OLABISI ONABANJO UNIVERSITY, AGO IWOYE

FACULTY OF ARTS
DEPARTMENT OF PERFORMING ARTS
(B.A PERFORMING ARTS)
2024/2025 HARMATTAN SEMESTER

LECTURE NOTE
COURSE CODE: PER 305

COURSE TITLE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY IN PERFORMING ARTS

S/N COURSE OUTLINE/TOPICS

1 CONCEPTUALISING RESEARCH/ DEFINITIONS

2 CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEACH

3. REASONS FOR RESEARCH

4 FORMS OF RESEARCH (BASIC & APPLIED)

5 KEY DIFFERENCES BTW BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH

6 METHODS OF RESEARCH (QUALITATIVE, QUANTITATIVE &

MIXED METHODS)

7 TOOLS OF RESEARCH/ METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION 1

8 TOOLS OF RESEARCH/ METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION II

9 CHAPTER BREAKDOWN IN RESEARCH AND THEIR CONTENTS

10 WRITING REFERENCES AND TYPES OF REFERENCES

11 WRITING APA REFERENCES AND IN-TEXT CITATION

12 WRITING MLA REFERENCES AND IN-TEXT CITATION

13 REVISION

14 EXAMINATION

CONCEPTUALISING RESEARCH WRITING AND ITS DEFINITIONS

Writing is the process of expressing ideas, information, knowledge or experience

as a form of document for the purpose of acquiring knowledge or share and learn
ideas. Writing is a system for interpersonal communication using visible sign or
graphic symbols written on paper. According to Dorothy and Carlos(1994) writing
is an important form of communication in day-to-day life, but it is especially
important in high school and college. Writing is also one of the most difficult skills
to master in both a first language and a second language. Students can find it
challenging to find ideas to include their writing, and each culture has its own style
for organizing academic writing.

According to Zamel (1987), based on Long and Richard (1987), “Writing is a

process through which meaning is created. The act of writing generates ideas and
is way to explore one‟s feeling and thoughts”.

An important difference, then, between writing and talking is that in writing, any
idea that advanced must be supported with specific reasons or details. Based on the
explanation above, we can conclude that writing is a form of communication which
use of symbols and signs chart. In writing, someone can express thoughts, ideas,
and feelings in the form written on the paper to be enjoyed by the readers and
through writing, a writer can convey the information or message to everyone and
give them the evidence to support their ideas and thoughts.

Research has been described by scholars as a systematic inquiry to describe,

explain, predict and control the observed phenomenon. To research is to purposely
and methodically search for new knowledge and practical solutions in the form of
answers to questions formulated beforehand. It can also be described as a
systematic inquiry that investigates hypotheses, suggests new interpretations of
data or texts, and poses new questions for future research to explore. Usually,
research writing consists of three basic ideas:

1. Asking critical questions about a particular phenomenon;

2. Doing the necessary field work to find the answer

3. Communicating the knowledge acquired through the field work to a larger

audience.

The above points imply that research is not a solitary activity but an act of

community. As a member of the research community, the researcher is building on

the knowledge that others have acquired before him or her and providing a road

map for scholars and researchers who coming behind. The researcher is adding to a

body of work (knowledge) that will never be complete. Research is an ongoing,

collaborative process with no finish line in sight.

DEFINITIONS OF RESEARCH

There is no single definition for research but varied conceptualizations given by

scholars but a close study of these definitions reveal that there are certain related

elements embedded in the definitions. For the purpose of this class, we shall

examine few definitions arrived at by scholars:

1. Burns (2000: 2) defines research as ‘a systematic investigation to find

answers to a problem’. By this submission, whenever somebody embarks

upon an investigation following laid down procedures that another person

can replicate, he is involved in research.

2. Kerlinger (1964: 13) succinctly avers that ‘scientific research is a systematic,

controlled empirical and critical investigation of propositions about the

presumed relationships about various phenomena’. This definition

presupposes a regulated and process-oriented inquiry into association or

otherwise between two or more variables or social situations/problems.

