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1. Definition
2. Characteristics of Research
3. Dimensions of Research
4. Research Methodology

 Common understanding of “research” 1. Starting point: question or problem

 Data collection/assembly ≠ research 2. Clear articulation of a goal
 Formal definitions:
1. Leedy & Ormrod: 3. Specific plan of procedures
- Systematic process of collecting & analyzing 4. Data collection & interpretation
information 5. Statement of study limitations
- to increase our understanding of a phenomenon 6. Clear presentation of findings & conclusions
2. Saunders, et al:
- Something undertaken to find out things in a
systematic way, thereby increasing knowledge

 4 dominant dimensions in scientific research: Research Classification Accdg. to Purpose

1. Purpose of research undertaking
2. Application of overall research
findings/results
3. Type of information gathered & analyzed
4. Time element in research conduct
- Formal research is conducted w/ one or
combination of ff. purposes:
 Description
 Explanation
 Exploration
1. Descriptive Research
- Entails precise measurement & reporting of
characteristics of a phenomenon or population
under study
- Can be either quantitative or qualitative

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2. Explanatory Research 3.Exploratory Research

- discovery & reporting of relationship among - attempts to develop an initial, rough
different aspects of a phenomenon
- may be capable of predicting or estimating scores on
understanding of a phenomenon
1 variable from info about other variable(s) - conducted for a problem not yet clearly
- attempts to clarify “why” & “how” of relationship defined
- Correlational research: a sub-category - draws definitive conclusions only w/
- emphasizes discovery/establishment of existence of a extreme caution
relationship/association/interdependence between
aspects
- often relies on secondary data and often
- generally quantitative uses qualitative approaches
- not typically generalizable to population

Research Classification Accdg. to Results Application 2. Applied Research

 Basic - seeks to solve practical problems
 Applied - in social sciences: goal is to improve human
1. Basic Research condition
- a.k.a. pure or theoretical research
- undertaken to increase knowledge, not to solve a - in business: may focus on uncovering unmet
problem needs
- Seeks new ways of thinking - in accountancy: useful in developing education
- No immediate, direct benefit from it policies, professional qualifications, etc.;
- Involves developing & testing theories & hypotheses addressing regulatory issues and problem areas
- May ultimately contribute to practical problem in professional practice.
solutions

Comparison of Basic & Applied Research
CATEGORY BASIC RESEARCH
Purpose Produce knowledge for
understanding
Discipline Usually confined to 1 discipline
Audience Intended for scholarly
audience or specialists
Coverage Often narrow in focus as it
strives for precision
Research Classification Accdg. to Information Type
 Quantitative
APPLIED RESEARCH
 Qualitative
Produce knowledge for
1. Quantitative Research
action
Often multidisciplinary
- systematic empirical investigation of
▪ Quantitative properties of subject matter or phenomenon &
Intended for policy makers & ▪ Relationships of these properties
scholarly audience
- measures atittudes, behaviors, perceptions (measurement
Often comprehensive as it is central to it)
strives for solution to real-life
problem - usual objective: develop & use mathematical models to test
hypotheses & generate theories
- used widely in social sciences (economics, psychology,
political science, etc.)

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2. Qualitative Research Comparison of Quantitative & Qualitative

 Explores attitudes, behavior & experiences Research
 Uses interviews, focus groups Quantitative Qualitative
Category Research Research
 Attempts to get in-depth opinion Aim Classify & count Complete/detailed
 Studies subjects in their natural settings attributes, construct description of attributes
statistical models
 More subjective research form: researchers may Design Careful design of study Design emerges as study
introduce own bias to form complete picture aspects before data
collection
unfolds

 Qualitative & quantitative researches often used Data-gathering Tools (e.g., Researcher is data-
instrument questionnaires) used to gathering instrument
in tandem collect numerical data

Quantitative Qualitative
Category Research Research Research Classification Accdg. to Time
Data Type Numbers & statistics Words, pictures, objects
Degree of Partiality Relatively objective: Relatively subjective:
Dimension
precise measurement individual’s interpretation  Cross-sectional
Use of Data Quantitative data more
efficient in testing
Qualitative data richer in
meaning, but time
 Longitudinal
hypotheses; but may miss consuming & less 1. Cross-sectional Research
contextual detail generalizable
Researcher’s Participation Researcher tends to be Researcher tends to be - Involves observation of population or its
objectively separated from subjectively immersed in
subject matter subject matter
subset at a defined time
- Quick: doesn’t follow development of each
subject studied

2.Longitudinal Research - refers to philosophy behind design & conduct of

research
- Involves repeated observations of same - different from research method: tools of data
variable or set of variables over a time collection & techniques of data analysis
period - Also called research paradigm: reflects
researcher’s set of beliefs
- Often studies changes, trends over time - Comprises 3 elements:
- Tracks people/other subjects & observes 1. Ontology
differences 2. Epistemology
3. Perspective of researcher with respect to
- More costly & time-consuming conduct of study

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Ontology Research Perspectives

 the way researcher views the nature of reality as reflected in dualism, - include:
i.e., reality characterized by opposites:  Positivist
- true or false  Interpretive
- objective and subjective  Criticalist
- fixed & changing
- universal & particular, etc.  Post-modernist
1. Positivist: reality can be perceived through senses & can be
Epistemology realized through experience
 researcher’s view on nature of knowledge 2. Interpretive: access to reality is through social constructions,
 dominant schools of thought: e.g., language, consciousness & shared meanings
- rationalism (knowledge is accessible through reason) 3. Critical: social reality is historically constituted, produced &
- empiricism (knowledge is uniquely determined by experience & derived reproduced by people
from perception through senses) 4. Post-modernist: critical revisiting or rethinking of the past.
 Ontological view is associated to one’s epistemological assumptions

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY RESEARCH

METHODS Sources of Knowledge (or Ways of Knowing)
- area w/ impt. bearing on research
ONTOLOGY EPISTEMOLOGY
methodology
- include:
- 1. Sensory experience
- 2. Agreement w/ others
PERSPECTIVE
- 3. Expert opinion
- 4. Logic
Interrelationships of Research Methodology, Its Elements & Research Methods - 5. Scientific method