Research Methods Lecture 2

Study Notes

Research Methods

Research is the process of finding solutions to a problem after thorough study and analysis of situational factors.
It involves skills and practices such as reading, experimenting, analyzing, writing, presenting, and critical thinking.

Importance of Research Methods

Teaches skills and practices of research.
Directly relevant to thesis writing.
Likely to be relevant to future activities (research or otherwise).

Definitions of Research

"The systematic and scholarly application of the scientific method interpreted in its broader sense, to the solution of social studies problems." (George J. Mouly)
"Research is, literally speaking, a kind of human behavior, an activity in which people engage." (Francis G. Cornell)
"Research is a carefully inquiry or examination in seeking facts or principles; a diligent investigation to ascertain something." (Clifford Woody)

General Characteristics of Research

Gathers new knowledge or data from primary or first-hand sources.
Emphasizes the discovery of general principles.
Is an exact, systematic, and accurate investigation.
Uses valid data gathering devices.
Is logical and objective.
Resists the temptation to seek only data that supports hypotheses.
Eliminates personal feelings and preferences.
Endeavors to organize data in quantitative terms.
Is a patient and unhurried activity.

Types of Research

Applied Research: seeks to solve practical problems, find solutions to everyday problems, and develop innovative technologies.
Basic Research: driven by curiosity, aims to expand knowledge, and has no obvious commercial value.
Correlational Research: studies relationships between variables, without determining cause and effect.
Descriptive Research: provides an accurate portrayal of characteristics, discovers new meaning, and categorizes information.
Ethnographic Research: investigates a culture through in-depth study, collects data, and interprets results.
Experimental Research: an objective, systematic, controlled investigation to predict and control phenomena.
Exploratory Research: conducted for a problem that has not been clearly defined, helps determine the best research design.
Grounded Theory Research: discovers what problems exist in a given social environment, and how persons involved handle them.
Historical Research: analyzes events that occurred in the past, provides context, and helps make realistic decisions.

Qualitative vs Quantitative Research

Qualitative Research: deals with phenomena difficult to quantify, gathers in-depth understanding, and investigates human behavior.
Quantitative Research: uses statistical, mathematical, or computational techniques to investigate phenomena, and develops mathematical models.

Qualitative Research

Enables studying complex aspects of human behavior.
Fewer restrictions on data collection.
Good for exploratory research and hypothesis generation.
Participants provide data in their own words.
Disadvantages: difficult to determine validity and reliability, subjective analysis, and data overload.

Quantitative Research

Develops and employs mathematical models, theories, and hypotheses.
Uses scientific methods, including measurement, experimentation, and data analysis.
Advantages: measurable, objective, and good for testing hypotheses.
Disadvantages: ignores context, requires a large sample, and has limitations in studying natural settings.

Description

This lecture covers the basics of research methods, including the skills and practices of research. It explains why research methods are important and how they are relevant to thesis writing and future activities.