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Research is a systematic process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting information to increase understanding. It involves formulating hypotheses, making assumptions (e.g., about the lawfulness of phenomena and cause-and-effect relationships), and utilizing various tools like libraries, computers, measurement instruments, statistics, and—most importantly—the human mind for critical thinking. Research employs both deductive (theory-testing) and inductive (observation-based) reasoning, and contributes to theory building. Effective communication of research findings is crucial, necessitating clear, organized writing. Research reports can be juried (peer-reviewed) or non-juried, with quality varying accordingly. The ultimate goal is to discover new knowledge and answer important questions, providing evidence for future researchers and decision-making.

Introduction: The Role and Importance of Research
Say Hello to Research!
What Research Is and What It Isn’t
Different Types of Research
Research is a cyclical process
Hypothesis
Assumption
Tools of Research
Communicating Effectively Through Writing
Exploring Research in Your Field

Good ideas about research
Purpose of research
Types of research
Research design
Ways of carrying out research

Steps of learning to be a researcher
Develop an understanding of research process
Prepare yourself to conduct research on your own
Learn how to judge the quality of research
Learn the value of research activities conducted online
Collect the type of data that relate to your area of interest

Researchers
Understand what they study
Find answers to important questions
Collect evidence
Evidence is used by next generation of researchers
Evidence serves as basis for decisions

Gathering information

Rummaging around for hard-to-locate information

Transporting facts from one location to another

Can be diverse
General definition is “finding answers to questions in an organized and logical and systematic fashion”
A systematic process of
Collecting
Analyzing
Interpreting information (data)
Goal: increase understanding of a phenomenon about which we are interested or concerned

A systematic means of problem solving
5 key characteristics:
Systematic – research process
Logical – induction/deduction
Empirical – evidence based
Reductive – generalisation
Replicable – methodology.

A hypothesis is:
A logical supposition
A reasonable guess
An educated conjecture
Provides a tentative explanation for a phenomenon under investigation
May direct thinking to possible sources of information necessary to resolve the research problem and its subproblems

An assumption is: Condition that is taken for granted
Two general assumptions that underlie most research projects:
The phenomenon under investigation is somewhat lawful and predictable.
Cause-and-effect relationships can account for certain patterns observed in the phenomenon.

Tools of Research
Specific mechanisms or strategies used to collect, manipulate, or interpret data
The library and its resources
Computer technology
Measurement
Statistics
Language
The human mind
Methodology dictates the tools the researcher selects

Library and Its Resources
Access to books, microforms, CDs, DVDs, online databases
Fast and efficient means of locating and accessing information
Access to library holdings around the world

Computer Technology is Used for:
Generating and organizing ideas
Scheduling, structuring, and coordinating projects
Finding literature
Networking with others
Storing and analyzing data
Writing, editing, formatting
Producing graphics
Presenting results

Measurement
Usually used in quantitative research
More difficult for qualitative research
Common instruments
Scales
Rulers
Stopwatches
Specialized instruments
Telescope
MRI

Main Functions of Statistics
Describe the data
Descriptive statistics summarize the general nature of the data obtained
Draw inferences from the data
Inferential statistics help the researcher make decisions about the data

Language as a Tool
Allows us to communicate and think more effectively
reduces complexity of the world
allows abstraction of the environment
enhances the power of thought
facilitates generalizations and drawing inferences

The Human Mind
The most important tool in the researcher’s toolboxUsed for critical thinkingEvaluatesAccuracycredibilityworth of informationlines of reasoning

Evaluation may take a variety of forms:
verbal reasoning
argument analysis
probabilistic reasoning
decision making
hypothesis testing

Deductive logic
Begins with one or more premises, statements or assumptions that the researcher initially takes to be true
Valuable for generating research hypotheses and testing theories

Inductive reasoning
Begins with an observation (sample)
Observation then used to draw conclusions about entire classes of objects or events (population)

Scientific method
Process of collecting & analyzing data systematically
Involves thinking actively and intentionally
Yields hypotheses

Theory Building
An organized body of concepts and principles
Intended to explain a particular phenomenon

Collaboration with other minds
Increases variety of
Perspectives
Backgrounds
Areas of expertise
May reduce bias

Communicating Effectively Through Writing
Be specific and precise: Say exactly what you mean
Keep your primary objective in mind at all times
Provide an overview of what you will be discussing
Organize ideas into categories by using headings and subheadings
Use concrete examples to make abstract ideas more understandable

Use figures and tables
Regularly summarize what you’ve said , what you’ve read.
How???????? & Use …….?
Anticipate having to write multiple drafts
Check your final draft
Grammar
Punctuation
Spelling

Exploring Research in Your Field
Juried (or refereed) research report
Judged by experts in the field and deemed to be of sufficient quality and importance to warrant publication.

Nonjuried (or nonrefereed) report
Appears in a journal or on the Internet without having been reviewed or selected by experts.
Some nonjuried reports are excellent, but others may not be.

Summary: The Role and Importance of Research
Researchers has passion to understand what they study
Process of discovering new knowledge is research
Theory helps in organizing new information
Steps in research process