NATURE OF INQUIRY AND RESEARCH

1. INQUIRY
 to look for information by asking various questions about the thing you are curious
about.
 a learning process that motivates you to obtain knowledge or information about people,
things, places, or events.

How do you Inquire?

1. Investigating or asking questions about something you are inquisitive about

2. Collect data, meaning, facts, and information about the object of your inquiry and examine
such data carefully.
3. Execute varied thinking strategies that range from lower-order to higher-order thinking skills
(inferential, critical, integrative, and creative thinking)

Benefits of Inquiry- Based Learning

1. Elevates interpretative thinking through graphic skills

2. Improves student learning abilities
3. Widens learner’s vocabulary
4. Facilitates problem-solving acts
5. Increases social awareness and cultural knowledge
6. Encourages cooperative learning
7. Provides mastery of procedural knowledge
8. Encourages higher-order thinking skills
9. Hasten Conceptual Understanding

2. Research
 to discover truths by investigating on your chosen topic scientifically.
 "Re" is a prefix that means again and search is a word that means to look for.
 Therefore, research is to look for something (Chapman 1979).

Research is a process of executing various mental acts to discover and examine facts and information
to prove the accuracy or truthfulness of your claims or conclusions about the topic of your research.

Research requires you to inquire or investigate your chosen research topic by asking questions that
will make you engage yourself in top-level thinking strategies of interpreting, analyzing, synthesizing,
criticizing, appreciating, or creating to enable you to discover truths about the many things you tend
to wonder about the topic of your research work. (Litchman 2013)

Research is not only about discovering something unknown, but also about coming up with a new
explanation of something that is known. It is a process of searching for something to solve an
existing or difficult problem.
 Research is understood as a systematic investigation or inquiry entailing collection of data,
documentation of critical information, analysis, and interpretation of information. It is systematic
because it follows a structure or a particular method.

Importance of Research in Daily Lives

 Research aims for truth.

 Research improves quality of human life.
 Research saves life.
 Research explores humanity.

Characteristics of Research

1. Systematic. It must take place in an organized or orderly manner.

2. Objective. It must deal with facts, not with mere opinions arising from assumptions,
generalizations, predictions, or conclusions.
3. Feasible. The researcher needs to consider the possibility and practicality of conducting the
proposed study. All significant factors like time, budget and access to resources must be analyzed
to determine if the research can be done.
4. Empirical. The researcher needs to employ appropriate methods, either quantitatively or
qualitatively, to produce evidence-based information. They can be drawn from concrete
experimentation, direct or indirect observation, and verifiable experience.
5. Clarity. It must succeed in expressing its central point or discoveries by using simple, direct,
concise, and correct language.
6. Timely. It must work on a topic that is fresh.
7. Relevance. Its topic must be instrumental in improving society or in solving problems affecting
the lives of people in a community, new, and interesting to the present society.

Purpose of Research

 To learn how to work independently

 To learn how to work scientifically or systematically
 To have an in-depth knowledge of something
 To elevate your mental abilities by letting you think in higher-order thinking strategies (HOTS)
of inferring, evaluating, synthesizing, appreciating, applying, and creating
 To improve your reading and writing skills
 To be familiar with the basic tools of research and the various techniques of gathering data
and presenting research findings
 To free yourself, to a certain extent, from the domination or strong influence of a single
textbook or the professor’s lone viewpoint or spoon-feeding

The Research Process

The following table shows the five phases of the research process along with their definition:
Ethics in Research

Ethics is a branch of knowledge that deals with moral principles governing a person’s behavior in the
conduct of any activity. Knowing the importance of the principles of ethics in research will guide you in
considering the ethical codes and policies you must follow in writing and conducting research.

Importance of Ethical principles in writing and conducting research:

1. It promotes the aims of research.

2. It upholds values that are essential to collaborative work.
3. It ensures that researchers can be held accountable to the public
4. It builds public support for research.
5. It promotes a variety of moral and social

Ethical Codes and Policies

 Honesty  Confidentiality
 Objectivity  Responsible publication
 Integrity  Responsible mentoring
 Care  Respect for colleagues
 Openness  Social responsibility
 Respect for colleagues  Non-discrimination
  Competence  Human Subject Protection
 Legality

Rights of Research Participants

 Voluntary participation  Confidentiality

 Informed consent  Anonymit

 Risk of harm

Types of Research (Based on Application of Research Method)

1. Pure Research. It deals with concepts, principles, or abstract things. This type of research aims to
increase your knowledge about something.
2. Applied Research. You apply your chosen research to societal problems or issues, finding ways to
make positive changes in society.

