INTRODUCTION TO PRACTICAL RESEARCH 2

DEFINITION:

• Noun, diligent and systematic inquiry or investigation into a subject in order to discover or
revise facts, theories, applications, etc.: recent research in medicine.
• Verb (used without object), to make researches; investigate carefully.
• Verb (used with object), to make an extensive investigation into
• is defined as the creation of new knowledge and/or the use of existing knowledge in a new
and creative way, so as to generate new concepts, methodologies and understandings.
• This could include synthesis and analysis of previous research to the extent that it leads to new
and creative outcomes.

IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH:

1. ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE EFFECTIVELY

• The most apparent reason to conduct research is to understand more.
• Research helps you expand on any prior knowledge you have of the subject.
• The research process creates new opportunities for learning and progress.
2. RESEARCH HELPS IN PROBLEM-SOLVING
• The goal of the research is to broaden our understanding.
• Research gives us the information and knowledge to solve problems and make
decisions.
• The goal of research in this setting is 'problem-solving.'
3. PROVIDES THE LATEST INFORMATION
• Research enables you to seek out the most up-to-date facts
4. BUILDS CREDIBILITY
• Research provides a solid basis for formulating thoughts and views
• In your study, you should prioritize the most reputable sources.
• Your research should focus on the most reliable sources.
5. HELPS IN BUSINESS SUCCESS
• A successful business cannot be done without solid proof and market research.
6. DISCOVER AND SEIZE OPPORTUNITIES
• Research is essential for anyone looking for work or a change of environment.
• Unemployed people will have a better chance finding potential employers through job
advertisements or agencies
 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
• Expressed in words • Expressed in numbers and graphs
• It is used to understand concepts, • It is used to test or confirm theories and
thoughts or experiences. assumptions
• Enables you to gather in-depth insights • Can be used to establish generalizable
on topics that are not well understood. facts about a topic
• Common qualitative methods: interviews • Common quantitative methods:
with open-minded questions, experiments, observations recorded as
observations described in words, and numbers, and surveys with closed-ended
literature reviews that explore concepts questions.
and theories

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

• According to Aliaga and Gunderson (2002), it is explaining phenomena by collecting numerical

data that are analyzed using mathematically based methods (in particular statistics).
• A phenomenon is peculiar incident that can happen anywhere.
Ex. Increase in Sales, change in turn-over rates, shift in the percentage of dengue patients,
decrease in juvenile crime rates.

CHARACTERISTICS

1. It is reliable and objective

2. It uses statistics to generalize a finding.
3. It reduces and restructures a complex problem to a limited number of variables
4. It looks at the connections between variables and establishes cause and effect relationships in
highly controlled circumstances.
5. It tests theories or hypotheses.
6. It assumes that the sample is representative of population.
7. The subjectivity of its methodology is a secondary concern.
8. It deals with the details of the subject.

ADVANTAGES

1. It allows the researcher to measure and analyze the data to arrive at an objective answer to the
problem posted or stated.
2. The result is reliable since the study uses a big sample of the population
3. Standards are usually used in choosing the instruments, in sampling procedures, and in choosing
the most appropriate statistical treatment, thus making the research replicable.
4. Personal biases can be avoided since personal interaction is not part of the research process.
5. Processes involved are simplified since the steps in doing Quantitative research are made easy
and systematic.
 6. Results can be reduced through statistical treatments and interpreted in a few statements.

DISADVANTAGES

1. The context of the study or the experiment is ignored in such a way that it does not consider the
natural setting where the study is conducted.
2. Having a large study sample requires researchers to spend more resources.
3. Results are limited since they are usually based on the analysis of numbers and are not obtained
from detailed narratives.
4. It provides less elaborate accounts of human perceptions.
5. In Experimental research, the level of control might not be normally placed in the real world
because it is usually done in a laboratory.
6. Preset or fixed alternative answers may not necessarily reflect the true answers of the
participants.
7. Findings can be influenced by the researcher’s perspective since most of the time, the
participants are unknown to him/her

IMPORTANCE OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH IN DIFFERENT FIELDS

1. In Education, it can be used in measuring the level of performance of students and teachers,
and in assessing the effectiveness of the methods and the different programs conducted.
2. In Business, it can improve the overall marketing strategy, and help the company make
informed decisions on how to be best move forward with a particular product.
3. In Medical and Allied Services, it yields statistics that can help improve the rate of recovery of
patients with illnesses and sicknesses, and the efficacy of medicines and drugs, among others.
4. In Science & Technology, it can lead to a more responsible and accountable operation of the
different components of technology.

KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

1. CASUAL-COMPARATIVE
Research attempts to determine the cause or consequences of differences that already exist
between or among groups of individuals.
Ex.
A. Female and male employees and their job satisfaction
B. Gender causes on differences in abilities
 2. CORRELATIONAL
Research determines the extent of a relationship between two or more variables using
statistical data.
Ex.
A. Relationship between intelligence and friendliness
B. Student’s hours of study and their stress level
3. EVALUATION
Research provide a means to judge actions and activities in terms of values, criteria and
standards.
Ex.
A. Performance of newly-hired SH teachers in MMC for S.Y. 2017-2018
B. Water qualify assessment of Boac River
4. EXPERIMENTAL
Research uses scientific method to establish the cause-effect relationship among a group of
variables
Ex.
A. Levels of heavy metal bioaccumulation of Nypa fruiticans from Boac River
B. Solar purification for water potability
5. DESCRIPTIVE
Research provides a systematic information about a phenomenon
Ex.
A. The attitudes of scientists regarding global warming
B. Impacts of Qatari diplomatic crisis of OFWs

VARIABLE

• A variable is any factor or property that à researcher measures, controls, and /or manipulates.
• It is also the changing quantity or measure of any factor, trait, or condition that can exist in
differing amounts or types.
• It is also a logical set of attributes, characteristics, numbers, or quantities that can be measured
or counted. It is also called a data item.