OBM301 CHAPTER 6

OBM301 CHAPTER 6

INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH

INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH

What is social science?

Social science refers to the science of people or collections of people, such as groups, firms, societies, or economies, and their individual as well as collective behavior.

The purpose of social science research is to provide explanation of social behavior by relying on the assumption that it has causes that are known and measurable.

Social sciences disciplines:

Psychology

the science of human behavior

Sociology

the science of social groups

Economics

the science of firms, markets, and economics

Social sciences disciplines:

political science

Pertains to the systems of governance, the analysis of political activities, thoughts, and behavior

History

The study of past events, particularly in human affairs

What is Social Science Research?

Social Science Research is the activity of gathering, analyzing and interpreting information for a variety of social, economic, educational and political purposes.

What is research?

The systematic investigation into and study of materials, sources, etc, in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. b. an endeavor to discover new or collate old facts etc by the scientific study of a subject or by a course of critical investigation. [Oxford Concise Dictionary]

What is research?

Research is what we do when we have a question or a problem we want to resolve.

Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of humans, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications. (Wikipedia)

What is research?

Research is a systematic inquiry to describe, explain, predict and control the observed phenomenon.

Research involves inductive and deductive methods (Babbie, 1998)

Research is the creation of new knowledge or the use of existing knowledge in a new and creative way to generate new concepts, methodologies and understandings. 

Meaning of research according to various scholars/ Authors

Longman Dictionary of contemporary English .(1997) Research as a serious study of a subject that is intended to discover new facts or test ideas.

According to The Merriam- (Webster online Dictionary). A studious inquiry or examination, especially; investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or law in the light of new facts or practical application of such new or revised theories or law.

Meaning of research according to various scholars/ Authors

According to Waltz and Bansell (1981). Research is a systematic, formal, rigorous and precise process employed to gain solutions to problems or to discover and interpret new facts and relationships.

According to Kothari (2006). Research is a pursuit of trust with the help of study, observation, comparison and experiment, the search for knowledge through objective and systematic method of finding solutions to a problem.

Meaning of research according to various scholars/ Authors

According to Payton (1979). Research is the process of looking for a specific question in an organized, objective, reliable way.

 

Kerlinger (1873). Research is a systematic controlled, empirical and critical investigation of hypothetical propositions about the presumed relations among natural phenomena.

Elements to be consider in research.

· First priority is to formulate your question

· Then figure out how you are going to answer it

· How have others answered it?

· How does your proposal fit in with what others have done?

· How will you know when you have answered it?

· Then you can present your answer

Three steps in research activity:

Find any information center such as library and information kiosk to locate the materials for research.

Evaluate the resources whether it is relevant to your study or not

Interpret all the resources so that who can identify the information for the particular area of study.

CHARACTERISTIC OF QUALITY RESEARCH

· Based on works of others

· Can replicate on other works

· Must be achievable

· Can be used in another setting

· Some researches can be based on theory

· Research should be incremental

· A research is done in order to improve society

HYPOTHESIS

Definition

A hypothesis is a testable statement about the relationship between two or more variables or a proposed explanation for some observed phenomenon.

A hypothesis (plural hypotheses) is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. (Wikipedia)

A hypothesis is a specific, testable prediction and describes what will happen in a certain circumstance.

HYPOTHESIS

An idea or explanation for something that is based on known facts but has not yet been proved. (Cambridge dictionary)

 

A hypothesis is a statement or assertion that communicates what you want to prove or disprove through your study. In writing a research paper, thesis, or dissertation, the hypothesis provides a link to the underlying theory and your specific research question. (Chuck Mattews,2017)

HYPOTHESIS

Hypothesis is a specific statement of prediction what will happen in your study.

 

The hypothesis is actually a test that you want to establish and study to reject or accept.

HYPOTHESIS

Probability of research

Nothing is certain 

The exception that “proves” the rule

Scientific “truth” is actually usually a statement of what is most probable given the currently known data within the given framework

Statistical techniques try to help us show extent to which our results really do support the hypothesis

HYPOTHESIS

Defined as attempts to explore and explain while providing additional information about a topic. 

This is where research is trying to describe what is happening in more detail, filling in the missing parts and expanding our understanding

HYPOTHESIS

Defined as attempts to explore and explain while providing additional information about a topic. 

This is where research is trying to describe what is happening in more detail, filling in the missing parts and expanding our understanding

What is the importance of hypothesis?

It enables the researcher to develop a specific direction as well as better understanding about the subject matter of the study.

 

The hypothesis provides a link to the underlying theory and research question to analyze the data collected in the study.

The hypothesis is logical based on observations and is also testable to confirm whether it is correct or incorrect.

COMMON TYPES OF RESEARCH CONDUCTED

Descriptive Research

Correlational Research

Exploratory Research

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

Descriptive research is defined as a research method that describes the characteristics of the population or phenomenon that is being studied and focuses more on the “what” of the research subject rather than the “why” of the research subject.

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

Defined as attempts to explore and explain while providing additional information about a topic. 

