Week3 pptslides structure and key terms of research report

WEEK 3

Structure and Key terms of a Quantitative Descriptive Research Paper

By the end of this lecture, students should be able to

• To state the general format and content of a quantitative descriptive research report

What is a Research?

"Research is a process of steps used to collect

and analyze information to increase our

understanding of a topic or issue".

Creswell (2008)

It consists of three steps:

1. pose a question

2. collect data to answer the question

3. present an answer to the question.

What is a Research Report?

“As a university student you may be

required to write a variety of

reports for assessment purposes.”

“Here your aim is to write clearly and

concisely about your research topic so

that the reader can easily understand the

purpose and results of your research.”

Writing Centre, the

University of Adelaide

http://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/learning_guides/learningGuide_writing

AResearchReport.pdf

http://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/learning_guides/learningGuide_writingAResearchReport.pdf

The Main Parts or Content of

the research report that you

have to write

Introduction will be submitted as Draft 1 in

wk 7

Method will be submitted as Draft 2 in wk

Results 10

Discussion

References

Appendices(if necessary)

Tables and/or figures (if necessary)

THE FINAL

VERSION

WILL BE

SUBMITTED

IN WEEK 12

Key Terms and components of Part 1:THE INTRODUCTION

Research Area & Research Topic

General Issue Variables

Literature Review

Statement of the Problem

Statement of General Purpose

Research Questions

The INTRODUCTION should be

written from General to Specific

Research Area :

Fields of interest for instance, Language, Social

Science, Engineering, Medicine, etc.

Research Topic:

The major elements that you plan to investigate.

You will want to find a balance between choosing a

topic that is too broad or too narrow

General Issue:

What has been controversial or is still unsolved

Variable:

• A concept, a noun that stands for variations

within a class of objects such as chairs, gender,

colour, achievement, motivation, or running

speed

• Any characteristic or quality that varies among

the members of a particular group

• an age can be considered a variable because it

can take different values for different people or

for the same person at different times

• country can be considered a variable because a

person’s country can be assigned a value

Background of study

• Research Area & Topic

• General issue

• Definition of Research

Variables

Literature Review

• Related Theory

• Previous research

on variable 1


on variable 2


Statement of Gen Purpose

Research Questions

(Creswell, 1998)



Variable:

• Variables can be independent and

dependent (in experimental research)

1. Independent variable is what you

manipulate;

2. Dependent variable is what may or may

not be affected by the independent

variable

e.g.

1. Amount of time watching television

(Independent)

2. Aggressiveness of behaviour (Dependent)

1 + 2 =The more time spent on watching

television may or may not cause more

aggressive children’s behaviour.’

.

Background of study


• General issue


Variables

Literature Review

• Related Theory


on variable 1


on variable 2



Research Questions



Literature Review:

• The literature review is a critical look at the

existing research that is significant to the

work that you are carrying out’…

Language Centre, Asian Institute of Technology

Related theory:

One component of reviewing the literature is to

determine what theories might be used to

explore the questions in a scholarly study. In

quantitative research, researchers often test

theories as an explanation for answers to their

questions

http://vivauniversity.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/creswel

l-chapter_3.pdf

(Theory can also be placed before the literature

review)

• read every source relevant to your research

problem

• evaluative overview of significant literature

published on a topic

Background of study


• General issue


Variables

Literature Review

• Related Theory


on variable 1


on variable 2



Research Questions

http://vivauniversity.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/creswell-chapter_3.pdf



Literature Review:

• It is NOT a descriptive list of everything

available or a set of summaries

• provides background and theoretical base

for the problem

• A critical synthesis

• offer an overview of a significant literature

published on a topic

• It defines your research problem; find a gap,

ask a question, continue previous research,

explore counter claims

.

Background of study


• General issue


Variables

Literature Review

• Related Theory


on variable 1


on variable 2



Research Questions



Statement of the Problem:

• a statement on the problem that

one would like to research

• the problem can be anything that

one finds unsatisfactory or

unsettling, a difficulty of some sort,

a state of affairs that needs to be

changed

• it involves areas or conditions one

wants to improve, difficulties one

wants to eliminate

.

Background of study


• General issue


Variables

Literature Review

• Related Theory


on variable 1


on variable 2



Research Questions



Statement of General Purpose:

• Identify major intent of study

• Should contain

Major focus of study

Participants of study

Location or site of inquiry

e.g The purpose of this study is to

examine the relationship between use of

internet communication among IIUM

students and their achievement in the

EPT.

Adapted from: Creswell, J.W. (2008).

Educational Research: Planning,

Conducting, and Evaluating

Quantitative and Qualitative Research.

Nebraska:Pearson

Background of study


• General issue


Variables

Literature Review

• Related Theory


on variable 1


on variable 2



Research Questions



Research Questions:

• questions that are posed as the focus of the

researcher’s investigation.

• include KEY TERMS that you can use to

help you research your topic.

• generally, research questions are questions

you do not know the answer to. The idea is

you are using your research to gain new

knowledge.

.

Background of study


• General issue


Variables

Literature Review

• Related Theory


on variable 1


on variable 2



Research Questions



Research Questions:

Good RQs must be:

1. Feasible: can be investigated without an

undue amount time, energy and money;

2. Clear: most people would agree as to what

the key words in the question mean;

3. Significant: worth investigating because it

will contribute important knowledge about

the human condition;

4. Ethical: will not involve physical or

psychological harm or damage to human

beings, or to the natural or social

environment of which they are a part.

.

Background of study


• General issue


Variables

Literature Review

• Related Theory


on variable 1


on variable 2



Research Questions

Key Terms and components of

Part 2:METHOD

Materials

• describes how the materials were prepared for the study, explain how measurements were made and what calculations were performed

Respondents/Participants

• Respondents are usually those who participate in research involving questionnaires.

• Participants are usually those who are involved in interviews and experiments

Procedure

• Describes how the data was obtained, and the rationale for why specific procedures were chosen

• Describe what was done to answer the research question, describe how it was done, justifies the design, and explain how the results were analyzed


Part 3:FINDINGS or RESULTS

• Numerically describes the outcome or answers to the research question

FINDING TO RQ1

• Numerically describes the outcome or answers to the research question

FINDING TO RQ2


Part 4:DISCUSSION

Conclusion

• It is where you sum up the main points of the report should relate to the objectives and results of your research.

• The purpose is to tie together various issues covered in your research and draw logical deductions based on the research findings.

Implication

• is that like consequence or outcome of your study

• should comment on the need for further research, and the nature of the further research that would be most desirable

• It is important to discuss the implications because they will be the basis for you to make recommendations

Recommendation• cause of action to be taken to solve the identified problems.

Tasks:

• State the general parts of a quantitative descriptive research report

• State the components of Introduction of a quantitative descriptive research report

• Brainstorm on a possible research area. Write a statement that shows your ‘working research topic’

THE END