PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1 - The Characteristics, Processes, and Ethics of Research

Summary

This instructional video for senior students delves into the core of research, exploring its characteristics, processes, and ethics. It outlines the seven essential traits of good research, the qualities of a researcher, and the seven-step research process, from defining a topic to formulating new insights. The script emphasizes the importance of ethics in research, including informed consent, objectivity, and respect for intellectual property, highlighting the responsibilities of researchers to maintain integrity and contribute to the advancement of knowledge.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Research should be empirical, logical, cyclical, analytical, critical, methodical, and replicable to be considered good.
• 🧠 A good researcher must possess intellectual curiosity, prudence, healthy criticism, intellectual honesty, and creativity.
• 📚 The seven steps of the research process include defining the research problem, finding background information, planning the research design, gathering data, processing and analyzing data, formulating insights and conclusions, and defining new problems based on recommendations.
• 📝 Ethics in research are crucial and include objectivity, integrity, respect for privacy and dignity, accurate presentation of findings, and avoidance of misuse of research role.
• 🙋‍♂️ Informed consent is necessary to protect the rights of research participants, ensuring they are aware of the study's criteria and the voluntary nature of their participation.
• 📉 Honesty in research involves accurately reporting data, results, methods, and procedures without fabrication, falsification, or misrepresentation.
• 🔬 Objectivity in research design and data analysis is essential to avoid bias and ensure the validity of findings.
• 🤝 Integrity requires researchers to keep promises, act sincerely, and strive for consistency in thought and action.
• 🌐 Openness in research involves sharing data, results, ideas, tools, and resources, and being receptive to criticism and new ideas.
• 📜 Respect for intellectual property is vital, which includes not using, publishing, or plagiarizing data, methods, or results without permission and giving credit where it's due.
• 🔒 Confidentiality is key in protecting sensitive information such as personal records, trade secrets, and patient records to ensure privacy and trust.

Q & A

What are the seven characteristics of good research according to Maureen Callaghan's 2012 definition?

The seven characteristics of good research are: 1) Empirical, based on direct experience or observation; 2) Logical, based on valid procedures and principles; 3) Cyclical, a process that starts and ends with a problem; 4) Analytical, utilizing proven analytical procedures; 5) Critical, exhibiting careful and precise judgment; 6) Methodical, conducted without bias using systematic methods; 7) Possessing replicability, allowing for the research to be repeated for validation.

What are the intrinsic and acquired qualities a researcher should have?

A researcher should have qualities such as intellectual curiosity, prudence, healthy criticism, intellectual honesty, and intellectual creativity.

What are the seven steps of the research process?

The seven steps are: 1) Define and develop the research problem; 2) Find background information and review literature; 3) Plan the research design and methodology; 4) Gather necessary data; 5) Process and analyze the data; 6) Formulate insights, conclusions, and recommendations; 7) Define new problems based on recommendations.

What factors should be considered when selecting a research problem?

Factors to consider include the researcher's area of interest, availability of funds, and the researcher's ability and training.

Why is it important to review literature when defining a research problem?

Reviewing literature helps to clarify what has been studied, the available research resources, and how useful the previous research is. It can also identify aspects of the problem that remain unsolved.

What is the purpose of research design in the research process?

Research design decides how the research materials will be collected and provides insights into how to conduct research using a particular methodology.

What are some challenges that may arise during data collection?

Challenges may include the research method not suiting the context properly, interviewees being unwilling to participate, and potential bias that could affect the study's results.

How should research findings be reported in a research report?

Research findings should be reported by describing the significance of the study, relating it to previous research, and discussing unanswered questions and suggestions for future research.

What are the ethical principles that guide scientific research conduct and dissemination?

Ethical principles include objectivity and integrity, respect for participants' rights, honest reporting, avoidance of bias, and maintaining confidentiality.

What is the importance of informed consent in research involving human subjects?

Informed consent is crucial to protect participants' rights, ensuring they are aware of the study's criteria, schedule, and that their participation is voluntary.

How can research misconduct, such as plagiarism, affect the research community?

