LUIS Y. FERRER JR.

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

South Square Village, Pasong Kawayan II, City of Gen. Trias, Cavite

PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1

Lecture 1: Nature of Inquiry and Research

Meaning of Inquiry
Inquiry is a learning process that motivates you to obtain knowledge or information about people, things, places, or
events by investigating or asking questions. It requires collection of data, meaning, facts, and information about the
object of your inquiry, and examine such data carefully. In analyzing the data, varied thinking strategies are
executed that range from lower-order to higher-order thinking skills such as inferential, critical, integrative, and
creative thinking. Engaging in many ways of thinking make inquiry an active learning process.

According to Drayton & Falk (2001), the following are the characteristics of classrooms where teachers emphasized
inquiry-bases learning:

 Inquiry is in the form of authentic (real-life) problems within the context of the curriculum and/or community.
 The inquiry capitalizes on student curiosity.
 Data and information are actively used, interpreted, refined, digested, and discussed.
 Teachers, students and teacher-librarian collaborate.
 Community and society are connected with the inquiry.
 The teacher models the behaviors of inquirer.
 The teacher uses the language of inquiry on an ongoing basis.
 Students take ownership of their learning.
 The teacher facilitates the process of gathering and presenting information.

Meaning of Research

Research is a systematic process of solving a problem or finding answers to an inquiry. It is an organized method of
finding or relatively new ideas from the existing body of knowledge with the help of useful tool for the purpose of
improving the quality of life. It is also a systematic study of trend or event which involves careful collection,
presentation, analysis and interpretation of quantitative data or facts that relates man’s thinking with reality.

Importance of Research
1) Research is a vehicle for mobility, a contribution towards the attainment of national goals.
2) Research explains an issue or controversy.
3) Research advances human knowledge and satisfies curiosity.
4) Research improves instruction and student achievements.
5) Research improves quality of life.
6) Research satisfies man’s needs.
7) Research reduces the burden of work.
8) Research has deep-seated psychological aspect.
9) Research improves instruction.
10) Research improves students’ achievement.
11) Research improves teacher’s competence.
12) Research improves the exportation of food products.
13) Research responds to the economic recovery and austerity measure of the country.
14) Research trains graduates to become responsive to the economic development of the country and to
compete globally.
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Characteristics of Research
1) Empirical – research is based on direct experience or observation by the researcher.
2) Logical – research is based on valid procedures and principles.
3) Cyclical – research starts with a problem and ends with a problem.
4) Analytical – research utilizes proven analytical procedures in gathering data, whether historical, descriptive,
experimental, and case study.
5) Critical – research exhibits careful and precise judgment.
6) Methodical – research is conducted in a methodical manner without bias using systematic method and
procedures.
7) Replicability – research design and procedures are repeated to enable the researcher to arrive at valid and
conclusive results.

Qualities of a Good Researcher

a) Research-oriented
b) Efficient
c) Scientific
d) Effective
e) Active
f) Resourceful
g) Creative
h) Honest
i) Economical
j) Religious

Characteristics of the Researcher

1) Intellectual Curiosity. A researcher undertakes a deep thinking and inquiry of the things, and situations
around him.
2) Prudence. The researcher is careful to conduct his research study at the right time and at the right place
wisely, efficiently, and economically.
3) Healthy Criticism. The researcher is always doubtful as to the truthfulness of the results.
4) Intellectual Honesty. An intelligent researcher is honest to collect or gather data or facts in order to arrive
at honest results.
5) Intellectual Creativity – A productive and resourceful investigator always creates new researches.

Components of the research process

1) Problem/ Objectives
2) Review of Related Literature
3) Data Collection
4) Data Processing
5) Analysis and Interpretation
6) Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations

Research Ethics
1) Honesty - strive for honesty in all scientific communications. Honestly report data, results, methods and
procedures, and publication status. Do not fabricate, falsify, or misrepresent data. Do not deceive
colleagues, research sponsors, or the public.
2) Objectivity - strive to avoid bias in experimental design, data analysis, data interpretation, peer review,
personnel decisions, grant writing, expert testimony, and other aspects of research where objectivity is
expected or required. Avoid or minimize bias or self-deception. Disclose personal or financial interests that
may affect research.
3) Integrity - keep your promises and agreements; act with sincerity; strive for consistency of thought and
action.
4) Carefulness - avoid careless errors and negligence; carefully and critically examine your own work and the
work of your peers. Keep good records of research activities, such as data collection, research design, and
correspondence with agencies or journals.
5) Openness - share data, results, ideas, tools, resources. Be open to criticism and new ideas.
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6) Respect for Intellectual Property - honor patents, copyrights, and other forms of intellectual property.
Do not use unpublished data, methods, or results without permission. Give proper acknowledgement or
credit for all contributions to research. Never plagiarize.
7) Confidentiality - protect confidential communications, such as papers or grants submitted for publication,
personnel records, trade or military secrets, and patient records.
8) Responsible Publication - publish in order to advance research and scholarship, not to advance just your
own career. Avoid wasteful and duplicative publication.
9) Responsible Mentoring - help to educate, mentor, and advise students. Promote their welfare and allow
them to make their own decisions.
10) Respect for colleagues - respect your colleagues and treat them fairly.
11) Social Responsibility - strive to promote social good and prevent or mitigate social harms through
research, public education, and advocacy.
12) Non-Discrimination - avoid discrimination against colleagues or students on the basis of sex, race,
ethnicity, or other factors not related to scientific competence and integrity.
13) Competence - maintain and improve your own professional competence and expertise through lifelong
education and learning; take steps to promote competence in science as a whole.
14) Legality - know and obey relevant laws and institutional and governmental policies.
15) Animal Care - show proper respect and care for animals when using them in research. Do not conduct
unnecessary or poorly designed animal experiments.
16) Human Subjects Protection - when conducting research on human subjects, minimize harms and risks
and maximize benefits; respect human dignity, privacy, and autonomy; take special precautions with
vulnerable populations; and strive to distribute the benefits and burdens of research fairly.

COMPARISON OF QUALITATIVE vs. QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

Point of Comparison Qualitative Quantitative

focus of research process, understanding, meaning quantity (how much, how many)
phenomenology, symbolic, interactionism,
Philosophical perspectives positivism, empiricism, realism
constructivism
understanding, description, interpretation, prediction, control, description,
purpose
discovery, hypothesis generation confirmation, hypothesis testing
design characteristics flexible, evolving, emergent predetermined, structures
small, non-random, purposeful,
sample large, random, representative
theoretical
Number-based
Text-based
data Less in-depth but more breadth of
More in-depth information on a few
information across a large number of
cases
cases
researcher as primary instrument,
observations, focus groups, in-depth
researcher is outside, scales, tests,
interviews, and reviews of documents
data collection surveys, questionnaires
for types of themes
Fixed response options
Unstructured or semi-structured
response options
inductive, constant comparative,
primary mode of analysis interpretive deductive, statistical test
no statistical test
largely depends on skill and rigor of largely depends on the measurement
validity
the researcher device or instrument used
More subjective: describes a problem
or condition from the point of view of More objective: provides observed
view those experiencing it effects (interpreted by researchers) of
a program on a problem or condition

lighter on the planning end and heavier on the planning phase and
time expenditure
heavier during the analysis phase lighter on the analysis phase
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KINDS OF RESEARCH ACROSS FIELDS

A. According to Application of Research Methods

1. Pure Research
It is also called “basic research” or “fundamental research” that aims to discover basic truth and principles
intended to add to the body of scientific knowledge
2. Applied Research
It involves seeking new applications of scientific knowledge to the solution of a problem.

B. Based on Purpose of the Research

1. Descriptive Research- define or give a verbal portrayal or picture of a person, thing, event, group,
situation
2. Correlational Research- shows relationships or connectedness of two factors, circumstances, or agents
called variables that affect the research.
3. Explanatory Research –elaborates or explains not just the reasons behind the relationship of two factors,
but also the ways by which such relationship exists
4. Exploratory research- to find out how reasonable or possible it is to conduct a research study on a certain
topic.
5. Action Research
It is a decision-oriented research involving the application of the steps of scientific method in response to
immediate need to improve existing practices.

C. According to Venue
1. Library Research
Research done in the library where answer to specific questions or problems of the study are available.
2. Field Research
Research is conducted in a natural setting where no changes are made in the environment.
3. Laboratory Research
Research is conducted in artificial or controlled conditions by isolating the study in rigorously specified and
operationalized area.

D. According to Type of Data

1. Quantitative Research
Research that utilizes numerical method of measuring or ascertaining the variable. It uses an objective
method of measuring the variable and data are treated using statistical tools.
2. Qualitative Research
Research that do not utilize numerical data but instead data are presented through elaborate word
descriptions of what is observed. Interpretation and analysis relies on the researcher’s personal judgement
and critical analysis of the event, condition, or behavior observed under investigations. This is usually
utilized with case studies

E. According to Procedure and Techniques

1. Historical Research
Research which is the accumulation of facts in relation to a particular time sequence to determine whether
or what certain events in history actually happened.
2. Descriptive Research
It includes all studies that purport to present facts concerning the nature and status of anything. It is
concerned with condition of relationships that exist, practices that prevail, beliefs and processes that are
going-on, felt influences and developing trends.
3. Experimental Method
It is a problem-solving approach of research that describes what will be when certain variables are carefully
controlled or manipulated. It is the technique of discovering information by means of experimentation.
4. Ex Post Facto Research
Research which investigates a problem by studying the variables in retrospect. The dependent variable is
immediately observable and the main concern is to find out the antecedents that give rise to this
consequence.