Types of Research (Based on Purpose of the Research)

1. Descriptive Research – This type of research aims at defining or giving a verbal portrayal or
picture of a person, thing, event, group, situation, etc. This is liable to repeated research because
its topic relates itself only to a certain period or a limited number of years. Based on the results
of your descriptive studies about a subject, you develop the inclination of conducting further
studies on such topic.
2. Correlational Research – A correlational research shows relationships or connectedness of two
factors, circumstances, or agents called variables that affect the research. It is only concerned in
indicating the existence of a relationship, not the causes and ways of the development of such
relationship.
3. Explanatory Research – This type of 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 – An exploratory research’s purpose is to find out how reasonable or
possible it is to conduct a research study on a certain topic. Here, you will discover ideas on
topics that could trigger your interest in conducting research studies.
5. Action Research – This type of research studies an ongoing practice of a school, organization,
community, or institution for the purpose of obtaining results that will bring improvements in
the system.

Types of Research (Based on Types of Data Needed)

Quantitative Qualitative

Aims to characterize trends and patterns Involves processes, feelings, and motives (the
why’s and the how’s) and produces in-depth
 and holistic data

Usually starts with either a theory or hypothesis Usually concerned with generating hypothesis
about the relationship between two or more from data rather than testing a hypothesis
variables
Uses structured research instruments like Uses either unstructured or semi- structured
questionnaires or schedules instruments

 Generally, quantitative and qualitative research differ in the type of data they produce. The
former dwells on the collection of numerical data analyzed by statistical analysis, while the
latter deals with descriptive, in-depth, and holistic data analyzed by summarizing,
categorizing, and interpreting. On this note, you need to use quantitative research if you
want to confirm or test a theory or hypothesis and use qualitative research if you want to
understand concepts, thoughts, and experiences.

Qualitative Research

 Subjectivity in qualitative research extends to both the subjects being studied and the researcher
conducting the research.

 The researcher's personal involvement in every stage of the research process influences their
perceptions and interpretations of the data gathered, particularly during interviews and
observations.

 It emphasizes studying phenomena in their natural settings, acknowledging the influence of

society and individuals' intentions on reality.

 This approach allows researchers to explore cause-effect relationships within real-life contexts,
positioning qualitative research as an investigation into authentic events and experiences.

Characteristics of a Qualitative Research

1. Human understanding and interpretation

 Understanding People's Thoughts: In qualitative research, we try to understand how
people see the world and what they believe. This helps us learn about their values,
likes, and dislikes.

2. Active, powerful, and forceful

 Being Flexible and Creative: We need to be ready to change our plans as we learn new
things. This might mean adjusting our questions or finding different ways to get answers.
3. Multiple research approaches and methods
 Using Different Methods: We can use lots of different ways to study things in qualitative
research. We can even mix it with other types of research to get a better picture.
 4. Specificity to generalization
 From Specific to Big Ideas: We start by looking at specific examples and then try to find
bigger patterns or ideas.
5. Contextualization
 Understanding the Whole Picture: We look at all the things that might affect someone's
life, like their surroundings and the people around them.
6. Diversified data in real-life situations
 Studying Real Life: We like to study people in their natural environment, like watching
them in their daily lives or looking at real pictures and videos.
7. Abounds with words and visuals
 Using Lots of Words and Pictures: We gather information by talking to people and then
use words and visuals like pictures and graphs to explain what we found.
8. Internal analysis
 Looking Inside People's Minds: We try to understand how people think and feel about
things, rather than just looking at their physical actions. We also study things like books
or art to understand their deeper meaning.

Types of Qualitative Research

1. Case Study –

Focus: Individuals, groups, organizations, or situations.

GOAL: Understand why certain occurrences happen.

