A MODULE IN

PRACTICAL RESEARC H 1
STCAS, INC.

PREPARED BY:
MR. IAN SOL B. BIANA
A . Y. 2 0 21 - 2 0 2 2



 TABLE OF CONTENTS

MODULE 1: WHAT IS QUALITATIVE

RESEARCH?
LESSON 1: WHAT IS RESEARC H AND ITS
SIGNIFICANCE? (WEEK 1)

Introduction to Research

Signi cance of Research

Forms of Research

LESSON 2: WHAT ARE THE C HARACTERISTICS OF GOOD

RESEARCH AND HOW DOES THE RESEARCH PROCESS
PROCEED? (WEEK 2)

Social Research De ned

Characteristics of *good* research?

General steps of the Research Process

Expanded steps of the Research Process

LESSON 3: WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BET WEEN

QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARC H? (WEEK 3)

Qualitative Research De ned

Quantitative Research De ned

Qualitative vs. Quantitative research

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LESSON 4: WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF QUALITATIVE

R E S E A R C H I N D A I LY L I F E ? ( W E E K 4 )

Importance and Goals of Qualitative Research

Examples of Qualitative Research in different Social Concerns

Strengths and Weaknesses of qualitative Research

LESSON 5: WHAT ARE THE QUALITATIVE RESEARC H

DESIGNS? (WEEK 5)

Five Qualitative Research Designs

Characteristics of Qualitative Research Designs

 MODULE 1
WHAT IS QUALITATIVE RESEARC H

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

Learn the basic concepts of research, the process of doing research, the characteristics
of good research, its signi cance and application in the academe and society in
general.
Distinguish the differences between qualitative and quantitative social research.

Portfolio Output

At the end of this module, you are expected to accomplish and submit the
following:

An essay discussing Filipino social scientists, their research, and how they contributed to
Philippine society.
An essay about a proven or disproven scienti c knowledge or theory and the research
process of that study.
An essay about an example of a qualitative and quantitative research that discusses the
differences in purposes, data collection methods, and sample size in each approach.
A comparison table of three qualitative studies based on their topic, main ndings, and
practical use in everyday life.
A list of possible research topics/problems that you may conduct for a research project
and plausible research designs that can be used for these research topics.

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 RUBRICS

AREA BEST GOOD WEAK

Essay a. Discusses the topic a. Adequately a. Discussion of the

accurately and discusses the topic topic is digressive
excellently at hand b. Uses non-lexicon
b. Uses standards b. Uses standard and words
English EnglishMinimal c. Has a lot of spelling
c. No spelling or spelling and and grammar
grammar mistakes grammar mistakes mistakes

Infographic a. Tackles the relevant a. Tackles the Tackles the relevant

topic relevant topic topic
b. Uses graphics and b. Uses graphics and Irrelevant graphics and
gures gures that are gures are used
appropriately generally relevant Output is aesthetically
c. Output is to the topic lacking
aesthetically c. Output is
pleasing aethetically
adequate

Comparison a. Summarizes the a. Summarizes the a. Summary of topic,

Table topic, methods and topic, methods, methods, and
ndings of three and ndings of a ndings of three
qualitative studies qualitative study qualitative studies
b. Identi es possible b. Identi es possible are incomplete or
speci c implications but largely inaccurate
and applications of general b. Provides little
the study results in applications of the evidence of possible
everyday life study results in applications of the
everyday life study results in
everyday life

Possible a. Topics given are a. Topics given are a. Topics given are
Research timely, relevant, and timely and unrealistic for a
realistic for a relevant but may research project.
Topics
research project. be dif cult to
conduct for a
research project.
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 WEEK 1 - LESSON 1: WHAT IS

RESEARCH AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE?

TARGET :

AT T H E E N D O F T H I S L E S S O N , YO U W I L L B E A B L E T O :

a. De ne what research is
b. Identify the signi cance and uses of research
c. Understand several forms of research
d. Introduce reasons for conducting qualitative research

EXPLORE

Research about Filipino scientists and the research studies that they have conducted.

a. What specializations or elds did they focus on?

b. What struggles did they go through to be successful in their endeavors?
c. What innovations did they introduce?
d. How did their research contribute to the Philippine society?