This is where research is trying to describe what is happening in more detail, filling in the missing parts and expanding our understanding

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

It also trying to describe what is happening in more detail, filling in the missing parts and expanding our understanding instead of making guesses or elaborate predicts.

 

Descriptive research is the act of exploring the thing in the dark and creating a fuller picture of existing phenomena by obtaining information of current status or conditions in a situation. 

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

It is used to obtain information concerning the current status of the phenomena to describe "what exists" with respect to variables or conditions in a situation. 

Describe a population, situation or phenomenon and try to answer what, when, where, when and how questions, but not why questions which determine cause and effect.

Characteristics of Descriptive Research

Quantitative research 

Uncontrolled variables

Cross-sectional studies

Basis for further research

Descriptive Research Methods

Observational Method

Case Study Method

Survey Research

Advantages of Descriptive Research

· Data collection

· Varied

· Natural environment

· Quick to conduct and cheap

· Forms basis for decision-making

Disadvantages of Descriptive Research

· Confidentiality

· Halo effect

· Sample isn’t representative

· No scope to learn cause

Elements in descriptive research

1. Statement of the problem

2. Identification of information needed to solve the problem

3. Selection or development of instruments for gathering the information

4. Identification of target population and determination of sampling procedure

5. Design of procedure for information collection

6. Collection of information

7. Analysis of information 

8. Generalizations and/or predictions 

CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH

Correlation research is also known as association research that studies the relationships between two or more variables.

Correlation research is usually being treated as descriptive study because it is studying about current situation and describes the relationship, but not proves the cause and effect.

CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH

Correlation research is looking for variables that have connectivity between one variable to another variable so that if one variable changing, the other variable will change. 

Correlation research, engage with words such as relationship‖, assumption‖, prediction‖, or related to

CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH

Examples of correlation research topics are such as:

· Relationship Between Concentration in Class and Grade Achieve.

· Democratic Leadership Motivates Employee Better than Autocratic Leadership.

· Correlation between the demand for a product and its price.

Purposes of correlation research:

Help to explain human behaviors

Predict likely outcomes

What is variable?

Variables represent the measurable traits that can change over the course of a scientific experiment.

A variable is defined as anything that has a quantity or quality that varies.

A variable is any characteristics of an individual, group, organization and phenomena that changes.

Independent variables and dependent variables

Independent variable is what you or nature manipulates

Dependent variable is what is affected by the independent variable which known as effect or outcomes.

Types of Correlation Research

Positive correlation

The positive correlation happened when the correlation coefficient is close to +1.

Negative correlation

A negative correlation is opposite of positive correlation and will be understand the relationship between the two variables and the value is close to -1.

Types of Correlation Research

No correlation

When the two variables value is close to zero, it means that there is no relationship between the two variables.

Basic Steps in Correlation Research

1. Problem selection

2. Choosing a sample

3. Selecting or choosing proper instruments

4. Determining design and procedures

5. Collecting and analyzing data

6. Interpreting results

EXPLORATORY RESEARCH

Exploratory research is a research conducted for a problem that has not been studied more clearly, intended to establish priorities, develop operational definitions and improve the final research design. 

Exploratory research helps determine the best research design, data-collection method and selection of subjects.

EXPLORATORY RESEARCH

Starts with a general idea and uses this research as a medium to identify issues that can be the focus for future research. 

Exploratory research used observed something and seeks to understand more about it and works as the initial groundwork for future research.

EXPLORATORY RESEARCH

TWO forms of exploratory research

New topic

A new topic is often unexpected and startling in its findings.

 

New angles

Come from new ways of looking at things, either from a theoretical perspective or a new way of measuring something.

Types and methodologies of exploratory research

Primary research is information gathered directly from the subject through a group of people or even an individual to explore a certain problem which requires an in-depth study.

Sources of primary research

· Surveys/polls

· Interviews

· Focus groups

· Observations

Types and methodologies of exploratory research

Secondary research is gathering information from previously published primary research which comes from the sources likes case studies, magazines, newspapers, books, etc.

Sources of secondary research

· Online research

· Literature research

· Case study research

Steps to conduct a exploratory research

1. Identify the problem

2. Create the hypothesis

3. Further research

Characteristics of Exploratory research

They are not structured studies

It is usually low cost, interactive and open ended.

It will enable a researcher answer questions like what is the problem, the purpose and the topics to be studied,

The existing research does not answer the problem.

Time consuming research and has risks to associated with previous research.

It is flexible, broad and scattered which don’t have sets of rules to carry out the research,

Must have the importance or value. 

Advantages of Exploratory research

More flexible and can adapt changes.

It is usually low cost.

Foundation lead to further research.

assisting to find out possible causes for the problem, for further studied in detail.

Disadvantages of Exploratory research

·  The answer it is usually inconclusive.

·  Provide qualitative data and interpretation of information can be judgmental and biased.

·  Involves a smaller sample, hence the results cannot be accurately interpreted for a generalized population.

·  There is a chance of that data being old and is not updated since data is being collected through secondary research.

END OF CHAPTER 6

THANK YOU