LESSON 1: RESEARCH

EXPERIENCE AND
KNOWLEDGE
 INTRODUCTION

• THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOCIETY FROM ITS SIMPLE TO

COMPLEX STATE WILL REVEAL THE MANY THE AND VARIED
PROBLEMS FACED BY HUMAN KIND. THUS, SOLUTIONS TO
PROBLEMS MUST BE BASED ON KNOWLEDGE NOT ON MERE
BELIEFS, GUESSES OR THEORIES. TO ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE AND
TO CONTINUOUSLY EVALUATE ITS ACCURACY AND USEFULNESS
REQUIRES A WELL PLANNED AND SYSTEMATIC PROCEDURE ON
WHICH RESEARCH HAS BEEN DEVISED TO MEET THIS NEED.
• RESEARCH IS A SYSTEMATIC INVESTIGATION FOR INFORMATION.
IT IS A PROCESS OF INQUIRING. THIS LESSON PRESENTS A
DISCUSSION OF WHAT THE PROCESS OF INQUIRY ENTAILS AND
HOW IT HAS BECOME A METHOD OF LEARNING WHICH LEADS
INDIVIDUALS TO GET INTO RESEARCH TO FIND OUT SOLUTIONS
TO EXISTING OR POTENTIAL PROBLEMS. TOPICS DISTINGUISHING
THE TYPES OF RESEARCHES ALONGSIDE WITH THE DISCUSSION
OF THE RESEARCH PROCESS ARE INCLUDED. THE ETHICS OF
RESEARCH IS CLEARLY SPELLED OUT AS A GUIDE TOWARDS
APPLYING THE ETHICAL STANDARDS EXPECTED OF
 NATURE OF INQUIRY

• INQUIRY IS DEFINED AS “A SEEKING FOR TRUTH,

INFORMATION OR KNOWLEDGE”. THE
INFORMATION IS SOUGHT THROUGH
QUESTIONING. INDIVIDUALS CARRY ON THE
PROCESS OF INQUIRY FROM BIRTH TILL DEATH.
THE PROCESS OF INQUIRY BEGINS WITH
GATHERING INFORMATION AND DATA THROUGH
 NATURE OF INQUIRY

• UNFORTUNATELY, TRADITIONAL EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

HAS DISCOURAGED THE NATURAL PROCESS OF INQUIRY.
STUDENTS BECOME MORE INHIBITED IN ASKING
QUESTIONS AND ARE NOT CHALLENGED EITHER TO
ANSWER HIGH-LEVEL QUESTIONS. AS THEY MOVE
THROUGH GRADE LEVELS, STUDENTS IN TRADITIONAL
SCHOOLS LEARN NOT TO ASK TOO MANY QUESTIONS,
INSTEAD, THEY ARE ASKED TO LISTEN AND REPEAT
EXPECTED ANSWERS. THIS KIND OF TRAINING IS CARRIED
 NATURE OF INQUIRY
• THE RATIONALE WHY THIS IS NECESSARY IS THAT GENERATING
AND TRANSMITTING KNOWLEDGE CAN MOVE FROM THE KNOWN
TO THE UNKNOWN AND VICE-VERSE, WHEN KNOWLEDGE MOVES
FROM THE UNKNOWN, THERE IS A NEED TO GENERATE THAT
KNOWLEDGE THROUGH RESEARCH AND EXPERTS. CONTENT OR
KNOWLEDGE IS EFFECTIVELY GENERATED AND TRANSMITTED
THROUGH CONCEPTS, SKILLS AND HABITS OF MIND. HENCE, THE
FOCUS IN EDUCATION MUST CHANGE FROM A FOCUS ON “WHAT
WE KNOW” TO AN EMPHASIS OF “HOW WE COME TO KNOW.”
 NATURE OF INQUIRY

THE EXPLORATORY NATURE OF INQUIRY ALLOWS INDIVIDUALS

PARTICULARLY STUDENTS TO GRAPPLE WITH DIFFERENT WAYS OF
LOOKING AT IDEAS AND ISSUES AND TO THINK CREATIVELY ABOUT
PROBLEMS THAT DO NOT POSSESS SIMPLE (OR PERHAPS EVEN ANY)
ANSWER.
• APPLIED TO LEARNING, THE ELEMENTS OF INQUIRY-BASED
PROCESS ARE MULTIPLE, VARIED AND OPEN TO SELECTION.
DIFFERENT FACTORS WILL BE INVOLVED IN DIFFERENT KINDS OF
INQUIRIES IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE AND AT
1.) SELECTION OF APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS

