Types of Research PDF

# Research Research is a systematic attempt to provide answers to questions (Tuckman, 1972). ## Types of Research The most common researches we usually hear are those researches in schools like term paper, library research report, thesis, baby thesis, and dissertation, but there are many more. Ther...

# Research Research is a systematic attempt to provide answers to questions (Tuckman, 1972). ## Types of Research The most common researches we usually hear are those researches in schools like term paper, library research report, thesis, baby thesis, and dissertation, but there are many more. There are many types and names of research and it depends on the institution, purpose, and method. The following are some of the types of research according to method (Gay and Airasian, 2003). ### Historical Research Historical research is involved with the study of past events. It is the critical investigation of events, developments and experiences of the past, the careful weighing of evidence of the validity of sources of information on the past and the interpretation of the weighed evidence. The difference between this type of research and others is that the focus is the past. Data are gathered through the collection of original documents or interviewing eye witnesses. Examples of historical research studies: * The growth of the educational system in the Philippines. * Factors leading to the development of e-learning. * Trends in reading instruction, 1970-1990. ### Qualitative Research Qualitative research, also referred to as ethnographic research, is involved in the study of current events rather than past events. It involves the collection of extensive narrative data (non-numerical data) on many variables over an extended period of time in a naturalistic setting. Participant observation, where the researcher lives with the subjects being observed is frequently used in qualitative research. Case studies are also used in qualitative research. Examples of qualitative studies: * A case study of parental involvement at the elementary school. * A multi-case study of students who excel despite non-facilitating environments. * The teacher as researcher: Improving students' writing skills. ### Descriptive Research Descriptive research involves collecting data in order to test hypotheses or answer questions regarding the subjects of the study. In contrast with the qualitative approach the data are numerical. The data are typically collected through a questionnaire, an interview, or through observation. In descriptive research, the investigator reports the numerical results for one or more variables on the subjects of the study. Examples of descriptive research studies: * How do second-grade teachers spend their time? * How will citizens of Manila vote in the next election? * How do parents feel about a 10-month school year? ### Correlational Research Correlational research attempts to determine whether and to what degree, a relationship exists between two or more quantifiable (numerical) variables. However, it is important to remember that just because their is a significant relationship between two variables it does not follow that one variable causes the other. When two variables are correlated you can use the relationship to predict the value on one variable for a subject if you know that subject's value on the other variable. Correlation implies prediction but not causation. The investigator frequently uses the correlation coefficient to report the results of correlational research. Examples of correlational research: * The relationship between intelligence and self-esteem. * The relationship between anxiety and achievement. * The use of an aptitude test to predict success in an algebra course. ### Causal-Comparative Research Causal-comparative research attempts to establish cause-effect relationships among the variables of the study. The attempt is to establish that values of the independent variable have a significant effect on the dependent variable. This type of research usually involves group comparisons. The groups in the study make up the values of the independent variable, for example, gender (male versus female), preschool attendance versus no preschool attendance, or children with a working mother versus children without a working mother. These could be the independent variables for the sample studies listed below. However, in causal-comparative research the independent variable is not under the experimenters control, that is, the experimenter can't randomly assign the subjects to a gender classification ### Experimental Research Experimental research like causal-comparative research attempts to establish cause-effect relationship among the groups of subjects that make up the independent variable of the study, but in the case of experimental research, the cause (the independent variable) is under the control of the experimenter. That is, the experimenter can randomly assign subjects to the groups that make up the independent variable in the study. In the typical experimental research design the experimenter randomly assigns subjects to the groups or conditions that constitute the independent variable of the study and then measures the effect this group membership has on another variable, i.e. the dependent variable of the study. Examples of experimental research: * The comparative effectiveness of personalized instruction versus traditional instruction on computational skill. * The effect of self-paced instruction on self-concept. * The effect of positive reinforcement on attitude toward school. ### Action Research Action research is a methodology that combines action and research to examine specific questions, issues or phenomena through observation and reflection, and deliberate intervention to improve practice. ### Applied Research Applied research is a research undertaken to solve practical problems rather than to