Lesson 1 Characteristics of Research

Overview of Research Systematic Process – uses data to achieve a

An understanding of the nature of social research is
imperative for anyone interested in designing and
conducting a formal research.
Formal type of research should be differentiated
from informal one that is loosely defined and
conducted in an ordinary parlance.
The characteristics and dimensions of social
research needs to be known or unveiled.
clear purpose such as answering a question,
gaining an understanding of an event or
phenomenon or solving a problem.
Leedy & Omrod (2010)
“systematic process of COLLECTING and
ANALYZING information in order to increase our
understanding of the phenomenon with which we
are concerned or interested”
Saunders, et al. (2010)
“something that people undertake in order to FIND
OUT THINGS in a SYSTEMATIC way, thereby
increasing their knowledge.”

Also, the different processes that are important in Systematic – based on LOGICAL Relationshps and
coming up with a systematic investigation of a not just beliefs
problem/problems needs to be explored.
To find out things – there are multiple possible
This overview underscores research methodology purpose for research
as the underlying philosophy in pursuing a research  Describing
endeavour. The dimension of research and their  Explaining
 Understanding
interlocking relationship is espoused. The link
 Criticizing
between the research methodology and research  Analysing
method is also laid down.

The classification of research is a means to label

the purpose, application, information and timing of
a research project. It should not be treated as a
rigid demarcation or inflexible categorization of
what a researcher does in real life investigation.
The distinguishing marks of each type of research
may overlap with each other. Understandly, a
research can have many classifications.
CHARACTERISTICS of a FORMAL Research
1. Question or Problem as Staring Point
2. Clear articulation of goal
3. Specific plan of procedures
4. Collection and interpretation of data
5. Statement of the study limitations
6. Clear presentation of findings and conclusions

Leedy & Ormond Cooper & Schindler

1. Originates with a PROBLEM or a QUESTION 1. PURPOSE is clearly defined.
2. Requires a clear articulation of a GOAL. 2. PROCESS is detailed.
3. Follows a specific PLAN of Procedures. 3. DESIGN is thoroughly planned.
4. usually Divides the principal problem into MORE 4. High ETHICAL Standards are applied.
manageable SUB-PROBLEMS.
5.is Guided by the SPECIFIC Research problem, 5. LIMITATIONS are frankly revealed.
question or hypothesis.
6. Requires the collection and interpretation of DATA 6. ADEQUATE ANALYSIS for decision makers’ needs is
in attempting to resolve the problems that initiated presented.
the research.
7. By its nature, CYCLICAL or more exactly, HELICAL 7. FINDINGS are presented unambiguously
or SPIRAL
8. CONCLUSIONS are justified
9. Researcher’s experience is reflected.

4 Dimensions of Research
1. Purpose of the research undertaking
2. Application of the over-all research findings or results.
3. Type of information gathered and analysed
4. Time element in the conduct of the research

Purpose Application Informative Type Time

Descriptive Basic Quantitative Cross-sectional
Explanatory Applied Qualitative Longitudinal
Exploratory
Research Classifications According to PURPOSE
-conducted with One purpose or a combination of the following purposes.

1. DESCRIPTION 3. EXPLORATORY
-entails precise measurement and reporting of the -attempts to develop an initial, rough
characteristics of some phenomenon or population understanding of some phenomenon.
under study.
-conducted for a problem that has not been
-It attempts to describe systematically a situation, clearly defined.
problem, service or program.
-helps determine:
-it provides information about some conditions and *Best Research Design
described attitudes towards an issue. *Data Collection Method
*Selection of Subjects for a problem.
-often uses visual aids such as charts to aid the
reader in understanding the data distribution. -should draw DEFINITIVE Conclusions ONLY with
extreme caution.
-Descriptive Statistics: very important in
reducing the data to manageable form. -done to SATISFY the researcher’s curiosity and
desire for better understanding and TEST the
FEASIBILITY of undertaking a more careful study.

2. EXPLANATORY
-relies on REVIEWING Secondary Documents and
-involves the discovery and reporting of relationship
other available literature and or data.
among different aspects of the phenomenon under
study.
-RESULTS are not usually useful for decision-
making by themselves, but they can provide
-when the relationship is bale to foretell the
significant insight into a given situation.
occurrence of certain aspects of the phenomenon,
the study is capable of making PREDICTION or
-NOT typically generalizable to the population at
the ESTIMATION of scores on one variable from
large.
information about one or more other variables.

-it attempts to clarify WHY and HOW there is a

relationship between two aspects of a situation or
phenomenon.

-CORRELATIONAL Research (sub-category)

: one that emphasizes on the discovery or
establishment of the existence of a relationship,
association or interdependence between two
or more aspects of a situation or phenomenon.