GSM 5131

Business Research Method

First Assignment
Topic: What Is Scientific Method

Tan Chew Siong GM04272

What is Scientific Research Process?

There were so many researches that had been run, are running and going to run in
the future for any background studies. However, what is a research after all? Research
means to search for knowledge, to make a systematic investigation or to establish novel
facts (Trochim, 2006). According to Sekaran and Bougie (2010), research is defined as
simply the process of finding solutions to a problem after a thorough study and analysis
of the situational factors. The definition of research includes any gathering of data,
information and facts for the advancement of knowledge in the broadest sense of the
world (Shuttleworth, Martyn, 2008).

The main purpose for a research is to discover, interpret and develop the methods
and systems for the advancement of human knowledge regarding variety of scientific
matters in the universe (Trochim, 2006). Finding a definitive answer is the central goal of
any research process.

There are four information sought types of researches which are primary,
secondary, qualitative and quantitative researches. A primary research collects data that
does not already exist either by survey, questionnaire, interview or observation. A
secondary research looks at the existing data and it could be a summary, collation or
synthesis of information. On the other hands, a qualitative research looks at what humans
behavior and the reasons behind it. A quantitative research systematic empirical
investigation quantitative properties on how many people do these things and how often.

Furthermore, there are two types of application researches which are basic and
applied researches. Basic research serves to produce a body of knowledge in order to
comprehend the level of certainty the problem could be solved (Sekaran & Bougie,
2010). It is the new work in science not done by any one before. Whereas, applied
research solves any currently faced problem which demands timely solution (Sekaran &
Bougie, 2010). It is a type of research already existed in practice but to re-vice it.

Scientific research could be any of these researches. It is a process for the

experimentation to explore observations and answers that has been made for particular
scientific questions. It is performing methodical study in order to prove a hypothesis or
answer those questions. Besides, it also provides scientific theories and information
regarding the explanation of the nature of the world around us (Trochim, 2006).
Scientists use scientific research method to search for cause and effect relationships in
nature. A scientific research process must be systematic and follow a series of steps and a
rigid standard protocol that are organized and undergo planning. Although the rules may
vary slightly between different fields of science, it is broadly similar. The whole process
requires some kind of interpretation and an opinion from the researcher, which is the
underlying principle that establishes the nature and type of research (Shuttleworth,
Martyn, 2008).

A scientific research process is shaped like an hourglass that starts from general
questions and then narrowing down to focus on one specific aspect as to design a
research to observe and analyze this aspect (Experiment Resource, 2008). According to
National Advice Services for Researchers (NHS; 2011), there are ten steps in doing a
research process:

1. Turn your ideas into a research question

2. Review the literature
3. Design the study and develop your method(s)
4. Writing your research proposal
5. Issues about funding
6. Obtain ethical and trust approval
7. Collect and collate the data
8. Analyze the data and interpret findings
9. Implications of your research for clinical practice
10. Report on the study and disseminate the findings

1. Turn your ideas into a research question

Every scientific research process starts off with formulating a research problem.
Researchers will organize their research by defining the research problem and that helps
to focus the research process so that conclusions could be drawn in reflecting the real
world in the best possible way (Experiment Resource, 2008). The scientific research
process starts when you ask a question about something that you observe with How,
What, When, Who, Which, Why, or Where? It must be about something that you can
measure, preferably with a number. Some questions might be asked to turn the idea into a
research question such as: What is it that you are interested to study? Is it a problem? Is
the problem researchable or do-able? What would be the benefits? Do the benefits
outweigh the costs? Would there be any obstacles in studying the knowledge?
(knowledge, data availability, time or resources).