3. Redman and Mory (1923:10) define research as a “systematized effort to

gain new knowledge.” They point out an aspect of the importance of

research that sometimes seems to be forgotten. This position is predicated on

the notion that research grants practitioners opportunities of establishing new

approaches and models when they adopt known procedures in examining

existing knowledge and belief. Yes, environment and other factors including

time might influence the position of some truism, principles and approaches

such that when carefully studied would give rise to new models and

information leading to new belief, etc.

4. According to Babbie, 1998, Research involves inductive and deductive

methods. Inductive methods analyze the observed phenomenon and identify

 the general principles, structures, or processes underlying the phenomenon

observed; deductive methods verify the hypothesized principles through

observations. The purposes are different: one (inductive method) is aimed at

or directed to develop explanations, and the other (deductive method) is

aimed at or directed to test the validity of the explanations.

5. The Encyclopedia of Social Sciences (2020:114) defined research as “the

manipulation of things, concepts or symbols for the purpose of generalizing

to extend, corrector verify knowledge, whether that knowledge aids in the

construction of theory or in the practice of an art. This shows that Research

is a careful and detailed study into a specific problem, concern, or issue

using the scientific method.

6. Redman and Mory (1923),claim that research is a “systematized effort to

gain new knowledge. It is an academic activity and therefore the term should

be used in a technical sense.

7. According to Clifford Woody in kothari, (1988), “research comprises

defining and redefining problems, formulating hypotheses or suggested

solutions; collecting, organizing and evaluating data; making deductions and

reaching conclusions; and finally, carefully testing the conclusions to

determine whether they fit the formulated hypotheses”

From the above definitions, we can conclude that research is, thus, an original

contribution to the existing body 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

enunciating 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..

CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH

1. Systematic

2. Replicable/Verifiable

3. Control

4. Rigorous/Critical

5. Recording

6. Objective/Lack of bias

7, Operationalization
REASONS FOR RESEARCH

1. To discover new facts

2. To find answers to questions or solutions to problems
3. To verify and test important facts
4. To analyze an event or process or phenomenon
5. To identify the cause and effect relationship between variables
6. To develop new scientific tools, concepts and theories to solve and understand scientific
and non scientific problems
7. To find solutions to scientific, non scientific and social problems
8. To overcome or solve the problems occurring in our everyday life.

TYPES OF RESEARCH

Basic Research: The purpose of this research is to understand and explain, i.e. the research is
interested in formulating and testing theoretical construct and propositions that ideally generalize
across time and space. This type of research takes the form of a theory that explains the
phenomenon under investigation to give its contribution to knowledge. This research is more
descriptive in nature exploring what, why and how questions. “Basic research” refers to research
that is undertaken for its own sake – to advance knowledge; to develop theory; to solve an
interesting theoretical puzzle; to address a curiosity of the researcher – without any immediate
concern for whether doing so will produce anything “useful” or “practical” or “generalizable.” It
is also called pure research.
As the term suggests a research activity taken up to look into some aspects of a problem or an
issue for the first time is termed as basic or pure. It 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. Pure research is theoretical but
has a universal nature. It is more focused on creating scientific knowledge and predictions for
further studies.
Applied Research: The purpose of this research is to help people understand the nature of human
problems so that human beings can more effectively control their environment. In other words,
this type of research pursues potential solutions to human and societal problems. This research is
more prescriptive in nature, focusing on how questions. Applied research is done on the basis of
pure or fundamental research to solve specific, practical questions; for policy formulation,
administration and understanding of a phenomenon. The purpose of doing such research is to
find solutions to an immediate issue, solving a particular problem, developing new technology
and look into future advancements etc. This involves forecasting and assumes that the variables
shall not change.

KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH

a.Basic Research can be explained as research that tries to expand the already existing scientific
knowledge base. On the contrary, applied research is used to mean the scientific study that is
helpful in solving real-life problems.
b) While basic research is purely theoretical, applied research has a practical approach.
c) The applicability of basic research is greater than the applied research, in the sense that the
former is universally applicable whereas the latter can be applied only to the specific problem,
for which it was carried out.
d) The primary concern of the basic research is to develop scientific knowledge and predictions.
On the other hand, applied research stresses on the development of technology and technique
with the help of basic science.
e) The fundamental goal of the basic research is to add some knowledge to the already existing
one. Conversely, applied research is directed towards finding a solution to the problem under
consideration.

