Lesson 1 - Nature in Research: Definition and Paradigm

Interpretive Phenomenological Research

• Aims to explore participants' sense-making and meanings in specific experiences, focusing on their personal perception and life world

Research Ethics

• A set of principles that guide researchers to conduct studies that are honest, respectful, responsible, and fair
• Key principles: • Honesty: Data should never be fabricated • Objectivity: Biases should be avoided • Integrity: Promises and agreements should be kept • Care: Errors and negligence should be avoided • Openness: Researchers should be open to criticisms • Respect for Intellectual Property: Proper acknowledgement should be given • Confidentiality: Documents should be protected • Responsible Publication: Research should advance scholarship • Responsible Mentoring: Researchers should educate, mentor, and advise students • Respect for Colleagues: Colleagues should be treated equally • Social Responsibility: Good should be promoted, bad avoided • Non-Discrimination: Anyone eligible to participate should be allowed • Competence: Expertise should be maintained • Legality: Laws and policies should be obeyed • Human Subject Protection: Dignity, privacy, and autonomy of subjects is a primary consideration

Rights of Research Participants

• 1. Voluntary Participation: Participants should not be coerced to participate
• 2. Informed Consent: Participants should be fully informed about procedures and risks
• 3. Risk of Harm: Participants should be protected from harm
• 4. Confidentiality: Participants’ identities should be protected
• 5. Anonymity: Consent to participate must be secured

Plagiarism and Intellectual Property

• Plagiarism: The act of using another person’s ideas without credit, considered a serious ethical violation
• Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (R.A 8293): Provides guidelines for different levels of plagiarism

Research Problems

• Can arise in various settings like hospitals, clinics, schools, offices, homes, and community areas
• Common due to discomfort or difficulty in broad subjects like family affairs, home management, and leadership

External Criteria

• 1. Support of the Academic Community: Assistance given by the members of the institution in the gathering of data and defraying the cost of the study
• 2. Availability and Adequacy of Facilities & Equipment: Devices such as computers and telephones used in undertaking the study must be considered
• 3. Ethical Considerations: Avoidance of research problems that pose unethical demands on the part of the research participants

Choosing a Research Problem as High School Students

• Background of the researcher is an important factor in defining the selection of research problems or topics
• Students should focus on more practical and relatable topics of research
• Factors to consider: feasibility, external support, and innovation

Definition of Research

• Follows a step-by-step process of investigation that uses a standardized approach in answering the question or solving a problem

Research Paradigm

• An outline that guides the researcher in conceptualizing and conducting the research
• Addresses two important aspects: Research Foundation and Research Methodology

Research Foundation

• Research Problem: A significant real-life problem
• Research Purpose: Formulate necessary questions that will help distinguish the significant points of the research
• Research Question: Framed in a quantitative (how much) or qualitative (what, why, how) manner

Variable

• Has attributes (values assigned to a specific variable)
• Characteristics: • Dependence: Refers to how the variable is considered in a cause-and-effect relationship • Mutually Exclusive: A participant or respondent cannot possess two attributes of a variable • Exhaustive: Consider all possible attributes of a certain variable

Kinds of Variables

• Continuous Variables: Variables that may have an infinite number of values and may vary widely among research participants
• Discrete Variables: Variables that have specific limits to their value
• Categorical Variables: Variables that cannot be expressed in numbers but are given in non-quantitative, descriptive terms

Delimitation of the Study

• Describes the various limitations that arose during the design and conduct of the study
• Includes characteristics of the research design and methodology that affected or influenced the findings of the study

Explore the definition of research and research paradigm as outlined by Polit & Beck and Palipis, respectively. Learn about the step-by-step process of investigation and the importance of addressing research foundation and methodology in a research study.