RESEARCH METHODS (Reviewer) insights into it (Exploratory or

Formulative Research studies)

 To portray accurately the
RESEARCH DEFINITION: characteristics of a particular
individual, situation or a group
 MARTYN SHUTTLEWORTH
(Descriptive Research studies)
- Includes any gathering of data,
 To determine the frequency with
information and facts for the
which something occurs or with
advancement of knowledge
which it is associated with
something else (Diagnostic Research
 CRESSWELL
studies)
- Is a process of steps used to
 To test a hypothesis of a causal
collect and analyze information
relationship between variables
to increase our understanding of
(Hypothesis-Testing Research studies)
a topic or issue.

 POLIT AND BECK, 2004 CHARARCTERISTICS OF RESEARCH

- Systematic inquiry that uses
 Scientific
disciplined methods to answer
- Empirical
questions or solve problems. The
- Scientific process
ultimate goal of research is to
develop, refine, and expand a
 Valid and Reliable
body of knowledge.
 Controlled
 Generalizable
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH  Systematic
 Develop professionally and
personally in ways not possible PURE/BASIC RESEARCH
through traditional lecture and
laboratory courses - Its aim is not to find out solutions
for the current problems but to think
 Opportunity to gain deeper
for the wider areas of life
knowledge of research techniques
- Seeks to create new knowledge and
and processes, apply classroom
is not directly related to technical or
learning in real-world contexts,
practical problems
explore academic literature, and
- Provides new knowledge about a
form a meaningful relationships
particular user group but does not
with faculty members and
specify a way this knowledge can be
professional researchers.
used to solve a problem

OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH
APPLIED RESEARCH
 To gain familiarity with a
- Seeks to solve problems in a
phenomenon or to achieve new
practitioners level
 - Aims to develop solutions and 2. What are the current topucs in my
recommendations that can be used field of specialization?
to improve practices 3. Are the topics connected to my
- Done to get answers for the current field?
problems
- Seeks to solve practical problems
SOURCES OF TOPIC

1. Periodicals
ENGINEERING RESEARCH
2. Research Summaries
- Concerned with the discovery and 3. Everyday Situation
systematic conceptual structuring of 4. Archive Data
knowledge 5. Secondary Data Analysis
- Concerned not only with knowledge
of natural phenomena, but also with
DETERMINING TOPIC RELEVANCE
how knowledge can serve
humankind’s needs and wants 1. Is the topic too broad?
- Was intended to confront a student 2. Can the problem be really
for the first time, with a complex investigated?
problem that was not well specified, 3. Are these data susceptible to
would need defining, and would analysis?
require synthesis of should signify 4. Is the problem significant?
the student’s knowledge for its 5. Can he results of the study be
solution. generalized?
6. What costs and time are involved in
the analysis?
FOCUS OF ENGINEERING RESEARCH
7. Is the planned approach appropriate
 Products and Services t the project?
- Design 8. Is there any potential harm to the
- Development subject?
- Operational Support
- Maintenance
SUBTOPICS OF CHAPTER 1