3.Evaluation Research (summative and formative): Evaluation research studies the processes
and outcomes aimed at attempted solution. The purpose of formative research is to improve
human intervention within specific conditions, such as activities, time, and groups of people; the
purpose of summative evaluation is to judge the effectiveness of a program, policy, or product.
Action Research: Action research aims at solving specific problems within a program,
organization, or community. Patton (1990) described that design and data collection in action
research tend to be more informal, and the people in the situation are directly involved in
gathering information and studying themselves.
Descriptive research consists of surveys and fact-finding enquiries of different types. The main
objective of descriptive research is describing the state of affairs as it prevails at the time of
study. The term ‗ex post facto research‘is quite often used for descriptive research studies in
social sciences and business research. The most distinguishing feature of this method is that the
researcher has no control over the variables here. He/she has to only report what is happening or
what has happened. Majority of the ex post facto research projects are used for descriptive
studies in which the researcher attempts to examine phenomena, such as the consumers‘
preferences, frequency of purchases, shopping, etc. Despite the inability of the researchers to
control the variables, ex post facto studies may also comprise attempts by them to discover the
causes of the selected problem. The methods of research adopted in conducting descriptive
research are survey methods of all kinds, including correlational and comparative methods.
Analytical research, the researcher has to use the already available facts or information, and
analyze them to make a critical evaluation of the subject.

METHODS OF RESEARCH

Qualitative research is concerned with qualitative phenomena, or more specifically, the aspects
related to or involving quality or kind. For example, an important type of qualitative research is
Motivation Research‘, which investigates into the reasons for certain human behavior. The main
aim of this type of research is discovering the underlying motives and desires of in-depth
interviews. The other techniques employed in such research are story completion tests, sentence
completion tests, word association tests, and other similar projective methods.
Qualitative research is particularly significant in the context of behavioral sciences, which aim at
discovering the underlying motives of human behaviour. Such research helps to analyze the
various factors that motivate human beings to behave in a certain manner, besides contributing to
an understanding of what makes individuals like or dislike a particular thing. However, it is
worth noting that conducting qualitative research in practice is considerably a difficult task.
Hence, while undertaking such research, seeking guidance from experienced expert researchers
is important.
CHARACTERISTICS
The following are the characteristics of qualitative research:
i) Multiple realities: First, qualitative research assumes that there exist multiple
realities in social and educational situations. These realities exist in concrete forms.
They are perceived by people differently and thus become different mental constructs
for different people. In other words, realities are taken to be what people perceive
them to be at a particular point of time. Since social and educational situations keep
on changing from time to time, the realities too keep on changing. Furthermore, since
the realities are context specific, they cannot be tangible in a generalized form.
ii) Meanings and interpretations: Qualitative research emphasises on study of
meanings given to or interpretations made about objects, events and processes
concerning educational situations. To them changes in terms of social and behavioral
phenomena cannot be identified with the concept of physical movements which can
be identified by external observation alone. Rather the understanding of human
behaviour or a social phenomenon involves understanding of how men are, what they
are doing or participating in an activity.
iii) Generation of knowledge: Qualitative inquiry insists on generation of knowledge
resulting from the interaction between the inquirer and the respondents. The
respondents answer the questions put by the inquirer in terms of their perception or
meanings they attach to their actions. Moreover, interactions take place between the
inquirer and hisher respondents to achieve maximum levels of responsiveness and
insights concerning the problem under investigation.
iv) Generalization: As stated above, the researchers do not believe in the process of
generalisation as propounded by scientists. They argue that in the process of making a
generalisation a lot of meaningful information existing in individual units is
undermined; hence genedized knowledge does not represent real knowledge. For
them, the process of knowledge generation must take into account the differences or
real evidences existing in different specific situations.
v) Human relations: In the case of human relations, several intrinsic factors, events and
processes keep on influencing each other constantly. Therefore, it is not possible to
identify one to one cause and effect relationships at this level of naturalistic studies.
The causality in social sciences cannot be demonstrated in the 'hard' sense as it is
 done in the case of physical sciences. Rather, only patterns of plausible influences can
be inferred from social and behavioural studies.
vi) Value systems: Qualitative Researchers do not believe in value-free inquiry. The
influence of value systems is recognized in the identification of problems, selection of
samples, use of tools, data collection, the conditions in which data are gathered, and
the possible interaction that takes place between the inquirer and the respondents.

