Work in pair/group

What is Research? State the reasons for carrying out research.

What is Research?
an investigation into an issue or situation using an approach that is appropriate and tools that are adequate in order to achieve ones research objectives or to discover answers / clarifications to questions that one has. Has to be replicable and reportable.

What is Research?
Investigation: systematic, stringent search Issue/situation : that which needs to be searched and researched Approach : way in which one looks at the issue/situation Appropriate : suitable for use in the issue/situation in terms of it yielding what is needed Tools : the instruments used to obtain the data Adequate : sufficient for the purpose for which it has been designed Research objectives : the aims of the research Questions : the questions formulated to achieve the objectives Replicable: can be carried out by another researcher Reportable : must be able to document it in writing

THE RESEARCH PROCESS

Identification of research topic/issue Ch 1: Introduction

Statement of Purpose Form. of ROs, RQs and/or hypotheses

Ch 1: Introduction Ch 1: Introduction Ch 2:Review of Literature /Theoretical Framework

Choosing Research Approach Designing Research Approach Collecting Data Analysing Data Discussing and reporting findings

Ch. 3: Research Methodology Ch. 3: Research Methodology Ch. 3: Research Methodology Ch 4: Findings & Discussion Ch 4: Findings & Discussion (Last chapter) Chapter 5 : Summary & Conclusion

Identification of research topic/issue

Questions to bear in mind:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Amount/extent of choice available to you Regulations & expectations Subject / field of study Interest & motivation Previous work in the area Scope for research Time available Other resources available experts, advisors, support facilities (libraries, computers, post-grad room, support groups, etc) Cost of research Accessing data, sources of data

1. AIMS AND TYPES OF RESEARCH 2. THE RESEARCH CYCLE 3. BACKGROUND 4. IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM 5. ASKING QUESTIONS 6. TYPES OF QUESTIONS 7. FRAMING QUESTIONS

AIMS AND TYPES OF RESEARCH

AIMS 1. EXTENDING KNOWLEDGE 2. SOLVING PROBLEMS 3. FINDING THE TRUTH 4. EXPLORATION 5. CLARIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION 6. TO ESTABLISH CORRELATION 7. CAUSE-EFFECT RELATIONSHIP

RESEARCH INVOLVES THEORY (WHICH AIMS TO DESCRIBE, EXPLAIN OR PREDICT PHENOMENA) WHICH MEANS THE RESEARCHER IS GOING BEYOND THE IMMEDIATE LOCALE TO GENERALISATION

ACADEMIC RESEARCH

INSTITUTIONAL RULE AND RITUAL BOUND FORMAL PRESCRIBED EXPECTATIONS

BASIC/PURE RESEARCH

AIMED AT ADDING TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE, AND MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE IMMEDIATE AND PRACTICAL USE EXAMPLES

THE EFFECT OF VISUAL PRESENTATION OF INFORMATION ON MEMORY COMPARED TO THE VERBAL MODE THE EFFECTS OF SMILING ON CLASSROOM MOTIVATION

APPLIED RESEARCH

AIMED AT SOLVING SOME IMMEDIATE AND PRACTICAL PROBLEM, BUT HAVING THE POTENTIAL TO CONTRIBUTE TO EXISTING BODY OF KNOWLEDGE AS WELL. EXAMPLES

WHICH SPECIFIC PROGRAMMES OF VISUAL PRESENTATION WILL BEST PREPARE STUDENTS FOR FORTHCOMING PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS? TYPES OF SMILES AND TYPES OF POSITIVE EFFECTS ON LEARNERS

ACTION RESEARCH

TYPE OF APPLIED RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY EDUCATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS AIMED AT SOLVING DAY-TO-DAY PROBLEMS, WITH LITTLE CONCERN FOR GENERALISATION AND CONTRIBUTION TO KNOWLEDGE. ALMOST INFORMAL

EXAMPLES

CAN MAKING DIARY-ENTRIES IMPROVE PERCEPTIVE SKILLS IN LITERATURE LESSONS? WILL THE USE OF CLASS LIBRARY BOOKS HELP IN CREATING GREATER INTEREST IN LEARNING ENGLISH? HOW TO GET THE BOYS IN F2A TO READ STORY-BOOKS?

GETTING THE TOPICS AND PROBLEMS

Reading (look at previous research work) BRAIN STORMING (self or with others) First thoughts Ask/discuss with individuals around you (friends, superior, colleagues, customers etc.) Develop some of your previous research work, or your practice at work Relate it to your other interests Follow your hunches

21. IDENTIFICATION OF PROBLEM

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? WHY IS IT A PROBLEM? WHO SAYS SO AND IN WHICH CONTEXT? MAY BE LOCATED IN ACADEMIA AND EXTENSIVE

Great scholars do not solve problems; They create them.

