BUCU, Aleli Joyce H.

3LM2

2012040657

January 24, 2015

INTRODUCTION TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

1. Sources of Knowledge
INTUITION is based through a feeling or an initial idea that might turn out to be
true. AUTHORITY is when you gain knowledge from someone who is more
experience and credible in the chosen field of research like professors.
RATIONAL INDUCTION is based on relating to existing knowledge or tying two
ideas together to make a new one. These three are accepted as useful source of
hypotheses while EMPIRICISM is the only accepted source of new knowledge; it
is gained through careful observation, manipulation of variables and data
interpretation through scientific methods.

2. Research as Scientific Inquiry

Research is considered as a scientific inquiry because it follows the systematic
approach same as the scientific method.

Making observations
Posing questions
Examining resources and reviewing what is known
Planning investigations
Using tools to gather, analyze, and interpret data
Proposing answers, explanations, and predictions
Communicating results

3. Basic Assumptions underlying scientific research

Researchers work on different assumptions to be able to achieve solutions to

questions and problems and apply with the day-to-day practice of science.

Uniformity or Regularity in Nature is assumed to be able to find a strong form

of determinism, the belief that there are causes of mental process and behavior.
It is through this assumption where we uncover variables, which are linked
together and find probabilistic causes to determine the usually produced
outcomes.

Reality in Nature is the assumption where the things we see, hear, feel, smell
and taste can be studied scientifically and not just pigments of our imagination.
This is where science interacts with the natural world.
Discoverability is where we believe that it is possible to uncover regularities and
reality of nature. Research is where pieces of discoveries are put together to
conclude the nature of the total picture.

4. Types of Research Design

Based on the following research, there were different classifications of research
design. The first include correlational, field, experimental and meta-analysis while
the second classification include exploratory, conclusive and performance monitoring
research. The classifications differ either the purpose or the stage of decisionmaking process.

According to purpose:

Correlational explores or tests relation between variables. It helps in finding

alternative variable that plays a role in the relation of variables.

Field (survey) is the study of participants in their natural setting. It supports the
assumption of realities in nature.

Experimental directly establishes cause-effect nature of relationship between

variables.

Meta Analysis helps to develop theories and identify the research needs to
establish validity of the tools used. It combines the results of existing research in
relation between variables.

According to Stage of the Decision-making Process:

Exploratory is the most useful research design for studies which have high levels
of uncertainty and ignorance on the subject matter. Its objectives are to identify
the problem, formulate courses of actions and gather information with regard the
subject matter.

Conclusive has two sub-classifications which are descriptive and causal

research. Descriptive relies on the interview of the respondents and secondary
data source while Causal depends on both interviews and conduct of experiment
to be able to identify variables, which causes the phenomenon. (Singer and
Willett, 2003)

Performance-monitoring research design is used to predict potential threats or

opportunities. It is also used to determine whether plans and objectives are
accomplished.

5. Functions of Research
The function is research in mainly to obtain knowledge in different areas of study.
It is used to help determine problems, finding answer to problems and measure
the effectiveness of solutions. Also, research is to discover specific knowledge on
different subject matter and relate it to the natural phenomenon.

Bibliography:

Introduction to Scientific Research (n.d) , Pearson Highered. USA

Elahia, M. & Dehdashti M. (2011). Classification of Researches and Evolving a

Consolidating Typology of Management Studies. London, UK.

Creswell, J. (2003). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Method

Approaches. 2nd ed. Sage Publications. University of Nebraska, USA.

Sekaran, U. 2003. Research methods for business: A skill building approach, 4th ed.
New Jersey:John Wiley and Sons, Inc