Dr.

Faith Mueni
SIT 227

TOPIC ONE: INTRODUCTION

Meaning of Research
Research refers to a search for knowledge. It is a scientific and systematic search for relevant
information on a specific topic or simply, research is an art of scientific investigation. It can
be considered as a movement from the known to the unknown or a voyage of discovery.
Research involves defining and redefining problems, formulating hypothesis/research
questions or suggested solutions; collecting, organizing and evaluating data; making
deductions and reaching conclusions; and at last carefully testing the conclusions to
determine whether they fit the formulated hypothesis/answered research questions.
In a technical sense, research is the manipulation of things, concepts or symbols for the
purpose of generalizing to extend, correct or verify knowledge, whether that knowledge aids
in construction of theory or in the practice of an art.
Research is, thus, an original contribution to the existing stock of knowledge making for its
advancement. It is the pursuit of truth with the help of study, observation, comparison and
experiment. In short, the search for knowledge through objective and systematic method of
finding solution to a problem is research.
The systematic approach concerning generalization and the formulation of a theory is also
research. As such the term ‘research’ refers to the systematic method consisting of expressing
the problem, formulating a hypothesis, collecting the facts or data, analyzing the facts and
reaching certain conclusions either in the form of solutions(s) towards the concerned problem
or in certain generalizations for some theoretical formulation.
Objectives of Research
The purpose of research is to discover answers to questions through the application of
scientific procedures.
Indeed, research is aimed at finding out the truth which is hidden and which has not been
discovered as yet.
Each research study has its own specific purpose, research objectives may be thought of as
falling into a number of following broad groupings:
o To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into it
o To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular individual, situation or a group
o To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with which it is
associated with something else
o To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables

Motivation in Research
What makes people to undertake research? This is a question of fundamental importance. The
possible motives for doing research may be either one or more of the following:
o Desire to get a research degree along with its consequential benefits;
Dr. Faith Mueni
SIT 227

o Desire to face the challenge in solving the unsolved problems, i.e., concern over
practical problems initiate research;
o Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some creative work;
o Desire to be of service to society;
o Desire to get respectability
o Government directives,
o Employment conditions
o Curiosity about new things
o Desire to understand causal relationships, social thinking and awakening etc

Types of Research
The basic types of research are as follows:
o Descriptive vs. Analytical

Descriptive research includes surveys and fact-finding enquiries of different kinds and its
major purpose is description of the state of affairs as it exists at present.
The term Ex post facto research is used for descriptive research studies. The main
characteristic of this method is that the researcher has no control over the variables; he can
only report what has happened or what is happening.
In analytical research, on the other hand, the researcher has to use facts or information
already available, and analyze these to make a critical evaluation of the material.
o Applied vs. Fundamental

Research can either be applied (or action) research or fundamental (basic or pure) research.
Applied research aims at finding a solution for an immediate real problem, whereas
fundamental research is mainly concerned with generation of knowledge and with the
formulation of a theory.
Similarly, research studies, concerning human behavior carried on with a view to make
generalizations about human behavior, are also examples of fundamental research, but
research aimed at certain conclusions (say, a solution) facing a concrete problem is an
example of applied research. Research to identify social, economic or political trends that
may affect a particular institution or a marketing research or evaluation research are examples
of applied research. Thus, the central aim of applied research is to discover a solution for
some pressing practical problem, whereas basic research is directed towards finding
information that has a broad base of applications and thus, adds to the already existing
organized body of scientific knowledge
Purpose of basic (pure) research
1. To develop a new theory
2. To test or refine an existing theory
3. Compare or evaluate two or more theoretical positions
4. Reconcile discrepant findings reported in literature
5. To bridge or link two or more streams of research
Dr. Faith Mueni
SIT 227

6. Follow up on recommendations of future research often given by authors in their

published works

Purpose of Applied research

Knowledge of research and its process not only helps managers obtain needed information
for decision making but is also vital in the following ways;
1. Helps managers understand research and solve problems themselves
2. Enables managers become discriminative recipients of research findings and identify
the reliability and appropriateness of the findings and recommendations
3. Enables managers discriminate between good and bad studies published in their
professional journals
4. Enables managers to interact more effectively with research consultants who work for
the managers.
o Quantitative vs. Qualitative

Quantitative research is based on the measurement of quantity or amount and is applicable to

phenomena that can be expressed in terms of quantity while qualitative research is concerned
with qualitative phenomenon, i.e., phenomena relating to or involving quality or kind.
Examples of qualitative research are motivation research, attitude or opinion research etc.
Qualitative research often involve such methods as interviews, word association tests,
sentence completion tests, story completion tests and similar other projective techniques.
o Conceptual vs. Empirical

