I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor. Henry David Thoreau

RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC WRITING

RESEARCH  Searching for a Theory  Testing Theory  Solving a Problem

What is a True Research..…. Research originates with a question. An inquisitive mind is the beginning of research. Research demands a clear articulation of a goal. What you intend to do? Research requires a specific plan of procedure. How you propose to reach the goal? Research usually divides the principal problem into more manageable subproblems. Principal question is divided to other questions.

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH  Systematic  Controlled  Empirical  Critical investigation

A PROBLEM EXISTS: There is an absence of information resulting in a gap in our knowledge There are contradictory results A fact exists and you intend to make your study explain it

SOURCES OF A PROBLEM Experiences & Observation The vast amount of literature in your own field Courses that you have taken Journals, books, magazines and abstracts Theses and dissertations Your teacher and your classmates

Guidelines in the Selection of a Topic Your interest Availability of the materials needed for investigation Particular needs of the community Socio – economic significance of the problem Topic is within your level of knowledge and experience Time required to finish the project Safety measures to be undertaken Expenses involved in undertaking the project Generation of new information

Formulating a Research Problem For the research problem to be significant it must: Help answer a problem / need of the people / community / country Contribute to the generation of new information Develop or improve an existing process Contribute to the development of the scientific skills of the researcher

Evaluating the Problem 1. Is the problem feasible? a. Has the problem been specified? b. IS the problem amenable to research? c. How available are the data? d. Is the problem too large? e. Am I capable of solving the problem? 2. Is the problem worthwhile? a. Will the result advance knowledge? b. Will the research have some value? c. Will the research be of interest to possible user?

As soon as you have chosen your topic: Make the topic more specific and definitive. Start defining major terms in the title. Survey the literature.

THE TITLE The title should be written briefly (20 substantive words, function words not included is the maximum allowable length of a title). Should contain the variables you will study. Should show the relationship among the variables.

TITLE The title should be able to catch the attention of the reader or “eye catching”. It should be concise, descriptive and self-explanatory. It should indicate clearly what the project is about. The title should focus on the topic for investigation and the main variable being studied should be included.

TITLE The TITLE is the first thing the reader comes across when surveying the scientific literature. It is an overview of the entire article and maybe the only basis for deciding whether to read the scientific paper or not.

VARIABLES – are the constructs or properties being studied DEPENDENT VARIABLE or criterion variable - Is the outcome or objective of the study. - In lay language, it is the result. INDEPENDENT VARIABLE or variate variable - Is the property or characteristics that makes the outcome or objective vary or differ.

Samples of independent and dependent variables Problem Independent Variable Dependent Variable The study aims to determine the effect of beer on the growth of orchid. beerGrowth of orchids

IN EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH: An independent variable is manipulated; All other variables except the dependent variable are held constant; and The effect of manipulation of the independent variable on the dependent variable is observed or measured.

HYPOTHESIS Is a tentative explanation for certain behaviors, phenomena, or events which have occurred or will occur. It is the most specific statement of a problem.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD HYPOTHESIS: A good hypothesis is researchable. It should state, in definite terms, the relationship between variables. It should be testable. It should follow the findings of previous studies.

FUNCTIONS OF THE HYPOTHESIS: Introduces the researcher’s thinking at the start of the study. Structures the next stages or procedures of the study. Helps provide the format for the presentation, analysis, and interpretation of the data in the research.

TYPES OF HYPOTHESIS: Null Hypothesis - Means no existence of an effect, an interaction, of relationships, or of difference. Alternative Hypothesis -Is considered the operational statement of the research hypothesis. Deductive Hypothesis based on theory Inductive Hypothesis based on observations

Examples Problem: What intellectual and non-intellectual student characteristic can predict academic achievement? Hypothesis: Environmental conditions in the home and scholastic aptitude are predictors of physics achievement. Null Hypothesis (H0): Environmental conditions in the home and scholastic aptitude are not significant predictors of physics achievement.

INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY Work on at least five (5) problems for investigation; Create the title for each problem; Make the null and alternative hypothesis for each title.

Web sites for Science Project Ideas org/index.php

By: esabangan