Unit I: NATURE OF INQUIRY AND RESEARCH

Lesson 1: Nature of Inquiry

Meaning of Inquiry

 Inquiry is a learning process and investigative work through asking question

 Execute Lower Order Thinking Skills to Higher Order Thinking Skills
(Inferential, creative thinking, critical thinking, integrative)
 Inquiry is a problem-solving technique,
 Inquisitive thinking allows you to shift from one level to another

Governing Principles or Foundation of Inquiry

 John Dewey’s theory of connected experiences for exploratory and reflective thinking
 Lev Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
 Stresses on the essence of provocation and scaffolding in learning
 Jerome Bruner’s theory
 Learners’ varied world perceptions for their own interpretative thinking of people and things around them
(Small 2012)

Benefits of Inquiry-based Learning

1. Elevates interpretative thinking through graphic skills

2. Improves student learning abilities
3. Widens learners’ vocabulary
4. Facilitates problem-solving acts
5. Increases social awareness and cultural knowledge
6. Encourages cooperative learning
7. Provides mastery of procedural knowledge
8. Encourages higher-order thinking strategies
9. Hastens conceptual understading

Lesson 2: Nature of Research

Meaning of Research

Research is a process of executing various mental acts for discovering and examining facts and information to prove the
accuracy or truthfulness of your claims or conclusions about the topic of your research. Research requires you to inquire or
investigate about your chosen research topic by asking questions that will make engage yourself in top-level thinking
strategies of interpreting, analyzing, synthesizing, criticizing, appreciating, or creating to enable you to discover truths about
the many things you tend to wonder about the topic of your research work. (Litchman 2013)

Characteristics of Research

1. Accuracy- correctness of entries and appropriately documented and acknowledge sources

2. Objectiveness- deals with facts, not mere opinions
3. Timeliness- the topic is current and interesting to the present society
4. Relevance- provides solution to a societal issue
5. Clarity- clear, simple and direct
6. Systematic- presented in an orderly manner

Purposes of Research

1. To learn how to work independently

2. To learn how to work scientifically or systematically
3. To have an in-depth knowledge of something
4. To elevate your mental abilities by letting you think in higher-order thinking strategies (HOTS) of inferring,
evaluating, synthesizing, appreciating, applying, and creating
5. To improve your reading and writing skills
6. To be familiar with the basic tools of research and the various techniques of gathering data and presenting
research findings
7. To free yourself, to a certain extent, from the domination or strong influence of a single textbook or of the
professor’s lone viewpoint or spoon feeding

Types of Research

1. Based on Application of Research Method

 Pure Research- principles, law, theories
 Applied Research- a research which will be applied as a solution to societal problem
2. Based on Purpose of the Research
 Descriptive- gives verbal portrayal or picture of a person, thing, place or an event
 Correlational- shows the relationship between two variables presented in the research
Explanatory- explains the relationship between two factors and elaborates the way why such relationship
exists
 Exploratory- finding out if it possible to conduct a study
 Action Research- ongoing practices in school, organization, institution, or within the community that will
bring improvement in the system.
3. Based on Types of Data Needs
 Qualitative Research-deals with the content and the unit of analysis is word.
 Quantitative Research- presents findings in numerical form (fractions, percentage)
 Primary Data- obtained through direct observation, or first-hand experience
 Secondary Data- data that are written, reported, and available for reading

Approaches of Research

1. Scientific or Positive Approach-it allows control of variable and the data gathering techniques are
structured interviews, questionnaires, and observational checklist. It is applicable in a quantitative research.
2. Naturalistic Approach- an approach happens in a natural setting and talks about how people understand the
world and their perceptions or point of view. It is use in a qualitative research
3. Triangulation or Mixed Method- is a combination of scientific and naturalistic approach, and triangulation
give opportunity to view different perspectives or angles of research.

Unit II: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN DAILY LIFE

Lesson 3: Qualitative Research

Definition of Qualitative Research

A type of research that puts premium or high value on people’s thinking or point of view conditioned by their personal traits.
As such, it usually takes place in soft sciences like social sciences, politics, economics, humanities, education, psychology,
nursing and all business-related subjects.