acquire knowledge for knowledge sake. ### Basic Research Basic research is experimental and theoretical work undertaken to acquire new knowledge without looking for long-term benefits other than the advancement of knowledge. ### Clinical Trials Clinical trials are research studies undertaken to determine better ways to prevent, screen for, diagnose or treat diseases. ### Epidemiological Research Epidemiological research is concerned with the description of health and welfare in populations through the collection of data related to health and the frequency, distribution and determinants of disease in populations, with the aim of improving health. ### Evaluation Research Evaluation research is research conducted to measure the effectiveness or performance of a program, concept or campaign in achieving its objectives. ### Literature Review Literature review is a critical examination, summarization, interpretation or evaluation of existing literature in order to establish current knowledge on a subject. ## Types of Research Methodologies Research may be done using different methods or a combination of several methods. The following are the most commonly used types: 1. **Experimental** This involves manipulating conditions and studying effects. The conditions or "treatment" manipulated is the cause which is the independent variable while the effect is the dependent variable. An example of a topic using this method is a study on the effectiveness of a method of instruction in the teaching of oral communication. The method of instruction is the independent variable; the scores of the students tested comprise the dependent variable. 2. **Correlational** This is used to determine relationship among two or more variables. An example of this study is the relationship between the students' verbal abilities and their achievement in English. 3. **Causal-Comparative** This involves comparing known groups who have had different experiences to determine possible cause or consequences of group membership. An example is a study on the possible causes of the differences in the behavioral patterns of public and private school pupils. # Parts of Research Paper Different institutions have different format of research. Though they may differ in some aspects, there are parts in research that they have in common. All researches have three major parts: Preliminaries, Text (Introduction, Review of Related Literature and Studies, Methodology, Presentation and Interpretation of Data, Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations), and References. These are the basic parts of research paper (thesis and dissertation). Review of related literature and studies, in some, is optional. It is integrated in introductions as part of the history and background of the study. Since we are concerned with the basic, we will discuss the parts we have mentioned above. ## Preliminaries Preliminaries are the first pages in research paper and may include the following: * **Title Page** * **Approval Sheet** * **Acknowledgment Sheet** * **Abstract** * **Table of Contents** * **Lists of Tables** * **Lists of Figures** The title of research paper should be a specific and concise statement of the topic and should refer to the major variables or theoretical issues investigated. Its principal function is to inform the reader about the study; therefore, it should be explanatory by itself. The title page includes the exact title of the paper, the full name of the researcher, the degree for which the paper is presented, the name of the department and the college to which the paper is submitted, and the month and the year the research paper is defended. The approval sheet follows the title page. It generally contains a statement of acceptance of the research report. The acknowledgment sheet contains the writer's expression of appreciation for the assistance and encouragement given him in the course of his research. ## Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data After the researcher had gathered the data and treated it with appropriate statistical tool, he is now ready to present and interpret the data. This section is called presentation, analysis and interpretation of data which summarizes the collected data and presents the results to the reader. It is actually the central of the study. The results and implications should be presented in a straight-forward way. The presentation must be geared to the research questions and the research hypotheses. The following are some tips on how to present and interpret the data. * Present only relevant data. * Choose the medium that will present your interpretation effectively with the use of tables, charts, and figures. * The textual presentation should supplement or expand the contents of tables, charts and figures. * The data should be objective and logical and based on facts. * Note all relevant results including those that run counter to the hypotheses. * In reporting results of tests of hypotheses, include the value of the test statistics, degree of freedom and the level of significance. * Discuss thoroughly the finding that includes the explanations, implications, and applications of the findings. ## Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations This is usually the last chapter of the research. It contains summary of the study, conclusions based on the findings, and recommendations based on the conclusions. The *summary* is the brief recapitulation of the entire content of the paper. It shows the important points of the study from the problem to the description on how the researcher arrived at the result and findings. It includes a brief statement of the objectives and problems of the study, the method used, the respondents, the instruments, and the findings. ## Statistical Treatment of the Data Statistical treatment of the data is the statistics to be used in computing the data gathered for data analysis like