Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Introduction
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Could you please review and send me a formal proposal that I could
use as a pitch to talk with them?
Here you have some examples that would be great to have:
What is the University?
Who are you?
What is the purpose and what do you want to achieve?
What is the level of interaction needed?
With who do you need to talk?
What is the effort requested?
DO you need to visit/interact with one of our offices or all?
What is the goal/outcome? (Study Result)
What should we expect from this goal/outcome? (Study Result)
This Study will be shared with who? Are we going to have access to
this?
Last
2 but not the least. Why should we accept?
Course Objective
Generally
Types of research
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Meaning of Research
Re-search
Is an academic activity of
Search for knowledge
Scientific investigation
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Cont…
Research often makes use of various
Sources of Knowledge
• INTUITIVE (when coming up with an initial idea
for research)
• AUTHORITATIVE (when reviewing professional
literature)
• LOGICAL (when reasoning from findings to
conclusions)
• EMPIRICAL (when engaging in procedures that
lead to these findings)
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Cont..
Scientific Research
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WHAT RESEARCH IS NOT
1. Research is not mere information gathering
2. Research is not mere transportation of facts from one
location to another.
Fact discovery, fact transportation, and fact
transcription.
Missed the essence of research: the interpretation of data.
3. Research is not merely digging for information –
example of “house for sale” sign board
4. Research is not a catchword, used to get attention
YEARS OF RESEARCH HAVE PRODUCED A NEW CAR WASH!
GIVE YOUR CAR A MIRACLE SHINE WITH SOAPY SUDS
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????
What is a computer game playing habit of children’s in
Ethiopia
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WHAT TRUE RESEARCH IS
Research is a procedure by which we attempt to find
systematically, and with the support of demonstrable
fact, the answer to a question or the resolution of a
problem.
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WHAT TRUE RESEARCH IS
5. Is tentatively guided by research questions, or
hypotheses.
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(1) Originates with a question or problem
Originates with a question in the mind of the researcher.
The world is filled with unanswered questions,
unresolved problems.
Things that cause us to wonder, to speculate, to ask
questions.
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(2) Requires clear articulation of a goal
Cannot proceed without a clear articulation of a goal.
A clear, unambiguous statement of the problem.
An exercise in intellectual honesty.
Must set forth in a grammatically complete sentence
exactly what the ultimate goal of the research
Basic for the success.
Without it, research is on shaky ground.
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(3) Requires a specific plan for proceeding
Requires a specific plan of procedure.
Not an excursion into happy expectation, a carefully planned
attack, search-and-discover mission explicitly planned.
Logically designed.
What will you do with them after they are in your possession?
Cannot be postponed.
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(4) Divides the principal problem into sub
problems
Dividing it into more manageable subareas.
Whole is composed of the sum of its parts.
Subproblems:
1. What is the direct route?
2. How far do I travel on highway?
3. Which exit number should I take?
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(5) Guided by specific questions or hypothesis
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Cont…
Never proved nor disproved; either supported or not
supported.
You go out to your car, get a flashlight, find a new bulb, and insert the new
bulb. The lamp fails to light. (Hypothesis 1 is rejected.)
You glance down at the wall outlet and the lamp is plugged into it.
(Hypothesis 2 is rejected.)
You look at your neighbours’ homes. Everyone has electrical power.
(Hypothesis 3 is rejected.)
You go back into your home, lift the cord connecting the lamp to the wall
socket. The lamp lights briefly, then goes out.You lift the cord again. Again
the lamp lights briefly. The connecting cord is defective. (Hypothesis 4 is
supported.)
Fortunately, hypothesis 4 solved the problem, and by repairing or replacing
the cord, you can count on adequate light in the near future.
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Cont…
After the hypotheses, come facts.
Greatest discoveries begun as hypotheses.
Over time, as particular hypotheses are supported by a growing
body of data, they evolve into theories.
A theory is an organised body of concepts and principles
intended to explain a particular phenomenon.
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(6) Accepts critical assumptions
Assumptions are equivalent to axioms in geometry
Assumptions as bedrock upon which the research
rest
Essential that others know
Vitally important in judging the quality of the research
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Cont…
At a minimum the researcher must assume
The teachers used in the study are competent to teach the
language or languages in question and have mastered the
grammatical structures of the language(s) they are teaching
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(7) Requires collection and interpretation of
data
Deals with facts and their meaning.
Next step is to collect whatever facts seem appropriate and
to organize them in meaningful ways so that they can be
interpreted.
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Cont…
6. Data are collected, processed, and interpreted.
7. A discovery is made; a conclusion is reached.
8. The tentative hypothesis is either supported by the data or is
not supported; the question is either answered (partially or
completely) or not answered.
9. The cycle is complete.
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Cont…
Different academic disciplines merely use different
routes to arrive at the same destination.
