III 3rd QRT

Inquiry

defined as “the systematic search of information, knowledge, and truth about certain thing”. It is the process of solving problem through researching and probing. It involves questioning and interrogation.

Investigation

is the systematic examination to uncover facts regarding the matter. Investigation is done carefully and by thoroughly inspecting details in organized manner and assessing facts which are uncovered in the process.

Immersion

means that the researchers immerse themselves in the culture they are studying. The payoff of immersion is usually immense as the researcher can gain more information than through other method.

Clarke and Clarke

research is a careful, systematic and objective investigation conducted to obtain valid facts, draw conclusions and establish principles regarding an identifiable problem in some field of knowledge.

American College of Dictionary, 1964

states that research is a diligent and systematic inquiry or investigation into a subject in order to discover facts or principles.

OECD, 2002

states that research comprises “creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications.

Quantitative Research

type of research that entails the collection of numerical data and exhibiting the view of relationship between theory and research as deductive, a predilection for natural science approach, and as having an objectivist conception of social reality, Bryman and Bell (2005, p. 154).

Qualitative Research

this type of research asks broad questions and collects word data from phenomena or participants. The researcher looks for themes and describes the information in themes and patterns exclusive to that set of participants.

Statistics

the science of methods of collection,  organization and presentation, and analysis  and interpretation of data to make informed  decisions

POPULATION

the collection of  units to which we  want to generalize a set of findings.

SAMPLE

a representative  portion of the population that is selected for analysis

PARAMETER

any summary measure that describes a characteristic of an entire population

STATISTIC

any summary measure computed  from the sample data that is used to  describe or estimate a characteristic of the entire population

DATUM (P. DATA )

individual pieces of factual information recorded   and used for the purpose of analysis

VARIABLE

anything that can be measured  and can differ across entities or across time.

QUANTITATIVE (NUMERICAL)

variables that are measurable therefore, those whose values are numbers

QUALITATIVE ( CATEGORICAL )

variables that cannot be measured on a  natural numerical scale and are typically classified into one of a group of categories

MANIFEST

a variable whose values are easily  observable.

LATENT

a variable that cannot be directly measured, but is assumed to be related to several variables that can be measured.

DISCRETE

a variable that can only take on certain values on the scale.

CONTINUOUS

a variable that can be measured to any level of precision

NOMINAL

value has distinct meaning (color, flavor) (dichotomous [binary] - nominal variables have exactly two values)

ORDINAL

natural order (clothing size, presidential order)

INTERVAL

the difference between two values has meaning (temperature, test scores)

RATIO

natural starting point or least possible value (height, weight, kelvin, speed)

DATA COLLECTION

the systematic approach to gathering and measuring information from one or a variety of sources to obtain a complete and accurate picture of an area of interest.

COMPLETE ENUMERATION

the concept of collecting data from all members of the population

SAMPLING

the process of selecting the members of the sample from the population

SLOVIN’S FORMULA

formula used to determine the sample size based on the population size or the least number of members which need to be included in the sample

PROBABILITY SAMPLING

every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected as part of the sample.

NON PROBABILITY SAMPLING

 the sample is selected based on non-random criteria and not 

SIMPLE RANDOM SAMPLING

every member of the sample has been  randomly selected through a process such as “fishbowl technique” or through a computer application.

STRATIFIED RANDOM SAMPLING

when the population naturally exists with clusters, the sample is selected so that each cluster is proportionately represented in the sample.

CLUSTER SAMPLING

if the population has naturally occurring, similar groups, the sample may be chosen by selecting whole groups instead of individuals.

SYSTEMATIC SAMPLING

every kth element of the randomly arranged population is chosen to become part of the sample.

MULTISTAGE SAMPLING

involves a combination of consecutively conducted random sampling techniques.

CONVENIENCE SAMPLING

every member of the sample is chosen out of convenience of the researcher such as availability of the respondent for participation in a survey

PURPOSIVE SAMPLING

a specific criteria decided by the researcher is used to select the sample

SNOWBALL SAMPLING

a few members of the population are chosen and are asked to refer others to participate in the same research