RESEARCH

METHODS IN
EDUCATION
Dr. Alice R. Ramos
#01 Means to achieve understanding
THE SEARCH FOR (Mouly, 1978):
1. Experience
UNDERSTANDING 2. Reasoning
3. Research

Three types of reasoning:

4. Deductive reasoning
5. Inductive reasoning
6. Combined inductive-deductive approach

Research
7. A further means to discover truth
8. Systematic and controlled
9. Empirical
10.Self-correcting
#02
8 STEPS OF RESEARCH
RESEARCH PROCESS
PROCESS
1.Define research problem.
2.Review of literature
3.Development of
Theoretical and
Conceptual Frameworks
4.Clarification of the
Research Question
5.Research Design
6.Data Collection
7.Data Analysis and
Discussion of the Findings
8.Drawing Conclusions
#03
• A research problem is a
RESEARCH PROBLEM
question that a
researcher wants to
answer or a problem
that a researcher wants
to solve.
• Selection of a good
research problem is a
discovery in itself.
• Defining the research
problem is the first step
of the research process.
 • The stage that will take up
Stage # 1 most, if not all, of your time
in the beginning is that of
Selection of Topic selecting a topic and
developing a preliminary
research question and set
of objectives.
• The selection of your
research question is a
crucial stage.
• An inappropriate topic or
question will often lead to
irretrievable difficulties later
in the research.
• It is unlikely that you will
develop a final question and
set of objectives at this
stage of the research
Stage # 2 • This is essentially
consisted of critical
REVIEWING THE reading, evaluating and
LITERATURE organizing existing
literature on the topic to
assess the state of
knowledge in the area.
• During this stage you
should aim to become an
expert in your field of
research.
• Reading widely may also
alert you to other helpful
factors, such as previous
methodologies adopted
Stage # 3
DEVELOPMENT OF
THEORETICAL AND
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS
• While reading literature, you
should be continually developing
and refining your theoretical and
conceptual frameworks.
• This is a vital part of the research
process.
• The conceptual framework
defines and organizes the
concepts important within the
study.
Stage # 4
CL ARIFICATION OF THE
RESEARCH QUESTION
• Stages 1, 2 and 3 of the process will
initially become a circular process.
• Continuously investigating the strength
of the research question leading to
rejected questions for the following
examples:
• The question lacks sufficient focus
• The conceptual framework has
identified problems in either defining
and/or measuring the appropriate
concepts.
Stage # 5
RESEARCH DESIGN
• Once the focused research question has
been ascertained, the next stage is to
consider two questions:
• What data do I need to collect to
answer this question?
• What is the best way to collect this
data?
Then we can also ask:
• Who should participate in the
research, and how will I gain access
to them?
• What are the exact procedures that I
should adopt in my data collection to
ensure reliability and validity?
Stage # 6
DATA COLLECTION
• Once the issues identified in
stages 4 and 5 have been
addressed, you should have a
clear idea of what data to
collect and how to collect it.
• You must consider which
methodology to choose, and
which methods to utilize
within the methodology.
 • The data collected in
Stage # 7 stage 6 needs to be
analyzed to provide
DATA ANALYSIS AND answers to your research
DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS question.
• Methods of analysis
should always be related
to the objectives of the
research.
• In your discussion of the
results, reference should
also be made back to the
literature reviewed.
• Do they support the
literature?
• If not, what are the
#8
• This should relate back to
DRAWING CONCLUSIONS the focused research
question.
• The answer to the research
question should be clearly
stated.
• Evaluate how successful
you have been in achieving
your research objectives.
• Highlight the strengths and
weaknesses of the
research.
• Recommendations for
further research.
RESEARCH
PROBLEM
 REVIEW OF
RELATED
LITERATURE
AND STUDIES
 What is a Literature Review?
It’s a critical recap of what has
already been researched on a topic,
it could be anything
from books, journal articles or
other sources.
 Why is Literature Review important?