References:
Baraceros, Esther L. (2016). Practical Research 1. Manila: Rex Book Store
Prieto, Nelia G. et.al. (2017) Practical Research 1 for Senior High School – Quantitive. Manila: LoriMar Publishing
Shamoo A and Resnik D. 2015. Responsible Conduct of Research, 3rd ed. (New York: Oxford University Press).
https://www.orau.gov/cdcynergy/soc2web/Content/phase05/phase05_step03_deeper_qualitative_and_quantitative.htm
Practical Research 1 Lecture 1: Nature & Inquiry of Research page 3 of 4

Qualitative Research – is a research type that puts premium or high value on people’s thinking or point of view
conditioned by their personal traits.

Characteristics of Qualitative Research

1. Human understanding and principle
2. Active, powerful, and forceful
3. Multiple research approaches and methods
4.Specify to generalization
5. Contextualization
6. Diversified data in real-life situations
7. Abounds with words and visuals
8. Internal analysis

Types of Qualitative Research

1. Case study – usually takes place in the field of social care, nursing, psychology, rehabilitation centers, education,
etc. This involves long time study of a person, group, organization or situation
2. Ethnography – the study of particular cultural group to get clear understanding of its organizational set-up,
internal operation and lifestyle.
3. Phenomenology-the study of how people find their experiences meaningful
4. Content and Discourse Analysis – requires an analysis or examination of the substance or content of the mode of
communication used by a person, group or any institution in communicating
5. Historical Analysis-examination of primary documents to make you understand the connection of past events to
the present time.
6. Grounded theory- takes place when you discover a new theory to underlie your study at the time of data
collection and analysis

Qualitative research is a type of social science research that collects and works with non-
numerical data and that seeks to interpret meaning from these data that help us
understand social life through the study of targeted populations or places. People often
frame it in opposition to quantitative research, which uses numerical data to identify
large-scale trends and employs statistical operations to determine causal and correlative
relationships between variables.

Within sociology, qualitative research is typically focused on the micro-level of social

interaction that composes everyday life, whereas quantitative research typically focuses on
macro-level trends and phenomena.

Methods of qualitative research include observation and immersion, interviews, open-

ended surveys, focus groups, content analysis of visual and textual materials, and oral
history.

THE PURPOSE OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Qualitative research has a long history in sociology and has been used within it for as long
as the field itself has existed. This type of research has long appealed to social scientists
because it allows the research to investigate the meanings that people attribute to their
behavior, actions, and interactions with others. While quantitative research is useful for
identifying relationships between variables, like, for example, the connection between
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poverty and racial hate, it is qualitative research that can illuminate why this connection
exists by going directly to the source -- the people themselves.

Qualitative research is designed to reveal the meaning that informs the action or outcomes
that are typically measured by quantitative research. So, qualitative researchers
investigate meanings, interpretations, symbols, and the processes and relations of social
life. What this type of research produces is descriptive data that the researcher must then
interpret using rigorous and systematic methods of transcribing, coding, and analysis of
trends and themes.

Because its focus is everyday life and people's experiences, qualitative research lends itself
well to creating new theories using the inductive method, which can then be tested with
further research.

METHODS OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Qualitative researchers use their own eyes, ears, and intelligence to collect in-depth
perceptions and descriptions of targeted populations, places, and events. Their findings
are collected through a variety of methods, and often, a researcher will use at least two or
several of the following while conducting a qualitative study.

 Direct observation: With direct observation, a researcher studies people as they go

about their daily lives without participating or interfering. This type of research is
often unknown to those under study, and as such, must be conducted in public
settings where people do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy. For example,
a researcher might observe the ways in which strangers interact in public as they
gather to watch a street performer.
 Open-ended surveys: While many surveys are designed to generate quantitative
data, many are also designed with open-ended questions that allow for the
generation and analysis of qualitative data. For example, a survey might be used to
investigate not just which political candidates voters chose, but why they chose
them, in their own words.