Circle is, however, deceptive.
Accurately helix, or spiral.
One comes across additional problems.
Research begets research.
Dynamic quality.
NOT One-time act (static), self-contained, an end in
itself.
Genuine research creates more problems than it
resolves.
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What is the purpose of research?
Why do we do researches?
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Major Purposes of Research
A research can be undertaken for two
different purposes:
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Scientific Research
Objectives of Research
• Employs systematic observation and
• To discover
rational answers
processes to questions
to create new through
knowledge. of scientific procedures.
the application
• Based on logical relationships not just
beliefs.
• To find out the truth which is hidden
which has notanbeen
• Involves discovered
explanation as yet.
of the methods
used to collect and analyze data;
explanation to “why the results are
meaningful?”
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Objectives of Research
Objectives of Research … cont’d
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What motivates a research?
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Significance
Significance
Objectives
Motivation ofResearch
research
inofResearch
research
of … cont’d
… cont’d
To
•• Whatgainmakes
familiarity
– Increased with
people
amount a phenomenon
undertake
of research or to
research?
make progress possible.
achieve new
Desire to
– Research getinsights
a researchinto it; along with its
degree
Knowledge
– Research inculcates scientific thinking and
consequential
promotes the benefits.
development of logical habitsof of a
• To portray accurately the characteristics
– Desire to and
thinking solveorganization.
a challenge in solving the unsolved
particular individual, situation or a group;
problems.
– Complexity in business and government is increasing.
– Desire
• To to design
determine theappropriate
frequencypolicies
with which something
Thereoris with
more information and Information
knowledge
–– Desire
occurs to which
contribute toitthe
is existing
associated oftoknowledge.
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understand the world than before.
something
– Desire to getelse;
intellectual joy of doing some creative
Multi disciplinary professions have become common
– work
• To test atohypothesis
– Desire be of serviceoftoasociety
casual relationship
between variables;
– Directives of government. Development
– Curiosity about new things, etc....
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Significance of Research
Research is the fountain of knowledge and an important
source for providing guidelines for solving different business,
governmental and social problems. Therefore,
(a) To analysts and intellectuals, research may mean the
generalisations of new theories;
(b) To philosophers and thinkers, research may mean the
outlet for new ideas and insights;
(c) To those students who are to write a thesis, it is a
way to attain a high position in the social structure;
(d) To professionals in research methodology, it is a
source of livelihood;
(e) To literary men and women, research may mean the
development of new styles and creative work.
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Significance
Significance of research
of research … cont’d
Development
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Types of Research
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Based on Purpose
(i) Descriptive vs. Analytical:
-Descriptive research includes surveys and fact-finding
enquiries such as Ex post facto where the researcher has
no control over the variables so he can only report what
has happened.
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Cont..
(ii) Applied vs. Fundamental:
-Applied research aims at finding a solution for an immediate
problem facing a society or an industrial/business
organization.
Developing a SW that convert word files into database format
Innovating new way in doing payroll processing by a computer
Developing a program that copy's files from a computer to a
mobile phone
(Given the field that we are in, your research is expected to be
more of applied)
-Fundamental research is mainly concerned with
generalizations and with the formulation of a theory
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Based on Approach and method
(iii) Quantitative vs. Qualitative:
-Quantitative research is based on the measurement of
amount/quantity.
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Based on Approach and method
(iv) Conceptual vs. Empirical:
Conceptual research is used by philosophers to develop
new concepts or to reinterpret existing ones.
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Cont…
(V) Behavioral Vs Design Science
Design Science
Studiesartificial objects or phenomena designed to
meet certain goals
(CS research mainly falls under this category)
Behavioral
Studies the decision processes and communication
strategies within and between organisms in a social
system
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Cont…
(v) Some Other Types of Research:
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Expected Problems Encountered by
Researchers
1. The lack of a scientific training in research methodology;
2. Insufficient interaction between concerned bodies;
3. Research studies overlapping one another;
4. Inexistence of code of conduct for researchers;
5. the difficulty of adequate and timely ICT know-how;
6. Unsatisfactory Library services and functioning;
7. Difficulty of timely availability of published data;
8. Ethical concerns (both Animal & Human)
9. Approval by authorities
10. Lack of cooperation etc....
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Ethical issues in research
Ethical concerns
Moral issues – honesty, integrity
Neutrality
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Ethical issues cont…Issue of Plagiarism
Intentional VS unintentional
The effect is the same
The most serious one
Presenting ones idea /research as if it is yours
Others
Use/Copy sentences/ideas of others as they are in your work
Solution
Acknowledging
Either paraphrase or put it in quotation and cite.
Through proper citation (at sentence level, paragraph level etc…
Indicate in any appropriate way that it is not yours.
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Course Assessment
Presentation/Participation - 10%