2.) FORMULATION OF APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS

3) IDENTIFICATION OF KEY ISSUES

4) SEARCH FOR VALID AND RELEVANT EVIDENCE

5.) INTERPRETATION AND ASSESSMENT OF EVIDENCE

6) APPLICATION OF EVIDENCE TO IDENTIFIED ISSUES

7) PRESENTATION OF COHERENT, CONCLUSION, FINAL OR TENTATIVE

• 8) REFLECTION ON, AND ASSESSMENT OF THE LEARNING PROCESS
 EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

• EXPERIENCE IS A FAMILIAR AND A WELL-USED SOURCE OF

KNOWLEDGE, AS A STUDENT, YOU TRY SEVERAL ROUTES IN
GOING TO SCHOOL. YOU TRY TO FIND OUT WHICH WAY
TAKES THE LEAST TIME OR THE MOST TRAFFIC FREE OR
MOST SCENIC, YOU CAN FIND MANY THE MON FREE OR
MOST SCENIC. BY GOING THROUGH PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
YOU CAN FIND MANY ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS YOU
MAY HAVE. IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST
 EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

• JUST AS WISDOM IS PASSED ON FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT AS A

RESULT OF AN EXPERIENCE. YOU MAY HAVE ENCOUNTERED DIFFICULTIES
AS YOU WERE GROWING UP BUT EACH EXPERIENCE IS SOMETHING THAT
YOU LEARN FROM EITHER IT HAS GIVEN YOU A TASTE OF SUCCESS OR
FAILURE.
• HOWEVER, ONE MAY BE LIMITED IN THE TERMS OF EXPERIENCE AS A
SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE. EVENTS MAY HAPPEN IN THE SAME WAY BUT
MAY HAVE DIFFERENT EFFECTS TO INDIVIDUALS. YOU MAY ENJOY HIKING
ONTO A MOUNTAIN TOP BUT ANOTHER MAY CHOOSE SPENDING HIS
LEISURE TIME IN A MALL. TASTE MAY VARY AMONG PEOPLE. THE
 WHAT IS RESEARCH?
RESEARCH IS THE SYSTEMATIC INVESTIGATION AND STUDY OF MATERIALS AND
SOURCES TO ESTABLISH FACTS AND REACH NEW CONCLUSIONS. WHEN YOU COME
ACROSS STUDIES ABOUT EVENTS THAT HAPPEN OR EXPERIENCES THAT YOU MEET,
THEY SHAPE PEOPLE’S UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD AROUND THEM. IN VARIOUS
SPHERES OF HUMAN LIFE, RESEARCH HAS COME UP WITH DEVELOPING APPROPRIATE
SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE THE INDIVIDUAL’S QUALITY OF LIFE. ALTHOUGH, IT MAY
TAKE PLACE IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS AND MAY USE DIFFERENT METHODS, SCIENTIFIC
RESEARCH IS UNIVERSALLY A SYSTEMATIC AND OBJECTIVE SEARCH FOR RELIABLE
KNOWLEDGE. (WALKER, 2010)
 WHAT IS RESEARCH?

