[CPE 6398 – CpE Design Project 1]

1 [Introduction to Research]

Module 01 Introduction to Research

Course Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this module, the student should be able to:
1. Describe research in his/her own words.
2. Summarize the purpose, characteristics, and importance of research.
3. Differentiate the kinds of research.
4. Plan in conducting a research by using the steps in the research process.

What is a research?
Research is a process of steps used to collect and analyze information to increase our
understanding of a topic or issue (Creswell, 2012).
According to Zulueta (2010), “Research is simply a systematic and refined technique of
thinking, employing specialized tools, instruments, and procedures in order to obtain a
more adequate solution to a problem that would be possible. It starts with a problem;
collection of data; analysis of facts, which are critical and reaching decisions based on
actual observations.”
According to Pandey (2015), “Research is an intellectual activity. It is responsible for
bringing to light new knowledge. It is also responsible for correcting the present mistakes,
removing existing misconceptions and adding new learning to the existing fund of
knowledge. Research is also considered as the application of scientific method in solving
the problems. It is a systematic, formal and intensive process of carrying on the scientific
method of analysis.”
Definitions of Research
The following are the important definitions of research:
“Research is an endeavor / attempt to discover, develop and verify knowledge. It is
an intellectual process that has developed over hundreds of years ever changing in
purpose and form and always researching to truth.”
J. Francis Rummel
“Research is an honest, exhaustive, intelligent searching for facts and their meanings
or implications with reference to a given problem. The product or findings of a given
piece of research should be an authentic, verifiable contribution to knowledge in the
field studied.”
P.M. Cook
“Research may be defined as a method of studying problems whose solutions are to
be derived partly or wholly from facts.”
W.S. Monroes

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“Research is considered to be the more formal, systematic intensive process of

carrying on the scientific method of analysis. It involves a more systematic structure
of investigation, usually resulting in some sort of formal record of procedures and a
report of results or conclusion.”
John W. Best
“Research comprises defining and redefining problems ,formulating hypothesis or
suggested solutions, collecting ,organizing and evaluating data, making deductions
and reaching conclusions and at last careful testing the conclusions to determine
whether they fit the formulated hypothesis.”
Clifford Woody
“Research is a systematic effort to gain new knowledge.”
Redman & Mori
“Social research may be defined as a scientific undertaking which by means of
logical and systematized techniques aims to discover new facts or verify and test old
facts , analyse their sequences , inter-relationships and casual explanation which
were derived within an appropriate theoretical frame of reference , develop new
scientific tools , concepts and theories which would facilitate reliable and valid study
of human behavior.”
P.V. Younge
(Source: Rabhat Pandey, Meenu Mishra Pandey; 2015; Research Methodology Tools
and Techniques; Romania; Bridge Center; Page 8 – 9)
Purposes of Research
The purpose of research is to discover answers to questions through the application
of scientific procedure. The main aim of research is to find out the truth which is
hidden and which has not been discovered as yet. Though each research study has
its own specific purpose, some general objectives of research are:
(i) To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into
it. (Studies with this object in view are termed as exploratory or
formative research studies).
(ii) To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular individual,
situation or a group.(Studies with this object in view are known as
descriptive research studies).
(iii) To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with
which it is associated with something else. (Studies with this object in
view are known as diagnostic research studies).
(iv) To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables. (Such
studies are known as hypothesis-testing research studies).

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(Source: Rabhat Pandey, Meenu Mishra Pandey; 2015; Research Methodology Tools
and Techniques; Romania; Bridge Center; Page 9 – 10)
Aside from what was mentioned earlier, other purposes or objectives of research
according to Johnson and Christensen (2015) are as follows:
(i) Exploration or attempting to learn about and generate ideas about
phenomena. Exploration is especially important in the early phases
of research because researchers must generate ideas about
phenomena before additional research can progress.
(ii) Description or attempting to describe the characteristics of a
phenomenon. Description is one of the most basic activities in
research. It might simply involve observing a phenomenon and
recording what one sees.
(iii) Explanation or attempting to show how and why a phenomenon
operates as it does. According to many writers, this is the key
purpose of science.
(iv) Prediction, or attempting to predict or forecast a phenomenon.
(v) The fifth objective is called control or influence, or attempting to
apply research to make certain outcomes occur.
Characteristics of Research
According to Kothari (2004)
(i) Good research is systematic: It means that research is structured
with specified steps to be taken in a specified sequence in accordance
with the well defined set of rules. Systematic characteristic of the
research does not rule out creative thinking but it certainly does
reject the use of guessing and intuition in arriving at conclusions.
(ii) Good research is logical: This implies that research is guided by the
rules of logical reasoning and the logical process of induction and
deduction are of great value in carrying out research. Induction is the
process of reasoning from a part to the whole whereas deduction is
the process of reasoning from some premise to a conclusion which
follows from that very premise. In fact, logical reasoning makes
research more meaningful in the context of decision making.
(iii) Good research is empirical: It implies that research is related
basically to one or more aspects of a real situation and deals with
concrete data that provides a basis for external validity to research
results.
(iv) 4. Good research is replicable: This characteristic allows research
results to be verified by replicating the study and thereby building a
sound basis for decisions.
According to Pandey (2015)

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(i) Research is directed toward the solution of a problem.