Research misconduct can erode trust between researchers and funding agencies, making it more difficult for colleagues to receive grants and damaging the credibility of scientific work.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Characteristics and Ethics of Research

This paragraph introduces the instructional video aimed at senior students, focusing on the characteristics, processes, and ethics of research. It outlines the lesson, which includes defining research characteristics, the qualities of a researcher, the seven steps of the research process, and the ethics involved in research. The paragraph emphasizes the seven key characteristics of good research: empirical, logical, cyclical, analytical, critical, methodical, and replicable. Additionally, it highlights the intrinsic and acquired qualities a researcher should possess, such as intellectual curiosity, prudence, healthy criticism, intellectual honesty, and creativity.

05:02

🔍 The Seven Steps of the Research Process

The second paragraph delves into the seven steps of conducting research. It starts with defining and developing a research topic, considering factors like the researcher's interest, availability of funds, and the researcher's ability. The next steps involve finding background information through literature reviews, planning the research design including the sample or methodology, and gathering data using qualitative or quantitative methods. The paragraph also discusses the importance of processing and analyzing data, formulating insights and conclusions, and defining new problems based on recommendations. Each step is crucial for a well-structured and thorough research project.

10:02

📈 Data Analysis and Research Ethics

This paragraph discusses the challenges of interpreting and analyzing gathered data, emphasizing the need for clarity in research findings. It outlines the process of formulating new insights for qualitative research and conclusions for quantitative research, along with recommendations. The paragraph then transitions into the importance of research ethics, which includes guidelines for responsible conduct, such as objectivity, integrity, respect for privacy, and protection of subjects. It also covers ethical principles like informed consent, honesty, objectivity, integrity, carefulness, openness, respect for intellectual property, confidentiality, responsible mentoring, and social responsibility.

15:05

🛡️ Protecting Human Rights and Intellectual Property

The fourth paragraph focuses on the ethical considerations in research, particularly the protection of human rights and intellectual property. It discusses the importance of voluntary participation, anonymity, and privacy in research. The paragraph also addresses copyright infringement and the need to avoid it by respecting the rights of creators. It further explains the rights of research participants, including their moral and legal rights, and the importance of respecting human dignity in research involving human subjects.

20:06

🚫 Ethical Standards and Misconduct in Research

The final paragraph discusses ethical standards in research and the consequences of research misconduct, which includes fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism. It explains that these acts can erode trust between researchers and funding agencies. The paragraph defines plagiarism and outlines the three acts considered as plagiarism: failure to cite quotations and borrowed ideas, failure to enclose borrowed language in quotation marks, and failure to put summaries and borrowed ideas in one's own words. The emphasis is on the importance of originality and proper attribution in research.

Keywords

💡Empirical

Empirical research is based on direct experience or observation by the researcher. It is a fundamental aspect of the video's theme, emphasizing the importance of practical experience in research without relying solely on scientific knowledge or theory. In the script, it is one of the seven characteristics of good research, highlighting the need for tangible evidence and firsthand data collection.

💡Logical

Logicality in research refers to the use of valid procedures and principles. It is crucial for the video's theme as it ensures that scientific studies are conducted in an orderly and systematic manner, allowing for the drawing of valid conclusions. The script mentions it as a characteristic of good research, underlining the importance of a structured approach in the research process.

💡Cyclical

The term 'cyclical' in the context of research denotes a process that begins and ends with a problem, suggesting that research is iterative and can lead to further inquiries. It is integral to the video's theme of the research process, illustrating how research can be an ongoing cycle of problem identification, investigation, and subsequent questions. The script describes research as starting with a problem and potentially leading to new problems, emphasizing its cyclical nature.

💡Analytical

Analytical research involves the use of proven analytical procedures for data gathering, which is essential for understanding the video's message on the comprehensive examination of data. The script specifies that good research is analytical, utilizing methods to focus on historical, descriptive, and experimental features within case studies, thereby ensuring a thorough investigation of the subject matter.

💡Critical

Critical research is characterized by careful and precise judgment, which is vital for the video's theme of ensuring the validity of research findings. The script mentions that good research exhibits critical analysis, showing that researchers must interpret results accurately and thoughtfully to maintain the integrity of their work.

💡Methodical

Methodical research is conducted in a systematic and bias-free manner, which aligns with the video's emphasis on the importance of a structured approach. The script describes methodical research as using appropriate tests and procedures without bias, ensuring that the research process is rigorous and reliable.

💡Replicability

Replicability in research means that the study's design and procedures can be repeated to achieve valid and conclusive results. It is a key concept in the video, illustrating the importance of being able to verify and confirm research findings. The script explains that more replications lead to more valid results, demonstrating the value of repeatability in the scientific process.

