Research involves systematically studying issues to create new knowledge or apply existing knowledge in new ways. It is done to understand phenomena, test theories, answer questions, and expand knowledge. High quality research builds on past studies, can be replicated, generalized, logically tied to theories, practical in scope, and generates new inquiries.

1. RESEARCH SEMINARS
STA 8402
Basic elements of Research
24th
May 2022

2. What is Research
• Creation of new knowledge and/or the use of existing knowledge in a new and creative way so
as to generate new concepts, methodologies and understandings.
• This could include synthesis and analysis of previous research to the extent that it leads to new
and creative outcomes.
• Research is a process of systematic inquiry that entails the collection of data; documentation
of critical information; and analysis and interpretation of that data/information, in accordance
with suitable methodologies set by specific professional fields and academic disciplines

3. Why Do We Do Research?
• To understand a phenomenon, situation, or behavior under study.
• To test existing theories and develop new theories on the basis of existing ones.
• To answer different questions of “how”, “what”, “which”, “when”, and “why” about a phenomenon,
behavior, or situation.
• Research-related activities contribute to forming (making) new knowledge and expand the existing
knowledge base.
• To help generate questions for further inquiries.
• Evaluate the validity of a hypothesis or an interpretive framework.

4. What is a Research Project
• A research project is an in-depth research study of an issue relevant to the field in which you are studying.
• A research project encompasses the collection of relevant information from a variety of sources with the
intention of becoming thoroughly informed about an engaging topic for the purpose of communicating
knowledge to an audience.
• Research differs from coursework in that you are expected to contribute something new to academic or
practical knowledge in your research area—something original that is more than the accepted knowledge that
can be learnt from reading textbooks and published literature in the area.

5. High Quality Research
• Based on the scholarly work that has been already done by others in the field,
• can be replicated/ reproduced,
• is a generalization to other settings,
• is based on some logical rationale and tied to other existing theories;
• can be done practically, i.e when deciding the scope of research. A researcher should
consider the availability of time and resources,
• generates some new questions,
• is incremental,
• is an apolitical (politically neutral) activity that should be undertaken for the
betterment of society.

6. Possible Options For Your Project
• Analysis of an existing data set in order to test a hypothesis or answer a research question
• A critical systematic review of a question such as the effectiveness of a policy or intervention
– Systematic reviews are a type of review that uses repeatable analytical methods to collect secondary data and
analyze it
• An evaluation of the implementation of a program in your field, e.g. health services delivery,
best practice clinical guidelines, or professional education program development
• A small research study of your own in which you collect and analyse original data. However,
for your project it may not be feasible to collect original data because of the very limited time
available to conduct and report on the project.

7. Classification of Research
Types of research methods can be classified into several categories according to
• Nature of the study
• purpose of the study,
• Methods of data collection,
• Type of data,
• Research design and other attributes

8. Nature of the study
• Descriptive research: usually involves surveys and studies that aim to identify
the facts. In other words, descriptive research mainly deals with the
“description of the state of affairs as it is at present”, and there is no control
over variables in descriptive research.
• Analytical research: is fundamentally different in the way that the researcher
has to use facts or information already available and analyze these in order to
make a critical evaluation of the material

9. Purpose of the study
• Fundamental research, also known as basic research or pure research does
not usually generate findings that have immediate applications in a practical
level.
• Fundamental research is driven by curiosity and the desire to expand
knowledge in a specific research area.
• This type of research makes a specific contribution to the academic body of
knowledge in the research area.

10. Fundamental Research
Examples of Fundamental Research
• A study of factors impacting each stage of product life cycle
• A research to discover the components of the human DNA
• To what extent do gender stereotypes trigger depression?
• An investigation into the symptoms of Coronavirus
• A study seeing what areas of the United States have the most rain

11. Fundamental Research
Importance of Fundamental research
• Understanding living systems and living processes
• Helping to prepare for the future by equipping society for issues that may arise
• Providing a foundation for applied research
• Leading to medical advances

12. Applied Research
• Applied research aims at finding a solution for an immediate problem facing a
society, or an industrial/business organization.
• Applied research is considered to be non-systematic inquiry and it is usually
launched by a company, agency or an individual in order to address a specific
problem.
• Applied research entails large-scale studies with subsequent data collection
problems.

13. Applied Research
Examples of Applied Research
• An investigation into the ways of improving employee motivation
• Analyzing what type of prompts will inspire people to volunteer their time to
charities.
• Applied research to bridge skill gaps in the workplace
• A study into the way to improve teacher-learner classroom engagements
• Applied research to treat or cure a specific disease.

14. Applied Research
Benefits of Applied Research
• Saving businesses money by helping them make better decisions
• Creating new objectives
• Designing new products and services
• Providing unbiased data through testing empirical evidence

15. According to Data Collection Methods
Quantitative research describes, infers, and resolves problems using numbers.
• Emphasis is placed on the collection of numerical data, the summary of those data and the
drawing of inferences from the data
Qualitative research, is based on words, feelings, emotions, sounds, and other non-numerical and
unquantifiable elements.
• It has been noted that information is considered qualitative in nature if it cannot be analyzed
by means of mathematical techniques. This characteristic may also mean that an incident does
not take place often enough to allow reliable data to be collected

16. According to Type of Data
• Primary research involves the collection of primary data, i.e. the data which is
new, through primary data collection methods such as surveys, interviews,
observation etc.
• Secondary research, also called desk-based research, is based solely on the
secondary data i.e. previously conducted studies.
• Data sources in secondary research are books, magazines, industry journals
etc.

17. According to Type of Research Design
• Exploratory studies only aim to explore the research area and they do not attempt to offer final
and conclusive answers to research questions
• tends to tackle new problems on which little or no previous research has been done
• E.g A study into the role of social networking sites as an effective marketing communication
channel
• Conclusive studies, are applied to generate findings that are practically useful in reaching
conclusions or decision-making
• Usually involves the application of quantitative methods of data collection and data analysis.
• E.g descriptive and causal research

18. Assignment
Work in groups of 2s on the following Research approaches – You will be
expected to present the work in the next class. This work will be graded.
1. Deductive approach - Tessy and Wairimu
2. Inductive approach – Pauline and Joseph
3. Abductive approach – Cynthia and Elizabeth