ACTION RESEARCH NOTES

ACTION RESEARCH NOTES
WHAT IS RESEARCH?
Before we define the word research, think about terms or words that have prefix ‘re’. For instance,’
Rebuild
Reheat
Rewrite
Reappear etc.
What does this ‘re’ signify? It signifies ‘again’
DEFINITION OF RESARECH?
Research just like the words mentioned has a prefix ‘Re’. This prefix means again and again.it therefore
means to re-search is to search again and again. I. e There is repetition of search.
The next question we need to ask is, then, what are we searching?
The simple answer is that we are searching for knowledge
Weare searching for knowledge to fill a gap between what is and what is ought to be.
Then what is a gap?
Let us take a minute and think about this statement
Every aspect of human behavior has a problem. This is replicated in the society. In society, there were
problems, there are problems and there will be problems.
A problem does not mean when things are going bad; but a problem is any situation that makes the
researcher ask him/herself, ‘WHY’. Therefore, even when things are going on well, the researcher asks
why?
For example……………
If a government has implemented a project in a community and there is high haptic of that project, you
would want to find out ‘why’. Even if the same project turns out with low haptic still you would want to
find out ‘why’
A ‘why’ means there is a gap that calls for investigation or research.
That is why we have stated that a gap is a discrepancy between the ways things are (or the way we know
them as normal) and how they ought to be.
Therefore, a gap is a research problem and we have to find answers to these problems.
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HOW?
We find answers by collecting data, analyzing data, writing a report and disseminating the findings to
your audience. This constitutes the answer (s) to the problem.
This is what research is all about.
NOTE REGARDING RESEARCH
1. We conduct research because there is a problem;

2. Research is a problem-driven not topic driven;
3. Research is not conducted out of hearsay. The problem must be documented. i.e research
problem is anchored on data. Secondly, remember that research report is a public document
which can be scrutinized by anyone.
With that background, how do we define research?
Different scholars define it differently but they all bring the idea that research is a search for knowledge
to fill a gap.
I define research as an objective, systematic and scientific investigation of problem through collection,
analyses and interpretation of data in order to gain understanding about a phenomena.
KEY TERMS;
1. Phenomena- a phenomena is an object of investigation. It is what the researcher is interested in

investigating. It may be a program, a project, a policy, a school, an institution an organization etc.
2. Systematic-implies that research developed and presented in a coherent manner. It is
methodical based on laid procedures.
3. Scientific investigation-implies that the process of research is conducted carefully following
specific steps and with specific objectives to solve the problem under consideration and findings
are based on investigation.
4. Objective-implies that research findings are not influenced by personal feelings, opinions and
altitudes. They are reported as they are in the field.
CHARACTERISTIS OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
1. Specific/Purposiveness-any good research must have a definite purpose and must be focused. A
statement of the purpose of the study guide in the achievement in the research objective
2. Empirical-Research is based on observation and measurement of the phenomena, as directly
experienced by the researcher. The results of research are based on real life experiences.
3. Testability- good research must be testable in terms of objective and hypothesis developed. If
the hypothesis/objectives are too abstract and difficult to measure, then the scientific research is
weakened.
4. Replicability-this mean that the results of the research should be supported again and again
when the research is repeated in the similar circumstances.
5. Precision and confidence-precision reflects the degree of exactitude of the results based on the
sample. Confidence refers to probability that our estimates are correct.
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6. Objectivity-our results should be objective based on facts resulting from the actual data and not
own subjective or emotional values.
7. Generalizability-this refers to the scope of applicability of the research findings. The wider the
range of applicant of the solutions generated by research, the more useful the research is.
8. Parsimony-research being scientific does not mean that we have to be complicated. Parsimony
refers to the simplicity of explaining the phenomena that occur and in the applications of
solutions to problem
9. High ethical standards should be applied-the researcher should conduct research with high
regards of the respondent’s privacy and should assure them of confidentiality
10. Problem-driven
PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
The sole purpose of research is to explore, describe and explain phenomena.
1. Explore addresses the ‘what’ question

2. Describe addresses the ‘who’ ‘what’ ‘when’ and ‘where’ question
3. Explain focuses on the ‘why’ question.
These three purposes of research give us three types of research;
1. Descriptive research which aims at describing the characteristics of population i.e finding out the
what of the population.
2. Exploratory research is similar to basic research which investigates a problem that is not well
defined
3. Explanatory research. This builds on explanatory and descriptive research where it goes further
to determine causes and reasons, extended theory or principle as well as provide evidence to
support or refute an explanations or prediction.

ACTION RESEARCH NOTES

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ACTION RESEARCH NOTES

What does this ‘re’ signify? It signifies ‘again’

The simple answer is that we are searching for knowledge

Then what is a gap?

Let us take a minute and think about this statement

A ‘why’ means there is a gap that calls for investigation or research.

This is what research is all about.

NOTE REGARDING RESEARCH

1. We conduct research because there is a problem;

With that background, how do we define research?

1. Phenomena- a phenomena is an object of investigation. It is what the researcher is interested in

CHARACTERISTIS OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

The sole purpose of research is to explore, describe and explain phenomena.

1. Explore addresses the ‘what’ question

These three purposes of research give us three types of research;

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