💡Ethics in Research

Ethics in research refers to the principles and guidelines that ensure responsible conduct during the research process. It is a central theme in the video, discussing the importance of ethical considerations such as respect for participants' rights, objectivity, and integrity. The script outlines various ethical principles that researchers must adhere to, including informed consent and confidentiality.

💡Research Design

Research design is the plan that decides how research materials will be collected and analyzed. It is a critical component of the video's narrative on the research process, detailing how a researcher chooses between different methods such as experiments, surveys, or interviews. The script discusses the importance of a well-thought-out research design for effectively conducting and understanding research.

💡Data Analysis

Data analysis is the process of interpreting the implications of gathered data, which is essential for the video's theme of transforming raw data into meaningful insights. The script describes the challenges of clarifying research questions through data analysis, whether using thematic analysis for qualitative research or statistical tools for quantitative research.

💡Research Misconduct

Research misconduct encompasses actions such as fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism, which are explicitly against the ethical guidelines discussed in the video. The script warns against such misconduct, emphasizing the importance of maintaining trust in research and the consequences of violating intellectual property rights.

Highlights

Introduction to the characteristics, processes, and ethics of research for senior students.

The seven characteristics that define good research: empirical, logical, cyclical, analytical, critical, methodical, and replicable.

Characteristics of a researcher, including intellectual curiosity, prudence, healthy criticism, intellectual honesty, and creativity.

The seven steps of the research process, starting with defining and developing a research problem.

Importance of reviewing literature to clarify and understand the research problem within the context of existing studies.

Planning research design, including choosing appropriate methods like surveys, interviews, or observations.

Data collection techniques for both qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Data processing and analysis using thematic analysis for qualitative data and statistical tools for quantitative data.

Formulating insights, conclusions, and recommendations based on research findings.

Ethics in research, emphasizing the importance of guidelines for responsible research conduct.

Ethical principles in research, including informed consent, honesty, objectivity, integrity, and carefulness.

Respect for intellectual property and the avoidance of plagiarism and copyright infringement.

Confidentiality in research, ensuring the protection of sensitive information and maintaining privacy.

Social responsibility in research, promoting acceptance and mitigating potential social harms.

Competence in research, maintaining and improving professional expertise through lifelong learning.

Legality in research, adhering to relevant laws, policies, and regulations.

Animal care in research, ensuring proper respect and care when using animals for scientific purposes.

Human subjects protection, minimizing harm and maximizing benefits while respecting human dignity and privacy.

Rights of research participants, emphasizing voluntary participation, anonymity, and privacy.

Research misconduct, including fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism, and its impact on trust within the research community.

