RESEARCH METHODS QUESTIONS AND THEIR

ANSWERS.
1(a). Analyze the reasons for carrying out research.
(b). Describe the characteristics of statement of the problem.
(a) Regardless of the career path a person is following or their position in society, there is always
room for learning. The same is applicable for individuals going through their academic years.
Research can be mentally draining at times and students want to avoid it. Yet it is an imperative
part of learning and developing as a scholar. Without research any intellectual growth is quite
impossible. Why exactly is it so essential? We are going to explore here some reasons behind the
importance of research in education.
1. A Knowledge Building Tool
The most prominent reason to engage in research is to enhance your knowledge. Even if you are
an expert of your field, there is always more to uncover. If researching about a topic entirely new
to you, it will help build your unique perspective about it. The whole process of research opens
new doors of learning and literary growth.
2. Enables Efficient Learning
Studies reveal that research helps restore and protect memory and enhances mathematic and
problem-solving skills. Therefore, it prepares the mind for a better understanding of concepts and
theories. A person’s learning capacity is improved and they can perform better in comparison
who is reluctant to research.
3. Aids Employment Prospects
Research has an undeniable role in the business industry. Successful companies have resources
invested in research and development to have all the information they need of the market. Your
academic phase helps you prepare for any research tasks you will have to accomplish in the
future
4. Helps in Understanding Issues
it sheds light on problems that have not yet come out in the open. It gives people the opportunity
to address issues and answer questions that the society doesn’t respond to.
5. Provides Truthful Evidence
The process of research can prove to dispel various myths that have been built up in our minds.
They can either develop because of common belief or a wrong resource. Logical and fact-based
knowledge is easily accessible if you only reach out to find the truth.
6. Develops a Love of Reading and Analyzing
Reading and writing are the core elements of research. So, they automatically become familiar to
you if you are involved in researching facts and figures. Reading helps open your mind to a
never-ending horizon of knowledge. While developing writing skills gives you the ability to
express in a constructive way.
7. Exercises your Mind
letting your mind frequently absorb logic and creativity allows it to become more active. It
creates a healthy curiosity that fuels the brain and makes it seek new answers.
8. Keeps You Updated on Recent Information
In various fields, especially ones that are related to science, there are always new discoveries to
explore. Research prevents you from remaining behind or have inaccurate information about a
topic. You can use the latest knowledge to build upon ideas or talk confidently about a subject if
required. Which takes us to the next factor about building credibility.
9. Builds Credibility
People tend to take a person’s ideas seriously when it evident he or she are well informed about
them. Being involved in research helps in forming a solid foundation to build an opinion upon. It
also makes it much harder for people to find fault in something you have proposed.
10. Focuses your Scope
if you are delving into a topic for the first time, it might be confusing where to begin. Most of the
time you have an overwhelming amount of information to sort through. Research helps in
narrowing down to the most important and unique points so you are able to write meaningfully.
11. Teaches Discernment
when you become adept at research you can easily identify between low- and high-quality data.
You will get better at discerning accurate from false information. Any gray areas will also
become clear where the facts are correct but conclusions might be questionable.
12. Introduces New Ideas
it is possible that you already have ideas and opinions about a topic you are researching upon.
The more research is done, the more viewpoints are unearthed. It encourages one to entertain
fresh ideas and review your own perspective too. It can even change your mind about a concept
or two.
13. Raises Awareness
by doing research on important issues like racial injustice, climate change and gender inequality,
you can reach out to people. This type of research goes beyond data collection and consists
sharing of real stories that create awareness.
14. Encourages Curiosity
A love for learning new things can last a lifetime if you have sources to fuel it. Even the most
basic research opens up new possibilities and develops analytical skills. It is reward to the
curiosity burning away inside any human being. When you have committed yourself to gaining
knowledge it constantly helps you to grow.
15. Prepares you to Deal with the Future
If you are a business studies student, you can discover how to form plans and strategies once you
are employed in the field. You can figure out your goals for ahead. In areas like medicine,
research helps you identify diseases, symptoms and reveals new ways to eradicate them. Hence
you can prepare for the real world by knowing more about the challenges you have to face.
These were some of the reasons why research work is so important in education. A student is
required to study and read more about different subjects from early on. Those who do honestly
indulge in that, find themselves capable of understanding concepts more easily.
They develop a learned point of view that is fed by research and in-depth study of subjects. This
kind of learning goes a long way in comparison to the studying that is done merely to pass an
exam. Not all students have the same pace of learning though and its nothing to be ashamed
about. You can take any assistance from our student’s research paper service if there is a topic
you find specifically difficult.
1(b). Characteristics of the statement of the problem.
The ten important characteristics of a good research problem for a thesis are summarized below.
The list enables one to examine any research problem and see the extent to which it measures up.
Obviously, few problems will achieve all ten characteristics but good problems should fulfill
most of these requirements. A few words are in order about each of them.