 Focus group: In a focus group, a researcher engages a small group of participants in

a conversation designed to generate data relevant to the research question. Focus
groups can contain anywhere from 5 to 15 participants. Social scientists often use
them in studies that examine an event or trend that occurs within a specific
community. They are common within market research too.
 In-depth interviews: Researchers conduct in-depth interviews by speaking with
participants in a one-on-one setting. Sometimes a researcher approaches the
interview with a predetermined list of questions or topics for discussion but allows
the conversation to evolve based on how the participant responds. Other times, the
researcher has identified certain topics of interest but does not have a formal guide
for the conversation, but allows the participant to guide it.

 Oral history: The oral history method is used to create a historical account of an
event, group, or community, and typically involves a series of in-depth interviews
conducted with one or multiple participants over an extended period of time.
 Participant observation: This method is similar to observation, however with this
one, the researcher also participates in the action or events in order to not only
observe others but to gain first-hand experience in the setting.
 Ethnographic observation: Ethnographic observation is the most intensive and in-
depth observational method. Originating in anthropology, with this method, a
researcher fully immerses herself into the research setting and lives among the
participants as one of them for anywhere from months to years. By doing this, the
researcher attempts to see events and have experiences from the viewpoints of those
studied in order to develop an in-depth and long-term account of the community,
events, or trends under observation.
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 Content analysis: This method is used by sociologists to analyze social life by
interpreting words and images from documents, film, art, music, and other cultural
products and media. The researchers look at how the words and images are used,
and the context in which they are used to draw inferences about the underlying
culture. In the last decade, content analysis of digital material, especially that
generated by social media users, has become a popular technique within the social
sciences.

While much of the data generated by qualitative research is coded and analyzed using just
the researcher's eyes and brain, the use of computer software to do these processes is
increasingly popular within the social sciences.

PROS AND CONS OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Qualitative research has both benefits and drawbacks. On the plus side, it creates an in-
depth understanding of the attitudes, behaviors, interactions, events, and social processes
that compose everyday life. In doing so, it helps social scientists understand how everyday
life is influenced by society-wide things like social structure, social order, and all kinds of
social forces.

This set of methods also has the benefit of being flexible and easily adaptable to changes in
the research environment and can be conducted with minimal cost in many cases.

The downsides of qualitative research are that its scope is fairly limited so its findings are
not always widely generalizable. Researchers also have to use caution with these methods
to ensure that they themselves do not influence the data in ways that significantly change
it and that they do not bring undue personal bias to their interpretation of the findings.
Fortunately, qualitative researchers receive rigorous training designed to eliminate or
reduce these types of research bias.

by Ashley Crossman
Updated May 17, 2017
An Overview of Qualitative Research Methods
https://www.thoughtco.com/qualitative-research-methods-3026555

Qualitative research methods:

1. are concerned with opinions, feelings and experiences

2. describes social phenomena as they occur naturally - no attempt is made to manipulate the situation - just
understand and describe
3. understanding is sought by taking a holistic perspective / approach, rather than looking at a set of variables
4. qualitative research data is used to help us to develop concepts and theories that help us to understand the social
world - which is an inductive approach to the development of theory, rather than a deductive approach that
quantitative research takes - ie. Testing theories that have already been proposed.
5. Qualitative data is collected through direct encounters i.e. through interview or observation and is rather time
consumin

What is Qualitative Research?

Qualitative research is aimed at gaining a deep understanding of a specific organization or
event, rather a than surface description of a large sample of a population. It aims to provide
an explicit rendering of the structure, order, and broad patterns found among a group of
participants. It is also called ethnomethodology or field research. It generates data about
human groups in social settings.

Qualitative research does not introduce treatments or manipulate variables, or impose the
researcher's operational definitions of variables on the participants. Rather, it lets the meaning
emerge from the participants. It is more flexible in that it can adjust to the setting. Concepts,
data collection tools, and data collection methods can be adjusted as the research progresses.
Practical Research 1 Lecture 1: Nature & Inquiry of Research page 4 of 4
Qualitative research aims to get a better understanding through first hand experience, truthful
reporting, and quotations of actual conversations. It aims to understand how the participants
derive meaning from their surroundings, and how their meaning influences their behavior.

Qualitative research uses observation as the data collection method. Observation is the
selection and recording of behaviors of people in their environment. Observation is useful for
generating in-depth descriptions of organizations or events, for obtaining information that is
otherwise inaccessible, and for conducting research when other methods are inadequate.

Observation is used extensively in studies by psychologists, anthropologists, sociologists,

and program evaluators. Direct observation reduces distortion between the observer and what is
observed that can be produced by an instrument (e.g., questionnaire). It occurs in a natural
setting, not a laboratory or controlled experiment. The context or background of behavior is
included in observations of both people and their environment. And it can be used with
inarticulate subjects, such as children or others unwilling to express themselves.