Transcripts

hello seniors i'm glad that you are

able to view this instructional video in

chat probes you are

interested to learn research may this

video provide you with memorable

learning as you go through practical

research when

happy learning

our lesson today my dear senior students

is the characteristics processes and

ethics

of research

at the end of this lesson you are

expected to describe characteristics

processes and ethics of research

this lesson is outlined as follows

characteristics of research

characteristics of a researcher

the seven steps of the research process

ethics in research rights of research

participants or respondents and ethical

standards in research

writing

according to call maureen in 2012 a good

research must have this

seven characteristics

a good research is empirical

research is based on direct experience

or observation by the researcher

it is based on practical experience

without due regard to scientific

knowledge or theory

two a good research is logical

research is based on valid procedures

and principles

scientific study is done in an orderly

manner

it is also a systematic examination of

procedures

to draw valid conclusions three

a good research is cyclical

research is a cyclical process because

it starts with a problem

and ends with a problem a researcher

completes his study stated his findings

draws conclusion and recommendation

in his recommendations several studies

may be conducted

hence research is cyclical

fourth a good research is analytical

research utilizes proven analytical

procedures in gathering the data

whether historical descriptive and

experimental in case study

the data gathered focus on the following

historical

past descriptive present experimental

feature and case study past

present and future fifth

a good research is critical

research exhibits careful and precise

judgment it shows precise interpretation

based on the results

sixth a good research is methodical

is conducted in methodical manner

without bias

using systematic method and procedures

again it is without bias appropriate

tests

should be used seventh a good research

possesses replicability the research

designing procedures are

replicated or repeated to enable the

researcher to arrive at valid and

conclusive results

more replications mean more valid

results

replicability of the study means using

the same

instrument methods procedure but

different subjects and venue or locale

the researcher must have specific

intrinsic and acquired qualities to be

able to carry out

research activities lack of these traits

hinders the pursuit

of research or makes conduction of

research is slow and difficult

a good researcher possesses the

following characteristics

intellectual curiosity prudence

healthy criticism intellectual honesty

and intellectual creativity

intellectual curiosity a good researcher

undertakes and inquires of the things

and situations around him

deep thinking skin to get information

raises questions and continues to read

related literature and studies

prudence researcher is careful to

conduct his study at the right time

and at the right place wisely

efficiently

and economically again it does the right

thing

at the right time at the right place

healthy criticism a good researcher is

always

doubtful as to the truthfulness of the

results

he doubts the authenticity or validity

of the data

and is open to criticism

intellectual honesty a good researcher

is honest to collect or gather the data

or facts in order to arrive

at honest results he adheres to

honesty is the best policy and believes

that success or failures lies on the

researcher's hand

intellectual creativity a good

researcher is productive and

resourceful he always creates new

researches

he enjoys inventing unique novel

and original researches and considers

research as happy

at this point what are the seven steps

of the research process

step one define and develop your topic

or research

problem all research sets in a research

problem definitely factual ignorance may

be the research

problem we would simply intend to enrich

a knowledge

of social processes or institutions

however the research problems

come up with the ongoing phenomenon or

issues

one research project may significantly

lead to another research work

because it explores issues that the

researcher did nothing

previously here are the factors to

consider

in selecting a research problem one

researcher's area of interest

two availability of funds and 3

investigators ability and training

step 2 find background information about

their chosen topic

review of related literature

once the research problem is defined the

next step is to review the existing

research evidence

to clarify that to studied available

research resources related to the

problem for example

it may be the previous research that has

already made a clear statement of the

problem

the researcher takes into account how

useful the previous research that exists

did previous researchers

investigate the same problem how do they

resolve it

what aspects of the problem has remained

unsolved

keep in mind that how richer your

literature is

the better your research will be

step 3 plan your research design

including your sample

or the research methodology

the researcher then must find out a

research design

research design decides how the research

materials will be collected

one or more research methods for example

experiment survey

interview etc are chosen depending on

the research objectives

in some research contexts a survey may

be suitable

in other facts interviews or case

studies or observation might be more

appropriate

research design actually provides

insights into how

to conduct a research using a particular

research methodology

basically every researcher has a list of

research questions that need to be

assessed that can be done

with research design

step 4 gather necessary data using

open-ended questions for qualitative

research and close-ended questionnaire

or

paper pencil test questionnaire for

quantitative research

or the data gathering activities while

the research design is decided

then the researcher collects data

records information

the researcher proceeds with the

research practical difficulties may

arise in this stage

for example the research method may not

suit

properly the interviewer might be

unwilling to let carry out the research

as planned

moreover a false interpretation could

potentially bias the result of the study

so when you collect data you need to

know the effective

techniques of data collection in order

to gather necessary and relevant

information

with regard to research

step 5 process and analyze data using

thematic analysis for qualitative

research and statistical tools

for quantitative research now work out

the implications of the data you

gathered

your challenges are not over yet rather

problems may just begin

it is hardly easy to clear out the

implications of the gathered materials

while it is possible to clarify the

research questions

some investigations are less conclusive

so interpret your research results in

order to report the findings

no matter what kind of research you are

doing there comes a moment when your