GENERALLY PEOPLE FIND IT DIFFICULT TO DO RESEARCH. MANY REASONS ARE

GIVEN FOR PEOPLE TO FIND EXCUSE IN DOING IT. MOST OFTEN, YOU ARE NOT AWARE
OF THE BENEFITS DERIVED FROM CONDUCTING RESEARCH. SOME BENEFITS OF
CONDUCTING RESEARCH INCLUDE INCREASING PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE
RESEARCH IS AN ACT OF STUDYING SOMETHING CAREFULLY AND EXTENSIVELY IN
ORDER TO ATTAIN DEEP KNOWLEDGE. WHEN DONE ON A LARGER SCALE, RESEARCH
CONTRIBUTES TO THE WELFARE OF HUMANITY. IT CAN BE CREATIVE, EXPLORING OR
JUST REASSURING IN NATURE RESEARCH HOLDS THE FOLLOWING SIGNIFICANT DATA :
• 1. TO GATHER NECESSARY INFORMATION. IT PROVIDES YOU WITH ALL
NECESSARY INFORMATION IN THE FIELD OF YOUR WOK OR STUDY AND
GIVES A BASIC IDEA ABOUT THE THINGS NEEDED. IT HELPS YOU FOR A
PROJECT TO GET ACQUAINTED WITH THE PROCESSES AND RESOURCES
INVOLVED. THE INFORMATION HELPS IN THE OUTCOME OF THE PROJECT.
• 2. TO MAKE CHANGES SOMETIMES, THERE ARE BUILT-IN PROBLEMS IN A
PROJECT OR PROCESS THAT IS HARD IN DISCOVER. IT HELPS YOU FIND
THE ROOT CAUSE AND ASSOCIATED ELEMENTS OF A PROCESS. THE END
RESULT IS SUCH A RESEARCH THAT INVOKES A DEMAND FOR CHANGE
AND SOMETIMES IS SUCCESSFUL IN PRODUCING SUCH CHANGES. FOR
EXAMPLE, MANY RESEARCHES CONDUCTED BY THE UNITED NATIONS
3. TO IMPROVE THE STANDARD OF LIVING ONLY THROUGH RESEARCH CAN NEW
INVENTIONS COME INTO LIFE. IMAGINE HOW COMMUNICATION WOULD HAVE BEEN HAD
GRAHAM BELL NOT INVENTED THE FIRST EVER PRACTICAL TELEPHONE. OR WHAT COULD
LIFE BE TODAY HAD MARTIN COOPER NOT INTRODUCED TO THE WORLD THE CONCEPT OF
MOBILE PHONES. ADDICTED AS WE ARE TO MOBILE PHONES, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND
THAT ALL THE LUXURIES AND AMENITIES THAT ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO US ARE THE
RESULT OF RESEARCH DONE BY AN INDIVIDUAL OR A GROUP.
• 4. FOR A SAFER LIFE DISCOVERIES AND DEVELOPMENT RESULTING FROM RESEARCH
HAVE IMPROVED LIFE EXPECTANCY AND HEALTH CONDITION OF HUMANKIND. NEW
INVESTORS IN MEDICINE HAVE LED TO THE ADVENT OF DRUGS THAT NOT ONLY TREAT
BUT PREVENT DISEASES FROM RECURRING
• 5. TO KNOW THE TRUTH IT HAS BEEN PROVEN TIME AND AGAIN, THAT MANY
• 6. TO EXPLORE OUR HISTORY
• RESEARCH ABOUT HUMAN HISTORY HAS ENABLED US TO LEARN AND
UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT OUR FOREFATHERS AND HELPED US
LEARNERS FROM THEIR MISTAKES AND FOLLOW MOOD THINGS FROM
THEIR LIFE. RESEARCH WILL GIVE YOU KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT COULD
HAPPEN TO OUR PHASES THEREFORE DO WHAT ARE EXPECTED TO BE
DONE.
• 7. TO UNDERSTAND ARTS
• RESEARCH ALSO HELPS IN THE UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF
THE WORKS OF ARTISTS IN LITERATURE ,PAINTING AND OTHER FINE ARTS.
AS INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS, YOU MAY BE ASKED TO WRITE A
RESEARCH PAPER FOR BE REASONS:
RESEARCH TEACHES METHODS OF DISCOVERY
RESEARCH TEACHES INVESTIGATIVE SKILLS
RESEARCH TEACHES CRITICAL THINKING
RESEARCH TEACHES LOGIC
• RESEARCH TEACHES THE BASIC INGREDIENTS OF ARGUMENT
 WHY DO RESEARCH?

THE WRITING PROCESS WILL MAKE YOU CONFIDENT IN YOUR ABILITY TO FIND
INFORMATION AND PRESENT IT EFFECTIVELY IN VARIED WAYS. IT MAY BE ON:

A THEME IN FRESHMAN ENGLISH ON THE VALUE OF GOOD SPEAKING

A PAPER IN HISTORY ON THE PRESIDENTS OF THE PHILIPPINES

A REPORT IN A PHYSICS’ CLASS ON THE MOON’S EFFECTS ON OCEAN TIDES

• AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD PAPER ON THE BURIAL PRACTICES OF THE EARLY
FILIPINOS A BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF A FAMOUS PERSON LIKE THE
CURRENT NOBEL PRIZE LITERATURE HOLDER 2016, BOB DYLAN
 WHY DO RESEARCH?

• ALL THOSE PAPERS REQUIRE SOME TYPE OF RESEARCH WRITING.