Characteristics of a good thesis research problem

1 The problem can be stated clearly and concisely.
2 The problem generates research questions.
3 It is grounded in theory.
4 It relates to one or more academic fields of study.
5 It has a base in the research literature.
6 It has potential significance/importance.
7 It is do-able within the time frame, budget.
8 Sufficient data are available or can be obtained.
9 The researcher’s methodological strengths can be applied to the problem.
10 The problem is new; it is not already answered sufficiently.
Fundamentals of Educational Research
1 The Problem Can Be Stated Clearly and Concisely
Unless the problem can be stated clearly and concisely it is probably a poor problem or a non-
problem. The best way to test the problem statement is to write it into a concise sentence or
paragraph and to share it with others. If the problem cannot be stated in a clear paragraph it has
difficulties and will not endure as a suitable problem. Of course, it is not easy to express complex
issues in simplistic terms and it may take many weeks and countless drafts before the statement
is satisfactory. Good critics are essential. If your spouse or mother cannot understand it, it is
probably flaky.

2 The Problem Generates Research Questions

The problem should generate a number of more specific research questions. These turn the
problem into a question format and represent various aspects or components of the problem. The
research questions make the more general statement easier to address and provide a framework
for the research. Formulating these questions can be a challenge, particularly specifying them at
the right level of abstraction.

3 It Is Grounded in Theory
Good problems have theoretical and/or conceptual frameworks for their analysis. They relate the
specifics of what is being investigated to a more general background of theory which helps
interpret the results and link it to the field.

4 It Relates to One or More Academic Fields of Study

Good problems relate to academic fields which have adherents and boundaries. They typically
have journals to which adherents relate. Research problems which do not have clear links to one
or two such fields of study are generally in trouble. Without such a field it becomes impossible to
determine where, in the universe of knowledge, the problem lies.

5 It Has a Base in the Research Literature

Related to the former points, a well-stated problem will relate to a research literature. Tight
problems often relate to a well-defined body of literature, written by a select group of researchers
and published in a small number of journals. With some problems, it might at first be difficult to
establish the connections and literature base, but there should be a base somewhere.

6 It Has Potential Significance/importance

This is the important ‘so what’ question: Who cares once you solve the problem? Assume that
you have solved the problem and answered the questions and then ask yourself if you are any
further ahead. At the very least, the problem must have importance to the researcher, but ideally
it should also be of consequence to others.

7 It Is DoableWithin the Time Frame, Budget

There are logistic factors in terms of your ability actually to carry out the research. There is no
point pursuing a problem which is not feasible to research. Do not do a study of education in
India unless you have the means to go there and collect data ̶ which may require years to collect.
This factor helps explain why few theses relate to longitudinal data. The only exceptions come
from research shops where there is a long history of collecting and studying data on a defined
population. Terman’s study of genius (1954) in which a defined sample was traced over 30
years, is a good example.

8 Sufficient Data Are Available or Can Be Obtained

In some cases, there are insufficient data to address the problem. Historical persons may have
died, archival materials may be lost, or there may be restrictions on access to certain
environments. As noted, it is difficult to conduct research on a distant country unless you can go
there and collect local data. One under-used approach is to use an existing database. Some data
banks have been developed over many years and contain many opportunities for exploration of
new questions and issues.
2. Identify and explain the steps in the research process.

Research Process Steps: What they are + How to Follow.

Research Process Steps

The research process consists of a series of systematic procedures that a researcher must go
through in order to generate knowledge that will be considered valuable by the project and focus
on the relevant topic.

To conduct effective research, you must understand the research process steps and follow them.
Here are a few steps in the research process to make it easier for you:

Step 1: Identify the Problem

Finding an issue or formulating a research question is the first step. A well-defined problem will
guide the researcher through all stages of the research process, from setting objectives to
choosing a technique. There are a number of approaches to get insight into a topic and gain a
better understanding of it. Such as:

 A preliminary survey
 Case studies
 Interviews with a small group of people
 Observational survey

Step 2: Evaluate the Literature

A thorough examination of the relevant studies is essential to the research process. It enables the
researcher to identify the precise aspects of the problem. Once a problem has been found, the
investigator or researcher needs to find out more about it.

