Nature of Research

What Is Research?

Research is undertaken within most professions. More than a set of

skills, research is a way of thinking: examining critically the various
aspects of your day-to-day professional work; understanding and
formulating guiding principles that govern a particular procedure;
and developing and testing new theories that contribute to the
advancement of your practice and profession. It is a habit of
questioning what you do, and a systematic examination of
observations to explain and find answers for what you perceive,
with a view to instituting appropriate changes for a more effective
professional service.

 Research is one of the ways of collecting accurate, sound and

reliable information about the effectiveness of your interventions,
thereby providing you with evidence of its effectiveness. As service
providers and professionals, we use techniques and procedures
developed by research methodologists to consolidate, improve,
develop, refine and advance clinical aspects of our practice to serve
our clients better.(Kumar 2011)

Definitions of Research

 There are several definitions of research, proposed by famous

authors and scholars of their time. You will find out that the basic
meaning and the context of these definitions are same. The
difference between these definitions lies only in the way the author
has undertaken research in his discipline. Research comprises
“creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to
increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man,
culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise
new applications.” OECD (2002)

 
Scientific research is a systematic way of gathering data, a
harnessing of curiosity. This research provides scientific information
and theories for the explanation of the nature and the properties of
the world. It makes practical applications possible. Scientific
research is funded by public authorities, by charitable organizations
and by private groups, including many companies. Scientific
research can be subdivided into different classifications according to
their academic and application disciplines. Scientific research is a
widely used criterion for judging the standing of an academic
institution, such as business schools, but some argue that such is an
inaccurate assessment of the institution, because the quality of
research does not tell about the quality of teaching (these do not
necessarily correlate totally). J. Scott Armstrong and Tad Sperry
(1994).

A broad definition of research is given by Martyn Shuttleworth – “In

the broadest sense of the word, the definition of research includes
any gathering of data, information and facts for the advancement of
knowledge.” Shuttleworth, Martyn (2008).

 Another definition of research is given by Creswell who states that

– “Research is a process of steps used to collect and analyze
information to increase our understanding of a topic or issue”. It
consists of three steps: Pose a question, collect data to answer the
question, and present an answer to the question. Creswell, J. W.
(2008).

 Here are other definitions of research.

 V. Redman and A.V.H. Mory

“Research is a systematized effort to gain new knowledge.”

 Robert Ross

“Research is essentially an investigation, a recording and an

analysis of evidence for the purpose of gaining knowledge.”
 George J. Mouly

He defines research as, “The systematic and scholarly application of

the scientific method interpreted in its broader sense, to the
solution of social studies problems; conversely, any systematic
study designed to promote the development of social studies as a
science can be considered research.”

 Encyclopedia of Social Science

“Research is the manipulation of things concepts or symbols for the

purpose of generalizing to extend, correct or verify knowledge,
whether that knowledge aids in the practice of an art.”

 James Harvey Robinson

“Research is but diligent search which enjoys the high flavor or

primitive hunting.”

 John W. Best

 “Research is considered to be the more formal, systematic,

intensive process of carrying on the scientific methods of analysis. It
involves a more systematic structure of investigation, usually
resulting in some sort of formal record of procedures and a report of
results or conclusions.”

 C. Francies Rummel

“Research is an endeavor to discover, develop, and verify

knowledge. It is an intellectual process that has developed over
hundreds of years, ever-changing in purpose and form and always
searching for truth.”

The Nature of Research

 The following characterizes research.

 Research is systematic.
  Research is scientific.
 Research has objectivity.
 Research has definiteness.
 Research has verifiability.
 Research has generality.
 Research has predictability.
 Research has modifiability and dynamicity.

The Role of Research in Improving the Quality of Life

The Role of Research in Improving the Quality of Life

Basic research has led to some of the most commercially successful

and life-saving discoveries of the past century, including the laser,
vaccines and drugs, and the development of radio and television.
Through creativity, tenacity and passion, researchers are tackling
and solving big challenges such as climate change, food security,
life-threatening diseases and artificial intelligence.

Why Is Research Important? (Zarah, 2020)

The main purpose of research is to inform action, to prove a theory,

and contribute to developing knowledge in a field or study. This
article will highlight the significance of research with the following
points:

 a tool for building knowledge and for facilitating learning

 means to understand various issues and increase public
awareness
 an aid to business success
 a way to prove lies and to support truths
 means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities
 a seed to love reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable
information
 nourishment and exercise for the mind     

Finding reasons why research is important seems like a no-brainer,

but many people avoid getting involved in research. The lazy (if not
mentally-drained) student is probably thinking - "Oh, no. Not
again," while a disinterested academic could just be doing it for to
secure job tenure and/or a promotion. Yet, for those who like to
learn, whether they are members of a learning institution or not,
doing research is not just an imperative, but a need.

