Practical Research Chapter 1

practical research textbook chapter 1

Research

The systematic process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting information to answer questions or solve problems.

Philosophy

How humans view the world and the fundamental processes that arise as a result.

Feasibility

The requirement that research must be practical and achievable.

Motivation of Research

Philosophy serves as the driving force behind research efforts.

Characteristics of Research

Research is driven by a clear question or problem and involves a specific plan or method.

Sub-problems

Research divides the main problem into manageable parts to ensure solid research.

Hypothesis

An educated guess in statement format that includes all variables present in a situation.

Theory

A well-established principle or set of ideas that explains a phenomenon based on evidence and repeated testing.

Data Collection

The process of gathering and interpreting data in research.

Cyclical Process

Research is often recursive, leading to new questions or problems.

Reproducibility

Research must be able to be recreated to be considered valid.

Basic Research

Aims to increase understanding of fundamental principles.

Applied Research

Focuses on solving specific, practical problems.

Importance of Research

Research underpins knowledge development and informs decision-making.

Ethical Considerations

Research requires honesty, integrity, respect for subjects, informed consent, and confidentiality.

Research Process

Begins with identifying a problem, includes a literature review, and involves data collection and analysis.

Role of Theory

Theory provides a framework for understanding and interpreting research findings.

Research Challenges

Identifying a clear problem, balancing objectivity with bias, and ensuring reliable data collection.

Not Research

Gathering information without interpretation, such as rummaging for facts.

Big R Research

Original data considered more formal and requiring interpretation.

Little r Research

Preliminary research that is not as original and lacks data interpretation.

Research Rubric

Criteria for evaluating research quality, including argumentation and relevance.

Argumentation Research

Claims made after conducting research that rationalize the relevance of data and interpretations.

Papers Scoring 1

Little r research that summarizes existing knowledge without a method of data collection.

Papers Scoring 2

Lack alignment and applicability, presenting a narrow scope of inquiry without replicable methods.

Literature Review Gap

The gap in existing knowledge should be stated in the literature review.