This stage gives problem-zone background. It teaches the investigator about previous research,
how they were conducted, and its conclusions. The researcher can build consistency between his
work and others through a literature review. Such a review exposes the researcher to a more
significant body of knowledge and helps him follow the research process efficiently.
Step 3: Create Hypothesis

Formulating an original hypothesis is the next logical step after narrowing down the research
topic and defining it. A belief solves logical relationships between variables. In order to establish
a hypothesis, a researcher must have a certain amount of expertise in the field.

It is important for researchers to keep in mind while formulating a hypothesis that it must be
based on the research topic. Researchers are able to concentrate their efforts and stay committed
to their objectives when they develop theories to guide their work.

Step 4: The Research Design

Research design is the plan for achieving objectives and answering research questions. It outlines
how to get the relevant information. Its goal is to design research to test hypotheses, address the
research questions, and provide decision-making insights.

The research design aims to minimize the time, money, and effort required to acquire meaningful
evidence. This plan fits into four categories:

 Exploration and Surveys

 Experiment
 Data Analysis
 Observation

Step 5: Describe Population

Research projects usually look at a specific group of people, facilities, or how technology is used
in the business. In research, the term population refers to this study group. The research topic and
purpose help determine the study group.

Suppose a researcher wishes to investigate a certain group of people in the community. In that
case, the research could target a specific age group, males or females, a geographic location, or
an ethnic group. A final step in a study’s design is to specify its sample or population so that the
results may be generalized.

Step 6: Data Collection

Data collection is important in obtaining the knowledge or information required to answer the
research issue. Every research collected data, either from the literature or the people being
studied. Data must be collected from the two categories of researchers. These sources may
provide primary data.

 Experiment
 Questionnaire
  Observation
 Interview

Secondary data categories are:

 Literature survey
 Official, unofficial reports
 An approach based on library resources

Step 7: Data Analysis

During research design, the researcher plans data analysis. After collecting data, the researcher
analyzes it. The data is examined based on the approach in this step. The research findings are
reviewed and reported.

Data analysis involves a number of closely related stages, such as setting up categories, applying
these categories to raw data through coding and tabulation, and then drawing statistical
conclusions. The researcher can examine the acquired data using a variety of statistical methods.

Step 8: The Report-writing

After completing these steps, the researcher must prepare a report detailing his findings. The
report must be carefully composed with the following in mind:


o The Layout: On the first page, the title, date, acknowledgments, and preface
should be on the report. A table of contents should be followed by a list of tables,
graphs, and charts if any.

 Introduction: It should state the research’s purpose and methods. This section should
include the study’s scope and limits.


o Summary of Findings: A non-technical summary of findings and
recommendations will follow the introduction. The findings should be
summarized if they’re lengthy.

 Principal Report: The main body of the report should make sense and be broken up into
sections that are easy to understand.

 Conclusion: The researcher should restate his findings at the end of the main text. It’s the
final result.

8.Conclusion
The research process involves several steps that make it easy to complete the research
successfully. The steps in the research process described above depend on each other, and the
order must be kept. So, if we want to do a research project, we should follow the research
process steps.

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3(a). Examine the characteristics of an interview as a method of data collection.

(b). Explain the advantages and disadvantages of an interview as a method of data collection.

(a) Interviews encompass unique characteristics that distinguish them from other
types of communication. In what follows, we examine five characteristics of
interviews: (1) goal-driven, (2) question–answer, (3) structured, (4) controlled,
and (5) unbalanced.

Goal-Driven.

Interviews are generally more goal-driven than other types of communication, especially those
taking place between two people. All communication achieves something beyond the simple
exchange of symbols, but these achievements and creations are not always purposeful and
intended. Interviews have a clear purpose, a goal to be achieved. Information may be desired, a
problem may need to be resolved, persuasion may be desired, someone may need assistance with
a personal problem, or an employer may be seeking the best person for a job opening and a
potential employee may be looking for a good employer.

Question–Answer

Another characteristic of interviews is the question–answer nature of the transaction. The

majority of an interview consists of one person (sometimes more than one) asking Chapter 15 n
Interviewing 369 questions and another person answering those questions. Everyday
communication includes occasional questions and answers—especially if people are getting to
know one another—but not to the extent of an interview. Furthermore, in most everyday
communication, it is not usually the case that one person is in charge of asking the questions
while the other person is in charge of answering them.

Structured
Interviews also tend to be more structured than other types of communication. Whereas a casual
interaction between two people may happen spontaneously and have no clear focus, interviews
involve planning and preparation and also tend to have a clear sequence. Certain actions are
expected during an interview in order to reach the clearly defined goal discussed previously. We
write more about the planning and sequence of interviews later in the chapter.