Characteristics of Qualitative Research

1. Human understanding and interpretation

2. Active, powerful and forceful
3. Multiple research approaches and methods
4. Specificity to generalizations
5. Contextualization
6. Diversified data in real-life situations
7. Abounds with words and visuals
8. Internal analysis

Types of Qualitative Research

1. Case study-it seeks to find answers to why such things occurs to a subject.
2. Ethnography- a study of a particular group of people (culture or context)
3. Phenomenology- study of how people finds the experience meaningful
4. Content and Discourse Analysis- examination of the content (e.g. books, letters, journals, photos, video
recordings, SMS, online messages, emails, audio-video materials, etc.)
5. Historical Analysis- examination of primary documents to make you understand the connection of the past events
to the present times.
6. Grounded Theory- discover a theory or explanation behind an event that takes place.

Advantages or Strengths of Qualitative Research

1. It adopts a naturalistic approach to its subject matter, which means that those involve in the research understand
things based on what they find meaningful.
2. It promotes a full understanding of human behavior or personality traits in their natural setting.
3. It is instrumental for positive societal changes.
4. It engenders respect for people’s individuality as it demands the researcher’s careful and attentive stand toward
people’s world views.
5. It is a way of understanding and interpreting social interactions.
6. It increases the researcher’s interest in the study as it includes the researcher’s experience or background
knowledge in interpreting verbal and visual data
7. It offers multiple ways of acquiring and examining knowledge about something

Disadvantages or Weakness of Qualitative Research

1. It involves a lot of researcher’s subjectivity in data analysis.

 2. It is hard to know the validity or reliability of the data.
3. Its open-ended questions yield “data overload” that requires long-time analysis
4. It is time-consuming
5. It involves several processes, which results greatly depend on the researcher’s views or interpretations.

Lesson 4: Qualitative Research in Different Areas of Knowledge

Subject Area Research Approaches

 Scientific or Positive Approach

 The emphasis is on the measurable and observable facts
 Applicable in hard sciences (Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine) and natural sciences(Biology,
Chemistry, Physics)
 Allows control of variables or factors affecting the study
 Collects data thru structured interview, questionnaires and observation checklist
 Naturalistic Approach
 The stress on this approach is the subjective traits of people in a natural setting.
 Focuses on discovering the real concept or meaning behind people’s lifestyle and behavior.
 Triangulation or Mixed Method
 It is a combination of scientific approach and naturalistic approach. Applicable in qualitative research and
quantitative research.

Hard Sciences (Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine)

Natural Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)

Soft Sciences (Social Sciences, Politics, Economics, Humanities, Education, Psychology, Nursing and all business-related
subjects)

Unit III: IDENTIFYING THE INQUIRY AND STATING THE PROBLEM

Lesson 5: Subject Matter of the Inquiry or Research

Guidelines in Choosing a Research Topic

1. Interest in the subject matter- your interest in the subject motivates you to investigate about the topic with
enthusiasm and energy.
2. Availability of information-see to it the availability of the reading materials related to your topics
3. Timeliness and relevance of the topic-it should be an instrumental to positive societal change, unless it is a
pure or historical research
4. Limitations on the subject- in case you have no freedom to choose a topic beyond your subject as compliance
5. Personal Resources- assess your research abilities in terms of your financial standing, health condition, mental
capacity, needed facilities, and time allotment to complete the research.