EXAMPLE: Studying a person's rehabilitation journey to understand factors influencing recovery.

2. Ethnography

Focus: Cultural groups.

GOAL: Understand organizational setup, lifestyle, and worldview.

EXAMPLE: Living within a tribal community to study their rituals and traditions

3. Phenomenology

Focus: Individual experiences

Goal: Explore how people find meaning in their experiences.

EXAMPLE: Investigating how individuals cope with grief after losing a loved one.

4. Content & Discourse Analysis

Focus: Communication mediums and language structures, communication mediums and

language structures.

GOALS: Understand sociological, cultural, and ideological influences

 EXAMPLE: Analyzing political speeches to uncover underlying narratives and messaging.

5. Historical Analysis

Focus: Past events and their connection to the present.

Goal: Identify changes and continuities over time

Example: Studying archived newspapers to trace the evolution of societal norms.

6. Grounded Theory

Focus: Emergent theories from data

Goal: Develop new theories grounded in empirical evidence.

Example: Developing a theory about effective leadership styles based on observations within a
workplace.

ADVANTAGES OR STRENGTHS OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

 Qualitative research looks at things based on what people find meaningful.

 It helps us understand human behavior or personality traits in real-life settings.

 It can lead to positive changes in society.

 It respects people's unique views and requires careful attention from researchers.

 It helps us understand how people interact in society.

 It involves the researcher's background knowledge, increasing interest in the study.

 It offers different ways to learn and explore a subject.

WEAKNESSESS OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

 Qualitative research relies heavily on the researcher's personal biases during data analysis.

 Determining the validity and reliability of qualitative data is challenging.

 Open-ended questions in qualitative research can lead to overwhelming amounts of data that
take a long time to analyze.

 Qualitative research is time-consuming.

 Results in qualitative research are highly dependent on the researcher's interpretations, which
can vary and affect the reliability of findings.
 PARTS OF CHAPTER 1

 Title Page/Preliminary Pages  Research Methodology

 Introduction - Research Design
 Statement of the Problem - Sources of Data
 Significance of the study - Locale of the Study
 Scope and Limitation of the Study - Population and Sample
 Conceptual Framework - Data Gathering Instrument
 Theoretical Framework - Data Gathering Procedures
 Review of Related Literature - Data Analysis
 Operational Definition of Terms - Ethical Considerations

Research Projects Related to Daily Life

 Since qualitative research mostly investigates human situations, human behavior, and social
phenomena, and poses inquiries about events in daily life, this kind of research is tied to reality.

Things to consider when writing a Research:

1) Start with a topic. A research paper always starts with a topic to work on. There is no such thing
as best topic; instead, it’s better to jot down 3-5 topics to work on.
2) Identifying problem situations involves recognizing issues or challenges that exist within
different areas of life, such as at home, in school, or within the larger community.
3) Consider your passion or interest. Your interest in a topic may be caused by your rich
background knowledge about it and by its unfamiliarity to you. Your real interest in a subject
push you to research, investigate, or inquire about it with full enthusiasm, motivation, and
energy.
4) Make sure you have enough resources for your topic. In writing a research paper, you need to
think if there are available resources such as books, journals, and others that would help you in
your study.
5) Pick a topic that is timely and relevant. The topic is relevant if it yields results that are
instrumental in societal improvement. It is timely if it is related to the present.
6) Be ready with your financial resources. Assess your research abilities in terms of your financial
standing, health condition, mental capacity, needed facilities, and time allotment to enable you
to complete your research. This only means that one needs to become physically and mentally
prepared to be a researcher.
7) Master the skill of finding the research topic. Unfortunately, not all topics you are interested in
maybe that easy to write about. It becomes even more difficult if there is not enough research
material about the topic you’ve chosen. When confronted on what research paper topics to do,
find a broad subject first, then narrow it down.
The following topics should be avoided:

1. Controversial topic. These are topics that depend greatly on the writer’s opinion. Facts cannot
support topics like these.
Example: The Extent of Filipinos’ Faith in God
2. Highly Technical Topics: For a beginner, researching on topics that require advanced study,
technical knowledge, and vast experience is a difficult task.
Example: Spaceship Building.
3. Hard-to-Investigate Topics. A subject is hard to investigate if there are no available reading
materials about it and if such materials are not up to date.
Example: Labor Unions Before the Coming of Christ.
4. Broad Topics. Topics that are too broad will prevent you from giving an in-depth analysis of the
subject matter of the paper. The solution to this is to narrow or limit the topic to a smaller one.
Example: Lack of Self-Confidence (Broad)
5. Too Narrow Topics. These subjects are too limited or specific that extensive searching or reading
for information about these is necessary.
Example: The Definition of Research.
6. Vague Topics. Choosing topics like these will prevent you from having a clear focus on your
paper. Titles beginning with indefinite adjectives such as several, many, some, etc., are vague
enough to decrease the readers’ interest and curiosity.
Example: Some Excessively Priced Imported Vehicles

Criteria in Choosing a Research Topic

1) It should be something new or different from what has already been written about.
2) It must be original.
3) It should be significant to the field of study or discipline.
4) It must necessarily arouse intellectual curiosity.
5) It should be the researcher’s interest and researcher must be with the topic.
6) It should be a modest one for a beginner to be carried out within a limited period.
7) It should be clear, not ambiguous.
8) It should be specific, not general.
9) It should consider the training and personal qualifications of the researcher.
10) It should consider the availability of data involved in the study and the methods and
techniques to be employed in gathering them.
11) It should consider the availability of effective instruments for gathering the data and their
treatment.
12) It should consider the financial capacity of the researcher to support the project.
13) It should consider the time factor involved in the undertaking.
The following are the sources of research topics:

 Pressing Issues on an individual, organizational, or societal level, or success stories.

 Wide Reading/Critical Film Viewing
 Social Networking
 Replication
 Lectures, Talks, Seminars
 Gray Areas

Here are basic reminders for writing a research title:

1. Keep it Simple, Brief, and Attractive: The title should be short and clear, summarizing the main
point of the research. Aim for 10-15 words to avoid making it too long and distracting.

2. Use appropriate descriptive words. A good research title should contain key words used in the
manuscript and should define the nature of the study. Think about terms people would use to
search for the study and include them in the title.

3. Avoid abbreviations and jargon. Known abbreviations such as AIDS, HIV, and so on can be used
in the title. However, lesser-known, or specific abbreviations and jargon that would not be
immediately familiar to the readers should be left out.

4. It is a good idea to create a ‘working’ research title first. This title helps focus the research and
writing but can be changed if needed. The final title should be a phrase or question that
indicates the subject and scope of the research while generating the reader’s interest and
enthusiasm for the topic.

How to Write a Research Title

Step 1: Ask yourself these questions and make note of the answers:

1) What is my paper about?

 2) What techniques/designs will be used?
3) Who/What will be studied?
4) Where is the setting of the study?
5) When is the period or duration of the study?

Step 2: Use your answers to list keywords.

Step 3: Create a sentence that indicates the keywords you listed.

Step 4: Delete all unnecessary/repetitive words and link the remaining.

Step 5: Delete non-essential information and reword the title.

The introduction follows an inverted pyramid structuring. We start with the most important details going
down to the least, but still important parts.

1. Introduction: This section introduces the topic of the research.

2. Background of Information: It provides clear definitions and descriptions related to the topic to
give the reader a good understanding.

3. Identification of Problem: The researcher points out an existing issue or gap in knowledge
related to the topic. This is crucial because it shows why the research is needed.

4. Research Gap: This is the area where the researcher identifies what aspect of the problem they
aim to address in their study. It's like highlighting a missing piece in a puzzle.

5. Purpose of the Study: The researcher clarifies what they hope to achieve with their research,
often by resolving the identified problem or filling the research gap.

6. Supporting Evidence: Providing evidence and examples to back up the points made in the
introduction and problem identification is essential. It helps to make the case for why the
research is important and necessary.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM (SOP)

 The problem statement should provide a specific and accurate synopsis of the overall
purpose of the study. If the purpose of the study is not clear to the writer, it cannot be clear
to the reader also. Briefly define and delimit the specific area of the research.
 A statement of the problem (SOP) is used in research work as a claim that outlines the
problem addressed by a study. The statement of the problem briefly addresses the question:
What is the problem that the research will address? (Bwisa,H,2018).
 A good research problem should address an existing gap in knowledge in the field and lead
to further research.
 The research problems must be stated vividly and explicitly expressed in question form.
The objectives should be stated clearly and specifically. It should be understood by the
 readers and specifies what is to be attained. It is important in a proposal that the problem
stands out – that the reader can easily recognize it.

