LESSON 1. What is Research?

Expectations

At the end of this lesson, the STE learners should be able to:
1. define what research is;
2. explain the importance of research in the daily life of an individual.

Pre-Test

A. Read the following sentences. Put a check (/) on the space before the
number if you think that the sentence is a description of a research.
Put a cross (x) if you think that it is not.

_____ 1. Research must be hurriedly conducted.

_____ 2. There should be enough data before conducting research.
_____ 3. Research must observe step by step process.
_____ 4. The researcher must have the final say in his or her findings.
_____ 5. A person’s opinion is acceptable and considered as an answer to the
questions asked by the researcher.
_____ 6. Any concern or issue confronted by the student is researchable.
_____ 7. The causes why students fail in quizzes are worth researching.
_____ 8. The student researcher must read literature related to the problem he
or she is studying.
_____ 9. The researcher must avoid listening to another researcher to have an
objective view of his or her study.
_____ 10. The steps in conducting research are patterned.

Looking Back

A. Encircle the words in the box that are related to the

definition of research.

investigation subjective biases literature theories

system phenomena intuition guessing factual
opinions experiences discovery dreams data
interviews teleserye instrument productivity validate

1 Module 1. Lesson 1. What is Research

MT Brioso
 Brief Introduction

DEFINITION OF RESEARCH
Over the years, many experts have given their own definitions of the word “research”.
Different perspectives on the subject have been adopted that resulted in the following
definitions:
1. Research follows a step-by-step process of investigation that uses a standardized
approach in answering questions or solving problems (Polit & Beck, 2004).
2. Research plays an important role in tertiary education. Though there are many
problems confronted by higher education, developments are realized through
research. After all, its main purpose is to answer a question to solve an issue
(Palispis, 2004).
3. Research is a continuous undertaking of making known the unknown (Sanchez,
2002). It entails an investigation of new facts leading to the discovery of new ideas,
methods or improvement. It is an attempt to widen one’s outlook in life. It always
proceeds from the known to the unknown. Thus, the end of the research is to arrive
at a new truth.
4. Research is an investigation following ordered steps leading to a discovery of new
information or concepts (Sanchez, 1999).
5. Research is a very careful investigation of something that purports the contribution of
additional or new knowledge and wisdom (Bassey, as cited by Coleman & Briggs,
2002).
6. Research is a tested approach of thinking and employing validated instruments and
steps in order to obtain a more adequate solution to a problem that is otherwise
impossible to address under ordinary means (Crawford, as cited by Alcantara &
Espina, 1995).

CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH
The abovementioned definitions of research lead to the following common
characteristics of research:
1. The research should be systematic. There is a system to follow in research either
big system (macro) or small system (micro). The macrosystem is composed of
chapters that are organized in a logical and scientific manner. On the other hand,
microsystem consists of the detailed contents of each chapter.
2. The research should be objective. Research involves the objective process of
analysing phenomena of importance to any profession or to different fields or
disciplines (Nieswiadomy, 2005).
3. The research should be feasible. Any problem of extraordinary nature that directly
or indirectly affects any profession is a feasible problem to study. In settings, like in
the community, school or workplace, unusual phenomena may happen.
4. The research should be empirical. There should be supporting pieces of evidence
and accompanying details for every variable used in the study. References and
citation of facts and information that the researcher has gathered in his/her paper
must be included.

2 Module 1. Lesson 1. What is Research

MT Brioso
 5. The research should be clear. The choice of variables used in the study should be
explained by the researcher. This can be done by enriching the review of literature or
by discussing the different theories on which the selection of variables is based.

