THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD.pptx

7/27/2019 THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD.pptx

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THE SCIENTIFICMETHODMethods of Research andScientific Writing

CHRISTINE S. BAUTISTA, RN

Masters of Science in Complementaryand Alternative Medicine


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RESEARCH- the systematic, rigorous investigation ofa situation or problem in order togenerate new knowledge or validate

existing knowledge- the finding of solutions to a problem afterthorough study and analysis of thesituational factors

- gathering information needed to answera question, and thereby help in solving aproblem


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Purpose of Research1. Exploratory/ Formulative Research

- first stage in a sequence of studies

- researcher formulate more precise

questions that future research cananswer

- done when researcher has a limited

amount of experience or knowledge

about an issue

- addresses the WHAT question

Ex: experience surveys, secondary data

analysis, case studies and pilot studies


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2. Descriptive Research

- describe characteristics of a

population or phenomenon- determine the answers to WHO,

WHAT, WHEN, WHERE and HOW

questionsEx: Labor Force Surveys, Population

Census, Educational Census, Field

Research and Content Analysis3. Explanatory Research

- looks for causes and reason

- answers the question WHY


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What is SCIENTIFIC METHOD?- A method which is very systematic in

nature and plays a very critical role in the

field of investigation, evaluation,

experimentation, interpretation and

theorizing.

- A very effective method in the cases of

physical sciences as the various physicalphenomenon can be easily verified and

also evaluated but in case of the

managerial factors cannot be absolutelyverified and evaluated h sicall .


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George A. Lundberg (1946)Method which consists of the

systematic observation,

classification and interpretation of

the data. The main difference betweenour day to day generalization and the

conclusions usually recognized as a

scientific method lie in the degree ofthe formality, rigorousness, verifiability

and the general validity of the latter.


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Characteristics Of Scientific Method Empirical

Realities that are observed through sensoryexperiences

Generates knowledge which are verifiable by experience

orobservation

Objective

Researcher should test the hypothesis and not prove itand should eliminate personal bias and refrain from

seeking only such data that will prove the hypothesis.

How to be objective?

Standardize research instruments and analytical tools

(Lal Das, 2005) Verifiable

If a study is based on objective facts, thus it can be

verified.

Ways to verify studies:

Analyze data on same sample using other statistical


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REPLICATION the key to the support of any worthwhile theory

involves the process of repeating a study using the

same methods, different subjects, and different

experimenters

It can also involve applying the theory to new

situations in an attempt to determine thegeneralizability to different age groups, locations,

races, or cultures.

Why is it important?

assurance that results are valid and reliable

determination of generalizability or the role of

extraneous variables

application of results to real world situations

inspiration of new research combining previous


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STEPS IN Scientific Method GENERAL QUESTION

formulate a general question about an area

of research and begin the process of defining it

NARROWING DOWN

research stage, through a process of elimination, will

narrow and focus the research area

DESIGNING THE EXPERIMENT

designing the steps that will test and evaluate the

hypothesis, manipulating one or more variables to

generate analyzable data

OBSERVATION observing and recording the results of the research,

gathering the findings into raw data.

The observation stage involves looking at what effect

the manipulated variables have upon the subject, andrecording the results


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STEPS IN Scientific Method (cont) ANALYSIS

The scope of the research begins to broaden again, as

statistical analyses are performed on the data, and it isorganized into an understandable form.

The answers given by this step allow the further widening

of the research, revealing some trends and answers to the

initial questions. CONCLUSIONS AND PUBLISHING

This stage is where, technically, the hypothesis is stated

as proved or disproved.

results are usually published and shared with the scientific

community, allowing verification of the findings and

allowing others to continue research into other areas

CYCLE

generates data and ideas to recycle into the first stage.

Process of verification/ replication


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RESEARCH DESIGNA master plan specifying the methods

and procedures for collecting andanalyzing the data

A strategy or blueprint that plans theaction for carrying through theresearch project data

Involves a series of rational decision-

making choices depending upon thevarious options available to theresearchers


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Elements of Research Design Purpose of the Study

Descriptive or Explanatory

Unit of Analysis

Also called as the units of observations; level of aggregation of

the data collected during the subsequent data analysis stage

Time Dimension

Cross Sectional Studies are carried out once and represent

a snapshot of one point in time.

Longitudinal Studies are repeated over an

extended period. The advantage of longitudinal studies is.

that it can track changes over time

Researcher Control of Variables In an experiment, the researcher attempts to control and /or

manipulate the variables in the study. It is enough that we can

cause variables to be changed or held constant in keeping with

our research objectives


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Elements of Research Design (cont) Choice of Research Design: Mode of Observation

survey, experiment, communication analysis (content analysis), field

observation, case study, focus group discussion

Sampling Design

Unit of analysis; selecting some of

the elements in population, we may draw

conclusions about the entire population

Observation Tools

questionnaire, interview schedule, Interview guide, and check list

Field Data Collection

How the data will be collected? Who will be

responsible for the collections of data? What training will be imparted t

o the field functionaries? Howwill the quality control of data be maintained?

Data Processing and Data Analysis

Researcher is required to tell how the data shall be processed (manua

lly, mechanically), and analysis plans explicated;

The research design should also say something about theanal sis lan the use of statistics and the inferences to be drawn


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TYPES OF RESEARCH

Applied Research Basic Research

Correlational Research

Descriptive Research

Ethnographic Research

Experimental Research Explanatory Research

Exploratory Research

Grounded Theory Research

Historical Research Phenomenological Research

Qualitative Research

Quantitative Research


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DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

Refers to research that provides anaccurate portrayal of characteristics of aparticular individual, situation or group.

Also known as statistical research

Means of discovering new meaning,describing what exists, determining thefrequency with which something occurs,and categorizing information

Deals with everything that can becounted or studied which has an impacton the lives of people it deals with.


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EXPERIMENTAL

RESEARCHAn objective, systematic, controlled

investigation for the purpose of predictingand controlling phenomena and examining

probability and causality among selectedvariables

Has two groups of participants Control vs. Experimental group

Researcher randomly assigns respondents in thesegroup

Control no manipulation in Independent Variable

Experimental receives manipulation in IV


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TYPES OF EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH Blind Experiment

The idea is that the groups studied, including the control,should not be aware of the group in which they are placed.

A blind experiment reduces the risk of bias from this effect,giving an honest baseline for the research, and allowing a

realistic statistical comparison. Ideally, the subjects would not be told that a placebo was

being used at all, but this is regarded as unethical.

The Double Blind Experiment

The double blind experiment takes this precaution againstbias one step further, by ensuring that the researcher does

not know in which group a patient falls. This always gives a chance that a scientist might manipulate

results, and try to show the research in a better light. Provingthat the researcher carried out a double blind experimentreduces the chance of criticism.


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VARIABLESINDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEPENDENT VARIABLE

presumed cause presumed effect

treatment, factor, and predictor outcome, result, effect, and criteri

onis a variable that is manipulated

to examine its impact on a

dependent variable.

variable that indicates that wheth

er the manipulation of the

independent variable had an

effect.

varied or manipulated by the

researcher,

the response that is measuredConfounding variable 'get in the way' of the comparison betweengroups that we want to make. Confounding is defined as "a

situation in which the effects of two process are not separated".


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Strategies to reduce confounding: Randomization

aim is random distribution of confounders between studygroups

Restriction restrict entry to study of individuals with confounding

factors - risks bias in itself

Matching of individuals or groups, aim for equal distribution of

confounders

Stratification confounders are distributed evenly within each stratum

Adjustment usually distorted by choice of standard

Multivariate analysis only works if you can identify and measure the confounders

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