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WHAT IS RESEARCH? It is scholarly or scientific investigation or inquiry A close,careful study To study(something ) thoroughly so as to present in a detailed,accurate manner It is search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, with open mind, to establish novel facts, usually using a scientific method It is the systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge(citi course at the University of Miami,2011 ) 2
TYPES OF RESEARCH Applied Research- Conducted to seek specific knowledge necessary to improve the treatment of a particular disease Artistic Research-This can also be called practice-based research. It takes after the consideration of creative works Basic Biomedical Research- Conducted to increase the understanding of fundamental life processes Basic Research-It is the study of life processes that are universal in their application to scientific knowledge Clinical Research-This examines important questions of normal function and disease by making use of human subjects Directed Research- This is a research conducted by a researcher (investigator) in response to an outside request to explore a specific scientific area of question. This is however funded by some notable organizations Fundamental Research- This studies life processes that are universal in their application to scientific knowledge 3
TYPES OF RESEARCH (CONTD ) Investigator-Initiated Research-This is a research directed by an investigator. He investigates a question or a posited hypothesis that such researcher has defined Outcomes Research-This is a research that focuses upon the end results of say health care, the tangible and quantifiable manifestations of disease upon both patients and the society, and the determinants of such outcomes Population Health Research-This is the art and science of studying the distribution and determinants of health status as influenced by social, economic and physical environments, human biology, health policy and services and of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health at the population levels 4
TYPES OF RESEARCH (CONTD ) Strategically Focused Research-This is a research type that focuses on science area that the association has determined are important to achieving its mission and strategic objectives Targeted Research- This is also called directed research Translational Research-It is a research type that takes a result from basic or fundamental science and studies how it is applicable in the clinical or human situation. There is another type of translational research that addresses the adoption of prevention and treatment strategies which have been demonstrated to be effective through clinical research in the care of patients and in population-based prevention of conditions such as stroke or heart disease 5
TYPES OF RESEARCH (CONTD ) Primary Research-This is a survey and deals with collection of data that does not exist already through the questionnaire, interview or observation Secondary Research-This delves into existing data which may be summary, collation or synthesis of information on hand. Qualitative Research-This examines what people do and questions why they do what they do. So it examines what humans behavior are and sought for reasons for the exhibition of such action. Quantitative Research-The quantitative research involves the systematic investigation of quantitative properties such as how many people do certain things and how often. 6
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH It is a systematic empirical investigation of quantitative properties and phenomena and their relationships It is used widely in the social sciences as we have in psychology, sociology, political science, and the humanities The objective of the quantitative research is to develop and employ mathematical models, theories and /or hypotheses as pertains to a phenomena Sampling is usually carried out in most cases and randomly Process of measurement is germane to quantitative research due to the fact that it provides the fundamental connection between empirical observation and mathematical expression of quantitative relationships Statistics is the most widely used branch of mathematics in quantitative research 7
COMPARISM OF QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH Quantitative Research Focuses on variables There is no such thing as qualitative data. So, everything under consideration is either 1 or 0 The aim is to classify features, count them, construct statistical models so as to explain fully what is observed Researcher is not in the dark, and so knows in advance and clear term what he/she is looking for. All aspects of the study are carefully designed before data is collected Researcher makes use of tools such as questionnaires or other equipments in the process of collection of numerical data Collected data are in the form of numbers and statistics The objective is to carryout precise measurement and analysis of target concepts It is able to test hypotheses though can make use of contextual details The researcher is objectively separated from the subject matter Qualitative research Focuses on interactive processes All research finally has a qualitative grounding The aim is to complete detailed description of the issue under consideration Researcher may only know roughly in advance what he/she is looking for The design emerges as the study unfolds Researcher is the data gathering instrument Data for the study is in the form of words, pictures of objects There is the subjective individuals interpretation of events. So it uses participants observation, In-depth interviews, focus group discussion, e.t.c. Qualitative data is more rich, time consuming, and less able to be generalized Researcher tends to become subjectively immersed in the subject matter 8
STEPS IN CONDUCTING ANY KIND OF RESEARCH 1.Ask questions about the World This will help the student to identify topics and areas of interest This helps to focus the student s search for a research idea Questions here can focus on things that the student is curious about Question can focus on things that the student has noticed Question can focus on things that the student is interested in on a personal level which can be sports or recreational activities e.t.c. 9