RESEARCH PARADIGM
The research paradigm is an outline that guides the researcher in conceptualizing
and conducting the research. An effective research must address these two important
aspects: research foundation & research methodology.
The research foundation refers to the fundamental components of research such
as the research problem, purpose, specific questions to be addressed, and the conceptual
framework to be applied.
In determining the research topic or problem, the researcher must look at a
significant real-life problem. Formulating a research problem requires describing the
undesirable situations. The purpose of the research describes how the study will fill this
“knowledge gap”. To address this purpose the researcher, must formulate necessary
questions that will help distinguish the significant points of the research. The research
questions may be either framed in a quantitative (how much, how often, to what extent) or
qualitative (what, why, how) manner. The possible answers to the research questions are
the hypotheses, which will be either confirmed or rejected. By the data collected in the study.
Lastly, the conceptual framework is an outline or paradigm that presents the topics to be
studied.
On the other hand, the research methodology describes how the research will
answer the research questions in a credible manner. Research methods are employed to
address the research purpose and gain new information and insights to answer the problem.
The methodology of the research includes the review of literature, research approach and
design, data collection, methods of analysis and conclusions.
The review of literature analyses the existing knowledge regarding the research
topic. It identifies gaps in information that may be addressed by the research. It is also an
important basis of the conceptual framework of the study. With the existing knowledge about
the study, the research approach and design identifies what is the best means to collect
and analyse data in the study. The design is used to clarify and improve the research
problem, purpose, and questions. Having the best way to gather the data, the researcher will
proceed to the data collection. Data collection gives the methods to determine who will be
the participants in the study, how the variables will be measured, and how data will be
documented and collected. The collected data will then undergo data analysis, which
consist of the strategies and methods that make sense of the data to answer the research
problem and questions. Finally, the conclusion summarizes the key results of the study and
discusses how this is relevant to the research problem. At this point, the research addresses
the hypotheses and determines if they are accepted or rejected. It also addresses the
knowledge gap and presents new insights into the problem.

OUTLINE OF THE RESEARCH PAPER

A research paper is divided into chapters which are then subdivided into various
components of the research study. The following is the conventional outline of academic
research paper.

3 Module 1. Lesson 1. What is Research

MT Brioso
 Chapter 1: The Problem and Its background
a. Introduction, Background of the Study
b. Statement of the Problem
c. Hypotheses of the Study
d. Scope and Delimitation
e. Significance of the Study
Chapter 2: Theoretical Framework
a. Review of Related Literature
b. Review of Related Studies
c. Conceptual/Theoretical framework
d. Definition of Terms
Chapter 3: Research Methodology
a. Research Design
b. Respondents of the Study
c. Instruments of the Study
d. Validity & Reliability
e. Statistical Treatment
Chapter 4: Presentation, Analysis, & Interpretation of Data

a. Presentation of Data
b. Analysis
c. Interpretation
d. Discussion
Chapter 5: Summary, Conclusion, and Recommendations
a. Summary of Findings
b. Conclusion
c. Recommendation

ROLES OF THE RESEARCHER

According to Nieswiadomy (2005), the researcher serves different roles in a study.
These are as follows:
1. As principal investigator.
2. As member of a research team.
3. As identifier of researchable problems.
4. As evaluator of research findings.
5. As user of research findings.
6. As patient or client advocate during study.
7. As subject/respondent/participant.

4 Module 1. Lesson 1. What is Research

MT Brioso
ROLES OF THE RESEARCHER
Research is as important as any field of study. Its significance cuts across all
disciplines- engineering, architecture, medicine, arts, sciences, education, management,
tourism, among others. It also benefits all strata of society- people with diverse jobs, different
income rates, varying financial status or distinct social and political capabilities.
As such, following are the importance of research:
1. Research provides a scientific basis for any practice or methodology in any field
or discipline;
2. Research is undertaken for the continuous development and further productivity
in any field;
3. Research helps develop tools for assessing effectiveness of any practice and
operation such as psychological tests, intelligence quotient tests, psychological
assessment, among others;
4. Research provides solutions to problems concerning almost all issues
encountered in the different areas of work;
5. Research impacts decision making;
6. Research develops and evaluates alternative approaches to the educational
aspects of any discipline; and
7. Research aims to advance the personal and professional qualifications of a
practitioner.

GOALS FOR CONDUCTING RESEARCH

Research is a scientific endeavour which serves many goals in different fields
(workplaces, non-profit organizations, governmental and non-governmental entities),
educational disciplines (medicine, engineering, sciences, arts, humanities and information
technology), and even in the personal life of the researcher. Some of the goals of research
are as follows:
1. To produce evidence-based practice. Every discipline or institution must provide
the best practice of operation based from research studies. In the health profession,
for example, a professional nursing practitioner must ensure that he or she is able to
give proper health care for his or her patient. To do this, only the best clinical
practices as proven by nursing research should be provided.
2. To establish credibility in the profession. A profession is defined by the body
of knowledge and disciplines it employs. In line with this, research is
essential for a profession in producing new procedures, programs, and
practices.
3. To observe accountability for the profession. Every action conducted by a
professional must have a rationale. There are principles that justify why a nurse has
to wash his or her hands regularly, why a teacher has to prepare lesson plan, why a
manager needs to plan ahead, why a businessman needs to conduct feasibility
studies and many more.
4. To promote cost-effectiveness through documentation. The findings of research
must be shared with and utilized by the individuals, group and community for whom
the study is intended. They are useless if these results are not made known publicly.