Research Topics to be avoided

1. Controversial Topics-topics which may result to biased or prejudicial

2. Highly technical subject- for a beginner, topics with advanced study and technical knowledge is a difficult task
3. Hard-to-investigate subject-no available reading materials and others are materials not up-to-date
4. Too broad subjects- it will prevent you from in-depth analysis of the subject matter.
5. Too narrow subject- limited or specific that needs thorough searching and reading information
6. Vague subjects- prevents you from having a clear focus (e.g “Some Remarkable Traits of the Filipinos” or
“Several People’s Comments on the RH Law”)

Sources of Research Topics

1. Mass Media communication-press (newspapers, ads, TVs, radio, films, etc)

2. Books, Internet, peer-reviewed journals, government publications
3. Professional periodicals like College English Language Teaching Forum, English Forum, The Economist,
Academia, Business Circle, Law Review, etc.
4. General Periodicals such as Readers’ Digest, Women’s Magazine, Panorama Magazine, Time Magazine, World
Mission Magazine, etc.
5. Previous reading assignments in your subject
6. Work experience-clues to a researchable topic from full-time to part-time jobs, OJT (on-the-job training)
experience, fieldwork, etc.

Lesson 6: Research Problem and Research Question

Meaning of Research Problem

The word “problem” make you worry and pushes you to exert considerable effort in finding solution to it. When you decide
to do research, you begin with a problem that will lead you to a specific topic to focus on. For instance, you are beset by a
problem of year-by-year flash floods in your community. This problem drives you to think of one topic you can investigate
or focus on for the solution to your community’s flood problem. Perhaps, you can research only one aspect of the flood
problem, like examining only the neighborhood lifestyle in relation to floods in the area, the need to construct anti-flood
structures, or the practicability of more footbridges in the area. (Gray 2013)

Background of the Problem

Spend time getting background knowledge about the problem that triggered off your research topic to discover its relation
to what the world, particularly the experts, professionals, and learned people know about your topic. Also, reading for rich
background ideas about the problem is also another way to discover some theories or principles to support your study.
(Braun 2014; Woodwell 2014)

Research Questions

Research questions aim to investigate specific aspects of the research problem.

Any method or technique of collecting, collating, and analyzing data specified by the research design depends greatly on
research questions. The correct formulation of research questions warrants not only excellent collection, analysis, and
presentation of data, but a credible conclusions as well. (Layder 2013)

Research Problem: The need to have a safer, comfortable, and healthful walk or transfer of students from place to place
in the UST campus

Research Topic: The Construction of a Covered Pathway in the UST Campus

General Question: What kind of covered path should UST construct in its campus?

Specific Questions:

1. What materials are needed for the construction of the covered pathway in the UST campus?
2. What roofing material is appropriate for the covered path?
3. In what way can the covered pathway link all buildings in the campus?
4. What is the width and height of the covered path?
5. How can the covered path realize green architecture?

Guidelines in Formulating Research Questions

1. Establish a clear relation between the research questions and the problem or topic.
2. Create a research question based on the alignment with what the world already knows.
3. Formulate research questions that can arouse your curiosity and surprise you with the discoveries or findings.
4. State your research questions in such a way that they include all dependent and independent variables referred to
by the theories, principles, or concepts underlying your research work.
5. Let the set of research questions or sub-problems be preceded by one question expressing the main problem of
the research.
6. Avoid asking research questions that are answerable with “yes” or “no” and use the “how” questions only in a
quantitative research,
7. Apply SMART (Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bounded)

Unit IV: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE (RRL)

Lesson 7: Review of Related Literature

Meaning of Review of Related Literature

Literature is an oral or written record of a man’s significant experiences that are artistically conveyed in a prosaic manner.
Embodied in any literary work like essay, novel, journal, story, biography, etc. are man’s best thoughts and feelings about
the world. These recorded or preserved world perceptions of a man are expressed directly and indirectly. Direct expressions
of man’s knowledge of the world are in books, periodicals, and online reading materials. Indirect expressions are his
inferences or reflections of his surroundings that are not written or spoken at all. (Ridley 2012)

A review of related literature is an analysis of man’s written or spoken knowledge of the world. (Wallman 2014)

Purposes of Review of Related Literature

1. To obtain background knowledge of your research

2. To relate your study to the current condition or situation of the world.
3. To show the capacity of your research work to introduce new knowledge
4. To expand, prove, or disprove the findings of previous research studies
5. To increase your understanding of the underlying theories, principles, or concepts of your research
6. To explain technical terms involved in your research study
 7. To highlight the significance of your work with the kind of evidence it gathered to support the conclusion of your
research
8. To avoid repeating previous research studies
9. To recommend the necessity of further research on a certain topic

