Practical Research 2

Practical Research 2

Objectives:

Basically, the module has three lessons:

Lesson 1: Nature of Inquiry and Research Lesson

2: Identifying the Inquiry and Stating the Problem Lesson

3: Learning from Others and Reviewing the Literature

Hence, at the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. Describes characteristics, strengths, weaknesses, and kinds of quantitative research (CS_RS12-Ia-c-1);

2. Illustrate the importance of quantitative research across fields (CS_RS12-Ia-c- 2);

3. Differentiates kinds of variables and their uses (CS_RS12-Ia-c-3);

4. Design a research useful in daily life (CS_RS12-Id-e-1);

5. Write a research title (CS_RS12-Id-e-2);

6. Describe background of a research (CS_RS12-Id-e-3);

7. States research questions (CS_RS12-Id-e-4);

8. Indicates scope and limitations of the study (CS_RS12-Id-e-5);

9. Cites benefits and beneficiaries of the study (CS_RS12-Id-e-6);

10.Present written statement of the study (CS_RS12-Id-e-7);

11.Selects relevant literatures (CS_RS12-If-j-1);

11.Selects relevant literatures (CS_RS12-If-j-1);

​12. Cites related literature using standard style (APA,MLA or Chicago Manual of Style) (CS_RS12-If-j-2);

13. Synthesizes information from relevant literature (CS_RS12-If-j-3);

14. Writes coherent review of literature (CS_RS12-If-j-4);

15. Follows ethical standards in writing related literature (CS_RS12-If-j-5); 16. Illustrate and explain conceptual framework (CS_RS12-If-j-6);

17. Defines terms used in the study (CS_RS12-If-j-7);

18. List research hypotheses (optional) (CS_RS12-If-j-8);

19. Present written review of related literature and conceptual framework (CS_RS12-If-j-9)

​Introduction

​What comes into your mind when you hear the term research? You might think about writing something where you extend long hours digging information in the library or internet, proposing your methods to your subject teacher and then doing research surveys. Research is getting knowledge about things you want to know and learning from all possible sources such as from a friend, an expert to media sources using a scientific process for the discovery of truth or even invention and development of existing products. After all, research is done to improve the quality of life.

​Introduction

The knowledge you gained in your Practical Research 1 provided you insights and understanding of the underlying reasons about the problems you observed in the community in a qualitative way. You utilized group discussions (focus), interviews (individual or group), and observations as your methods in gathering your data.

​Introduction

Now, in Practical Research 2, you will focus on quantitative research. One example of quantitative research is when your teacher required you to gather numerical data and process this data using statistical treatment during your science laboratory activity. Quantitative research is a scientific way of gathering data that can be measured in order to gather factual evidences and determine research patterns.

​What is Research?

​(Youtube Video)

​Terms to encounter

​Experimental design

A research design that allows the researcher to control the situation and identifies the cause and effect relationship between variables. (Prieto et al., 2017).

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​Inquiry

It is synonymous to the term ‘investigation’ that when you inquire or investigate, you tend to ask questions to probe or examine something (Baraceros, 2016)

​Terms to encounter

​Non-experimental

A research design that is sometimes equated with survey research and is very common in the social sciences (Mujis, 2004).

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Numerical data

It pertains to a number or symbol to express how many, how much or what rank things are to have in this world. (Baraceros, 2016).

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​Quantitative research

A type of research that makes you focus your mind by means of statistics that involve collection and study of numerical data (Baraceros, 2016).

​Terms to encounter

Research

A scientific, experimental, or inductive manner of thinking (Baraceros, 2016)

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Research hypothesis

It is a tentative explanation that accounts for a set of facts and can be tested by further investigation.

​Terms to encounter

Research title

This summarizes the main idea or ideas of your study. It condenses the paper’s main ideas/ideas into few words.

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Variable

It is a characteristic or attribute of interest in the research study that can take on different values and is not constant.

​Steps in Scientific Method (Review)

• ​observation

• identifying the problem

• making hypothesis

• experimentation or data gathering

• data analysis

• making conclusions based on the data gathered and finally

• reporting of your results

​QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

makes you focus your mind by means of statistics that involve collection and study of numerical data (Baraceros, 2016). Numerical data is pertaining to a number or symbol to express how many, how much or what rank things are to have in this world. Quantitative research systematically and objectively generates information on events or concepts (Figure 1).

CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

​1. CONTAIN MEASURABLE VARIABLES

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Data gathering instruments contain items that solicit measurable characteristics of the population. These measurable characteristics are referred to as the variables of the study such as age, the number of children, educational status, and economic status.

CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

2. USE STANDARDIZED RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS

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The data collection instruments include questionnaires, polls, or surveys. Standardized, pre-tested instruments guide data collection thus ensuring the accuracy, reliability and validity of data. Pre-testing helps identify areas in the research instruments that need revisions. It makes sure that respondents provide the expected answers or satisfies the intent of the researcher to meet the research objectives.

CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

3. ASSUMES A NORMAL POPULATION DISTRIBUTION

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For more reliable data analysis of quantitative data, a normal population distribution curve is preferred over a non-normal distribution. This requires a large population, the numbers of which depend on how the characteristics of the population vary. This requires adherence to the principle of random sampling to avoid researcher’s bias in interpreting the results that defeat the purpose of research.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

4. PRESENTS DATA IN TABLES, GRAPHS, OR FIGURES

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The data obtained using quantitative methods are organized using tables, graphs, or figures that consolidate large numbers of data to show trends, relationships, or differences among variables. This fosters understanding to the readers or clients of the research investigation.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

5. USE REPEATABLE METHOD

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Researchers can repeat the quantitative method to verify or confirm the findings in another setting. This reinforces the validity of groundbreaking discoveries or findings thus eliminating the possibility of spurious or erroneous conclusions.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

6. CAN PREDICT OUTCOMES

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Quantitative models or formula derived from data analysis can predict outcomes. If-then scenarios can be constructed using complex mathematical computations with the aid of computers.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

7. USE MEASURING DEVICES

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Advanced digital or electronic instruments are used to measure or gather quantitative data from the field. The instruments ensure an objective and accurate collection of data provided that these are calibrated. Calibration means that the instruments used by the researcher matches the measurements of a reference instrument that is considered a standard.

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​STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

​Mujis (2004) identified the two major types of quantitative research designs: experimental designs and non-experimental designs.

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KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS

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a. Pre-experimental designs are focused on studying a single group that is given the experimental intervention (experimental groups only).

b. True experimental designs (also called classical experiments) are based on randomization. Research subjects are randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. Because both randomization and control groups are used, true experiments are considered the strongest form of experiments.

c. Quasi-experimental designs involve taking advantage of natural settings or groups, and thus subjects are not randomly assigned.

KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

NON-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS

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According to Baraceros (2016), non-experimental research is a way of finding out the truths about a subject by describing the collected data about such subject and determining their relationships or connections with one another. It cannot establish cause-effect relationships. Leavy (2017) stated that while validity is still a concern in non-experimental research, the concerns are more about the validity of the measurements, rather than the validity of the effects.

KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

a. Survey research is the most widely used quantitative design in the social sciences. Common uses of survey research with which you are probably familiar include the census, polling on political issues or public opinions, and market research (Leavy, 2017). Surveys are commonly used to observe attitudes, trends, or opinions of the population of interest. Participants are usually selected from the population to discover the relative incidence, distribution, and interrelations of DRAFT 10 educational, sociological, behavioural, or psychological variables. Thus, it can be classified as quantitative and is often considered a variant of the observational approach.

KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

b. Descriptive or observational studies because the researcher observes or describes what the subjects report and do not intervene with a treatment (Patten and Newhart, 2017)

KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

c. Correlational research (Prieto et al., 2017) - has three types:  Bivariate correlational studies- obtain scores from two variables from each subject and use them to calculate a correlation coefficient. Correlation means variables are selected because they are believed to be related. Examples: 1. Ice cream sales go up (variable 1) if the temperature is high (variable 2). (Positive correlation) 2. Crime in the community increases (variable 1) as the number of police personnel decreases (variable 2). (Negative correlation) 3. Increase ice cream sales are not correlated to crime increase in the community. (Zero correlation)

KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

 Prediction studies- the correlation coefficient to show how one variable predicts another. Example: National Achievement Test (NAT) scores in Grade 12 are used to predict students’ scores in college entrance exam.

KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

 Multiple Regression Prediction Studies- these make it possible to combine the variables that can contribute to the over-all prediction in an equation that adds together the predictive of each identified variable.

​IMPORTANCE OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

​According to Baraceros (2016), the importance of quantitative research lies greatly in the production of results that should reflect precise measurement and indepth analysis of data. The data will be used to either support or reject the hypotheses as potential explanations for the possible causes and solutions (Patten, 2017).

​IMPORTANCE OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

The list below shows the importance of quantitative research (University of Leicester).

1. Shows precise reliability and objectivity

2. Can use statistics to generalize a finding

3. Complex problem can be reduced and restructured to a limited number of variables

4. Can establish cause and effect in highly controlled circumstances and looks at relationships between variables

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​IMPORTANCE OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

The list below shows the importance of quantitative research (University of Leicester).

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5. Existing theories or hypotheses can be tested

6. A sample is assumed representative of the population

7. Subjectivity of researcher in methodology is less recognized

8. May miss a desired response from the participant and is less detailed than qualitative data.

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​EXERCISE

GROUPINGS