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Research in Education Nottes

Research is a systematic investigation aimed at discovering new knowledge or advancing existing theories, often leading to improved understanding and solutions to real-world problems. It can be categorized into exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory types, and is characterized by being empirical, logical, and objective. Research methods include qualitative and quantitative approaches, and the process typically follows a scientific method involving problem statements, literature reviews, hypothesis formation, and data analysis.

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27 views5 pages

Research in Education Nottes

Research is a systematic investigation aimed at discovering new knowledge or advancing existing theories, often leading to improved understanding and solutions to real-world problems. It can be categorized into exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory types, and is characterized by being empirical, logical, and objective. Research methods include qualitative and quantitative approaches, and the process typically follows a scientific method involving problem statements, literature reviews, hypothesis formation, and data analysis.

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© © All Rights Reserved
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Research in Education

 What is Research?
- Research is the process of discovering new knowledge. This
knowledge can be either the development of new concepts or the
advancement of existing knowledge and theories, leading to a new
understanding that was not previously known.
- “Research is a systematic investigation (i.e. the gathering and analysis
of information) designed to develop or contribute to generalisable
knowledge”
- While research can be carried out by anyone and in any field, most
research is usually done to broaden knowledge in the physical,
biological, and social worlds. This can range from learning why
certain materials behave the way they do, to asking why certain
people are more resilient than others when faced with the same
challenges.
- The use of ‘systematic investigation’ in the formal definition
represents how research is normally conducted – a hypothesis is
formed, appropriate research methods are designed, data is
collected and analysed, and research results are summarised into
one or more ‘research conclusions’. These research conclusions are
then shared with the rest of the scientific community to add to the
existing knowledge and serve as evidence to form additional
questions that can be investigated. It is this cyclical process that
enables scientific research to make continuous progress over the
years; the true purpose of research.

 What is the Purpose of Research?


- From weather forecasts to the discovery of antibiotics, researchers
are constantly trying to find new ways to understand the world and
how things work – with the ultimate goal of improving our lives.
- The purpose of research is therefore to find out what is known, what
is not and what we can develop further. In this way, scientists can
develop new theories, ideas and products that shape our society and
our everyday lives.
- The purpose of research is to further understand the world and to
learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life. It is
an integral part of problem solving.

Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of
research:

1. Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted


around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration
research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact
nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the
problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later
on.

2. Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research


problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics
and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but
not on the ‘why’.

3. Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research,


is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-
and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of
research questions and is therefore often based on experiments

Characteristics of Research

There are 8 core characteristics that all research projects should have. These
are:

 Empirical – based on proven scientific methods derived from real-life


observations and experiments.

 Logical – follows sequential procedures based on valid principles.

 Cyclic – research begins with a question and ends with a question, i.e.
research should lead to a new line of questioning.

 Controlled – vigorous measures put into place to keep all variables


constant, except those under investigation.

 Hypothesis-based – the research design generates data that sufficiently


meets the research objectives and can prove or disprove the hypothesis.
It makes the research study repeatable and gives credibility to the
results.

 Analytical – data is generated, recorded and analysed using proven


techniques to ensure high accuracy and repeatability while minimising
potential errors and anomalies.
 Objective – sound judgement is used by the researcher to ensure that
the research findings are valid.
 Statistical treatment – statistical treatment is used to transform the
available data into something more meaningful from which knowledge
can be gained.

Types of Research

Research can be divided into two main types: basic research (also known as
pure research) and applied research.

 Basic Research

Basic research, also known as pure research, is an original investigation


into the reasons behind a process, phenomenon or particular event. It
focuses on generating knowledge around existing basic principles.

Basic research is generally considered ‘non-commercial research’


because it does not focus on solving practical problems, and has no
immediate benefit or ways it can be applied.

For example, a researcher may try to investigate the molecular structure


of a material for the purpose of understanding it’s behaviour better as it is
not yet well understood.

While basic research may not have direct applications, it usually


provides new insights that can later be used in applied research.

Applied Research

Applied research investigates well-known theories and principles in


order to enhance knowledge around a practical aim. Because of this,
applied research focuses on solving real-life problems by deriving
knowledge which has an immediate application.

For example, a person may undertake applied research to investigate


whether they can modify the molecular structure of a material for the
purpose of making it strong enough to be used in aircraft construction.

Methods of Research

Research methods for data collection fall into one of two categories:
inductive methods or deductive methods.
Inductive research methods focus on the analysis of an observation and
are usually associated with qualitative research. Deductive research
methods focus on the verification of an observation and are typically
associated with quantitative research.

1. Qualitative Research

Qualitative research is a method that enables non-numerical data


collection through open-ended methods such as interviews, case studies
and focus groups.

It enables researchers to collect data on personal experiences, feelings or


behaviours, as well as the reasons behind them. Because of this,
qualitative research is often used in fields such as social science,
psychology and philosophy and other areas where it is useful to know
the connection between what has occurred and why it has occurred.

2. Quantitative Research

Quantitative research is a method that collects and analyses numerical


data through statistical analysis.

It allows us to quantify variables, uncover relationships, and make


generalisations across a larger population. As a result, quantitative
research is often used in the natural and physical sciences such as
engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, finance, and
medical research, etc.

What does Research Involve?

Research often follows a systematic approach known as a Scientific


Method, which is carried out using an hourglass model.

A research project first starts with a problem statement, or rather, the


research purpose for engaging in the study. This can take the form of the
‘scope of the study’ or ‘aims and objectives’ of your research topic.

Subsequently, a literature review is carried out and a hypothesis is


formed. The researcher then creates a research methodology and
collects the data.
The data is then analysed using various statistical methods and the null
hypothesis is either accepted or rejected.

In both cases, the study and its conclusion are officially written up as a
report or research paper, and the researcher may also recommend lines
of further questioning. The report or research paper is then shared with
the wider research community, and the cycle begins all over again.

Although these steps outline the overall research process, keep in mind
that research projects are highly dynamic and are therefore considered
an iterative process with continued refinements and not a series of fixed
stages.

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