TYPES OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Biographical study: Biographical study is the study of an individual and his or her experiences
as narrated to the researcher or found in different sources. You can come across biographical
writings in different fields like literature, history, anthropology, sociology, education,
psychology etc. Biographies are presented with different perspectives like literary, historical,
anthropological, sociological, educational, psychological as well as of interdisciplinary nature.
The focus of biography remains on telling and inscribing the stories of others. It explores history
of life e.g. accounts of major achievements of life.
Phenomenological study: Phenomenological study's focus remains on describing the meaning
of live experiences for several individuals about a concept or the phenomenon. It is said that
through phenomenological approach the researcher explores the structures of consciousness in
human experiences. Here experiences contain both the outward appearance and inward
consciousness based on memory image and meaning.
Grounded Theory study: This kind of study aims at discovering or generating a theory. Here
theory means an abstract analytical scheme of phenomenon. In other words, a theory is
understood as a plausible relationship, as any concept or sets of concepts. In this case, theory is
discovered in the context of a particular situation. This situation is one in which individuals
interact, take actions, or engage in aprocess in response to aphenomenon. ' The researcher
intends to explore how people act and react to a phenomenon. The process involved in data
collection can be through continuous visits to the field, interviews with participants, in-depth
observations of activities etc. The researcher develops and interrelates categories of information
and writes theoretical propositions or hypotheses
Ethnography - Case study: Ethnography can be understood as a description and interpretation
of a cultural or social group or system. Here the focus of the study remains on examining the
patterns of behaviour of a group, its customs and ways of life. This method involves prolonged
observation of events where the researcher becomes a part and parcel of the day-today lives of
the people. One to one interviews with the members of group corroborated with participant
observation can form the base of such a method. The researcher makes use of ethnography to
study the meanings of behaviour, language and interactions of the culture sharing group. For
instance, educational processes of particular tribe or a rural village can be studied applying
ethnography where cultural and behavioural interactions involved in education processes can be
studied in totality. As an outcome, the researcher comes out with a report almost in a book form.

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
Quantitative research relates to aspects that can be quantified or can be expressed in terms of
quantity. It involves the measurement of quantity or amount. Various available statistical and
econometric methods are adopted for analysis in such research. Which includes correlation,
regressions and time series analysis etc,. Quantitative research deals with objective
measurements and includes statistical or numerical analysis of data collected through polls,
questionnaires or surveys. The variables can be manipulated as well as controlled in quantitative
research. Basically, the variables are manipulated to examine the cause- effect relationship, carry
out comparative analysis or interventional analysis within a specified population. Quantitative
research deals with numbers. It focuses more on convergent reasoning than on divergent
reasoning which means that the researcher tries to find out solutions to a research problem with
help of standardised tools and not by creative ideas. It mainly focuses on quantifying
relationships between variables.
CHARACTERISTICS

The characteristics of quantitative research are as follows:

1) Clearly defined research questions: Based on the research problem, the researcher frames

clearly defined research questions and the answers to these questions are sought objectively. 2)

Representative sample: The researcher selects a sample from a specified population from which

data is aimed to be collected. These samples are representative of the population, so that the

results achieved can be generalised to the population.

3) Manipulation/ control of variables: As mentioned before, the quantitative research deals

with variables and as per the requirement, the researcher manipulates (for example, increases or

decreases) and even controls the extraneous/controlled variables that can affect the research

study.