YOU WILL UNDERTAKE SUCH WRITTEN ACTIVITY DURING YOUR
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND WILL INCREASE IN FREQUENCY AS YOU
ENTER COLLEGE.
• OTHER MOTIVATIONS FOR GETTING INVOLVED IN RESEARCH ARE:
• YOU CAN GET TO INVESTIGATE TOPICS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST
TO YOU
• IT CAN MAKE YOU STUDY (COURSE WORK) MORE MEANINGFUL
• RESEARCH IS A GREAT WAY TO NETWORK AND MEET NEW
PEOPLE. UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ALLOWS YOU TO
GROW AND UNCOVER OPPORTUNITIES FOR LATER
CAREER. UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH IS CONDUCTED N
ALL DISCIPLINES AND ENCOMPASSES A BROAD RANGE OF
ACTIVITIES –FROM LEARNING ABOUT RESEARCH TO
DISCOVERING NEW KNOWLEDGE AND CREATING NEW
WORDS. RESEARCH IS ABOUT SOLVING PROBLEMS AND
 FORMS OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
EXPERIENCES
CLASS-BASED ACTIVITIES SUCH AS NATURALISTIC
OBSERVATION, SURVEYS AND EXPERIMENTS CAN OFTEN BE
STRUCTURED TO TRAIN STUDENTS IN THE STEPS OF THE
RESEARCH PROCESS.
CLASS-BASED PROJECTS LIKE TERM PAPERS, SERVICE LEARNING
AND COMMUNITY-BASED AND CAMPUS-BASED LEARNING CAN
BE OF A RESEARCH NATURE
• CAPSTONE EXPERIENCES LIKE SENIOR RESEARCH PROJECTS
AND RESEARCH TASKS ASSIGNMENTS CAN ALLOW STUDENTS
• OUT-OF-THE-CLASS STUDENT FACULTY COLLABORATIVE
RESEARCHES PROVIDE STUDENTS OPPORTUNITY TO WORK
WITH FACULTY MEMBERS ON THEIR OWN ON-GOING
RESEARCH OR ON A PROJECT JOINTLY PLANNED OR
DESIGNED BY BOTH.
(SERV.CARLETON.EDU/INTROGEO/STUDENTRESEARCH
FURTHER-UR-EXPERIENCE.HTML)
LESSON 2: IMPORTANCE OF
RESEARCH IN DAILY LIFE
 INTRODUCTION
• THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOCIETY FROM ITS SIMPLE TO COMPLEX STATE
WILL REVEAL THE MANY AND VARIED PROBLEMS. THE LESSONS AT HAND
WILL ILLUSTRATE THE ROLE OF RESEARCH IN ONE’S DAILY LIFE. SUFFICE IT
TO SAY THAT CHALLENGES WILL COME YOUR WAY, EITHER IN THE FORM OF
A QUESTION TO BE ANSWERED, OR A PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED, AND IT IS IN
THIS INSTANCE, THAT YOU NEED TO EMPLOY RESEARCH.
• THUS, SOLUTION TO PROBLEM MUST BE BASED ON KNOWLEDGE, NOT ON
MERE BELIEFS, GUESSES, OR THEORIES TO ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE, AND TO
CONTINUOUSLY EVALUATE IT’S ACCURACY AND USEFULNESS REQUIRES A
WELL PLANNED AND SYSTEMATIC PROCEDURE ON WHICH RESEARCH HAS
BEEN DEVISED TO MEET THIS NEED. RESEARCH CAN BE FOUND IN
 THE ROLE OF RESEARCH

• OUR EVERYDAY LIFE HAS ALWAYS BEEN PUNCTUATED BY EXCITING

ADVENTURES, CHALLENGING SITUATIONS AND SURPRISING
DISCOVERIES. WHEN CONFRONTED WITH DOUBTS AND PROBLEMS, YOU
TUM IN FINDING OUT WHAT COULD BE POSSIBLE ANSWERS AND
SOLUTIONS TO THEM. THIS IS WHERE YOU EMBARK ON THE PROCESS
CALLED RESEARCH. WHAT IS ITS IMPORTANCE? RESEARCH LEADS AN
EXPANSION OF KNOWLEDGE AND DISCOVERIES. RESEARCH EFFECTS
HAVE LEAD TO BREAKTHROUGH. PROJECTIONS ABOUT FUTURE EVENTS
LIKE GLOBAL WARMING HAVE ALSO BEEN DETERMINED THRU RESEARCH.
RESEARCH IS A SYSTEMATIC PROCESS OF COLLECTING AND ANALYZING
OTHER DEFINITIONS GIVEN TO RESEARCH LASTLY, RESEARCH IS IMPORTANT IN
ARE:
PROVIDING A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR
• IT IS AN INQUIRY PROCESS. THE

• IT IS A FORMAL PROCESS OF PROBLEM • DISCOVERY AND CREATION OF

SOLVING. KNOWLEDGE, THEORY-BUILDING.

