The Nature of Research

 What is the value of research -- Why Research is of Value -- Ways of Knowing -- Types of Research -- General Research Types -- Critical Analysis of Research -- A Brief Overview of the Research Process

What is the Value of Research  Comprehensive Understanding  Knowing or Understanding  Directions to Pursue for Improvement  Discover Possible Solutions  Develop Appropriate Ways of Thinking about Problems and Solutions  Create an Effective Vision

Ways of Knowing  Sensing  Sharing information with others  Being told something by an expert  Logical reasoning  Science

The Scientific Method  Identification of a problem or question  Clarification of the problem (limits)  Determination of information needed and the processes that will obtain it  Organization of the information  Interpretation of the results

What is Educational /Business Research  Definition -- The process through which we attempt to achieve systematically and with the support of data the answer to a question, the resolution of a problem, or a greater understanding of a phenomenon.

 Characteristics -- Originates with a question or problem -- Requires a clear articulation of a goal -- Follows a specific plan of procedure -- Divides the problem into manageable sub-problems -- Is guided by he specific research problem, question or hypothesis -- Requires the collection and interpretation of data in attempting to resolve the problem that initiated the research -- Accepts certain critical assumptions -- Follows a systematic cycle

The Research Design  Quantitative research -- Definition: An inquiry into social or human problem, based on testing a theory composed of variables, measured with numbers and analyzed -- With statistical procedures, in order to determine whether the predictive generalization of the theory hold true. -- Uses numbers rather than words -- Measures the degree of difference or significance of variables

 Qualitative research -- Definition: An inquiry process of understanding a social or human problem based on building a complex, holistic picture formed with words reporting detailed views of informants and conducted in a natural setting. -- Describes -- Non-numerical -- Measures the characteristics of people, objects, and events through triangulation

Types of Research  Quantitative Research -- Action Research -- Correlational Research -- Descriptive or Normative Research