1. To find out for yourself what’s already

known about the topic.
2. To give your reader a critical overview of
what you found.
3. To find out what’s missing.
 PRO TIP
Use BOOLEAN operators!
AND - so all the keywords have to be included
in the results, and not just part of the search.
OR - to search for either of the synonyms
MINUS SIGN (-) - to exclude other information
“ “ - to search for results with exact matches
 PRO TIP
Read the abstract to scan whether an article is
relevant or not.
Scan the bibliography to find other relevant
sources.
Pay attention to the citation count on Google
Scholar.
RESEARCH GAP
Knowledge gaps
Conceptual gaps
Methodological gaps
Data gaps
Practical gaps
Literature gaps
STEP 5: Write the Literature
Review

STEP 6: Proofread and Edit

RESEARCH
DESIGNS
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH – exploring and understanding the
meaning individuals or groups ascribe to a social or a human
problem.

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH – testing objective theories by

examining the relationship among variables.

MIXED-METHOD RESEARCH – an approach to inquiry that

combines or associates both qualitative and quantitative
forms.
 CHAPTER I
The Problem and Its
Background
 Essential Parts

Introduction
- It presents the rationale of your study and clearly indicates why is it worth
doing.
Statement of the Problem
- It states the general and specific problem that needs to be answered in the
study.
Assumption/Hypothesis
- It is the statement on the researchers stand for the relationship/ differences
of the variables that will be explored.
Scope and Limitation
- It sets the limitations or boundaries of the research in order to provide clear
focus.
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 Significance of the Study
- It provides the contexts and sets stage for your research question in such a
way that it highlights necessity and importance.
Framework of the Study
- States the anchor point of the study and serves as the backbone and
compass of the study. This is reflected in a study in the form of :
- A. Conceptual Framework
- B. Theoretical Framework
Definition of Terms
- Identifies and defines the terms that can be found in the research
operationally.

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 The
Introduction
"The introduction is the gateway that beckons readers to embark on a journey
of discovery, unveiling the profound significance and purpose of the research
ahead, igniting their curiosity, and inspiring them to delve deeper into the
realms of knowledge."
What is it for?
1.What am I writing about?
2. Why is it important?
3.What do I want the reader to
know about it?
 The introduction gives the reader background and
context to convey the importance of your
research.
It will provide your readers with their initial
impressions about the logic of your argument,
your writing style, the overall quality of your
research, and, ultimately, the validity of your
findings and conclusions.

Be cautious of making your introduction look like

a review of related literature.
What should we
prepare?
Global/ national
data/ statistic
Reports from different
related agencies/
organizations/
departments Relevant
studies/ literature Legal
Basis
( laws, circulars, orders,
What should we
prepare?
Baseline data
(reports,
documents, existing
records)
LARANA COMPANY

Preparing
to Write
the
Introducti
on
What should we
prepare?
Alternatives to baseline
data are:
Documentary analysis
Needs analysis/
assessment surveys and
key informant interviews
How to develop a
baseline?
Pick an indicator/s that best reflect the
behaviors that are most important to the
study

Does this represent what's most important and pertinent in the context of
the study?
Is this measure showing what it's supposed to measure and not some
by- product?
Can this support the problem/ issue that the study is trying to cover?

Find/ construct measures for those indicators.

LARANA COMPANY

Writing
the
Introduct
ion
Step 1: Introduce your topic
The first job of the introduction is to tell the
reader what your topic is and why it’s
interesting or important. This is generally
accomplished with a strong opening
hook.
The hook is a striking opening sentence
that clearly conveys the relevance of your
topic.
 How do we write the introduction?
Step 1: Introduce your topic
Step 2. Get started with the first
paragraph

Establish an area to research by:

Highlighting the importance of the topic,

Making general statements about the topic,
Presenting the status quo at a wider
perspective.
Step 3. Go on with your global data

Global Data and Statistics

Global/ International Surveys
Step 3: Relate your global data to your
national data.

Report from different departments Laws,

circulars, official documents Current
initiatives
Step 3: Present your local data

Reports directly drawn from the

locale
The problems felt and the
corresponding baseline data
How do we write the introduction?
Step 4: From time to time, as you go from
national to local data, related studies may be
cited
Step 5: In the last few paragraphs of your introduction
discuss the following:

the gap
aims/ purpose of the study
target output
significance
Add Company
Name

Or your inverted
pyramid could also
go this way....
 Unlocking the Path to Successful Research Publication: Strategies and Best Practices

What is known?

What is unknown?

What needs to be
done?
 Statement of the Problem

◆ This provides the synopsis and overall purpose of the study.

