RESEARCH

METHOD
TOPIC 1: Introduction to
Research
 THESIS
 A thesis or dissertation is a document submitted in
support of candidature for an academic degree or
professional qualification presenting the author's
research and findings
 a long essay or dissertation involving personal
research, written by a candidate for a college degree.
Architectural Thesis
 The purpose of thesis is to allow the student to
pursue an independent line of study for an
extended period in considerable depth bringing
together various skills from studio classroom,
which has been acquired over to the prior study.
 Thesis is also a comprehensive summary of what
has been learned to data, so technical competence
must be exhibited in all aspects of the thesis project.
 A thesis project will not only be judged on the
quality of work presented, but also on the
processes used to produced it.
 A thesis should include research, program
analysis, and development, site analysis and
selection, preliminary and schematic design of
buildings as the basic scope.
 The expected effort must be commensurate with
time ( 1 year & 10 credit units) and the level of
expertise required of a thesis student.
 The acceptability of a thesis proposal will be
partly determined by the level of investigation
required.
 In a large scale or complex projects, all of the item
may or may not be included in the program.
 In a relative simple project, however, detailed
investigations in all the above categories would be
expected.
 A thesis project concentrates on issues of large-scale
development.
 It must include architectural context that
demonstrates relationship of the project to built
form.
 The clarity of the problem statement, the complexity
of the problem, and judgment of the ability of the
student to deal with the problem will determine
acceptability.
 Projects which are poorly defined are not to be
accepted.
 The appropriate architectural content for a large
scale thesis project will be determined in discussion
with the students thesis advisor during the initial
phase of meetings.
  
 All thesis projects must demonstrate the ability
to independently conduct research and design
investigation, create architectural form and
resolve relevant issues of the site, structure,
and construction.
 New construction should form the basis of a
thesis project. issues of renovation, addition,
repair, improvement, revitalization, etc. maybe
included only as a secondary theme
incorporating innovation in architectural
technology and energy efficiency is
encouraged.
 RESEARCH

 to study (something) carefully

 to collect information about or for
(something)
  to search or investigate exhaustively 
 the systematic investigation into and
study of materials and sources in
order to establish facts and reach new
conclusions
 Research comprises "creative work
undertaken on a systematic basis in
order to increase the stock
of knowledge, including knowledge
of humans, culture and society, and
the use of this stock of knowledge to
devise new applications.“

 Godwin Colibao 
 "In the broadest sense of the word, the
definition of research includes any
gathering of data, information and facts
for the advancement of knowledge
 Creswell
 - "Research is a process of steps used to
collect and analyze information to
increase our understanding of a topic or
issue".
Common Steps:

1. POSE A QUESTION

2. COLLECT DATA TO ANSWER THE

QUESTION

3. PRESENT AND ANSWER THE QUESTION

 METHODOLOGY
 Methodology is the systematic,
theoretical analysis of the methods
applied to a field of study.
 It comprises the theoretical analysis
of the body of methods and
principles associated with a branch
of knowledge.
 Typically, it encompasses concepts such
as paradigm, theoretical model, phases and
quantitative or qualitative techniques
 A methodology does not set out to provide
solutions. Instead, a methodology offers the
theoretical underpinning for understanding
which method, set of methods, or best practices
 can be applied to specific case, for example, to
calculate a specific result.
It has been defined also as
follows………..
 "the analysis of the principles of
methods, rules, and postulates
employed by a discipline";
 "the systematic study of methods
that are, can be, or have been
applied within a discipline"
 "the study or description of
methods"
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

 The process used to collect

information and data for the
purpose of making business
decisions.
 It is a way to find out the result of a
given problem on a specific matter
or problem that is also referred
as research problem
The methodology may include;
a. Publications,
b. interviews,
c. Surveys, and
d. other research techniques,
e. and could include both present
and historical information.
 The research design refers to the overall
strategy that you choose to integrate the
different components of the study in a coherent
and logical way, thereby, ensuring you will
effectively address the research problem; it
constitutes the blueprint for the collection,
measurement, and analysis of data.
Research Methodology Outline
 Three Main Form of Research
Process
 1. Exploratory Research, which helps to
identify and define a problem or
question.
 2. Constructive Research, which tests
theories and proposes solutions to a
problem or question.
 3. Empirical Research, which tests the
feasibility of a solution using empirical
evidences
Forms of Research
 1. Scientific Research
  It is a systematic way of gathering data
and harnessing curiosity.
 It provides scientific information and
theories for the explanation of the nature
and the properties of the world.
 It is funded by public authorities, by
charitable organizations and by private
groups, including many companies.
 2.Research in the humanities
  involves different methods such as for
example hermeneutics and semiotics.
 It doesnt search for the ultimate correct answer
to a question, but instead explore the issues and
details that surround it.
 Context can be social, historical, political,
cultural, or ethnic.
 Historians use primary sources and
other evidence to systematically investigate a
topic, and then to write histories in the form of
accounts of the past.
 3. Artistic Research,
 also seen as 'practice-based research', can
take form when creative works are
considered both the research and the
object of research itself. It is the debatable
body of thought which offers an
alternative to purely scientific methods in
research in its search for knowledge and
truth.
 Empirical Research
 It is a way of gaining knowledge by
means of direct and indirect observation
or experience.
 Empiricism values such research more
than other kinds.
  Empirical evidence (the record of one's
direct observations or experiences) can
be analyzed quantitatively or
qualitatively.
 DATA
 Are things we think with (Whitney, 1950)
 They are raw materials of reflections for comparison,
combination and evaluation
 They are stepped up to higher level of generalization
where it will serve as basic material for higher level of
thinking
 These are researches resulted from different references
 Maybe classified according to;
1. By Source
a. Primary Sources – data directly gathered
b. Secondary Sources – data directly gathered from
previous research
 2. By Form
Quantitative – data is numerical in nature
Qualitative – data is descriptive and critical and characterized

 SOURCES OF DATA AND INFORMATION

A. Printed Materials of General Information

- Printed materials and published for general public for everybody’s

benefit
1. Books, encyclopedia, almanac

-with author, publisher, bibliography, etc.

- scholary written for reference books (for thesis)
2. Magazines, periodicals (weekly, monthly, etc.)
- architectural digest
- architectural records
- architecture asia
3. Gazettes
- published by government institutions
ex. Fire Code of the Philippines
BP 220
BP 344
 4. Rules and regulations, guidelines, statutes of the land
( PD’s, RA’s)
 Ex. The Philippines Constitution
 Civil Code of the Philippines

B. Printed Materials of Limited Circulations

- printed and distributed materials to cater to specific entities
1. Circulars, Bulletins, Orders

- emanating from government offices and departments

especially office of the president, commissions, etc.
Ex. Ched order # 85- 13 – Only licensed architects can teach
architectural subjects
2. Memorandum – memo information or directive to certain
entities
Ex. Presidential Memo to: __________________
3. Reports. Memories ( speech)
- forms gathered from speakers, speeches, seminars, or talk for limited distribution
Ex. State of the national address
State of the union
Valedictory address
Semestral report
4. Article clippings
- published in newspaper, professional journals, magazines, etc.
5. Resolutions
- are means to redefine, modify and implement a certain policy, ordinance,
guidelines, etc.

C. Statistics
- numbered data
- a material techniques or process for gathering, organizing, analyzing and
interpreting numerical data

D. Persons in Authority
- a credible person, reliable. Competent who can act on the issue or topic
1. Interviews
- to any reliable resource person who have idea or knowledge on the subject or topic
2. Survey Questionnaire – to different respondents