Controlled

Interviews are generally controlled by an interviewer, who is responsible for moving the
interview toward its intended goal. The amount of control exerted during an interview depends
on this goal, which is achieved in part by the questions asked and the communication
environment established. Once again, this—specifically whether an interview is characterized as
directive or nondirective—is a topic we discuss in more detail later in the chapter.

Unbalanced

A final characteristic of interviews is that the time spent talking by an interviewee and an
interviewer is usually unbalanced. Typically, an interviewer will speak for 30% of the time, and
an interviewee will speak for 70% of the time. Of course, the type of interview will dictate
exactly how much time each party spends talking, but more often than not, an interviewee will
talk more and an interviewer will talk less.

(b) Advantages and Disadvantages of Face-to-Face Data Collection

Take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of the face-to-face data collection method

As with any research project, data collection is incredibly important. However, several aspects
come into play in the data collection process. The three most crucial aspects include: the cost of
the selected data collection method; the accuracy of data collected; and the efficiency of data
collection.

Despite the rise in popularity of online surveys, face-to-face (in-person) survey interviewing on
mobile devices or paper surveys still remain popular data collection methods. Advanced survey
platforms offer offline survey interviewing when a reliable connection is not available on a
mobile device.

A face-to-face interview provides advantages over other data collection methods. They include:
  Accurate screening. Face-to-face interviews help with more accurate screening. The
individual being interviewed is unable to provide false information during screening
questions such as gender, age, or race. It is possible to get around screening questions in
online and mobile surveys. Online and mobile surveys that offer incentives may actually
encourage answer falsification. Individuals may enter incorrect demographic information
so they are able to complete the survey and gain the incentive. The answers the individual
provides may all be truthful, but for the purpose of data analysis, the data will be
inaccurate and misleading.
 Capture verbal and non-verbal ques. A face-to-face interview is no doubt going to
capture verbal and non-verbal ques, but this method also affords the capture of non-
verbal ques including body language, which can indicate a level of discomfort with the
questions. Adversely, it can also indicate a level of enthusiasm for the topics being
discussed in the interview. Let’s discuss an employee job interview, for example.
Capturing non-verbal ques may make the difference between selecting an employee that
is less skilled, but displays a tremendous amount of enthusiasm for the position.
Capturing non-verbal ques is not possible in online or mobile surveys.
 Keep focus. The interviewer is the one that has control over the interview and can keep
the interviewee focused and on track to completion. Online and mobile surveys are often
completed during time convenient for the respondent, but are often in the midst of other
distractions such as texting, reading and answering emails, video streaming, web surfing,
social sharing, and more. Face-to-face interviews are in-the-moment, free from
technological distractions.
 Capture emotions and behaviors. Face-to-face interviews can no doubt capture an
interviewee’s emotions and behaviors. Similar to not being able to capture verbal and
non-verbal ques, online and mobile surveys can also not capture raw emotions and
behavior.

Advantages of Interviews for Research

 Allows the researcher to obtain original and unique data directly from a source based on
the study’s requirements
 Structured interviews can reach a large section of the target population
 Allows samples to be controlled
 Easy to carry out and obtain reliable results quickly
 Interviews provide a better response than mailed questionnaires, which are useful only
for literate respondents
 Asking accurate questions can provide direct and in-depth information about a subject or
situation
  Offers flexibility to use different techniques to get the desired information, for e.g., by
establishing rapport with the respondents, researchers conducting unstructured interviews
can obtain more details without much effort
 Can detect non-response, spontaneity, and biased responses
 Provides non-verbal clues or body language of the interviewee
 In personal face-to-face interviews, questions can be modified to obtain the required
information
 Online interviews for research comes with unique benefits:
o Allow for high quality and in-depth qualitative interviews when in person
interviewing is not possible
o Are cost-effective – you can get quality data without having to travel to interview
the participants
o Participants can interact from the comfort of their home
o Save time for both interviewer and respondent
o Can generate more truthful responses as respondents are more comfortable and
less nervous than in an in-person interview


As with any data collection method, face-to-face interviews also provide some disadvantages
over other data collection methods. They include:

 Cost. Cost is a major disadvantage for face-to-face interviews. They require a staff of
people to conduct the interviews, which means there will be personnel costs. Personnel
are the highest cost a business can incur. It’s difficult to keep costs low when personnel
are needed.
 Quality of data by interviewer. The quality of data you receive will often depend on the
ability of the interviewer. Some people have the natural ability to conduct an interview
and gather data well. The likelihood of the entire interviewing staff having those skills is
low. Some interviewers may also have their own biases that could impact the way they
input responses. This is likely to happen in hot-topic opinion polls.
 Manual data entry. If the interview is administered on paper, the data collected will
need to be entered manually, or scanned, if a scannable interview questionnaire is
created. Data entry and scanning of paper surveys can significantly increase the cost of
the project. A staff of data entry personnel will need to be hired. Additionally, data entry
can prolong the analysis process. Mobile surveys on iPads, tablets, or other mobile
devices can cut-down on manual data entry costs and information is ready for analysis.
 Limit sample size. The size of the sample is limited to the size of your interviewing staff,
the area in which the interviews are conducted, and the number of qualified respondents
 within that area. It may be necessary to conduct several interviews over multiple areas,
which again can increase costs.