Conceptual research is that related to some abstract idea(s) or theory. It is generally used by
philosophers and thinkers to develop new concepts or to reinterpret existing ones.
Empirical research, relies on experience or observation alone, often without due regard for
system and theory. It is a data-based research, coming up with conclusions which are capable
of being verified by observation or experiment. Empirical research can also be termed as
experimental research. In empirical research, it is necessary to get at facts firsthand, at their
source, and actively to go about doing certain things to stimulate the production of desired
information. As such, the researcher must first provide himself with a working hypothesis or
guess as to the probable results. He then works to get enough facts (data) to prove or disprove
his hypothesis and then sets up experimental designs which he thinks will manipulate the
persons or the materials concerned so as to bring forth the desired information. Such research
is thus characterized by the experimenter’s control over the variables under study and his
deliberate manipulation of one of them to study its effects. Empirical research is appropriate
when proof is sought that certain variables affect other variables in some way. Evidence
gathered through experiments or empirical studies is today considered to be the most
powerful support possible for a given hypothesis.
o Some Other Types of Research

All other types of research are variations of one or more of the above stated approaches,
based on either the purpose of research, or the time required to accomplish research, on the
environment in which research is done, or on the basis of some other similar factor.
Dr. Faith Mueni
SIT 227

 From a time perspective, we can think of research either as one-time research (cross
sectional) or longitudinal research. In cross sectional research, the research is confined to
a single time-period, whereas in longitudinal research, the research is carried on over
several time-periods.
 Research can be field-setting research or laboratory research or simulation research,
depending upon the environment in which it is to be carried out.
 Research may be exploratory or it may be formalized. The objective of exploratory
research is the development of hypotheses rather than their testing, whereas formalized
research studies are those with substantial structure and with specific hypotheses to be
tested.

Research Approaches
There are two basic approaches to research, viz., quantitative approach and the qualitative
approach.
o Quantitative research involves the generation of data in quantitative form which can be
subjected to rigorous quantitative analysis in a formal and rigid fashion. This approach
can be further sub-classified into inferential, experimental and simulation approaches to
research. The purpose of inferential approach to research is to form a data base from
which to infer characteristics or relationships of population. This usually means survey
research where a sample of population is studied to determine its characteristics, and it is
then inferred that the population has the same characteristics.

Experimental approach on the other hand is characterized by much greater control over
the research environment and in this case some variables are manipulated to observe their
effect on other variables. Simulation approach involves the construction of an artificial or
abstract environment within which relevant information and data can be generated. This
permits an observation of the dynamic behavior of a system (or its sub-system) under
controlled conditions. Simulation approach is useful in building models for understanding
future conditions.
o Qualitative approach to research is concerned with subjective assessment of attitudes,
opinions and behavior. Research in such a situation is a function of researcher’s insights
and impressions. Such an approach to research generates results either in non-quantitative
form or in the form which are not subjected to rigorous quantitative analysis. Generally,
the techniques of focus group interviews, projective techniques and depth interviews are
used.

Basic Elements in Research

o Variables

This is the type of quality or attribute or character that may take one or more value. They are
things that happen or often observable (and in some cases measurable) as a result of or for
other things to happen. There are several types of variables in research key among them
including; independent (predictor) variable, dependent (criterion) variable, moderating
variable, intervening (mediating) variable, and control variables
Dr. Faith Mueni
SIT 227

 Independent variable is the presumed cause or predictor of changes in the dependent

variable. When the independent variable changes or happens, it is thought of as
causing other things to happen or change as a result
 Dependent variable is the presumed effect thought of as a consequence of the change
in independent variable
 Moderating variable is variable that affects the direction and/or the strength of the
relation between an independent and a dependent variable
 Mediating or intervening variable is a variable which varies with the independent
variable but results in variations in dependent variable but when its effects are
removed, the relationship between independent and dependent variable collapses
 Control variables are environmental variables that may result in movements in the
dependent variable even when the independent variable has not changed.
o Problem

This is the question or issue of interest which can be answered, clarified or substantiated
through the collection of data. It is an interrogative statement that asks what relations exit
between two variables or what issues surround a certain variable/phenomena.
o Hypothesis/Research questions

This is a tentative answer to a research problem. It is a declarative statement of the

relationship between two or more variables or situation around a phenomena assumed to hold
true. The objective of research is to confirm or disproof a hypothesis
Task: The Effect of Mobile Banking on customer performance
The Effect of Social Media Usage on University Student Performance in University of
Embu, Kenya
The effect of mobile applications on student learning interest