Introduction to Research Methods

What is Research?

• Research is a systematic and scientific procedure of data collection, compilation, analysis, interpretation, and implication related to a problem.
• The main purpose is to inform action, prove a theory, and contribute to knowledge in a field of study
• Research is needed for students, academics, professionals, and non-professionals alike.

Types of Research

• Quantitative research describes, infers, and resolves problems using numbers.
• Qualitative research is based on words, feelings, emotions, sounds, and other non-numerical and unquantifiable elements.

Ethical Research

• Ethical research is respectful, honest, in compliance with human rights, and applies ethical principles to the design, implementation, and regulation of research.
• Plagiarism is using someone else's ideas, words, or information without giving credit to the original author.

Technical Terms Used in Research

• Abstract: A short summary of completed research intended to describe the work without going into detail.
• Theory: A well-established principle that explains a natural or social phenomenon.
• Literature Review: Provides an overview of sources including books, articles and any sources relevant to a particular issue in order to show readers how the research fits.
• Hypothesis: Statement of expectation/prediction to be tested which can be the intellectual or wild guess about the possible result of the study.
• Methodology: The systematic method to resolve a research problem through data gathering using various techniques. Provides data interpretation and draws conclusions.
• Variable: Factor, trait, or condition that can be manipulated, controlled for, or measured in an experiment.
• Reference: Lists all the sources used in a study.

Differentiating Qualitative Method from Quantitative Method

• Quantitative Research: Focuses on testing theories and hypotheses, analyzed through math and statistics, expressed in numbers/graphs/tables, requires many respondents, and uses closed questions.
• Key terms for Quantitative Research: testing, measurement, objectivity, replicability.
• Qualitative Research: Focuses on exploring ideas and formulating a theory or hypothesis, analyzed by summarizing/categorizing/interpreting, expressed in words, requires few respondents, and uses open-ended questions.
• Key terms for Qualitative Research: understanding, context, complexity, subjectivity.

Research Paper Elements

• All research papers should contain these elements
• Title, Author, Abstract, Keywords : Descriptive information that lets readers search for an article.
• Introduction: Provides context, relatedness with other research, and the research question; answers the "WHY?"
• Methods: Explains what the authors did to answer the research question; answers the "HOW?".
• Results: States answers to the questions, usually in tables and figures; answers "WHAT?".
• Discussion/Conclusion: Details significance of the project, how it fits with what is known about the topic; answers "SO WHAT?".
• References: Materials the author(s) cited when writing this paper.