WHAT IS

RESEARCH?
TYPES OF
RESEARCH

RESEARCH METHODS COURSE 1

Objectives
By the end of this module, students will be able to:
- define what research is,
- identify types of research,
- develop an overview of a research process

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Overview
1. What is research is?
2. What types of research are there?
3. What types of research methods are there?

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1. What is research?
1.1. Definition
1.2. Features of research
1.3. Importance of research

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How do you define: ….?
Search (countable noun)
Research (uncountable noun)

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Search:
◦ an attempt to find someone or something
◦ an attempt to find an answer to a problem
(Online Cambridge Dictionary)

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Research is …
A scientific way of answering questions and testing
hypotheses

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Research is …
a systematic, controlled, and critical investigation of natural
phenomena guided by theory and hypotheses about the presumed
relations among phenomena (Kerlinger,1986).

Watch the video and find out what research is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrw6NRp2snc

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Research is …
A systematic process of inquiry consisting of three elements or
components:
• A question, problem, or hypothesis
• Data
• Analysis and interpretation of data

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Task: Conducting research ….?
- WHY
- WHO
- WHEN
- WHERE
- HOW
- WHAT

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1.1 Research …

1. is directed to solve a problem.

2. generates generalization, principles, or theories.
3. is based upon observable experience or empirical evidence.
4. demands accurate observation and description.
5. involves gathering new data from primary sources or existing data
for a new purpose.

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6. is systematic and applies rigorous analysis.
7. requires expertise.
8. strives to be objective and logical.
9. is characterized by patient and unhurried activity.
10. requires courage.
(Aquino, 1992, pp. 4-6).

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1.2 Features of Research
1. Academic and intellectual work
2. Systematic and critical investigation in the field of knowledge to
establish facts or principles
3. A fresh approach to a subject or interpretation of facts
4. Revision of accepted laws or theories in the light of discovery of
new facts
5. Practical application of new or revised conclusions or theories or
laws

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1.3. Importance of Research
1. Improve quality of life
2. Improve instruction
3. Improve students’ achievement
4. Satisfy man’s needs
5. Reduce the burden of work
6. Have deep-seated psychological aspects
7. Improve the exportation of food products
(Calmorin & Calmorin, 1995, pp. 5-8)

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2. Types of research
2.1 Primary research vs Secondary research
Primary research:
Derived from primary sources (e.g., students who are learning a language),
not from secondary sources
Closer to primary sources of information
Having TWO subdivisions:
case studies
statistical studies
Ex: A study about the effects of learners’ motivations on their language learning

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2. Types of research
Secondary research:
Using secondary collection (from already done research: annual reports,
published journals)  prove a hypothesis
searching for the written wisdom of scholars in our chosen field (books,
journal articles,…)
synthesizing their ideas into some coherent statement

Ex: A term paper is written about “ the factors affecting language learning”

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2. Types of Research
2.1:
– Basic research – Applied research
2.2:
– Quantitative research – Qualitative research
2.3:
– Experimental research – Non-experimental research

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2.1 Basic vs Applied research

Pure/ Basic research: Involves developing and testing theories and

hypotheses that are intellectually challenging to the researcher but
may or may not have practical application at the present time or in
the future. The knowledge produced through pure research is sought
in order to add to the existing body of research methods.

Applied research: Applied Research is done to solve specific, practical

questions; for policy formulation, administration and understanding
of a phenomenon. It can be exploratory, but is usually descriptive. It is
almost always done on the basis of basic research.

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2.1 Basic vs Applied research

Examples:
Students’ perceptions of anxiety in their English speaking performance
(Pure/ Basic research)

Use of online assessment tools in English language classroom at

university level
(Applied research)

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2.1.1 Objectives in undertaking the
research

a. To describe - descriptive research

b. To find out causes /effects – causal research
c. To explore / explain – exploratory / explanatory research

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a. Descriptive research …

- attempts to describe systematically a situation, problem,

phenomenon, service or programme, or provides
information about, say, living condition of a community, or
describes attitudes towards an issue.
- refers to research that provides an accurate portrayal of
characteristics of a particular individual, situation, or group.

- is also known as statistical research.

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a. Descriptive research …

- is a means of
• discovering new meaning,
• describing what exists,
• determining the frequency with which something occurs, and categorizing
information.

- deals with everything that can be counted and studied, which has an
impact of the lives of the people.

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a. Descriptive research is undertaken …

- with the aim of determining the characteristics of a population or

phenomenon,
- in the light of existing previous knowledge of problem,
- with a high degree of precision or accuracy.

