Technical Terms Used in Research

Research is collecting data and information, learning, and finding new things.

- It is also an advanced knowledge which follows a systematic process of collecting and

analyzing information in order to understand more the phenomena under study. Action research,
thesis, dissertation, and case study are examples of research.

Being familiar with the following research-related technical terminologies is helpful in

understanding research more:

Concept is a term that abstractly describes and names an object, a phenomenon, or an idea.

 Examples of concepts include common demographic measures:

0. Income - P5,000-P8,000
1. Age - 18 y/o-20 y/o
2. Education Level - High School Graduate, College Graduate, Postgraduate.
3. Number of Siblings-3 siblings in the family, 4 or more siblings in the family.

Theory is an organized body of concepts and principles intended to explain a particular

phenomenon.

 Examples include the theory of relativity, atomic theory, theory of evolution, and
quantum theory.

Quantitative Method

- This is a method that focuses on numbers, objective hard data. It proves hypotheses by
statistical analysis and scientific method. It is called a formal, objective, systematic process in
which numerical data is used to obtain information about the world. It is used to describe
variables. It examines relationships among variables.

 Example is a drug abuser telling you how many pills they consume per week.

Qualitative Method

- It uses words instead of numbers to display data. It focuses on feelings not numerical data.
Small amount of participants involved in a qualitative research study. This kind of research
method utilizes interviews, archived written information, and observations to measure the
significance of a relationship between variables.

 Example is a drug abuser telling you how they feel about abusing drugs.

Variables are any quality of a person, group subject, event, condition, or situation that varies or
takes on different values.
  Examples are age, sex, business income and expenses, country of birth, capital
expenditure, class grades, eye color and vehicle type.

Hypothesis is a logical supposition, a reasonable guess, and educated conjecture. It provides a

tentative explanation of a phenomenon under investigation.

 For example, a researcher might be interested in the relationship between study habits
and test anxiety. The researcher would propose a hypothesis about how these two
variables are related, such as "Test anxiety decreases as a result of effective study habits."

Sampling it is the process of selecting participants who are representatives of a larger population
- gain an understanding of a larger population.

 For example, a random sample may include choosing the names of 25 employees out of a
hat in a company of 250 employees. The population is all 250 employees, and the sample
is random because each employee has an equal chance of being chosen.

Writing a successful research paper is not easy work. There are no shortcuts to be taken as one
sits down to choose a topic, conduct research, determine methodology, organize and outline,
thoughts, form arguments or interpretations cite sources, write the first draft and finally apply the
necessary revisions

But there is no need to be anxious with a research paper assignment! With a good understanding
of the elements of a successful research paper, the process can be made a whole lot easier and
simpler.

A successful research paper fulfills the objective of increasing readers' knowledge of a given
subject. It also accurately, concisely, and comprehensively relays unbiased information on that
subject: information that, of course, must include valid evidence to support the premise.

SMART is a good way to remember the fundamentals of research paper writing. and to help
prepare an author in writing a successful research paper.

 Specific: A research paper should be specific. It should maintain its focus on the given
subject of research - answering a specific research question and not be inconsistent or
aimless as to convey information or make claims on other unrelated topics or subjects.
 Measurable: A research paper must contain specific proven research and cites all
research sources and related literature.
 Attainable: A research paper must provide a thesis statement one that answers the
research question and contributes to the knowledge of the given subject. It can't propose
to answer a question that doesn't relate to real life or isn't based on an existing body of
knowledge.
 Realistic: A research paper is objective and realistic. Should it be made to present
interpretations, arguments, or evaluations, then it should do so based on valid evidence
from reliable sources.
 Time: A research paper cannot be written without the researcher knowing the limits,
timeframes, and focus of the required work. Without the writer / researcher stating the
scope and limitations of the research paper, it is likely that the thesis statement will be
 hampered by an inability to answer the given research question or focus on the given
research subject.

(Source: "Mine Boy Quizzes". 2021. Gradesaver Com.

https://www.gradesaver.com/mine-boy/study-guide/quiz4.)

Once you have chosen a research topic, you will need to narrow it down into a research
statement or question. The sooner you do this in your research process, the more time you'll save
because you can conduct more focused searches. Here are some common ways you can narrow
down a research topic:

1. By demographic characteristics.
o Narrow it down by age group, occupation ethnic group, gender, etc.
o e.g. challenges faced by international college graduates entering the workforce.
2. By relevant issues.
o Try to identify key issues related to your topic, especially ones that you have an
opinion on. You can turn your opinion into your thesis statement or research
question.
o e.g. challenges faced by college graduates who are unable to find meaningful or
relevant work
3. By location.
o Focus on a specific country, province, city, or type of environment (rural vs.
urban).
o e.g. challenges faced by college graduates entering the workforce in rural Ontario.
4. By timeframe.
o Decide whether you want to study recent events or a historical time period. This
will also help you decide how current the information you use must be.
o e.g. challenges faced by college graduates entering the workforce during the
COVID-19 pandemic
5. By causes.
o You can take the perspective of looking for causes of an issue you are researching
o e.g. Why do employers hire fewer college graduates?

Additional Terms

 Abstract - summarizes all sections and helps readers decide whether or not to read the
entire report
 Introduction - presents background information, scope, and focus of the research paper
 Data - factual information [as measurements or statistics] used as a basis for reasoning,
discussion, or calculation.
 Theory - a general explanation about a specific behavior or set of events that is based on
known principles and serves to organize related events in a meaningful way.
 Conclusion - provides the summary of the research
 Discussion - evaluates the results of the study or research
 Literature review - provides a review of what others have written or researched on
concerning the topic
  Conceptual Framework - offers a logical structure of connected concepts that help
provide a picture or visual display of how ideas in a study relate to one another within the
theoretical framework (Grant & Osanloo, 2014).
 Research Design - the game plan or method for finding out what you want to know.
 Methodology - systematic approaches to the conduct of an operation or process. It
includes steps of procedure, application of techniques, systems of reasoning or analysis,
and the modes of inquiry employed by a discipline.
 Plagiarism - Plagiarism is the appropriation of another person's ideas, processes, results,
or words without giving appropriate credit.
 Reference - lists all the sources used in the research.

Reference

Grade 10 English Quarter 4 Self-Learning Module: Distinguish Technical Terms Used in

Research: https://depedtambayan.net/grade-10-english-module-distinguish-technical-terms-used-
in-research/