STEPS IN CONDUCTING ANY KIND 2. Select a Topic OF RESEARCH (CONTD) The topic needs to be interesting to the student It must fit properly to the requirements developed by their teacher or by the person that assigned the research project Note that topics are generally broad to begin with You need to narrow down the topic by asking questions and conducting general research on the topic 10
STEPS IN CONDUCTING ANY KIND OF RESEARCH(CONTD) 3. Conduct Background Research Note that you have narrowed down your topic to a sub-topic You have to conduct a general background study in respect of the sub-topic You are hereby developing your understanding of the topic You further search for a very specific component of the sub-topic in order to explore the research topic 11
STEPS IN CONDUCTING ANY KIND OF RESEARCH(CONTD ) 4. Develop a/some Hypothesis(es) Develop an hypothesis Hypothesis is a prediction about a cause and effect relationship between two specific variables Hypothesis should be stated in a null form which will be tested by using the related statistical tool(s) Hypothesis helps a research to have a focus 12
STEPS IN CONDUCTING ANY KIND OF RESEARCH(CONTD ) 5. Conduct of Review of Literature Literature review will address the research that has already been conducted in different settings around the world Literature review is on the variables you have selected for your research Note that your literature should include the local content and not the foreign content only Literature review should not be dominated with too old/archaic research findings. Recent /current research related to the study have to be consulted 13
STEPS IN CONDUCTING ANY KIND OF RESEARCH(CONTD ) 6. Develop a Research Proposal This step involves writing up of the main components of the research paper and the components are: An introduction Statement of the problem Purpose of the study Hypothesis statement Significance of the study Literature review Methodology Likely Findings 14
A. STEPS IN CONDUCTING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH Steps in conducting quantitative research are: Formulate a researchable question Review related literature- This is to be done in line with the variables in the hypotheses Functions of a Literature Review 1. Helps to find out what is already 2. Provides a theoretical basis for your research and hypotheses 3. Helps to focus your research 4. Helps to create a model or at least a conceptual framework 5. Demonstrates that someone is knowledgeable about related research and the intellectual traditions that surround and support the study 6. It shows that some have identified some gaps in the previous literature and that this study will fill a demonstrated need 7. Helps to justify the ways in which you operationalise concepts, the setting or population you chose to study 15
STEPS IN CONDUCTING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH(contd ) State Hypotheses Determine the variables to be studied Identify dependent(depends on independent), independent(causes an outcome), intervening or moderating(affects relationship between independent and dependant variables) and other variables Determine how these variables will be operationalised Determine the level of measurement 1. Nominal: two or more categories 2. Ordinal : categories have order to them 3. Interval : fixed space between categories 4. Ratio : has zero point 5. Dichotomous : two mutually exclusive categories 16
STEPS IN CONDUCTING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH(contd ) Determine research plan/method of data collection Define population Determine what instruments will be used to collect data Pretest instruments Determine statistical tests to use Conduct research Analyze data Write report 17
B. STEPS IN CONDUCTING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH These are other steps that could guide a researcher in the conduct of quantitative research: Theory Hypothesis Research Design Devise Measures of Concepts Select Research Site(s) Select Research subjects/respondents Administer Research Instruments/collect data Process data Analyse data Write up Findings and conclusion 18
EXAMPLES OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS Experiments Social Survey Cross-sectional Comparative(cross-national) Longitudinal Content analysis Secondary statistical analysis Official statistics Demography Epidemiology Field simulations Structured interviews and observation 19
RECOMMENDED STEPS TO BE ADOPTED WHILE CONDUCTING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH This presentation had informed us of the different steps that can be adopted while (1) conducting any kind of research and (2)the quantitative research. But this paper recommends the following as steps that can be a guide to conduct of quantitative research : 1. Ask questions about the world 2. Select a topic 3. Conduct background research 4. Formulate research question(s) 5. Conduct of related literature 6. Identify variables in the topic 7. Theory 8. Develop hypothesis(es) 9. Determine how these variables will be operationalised 20
RECOMMENDED STEPS TO BE ADOPTED WHILE CONDUCTING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH(CONTD ) 10. Research design 11. Define the population 12. Define sample and the sampling technique 13. Determine the instrument(s) 14. Pre-test the instrument 15. Determine the statistical tests to be used in analyzing the hypothesis(es) at a given level of significance 16. Conduct the research 17. Analyse data 18. Write report 21
Final Word It should be noted that quantitative research method deduces from its findings so as to generalise based on its samples. Necessary care must be taken to ensure that the right step(s) is taken at the conduct of this research. THANK YOU 22
REFERENCES http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/ent ry/research http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/research http://dermatologyresearch.med.miami.edu/x12.xml http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identi fier=218 http://wiki.answers.com/q/describe_different_types_ of_research http://hubpages.com/hub/types-of-research 23