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Ainstorming For Research Topic

The document discusses the research process, including defining research, characteristics of research, types of research based on application, objectives, and inquiry mode. It outlines the steps in the research process, including formulating the research problem, literature review, developing objectives, research design, data collection, analysis, generalization, and reporting results. Key aspects include determining what to research, how to research it through methodology, and ensuring the problem is interesting, manageable in scope, and allows measurement of concepts.

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Milani Reyes
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378 views6 pages

Ainstorming For Research Topic

The document discusses the research process, including defining research, characteristics of research, types of research based on application, objectives, and inquiry mode. It outlines the steps in the research process, including formulating the research problem, literature review, developing objectives, research design, data collection, analysis, generalization, and reporting results. Key aspects include determining what to research, how to research it through methodology, and ensuring the problem is interesting, manageable in scope, and allows measurement of concepts.

Uploaded by

Milani Reyes
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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I.

Learning Area: Brainstorming for Research Topics


Number of weeks: 2 weeks (8 hours)
Learner’s activity:
 Prepares a plan and focus on issues and ideas in their respective field

Teacher’s activity:
 Monitors and directs learner’s work

Learner’s output: Class Research Agenda

Content

Definition of Research
 The word research is composed of two syllables, re and search.
Re is a prefix meaning again, anew or over again search is a verb meaning to
examine closely and carefully, to test and try, or to probe. Together they
form a noun describing a careful, systematic, patient study and investigation
in some field of knowledge, undertaken to establish facts or principles.
 Research is a structured enquiry that utilizes acceptable scientific
methodology to solve problems and create new knowledge that is
generally applicable.
 Scientific methods consist of systematic observation, classification and
interpretation of data.
 Although we engage in such process in our daily life, the difference
between our casual day- to-day generalisation and the conclusions
usually recognized as scientific method lies in the degree of formality,
rigorousness, verifiability and general validity of latter.

CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH:
Research is a process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting information
to answer questions. But to qualify as research, the process must have
certain characteristics: it must, as far as possible, be controlled, rigorous,
systematic, valid and verifiable, empirical and critical.

1. Controlled- in real life there are many factors that affect an outcome.
The concept of control implies that, 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.
This can be achieved to a large extent in the physical sciences (cookery,
bakery), as most of the research is done in a laboratory. However, in the
social sciences (Hospitality and Tourism) it is extremely difficult as
research is carried out on issues related to human beings living in society,
where such controls are not possible. Therefore in Hospitality and Tourism,
as you cannot control external factors, you attempt to quantify their
impact.

2. Rigorous-you must be scrupulous in ensuring that the procedures


followed to find
answers to questions are relevant, appropriate and justified. Again, the
degree of rigor varies markedly between the physical and social sciences
and within the social sciences.
3. Systematic-this implies that the procedure adopted to undertake an
investigation follow a certain logical sequence. The different steps
cannot be taken in a haphazard ay. Some procedures must follow
others.
4. Valid and verifiable-this concept implies that whatever you conclude
on the basis of your findings is correct and can be verified by you and
others.
5. Empirical-this means that any conclusion drawn are based upon hard
evidence gathered from information collected from real life
experiences or observations.
6. 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. The process adopted and
the procedures used must be able to withstand critical scrutiny.

For a process to be called research, it is imperative that it has the above


characteristics.

TYPES OF RESEARCH
Research can be classified from three perspectives:

1. Application of research study


2. Objectives in undertaking the research
3. Inquiry mode employed

Application:
From the point of view of application, there are two broad categories of
research:
-Pure Research and 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. The
knowledge produced through pure research is sought in order to add to
the existing body of research methods.

Applied research is done to solve specific, practical questions; for policy


formulation, administration and understanding of a phenomenon. It can
be
exploratory, but is usually descriptive. It is almost always done on the
basis of
basic research. Applied research can be carried out by academic or
industrial institutions. Often, an academic institution such as a university
will have a specific applied research program funded by an industrial
partner interested in that program.
Objectives:
From the viewpoint of objectives, a research can be classified as
1. Descriptive
2. Co relational
3. Explanatory
4. 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.

Co relational 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 is 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 the first three
categories.