EXAMINE

WHAT IS RESEARC H?

Gelia T. Castillo was a distinguished rural sociologist and was

conferred the title of National Scientist in 1999 - the highest honor
given by the Philippine Government to Filipino scientists. The
National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) of the
Philippines noted Dr. Castillo “for her outstanding contributions to
agricultural social science resulting in a body of knowledge about
Philippine rural society which has enabled the Filipino to better
understand the social conditions and dynamics of agricultural and
rural development.”

Gelia T. Castillo
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 Dr. Castillo has conducted pioneering research on agricultural production systems, farmer credit, women
empowerment, economic inequality, and health concerns. She was also a trailblazer in understanding how
Filipino farmers, particularly rice farmers, respond to new farming technologies, which she detailed in her
1975 book “All in a Grain of Rice”. Her most notable work, the book “Beyond Manila” published in 1977,
is recognized as the rst comprehensive attempt in detailing the labor, employment, education, and
development problems and issues of rural Philippines. She also researched the changing structure and
dynamics of families and the role of Filipino women in development. Dr. Gelia Castillo rst obtained a BS
Psychology (magna cum laude) from the University of the Philippines (1953) and then pursued
postgraduate degrees in rural sociology, a Master’s degree from the Pennsylvania State University (1958)
and a Ph.D. from Cornell University (1960) in the United States. Her research has provided a voice for
many underprivileged rural farmers and households and has also sought to narrow inequalities in
Philippine society.

Research involves a careful and systematic collection and analysis of information to produce or enhance
our knowledge and understanding of a subject matter or topic of interest. For example, in the 1960s, Dr.
Castillo found that, contrary to popular belief, Filipino farmers were adopting new farming technologies
(e.g., rice variety) in order to increase yield and pro t. What she underscored, however, is the extent to
which these technologies met farmers’ needs, preferences, and competencies. Only when farming
technologies cater to a farmers’ needs and characteristics can successful technology adoption and
improved quality of life happen.

Thus, when there is something that we want to know more of, (e.g., the bene ts and di culties of
working abroad or how young people voted in the last national election); or when we want to solve a
problem like how to reduce the prevalence of teenage pregnancy in a city or to raise awareness on the
safety and e ectiveness of oral vaccine against polio, the rst things we can do is to conduct a research
about it.

Research plays a crucial role in the advancement of knowledge, ideas, and theories in virtually all elds of
endeavor. We gain knowledge through systematic and rigorous research. Reaching a deeper
understanding of a topic through research enables us to develop solutions for existing problems.
Research is conducted in several forms depending on the eld in question.

Scienti c research is designed to learn about the physical world and discover how it works. This
includes elds such as physics, chemistry, biology, and astronomy, to mention a few. Studies in the
elds of computer science, computer engineering, arti cial intelligence, and cryptography can also be
considered part of the realm of scienti c research.

Social sciences and humanities encompass studies that deal with human society, culture, and
the interaction and relationships between its members. This includes branches like anthropology,
sociology, communication studies, area studies, linguistics, demography, and geography, among others.

Historical research pertains to events in the past and the interpretation of such events. The
techniques and methods used for this study are called historical methods.
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 Business research is conducted to solve business and management problems.

Non-empirical research includes theoretical studies related to cosmological phenomena and

mathematics.

INTEGRATE

In what aspect of your daily life do you use research? How is it useful for you and
those around you?

Research is conducted by a wide range of people, including those from the academe, scientists, health
professionals, business people, government and military personnel, and students.

Although it may seem like it, research is not exclusively conducted by scientists and social researchers,
such as in the case of Dr. Gelia Castillo. Ordinary people also employ the practice of research as part of
their everyday lives.