Major Limitations of the Interview Method:

(1) In terms of cost, energy and time, the interview approach poses a heavy demand. The

transportation cost and the time required to cover addresses in a large area as also possibility of

non-availability or ‘not at home’, may make the interview method uneconomical and often

inoperable.

(2) The efficacy of interviews depends on a thorough training and skill of interviewers as also on

a rigorous supervision over them. Failing this, data recorded may be inaccurate and incomplete.

(3) The human equation may distort the returns. If an interviewer has a certain bias, he may

unconsciously devise questions so as to secure confirmation of his views.

(4) The presence of the interviewer on the spot may over stimulate the respondent, sometimes

even to the extent that he may give imaginary information just to make it interesting. He may tell

things about which he may not himself be very sure.

He may also get emotionally involved with the interviewer and give answers that he anticipates
would please the interviewer. It is also possible that the interviewer’s presence may inhibit free

responses because there is no anonymity. The respondent may hesitate to give correct answers

for the fear that it would adversely affect his image. Some fear of this information being used

against him may grip him.

(5) In the interview method, the organization required for selecting, training and supervising a

field staff is more complex.

(6) It is the usual experience that costs per interview are higher when field investigators are

employed. This is especially so when the area to be covered is widely spread out.
(7) The personal interview usually takes more time. Sometimes, the interview lasts for hours on

end and the interviewer cannot check the free flow of the respondent’s replies for fear that it may

disrupt the ‘rapport.’ Added to this is the time spent for journeys to and fro to the addresses and

the possibility of not always being able to meet them

(8) Effective interview presupposes proper rapport with the respondent and controlling of

interview atmosphere in a manner that would facilitate free and frank responses. This is often a

very difficult requirement, it needs time, skills and often resources.

Secondly, it is not always possible for the interviewer to judge whether the interview atmosphere

is how it should ideally be and whether or not ‘rapport’ has been established.

(9) Interviewing may also introduce systematic errors. For example, if the interviews are

conducted at their homes during the day, a majority of informants will be housewives. Now if the

information is to be obtained from the male members, most of the field-work will have to be

done in the evening or on holidays. If this be the case, only a few hours can be used per week for

interviewing.

(10) Many actions human beings carry out are not easily verbalized, but easily observed.

Through observation a social process may be followed as it develops. Verbal techniques such as

interview may give valuable reports, but post hoc, unless one is dealing with rather unusual

respondents capable of acting and being interviewed at the same time.

4(a). Differentiate between quantitative and qualitative research.

(b) Explain the categories of qualitative research.

 (b). The table below summarizes the differences between the five qualitative
methods/categories.

Method Focus Sample Size Data Collection

Ethnography Context or culture — Observation & interviews

Individual experience & Stories from individuals &

Narrative sequence 1 to 2 documents

People who have experienced

Phenomenological a phenomenon 5 to 25 Interviews

Develop a theory grounded in Interviews, then open and

Grounded Theory field data 20 to 60 axial coding

Organization, entity, Interviews, documents,

Case Study individual, or event — reports, observations
5(a). Explain the reasons for literature review.

(b). Analyze the steps in reviewing the literature.

the purpose of a literature review is to:

 Provide foundation of knowledge on topic

 Identify areas of prior scholarship to prevent duplication and give credit to other
researchers
 Identify inconstancies: gaps in research, conflicts in previous studies, open questions left
from other research
 Identify need for additional research (justifying your research)
 Identify the relationship of works in context of its contribution to the topic and to other
works
 Place your own research within the context of existing literature making a case for why
further study is needed.

15 Benefits of Literature Review In Research

The significance of literature review cannot be overstated because it gives direction, structure,
focus, and coherence to academic writing on a particular topic. It also allows for effective
communication among researchers by helping them to decide which issues are significant.
Moreover, it permits the researcher to situate his or her work within the existing body of
knowledge.

There are four main functions of literature review; bring clarity and focus to research problem,
improve research methodology, increase knowledge regarding the research topic, and build on
your findings.