• IT IS A SET OF PROCEDURES AND • TESTING, CONFIRMATION, REVISION,

STAGES. AND REFUTATION OF KNOWLEDGE AS
THEORY.
• IT ORIGINATES WITH A QUESTION OR A
PROBLEM. • ADVANCE A DISCIPLINE OR FIELD.

• OFTEN IT IS AN ITERATIVE PROCESS. • ADVANCEMENTS AND

 SIGNIFICANCE OF RESEARCH
• RESEARCH IS UNDERTAKEN BECAUSE OF SOME IMPORTANCE IT HAS AND
DOES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND THE SOCIETY. REASONS FOR ITS
SIGNIFICANCE ARE GIVEN AS FOLLOWS:
• 1. TO GATHER NECESSARY INFORMATION RESEARCH PROVIDES YOU WITH
THE NECESSARY INFORMATION RELATED TO YOUR FIELD OF STUDY OR
WORK. FOR EXAMPLE, COMPANIES MAY DO RESEARCH BEFORE
MANUFACTURING A PRODUCT.
• 2. TO IMPROVE STANDARD OF LIVING ONLY THROUGH RESEARCH CAN
NEW INVENTIONS AND DISCOVERIES COME INTO LIFE. HOW WOULD LIFE
BE WITHOUT GRAHAM BELL AND HIS TELEPHONE? OR WHAT WOULD HAVE
3. TO HAVE A SAFER LIFE- RESEARCH HAS DONE GREAT DISCOVERIES AND DEVELOPMENT
IN THE FIELD OF HEALTH, TECHNOLOGY, NUTRITION AND MEDICINE. THESE THINGS HAVE
IMPROVED LIFE EXPECTANCY AND HELPED IN CURING A LOT OF DISEASES.

4. TO KNOW THE TRUTH-RESEARCH INVESTIGATES AND EXPOSES WHAT WRONG BELIEFS

PEOPLE HOLD. LISTENING TO DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND STUDYING FACTS AND
AVAILABLE DATA WILL LEAD YOU TO UNRAVEL TRUTH.

5. TO EXPLORE OUR HISTORY-RESEARCH ABOUT OUR HISTORY ENABLES US TO LEARN

AND UNDERSTAND THE PAST AND PREPARE FOR A BETTER FUTURE.
• 6. TO UNDERSTAND ARTS-RESEARCH HELPS US IN UNDERSTANDING THE WORKS OF
ARTISTS IN DIFFERENT FIELDS OF ARTS.
 RESEARCH AND SOCIETY
• OUR PERCEPTIONS OF THE WORLD, THE WAY WE EXPERIENCE OUR RELATIONSHIPS
WITH OTHERS, THE ORGANIZATIONS OF A SOCIETY AS A WHOLE ARE PROFOUNDLY
INFLUENCED BY THE EXPANSION OF KNOWLEDGE; BOTH IN THE EXACT SCIENCES LIKE
MATHEMATICS, PHYSICS, BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY AND THE HUMAN AND SOCIAL
SCIENCES LIKE ECONOMICS, LAW PSYCHOLOGY AND POLITICAL SCIENCE.
• RESEARCH IS CLOSELY CONNECTED WITH DEVELOPMENT. THE RESULTS/FINDINGS OF
STUDIES ALSO AFFECT SOCIETY AND THE LIVES OF EACH ONE OF US. RESEARCH IS
VERY VITAL TO OUR EVERYDAY DECISION MAKING.
• THE RESEARCH YOU DO AND EVIDENCE YOU GATHER WILL BE USEFUL FOR FUTURE
ENDEAVORS. IT HONES BASIC LIFE SKILLS AND MAKES LEARNING A LIFELONG
ENDEAVOR. RESEARCH FILL IN THE NEED TO LOVE READING WRITING ANALYZING
AND SHARING VALUABLE INFORMATION.