Def. Lang. Research 1: Methodology

Research in common parlance

refers to a search for knowledge

The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English lays down the meaning of research as

a careful investigation or inquiry through search for new facts in any branch of knowledge

Redman and Mory define research as

a systematized effort to gain new knowledge

Some people consider research as a movement

a movement from the known to the unknown

The purpose of research is

to discover answers to questions through the application of scientific procedures

Copy research

research to find out whether certain communications will be read or understood

Motivation research

aims at discovering the underlying motives or desires

Attitude or opinion research

research designed to find out how people feel or think about a particular subject

Historical research

utilizes historical sources to study events or ideas of the past

Operations research

is a scientific method of providing executive departments with a quantitative basis for decisions

The purpose of inferential approach to research

is to form a database from which to infer characteristics or relationships of population

Experimental approach

is characterized by much greater control over the research environment

Simulation approach

involves the construction of an artificial environment where relevant info can be generated

‘Simulation’ in the context of business and social sciences applications refers to

the operation of a numerical model that represents the structure of a dynamic process

Market research

is the investigation of the structure and development of a market for formulating efficient policies

Research techniques

the behavior and instruments we use in performing research operations

Research methods

the behavior and instruments used in selecting and constructing research techniques

Research methodology

is a way to systematically solve the research problem

Scientific method

is the pursuit of truth as determined by logical considerations

Experimentation

is done to test hypotheses and to discover new relationships

Induction

is the process of reasoning from a part to the whole

Deduction

is the process of reasoning from some premise to a conclusion

Research problem

some difficulty which a researcher experiences in a situation and wants to obtain a solution

The problem to be investigated must be defined unambiguously for that will

help to discriminate relevant data from the irrelevant ones

Experience survey

a researcher discusses problems with their colleagues who have enough experience in the same area

Research design

is a framework of methods and techniques chosen by a researcher to combine various components of research so that the problem is handled well

Variable

a concept which can take on different quantitative values

Continuous variables

phenomena which can take on quantitatively different values even in decimal points

Discrete variables or non-continuous variables

variables that can only be expressed in integer values

Extraneous variables

independent variables that are not related to the purpose of the study, but may affect the dependent variable

Experimental error

effects that are noticed on a dependent variable as a result of extraneous variables

Control

is used to refer to restrain experimental conditions

Confounded relationship

when the dependent variable is not free from the influence of extraneous variables

Research hypothesis

when a hypothesized relationship is to be tested by scientific methods

Hypothesis-testing research

when the purpose of research is to test a research hypothepis

Experimental hypothesis-testing research

research in which the independent variable is manipulated

Non-experimental hypothesis-testing resesrch

research in which an independent variable is not manipulated

Control group

when a group is exposed to usual conditions

Experimental group

when a group is exposed to some novel or special condition

Treatmente

the different conditions under which experimental and control groups are put

Experimental units

the pre-determined plots or blocks whrre different treatments are used

Exploratory research studies

formulating a problem for more precise investigation. aka formulative research studies

Descriptive research studies

studies which are concerned with describing the characteristics of a particular individual or group

Diagnostic research studies

studies which determine the frequency with which something occurs or its association with something else

Hypothepis-testing research studies or experimental studies

where the researcher tests the hypotheses of causal relstionships between variables

All items in any field of inquiry constitute a

universe or population

Census inquiry

is a complete enumeration of all items in the population

Sample design

is a definite plan determined before any data are actually collected for obtaining a sample from a given population