Inquiry Mode:
From the process adopted to find answer to research questions – the two
approaches
are:
1. Structured approach
2. Unstructured approach

Structured approach:

The structured approach to inquiry is usually classified as quantitative


research. Here 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.

e.g. How many people have a particular problem? How many people hold
a particular attitude?

Unstructured approach:
The unstructured approach to inquiry is usually classified as qualitative
research. This approach 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. e,g, description of an
observed situation, the historical enumeration of events, an account of
different opinions different people have about an issue, description of
working condition in a particular industry. Both approaches have their
place in research. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. In many
studies you have to combine both qualitative and quantitative
approaches. For example, suppose you have to find the types of cuisine /
accommodation available in a city and the extent of their popularity.
Types of cuisine is the qualitative aspect of the study as finding out about
them entails description of the culture and cuisine
The extent of their popularity is the quantitative aspect as it involves
estimating the number of people who visit restaurant serving such cuisine
and calculating the other indicators that reflect the extent of popularity.

THE RESEARCH PROCESS

The research process is similar to undertaking a journey.


For a research journey there are two important decisions to make

1) What you want to find out about or what research questions (problems)
you want to find answers to;
2) How to go about finding their answers.
There are practical steps through which you must pass in your research
journey in order to find answers to your research questions. The path to
finding answers to your research questions constitutes research
methodology.
At each operational step in the research process you are required to
choose from a multiplicity of methods, procedures and models of research
methodology which will help you to best achieve your objectives. This is
where your knowledge base of research methodology plays a crucial role.

Steps in Research Process:

1. Formulating the Research Problem


2. Extensive Literature Review
3. Developing the objectives
4. Preparing the Research Design including Sample Design
5. Collecting the Data
6. Analysis of Data
7. Generalisation and Interpretation
8. Preparation of the Report or Presentation of Results-Formal write ups of
conclusions reached.
Formulating the research problem:
It is the first and most crucial step in the research process
- Main function is to decide what you want to find out about.
- The way you formulate a problem determines almost every step that
follows.

Sources of research problems


Research in social sciences revolves around four Ps:
• People- a group of individuals
• Problems- examine the existence of certain issues or problems relating
to
their lives; to ascertain attitude of a group of people towards an issue
• Programs- to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention
• Phenomena- to establish the existence of a regularity.

In practice most research studies are based upon at least a combination


of two

Considerations in selecting a research problem:

These help to ensure that your study will remain manageable and
that you will remain motivated.

1. Interest: a research endeavour is usually time consuming, and


involves
hard work and possibly unforeseen problems. One should select topic of
great interest to sustain the required motivation.
2. Magnitude: It is extremely important to select a topic that you can
manage within the time and resources at your disposal. Narrow the topic
down to something manageable, specific and clear.
3. Measurement of concepts: Make sure that you are clear about the
indicators and measurement of concepts (if used) in your study.
4. Level of expertise: Make sure that you have adequate level of
expertise for
the task you are proposing since you need to do the work yourself.
5. Relevance: Ensure that your study adds to the existing body of
knowledge, bridges current gaps and is useful in policy formulation. This
will help you to sustain interest in the study.
6. Availability of data: Before finalizing the topic, make sure that data
are
available.
7. Ethical issues: How ethical issues can affect the study population and
how
ethical problems can be overcome should be thoroughly examined at the
problem formulating stage.
Steps in formulation of a research problem :

Working through these steps presupposes a reasonable level of


knowledge in the broad subject area within which the study is to be
undertaken. Without such knowledge it is difficult to clearly and
adequately ‘dissect’ a subject area.
Step 1 Identify a broad field or subject area of interest to you.
Step 2 Dissect the broad area into sub areas.
Step 3 Select what is of most interest to you.
Step 4 Raise research questions.
Step 5 Formulate objectives.
Step 6 Assess your objectives.
Step 7 Double check.

Reference:
1. Dawson, Catherine, 2002, Practical Research Methods, New Delhi, UBS
Publishers’Distributors
2. Kothari, C.R.,1985, Research Methodology- Methods and Techniques, New
Delhi,
Wiley Eastern Limited.
3.Kumar, Ranjit, 2005, Research Methodology-A Step-by-Step Guide for
Beginners,(2nd.ed.),Singapore, Pearson Education.

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