Let’s look at why literature review is important in research:

1. Literature Review Helps Establish A Context For Research

One of the main objectives of the literature review is to provide a context for the research. It puts
the current research in perspective and shows how it relates to what has been done before. It also
identifies the gaps in the existing body of knowledge and helps to formulate new research
questions.

2. Literature Review Helps Identify The Theoretical Framework

The theoretical framework provides the conceptual underpinnings of the research and literature
review is a key component in identifying it. It helps to clarify the rationale for the study and
shows how the research is linked to existing theory.

3. Literature Review Helps Clarify Research Questions

One of the main functions of the literature review is to help researchers formulate clear and
concise research questions. By reading extensively about a topic, researchers can develop well-
defined questions that can be addressed through their research.

4. Literature Review Helps Assess The Quality Of Previous Research

A literature review allows researchers to critically assess the quality of previous research on the
topic. It enables them to judge the strengths and weaknesses of the previous studies and to decide
whether they should build upon or replace them.

Related Video – How To Write A Literature Review

5. Literature Review Helps Comparing Different Studies

A literature review helps researchers to compare and contrast existing research on a particular
topic to draw better conclusions from it. It also shows how different studies are related and
explains why some questions have received more attention than others.

6. Literature Review Gives Context To The Research Study

The literature review provides context for the research study that follows
by showing its connection with what has already been published on the subject. It lays out the
most significant issues in the field, describes them clearly, and explains why they are important.
This allows readers to understand all subsequent research within this context, thus giving it
greater impact.

7. Literature Review Helps To Identify Problems

One of the main benefits of the literature review is that it helps researchers to identify problems,
issues, or controversies in the existing body of knowledge on their topic. It then allows them to
address these concerns in their work and broaden the scope of research by contributing new ideas
and insights.

8. Literature Review Provides A Map For Future Research

A literature review can also be useful for laying out a road map for future research studies. It
identifies gaps in previous research studies and provides information about areas where further
investigation is needed.
9. Literature Review Enables Researchers Save Time

A well-done literature review can help researchers to save time by identifying relevant studies
and steering them away from those that are not. It also allows them to focus on the most
important issues and avoid unnecessary duplication of effort.

10. Literature Review Helps In Development Of New Research Methods

The process of reviewing the existing literature can help researchers to develop new research
methods and to improve upon existing ones. By reading extensively about their topic, they may
come up with new ways of looking at things that can then be tested in their research study.

11. Literature Review Helps In The Design Of New Studies

The design of a research study is based upon the theoretical framework, which in turn is based
upon the findings of the previous literature review. By reading extensively about their topic,
researchers can come up with well-defined research questions as well as variables and
hypotheses.

12. Literature Review Help Evaluating The Outcomes Of Another Study

Another major benefit of the literature review is that it can help in evaluating the outcomes of
another study. This is especially true for those studies that use quantitative methods since they
generally provide more objective data than qualitative studies do. It also helps readers to
understand the merits and shortcomings of a particular study and thus arrive at a reliable
judgment about its worth.

13. Literature Review Increases Understanding Of Cross-Sectional And Longitudinal Studies

A literature review provides ample information on cross-sectional and longitudinal studies,

which helps readers to understand the differences between them. The former provide current data
on a population whereas the latter study changes in exposure and outcome variables over time.

14. Literature Review Helps In Realizing Importance Of Validity And Reliability

The process of literature review makes readers more aware of the importance of validity
and reliability. It shows how these two characteristics can influence research results and thus
help them to make informed decisions about whether or not to include specific studies in their
work.

15. Literature Review Helps To Develop Understanding About A New Topic

Another benefit of the literature review is that it helps researchers explore complex topics, which
they may be unfamiliar with at first. By reading about these topics, they can develop an
understanding of what research has been conducted on the topic and how it has been conducted.
This, in turn, can help them to develop their research study.

The Importance Of Literature Review – Conclusion

In conclusion, the literature review is an important process that helps researchers to develop a
better understanding of their topic and the existing body of knowledge on it. It also helps them to
identify potential problems and issues that may need to be addressed in their research study.
Therefore, it is something that should not be taken lightly and should be given the attention that
it deserve