What reasons may drive one to appreciate research and to engage

in it?

1. A Tool for Building Knowledge and for Facilitating Learning

Research is required not just for students and academics, but for all
professionals and nonprofessionals alike. It is also important for
budding and veteran writers, both offline and online.

For nonprofessionals who value learning, doing research equips

them with knowledge about the world and skills to survive and
improve their lives. Among professionals and scribes, on the other
hand, finding an interesting topic to discuss and/or to write about
should go beyond personal experience. Determining either what the
general public may want to know or what researchers want others
to realize or to think about can serve as a reason to do research.
Thus, research is an essential component in generating knowledge
and vice-versa.

2. Means to Understand Various Issues and Increase Public

Awareness

Television shows and movies ooze with research - both on the part
of the writer(s) and the actors. Though there are hosts who rely on
their researchers, there are also those who exert effort to do their
own research. This step helps them:

 get information that hired researchers missed,

 build a good rapport with the interviewee, and
 conduct a good interview in the process

3. An Aid to Business Success

 Research benefits business. Many successful companies, such as
those producing consumer goods or mass-market items, invest in
research and development or R&D. Different business industries
with science and engineering processes like agriculture, food and
beverage, manufacturing, healthcare and pharmaceuticals,
computer software, semiconductor, information and communication
technology, construction, robotics, aerospace, aviation, and energy
have high R&D expenditure because it is critical to product
innovation and to improving services.

              

R&D also helps secure a vantage point over competitors. Finding out
how to make things happen and what could differentiate them from
others that offer similar products and services can raise the
company’s market value. Certainly, having relevant knowledge in
achieving a good commercial image through sound business
strategies like investing in R&D can boost its profitability.

 4. A Way to Prove Lies and to Support Truths

 Doing research to reveal lies or truths involving personal affairs

contributes in either making a relationship work or in breaking away
from a dysfunctional one. For the monogamous lot, doing research
to disprove or prove infidelity is not simply a trust issue, but a right
to find out the truth - unless one's intimate partner has already
admitted being polyamorous even before the relationship started.
When a person dislikes answering relationship-related questions,
including her or his whereabouts, it is better to see that as a red
flag and take baby steps to save yourself from what could become a
more serious emotional mess later.

 Fact-checking to know the truth is integral to the process of

research, for it is fueled by an inquisitive and critical mind. It is
suggested that before news readers share information on social
media, they need to assess the integrity of the news source and
check for similar news on legitimate media outlets.

 5. Means to Find, Gauge, and Seize Opportunities

Research helps people nurture their potential and achieve goals
through various opportunities. These can be in the form of securing
employment, scholarships, training grants, project funding, business
collaboration, and budget traveling, among others.

 For those looking for a job or for greener pastures, research is

necessary. Through this process, not only will the unemployed
increase their chances of finding potential employers either through
job posting sites or employment agencies, but it can inform them if
work opportunities are legitimate. Without research, the gullible, yet
hopeful jobseeker or migrant worker may fall prey to unscrupulous
headhunters who might be involved in illegal recruitment and/or
human trafficking.

 After finding a free or low-cost academic course or skills

development training, students and professionals can assess their
eligibility and know about application requirements and deadlines.
Such an opportunity could hone their skills and knowledge, as well
as enable them to build new connections.

 Doing research also benefit civil society and its members. Funding
for projects and research initiatives has been a top concern for
those who want to address social issues. However, not all funding
organizations accept proposals year-long nor are they interested in
solving many social problems. Thus, it is necessary to research for
agencies that match the objectives of individuals and non-profits
involved in advocacy or programs that seek social change.

Seizing opportunities can broaden one's social network, raise one's

awareness, or secure the support one direly needs to start a project
or a business. Indeed, research contributes to a person's ability to
make life-changing decisions. It encourages self-growth,
participation in worthwhile causes, and living productively.

 6. A Seed to Love Reading, Writing, Analyzing, and Sharing

Valuable Information

Research entails both reading and writing. These two literacy

functions help enable computation and comprehension. Without
these skills, it is less likely for anyone to appreciate and get
involved in research. Reading opens the mind to a vast horizon of
knowledge, while writing helps a reader use her/his own perspective
and transform this into a more concrete idea that s/he
understands. 