How do we make research part of our daily lives? When we want to nd out where we can buy cheaper
groceries or goods, we conduct research by identifying which stores in the neighborhood o er the best
prices. When we want to know where the best school is to pursue an undergraduate degree, we research
by inquiring about the opinions of other people as to which schools they consider best. We augment
these by researching them on the Internet to compare university given by schools. We then make our
decisions based on the information we nd and the conclusions we develop from them. Afterward, we
can support or debunk the claim.

Of course, research conducted in scienti c, academic, or business settings are more rigorous compared to
those done in our day-to-day lives. That rigor, including the methods and techniques, is the main thrust
of this book. In particular, our focus is learning the practicalities of conducting qualitative research - a
particular type of social research.

25% 25%

Gain knowledge
Add to existing knowledge
Support or debunk existing theories
Develop new theories or ideas

25% 25%

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 From the examples cited above, we can surmise that we research for a variety of reasons. A chief reason
for conducting research is for us to gain new knowledge. This type of research is also known as basic
research.

Research may also be done to add to present or existing knowledge and to dismiss obsolete ones.
Following this logic, basic research seeks to expand our body of knowledge and an explanation about a
topic of interest or social phenomenon. This accumulated knowledge contributes to our understanding
and enables us to re ne our search for solutions to the problems we face. For instance, Dr. Castillo:s
research on farming and Filipino farmers was one of the signi cant studies devoted to solving
development problems (e.g., poverty, unemployment, the role of women and children, technology
transfer, and international migration) in the rural areas. She synthesized a large volume of empirical
quantitative and qualitative data from censuses, surveys, and eldwork to create a comprehensive
understanding of rural development using agricultural development. Her ndings served as a
fundamental resource for the design and implementation of later rural development programs.

Research may also be used to support or debunk existing theories or ideas. By nding new ways to
observe, experiment, interpret, and even approach a particular subject, new research may result in the
modi cation of existing theories. As an example, a set of laws called the Code of Kalantiaw was once
accepted to exist in prehistoric Philippines. However, subsequent studies conducted by historians such as
William Henry Scott disproved the said document, exposing it as a hoax.

The iterative process of research - the moving back and forth between empirical data and theoretical
explanation - may also reinforce and add more support to an already existing theory. For example, present
research in geology continues to reinforce and support the validity if the theory of plate tectonics.

Of course, groundbreaking research may even result in the development of new theories and novel
ideas about a speci c topic or issue. Albert Einstein’s work on gravitation led to the development of an
entirely new theory - general relativity - that superseded classical mechanics developed by Isaac Newton.

EQUIP

To supplement your understanding of qualitative research, access the following resources:

What is Qualitative Research? https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11133-019-9413-7

Qualitative research http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3757586/

Qualitative methods https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/qualitative

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 LESSON 1 SUMMARY
RESEARCH:

De nition: It involves a careful and systematic collection and analysis of information

to produce or enhance our knowledge and understanding of a subject matter.

Uses:
1. We want to know more of something

2. We want to solve a problem

Types:
1. Scienti c research

2. Social science research

3. Historical research

4. Business research

5. Non-empirical research

Research can be conducted by a wide range of people including people from the academe,
scientists, health professionals, business people, government and military personnel, and students.

Why do people conduct research?

1. To gain new knowledge

2. To add to the existing knowledge

3. To support or debunk existing theories

4. To develop new theories or ideas

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 CHECK

A. Fill in the blanks:

1. __________ is a type of research that deals with the physical world.
2. __________ focuses on studying human society, culture, and interactions between
members of society.
3. __________ is a particular type of social research that deals about what happened
in the past.
4. __________ is a broad term for methods used for historical research.
5. __________ is a type of research conducted to solve business and management
problems.
6. __________ includes theoretical studies related to cosmology and mathematics.

B. What are the different forms of research? Give examples for each form.

C. Discuss what research is and its signi cance to society

BUILD

Research about Filipino social scientists and share how their research has contributed to
Philippines society. Write a one-page essay discussing their work and contributions.
(250-500 words)

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