3(b). Steps in the Literature Review Process

1. Define the research question

o You may need to some exploratory searching of the literature to get a sense of
scope, to determine whether you need to narrow or broaden your focus
o Identify databases that provide the most relevant sources, and identify relevant
terms (controlled vocabularies) to add to your search strategy
o Finalize your research question
2. Determine inclusion/exclusion criteria
o Think about relevant dates, geographies (and languages), methods, and conflicting
points of view
3. Choose databases and conduct the search
o Conduct searches in the published literature via the identified databases
o Check to see if this topic has been covered in other discipline's databases
o Examine the citations of on-point articles for keywords, authors, and previous
research (via references) and cited reference searching.
4. Review your results
o Save your search results in a citation management tool (such as Zotero, Mendeley
or EndNote)
o De-duplicate your search results
o Make sure that you've found the seminal pieces -- they have been cited many
times, and their work is considered foundational
o Check with your professor or a librarian to make sure your search has been
comprehensive
5. Synthesize the information gathered
 o Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of individual sources and evaluate for bias,
methodologies, and thoroughness
o Group your results in to an organizational structure that will support why your
research needs to be done, or that provides the answer to your research question
o Develop your conclusions
6. Analyze the information gathered
o Are there gaps in the literature?
o Where has significant research taken place, and who has done it?
o Is there consensus or debate on this topic?
o Which methodological approaches work best?
7. Write the literature review
o Pick an organizational structure, i.e., themes, approaches, concepts,
methodologies.
 For example: Background, Current Practices, Critics and Proponents,
Where/How this study will fit in
o Organize your citations and focus on your research question and pertinent studies
o Compile your bibliography.

6(a). Discuss the value of literature in following parts of research

I. Back ground
II. Discussion of the results

(b). As a research student how can you detect plagiarism.

(a). Literature refers to collection of published information on a particular area of research or

topic such as books and journal articles of academic value.
Research background is a brief outline of the most important studies that have been conducted so
far presented in a chronological order.
Value of literature to background
Provide foundation of knowledge on topic
Identify areas of prior scholarship to prevent duplication and give credit to other researchers
Identify inconstancies: gaps in research, conflicts in previous studies, open questions left from
other research
Identify need for additional research (justifying your research)
Identify the relationship of works in context of its contribution to the topic and to other works
Place your own research within the context of existing literature making a case for why further
study is needed.
Discussion of results
This refers to interpret and describe the significance of your findings in relation to what was
already known about research problem being investigated and explain any new understanding
that emerged as a result of your research

Plagiarism refers to presenting someone's work or ideas as your own with or without their
concent by incorporating it into your work without full acknowledgement.
The following are the ways in plagiarism can be checked;
 Distinctive spelling mistakes or footnotes the student has failed to remove.
 changes in the quality of a student’s work from one assignment to the next or in different
parts of the same assignment.
 changes in style, grammar, sentence sophistication, or spelling.
 that is off topic.
 Use of old or outdated quotations or facts. This is particularly common in papers bought
from paper mills.
 Footnotes that refer to material the student is unlikely to have heard of, that make
extensive use of a language the student probably does not know, or that make reference to
“previous chapters,” “other articles,” etc.
 Papers with sections in different fonts, font sizes, or formats.
 Papers whose argument or presentation seems piecemeal, which may have been cobbled
together from multiple unacknowledged sources.

Last requests to write on a different assignment or topic.

7. Think of a topic and construct the following:
1) Two variables
2) Statement of the problem
3) 4 objectives that can guide you to investigate your variables.
4) Research questions.
5) Target population
TOPIC: influence of peer group relationship on academic performance of students in
secondary schools in mbarara.
1.Variables- peer group influence
-students’ performance in secondary school

2.STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM.

The low academic performance in schools has brought the need to investigate the factors
influencing learning. The peer group influence is one of the factors causing low academic
performance.
There is need to look into peer group relationship and individual approach to learning,
membership of the peer group they belong to and find out how factors such as sex, age, social
status or ethnicity determine their membership in a group.
In addition, what influence do parents and teachers have on the group?

3.OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY.

- To find out the positive and the negative influence of peer group relationship on
academic performance of students
- To find out the factors that influence peer group formation in secondary schools.
- To exam in the influence of economic status of peers on the academic performance of
students in secondary schools.
- To find out the influence of age of peers on their academic performance.

4.RESEARCH QUESTIONS/HYPOTHESIS
1. What is the influence of peer groups on the academic performance of students in secondary
schools?
2. Which factors influence peer group formation in secondary schools?
3. What is the influence of economic status of the peers on their academic performance?
4. What is the influence of teachers and parents on the peer group?

5.POPULATION, SAMPLE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE.

The target population of the study is of senior two students of in boarding secondary schools in
Mbarara district. The target population comprises of 900 students and five teachers in charge of
guidance and counselling in five schools.
A sample is to be a small group of subjects obtained from the accessible population (Krejcie and
Morgan Table)
Using the above formula to determine the sample size for 900 respondents; the sample size is
52 respondents from each school making a total of 260 students plus 5 teachers in charge of
guidance and counselling and 4 local leaders making a total of 269 respondents.

