Topic Outline

What research is not

What research is
Distinct characteristics of
research
The research cycle
Checklist in evaluating
research
Tools of research
What is not research
Research is not mere information
gathering.
Research is not mere
transformation of facts from one
location to another.
Research is not merely
rummaging for information.
What is research?
Research is a systematic
process of collecting,
analyzing and interpreting
data in order to increase our
understanding of a
phenomenon we are
interested or concerned
Distinct characteristics
Research originates with a question
or
Research requires clear articulation
of a goal.
Research requires a specific plan
for proceeding.
Research usually divides a principal
problem into more manageable sub-
problems.
What is research (cont)
Research is guided by the specific
research problem, question or
hypothesis.
Research accepts certain critical
assumptions
Research requires the collection and
interpretation of data in an attempt to
resolve the problem that initiated the
research.
Research originates with a
question
Examples:
Are Filipinos well nourished?
What do streetchildren eat in a
day?
Why are there thin and fat
students?
How does diabetes develop in
overweight children?
….requires clear articulation
of a goal

What problem do you want to solve?

Malnutrition? i.e., micronutrient
deficiency, PEM, overnutrition
Improve food quality?
Change behavior? Practice
breastfeeding,
Improve nutrition compliance to
diet?
…requires a specific plan
Not groping in the dark to find a
solution
A planned discovery with outlined
steps for attacking the problem
 design of study specific to get
relevant data
…divides problem into sub-
problems
Main problem divided to into more
manageable problems that will answer the
main problem
Example:
Main problem : “How do you go to Manila?”
Sub-problems :
What are the ways to go there?

What is the most convenient

transportation?
How much will it cost to travel by these
routes?
… guided by specific research
problems, questions and
hypothesis
A hypothesis is a logical supposition , a
reasonable guess, an educated
conjecture that provides a tentative
explanation for the phenomenon under
investigation. It can also provide
information in resolving the specific
problem and in the process, the main
research problem.
Ex. If you switch on the lamp and it does
light what is your guess as to the reason
why it does not light?
 … accepts certain critical
assumptions
Assumptions are similar to axioms in
geometry – self –evident truths -the
sine non qua of research. They must
be valid for the research to be
meaningful.

For example, if a research wants to

evaluate the knowledge gained from a
nutrition education class, one assumption
would be regular attendance to the class of
participants.
… requires collection and
interpretation of data to resolve
problem initiated
Data collected based on objectives or
research questions
Data collected becomes meaningful when
it is interpreted correctly
Methodology of the project controls how
data are to be collected, arranged,
synthesized and interpreted
… research by nature is
cyclical, or helical
Follows logical developmental steps:
Questioning mind asks “why?”
One question becomes the problem
Problem divided into simpler sub-problems
Preliminary data gathered
Data seem to point to alternative solution
Data collected more systematically
Data are processed
Discovery is made
Hypothesis supported or not
the research process
 Checklist
Questions to consider when evaluating
research
 In what source did you find the article? Was
it reviewed by experts in the field before
publication?
Does the article have a stated research
question or problem? Or, can you
determine the focus of the work?
Does the article describe the collection of
data, or does it synthesize other studies in
which data were collected?
 Checklist
Questions to consider when evaluating
research
Is the article logically organized and easy
to follow?
 Does the article contain that outlines and
reviews previous studies? In what way is
this relevant to the research problem?
Are the procedures clear enough that you
could repeat the work and get similar
results?
 Checklist
How were the data collected and how
were they analyzed? Do you agree with
what was done?
Do you agree with the interpretation of
results?
Reflect on the entire article. What, for
you is most important? What are
interesting? What are the strengths and
weaknesses? Will you remember the
article in the future?
Tools of research
A tool is a specific mechanism or
strategy that researchers use to collect,
manipulate or interpret data
Not to equate tools of research with
methodology
A methodology is the general approach
that a researcher takes in carrying out
the research process
Six general tools of
research
Library and its resources
Computer and software
Techniques of measurement
Statistics
The human mind
Language
The library
Card catalog
Indexes and abstracts
Reference librarian
Browsing the shelves

The computer and its software

The internet and World Wide
Web
Electronic mail
 Measurement as a tool of
research
Measurement is limiting the data of any
phenomenon- substantial or insubstantial
– so that those data maybe interpreted
and compared to acceptable qualitative or
quantitative standard.

Four scales of measurement of data

Nominal, ordinal, interval , ratio
 Summary of measurement
scales
Measureme Characteristic of the Statistical possibilities
nt scale scale of the scale
Nominal Measures names or Determines mode,
scale designation of discrete percentage value, or the
Ordinal scale units or categories
Measures ranking, values chi-square
Determines the median,
of more or less , larger or percentile rank and rank
smaller, but without correlation
specifying the size of the
Interval scale intervals
Measures equal interval or Determines the mean,
degrees of difference but standard deviation and
the zero point is arbitrarily product moment
established correlation, allows
conduct of inferential
Ratio scale Measures in terms of statistical analysis
Enables determination of
equal intervals and with the geometric mean and
absolute zero percentage variation;
allows one to conduct any
statistical analysis
 Validity and reliability of
measurement instrument
Validity – extent to which the instrument
measures what it is supposed to measure

Reliability – the consistency with which a

measuring instrument yields a certain
result when the entity being measured has
not changed.

Both validity and reliability reflect the

degree to which we may have error in
Statistics
Function of statistics in research:
Describe the data (descriptive
statistics)
Draw inferences from the data
(inferential statistics)
The human mind
Strategies used by the human mind to
discover the unknown
Deductive logic - reasoning that begins with a
premise (assumptions, widely accepted “truths”
then to the conclusion; useful for generating
hypothesis and testing theories.
Inductive reasoning – begins with an
observation from where conclusions are drawn ;
observe sample and draw generalization to the
population
The human mind (cont)
Scientific method – method where insight into
the unknown is made by 1) identifying a
problem that defines the goal , 2) states the
hypothesis that when confirmed, resolves the
problem , 3) gathering data relevant to the
hypothesis, 4) analyzing and interpreting data
to see if data supported the hypothesis nor
not; also uses both deductive and inductive
reasoning
The human mind (cont)
Critical thinking - involves evaluating
information or argument in terms of accuracy
and worth; it may involve:
Verbal reasoning
Argument analysis
Decision making
Critical analysis of prior research

Collaboration with others

Language
Enables us not only to communicate but also
to think more effectively
Use of language in writing is important in
research.
Advantage of writing down ideas
Identifies specific ideas known and not known
about the topic
Clarifies and organizes thoughts sufficiently to
communicate to readers
Detect gaps and logical flaws in thinking
Writing to communicate
Say what you mean to say
Keep primary objective in writing and focus
discussion accordingly
Provide overview of what will be discussed
Organize ideas from general to specific using
headings and subheadings
Provide transitional phrase, sentences or
paragraphs to help readers follow your train of
thought.
Writing to communicate
(cont)
Use concrete examples to make abstract
ideas understandable
Use appropriate punctuation
Use tables and figures to organize ideas
and findings.,
Summarize what was said at the
conclusion of the paper
Anticipate revision of draft of report.
Summary
What research is and is not
Check list in the conduct of research
Research uses different tools