PR 1 CHAP 2

• The general forms of research define the purpose and approach of the study.
• Scientific Research

  
  

  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.
• Humanities Research

  Seeks to define the purpose of human existence by tapping into historical facts and future possibilities. While studies on natural and social sciences required hard evidence to draw conclusions, this form of research derive explanations from human experiences that cannot be simply measured by facts and figures alone.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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. Clearly identify hypotheses that are significant to the problem.
  4. Determine the data necessary to test the hypotheses and explain how the data will be obtain.
  5. Describe the methods of analysis that will be used on the data gathering in order to evaluate the hypotheses of the study.
• Examples of Research Design:

  Action Research

  This research design follows a cyclical process. First, the researcher identifies a problem and determines a plan of action to address it.
• Examples of Research Design:

  Causal Design

  1This 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.
• Examples of Research Design:

  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 phenomena.
• Examples of Research Design:

  Experimental Design

  In this design, the researcher controls the factors and variables related to a certain phenomena and tries to change or manipulate one or several factors to determine the possible effects.
• Examples of Research Design:

  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 Insight that can be used for later researches.
• Examples of Research Design:

  Cohort Design

  This research identifies a group of people sharing common characteristics who are then studied for a period of time.
• Examples of Research Design:

  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.
• Examples of Research Design:

  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.
• Examples of Research Design:

  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.
• Examples of Research Design:

  Mixed-method Design

  This research combines aspects of various research designs and methods. It primarily combines qualitative and quantitative research methods to gain a complete picture of the research problem and gather data that will fully determine the validity of the hypotheses.
• Quantitative Research

  Polit and Beck (2004) define quantitative research as "the traditional positivist scientific method which refers to a general set of orderly, disciplined procedures to acquire information. The nursing Research Principles and Methods, they explain that the research method utilizes deductive reasoning to generate predictions that are tested in the real world. is systematic researcher progresses logically through a series of steps, according to a prespectified action.
• Qualitative Research


  The "naturalistic method of inquiry of research which deals with the issue of human complexity by exploring it directly." (Polit and Beck, 2008)
• Qualitative Research


  • Puts an emphasis on human complexity and man's ability to decide and create his or her own experience.
  • Utilizes naturalistic methods of inquiry as the research places great emphasis on the analysis of the experiences of the individual.
  • Attempts to explain the human experience with its dynamic, holistic, and individualistic aspects through the perspective of the individual himself.
  • Makes use of qualitative materials that are narrative and subjective.
• Characteristics of Qualitative Research by Kania (2008):

  • Conducted in a systematic and rigorous way. However, it is more flexible than quantitative research.
  • Usually follows an iterative process, which means that data collection and analysis occur simultaneously. Data already collected are updated by the ongoing data collection.
  • Focuses on gathering information from people who can provide the richest insights into the phenomenon or interest.
• Characteristics of Qualitative Research by Kania (2008):

  • 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.
  • Qualitative data collection examines everyday life in its natural context or in an uncontrolled naturalistic setting.
• Common Types of Qualitative Research:

  Phenomenological Study

  This type of research seeks to find the essence or structure of an experience by explaining how complex meanings are built out of simple units of inner experience.
• Common Types of Qualitative Research:

  Ethnographic Study

  This study involves the collection and analysis of data about cultural groups or minorities.
• Common Types of Qualitative Research:

  Historical Study

  This study is concerned with the identification, location, evaluation, and synthesis of data from past events.

  1. Documents - printed materials that can be found in libraries, archives, or personal collections.
  2. Relics and artifacts - physical remains or objects from a certain historical period.
  3. Oral reports - information that is passed on by word of mouth.
• Data Sources:

  • Primary sources - materials providing first-hand information, e.g., oral histories, written records, diaries, eyewitness accounts, pictures, videos, and other physical evidence.
  • 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.
• Validity of Materials:

  Internal criticism. This involves establishing the authenticity or originality of the materials by looking at the consistency of information.

  External criticism. This is based on the analysis of the material: the ink and the type of paper used, the layout and physical appearance, and as well as the age and texture of the material itself.
• Common Types of Qualitative Research:

  Case Study

  It is an in-depth examination of an individual, groups 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.
• Common Types of Qualitative Research:

  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.
• Common Types of Qualitative Research:

  Narrative Analysis

  The main sources of data for this type of research are the life accounts of individuals based on their personal experiences.
• Common Types of Qualitative Research:

  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.
• Common Types of Qualitative Research:

  Postmodern Research

  As opposed to the traditional forms of qualitative analysis, approach of this type of research seeks to analyze the facts that have been establish truths, the ability of research and science to discover truth, and all generalizations typologies.
• Common Types of Qualitative Research:

  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 an inductive strategy which is a process of analyzing patterns or common themes to produce a descriptive account that summarizes and analyzes the literature that defined the study.