INQUIRY

1. INQUIRY IS DEFINED AS “SEEKING FOR TRUTH,
INFORMATION OR KNOWLEDGE”. INFORMATION OR
KNOWLEDGE GAINS IN ASKING QUESTIONS. THE PROCESS OF
INQUIRY BEGINS WITH GATHERING INFORMATION AND DATA
THROUGH APPLYING THE HUMAN SENSES. EVERY INDIVIDUAL
CARRY ON THE PROCESS OF INQUIRY FROM BIRTH TO DEATH.
THEY SAY “THE MORE YOU ASK QUESTIONS, THE MORE YOU
KNOW AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THINGS OUGHT TO BE.
THE EXPLORATORY NATURE OF INQUIRY ALLOWS INDIVIDUALS,
ESPECIALLY STUDENTS TO CAPTURE DIFFERENT WAYS OF
LOOKING AT IDEAS AND ISSUES AND TO THINK CREATIVELY
ABOUT PROBLEMS THAT DO NOT POSSESS SIMPLE ANSWER.
THE ARRIVAL OF NEW INFORMATION IN OUR LIVES MEANS
MUCH. RESEARCH IS NOT A SINGLE ACTIVITY; IT IS MULTIPLE
ADAPTABLE.

2. WHAT IS RESEARCH?
RESEARCH IS A CAUTIOUS CONSIDERATION OF PHENOMENON, A PROCESS OF INQUIRY. IT
MUST BE BASED ON KNOWLEDGE AND NOT ON BELIEFS. IT IS ALSO A PRODUCT OF AN
EXPERIMENT DONE.
ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN SOCIOLOGIST EARL ROBERT BARBIE, RESEARCH IS A SYSTEMATIC
INQUIRY TO DESCRIBE, PREDICT, AND CONTROL THE OBSERVED PHENOMENA.
WE FIND IT SO DIFFICULT TO DO THE RESEARCH OR TO MAKE A STUDY. AND LOTS OF PEOPLE
FIND LOTS OF EXCUSES TO DO IT. MOST OF THE TIME WE ARE NOT AWARE OF THE POSSIBLE
OUTCOME OF THE RESEARCH. ONLY TO REALIZE THAT THE PRODUCT OF THE RESEARCH IS
NOT ONLY TO THE RESEARCHER, TO THE PEOPLE, AND THE COMMUNITY. ONE OF THE
PRODUCTS OF THE RESEARCH INCLUDES INCREASING OF PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE.
THE PROCESS OF WRITING ASSURED YOUR ABILITY TO FIND INFORMATION AND PRESENT IT IN
MORE DIFFERENT WAYS.
HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES.
A THEME IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITY IN ORAL COMMUNICATION.
A PAPER IN HISTORY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF PALAWAN
A BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF A FAMOUS PERSON IN PALAWAN LIKE THE FORMER MAYOR
OF PUERTO PRINCESA CITY EDWARD HAGEDORN.
REPORT ON EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE CLASS ON THE EFFECTS OF MINING
ALL THESE PAPERS REQUIRE A STUDY OR A SORT OF SOME TYPE OF RESEARCH WRITING.

3. OTHER MOTIVATIONS FOR GETTING INVOLVED IN
RESEARCH ARE THE FOLLOWING:
YOU CAN GET TO INVESTIGATE THE TOPIC THAT MAY BE
INTERESTING FOR YOU. OR THE TOPIC THAT IS IN THE
AREA OF YOUR STUDY.
IT CAN MAKE YOUR SCHOOLING MORE MEANINGFUL
AND YOU WILL DISCOVER THE REAL-
WORLD APPLICATION OF WHAT YOU’RE STUDYING.
YOU CAN HAVE YOUR HANDS-ON OR PRACTICAL
EXPERIENCE IN YOUR FIELD OF STUDY.

4. IT GIVES YOU ALL THE IMPORTANT INFORMATION IN THE AREA OF YOUR
INTEREST OR IN THE FIELD OF YOUR STUDY. IT HELPS YOU TO GET
ACQUAINTED WITH THE PROCESS AND RESOURCES INVOLVED FOR YOUR
PROJECTS.
TO MAKE CHANGES
OFTEN THERE ARE PROBLEMS IN A PROJECT OR PROCESS THAT IS HARD TO
DISCOVER. IT HELPS YOU FIND THE ROOT-CAUSE AND ASSOCIATED
ELEMENTS OF A PROCESS. THE RESULT IS SUCH RESEARCH THAT INVOKES A
DEMAND FOR CHANGES. EXAMPLE MANY PIECES OF RESEARCH CONDUCTED
BY THE UNITED NATIONS PAVED THE WAY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
POLICIES.
TO ENHANCE THE STANDARD OF LIVING
ONLY THROUGH RESEARCH CAN NEW INVENTIONS BE POSSIBLE. IMAGINE
HOW MACHINES CAN MAKE WORK EASIER. IN TERMS OF
TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION, CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT IS
STILL OBSERVABLE. HOW ECONOMICS BECOMES HIGH BECAUSE OF THE
WORK OF THE RESEARCHERS. THEY MADE THOSE THINGS POSSIBLE FOR US.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT ALL COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE THAT ARE NOW
AVAILABLE TO US ARE THE RESULTS OF HIGH WORK DONE BY THE
INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP RESEARCHERS.
FOR A SAFER LIFE
DISCOVERIES AND DEVELOPMENT RESULTING FROM RESEARCH HAVE
IMPROVED LIFE EXPECTANCY AND HEALTH CONDITIONS OF HUMANKIND.
NEW INVESTORS IN MEDICINE HAVE LED TO THE ADVENT OF DRUGS THAT
NOT ONLY TREAT BUT PREVENT DISEASES FROM RECURRING.

5. TO KNOW THE TRUTH
IT HAS BEEN PROVEN TIME AND AGAIN, THAT MANY FACTS AND KNOWN
TRUTH ARE MERE LIES OR RUMORS. RESEARCH NEEDED TO INVESTIGATE AND
EXPOSE THESE AND BRING OUT THE TRUTH.
TO EXPLORE OUR HISTORY
RESEARCH ABOUT HUMAN HISTORY HAS ENABLED US TO LEARN AND
UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT OUR FOREFATHERS AND HELPED US LEARN
FROM THEIR MISTAKES AND FOLLOW GOOD THINGS FROM THEIR LIFE.
TO UNDERSTAND THE ARTS
RESEARCH ALSO HELPS IN THE UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF THE
WORKS OF ARTISTS IN LITERATURE, PAINTING, AND OTHER FINE ARTS.