◆ The questions must be parallel to the framework constructed
◆ Problems must be stated vividly and explicitly in question form
and must be SMART:
◆ Specific
◆ Measurable
◆ Attainable
◆ Result-Oriented/ Realistic
◆ Time-Bound

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 Statement of the Hypothesis

◆ Use a null hypothesis for it is appropriate for either rejecting or

accepting differences or relationships based on the findings of the
study.
◆ Hypothesis are based on the statement of the problem
◆ Be specific with the hypothesis you are going to test.
◆ It must be clear, concrete and measurable in terms of observable
behaviors.

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 Scope, Limitation and Delimitation

◆ This addresses how the study will be

narrowed and how it is bounded.
◆ It gives a clear overview of what is included
and not in your study specifically the
variables, situations, research instruments,
locale and respondents and specific time for
conduct.

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 Significance of the Study

◆ It will give focus on the contributions in relation to whatever the

results of the study might be.
◆ Indicate how the research will be of specific help to specific
individuals, group of persons or institutions
◆ It answers the questions:
◆ What impact will the study have in the future?
◆ Who are the stakeholders that will be affected?
◆ What could be the usage of the findings

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 Theoretical Framework

◆ Select at least three theories related to the constructs of your

study.
◆ Explain each at a time. Do not forget to cite references. State the
general idea , proponent of the study and specific ways on how
the constructs of this theory relate to the variables and stand of
your study.
◆ Do not just state what the theory is all about but establish
connections as well.

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 Conceptual Framework

◆ It provides the backbone and gives the general directives of the

study.
◆ Be careful on constructing and placing the elements and
relationship arrows in the framework.
◆ Provide the discussion as to how the variables in the framework
are related with each other and how it relates to the other
variables on the other parts of the framework
◆ Explain the variables in relation to the flow of the lines as per
reflected in the figure
◆ Give an ample amount of rationale and focus on the output that
you are going to create out of the results of the study you wish to
have.
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 Definition of Terms

◆ Define all the substantial and key terms in your framework

including the variables and output.
◆ Define the major terms in the study.
◆ Define all the terms operationally.
◆ Arrange the terms alphabetically

Term. Start dkgkfdgnfkhkg

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 Research Design

◆ State whether your study will use

qualitative or quantitative research.
◆ Will it be descriptive-correlational or
phenomenological
◆ Cite definitions from authors
◆ Integrate
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 Research Locale

◆ This further contextualizes your foundation into where are you

going to administer/ conduct your research
◆ Insert the location map of your target locale.
◆ Give and discuss information about the locale specifically those
which are very much related to the study.
◆ The discussion provided could further help you build the things
you want to prove in your research.
◆ Provide a description of the locale specifically the respondents
that you are going to use as participants in the locale.

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 Respondents of the Study

◆ Discuss who will be the respondents of your study

◆ Include the numbers
◆ Present the population in Table

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 Research Sampling Technique

◆ Will it use simple random sampling, stratified random sampling,

purposive sampling, systematic random sampling etc.
◆ Cite definitions from one or two authors
◆ Justify why it is applicable in your research
◆ Present the formula

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 Research Instrument

◆ Describe the instrument/s that you will be using for your research.
◆ If it is a standardized questionnaire, cite the authors and/or the
references
◆ Justify why is it appropriate to be used in your study.

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 Scaling and Quantification

◆ Look for scales that could quantify and qualitatively describe the
figures that your study will reveal

Score Interpretation

90-96 Advanced

89-83 Proficient

82-76 Approaching Proficiency

75-69 Developing

68- below Beginning

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 Reliability and Validity of the Research Instrument

◆ State how the reliability of the research instrument will be

assured.
◆ State the means on how to compute the validity and internal
consistency of the instrument as well as the formula for reliability.

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 Data Gathering Procedure

◆ Narrate the series of actions that will be done prior, during and
after the data gathering. (communication letters, permit to
conduct the study, orientations etc.)

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 Statistical Treatment of Data/ Data Analysis Plan

◆ Frequency and Percentage Distribution

◆ Mode
◆ Pearson’s R

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 Ethical Considerations

◆ Informed consent.
◆ Voluntary participation.
◆ Do no harm.
◆ Confidentiality.
◆ Anonymity.
◆ Only assess relevant components.

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