Research is what propels humanity forward.

It’s fueled by curiosity: we get curious, ask questions, and immerse ourselves in
discovering everything there is to know. Learning is thriving. Without curiosity and research, progress would slow to a halt, and our lives as
we know them would be completely different.
Research is a process or way for us to learn and find answers in our everyday questions and decisions.
Research design refers to the overall strategy that you choose to integrate the different components of the study in a logical way,
ensuring that you will effectively address the research problem. Did you know
that there are three types of research designs?
1. QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH Establishes a relationship between the cause and effect of a situation A causal design where one observes
the impact caused by the independent variable on the dependent variable. Gathers data in a numerical form which can be put
into categories, or in rank order,
or measured in units of measurement. This type of data can be used to construct graphs and tables of
raw data.
2. MIXED RESEARCH Design characterized by the combination of at least one qualitative and one quantitative research
component. 3. Qualitative research is scientific research used to collect non-numerical data through different qualitative research
methods like observational methods, Face-to-Face interviews, case studies.
Qualitative research methods are used to obtain detailed answers to the questions. Participants of the research are asked open-
ended questions rather than asking close-ended questions through surveys and questionnaires.
In qualitative research, a researcher gives more importance to the concepts, definitions, meanings, and detailed description of things
and give less stress to figures and numbers. Qualitative research methods explain how and why something happens and do not answer
what and how much happens.
Elements that define qualitative research
a. The Design
• Naturalistic -- refers to studying real-world situations as they unfold naturally
• Emergent -- acceptance of adapting inquiry as understanding deepens and/or situations change
• Purposeful -- cases for study [e.g., people, organizations, communities, cultures, events, critical incidences] are selected because they
are “information rich” and illuminative
b. The Collection of Data
• Data -- observations yield a detailed, "thick description" [in-depth understanding]; interviews capture
direct quotations about people’s personal perspectives and lived experiences; often derived from
carefully conducted case studies and review of material culture.
• Personal experience and engagement -- researcher has direct contact with and gets close to the people, situation, and
phenomenon under investigation
• Empathic neutrality -- an empathic stance in working with study respondents seeks vicarious understanding without judgment
[neutrality] by showing openness, sensitivity, respect, awareness
• Dynamic systems -- there is attention to process; assumes change is ongoing
c. The Analysis
• Unique case orientation -- assumes that each case is special and unique; the first level of analysis is being true to, respecting, and
capturing the details of the individual cases being studied
• Inductive analysis -- immersion in the details and specifics of the data to discover important patterns, themes, and inter-
relationships • Holistic perspective -- the whole phenomenon under study is understood as a complex system
• Context sensitive -- places findings in a social, historical, and temporal context; researcher is careful about [even dubious of] the
possibility or meaningfulness of generalizations across time and space
• Voice, perspective, and reflexivity -- the qualitative methodologist owns and is reflective about her or his own voice and perspective;
a credible voice conveys authenticity and trustworthiness

5 qualitative methods
Ethnography Ethnographic research is probably the most familiar and applicable type of qualitative method to professionals. In
ethnography, you immerse yourself in the target participants’ environment to understand the goals, cultures, challenges, motivations, and
themes that emerge. Ethnography has its roots in cultural anthropology where researchers immerse themselves within a culture, Rather
than relying on interviews or surveys, you experience the environment first hand, and sometimes as a “participant observer.”

Narrative The narrative approach weaves together a sequence of events, usually from just one or two individuals to form a cohesive
story. You conduct in-depth interviews, read documents, and look for themes; in other words, how does an individual story illustrate the
larger life influences that created it. Often interviews are conducted over weeks, months, or even years, but the final narrative doesn’t
need to be in chronological order.

Phenomenological When you want to describe an event, activity, or phenomenon, the aptly named phenomenological study is
an appropriate qualitative method. In a phenomenological study, you use a combination of methods, such as conducting interviews,
reading documents, watching videos, or visiting places and events, to understand the meaning participants place on whatever’s being
examined. You rely on the participants’ own perspectives to provide insight into their motivations.

Grounded Theory Whereas a phenomenological study looks to describe the essence of an activity or event, grounded theory looks to
provide an explanation or theory behind the events. You use primarily interviews and existing documents to build a theory based on the
data. You go through a series of open and axial coding techniques to identify themes and build the theory.

