The aims of research

Chapter 5
 There are two approaches to collecting and analyzing data.
Quantitative research Qualitative Research
Focuses on testing theories and hypotheses Focuses on exploring ideas and formulating a theory or
hypothesis

Is analyzed through math and statistical Is analyzed by summarizing, categorizing and interpreting
analysis software
Mainly expressed in numbers, graphs and tables Mainly expressed in words

Can be used to establish generalizable facts about a Enables you to gather in-depth insights on topics that are
topic. not well understood
Closed (multiple choice) questions Open-ended questions

Surveys, experimental research, content analysis Interviews, ethnography, discourse analysis

 Inductive vs. deductive reasoning
▪ In quantitative
research, you
▪ Quantitative studies approach logic
draws heavily from through deductive
deductive reasoning. reasoning.
▪ Qualitative research ▪ This is different from
relies on inductive. inductive reasoning,
which is more
exploratory.
Different types of Research

Pure research

Applied research
Pragmatic research

Different Exploratory
Predictive research
kinds of research
research

Explanatory Descriptive research

research

Correlational
research

(Du Plooy-Cilliers. et al, 2014:74)

 Pure vs Applied Research
Pure research is conducted without any specific Applied research is conducted with a specific goal in
goal. mind.

Aim
The main aim is to advance knowledge. The main aim is to solve a specific and practical
problem.

Nature
Pure research is exploratory in nature. Applied research is descriptive in nature.

Theories and Principals

Pure research identifies new ideas, theories, Applied research is based on the theories,
principals and new ways of thinking. principals discovered through pure research.

Findings
Findings of pure research usually have a future use, Findings of applied research always have a current
not a current use. use.

[Source: Hasa, 2019]

 Type of research and Aims [Research Problem]
Exploratory research
• Verb= ‘explore’
• To obtain new insights
• To identify key concepts
• To identify key stakeholders
• To prioritise social needs
• To identify consequences of
research problems
• To develop hypotheses
• To confirm assumptions
Descriptive research
• Verb = ‘describe’
• To describe a situation,
problem or phenomena
• to compare attitudes
towards issues
• To draw comparisons
Correlative research
• Verb = ‘compare’
• The aim is to establish whether a relationship,
association, or interdependence between two or
more aspects exist.
• These studies look at the relationship between
BETWEEN certain variables or
How a one variable (dependent variable) is affected
by another variable (independent variable)

Explanatory research Predictive research Pragmatic research

• Verb = ‘explain’
• To clarify how and why there is a
relationship between different
phenomena
• Investigate the varying degrees
to which these relationships
• Verb = ‘predict’
• To prevent undesired outcomes
• To promote desired outcomes
• To anticipate probable outcomes
• To find solutions to specific problems by
utelising both qualitative and quantitative
research methods.
(Du Plooy-Cilliers. et al, 2014:80)
 Independent vs dependent variables
• Experiments are usually designed to find out what effect one variable has on another.

• You manipulate the independent variable (the one you think might be the cause) and then
measure the dependent variable (the one you think might be the effect) to find out what this
effect might be.

Independent variables Dependent variables

Is something the researcher changes or controls Is something the researcher observes and measures

Variables you manipulate in order to affect the Variables that represent the outcome of the
outcome of an experiment. experiment.

Example: The independent variable is The dependent variable is the

Daily apple consumption leads apple consumption — the frequency of doctor’s visits —
to fewer doctor’s visits. assumed cause. the assumed effect.
 [cont…]
EXAMPLE:
A researcher could use
age as a variable or height
or a test score.
Variables aren't limited to
number values.
Your data set could be
colours.
Independent & dependent variables
If your variable is color, you could
have red and blue and green, but
you could not have spaceship.
A variable is not about a
specific value, but instead
about a group, which will have In the same way, if your variable is
multiple values within its age, you could have 18 and 44 and
constraints. 71, but not 4,000.
Your study will aim to:
▪ Seek to explore relationships between data sets
▪ You must ask yourself which data set could influence the other
▪ You have to identify the relationship between data sets [this comes from your
research question]
 ▪ A change in one variable will show a change in
another variable.
Examples ▪ By changing the independent variable, we expect
to see a change in the dependent variable.
If you want to see the effect of family
income level on a student's likelihood to If you want to increase test scores in a school, and had developed
graduate from college, you'd be looking at an after school program to provide assistance, you would be
two variables... income level and running an experiment.
graduation rates.
▪ The independent variable is income level How does an after-school intervention affect test scores at a local
because in this question, we believe that an school?
income change will result in a graduation
rate change. ▪ Independent variable: ?
▪ This makes graduation rate the dependent ▪ Dependent variable: ?
variable since the graduation rate is not
manipulated by the study, but rather its
output. ▪ The addition of the after-school program is the manipulation of
the research and the output is the test score.
▪ The study expects that if we look at
different income levels we will see different ▪ The independent variable will cause the change in your
graduation rates. dependent variables.
▪ The cause of childhood income level creates
a college graduation rate effect.
 Elements for a good Research Question
A well-crafted research question
needs to provide clarification and
focus on a topic which allows for a
methodology to develop and
results to be published.
A good question will introduce the
research topic and lead you into
the specific issues of your study.
It provides the motivation for the A research question must point to
research but also sets the path not a problem with an existing research
only for the research team but for base
readers of the results.
Research questions should:
▪ use descriptive words
▪ use words that will resonate
▪ craft phrases so that your meaning comes through
▪ be concise, specific, and simple
 Types of Research questions
A relational question
▪ Looks at how two or more
variable relate to one another.
▪ It'll usually has the word
RELATIONSHIP in the question.
EXAMPLE:
“What is the relationship between
childhood poverty and graduation
rates among college students?
In a relational question, the
independent variable childhood
poverty will come before the
dependent variable graduation
rates. And the group is college
students
A descriptive question
▪ Is designed to highlight
something which exists.
▪ It'll almost always start with
HOW or WHAT.
EXAMPLE:
How many college students who
lived through childhood poverty
drop out of college before turning
24?
Here the dependent variable,
dropping out of college, does not
have to come after the
independent childhood poverty
variable but it’s best practice.
The causal question
▪ A causal question asks whether a
variable causes or affects a separate
variable.
▪ This will almost always start with the
word WHAT.
EXAMPLE:
What is the difference in pre-med graduation
rates between students working less than 15
hours a week and students working more
than 15 hours a week?
The dependent variable of graduation rate
must come after the question word, what,
and before the groups of study, here, the
independent variable of hours worked per
week.
 References

Du Plooy-Cilliers, F., Davis, C., & Bezuidenhout, RM., 2014. Research Matters. Juta: South Africa.

Hasa. 2017. Difference Between Pure and Applied Research. [Downloaded: 07 March 2019]
https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-pure-and-vs-applied-research/

Sahifa. 2015. Types of Research Studies. [Downloaded: 07 march 2019]. http://readingcraze.com/index.php/types-

research-studies/