head is full of ideas that originated

from your analysis

ideally you write them down as they come

to you

now you need to convert the mass of

those elements and ideas into a written

text that makes sense to the reader

and can do justice to your quest

step six formulate new insights gained

for qualitative research conclusions for

quantitative research

and recommendations the next step of the

research process

outline is to report the research

findings

describe the significance of the

research study

work out how do they relate to the

previous research findings

usually the research report publishes a

journal

article or book this is the last stage

in terms of the individual research

project

mostly a research report discusses

questions that remained

unanswered and suggest further research

in the future in general

this also signifies how do you write

your research

paper you must write your research

findings in a proper way

step 7 define new problem based on your

recommendations

ethics in research

research ethics are guidelines for the

responsible conduct of research

which educates and monitors researchers

to ensure high standard

it promotes the aim of research such as

expanding knowledge and supports the

values required for collaborative work

such as mutual respect and fairness

research ethics are the set of ethical

guidelines that guides

us on how scientific research should be

conducted and disseminated

research ethics govern the standards of

conduct for scientific researchers

it is the guideline for responsibly

conducting the research

here are the ethical considerations in

conducting research

one objectivity and integrity

two respect of the research subject's

right to privacy and dignity and

protection of subjects from personal

health

3 presentation of research findings

4 misuse of research role

5 acknowledgement of research

collaboration and assistance

and six distortions of findings by

sponsor

this time let's tackle the ethical

principles in the research

inform consent it is required

to secure in order to protect the rights

of the participants in your study

inform your participants about the

criteria set for choosing them as

informants in the schedule of one-on-one

interview at a convenient time they are

available

participation to the study will be

completely voluntary

honesty it reports data results methods

and procedures and publication status

do not fabricate falsify and

misrepresent the data

three objectivity avoid

bias in experimental design data

analysis

data interpretation peer review

personal decisions grant writing

expert testimony and other aspects of

research

four integrity keep your promises and

agreements

act with the sincerity strive for

consistency of

thought and action

five carefulness avoid coilless errors

and negligence

carefully and critically examine your

work and the work of peers

keep good records of research activities

6 openness share data

results ideas tools and resources

and be open to criticism and new ideas

next is respect for intellectual

property

owner patterns copyrights trademarks

trade secrets and other forms of

intellectual property

do not use publishing and publish data

methods results without permission

and give credit where credit is due

never plagiarize fabricate and falsify

eight confidentiality

protect confidential communication such

as

papers or grants submitted for

publication

personal records trade or military

secrets

and patient records

nine responsible mentoring

help to educate mentor and advise others

promote their welfare and allow them to

make their own decisions

10 responsible publication

publish in order to advance research and

scholarship

not to advance your own career and avoid

wasteful and duplicative obligation

next 11 respect for colleagues

respect your colleagues opinion trip

them fairly and do not

outsmart others 12

social responsibility strive to promote

social acceptance and prevent or

mitigate

social harms through research

public education and advocacy

13 non-discrimination

avoid discrimination against colleagues

or students on the basis of sex

race ethnicity or other factors that are

not

related to their scientific competence

and integrity

14 competence maintain and improve your

own

professional competence and expertise

through lifelong education and learning

take steps to promote competence in

science as a whole

legality know and obey relevant laws

and institutional and government

policies

16 animal care show proper respect and

care for animals when using them in

research

do not conduct unnecessary or poorly

designed animal experiments

human subjects protection

when conducting a research on human

subjects minimize

harms and risk and maximize benefits

respect human dignity privacy and

anonymity

next rights of research participants

first human rights they are moral

principles or norms that describe

certain standards of human behavior and

are regularly protected

as natural and legal rights they

constitute

a set of rights and juries necessary for

the protection of human dignity

inherent to all human beings

second is intellectual property

it protects creations of the mind which

have both a moral and the commercial

value

three copyright infringement

it is the use or production of copyright

protected material without permission of

the copyright holder

copyright infringement means that the

rights accorded to the copyright holder

such as the exclusive use of a work for

a set period of time

are breached by a third party

examples are downloading movies and

music without proper payment for use

recording movies in a theater using

others photographs for a blog without

permission

copying software code without giving

proper

credit and creating videos with

unlicensed

music clips

fourth is voluntary participation people

must not be coerced into participating

in research process

essentially this means that prospective

research participants must be informed

about the procedures and risk involved

in research

and must give their consent to

participate

fifth anonymity it is the protection of

people's identity through not

disclosing their name or not exposing

their identity

it is a situation in data gathering

activities in which informant's name

is not given nor known

6 privacy it is someone's right to keep

his personal matters and relationship

secret it is the ability of an

individual

to seclude him from disturbance of any

research activity ethical standards in

research

writing research misconduct includes

fabrication

falsification or plagiarism it doesn't

include any error of differences of

opinion

it can erode trust between researchers

and funding agencies

which make it more difficult for

colleagues at the same institution to

receive

grants

the term plagiarism refers to the act of

using another person's ideas

works processes and results without

giving you credit

it should not be tolerated as the

unauthorized use of

original works a violation of

intellectual property rights

three different acts are considered

plagiarism

one failure to cite quotations and

borrowed ideas

two failure to enclose borrowed language

in quotation marks

and three failure to put summaries and

father places in your own words

you