01 Basic Issues in Research

Question 1

Reasons to do research; The first step in the process is

Answer 1

to figure out why you want to do research
in the first place, we’ll call this our purpose

Question 2

Applied research or practical research

Answer 2

has a focus on providing some
sort of outcome or end in mind.

Question 3

action
research.

Answer 3

If the goal of applied research is to encourage a particular course of
action

Question 4

examples of applied research

Answer 4

marketing
research, research to find practical solutions to a problem, PR, and any community-
action based research.

Question 5

A good Research Project

Answer 5

Is unified by a central persuasive and/or informative goal.
• Is properly scoped given the constraints of the project/investigation.
• Understands its likely audience.
• Support your future pursuits. Whether academic or professional.

Question 6

Ways to go about reserach

Answer 6

Exploratory Research, Prescriptive research/Research for wicked problems, Conclusive research/Research for tame problems, Descriptive research, Case studies, historical research, survey research, big data,

Question 7

A preliminary search through some literature to figure out
what the final study should look like. In this case, there isn’t a clear definition of the final product that you will be looking on, and instead, you are peeking around to see what work needs doing

Answer 7

Exploratory Research:

Question 8

Aims to give advice,
guidance, or to push readers towards a specific action. This includes things like
market research or applied research.

Answer 8

Prescriptive research/Research for wicked problems

Question 9

Theoretically, provides a
definitive answer to a problem.

Answer 9

Conclusive research/Research for tame problems

Question 10

hopes to simply enlighten about a topic. The informative
speech in research form.

Answer 10

Descriptive research

Question 11

are useful for trying to develop examples in theory building.
They look at a small sample of data but go very in-depth on those
exemplars.

Answer 11

Case studies

Question 12

aims to produce knowledge about the past

Answer 12

Historical research

Question 13

can be used to assess behaviors, attributes, attitudes, or
any number of characteristics or opinions that people have. Normally we
think of surveys as a method, but it’s prevalent enough that it deserves
mention here.

Answer 13

Survey Research

Question 14

Big data uses very large data sets and algorithms in order to
analyze a population.

Answer 14

big data

Question 15

Experimental Research

Answer 15

experimental: more control—-how many things can be controlled in the research
Not very practical
Really just for when you need to isolate things
Most medical will be this one

Question 16

Field Research

Answer 16

harder to control as there are other variables with more noise.
More applicable

Question 17

empirical research:

Answer 17

testing things we essentially already know or that have been done before.

Question 18

theoretical Research

Answer 18

we are trying to come up with a theory.

Question 19

Deductive Research

Answer 19

general rules to specific cases

Question 20

Inductive Research

Answer 20

using specific cases to come to general rules.

Question 21

Philosophical Research

Answer 21

logic; thinking about certain things: ex ethics; reasoning about fundamental topics; philosophy.

Question 22

Positivist Research

Answer 22

concerned with observable and replicable Truth.
What is the truth out there?
Absolute truth (T)
Human being must be there to observe the truth—-only human component
Ex: gravity example

Question 23

ontological research

Answer 23

deals with existence
Does this thing exists or not?
Classify things
Describe how roads and highways are funded?
Taxes
How do we do this thing?

Question 24

Epistemological Approaches

Answer 24

how we understand it
Explains how humans interpret the thing
How do we know that, that is the best way of doing it?

Question 25

Subjective v. objective
Objective——no interpretation (ontological)
Subjective—–human interpretation; not one clear method or answer (epistemological)

Question 26

Traditional v. Behavioral Approaches (theory v. tangible behaviors)

Answer 26

Traditional is also called instrumentalism
Prescriptive with its finding
Prescribing solutions

Behavioral—————watch people to see how they act
More descriptive than prescriptive

Question 27

Relativist v. Replicable Research (What will our tools be used for?)

Answer 27

Replicable Research
Positivists view——positivism
Unencumbered tools
Tools that just work without baggage
Work in all situations
Tool is unencumbered pretty much anyone can use them

Relativist
Examine culturally
Tools are by nature encumbered
Society and nature shape the things that we do
Linkages between the two
Behavior is relative to the culture you live in.
Culture is relative
Tolls can be useful for what we are doing now, but may not work for across study works

Question 28

Phenomenological research

Answer 28

studies phenomenons
Explains how we experience something—–the interpretation of humans.

Question 29

Observational Approaches

Answer 29

Try to understand the same object without the interpretation from the subject.
The main difference between the two approaches is seeing (observational) and feeling (phenomenological).

Question 30

Metaphysical Research

Answer 30

is interested in non-empirical claims
Conceptual
Competing forces out in the world
Relational dialectics
Power: commonly studies

Question 31

Physical Research

Answer 31

is interested in examining the physical world
Be able to touch: tangible
Physical world: ex: conservational research.

Question 32

The difference between metaphysical and physical research is

Answer 32

concepts and objects
Concerned with the abstract and concrete
More of an idea or a thing that is tangible.

Question 33

The life cycle of your process encompasses the time between when one project begins and ends.
• To do so, you need to examine

Answer 33

The steps in the process to complete the project (what am I doing?)
• Your current and needed skills (do you need training)
• Your motivations for completing the project and the amount of effort you have (can the project be done?)
• Your productivity patterns (when and how you work)
• And leave some room for the unknown.

Question 34

Generally, research happens in this order:

Answer 34

1. Realize the topic.
   • 2. Start looking for sources. Evaluate those sources, review the literature in those sources, and review what existing knowledge you can find. Take notes on the phenomena, situations and issues that have been analyzed and review the arguments made about those things. Write up the literature review for your paper.
   • 3. Evaluate and coordinate existing theory. Looks for models of behaviors and processes that already exist. Develop your theoretical framework. Identify where gaps exist.
   • 4. Generate hypotheses and research questions.
   • 5. Design a methodology. Choose your method(s). Develop research tools based on those methods. Design your project.
   • 6. Conduct tests. Gather data.
   • 7. Evaluate evidence. Draw conclusions.
   • 8. Structure your report. Write your report with clarity and style. You can write up through the methods section before you finish collecting data.

Question 35

Critical Approach

Answer 35

Critical thinking is a process of clarifying knowledge. To think critically means to be able to examine information for its accuracy, outcomes, and impact.
• 1. Identify your research question.
• 2. Identify your assumptions and biases.
• 3. Review potential answers to your research question.
• 4. Derive hypotheses.
• 5. Test the hypotheses with data.
• 6. Analyze the results and derive findings.
• 7. Deliver your findings/writing up.