Sampling technique.
Sampling is the process of selecting a number of individuals for a study in such a way that the
individuals selected represent the large group in which they are selected; Krejcie and Morgan.
The study will employ random sampling technique to select the sample size from individual
schools.
A sampling frame will be developed per school that list all the units in the population. The units
will be picked randomly until desired sample size is obtained.
Tis will enable every member of accessible population to have equal chance of participating in
the study.
QUESTINAIRE.

The questionnaire for the influence of peer group o the academic performance of secondary
school students in Mbarara.
Introduction and purpose.
This study is being conducted to gain an understanding of the influence of the peer group on the
academic performance of students in secondary schools in Mbarara district. We request you to
join the study because as a student you are eligible and can provide resourceful information
pertaining this topic under investigation.

Risks.
The study does not put you at risk at all but still you can choose not to answer questions not
known to you.
Benefits.
By participating in this study, you will help the researcher gain useful information. There is no
payment for taking part in this study as the study is purely for academic purposes.it is a
requirement for the award of DEGREE IN EDUCATION.
Confidentiality.
Your answers will be kept confidential. To keep your confidentiality. numbers instead of names
are used on the questionnaire. Contact researchers GROUP 11 STUDENTS doing Bachelors of
Science with education.

Instructions:
Please circle the response applicable to you.
1. Participant; school…………………………………………………………..
Class………………………………………………………………………………..
Sex…………………………………………………………………………………..
Age………………………………………………………………………………….

2. How often do you consult your parents on issues relating to peer group influence?
A. Never
B. Sometimes
C. Often
D. Always

3. What is the attitude of your parents towards you studies at school?

A. Not important at all
B. Not very important
C. Pretty important
D. very important

4. Do you receive any rewards and encouragement

A. Never
B. Sometimes
C. Often
D. Always
5. Do you always discuss academic issues with your friends?
A. Never
B. Sometimes
C. Often
D. Only when there is no any other work
6. Do parents show concern about your performance in class?
A. All the time
B. Most of the time
C. Sometimes
D. Never
7. Do your parents attach high value to your homework?
A. Strongly agree
B. Agree somewhat
C. Disagree
 D. Strongly disagree
8. Do the groups you move with affect your academic performance?
A. strongly agree
B. agree somewhat
C. disagree
D. strongly disagree
9. How often do you stay with your friends on other tasks instead of studying?
A. All the time
B. Most of the time
C. Sometimes
D. Never
10. Peer group influence leads to low academic performance.
A. Strongly agree
B. Agree somewhat
C. Disagree somehow
D. Strongly disagree
11. Do Friends influence has an effect on the way you perform in class?
A. Never
B. Sometimes
C. Often
D. Always
12. Does having discussion with friends in time important in determining your performance
in class?
A. Not important at all
B. Not very important
C. Pretty important
D. Very important.
13. Is it only peer group that that influence your academic performance?
A. Strongly agree
B. Agree somewhat
C. Disagree
D. Strongly disagree

14. Apart from peer group influence, what other factors influence your performance in class?
……………………………………………
…………………………………………...
…………………………………………….
……………………………………………..
15. How best do you think peer peer group influence can be controlled?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………….
 ………………………………………………………………………………………………
………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………

16. Any additional information you would like to give related to the topic under
investigation?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………................
8. (a). State 5 objectives of carrying out research.
(b). Highlight 5 data collection instruments in quantitative and 5 instruments
data in qualitative research.

(a) To (help to) understand how things are created.

(b) To find some relationships and differences between variables.
(c) To generate new knowledge.
(d) To confirm some things that have been existing.
(e) To analyze general issues
(f) To generate new ideals
(g) To prove theories and disapprove some.
(h) For decision making

(b). Qualitative data instruments.

Qualitative research is a process of naturalizing inquiry that seeks
an in- depth understanding of social phenomena within their natural
setting.
Qualitative data instruments.
Interviews: ask open-ended questions verbally to respondents.
Focus groups: discussion among group of people to gather opinions
that can be used for further research.
Ethnography: participating in the community or organization for
an extend period of time to closely observe culture and behaviors.
Literature review: survey of published works by other authors.

Quantitative data Instruments.

Quantitative research is a process of collecting and analyzing

numerical data.
Observation: recording what you have seen, heard or encountered
in detailed fields notes.
Interview; personally asking people questions in one-one
conversations.
Focus groups: asking questions and generating discussion among a
group of people.
Surveys: distrusting questionnaires with open ended questions
Secondary research. Collecting existing data in the form of texts
images audios videos recordings.

Thank you
success