Styles or Approaches of RRL or Review of Related Literature

1. Traditional Review of Related Literature

Traditional review is of different types that are as follows:

A. Conceptual Review- analysis of concepts or ideas to give meaning to some national or world views.
B. Critical Review- focuses on theories or hypotheses and examines meanings and results of their application to
situations
C. State-of-the-Art Review- makes the researcher deal with the latest research studies on the subject
D. Expert Review- encourages a well-known expert to do the RRL because of the influence of a certain ideology,
paradigm, or belief, on him/her
E. Scoping Review- prepares a situation for a future research work in the form of project making about
community development, government policies, and health services, among others

2. Systematic Review of Related Literature

It means methodical, it requires particular steps to be followed.
1. Have a clear understanding of the research questions.
2. Plan your manner of obtaining data.
3. Do literature search and use available resources that will support your topic.
4. Use certain standards that are valuable to the research topic.
5. Use a checklist or a certain set of criteria in assessing ways researchers conduct their studies to arrive at a
certain conclusion.
6. Summarize what you have gathered from various sources of data.

Compare and Contrast of Traditional Review and Systematic Review

Standards Traditional Review Systematic Review

Purpose to have thorough and clear To meet a certain objective
understanding of the field based on specific research
questions
Scope Comprehensive, wide picture Restricted focus
Review Design Indefinite plan, permits creative Viewable process and paper trail
and exploratory plan
Choice of Studies Purposeful selection by the Prepared standards for studies
reviewer selection
Nature of Studies Inquiry-based techniques Wide and thorough search for all
involving several studies studies
Quality Appraisal Reviewers’ views Assessment checklists
Summary Narrative Graphical and short summary
answer
Source: Practical Research 1, Esther L. Baraceros, 1st
edition pages59-60

Structure of the RRL

Traditional Review- the structure of the summary resembles that of an essay where series of united sentences presents
the RRL results.

Systematic Review- the structure is based on the research questions

Lesson 8: The Process of Review of Related Literature

Stage 1: Search for the Literature

This is the stage of review of related literature where you devote much of your time looking for sources of knowledge,
data, or information to answer your research questions or to support your assumptions about your research topic.
(Baraceros 2016)
There are three basic types of literature sources:
General References- will direct you to the location of other sources
Primary Sources- will directly report or present’s a person’s own experiences
Secondary Sources- internet, books, peer-reviewed articles in journals, published literary, thesis, dissertations, leaflets,
posters and other library materials

Stage 2: Reading the Source Material

Reading, understanding, or making the materials meaningful to you is what will preoccupy you on the second stage of
reading RRL. Reading or making sense of the source materials does not only make you list down ideas from the
materials, but also permits you to modify, construct, or reconstruct ideas based on a certain principle, theory, pattern,
method, or theme underlying your research. (Baraceros 2016)

Stage 3: Writing the Review

Dump or Stringing Method- transfer or listing of writer’s ideas that is devoid of or not reflective of your thinking.

Juxtaposing- dealing with studies with respect to each other is your way of proving the extent of the validity of the findings
of previous studies vis-à-vis the recent ones.

Opening an article with a bibliographical list that begins with the author’s name is not good like the following examples:

Aquino (2010) stated…

Santos (1990) wrote…

Examples of better article openings are as follows:

The latest study by (Caguineman, 2018) reveals that…

A research study by (Riviera, 2017) explains that…

Review of Related Literature uses Transitional devices and Active verbs.

Transitional Devices such as also, additionally, again, similarly, a similar opinion, however, conversely, on the other
hand, nevertheless, a contrasting opinion, a different approach, etc.

Active Verbs such as analyze, conclude, criticize, debate, defend, define, demonstrate, discuss, distinguish, differentiate,
evaluate, examine, expand, explain, exhibit, identify, illustrate, imply, indicate, judge, justify, narrate, outline, persuade,
propose, question, relate to, report, review, suggest, summarize.