Practical Research 1: Design and Problems

• Practical Research 1 Review

General to Specific

• A general problem can be broken down into multiple specific problems.
• General problems may require narrowing down to more focused questions.

Research Design

• Clearly defining the task ensures the research remains focused and achievable.
• Identifying variables enables precise measurement and analysis of factors affecting the outcome.
• Specifying participants enhances the validity of a research study, allowing for better generalization of results to relevant populations.
• Using a declarative form when writing a research problem clearly states the focus of the study without posing a question.
• An interrogative form is more effective than a declarative form for stating a research problem when emphasizing the exploratory nature of the study.
• "What" questions allow for exploration of complex phenomena and experiences, making them useful in qualitative research.
• The setting of a study can affect participant behavior and the applicability of results.

Research Question Example

• Research Question: "How does daily time spent on Instagram affect self-esteem among teens aged 13-18?"
• General problem: Impact of social media on adolescent mental health.
• Specific problem: The question as stated.
• Variable: Time spent on Instagram (independent) and Self-esteem (dependent)
• Task: To compare Instagram usage among teenagers of different ages, is NOT correctly identified

Researchable Questions

• "Should all students use social media platforms for learning purposes?" is researchable.
• "Is playing mobile games helping students to think critically?" is researchable.
• "How do senior high school students respond to online learning?" is researchable.
• "Do all students have internet access at home?" is researchable.
• "What are the common preparations done by senior high school students towards the new normal type of schooling?" is researchable.

True or False - Research Involves:

• True: Finding possible answers to questions.
• True: Being carried out to explain a situation or phenomenon.
• False: It's a discipline or process for experts only.
• False: Only new knowledge can be considered research.
• True: Surveying is data gathering.
• False: Research happens only in a laboratory.
• True: Research improves life.
• False: The end result is lies or falsehood.
• True: A rice cooker can be considered as an output.
• True: Research helps us understand humanity better.

Rationale of the Study

• Rationale pertains to the reasons for conducting the study.
• Researchers may consider what was wrong or incomplete in prior efforts on the same problem.
• The study can be conducted even if there are already sufficient solutions to the problem.
• Providing justifications requires reasoning skills and processes.
• It is not reasonable to conduct research if there is no urgent need to solve the existing problem.
• The researcher must provide the readers with critical background or contextual info that introduces the topic.
• Validity of justification can be expressed by referring to a policy, press report, or other reputable sources.
• Research gaps pertain to problems, issues, or questions that have not been addressed or are yet to be understood.

Research Process

• The steps to illustrate the research process in chronological order:
  • 1. Define the research problem
  • 2. Review the literature
  • 3. Formulate hypothesis
  • 4. Prepare the research design
  • 5. Collect data
  • 6. Analyze data
  • 7. Interpret and report the findings

Conducting a Study (Simplified Flow by Rao, 2017)

• Step 1: Define the research problem by looking at a significant real-life problem, considering factors like area of interest, funding, socio-economic significance, and safety measures.
  • Example: Identifying English language proficiency as a problem for aspiring maritime students.
• Step 2: Review the existing literature by reading publications and surfing the Internet to become aware of previous works on the topic, utilizing resources like science books, magazines, journals, and newspapers.
  • The researcher reviews previous studies focused on English language proficiency and the difficulties of aspiring maritime students.
• Step 3: Formulate a hypothesis that is a theoretical statement solving a logical relationship between variables.
  • The hypothesis should be based on the problem being solved.
  • Example: Hypothesizing that the implementation of an English-Only Policy (EOP) can improve the English language proficiency of Pre-Baccalaureate Maritime students.
• Step 4: Prepare the research design by identifying the best means to collect and analyze data.
  • This clarifies and improves the research problem, purpose, and questions.
  • Example: Using an experimental design to explore student experiences in EOP implementation.
• Step 5: Collect data using an appropriate collection method to elicit the needed information.
  • Researchers collect data through interviews and focus group discussions.
• Step 6: Analyze data by utilizing strategies and methods that make sense of the data to answer the research problem.
  • The researcher analyzes the data by drawing patterns and themes from the generated data.
• Step 7: Interpret and report the findings by putting the information in perspective and presenting the solution to the proposed problem based on the findings of the investigation.
  • The researcher interprets and reports the findings based on collected and analyzed data to solve the research problem.

Key Terms to Remember

• Existing Literature: A background on what research has already been done on the subject.
• Relevance to Local/Global Context: Situational interconnectedness of individuals or things from varying perspectives.
• Critical Background/Contextual Information: Circumstances forming the background of an event/idea that enables the reader to understand the nature of a problem.
• Research Goal/Objective: Why there is a need for the proposed study to be conducted.
• Research Gap: The problem, issues or questions that have not been addressed or are yet to be understood.
• Proof of Urgency: an immediate action necessary to solve existing issues.

Review of research design principles for Practical Research 1. Includes problem identification, variable specification, participant selection, and question formulation. Covers declarative versus interrogative forms and the impact of study settings.