How to write a Statement of the Problem (Olandria, 2015)

A declarative general statement is presented first while the specific statements (in interrogative
form) come next. Then, this is followed by the objective of the study which exposes the purposes
the research wants to achieve. See the example on the next slide:

 Example 1: (Salmo, J., 2018)

(Mention here the major problem:)
This study entitled “Picture Analysis: Filipina Beauty Queens on Philpost Stamps” determined the
evolution of postage stamp.
 (Then mention the specific problems in this part)
Specifically, this study answered the following questions:
What is the symbol, meaning, features and themes of stamps in terms of:
A. Background,
B. Foreground,
C. Class,
D. Perforation?

Scope and Limitation

 set boundaries as to what should be included or should not be included in your study.
 In research, we call this “setting of boundaries” as Scope and Delimitation.

What are included in the Scope and Limitation?

Guidelines on How to Write a Scope

A good scope statement will answer the following six question words:
Why – the general aims and objectives (purpose/s) of the research.
What – the subject to be investigated, and the included variables.
Where – the location or setting of the study, i.e. where the data will be gathered and to which entity the
data will belong.
When – the timeframe within which the data is to be collected questions

Who – the subject matter of the study and the population from which they will be selected. This
population needs to be large enough to be able to make generalizations.
How – how the research is to be conducted, including a description of the research design (e.g. whether
it is experimental research, qualitative research or a case study, methodology, research tools and analysis
techniques.

Writing Your Study Delimitations

Use the below prompts as an effective way to start writing your study delimitations:
This study does not cover…
This study is limited to…
The following has been excluded from this study…
This study will confine itself to…

Significance of the Study.

In simple terms, the significance of the study is basically the importance of your research. It is stated in
the Introduction section of your research paper where you provide reasons and justifications of your
study, after providing the background (context) of the study. While stating the significance, you must
highlight how your research will benefit the development of science and society in general.

Conceptual Framework

 A tentative explanation or theoretical explanation of the phenomenon or problem which serves

as the basis on the formulation of research hypothesis.
 This is a mental image or perception anchored and on the theoretical framework. It is the
detailed presentation of the variables to be observed in the on-going study; the concepts
defined in a way the investigator wants, the way the variables are operationalized and the
method of measuring the variables.
 The conceptual framework is drawn from the review of related literature and studies. It should
clarify the relationship between and among major variables of the study. It should be illustrated
further by drawing a conceptual paradigm.

Paradigm

 a pattern, example, or model

 is the mental window through which the researcher views the problem
 a research perspective or view that holds about what research goals and methods should be
 a perspective or frame of reference for viewing the problem, consisting of concepts and
assumptions

TYPES OF VARIABLES
  The Independent Variable is the one condition that you change in an experiment.
 The Dependent Variable is the variable that you measure or observe. It is the factor that is
dependent on the state of the independent variable.

Theoretical Framework - an organized body that explains what has been done and what has been said
on the topic or problem being investigated.

 The research should identify the important concepts that are utilized in the research work for
better understanding and insight of the theories, models, and paradigms related to problem and
hypothesis. It can also be modified or reconstructed into general framework containing the
variables and relationships for the purpose of the research to be undertaken. It is necessary to
mention the theory that will be utilized by giving the assumptions, defining key terms and
concepts, identifying variables, and stating the relationship of the hypothesized variables.

Review of Related Literature and Studies

 The review of related literature should be presented in topical form, irrespective of whether it’s
local or foreign, and not necessarily in chronological order.
 In review of literature, the researcher can find out how other researchers have formulated
fruitful lines inquiry within a particular field of interest. The review of related literature and
studies should be presented in topical form, irrespective of whether it is local or foreign, and not
necessarily in presented in chronological order.