Case Study Made famous by the Harvard Business School, even mainly quantitative researchers can relate to the value of the case study
in explaining an organization, entity, company, or event. A case study involves a deep understanding through multiple types of data
sources. Case studies can be explanatory, exploratory, or describing an event.
RESEARCH ETHICS- Ethics are broadly the set of rules, written and unwritten, that govern our expectations of our own and others’
behavior. Effectively, they set out how we expect others to behave, and why. While there is broad agreement on some ethical values
THE RESEARCH PROCESS
Step 1: Identify and develop your topic-Selecting a topic
Step 2 : Do a preliminary search for information- do a preliminary search to determine whether there is enough information Step 3: Make
notes- Consult the resources you have chosen and note the information that will be useful in your paper. Be sure to document all the
sources you consult, even if you there is a chance you may not use that particular source. The author, title, publisher, URL, and
other information will be needed later when creating a bibliography.
Step 4: Write your paper- Begin by organizing the information you have collected. The next step is the rough draft, wherein you get your
ideas on paper in an unfinished fashion.
Step 5: Cite your sources properly- Give credit where credit is due; cite your sources.
Step 6: Proofread- Read through the text and check for any errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Make sure the sources you
used are cited properly. Make sure the message that you want to get across to the reader has been thoroughly stated.

Stage 1: Exploring • Confirm the key words necessary for successful searches (this is
• What do you know where exploring should have helped you
already (prior knowledge)about your topic? • What keywords out) to find support and sources for your focus/argument •
are related to this topic (it's okay to Gather a variety of print and non-print, academic,
use Wikipedia at this stage)? (maybe even peer reviewed) sources; remember to note
• After gaining some background knowledge on your citation information, incl. date accessed
topic, develop key questions that need to be answered • Use the library web site to access EBSCO, Britannica, Historica,
etc. to begin academic

Stage 3: Processing Stage Four: Creating

• Choose from your sources the ones that are the most useful • Create the written product that is required by your
and teacher; usually in the form
significant to your research of a report or paper
• Evaluate the purpose of all the information that has been • Present your findings and reflections in a format appropriate
gathered for your audience
• Explain the significance of findings (in other words, “So • Reflect on your findings and what has been learned;
what?”) an explanation of how new issues, questions or ideas
Stage 2: Investigating that emerged during the four stages may influence future
learning on your part.

The title is without doubt the part of a paper that is read the most, and it is usually read first. It summarizes the main idea or ideas of your
study. A good title contains the fewest possible words that adequately describe the contents and/or purpose of your research paper. 1.
Appropriately reflecting the qualitative paradigm. Manuscript and research titles matter for qualitative, quantitative, or mixed
methods research. They offer the first “impression” someone will make of your work.
2. Knowing your audience. Audience is the key word for the second point about qualitative research titles. Who is your audience? Where
is your qualitative work being presented?
3. Being ethical while honoring your participants’ stories, strengths and particularities. The third and last point about qualitative research
titles are also the most important one. If your participants are individuals or communities who cope with difficult circumstances, have
suffered any form of racism or marginalization and/or have been portrayed in the media in a negative way, what picture is your title
painting? 4. Characteristics of a Good Research Title According to rhetoric scholars Hairston and Keene, making a good title for a paper
involves ensuring that the title of the research accomplishes four goals. First, a good title predicts the content of the research paper.
Second, a good title should be interesting to the reader. Third, it should reflect the tone of the writing. Fourth and finally, it should contain
important keywords that will make it easier to be located during a keyword search.

Tips for Writing an Effective Working Research Paper Title

✓ Indicate accurately the subject and scope of the study.
✓ Avoid using abbreviations.
✓ Use words that create a positive impression and stimulate reader interest.
✓ Use current nomenclature from the field of study.
✓ Identify key variables, both dependent and independent.
✓ May reveal how the paper will be organized.
✓ Suggest a relationship between variables which supports the major hypothesis.
✓ Is limited to 10 to 15 substantive words.
✓ Do not include "study of," "analysis of" or similar constructions.
✓ Titles are usually in the form of a phrase, but can also be in the form of a question.
✓ Use correct grammar and capitalization with all first words and last words capitalized, including the first
word of a subtitle. All nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs that appear between the first and
last words of the title are also capitalized.

Formulating the Research Questions

A research problem is a statement about an area of concern, a condition to be improved, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling
question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or in practice that points to the need for meaningful understanding and deliberate
investigation. Basic Characteristics of Research Problem-
• Reflecting on important issues or needs;
• Basing on factual evidence (it’s non-hypothetical);
• Being manageable and relevant;
• Suggesting a testable and meaningful hypothesis
• Formulating your research problem with ease
• Formulating your research problem enables you to make a purpose of your study clear to yourself and target
readers. • Interesting;
• Relevant;
• Specific and focused;
• Researchable.

Providing Background Information- What sources of information can you use?

1. A primary source provides direct or firsthand evidence about an event, object, person, or work of art. Primary sources include
historical and legal documents, eyewitness accounts, results of experiments, statistical data, pieces of creative writing, audio and video
recordings, speeches, and art objects. Interviews, surveys, fieldwork, and Internet communications via email, blogs, and newsgroups are
also primary sources.

2. Secondary sources describe, discuss, interpret, comment upon, analyze, evaluate, summarize, and process primary sources. Secondary
source materials can be articles in newspapers or popular magazines, book or movie reviews, or articles found in scholarly journals that
discuss or evaluate someone else's original research.