2. Review the literature

Rather than starting from scratch in putting together a plan for answering your question
and avoid from repeating mistakes from the past, library and Internet research could be
used to find the best way to do things. A literature review is a step-to-step process as
what mentioned by Sekaran and Bougie (2010). It comprised of published and
unpublished work from secondary data sources related to the topic of interest, evaluation
on this work in regards to the research problem as well as the documentation of this
work. It states some important elements as follows: 1. any literature related to the topic of
interest 2. What does the relevant literature indicate about the research problem? 3. Any
theory or conceptual framework that can link with 4. Strengths and limitations of the
theory used 5. Constraints posed by the theory to the research 6. Researcher’s knowledge
on the research problem 7. History of the problem to be included in the report

3. Design the study and develop your method(s)

One of the most creative and also most difficult aspects of the scientific research process
is research design. Research could be run in different variety of manners that some might
be successful than the others. Therefore, research design is the central key to success. At
this point, main and specific objectives for the research must be developed and find out if
there is any hypothesis. If there is, it must be clarified as specific enough to be
researchable or measurable or not. A hypothesis is an educated guess about how things
work: "If _____ [I do this] _____, then _____ [this] _____ will happen." You must state
your hypothesis in a way that you can easily measure, and of course, your hypothesis
should be constructed in a way to help you answer your original question.

Dependent variable (DV), which alters thorough the course of the research and
Independent Variable (IV), which changes in response to the constant are determined at
this stage, including control variable(s) that stays the same all along the research. Each
variable is merely statistical data that focus on gaining key points of information from the
experiment, in an attempt to prove the change or alteration predicted in the hypothesis.
The level of certainty for relationship between variables is found as well (Shuttleworth,
2008). Besides, you should think of the strategy to conduct the research and whether it
would help to answer the research problem. The sample size chosen must also be large
enough to warrant the results as valid and statistically significant. Representativeness
must be confined to the level of accuracy and level of confidence.

7. Collect and collate the data

After obtaining ethical and trust approval, data are collected. Data could be obtained
either from primary or secondary sources. Primary sources are defined as information
obtained from the researcher in the very first-hand on the interested variables regarding
the research. On the other hands, secondary sources are referred as information gathered
from the existing sources (Sekaran & Bougie, 2010). Some questions are used here in
order to generate better data collection:

 What instruments, tools or devices will you use to collect the data?
 What procedure will you use to collect the data? Interview? Observation? Mails?
Self-administered? Group administered?
 Do you need trained interviewers and observers?
 What ethical issues do you need to consider?
 How would you organize your data for analysis?
 What statistical procedures will you apply to the data?
 What alpha level would you choose to reject or accept your hypothesis?

8. Analyze the data and interpret findings

Once the data collection is complete, you collect your measurements and analyze them to
see if your hypothesis is true or false. Scientists often find that their hypothesis was false,
and in such cases they will construct a new hypothesis starting the entire process of the
scientific method over again. Even if they find that their hypothesis was true, they may
want to test it again in a new way. At this point, researchers find out that whether the
findings show any statistical differences. There might happen that the findings are not
statistically significant. Looking at the findings, researcher should figure out what are the
theoretical, methodological, practical implications and also the limitations of this
research. After interpreting the data, suggestions are offered for further research on the
similar topic of interest.

10. Report on the study and disseminate the findings

Drawing a conclusion is based on several factors of the research process, not just because
the researcher got the expected result. It has to be based on the validity and reliability of
the measurement; how good the measurement was to reflect the real world and what more
could have affected the results. The observations are often referred to as 'empirical
evidence' and the logic/thinking leads to the conclusions. Anyone should be able to check
the observation and logic, to see if they also reach the same conclusions. Errors of the
observations may stem from measurement-problems, misinterpretations, unlikely random
events. A common error is to think that correlation implies a causal relationship. This is
not necessarily true.

In a nutshell, a full report of the research is made. In writing the report,

researcher has to organize the research report with the chosen writing style. Checking the
university requirement about formatting and style is a necessity if the researcher wants to
submit for publication in journal or checking the specific format of the publisher in
writing a book.

References:

Experiment Resources. (2008). Research Methodology. Retrieved April 13, 2011, from
http://www.experiment-resources.com/research-methodology.html.

National Advice Services for Researchers (2011). Research Process Flowchart.

Sekaran, U. & Bougie, R. (2010). Research Methods for Business. A Skill Building
Approach (Fifth ed.) United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Shuttleworth, Martyn (2008). Steps of the Scientific Method. Retrieved April 13, 2011,
from http://www.experiment-resources.com/steps-of-the-scientific-method.html.

Trochim, W.M.K, (2006). Research Methods Knowledge Base. Retrieved April 13, 2011,
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research.