The Difference between Related Literature and Related Studies

 Related Literature - These are the printed materials that the researcher has consulted for the
thesis, or these include both printed (books, magazines, newspapers etc.) and electronic copies.
dissertation.
 Related Studies - These are published books, periodicals, technical reports, professional journals
and variety of academic theses and dissertations in print. The sources of related studies usually
are laws, department orders, memoranda and circulars established and promulgated by duly
constituted authority for observance and compliance which are directly related to the present
study. These are written and positive rules prescribed under the authority of the state.

Purposes of a Review of Literature

1) It delimits the research problem.

2) It selects new lines of investigation.
3) It avoids fruitless approaches.
4) It gains methodological insights.

Steps in a Literature Review

 1) Search preliminary sources. Ex. Books, articles, professional journals, and other publications that
are relevant to the problem,
2) Use secondary sources. Ex. Other research with written reviews of literature that may be
relevant to your study.
3) Read primary sources. Ex. A document that can be found in master’s thesis, dissertation or
journal.
4) Synthesis of the literature.

Guidelines on Effective Writing of the Literature and Review

1. Research papers must be writ written in a formal style, which is in the third person, not the first
person.
2. Avoid highly descriptive writing style, not appropriate for scholarly research.
3. Use the active voice for direct impact and easy understanding.
4. Avoid the use of jargon; use familiar terms in place of terminologies.
5. Language should be neutral gender, no sexy language Iike his.
6. Make the conclusions and contradictions found in the literature clear in the report.
7. Use short sentences; avoid elongated and run-on expressions.
8. Use proper grammar and proofread the work.
9. Never plagiarize, give credit to the original author of ideas.
10. Pay attention to the structure and form of published articles. Ex Jose (2007) claims that job-
related stress can treatments.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

 This part contains the definition of the terms as used in the study.
 The key terms should be substantially and clearly defined according to how they are utilized in
the study to facilitate understanding of the problem.
 The terms defined should be arranged in alphabetical order.
 Acronyms should be spelled out fully, especially if they are not commonly known or if used for
the first time.
 Definitions should be clear, brief, and unequivocal as possible.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Designs

 A blueprint for conducting a study that maximizes the control over the factors that could
interfere with the validity of findings.
  Research designs form the structure and the researcher's method of answering his questions
and conducting studies. This is categorized according to the procedure the researcher collects
and analyzes data and his research purpose.

SOURCES OF DATA

 Informants or participants refers to the individual involved in the study, who answer
questionnaires from which the needed data are obtained.

LOCALE OF THE STUDY

 The setting/location of the study. Where will you conduct the study?

POPULATION AND SAMPLE

 A population refers to the whole group that comprises of the members of the defined class of
people, events, or objects.
 Sample refers to the members of the group or of the class which are the subjects of observation
that is also drawn from the same population.

TYPES OF SAMPLING

 Probability Sampling – provides equal opportunities for the population to be chosen as

participants of the study.
 Non-probability Sampling- the selection of participants is based on the convenience of the
researcher and the purpose of the study.

DATA GATHERING INSTRUMENT

 A tool used to obtain, measure, and analyze data from the subjects around the research topic. It
can be designed or adopted by the researcher for data gathering.

Commonly used research instruments:

 Questionnaire
 Interview
 Observation

DATA PROCEDURES

 This section contains the steps or directions followed from the time of the distribution of the
instrument up to the time of retrieval.
DATA ANALYSIS

 An explanation of data or facts in terms of quantity, quality, attributes, traits, patterns, trends,
relationships among others as to answer research questions which involves statistical techniques
or procedures.

QUALITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS

1. Prepare and organize your data.

2. Review and explore your data.
3. Develop a data coding system.
4. Assign codes to the data.
5. Identify recurring themes.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

 A set of principles that guide your research designs and practices.

ETHICAL ISSUES

1. Voluntary participation - Your participants are free to opt in or out of the study at any point in
time.
2. Informed consent - Participants know the purpose, benefits, risks, and funding behind the study
before they agree or decline to join.
3. Confidentiality - You know who the participants are, but you keep that information hidden from
everyone else. You anonymize personally identifiable data so that it can’t be linked to other data
by anyone else.
4. Results communication - You ensure your work is free of plagiarism or research misconduct, and
you accurately represent your results.