1. IT’S ALL ABOUT
RESEARCH
Biology 199 Lecture 1
Marilen M. Parungao
(Assistant Professor and Microbiologist)

2. The usual definition...
“going to the library”
“google-ing some key words”
What’s your definition???

3. RESEARCH
the process of constant exploration and
discovery
the process of discovering new
information and gain new knowledge

4. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
systematic, controlled, empirical,
critical investigation of hypothetical
prepositions about the presumed
relations among natural phenomena
(Kerlinger, 1973)

5. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
a process through which we attempt to
achieve SYSTEMATICALLY and with
the support of data:
the answer to a question
the resolution of a problem
the greater understanding of a
phenomenon

6. 8 DISTINCT CHARACTERISTICS
OF A RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY

7. 1. Originates with a question or
problem
What are he environmental factors that
increase shrimp productivity?
What active compound in atis leaves
extract is cytotoxic to cancer cells?

8. 2. Requires a clear articulation of
a goal
What precisely do you intend to do?
Example: to determine the difference in
body weight loss after administration of
various plant extracts

9. 3. Follows a specific plan of
procedure
carefully planned
methods in a purposeful way: to yield
data relevant to their particular research
problem

10. 4. Usually divides the principal problem into
more manageable subproblems
principal problem: How do we get from
UP Manila to Trinoma?
subproblems:
What is the most direct route?
How far do I travel by train?
How much will I spend to reach my
destination?

11. 5. Guided by specific research problem,
question or hypothesis
hypothesizing: attempting to account
for the cause (*guesses)

12. 6. Accepts certain critical
assumptions
it is necessary to assume

13. 7. Research requires the
collection and interpretation of
data in attempting to resolve the
problem that initiated the
research

14. 8. It follows logical,
developmental stages
From questions to answer
“research begets research”

16. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESEARCH
To contemporary concerns of nationhood and development
introduce a new technology?
address current social, economic, political, or cultural problems
produce innovations in natural and human resource
management
Within the scientific or artistic domain to which it belongs
contribute new information or additional knowledge to the
discipline where it belongs
fill out data gaps?
Provide new point-of-view to previously studied phenomena

17. ULTIMATE AIM OF RESEARCH
To fill in the gaps along the stream of knowledge
To provide solution to contradictory results from
previous studies
To satisfy one’s curiosity and quest for
knowledge
To find truths for the satisfaction of answering
questions and using this new information to
help others

18. DIFFERENT TYPES OF RESEARCH
They differ in terms of:
purpose
special features
time frame
degree of control over factors

19. http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/siegle/research/TypesofResearch/types.gif

21. 1. HISTORICAL
Purpose: investigate the nature of events
that have occurred (trend analysis)
Special Feature: use of historical
documents and interviews with primary
and secondary sources
Q: Can you name a challenge for this
type of research?

22. 2. DESCRIPTIVE
Purpose: gather information, describe the
nature of a situation; to collect data to test
Ho
It determines and reports the way things are
it can only measure what already exists
methods: questionnaire, survey
instruments etc

23. 3. CORRELATIONAL/
PREDICTIONAL
Purpose: to determine extent to which different
variables are related to each other in the
population of interest but does not imply the
one that cause the other
does not identify “Cause and effect”
current or past: future prediction
Example: The relationship between creativity
and mental ability among students

24. 4. CAUSAL-COMPARATIVE
Purpose: to study the association between two
variables; to examine the cause and effect
also known as ex post facto research from “after the
fact” wherein the researcher investigates a problem by
studying the variables in retrospect (looking back)
dependent variable is immediately observable and
now the main concern is to find out the antecedents
that gave rise to this consequence
Example: 1.!The effect of smoking on hearing

25. 5. EXPERIMENTAL
Purpose: the only method of research which can truly test ! ! !
hypothesis concerning cause-effect relationship.
the effect of a single variable applied to one situation can be assessed and
the difference determined
Independent Variable : also referred to as the experimental variable, the
cause, or the treatment, is that activity or characteristic believed to make a
difference.
Dependent Variable : also known as the criterion variable, effect, or posttest
is the outcome of the study, the change or difference in groups which
occurs as a result of the manipulation of the independent variable.
Example: 1.! ffect of varying concentrations of Pb on the brain of golden
E
apple snail

26. TWO GENERAL CATEGORIES
OF RESEARCH
“BASIC (PURE) AND APPLIED”

27. PURE RESEARCH
Aims to discover basic truths or principles
Intends to add to the body of scientific knowledge by exploring
the unknown and discovering new facts without any
particular thought as to immediate practical utility (Shubin,
1971)
Examples:
Physiological Researches
Predator-prey and Competition Experiments in Ecology
Taxonomic and biodiversity studies
Quantum and plasma physics research

28. APPLIED RESEARCH
Involves seeking new applications of scientific knowledge to the
solution of a problem (development of a new system or procedure,
new device, or new method)
Examples:
Biotechnology Researches
classical breeding
genetic engineering!
cloning studies
Information technology