-Albert Einstein

Finding a question
Especially when you are learning to do research, it may be already chosen for you by supervisor

or supervisor may suggest an area, and leave you to find the question

A question may arise naturally from some previous work A question may come from the interaction of previous works A question may arise due to new technology

incremental delta research

eg reconcile apparent contradictions

eg how to use new hardware eg revisit design choices as speed, bandwidth, cost etc change

A question may come from a great minds simple curiosity

Suitable Research Questions

Main Considerations: 1. Specificity and answerability can the questions be answered through research? 2. Scale and Scope in relation to needs and available resources. 3. Resource Adequacy in relation to available time. 4. Often start with broad topic space, then narrow in to a specific question

23. FRAMING THE QUESTIONS (OFTEN MAKING ANSWER IMPLICIT)

EITHER AS A DECLARATION OR DESCRIPTION, OR QUESTION EXAMPLE:

A STUDY OF FACTORS FOR THE INCREASING USE OF EUPHEMISM IN LOCAL DAILIES. WHAT ARE THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE INCREASED USAGE OF EUPHEMISM?

24. QUESTIONS NEED TO BE FAIRLY SPECIFIC

EXAMPLE: WHERE, INVOLVING WHOM? AND PROVIDE DIRECTIONS FOR RESEARCH.

25. EXAMPLES OF TOPICS NEEDING REFRAMING:

USING VISUAL AIDS IN CLASSROOMS A STUDY OF THE EXTENT OF VISUAL AIDS USAGE IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS OR A STUDY OF TEACHER PREFERENCES IN THE TYPES AND OCCASIONS OF VISUAL AID USAGE OR A STUDY OF THE PERCEPTIONS OF TEACHERS IN SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN PERLIS ON THE VALUE OF USING VISUAL AIDS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

THE PROBLEM OF DROP-OUTS THE EFFECTS OF COUNSELLING ON REDUCING DROP-OUT RATES IN RURAL PRIMARY SCHOOLS CREATIVITY AMONG PUPILS COMPARING THE EFFECTS OF ROTE-LEARNING AND ROLEPLAYING ON CREATIVITY AMONG YOUNG LEARNERS IMPROVING MOTIVATION A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF VISUAL AIDS ON PUPIL MOTIVATION

Defining the Research Problem

research problem is an issue or concern that an investigator presents and justifies in a research study.

Distinguishing the problem from the research topic, purpose and research questions Determining the research approach Introducing the problem The flow of ideas in a problem statement

Issues relating to the research problem

28. TOPIC/PROBLEM/PURPOSE/ QUESTION

A research topic is the broad subject matter being addressed in a study. E.G DISTANCE EDUCATION A research problem is an issue or problem in the study E.G LACK OF STUDENTS A purpose is the major intent or objective of the study. E.G WHY NO TAKERS THIS SEMESTER? Research questions are questions the researcher would like answered or addressed in the study. E.G WOULD EXTRA NIGHT CLASSES/FEE REDUCTION ETC HELP?

29. FROM GENERAL TO SPECIFIC

TOPIC---- distance education RESEARCH PROBLEM--- lack of students in classes STATEMENT OF PURPOSE--- why students do not wish to attend / enrol in distance education classes at College A? RESEARCH QUESTION---is the quality of teaching causing poor enrolment? (or what is?) HYPOTHESIS---the lack of qualified staff is causing poor enrolment in College B

30. TITLES
1.

2.

3.

An analysis of Gender Stereotyping in Upper Primary English School Texts A study of Factors Affecting Reading Habits and Reading Interests in English of Year 5 Pupils of Selected Schools in Penang Interpreting Hardy: A Darwinian Perspective

TITLES contd
4.

5.

The Conversational Lyric in Coleridge and Wordsworth: A Study of Artistic and Philosophical Contexts. A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Peer vs. Teacher Evaluation for Helping Students of English as a Second Language to Improve the Quality of their Written Composition

TITLES contd

6. An analysis of the Effects of Explicit Reading Strategy Instruction on the Comprehension Achievement and Metacognition Knowledge of ESL students

The 5 Ws of Research
1.

2.

3. 4.

5.

What is your research? (can you say it in one sentence?) Why do you want to do this research? (What is it purpose?) Who will be your participants? Where are you going to conduct your research? When are you going to conduct your research?