LESSON 1

NATURE & INQUIRY OF RESEARCH

Lesson objectives;

At the end of this lesson, the students will be able to;

1. Understand the meaning of research

2. Explains the importance in daily life.
3. Differentiate inquiry, investigation and immersion
4. State the main purpose of reseach.

WHAT IS INQUIRY?

INQUIRY is an act of asking questions. It is a process that has the aim of

augmenting knowledge, resolving doubt or solving problem. In Merriam-Webster
Dictionary, it is synonymous with the word “investigation”.

INVESTIGATION has a deeper meaning compared to “inquiry”.

It is a systematic examination of a certain event or phenomenon.
IMMERSION is a process whereby a researcher immerses (deeply
Involves) himself in the data gathering activities and the data he has gathered is
carefully read or examined by him in detail.
Combining the idea of “inquiry”, “investigation” and “immersion”, the concept of
“research” comes in.

What is Research?
Research is "creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of
knowledge". It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to
increase understanding of a topic or issue.
It is a refined technique of thinking, employing specialized tools, instruments and
procedures in order to obtain a more adequate solution to a problem. It starts with a
problem then followed by collection of data and analysis of facts which are critical
and reaching decisions based on actual observations. It ends with a problem.
Main Purpose:

 To inform action
 To prove or generate theory
 To Augment knowledge in a
 Field or study

Importance of Research in Daily Life

- Research sharpens our mind to give a judicious vision to look.

- Research gives us a light or direction to inquire about the right information.

- Research develops our attitudes to not believe automatically without further

investigation of the situation.

- Research leads us to the ultimate philosophy of life and it builds a graphic vision
to improve the community where we live.

- Research empowers us with knowledge and efficient learning of new things.

- Research helps us in understanding various issues of life and in giving solutions to

our problems.

- Research allows us to mark out the thin line between truth (fact) and lie (fallacy).

- Research opens vistas news (new-age digital media platforms) of opportunity

before we pick and choose.

- Research makes good habits of reading, analyzing, thinking and learning.

- Research is a tool for building knowledge and for facilitating learning.

- Research is a means to understand various issues and to increase public

awareness.

- Research is an aid to business awareness.

- Research is a way to prove lies and support truths.

- Research is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.

- Research is a seed of sharing valuable information.

- Research is the heart and soul of good writing.

CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH:

At the end of this lesson, the students will be able to;

1. Comprehend the characteristics of research.

2. Analyze the steps of the research process.
3. Apply ethics in research
4. Identify the types of intellectual property & trademarks.

6 Characteristics of research;

1.EMPIRICAL

2.LOGICAL

3.CYCLICAL

4.ANALYTICAL

5.REPLICABLE

6.CRITICAL

The Seven Steps of the Research Process

Step 1. Define and develop your topic (Research Problem).

Step 2. Find background information about your chosen topic (Review of Related
Literature).

Step 3. Plan your research design including your sample (Methodology).

Step 4. Gather necessary data using open- ended questions (for qualitative
research) and closed-ended questionnaire or paper- pencil test questionnaire (forv
quantitative research) (Data Gathering Activities).

Step 5. Process and analyze data using thematic analysis (for qualitative research)
and statistical tools (for quantitative research).

Step 6. Formulate new insights gained (for qualitative research) or conclusions (for
quantitative research) and recommendations.

Step 7. Define new problem.

RESEARCH ETHICS

Research ethics provides guidelines for the responsible conduct of research. In

addition, it educates and monitors researchers to ensure a high ethical standard. It
promotes the aim of research, such as expanding knowledge. It supports the values
required for collaborative work, such as mutual respect and fairness.

 INFORMED CONSENT.

In order to safeguard the rights of the participants in your study, secure

informed consent. Inform your participants about the criteria set for choosing
them as informants and the schedule of one-on-one interview at the
convenient time they are available. Participation to the study will be
completely voluntary.

 HONESTY. Honestly report data, results, methods and procedures, and

publication status. Do not fabricate, falsify and misrepresent the data.
 OBJECTIVITY. Strive to avoid bias in experimental design, data analysis,
data interpretation, peer review, personnel decisions, grant writing, expert
testimony, and other aspects of research.
 INTEGRITY. Keep your promises and agreements; act with sincerity; strive
for consistency of thought and action.
 CAREFULNESS. Avoid careless errors and negligence; carefully and
critically examine your work and the work of peers and keeping good records
of research activities.
 OPENNESS. Share data, results, ideas, tools and resources. Be open to
criticism and new ideas.
 RESPECT FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.

Honor patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets and other forms of

intellectual property. Do not use published or unpublished data, methods, or
results without permission. Give credit where credit is due. Never plagiarize,
fabricate and falsify.

 CONFIDENTIALITY. Protect confidential communications, such as papers or

grants submitted for publication, personnel records, trade or military secrets,
and patient records.
 RESPONSIBLE MENTORING. Help to educate, mentor, and advise others.
Promote their welfare and allow them to make their own decisions.
 RESPONSIBLE PUBLICATION. Publish in order to advance research and
scholarship, not to advance your own career. Avoid wasteful and duplicative
publication.
 RESPECT FOR COLLEAGUES. Respect your colleagues and treat them
fairly. Don’t outsmart others. Respect their opinions.
 SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. Strive to promote social acceptance and
prevent or mitigate social harms through research, public education, and
advocacy.
 NON-DISCRIMINATION. Avoid discrimination against colleagues or students
on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, or other factors that are not related to
their scientific competence and integrity.
  COMPETENCE. Maintain and improve your own professional competence
and expertise through lifelong education and learning; take steps to promote
competence in science as a whole.
 LEGALITY. Know and obey relevant laws and institutional and government
policies.
 ANIMAL CARE. Show proper respect and care for animals when using them
in research. Do not conduct unnecessary or poorly designed animal
experiments.
 HUMAN SUBJECTS PROTECTION. When conducting a research on human
subjects, minimize harms and risks and maximize benefits; respect human
dignity, privacy, and anonymity.

 SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY is an ethical framework or a duty that every

researcher has to perform so as to promote social acceptance and prevent or
mitigate social harms through research, public education and advocacy.
 HUMAN RIGHTS

These are moral principles or norms that describe certain standards of human
behavior and are regularly protected as natural and legal rights. They constitute
a set of rights and duties necessary for the protection of human dignity, inherent
to all human beings.

 VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION

The principle of voluntary participation requires that people must not be coerced into
participating in research process. Essentially, this means that prospective research
participants must be informed about the procedures and risks involved in research
and must give their consent to participate.

 ANONYMITY refers to the protection of people’s identity through not

disclosing their name or not exposing their identity. It is a situation in data
gathering activities in which informant’s name is not given nor known.
  PRIVACY

Privacy refers to someone’s right to keep his personal matters and relationships
secret. It is the ability of an individual to seclude himself from disturbance of any
research activity.

RESEARCH MISCONDUCT

Research Misconduct includes fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism. It doesn’t

include honest error of differences of opinion. It can erode trust between researchers
and funding agencies, which make it more difficult for colleagues at the same
institution to receive grants.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY- refers to the protection of creations of the mind,

which have both a moral and a commercial value. It is the umbrella term
encompassing both copyright and industrial property such as trademarks, patents
and trade secrets.

Types of Intellectual Property

1. PATENT is a form of intellectual property that gives the owner the legal right to
exclude others from making, using, selling and importing an invention for a limited
period of years.

1.1 Types Patents

1. Utility patents protect the utility or function of a product.

2. Design patents protect the aesthetic appearance of the product.
3. Plant patents protect the discovery or invention of plants that are asexually
reproduced.
2. COPYRIGHT is an exclusive legal right given to an originator or an assignee to
print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material, and to
authorize others to do the same.

Copyrightable Works

Copyrightable works include the following categories:

(2.1) literary works,

(2.2) musical works,

(2.3) dramatic works,

(2.4) choreographic works,

(2.5) pictorial, graphic and sculptural (PGS) works,

(2.6) audio-visual works,

(2.7) sound recordings and

(2.8) architectural works.

3. TRADEMARK is a recognizable name, insignia, phrase, word, or symbol that

denotes a specific product and legally differentiates it from all other products of its
kind.

Types of trademarks for products include five main categories:

(3.1) generic trademark,

(3.2) descriptive trademark,

(3.3) suggestive trademark,

(3.4) fanciful trademark, and

 (3.5)arbitrary trademark.

3.1 Generic Trademarks

Generic trademarks includes phrases/taglines like:

 “We find ways” of BDO,

 “Making things possible” of Globe,
 “Bida and Saya” of Jollibee,
 and “Astig Tayo Dito” of TM.

They are the weakest forms of trademarks.

3.2 Descriptive Trademarks

-Immediately identify the characteristics of

the products or services to which the

marks pertain. Marks that are merely

descriptive are not protected or accorded trademark rights.

Examples of Descriptive Trademarks/Marks

“McDonald’s”, “Wendy’s”, and “Ayala Malls”.

Descriptive marks include “Tubeless” for computer monitor,

“Holiday Inn” for hotels and “Cold and Creamy” for ice cream.

3.3 Suggestive Trademarks

Suggestive Trademarks are usually suggestions of the quality or nature of the

products or services, but don’t straightforwardly describe themselves because they
require the consumers to use their imagination or perception to understand what the
product is.
Examples of Suggestive Trademarks

3.4 Fanciful Trademarks

Fanciful trademarks are terms, names or logos that are different from anything else
that exists. They are the strongest type of trademarks.

They include Kodak, Adidas, Merrell, Caltex, Pepsi, Petron, etc.

These words are not found in the dictionary and had no meaning before they were
adopted and used as trademarks.

3.5 Arbitrary Trademarks

Arbitrary trademarks might include a term or phrase with a well-known meaning, but
the meaning in its case is different. The best example an arbitrary trademark is
Apple.

Other examples are Shell Gas Station and Camel cigarettes.

4. TRADE SECRET is type of intellectual property in the form of a formula, practice,

process, design, instrument, pattern, commercial method, or compilation of
information that is not generally known or reasonably ascertainable by others, and
by which a person or company can obtain an economic advantage over competitors.

Copyright Infringement is the use or production of copyright-protected material

without permission of the copyright holder.

Copyright infringement means that the rights accorded to the copyright holder, such
as the exclusive use of a work for a set period of time, are breached by a third party.

Examples of Copyright Infringement

1. Downloading movies and music without proper payment for use

2. Recording movies in a theater

3. Using others’ photographs for a blog without permission

4. Copying software code without giving proper credit

5. Creating videos with unlicensed music clips