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Examples of descriptive research

What interactions are performed in an English language lesson at

primary school?
What are the effects of authentic materials on students‘ oral English
language performance?
How do teachers and students perceive the use of online applications in
developing oral communication skills?

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Examples of descriptive research

Task: What other descriptive research (general and about langugae

learning and teaching) can you think of / do you know?

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b. Causal / correlation research …..
• Refers to the systematic investigation or statistical study with the
aim of identifying cause and effect relationships amongst variables
(two or more),
• Is normally preceeded by exploratory and descriptive research
studies,
• Is often difficult to determine because of the influence of other
variables (concommitant Variation and the presence of other
hidden variables).

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b. Causal / correlation research is …..
Ex: Does a frequent practice of English pronunciation result in
natural speaking?
-What is indicative of of the finding?
(a causal relationship)
- What other variables should be considered?
(time of exposure to spoken English, vocabulary, ...)

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Examples of descriptive research

Learning/teaching:
What are the most frequent mistakes that students often make in
writing?
The reader of the research will know what the mistakes are and what
should be done to avoid the mistakes; thus, the findings help both
teachers and students know how to improve their writing skill.

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Example of causal / correlation research
To test the hypothesis “ Listening to music lowers blood pressure
levels”, there are 2 ways of conducting research:
• Experimental – group samples and make one group listen to music
and then compare their blood pressure levels.
• Survey – ask people how they feel ? How often they listen? And
then compare.

Other examples?

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c. Exploratory / Explanatory research …
- attempts to clarify why and how there is a relationship between two or more
aspects of a situation or phenomenon,
- is undertaken to explore an area where little is known, or
- investigates the possibilities of undertaking a particular research study
(feasibility study / pilot study).
* In practice, most studies are a combination of all the three categories.

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2.2.2 Inquiry mode employed

a. Structured approach / Quantitative approach

b. Unstructured approach / Qualitative approach

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2.2.2.a Structured approach:

The structured approach to inquiry is usually classified as Quantitative research.

The process of Quantitative research is formed by objectives, design, sample,

and the questions that you plan to ask of respondents, which are all
predetermined.
It is more appropriate to determine the extent of a problem, issue or
phenomenon by quantifying the variation.

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2.2.2.b Unstructured approach:

The unstructured approach to inquiry is usually classified as qualitative research.

This approach allows flexibility in all aspects of the research process.
It is more appropriate to explore the nature of a problem, issue or phenomenon
without quantifying it.
Main objective is to describe the variation in a phenomenon, situation or
attitude.
In many studies you have to combine both qualitative and quantitative
approaches.

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Qualitative vs Quantitative Research Approach
Qualitative research
Try to understand human behavior from the actor’s
own frame of reference
Naturalistic / uncontrolled observation
Subjective
Close to the data: “insider” perspective
Grounded, discovery-oriented, exploratory,
expanionist, descriptive, and inductive
Process-oriented
Valid: ‘real’, ‘rich’, and ‘deep’ data
Ungeneralisable : single case studies
Assumes a dynamic reality
RESEARCH METHODS COURSE
Quantitative research
Seeks facts of social phenomena without regard to
the subjective states of the individuals
Obtrusive / controlled measurement
Objective
Removed from data: “outsider” perspective
Ungrounded, verification-oriented, confirmatory,
reductionist, inferential, and hyphothetical-
deductive
Outcome-oriented
Reliable; hard and replicable data
Generalisable : multiple case studies
Assumes a stable reality
(Reichardt & Cook, 1979, cited in Nunan, 1992, p.4)
34
Stages in the Research Process

Define
Problem

Planning a Conclusions
Research Design and Report

Planning Processing and

a Sample Analysing the Data

Gathering
the Data

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Flowcharting the Research Process (1)
Problem Discovery

Selection of Secondary (historical) data

exploratory Pilot Study
research technique Experience Survey
Case Study

Problem Definition
(Statement of research objectives)

Survey (Interview, Questionnaire)

Selection of Experiment (Laboratory, Field)
basic research Secondary Data Study
method Observation

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Flowcharting the Research Process (2)

Survey (Interview, Questionnaire)

Experiment (Laboratory, Field) Collection of Data (Fieldwork)
Secondary Data Study
Observation
Editing and Coding Data

Sample Design
Data Processing and Analysis

Probability Non-Probability Interpretation of Findings

Sampling Sampling

Report

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THE END!

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