4) Structured and standardised tools used for data collection: Quantitative research deals with

numbers and the data is collected with the help of structured or standardised research

instruments. The data is analysed with help of empirical evidences. The data are collected in

form of numbers, and statistics, often arranged in tables, charts, figures, or other non-textual

forms.

5) It is reliable and valid: Since the study is done under controlled observations involving

scientific investigations, they can be replicated or repeated and provide similar results. The

quantitative research is high on reliability. Further, as quantitative research involves the use of

standard and structured instruments (which are variable specific), they are valid as well.

6) Generalisability and Predicability: Since the quantitative research is done in a well- planned

manner and are highly reliable as well as valid, the results obtained through the method can be

generalised and can also be used to effectively predict results and infer causal relationships .

TYPES OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

1. Survey Quantitative Research is the most elementary tool for all sorts of quantitative
research techniques. The very most important purpose of the research is to widely explain
the characteristics of a particular group or a bunch of population. This analysis is most
typically employed by both small and large organizations for a proper understanding of
their customers and to understand the merchandise and product views.
 Multiple queries can be raised by the customers and the analysis can be done for the
same.

 Cross-sectional and longitudinal are two main kinds of surveys that can be used to
conduct the survey quantitative research analysis.

 The cross-sectional survey is conducted specifically on a target population at a given

purpose of time. These type of surveys are used to conduct research mostly in retail
stores, health care trade, etc.

 In a longitudinal survey, research is conducted at various time durations. These are

utilized in medicine and applied sciences.

2. Descriptive Quantitative Research seeks to explain the current status of an identified

variable. The aim of descriptive research is to explain and interpret, the current status of
people, settings, conditions, or events.

 In descriptive research, the researcher does not usually begin with the hypothesis,
however, it is probably going to develop one after collecting the information.

 A systematic assortment of data needs careful selection of the units and measurement of
every variable.

 Description of the extent to which elementary teachers use math manipulatives,

description of global warming with respect to Scientists, description of different kinds of
physical activities that occur in schools, etc. are all examples of descriptive research.

3. Experimental Quantitative Research, as the name suggests, is usually based on one or

more theories. It is based on one or more than one theory. It is called true
experimentation, uses the scientific method to establish the cause-effect relationship
among a group of variables that make up a study. Multiple theories can be used to
conduct this research. The components of the experimental research design are prescribed
below.
 A comparison group of participants who are randomly selected and assigned to
experimental and control groups.

 An independent variable, which can be referred to as the experimental variable that can
be applied to the experimental group.

 A dependent variable, which can be referred to as the effect or posttest variable that can
be measured in an identical manner for all groups.

4. Correlational Quantitative Research is used to establish a relationship between two close

entities and to determine how one impacts the other. For this, a researcher needs at least
two separate groups. This type of research will recognize trends and patterns in data, but
it does not go so far in its analysis to observe the different patterns.

 Correlational research sometimes considered a type of descriptive research as no

variables are manipulated in the study.

 Cause and effect are not the basis of this type of observational research.

 Examples of Correlational research include the relationships between the types of

activities of mathematics classrooms and the achievement of students, the relationship
between diet and anxiety.

5. Casual-Comparative research is employed to conclude the cause-effect equation between

two or more variables, where one variable depends on the opposite experimental variable.
An independent variable is not manipulated by the experimenter, and the effect of the
independent variable is on the dependent variable are measured.

 This sort of analysis is not restricted to the applied mathematics of two variables but
extends to analyzing different variables and groups.

 Casual-Comparative research is a method that works on the process of comparison.

 Once analysis and conclusions are made, deciding about the causes should be done
fastidiously, as other different variables, each far-famed and unknown, might still have an
effect on the result.
  Examples of this type of research include the effect of preschool attendance on social
maturity at the end of the first grade, the impact of drugs on a teenager.

Quantitative research analysis templates are objective, elaborate, and conjointly investigational.
It is easier to know the various types of quantitative research designs if you consider how the
researcher designs and styles for the management of the variables within the investigation
process. The fundamental procedure of a quantitative design is to hypothesize a proof for those
observations.