5 Module 1. Lesson 1. What is Research

MT Brioso
 Activity #1. What is Research?

Write TRUE if the statement is correct, FALSE if it is incorrect.

__________ 1. Research entails an investigation of new facts leading to the discovery of
new ideas, methods, or improvements.
__________ 2. The microsystem is the composition of chapters organized in a logical and
scientific manner.
__________ 3. In settings like the community, school, or workplace, unusual phenomena
may happen and can turn into potential problem.
__________ 4. Plagiarism constitutes claiming another person’s idea or intellectual property
as one’s own.
__________ 5. Research provides an artistic basis for any practice or methodology in any
field or discipline.
__________ 6. According to Crawford, researchers serve different roles in a study such as
principal investigator, member of a research team, financier of the study,
among others.
__________ 7. Research aims to advance the personal and professional qualifications of a
practitioner.
__________ 8. One of the goals of research is to produce result-based practice.
__________ 9. Every action conducted by a professional must have a rationale.
__________ 10. Research promotes cost-effectiveness through documentation.

Remember

 Research should be systematic, objective, feasible, empirical, and clear.

 The research paradigm guides the researcher in formulating and implementing the
research. It ensures that the research foundations and methodology are well-defined
and organized. The research foundation refers to the fundamental components of
research such as research problem, purpose, specific questions to be addressed and
the conceptual framework to be applied. The methodology of the research includes
the review of literature, research approach and design, data collection, methods of
analysis, and conclusions.
 As a researcher, one can play the role of a principal investigator, a member of
research team, an identifier of researchable problems, an evaluator of research
findings, a user of research findings, a patient or client advocate during study and a
subject/respondent/participant.
 Research is very important. It provides scientific basis for any discipline and its
continuous development. It helps develop tools to improve the effectiveness of
solving various problems, and formulate solutions to problems concerning to almost
all issues. It also allows the evaluation of alternative approaches to the educational
aspects of any discipline.
 The goals of conducting research are to produce evidence-based practice; and to
promote cost-effectiveness through documentation.

6 Module 1. Lesson 1. What is Research

MT Brioso
 Checking Your Understanding

Answer the following questions.

1. What is research?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. What is the importance of having a good research foundation and methodology?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3. What is the importance of research in your education as a student?
-
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4. As a student, what do you want to research on? Why?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Post-Test
A. Read the following sentences. Put a check (/) on the space
before the number if you think that the sentence is a description of a
research. Put a cross (x) if you think that it is not.

_____ 1. Research must hurriedly conducted.

_____ 2. There should be enough data before conducting research.
_____ 3. Research must observe step by step process.
_____ 4. The researcher must have the final say in his or her findings.
_____ 5. A person’s opinion is acceptable and considered as an answer to the
questions asked by the researcher.
_____ 6. Any concern or issue confronted by the student is researchable.
_____ 7. The causes why students fail in quizzes are worth researching.
_____ 8. The student researcher must read literature related to the problem he
or she is studying.
_____ 9. The researcher must avoid listening to another researcher to have an

7 Module 1. Lesson 1. What is Research

MT Brioso
 objective view of his or her study.
_____ 10. The steps in conducting research are patterned.

Answer Key
Pre-test: 1. X; 2. /; 3. /; 4. X; 5. X; 6. /; 7. /; 8. /; 9. X; 10. /.

Post-test: 1. X; 2. /; 3. /; 4. X; 5. X; 6. /; 7. /; 8. /; 9. X; 10. /.

References

Alcantara, R.,& Espina, F. (1995). Technical Writing for Filipino Students. Philippines: katha Publishing
Co., Inc.

Beck, C. T., & Polit, D.F. (2004). Nursing research principles and methods (7th ed). USA:Lippincott
Williams and Wilkins.

Coleman, M., & Briggs, A. (2002). Research methods in educational leadership and management.
London: Paul Chapman Publishing.

Nieswiadomy, R. (2004). Foundations of nursing research (4th Ed). New Jersey, USA: Prentice Hall.

Sanchez, C.A. (2002). Methods and techniques of research, (Rev. Ed.). Philippines: Rex Printing Co.,
Inc.

8 Module 1. Lesson 1. What is Research

MT Brioso