Apart from reading and writing, listening and speaking are also
integral in conducting research. Interviews, attending knowledge-
generating events, and casual talks with anyone certainly aid in
formulating research topics. They can also facilitate the critical
thinking process. Listening to experts discuss the merits of their
studies helps the listener to analyze a certain issue and write about
such analysis.

With the wide array of ideas available, scholars and non-scholars

involved in research are able to share information with a larger
audience. Some view this process as ego-boosting, while others see
it as a means to stimulate interest and encourage further studies
about certain issues or situations. As literacy is integral in improving
a person's social and economic mobility and in increasing
awareness, research then hones necessary basic life skills and
makes learning a life-long endeavor. 

7. Nourishment and Exercise for the Mind

Curiosity may kill not just the cat, but the human as well. Yet, it is
the same curiosity that fuels the mind to seek for answers. Such
search or the thinking process is food for the brain, allowing
creativity and logic to remain active. It also helps prevent mental
illnesses like Alzheimer's. Several studies have shown that mentally
stimulating activities like doing research can contribute to brain
health.

Indeed, research and doing research encourage people to explore

possibilities, to understand existing issues, and to disclose truths
and fabricated ones. Without research, technological advancement
and other developments could have remained a fantasy. Reading,
writing, observing, analyzing, and social interaction facilitate an
inquisitive mind's quest for knowledge, learning, and wisdom.
Research serves as a bridge to achieve that goal.
The Role of Research in Development
A lot has happened with the onset of research. New innovations
have changed the playing field with regard to development issues.
New vaccinations have eliminated diseases, world hunger has been
halved and the internet has brought new possibilities for
development and technology transfer.

Research is moving in the right direction. Today, many prominent

and recognized researchers come from low-income countries where
they conduct research at their own institutions.  Increasing the
credibility of universities and research facilities in low-income
countries is intended to increase the level of education and the
exchange of knowledge between countries. The universities in these
countries continuously strive to increase their professionalism,
transparency, and credibility in order to compete in the global
research arena, and it is, therefore, important for them to retain
their brightest researchers.

Research collaborations strengthen innovations, increase the

capacity to conduct research, develop national policies and
strategies, announce research funding, and communicate research
results that may contribute to reducing poverty. 

The following statements are some of the role of research in

development. 

 Development projects/programs are designed to improve the

welfare of man
 Research is needed in describing and analyzing existing social
or economic problems or conditions.
 Research data are important inputs to planning and designing
a program/project/activity intended to address an existing
problem.

The Functions of Research

The following statements are some of the functions of research.
  It helps us answer questions, solve problems, and make
decisions.
 It enables us to see and understand how and why a situation
or a problem exists.
 It helps us discover new things and ideas.
 It allows us to validate existing theories or generate new ones.
 It helps us identify and understand the causes and effects of a
situation or a phenomenon.

General Types of Research

General Types of Research Methods

Business research methods can be defined as “a systematic and

scientific procedure of data collection, compilation, analysis,
interpretation, and implication pertaining to any business problem”.
(Bajpai, N. 2011) . Types of research methods can be classified into
several categories according to the nature and purpose of the study
and other attributes. In methodology chapter of your dissertation,
you are expected to specify and discuss the type of your research
according to the following classifications.

General Classification of Types of Research Methods

Types of research methods can be broadly divided into

two: quantitative and qualitative categories.

 Quantitative research “describes, infers, and resolves problems

using numbers. Emphasis is placed on the collection of numerical
data, the summary of those data and the drawing of inferences from
the data”(Herbst, F. & Coldwell, D. 2004)

Qualitative research, on the other hand, is based on words, feelings,

emotions, sounds and other non-numerical and unquantifiable
elements. It has been noted that “information is considered
qualitative in nature if it cannot be analyzed by means of
mathematical techniques. This characteristic may also mean that an
incident does not take place often enough to allow reliable data to
be collected. (Herbst, F. & Coldwell, D. 2004)

Quantitative research Qualitative Research

Focuses on testing theories and Focuses on exploring ideas and formulat
hypotheses a theory or hypothesis
Analyzed through math and statistical Analyzed by summarizing, categorizing a
analysis interpreting
Mainly expressed in numbers, graphs Mainly expressed in words
and tables
Requires many respondents Requires few respondents
Closed (multiple choice) questions Open-ended questions
Key terms: testing, measurement, Key terms: understanding, context,
objectivity, replicability complexity, subjectivity
Examples of Quantitative Research Topics