 Variables A. Introduction
- Cost - Not a title of research
- User compatibility - Should not only signify the
- Producibility importance of the topic but
- Safety also cause an impact on the
- Adaptability to various reader
external operating conditions B. Theoretical Framework
and environments - Basis of research problem
- Serves as inductive approach
SELECTING A TOPIC
towards the statement of the
1. What do you want to know? problem
 - Explains the phenomena
upon which the thesis
investigation hopes to fill the
vacuum in the stream of
knowledge
- Organized, logical, and
coherent upon which
problems of the study are
based
- Perceives what is the study
about
Theoretical – based on actual theory
Conceptual – Creation of the author
THREE LEVELS OF INQUIRY
(HYPOTHESIS)
C. Statement of the Problem
- Most important parts of a
research
- Focus on the study and all
questions stated should be
categorically answered
- Maybe stated in question or
topical form
D. Hypothesis of the Study
E. Basic assumptions of the Study
F. Significance of the Study
G. Definition of Terms
FOUR MAJOR TYPES OF RESEARCH
QUESTION
1. Factor – Isolating
- Questions generally starts
with WHAT
- Characteristics
- Properties
HYPOTHESIS
2. Factor – Relating
- Realtionships, Effects
- Seeks info on the
relationships of variables or
effects of variables on other
variables
3. Situation – Reading
- Questions that involved the
results of the manipulation of
the variables on the other
4. Situation – Producing
- Question establishes explicit
goals or actions
- Require development of
plans under which the goals
may be achieved
A. LEVEL 1
- Questions are asked when
the researcher has limited
knowledge of the topic
- Usually starts with WHAT
- Exploratory in nature
- Prominent in descriptive
researches
B. LEVEL 2
- Questions on relationships or
effects of variables
C. LEVEL 3
- Those which assume
relationships and effects and
ask “why” of the results
- Involves more variables,
outcomes, and predictions
 Gay (1976)
- Tentative explanation for
certain behaviors,
phenomena, or events which
have occurred or will occur
 - States your expectations
concerning the relationship
between the variables in your
research problem
 McGuigan (1978)
- A testable statement of
potential relationship
between two or more
variables
- Used for level 2 or level 3
inquiry
FUNCTIONS OF HYPOTHESIS
- Introduces your thinking at the start
of the study
- Structures the next stages of
investigation
- Helps you provide the format for
presentation, analysis and
interpretation of the data of your
study
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD
HYPOTHESIS
- Should be reasonable
- Should state the relationship
between variables
- Should be testable
- It should be based on previous
findings
TYPES OF HYPOTHESIS
 Research Hypothesis
- Temporary solution to the
problem stated in the study
TWO FORMS OF HYPOTHESIS
 Null Hypothesis (Negative)
- Predicted that there will be
no difference, relationship,
effect nor interaction
between variable
 Alternative Hypothesis
- Opposite of the null
hypothesis
- Indicates that there will be
difference, relationship,
effect or interaction bet
variables
ASSUMPTION
- Statements taken for granted
- Not to be proven
- Opposite of hypothesis
- Important in research because it also
establishes the parameters of the
study
- Necessary in forecasting for it must
assumed that the factors of
prediction remain constant
SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE
STUDY
 SCOPE
- Defines where and when the
study is conducted and who
the subjects are
 LIMITATION
- A phase or aspect of the
investigation which may
affect the result adversely but
over which you have no
control
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
- Shows the value of your
study
- Shows impact of your study
DEFINITION OF TERMS
 Conceptual
- Found in dictionaries
- Academic or universal
meaning given to a word or
group of words
- Understood by many people
 Operational/Functional
- Specific way or the meaning
used in your study
FUNCTIONS OF THE REVIEW OR
- Operates or functions in your
RELATED LITERATURE (RRL)
investigation
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
 CONCEPTUAL LITERATURE
- Literature coming from
books, journals, and other
non-data materials
- More readily available than
research literature
- More comprehensive that
research literature
 RESEARCH LITERATURE
- Empirically based, consists of
findings in theses and
dissertations
- Differences and similarities
of the research literature
mentioned either within the
chapter or at the end of the
chapter
FUNCTIONS OF THEORY
C. Puts all the constructs or concepts
that are related to the topic
D. Leads you into the specific questions
to ask in your own investigation
E. Presents the relationship among the
variables that have been
investigated.
F. Enables you to view your topics
against the finding earlier bared
- Provides the concepts or theoretical
framework of the planned research
- Provides you with the info about
past researches
- Gives you a feeling of confidence
since by means of the RRL, you will
have on hand all the constructs
related to your study
- Gives you info about research
methods used, population and
sampling considered, instruments,
techniques and computation
- Provides findings and conclusions
- Offers no a mere bibliography but
an analytical and critical appraisal of
the important and recent substantive
and methodological developments
- Informs and lends support to the
Researcher’s assumptions, operational
definition of terms and even
methodological procedur