frequency, percentage, ranking, chi-square, t-test, z-test, standard deviation, analysis of variance, correlation coefficient and other statistics that would suit to the need of the study. ## Hypothesis Hypothesis/es is/are statement/s as tentative answer/s to one or more of the research questions but subjected to a statistical test. ## Significance of the Study Significance of the study is the justification for making the study. It should state why the problem investigated is important and what significance does it have once the result comes out. It should include a statement on relevance to the needs felt and the potential contribution to new knowledge, and policy implications and other possible uses for its results. ## Scope and Delimitation of the Study Scope and delimitation of the study consist of the scope and the limit of the study. The scope consists of what additional population, concept, content or time the researcher includes in the study. Who are included in the study and who are the respondents. Delimit means to cite who are not included in the study and why. It is delineating the study by specifying what aspects of the problem will be dealt with and what are the limitations in the sampling, concept, content, and the period of time. ## Definition of Terms Definition of terms includes conceptual and operational definition of important terms used in the study. Any term that is not commonly used by a potential reader which may have several meanings but is used with specific meaning in the study should be clearly defined. List down all the key terms which will be used in the study which may not be familiar to someone who would read the research paper. It must be arranged in alphabetical order like a glossary. ## Review of Related Literature and Studies Review of related literature and studies is usually the chapter 2 in the study. But in other institutions this is not separated but integrated in the history and background of the study in chapter 1 of the introduction. The purpose of this section is to show the significant bearing of other literature and studies to the present undertaking. Whether it is separated chapter or integrated in introduction this include the following: * Foreign literature * Foreign studies * Local literature * Local studies * Synthesis and relevance to the studies ## Bibliography Bibliography, sometimes called references and works cited. The researcher must tell the readers the sources of all materials he used in his study: the direct quotations and borrowed ideas in related literature and studies, the visual materials like maps, charts, diagrams, and pictures, otherwise he will be cited for plagiarism. The entries in the bibliography are arranged in alphabetical order of the family name of the authors, in hanging indented and single-spaced form with double spacing between references. Most of the research are now using American Psychological Association (APA) style which entries' order are the following: Surname of the author (if there are more than one author, put the first author,), the initials of first and middle name; followed by the second author in the same manner as the first author (if there are three or more, use et.al. for other authors following the first author); the year of the copyright (inside the parentheses); then the title of the book (italicized, or underlined); Place of publications; and the publisher. In periodicals, after the author and year of publication is the name of the article (not italicized), then followed by the name of the periodicals (italicized or underlined), then volume and page number. If the entry is unpublished materials like documents, theses, or dissertations, after the author and the date of issuance, the title of the document or research (italicized), then the word unpublished thesis/dissertation, followed by the name of the institution, and the place of the institution. ## Abstract The *abstract* is a brief summary of the research. It gives a short description, or a condensation of the problem, the methodology used, and the findings and conclusions. Abstract in research allows the readers to survey its content quickly. ## Table of Contents The *table of contents* lists the preliminary parts, the chapter titles along with the subdivisions of the body of the reports, and the supplementary materials in the appendix. ## List of Tables and Figures The *list of tables and figures* contain the tables and figures (pictures, graphs, charts, and other illustrative materials) used in the research with its titles. ## Introduction After the preliminaries, introduction follows. As part of the text, it is usually marked as *chapter 1*. It may include the following: * Background of the study * Conceptual framework * Statement of the problem * Hypothesis/es * Significance of the study * Scope and Delimitation of the study * Definition of terms ### Background of the Study Background of the Study contains the origin of the problem. It is an account describing the circumstances which suggested the research. It includes a justification of the selection or choice of the study. In other study, related literature and studies are integrated here to further support the background of the study. ### Conceptual Framework Conceptual framework is a scheme for the research problem and a central focus of the study. It specifies the key variables showing their relationships. This is usually represented by diagram. ### Statement of the Problem Statement of the problem refers to the problem and sub-problems raised in the study. It must be based on a situation of need or of unresolved difficulties. It should be stated precisely, accurately, and clearly. It can be stated either in declarative or interrogative form. It can be either one main statement/question, or a series of statements/questions, or a combination of these forms. The problem should be defined in terms of the data that can be obtained.