents- is predetermined. It is more appropriate to determine the extent of a problem, issue or phenomenon by quantifying the variation
• Unstructured approach


  Usually classified as qualitative research, which allows flexibility in all aspects of the research process. It is more appropriate to explore the nature of a problem, issue or phenomenon without quantifying it. Main objective is to describe the variation in a phenomenon, situation or attitude
• Both quantitative and qualitative approaches have their place in research, and both have their strengths and weaknesses
• In many studies you have to combine both qualitative and quantitative approaches