(ii) Research requires expertise.
(iii) Research emphasizes the development of generalizations, principles,
or theories that will be helpful in predicting future occurrences.
(iv) Research is based upon observable experience or empirical evidences.
(v) Research demands accurate observation and description.
(vi) Research involves gathering new data from primary or first-hand
sources or using existing data for a new purpose.
(vii) Research is characterized by carefully designed procedures that apply
rigorous analysis.
(viii) Research involves the quest for answers to unsolved problems.
(ix) Research strives to be objective and logical, applying every possible
test to validate the procedures employed the data collected and the
conclusions reached.
(x) Research is characterized by patient and unhurried activity.
(xi) Research is carefully recorded and collected. (xii) Research
sometimes requires courage. According to Zulueta (2010)
(i) Research is empirical. It is the concept that all knowledge is derived
from sense of experience.
(ii) Research is systematic. Uses systematic or follows a step-by-step
procedure in examining a topic or problem.
(iii) Research should be valid. Research to be valid should be based on fact
or evidence that is capable of being justified.
(iv) Research should be reliable. It refers to the consistency of the
research and the extent to which investigations can be replicated.
Importance of Research
According to Creswell (2012)
(i) Research adds to our knowledge. Adding to knowledge means that
you undertake research to contribute to existing information about
issues
(ii) Research improves practice. Research is also important because it
suggests improvements for practice.
(iii) Research informs policy debates. Research also provides information
to policy makers when they research and debate educational topics.
According to Kothari (2004)
(i) Research inculcates scientific and inductive thinking and it promotes
the development of logical habits of thinking and organization.
(ii) Research provides the basis for nearly all government policies in our
economic system.

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(iii) Research has its special significance in solving various operational

and planning problems of business and industry.
(iv) To professionals in research methodology, research may mean a
source of livelihood;
(v) To philosophers and thinkers, research may mean the outlet for new
ideas and insights;
(vi) To literary men and women, research may mean the development of
new styles and creative work;
(vii) To analysts and intellectuals, research may mean the generalizations
of new theories.

General Kinds of Research

According to Johnson and Christensen (2014) there are five general kinds of research:
(i) Basic Research. Basic research is aimed at generating fundamental
knowledge and theoretical understanding about basic human and other
natural processes.
(ii) Applied research. Applied Research focuses on answering real-world,
practical questions to provide relatively immediate solutions.
(iii) Evaluation Research. When interventions and social or educational programs
aimed at improving various conditions are implemented, evaluation research
is often carried out to determine how well the programs work in real-world
settings and to show how they might be improved. Evaluation research, or,
more simply, evaluation, specifically involves determining the worth, merit,
or quality of an evaluation object.
(iv) Action Research. Action research is based on the idea that having a
“researcher attitude” is helpful in dealing with your complex and changing
environments. This attitude involves continuously identifying new problems
that you want to work on and trying new strategies and actions to see what
improves your situation.
(v) Orientational Research. Orientational research focuses on collecting
information to help a researcher advance a specific ideological or political
position or orientation that he or she believes will improve some part of our
society.

The Research Process

Research process consists of series of actions or steps necessary to effectively carry out
research. According to Creswell (2012, 2018) these steps are as follows.
(i) Identifying a research problem. Identifying a research problem consists of
specifying an issue to study, developing a justification for studying it, and
suggesting the importance of the study for select audiences that will read the
report.
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(ii) Reviewing the literature. Reviewing the literature means locating summaries,
books, journals, and indexed publications on a topic; selectively choosing
which literature to include in your review; and then summarizing the
literature in a written report.
(iii) Specifying a purpose for research. The purpose for research consists of
identifying the major intent or objective for a study and narrowing it into
specific research questions or hypotheses. The purpose statement contains
the major focus of the study, the participants in the study, and the location or
site of the inquiry.
(iv) Collecting data. Collecting data means identifying and selecting individuals
for a study, obtaining their permission to study them, and gathering
information by asking people questions or observing their behaviors.
(v) Analyzing and interpreting the data. Analyzing and interpreting the data
involves drawing conclusions about it; representing it in tables, figures, and
pictures to summarize it; and explaining the conclusions in words to provide
answers to your research questions.
(vi) Reporting and evaluating research. Reporting research involves deciding on
audiences, structuring the report in a format acceptable to these audiences,
and then writing the report in a manner that is sensitive to all readers.
Evaluating research involves assessing the quality of a study.

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References and Supplementary Materials

Books
1. C.R. Kothari (2004). Research Methodology Methods and Techniques. New Delhi. New
Age International (P) Ltd., Publishers
2. Francisco M. Zulueta, Jose R. Perez (2010). Methods of Research Thesis Writing and
Applied Statistics. National Bookstore
3. John W. Creswell, j David Creswell (2018). Research Design Qualitative Quantitative,
and Mixed Method Approaches (5th Edition). California. SAGE Publication Inc
4. John W. Creswell (2012). Educational Research (4th Edition). Boston. Pearson
Education Inc.
5. Larry B. Christensen, R. Burke Johnson, Lisa A. Turner (2015). Research Methods
Design and Analysis. England. Pearson Education Limited
6. Larry B. Christensen, R. Burke Johnson (2014). Educational Research (5th Edition).
USA. SAGE Publication Inc.
7. Rabhat Pandey, Meenu Mishra Pandey (2015). Research Methodology Tools and
Techniques. Romania. Bridge Center

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