Enumeration

Good sources of research ideas

1. Primary versus secondary sources

A primary source is one containing the full research report, including all details necessary to duplicate
the study. A primary sources includes the description  of the rationale of the study, its participant or
subjects, materials or apparatus, procedures, result and references. A secondary source is one that
summarizes information from primary sources. Secondary sources of research include review papers
and theoretical articles that briefly  describe studies and results, as well as description of research found
in textbooks, popular magazines, newspaper articles, etc.

To summarize, use secondary sources, as a starting point in your literature search. Avoid over reliance
on secondary sources and make every effort to obtain the primary sources of interest to you that have
been cited in a secondary source. Only by reading the primary source can you critically evaluate a study
and determine whether the reported results are reliable and important. Finally do not rely on secondary
source. The author of reviewed article may not have completely reviewed the literature.

2. Books

You are probably most familiar with general textbooks or text covering content areas. The article in an
anthology maybe original works and thus can be treated as primary sources-provided that they have
been reproduced exactly, not edited for anthology. Be careful about relying on a chapter reproduced
from a book. Isolating a single chapter from the original book can be misleading. In other chapters from
the same books, the original author may elaborate on points made in the reproduced chapter. You could
miss important points if you do not read the original work. It would be well advised to seek out recent
research on the issues covered in the book.

3. Scholarly Journals

For current research and theories regarding a subject, researchers turn to scholarly journals.

4. Conventions and professional meeting

If you attend one of convention and professional meeting , you would find a number of sessions
covering different areas of research.
Various purposes in conducting research

1. A Tool for Building Knowledge and for Facilitating Learning

Research is required not just for students and academics, but for all professionals and nonprofessionals
alike. It is also important for budding and veteran writers, both offline and online.

For nonprofessionals who value learning, doing research equips them with knowledge about the world
and skills to survive and improve their lives. Among professionals and scribes, on the other hand, finding
an interesting topic to discuss and/or to write about should go beyond personal experience.
Determining either what the general public may want to know or what researchers want others to
realize or to think about can serve as a reason to do research. Thus, research is an essential component
in generating knowledge and vice-versa.

2. Means to Understand Various Issues and Increase Public Awareness

Television shows and movies ooze with research - both on the part of the writer(s) and the actors.
Though there are hosts who rely on their researchers, there are also those who exert effort to do their
own research. This step helps them:

 get information that hired researchers missed,

 build a good rapport with the interviewee, and

 conduct a good interview in the process

3. An Aid to Business Success

Research benefits business. Many successful companies, such as those producing consumer goods or
mass-market items, invest in research and development or R&D. Different business industries with
science and engineering processes like agriculture, food and beverage, manufacturing, healthcare and
pharmaceuticals, computer software, semiconductor, information and communication technology,
construction, robotics, aerospace, aviation, and energy have high R&D expenditure because it is critical
to product innovation and to improving services.
Checklist in Formulating Research Question

1. Is my RQ something that I am curious about and that others might care about?

2. Does it present an issue on which I can take a stand?

3. Does my RQ put a new spin on an old issue, or does it try to solve a problem?

4. Is my RQ too broad, too narrow, or OK?

5. Is my RQ researchable…

 within the time frame of the assignment? o …

 given the resources available at my location?

6. Is my RQ measurable? What type of information do I need? Can I find actual data to support or
contradict a position?

Types of Probability Sampling Method

 Simple random sampling is a completely random method of selecting subjects. These can
include assigning numbers to all subjects and then using a random number generator to choose
random numbers. Classic ball and urn experiments are another example of this process
(assuming the balls are sufficiently mixed). The members whose numbers are chosen are
included in the sample.

 Stratified Random Sampling involves splitting subjects into mutually exclusive groups and then

 Systematic Sampling means that you choose every “nth” participant from a complete list. For
example, you could choose every 10th person listed.

 Cluster Random Sampling is a way to randomly select participants from a list that is too large
for simple random sampling. For example, if you wanted to choose 1000 participants from the
entire population of the U.S., it is likely impossible to get a complete list of everyone. Instead,
the researcher randomly selects areas (i.e. cities or counties) and randomly selects from within
those boundaries.

 Multi-Stage Random sampling uses a combination of techniques.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Each probability sampling method has its own unique advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages

 Cluster sampling: convenience and ease of use.

 Stratified random sampling: creates strata or layers that are highly representative of strata or
layers in the population.

 Systematic sampling: creates samples that are highly representative of the population, without
the need for a random number generator.

Disadvantages

 Cluster sampling: might not work well if unit members are not homogeneous (i.e. if they are
different from each other).

 Simple random sampling: tedious and time consuming, especially when creating larger samples.

 Stratified random sampling: tedious and time consuming, especially when creating larger
samples.

 Systematic sampling: not as random as simple random sampling,