PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1 - The Research Process - EP.3 (Research Simplified)

Summary

In this informative episode of 'Research Simplify,' the host, Micah, narrates a personal story to emphasize the importance of following instructions in research. The video outlines seven essential steps in the research process: identifying the research problem, finding related literature, planning the research design, gathering data, analyzing data, formulating conclusions or insights, and defining a new problem. Micah stresses the significance of each step to ensure a relevant, innovative, and reliable study, and to avoid wasted effort.

Takeaways

• 📚 The importance of following instructions: A personal story about a quiz mistake highlights the need for careful reading to avoid wasting effort in research.
• 🔍 Identifying the research problem: The first step in research is to clearly define the problem you aim to solve or improve upon.
• 💡 Considering interests, funds, abilities, and time: These factors are crucial when formulating a research problem to ensure feasibility and success.
• 📘 Finding related literature: Reviewing existing studies is essential for understanding the current state of the topic and ensuring the research is innovative and relevant.
• 🧠 Expanding knowledge through literature: Gaining a deeper understanding of the topic helps in writing a more reliable and fact-based research paper.
• 📊 Planning the research design: The methodology should be tailored to the nature of the research, whether qualitative or quantitative.
• 📋 Gathering data: The type of research dictates the kind of questions asked, with quantitative research using closed-ended questions and qualitative research using open-ended ones.
• 📊 Analyzing data: Quantitative research relies on statistical tools, while qualitative research involves thematic analysis to find patterns and themes.
• 📝 Formulating conclusions or insights: The final step in research involves discussing the findings and answering the research questions based on the data analysis.
• 🔄 The cyclical nature of research: Research often ends with defining a new problem, suggesting a cycle of continuous exploration and learning.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the third episode of the 'Research Simplify' series?

The main theme of the third episode is the research process, emphasizing the importance of following instructions and the steps involved in conducting research.

What personal anecdote does the speaker share to illustrate the importance of reading instructions carefully?

The speaker shares an anecdote from their elementary school days when they prepared for a quiz on basic math operations but failed to read the instructions properly, leading to them performing multiplication instead of subtraction.

Why did the speaker's classmates laugh and murmur during the quiz?

The speaker's classmates laughed and murmured because they had finished the quiz quickly, while the speaker was still working on it due to not following the instructions correctly.

What lesson did the speaker's parents teach them after the quiz incident?

The speaker's parents taught them that even if all the answers were correct in terms of multiplication, they were wrong for the quiz that required subtraction, highlighting the importance of following instructions.

What are the four considerations mentioned for identifying a research problem?

The four considerations are interest in the topic, availability of funds, the researcher's ability, and the time given to complete the study.

Why is it important to find related literature when conducting research?

Finding related literature is important to understand the current status of the topic, ensure the research question is relevant and innovative, and to build upon existing knowledge and facts.

What is the significance of planning a research design in the methodology phase?

Planning a research design is crucial as it outlines the approach and methods to be used in the study, which can vary depending on whether the research is qualitative or quantitative.

What types of questions are used in quantitative research for data gathering?

In quantitative research, close-ended questions with specific answers such as yes or no, true or false, agree or disagree, or on a scale of one to five are used.

How does qualitative research differ in terms of data gathering compared to quantitative research?

Qualitative research uses open-ended questions that require explanations and are more appropriate for finding themes and gaining deeper insights from the participants.

What are the two types of analysis mentioned for quantitative and qualitative research respectively?

Quantitative research uses statistical tools or treatments for data analysis, while qualitative research employs thematic analysis to find themes from the answers.

What is the final step in the research process as described in the script?

The final step is defining a new problem, which is part of the cyclical nature of research, and also includes making recommendations for further studies.