NATURE OF INQUIRY AND

RESEARCH

TOPIC 1

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 Objectives:
The students should be able to:
1.Define research;
2.Express the importance of research in daily
life through their shared experiences; and
3.Describe the characteristics, processes and
ethics of research
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 Opening Activity: Act. 1
Read the following sentences. Put a check on
the space before the number if you think the
sentence is a description of research . Put a
cross if you think it is not.
1.Research must be hurriedly conducted.
2.There should be enough data before
conducting a research.
3.Research must observe a step-by-step process.
3
 Opening Activity:
Read the following sentences. Put a check on
the space before the number if you think the
sentence is a description of research . Put a
cross if you think it is not.
4.The researcher must have a final say in his or
her findings.
5.A person’s opinion is acceptable and
considered as an answer to the question asked
by the researcher.
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 Opening Activity:
Read the following sentences. Put a check on
the space before the number if you think the
sentence is a description of research . Put a
cross if you think it is not.
6.Any issue confronted by the students is
researchable.
7.The cause why students fail in quizzes are
worth researching.
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 Opening Activity:
Read the following sentences. Put a check on
the space before the number if you think the
sentence is a description of research . Put a
cross if you think it is not.
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
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study.
 Opening Activity:
Read the following sentences. Put a check on
the space before the number if you think the
sentence is a description of research . Put a
cross if you think it is not.
10.The steps in the conducting of research are
patterned.

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 Act. 2 : Identification
Direction : Encircle the word in the box that are related in the
definition of research.

investigation biases factual

system discovery data
opinion instrument validate
interview literature dreams
subjective phenomena teleserye
experiences guessing intuition
productivity
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theories
 Using all the statements you checked,
and the encircled words in Activity B,
formulate a good and acceptable
definition of research.

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 Definition of Research
Different perspectives of many experts on the subject over
the years

1. Research follows a step by step

process of investigating that uses
standardized approach in answering
questions or solving problem . (Polit &
Beck, 2004)
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 Definition of Research
Different perspectives of many experts on the subject over
the years

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, it’s main purpose is to
answer a question and to solve an issue.
11 (Palispis, 2004)
 Definition of Research
Different perspectives of many experts on the subject over
the years

3. Research is a continuous undertaking

of making known the unknown . (Sanchez,
2002)

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 Definition of Research
Different perspectives of many experts on the subject over
the years

4. Research is an investigation following

ordered steps leading to a discovery of
new information or concepts . (Sanchez,
1999)

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 Definition of Research
Different perspectives of many experts on the subject over
the years

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)
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 Characteristics of Research
1. The research Should be systematic.

-there should be a system for formulating each of its parts

the big system (macro) and under it, the small system (micro)

Microsystem: consist of detailed contents of each chapter which

is further divided into elements that are organized in systematic
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 Characteristics of Research
2. The research Should be objective.
-involves objective process of analyzing phenomena of
importance to any profession or to different fields or discipline
( Niesiadomy 2005)
A researcher should :
NEVER produce result out of nowhere, it should be validated
NEVER be based from biases, he must clarify the
indicators and boundaries which the research is confined
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 Characteristics of Research
3. The research Should be feasible.
-any problem of extraordinary nature that directly or indirectly
affects any profession is a feasible problem to study
The settings like : community
school
workplace

It is asking whether the study can be done given the

available resources, time and technology.
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 Characteristics of Research
4. The research Should be empirical.
-there should be pieces of evidence and accompanying details
for every variable used in the study.
Evidences like : references
citations of facts
and info gathered by the researcher

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 Characteristics of Research
5. The research Should be clear.
-the choice of variables used in the study should be explained

It can be done through :

• enriching review of related literature;
• discussing different theories on which the variables are
based

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 Role of Researcher
According to Niesweiadomy (2005) , the
researcher serves different roles in a study
1. as principal investigator
2. as member of research team
3.as identifier of researchable problem
4. an evaluator of research findings
5. as user of research findings
6. as subject/ respondent/participant
7. as client advocate during the study
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 Importance of Research
Research is as important as any field of study. Its
significance cuts across all disciplines
1.Research provides scientific basis for any practice of methodology in
any field.
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 (psychological test, IQ test specially in behavioral, physical
science and others)
4. Research provides solution to problems concerning almost all
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issues encountered in the different areas of work
 Importance of Research
Research is as important as any field of study. Its
significance cuts across all disciplines
5.Research impacts decision-making. (common mistake: people make
decision without solid information)
6.Research develops and evaluates alternative approaches to the
educational aspects of any discipline (i.e. enables to gain broad knowledge
and specialized skill for safe practice

7. Research aims to advance the personal and professional

qualifications of a practitioner.
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 Research Process
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
foundations and research methodology.
Research foundation: Research Methodology
refer to the fundamental components describes how the researcher will
of research such as: answer the research questions in
a credible manner.This includes:
• research problem
• review of literature
• purpose
• research approach and design
• specífic questions to be addressed • data collection
• the conceptual framework to be • methods of analysis, and
applied.
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conclusions
 Research Process
Research Foundation

• Research problem- 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
related to the problem and the needed knowledge or information in
order to solve that problem.

• Purpose of the research describes how the study will fill this"knowledge
gap.

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 Research Process
Research Foundation
• The researcher must formulate necessary specific questions to address
this purpose, 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.

• The conceptual framework is an outline or paradigm that presents

the topics to be studied, the various variables and contexts, and
how these relate to or influence each other.
• The research methodology describes how the researcher will answer the
research questions in a credible manner. Research methods are employed to
address
25 the research purpose and gain new information.
 Research Process
Research Methodology
• The research methodology describes how the researcher 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 review of literature analyzes 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
analyze data in the study.
The design is used to clarify and improve the research problem,
purpose, and questions.
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 Research Process
Research Methodology
• 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 consists of the strategies and methods that makes sense of
the data to answer the research problem and questions.

• The conclusion summarizes the key results of the study and discusses how
these are 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.

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 Research Process
OUTLINE OF THE RESEARCH PAPER
• A research paper is divided into chapters which are then subdivided into
varíous components of the research study.
The following is the conventional outline of an academic research paper:

• Chapter 1: The Problem and • Chapter 2: Review of Related

Its Background Literature and Studies
• a.Introduction, Background • a.Review of Related Literature
of the Study • b.Review of Related Studies
• b. Statement of the Problem • C.Conceptual/Theoretical Framework
• C.Scope and Delimitation • d. Hypothesis of the Study
• D. Significance of the Study • e. Assumptions of the Study
• E. Definition of Terms

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 Research Process
OUTLINE OF THE RESEARCH PAPER
• A research paper is divided into chapters which are then subdivided into
varíous components of the research study.
The following is the conventional outline of an academic research paper:

Chapter 3:Research Chapter 4: Presentation, Analysis, and

Methodology Interpretation of Data
• a.Research Design • a.Presentation of Data
• b.Respondents of the Study • b.Analysis
• c. Instrument of the Study • D.Interpretation
• d.Validity and Reliability • c.Discussion
• e.Statistical Treatment

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 Research Process
OUTLINE OF THE RESEARCH PAPER
• A research paper is divided into chapters which are then subdivided into
varíous components of the research study.
The following is the conventional outline of an academic research paper:

Chapter 5: Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations

a, Summary of Findings
b.Conclusion
c.Recommendation
Various institutions often prescribe research outlines that are variations of
the outline presented above. It is therefore important for the researcher to
familiarize himself or herself with the standards and conventions of
research that is implemented within a certain field or discipline.
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