A. It identifies the start for the research

HOW DO YOU CONDUCT THE RRL
problem by presenting the gaps,
weak points etc. - Keri na to basahin sa handout at
B. Provides the study with conceptual own words! 
or theoretical framework, justifying
the need for investigation
CATEGORIES OF LITERATURE REVIEW
1. Sources of research findings
2. Theoretical literature
3. Generally and specialty area
literature
4. Methodology Literature
5. Research literature coming from
other disciplines
6. Popular literature or those written
by experts
SOURCES OF RRL
1. Internet
2. Libraries
3. Different Org
4. Periodicals, Books, Articles
5. Theses and Dissertations
VARIABLES
- Quantity or characteristic that has
two or more mutually exclusive
values or properties of objects or
people that can be classified,
measured or labeled in different
ways
CHARACTERISTICS
- Observable characteristics of a
person or objects
- Capable of assuming several values
representing a certain category
- These are raw data or figures
gathered by the researchers
- Values that may arise from counting
- Predicted values of one variable on
the basis of another
TYPES OF VARIABLES
 DISCRETE VARIABLE
- One that can take on only a
finite or potentially countable
set of values
 CONTINOUS VARIABLES
- One that can take on an
infinite set of values between
any two levels of the
variables
 INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
- Stimulus variable
- To determine its relationship
to an observed phenomena;
called cause
- Factor that is expected to
another variable
 DEPENDENT VARIABLE
- Response variable
- To determine the effect of the
Independent variable
- Called effect, results criterion
in the study
 MODERATE VARIABLE
- Secondary or special type of
independent variable chosen
by the researcher to ascertain
if it alters or modifies the
relationship bet independent
and dependent variable
 CONTROL VARIABLE
- Variable controlled by the
researcher in which the
effects can be neutralized by
eliminating or removing
variable
  INTERVENING VARIABLE
- Variable which interferes
with the independent and
dependent variable
DETERMINING VARIABLES
1. Look for the cause and effects
2. Analyze the elations of one
observation with another
observation
3. Describe the characteristics that are
not the same from all situations
MEASUREMENT OF VARIABLES
1. NOMINAL MEASUREMENT
- Classification of the
measured variables into
different categories
 REAL NOMINAL
MEASUREMENT
- Classified based on a
naturally occurring attribute
like nationality, gender or
ethnic origin
 ARTIFICIAL NOMINAL
MEASUREMENT
- Classified based on man-
made attributes ff. certain
rules like passing or falling a
test
2. ORDINAL MEASUREMENT
- Amt. of variable placed in
the order of magnitude along
a dimension
3. INTERVAL MEASUREMENT
- Distinguishes the ordered
arrangement in units of equal
intervals.
4. RATIO MEASUREMENT
- Refers to a variable where
equality of ratio or
proportion has meaning.
CLASSIFICATION OF VARIABLES
1. QUANTITATIVE DATA
- Data that are obtained from
ordinal, interval or ratio
measurements indicating
how much of a variable
exists
- Also refers to the numerical
information gathered about
the sample
2. QUALITATIVE DATA
- Data obtained from nominal
measurement, indicating that
variables differ in quality
FOUR CHARACTERISTICS OF
RESEARCH DESIGN
1. NATURALISTIC SETTING
- For the results to have
external validity, the study
must be conducted under
normally encountered
environmental conditions.
2. CLEAR CAUSE – AND – EFFECT
RELATIONSHIP
- The results of the study can
be interpreted with
confidence IF and ONLY IF
 all cofounding effects are
identified.
3. UNOBSTRUSIVE AND VALID
MEASUREMENTS
- There should be perceptible
connection between the
communication presented to
subjects and the
measurement instruments
used
4. REALISM
- A research design must all be
realistic
WHAT IS DISCUSSED?
- The method of research and
techniques to be used
- The nature of the sample and
any control groups
- The data needed to test the
hypothesis or the answer to
the questions
- The source of data
- The procedures followed in
gathering and analyzing the
data
- The statistical treatment of
data
RESEARCH METHODS IN 3 GROUPS
1. FIRST GROUP – includes methods
which are concerned with the
collection of data
2. SECOND GROUP – consists of
those statistical techniques which are
used for establishing relationships
between the data and the unknowns
3. THIRD GROUP – consists of those
methods which are used to evaluate
the accuracy of the results obtained.
METHODS OF RESEARCH USED
 HISTORICAL
- Involves any appeal to past
experience to help in
knowing what to do in the
present and future.
 DESCRIPTIVE
- Designed for the investigator
to gather info about present
conditions
 EXPERIMENTAL
- Future oriented and never
hypothesis free
- Method of advancing
scientific knowledge
- ONLY METHOD of research
that can truly test hypothesis
concerning cause and effect
relationships
SAMPLING
BASIC TERMINOLOGY
 POPULATION
- entire set of people, things,
events or groups that is of
interest to the researcher
 SAMPLING FRAME
- List of elements in the
population
 SAMPLE
- Subset of the population
  SAMPLING UNITS
- Elements of population that are
chosen to be included in the
sample
 PARAMETER
- Number that describes some
attribute of the elements of
population
 STATISTIC
- Number that describes some
attribute of the elements of the
sample
include members of different
groups
c) MULTISTAGE SAMPLING
- Used when there is no list of
every element in the population
available
- Used when a list of clusters or
geographic areas is available,
but researcher lacks access to
lists of elements within clusters
or areas.
- A version of cluster sampling is
area sampling

GOAL OF SAMPLING 2. NON PROBABLITY SAMPLES

- To obtain a sample that is - Often resorted to beacuse

representative of the
population being studied

Two (2) MAJOR SAMPLING STRATEGIES

1 PROBABILITY SAMPLING

- Allows us to be most sure that

the sample is representative of
the population

a) SIMPLE RANDOM SAMPLING

- allows every element in the
population the same chance of
being included in the sample
- used when a complete sampling
frame is available
- sample statistics would be close
to the population parameters

b) STRATIFIED RANDOM SAMPLING

- Drawn from different categories
(strata) of a population
- used when a complete sampling
frame is available and crucial to