 The relevance of maritime education and training at the Senior

High School
 Benefits that can be derived from the Maritime Profession as
Perceived by the Maritime Students of John B. Lacson
Foundation Maritime University Arevalo, Iloilo City
 The Socio-economic Profile of Seafarer’s in Upland
Communities in the Province of Iloilo”

Examples of Qualitative Research Topics

 The Meaning and Making of First Filipino Female Master

Mariner:

the Story of Capt. Ramilie Ortega Story”

 “Officers Shortage: Viewpoints from Stakeholders”

 “A Noble Profession Called Seafaring: The Making of an Officer”

Types of Research Methods According to Nature of the Study

Types of the research methods according to the nature of research

can be divided into two groups: descriptive and analytical.
Descriptive research usually involves surveys and studies that aim
to identify the facts. In other words, descriptive research mainly
deals with the “description of the state of affairs as it is at present”
Kumar, R. (2008), and there is no control over variables in
descriptive research.

Analytical research, on the other hand, is fundamentally different in

a way that “the researcher has to use facts or information already
available and analyze these in order to make a critical evaluation of
the material”. (Kumar, R.2008)

Types of Research Methods According to the Purpose of the Study

According to the purpose of the study, types of research methods

can be divided into two categories: applied
research and fundamental research. Applied research is also
referred to as action research, and fundamental research is
sometimes called basic or pure research. The table below
summarizes the main differences between applied research and
fundamental research. (Kumar, R. 2008) Similarities between
applied and fundamental (basic) research relate to the adoption of a
systematic and scientific procedure to conduct the study. (Bajpai,
N.2011)

Types of Research Methods according to Research Design

On the basis of research design, the types of research methods can
be divided into two groups – exploratory and conclusive.
Exploratory studies only aim to explore the research area and they
do not attempt to offer final and conclusive answers to research
questions. Conclusive studies, on the contrary, aim to provide final
and conclusive answers to research questions.

Table below illustrates the main differences between exploratory

and conclusive research designs:

Exploratory research Conclusive research

Loosely structured in Well structured and
Structure design systematic in design
Have a formal and
Are flexible and definitive methodology
investigative in that needs to be
Methodology methodology followed and tested
Most conclusive
researches are carried
Do not involve testing out to test the
Hypotheses of hypotheses formulated hypotheses
Findings might be
topic-specific and Findings are significant
might not have much as they have a
relevance outside of theoretical or applied
Findings researcher’s domain implication
Main differences between exploratory and conclusive research
(Chawla, D. & Sodhi, N.2011)

Dichotomies of Research

1. Pure/Basic vs. Applied

 

Pure/Basic: This type of research attempts to describe an existing

situation and /or explain certain patterns of behavior using either or
both qualitative and quantitative research techniques.
  The goal of pure research is to offer better descriptions and
better explanations of human behavior.
 The intention is to accumulate knowledge about a certain
phenomenon. 

Example of Pure/Basic Research Topics

 Factors Associated with Tardiness and Absenteeism Among

JBLFMU-Arevalo Students”
 “Risk on Board, Risk Assessment and Perceived Effects of Risk
Assessment among Bulk Carriers in Loboc and Muelle Loney
Ports, Philippines”

Applied Research

This type of research aims to see an immediate solution to the

problem. It focuses on variables or factors which can be changed by
intervention in order to achieve the desired goal, like improvement
of health, school achievement, or performance or increase in
revenue.

Example:

 An experimental study comparing the effectiveness of two 

methods of improving health practices of mothers
 Two management styles of Master Mariners can yield results
that recommend a better practice or style.  

Examples of Applied Research Topics

 “The Effect of Fertilizer Brands on Crop Production”

 “Remedial Teaching: It’s Effect on the Performance of Slow
Learners”  

2. Exploratory vs. Explanatory Research

Exploratory studies are designed to describe an existing problem

situation and examine the underlying factors that contribute to the
emergence of the problem, the nature of which is not yet well
known.

Explanatory studies seek more specific answers to “why” and “how”

questions. The primary goal of an explanatory study is to
understand or explain a prevailing situation. It explains a
relationship between factors which may have already been identified
in exploratory studies, and why the relationship exists. 

Examples of Explanatory Research

“Relationship Between Alcohol Intake and Domestic Violence Among

Married Men  in  the Municipality of Alimodian”

“Extent of Exposure  to Advertising  Materials and Expenditure

Patterns of Professionals in Iloilo City”