1.

DEFINE THE FOLLOWING:

A: RESEARCH
Systematic investigative process employed to increase or revise current knowledge by
discovering new facts. It is divided into two general categories: (1) Basic research is
inquiry aimed at increasing scientific knowledge, and (2) Applied research is effort aimed
at using basic research for solving problems or developing new processes, products, or
techniques.

B. QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
In natural sciences and social sciences, quantitative research is the systematic empirical
investigation of observable phenomena via statistical, mathematical or computational
techniques. The objective of quantitative research is to develop and employ mathematical
models, theories and hypotheses pertaining to phenomena. The process
of measurement is central to quantitative research because it provides the fundamental
connection between empirical observation and mathematical expression of quantitative
relationships. Quantitative data is any data that is in numerical form such as statistics,
percentages, etc.[1] The researcher analyses the data with the help of statistics and hopes
the numbers will yield an unbiased result that can be generalized to some larger
population. Qualitative research, on the other hand, inquires deeply into specific
experiences, with the intention of describing and exploring meaning through text,
narrative, or visual-based data, by developing themes exclusive to that set of participants.
In social sciences, quantitative research is widely used
in psychology, economics, demography, sociology, marketing, community health, health
& human development, gender and political science, and less frequently
in anthropology andhistory. Research in mathematical sciences such as physics is also
'quantitative' by definition, though this use of the term differs in context. In the social
sciences, the term relates to empirical methods, originating in both
philosophical positivismand the history of statistics, which contrast with qualitative
research methods.

C. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Qualitative research is a method of inquiry employed in many different academic
disciplines, including in the social sciences and natural sciences but also in non-academic
contexts including market research, business, and service demonstrations by non-profits.
Qualitative research is a broad methodological approach that encompasses many research
methods. The aim of qualitative research may vary with the disciplinary background,
such as a psychologist seeking to gather an in-depth understanding of human
behavior and the reasons that govern such behavior. Qualitative methods examine
the why and how of decision making, not justwhat, where, when, or "who", and have a
strong basis in the field of sociology to understand government and social programs.
 Qualitative research is popular among political science, social work, and special
education and education researchers.

2. WHAT ARE THE COMMON STATISTICAL TOOLS FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH?

Descriptive Statistics
• Descriptive statistis are used to summarize data under study. Some descriptive statistics
summarize the distribution of attributes on a single variable; others summarize the associations
between variables.
• Descriptive statistics summarizing the relationships between variables are called measures of
association.
• Many measures of association are based on a proportionate reduction of error (PRE) model.
This model is based on a comparison of 1. the numbers of errors we would make in attempting to
guess the attributes of a given variable for each of the cases under study - if we knew nothing but
the distribution of attributes on that variable - and 2. the number of errors we would make if we
knew the joint distribution overall and were told for each case the attribute o one variable each
time we were asked to guess the attribute of the other. These measures include lambda, which is
appropriate for the analysis of two nominal variables; gamma, which is appropriate for the
analysis of two ordinal variables; and Pearson's product-moment correlation, which is
appropriate for the analysis of two interval or ratio variables.
• Regression analysis represents the relationships between variables in the form of equations,
which can be used to predict the values of a dependent variable on the basis of values of one or
more independent variables
• Regression equations are computed on the basis of a regression line: the geometric line
representing, with the least amount of discrepancy, the actual location of points in a scattergram.
• Types of regression analysis include linear regression analysis, multiple regression analysis,
partial regression analysis, and curvilinear regression analysis.
Inferential Statistics
• Inferential statistics are used to estimate the generalizability of findings arrived at through the
analysis of a sampling to the larger population from which the sample has been selected. Some
inferential statistics estimate the single-variable characteristics of the population; others - tests of
statistical significance - estimate the relationships between variables in the population.
• Inferences about some characteristic of population must indicate a confidence interval and a
confidence level. Computations of confidence levels and intervals are based on a probability
theory and assume that conventional probability-sampling techniques have been employed in the
study.
• Inferences about the generalizability, to a population, of the associations discovered between
variables in a sample involve tests of statistical significance, which estimate the likelihood that
an association as large as the observed one could result from normal sampling error if no such
association exists between the variables in the larger population. Tests of statistical significance
are also based on probability theory and assume that conventional probability-sampling
techniques have been employed in the study.
• The level of significance of an observed association is reported in the form of the probability
that the association could have been produced merely by sampling error. To say that an
association is significant at the .05 level is to say that an association is large as the observed one
could not be expected o result from sampling error more than 5 times our of 100.
• Social researchers tend to use a particular set of levels of significance in connection with tests
of statistical significance: .05, .01 and .001. This is merely a convention, however.
•A frequently used test of statistical significance in tabular data is chi-sqaure.
• The t-test is a frequently used test of statistical significance for comparing means.
• Statistical significance must not be confused with substantial significance, the latter meaning
that an observed association is strong, important, meaningful, or worth writing home to your
mother about.
• Tests of statistical significance, strictly speaking, make assumptions about data and methods
that are almost never satisfied completely by real social research. Despite this, the tests can serve
a useful function in the analysis and interpretation of data.
Other Multivariate Techniques
• Path analysis is a method of presenting graphically the networks of causal relationships among
several variables. It illustrates the primary "paths" of variables through which independent
variables cause dependent ones. Path coefficients that represent the partial relationships between
variables.
• Time-series analysis is an analysis of changes in a variable (such as crime rates) over time.
• Factor analysis, feasible only with a computer, is an analytic method of discovering the general
dimensions represented by a collection of actual variables. These general dimensions, or factors,
are calculated hypothetical dimensions that are not perfectly represented by any of the empirical
variables under study but are highly associated with groups of empirical variables. A factor
loading indicates the degree of association between a given empirical variable and a given factor.
• Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is based on comparing variations between and within groups
and determining whether between-group differences could reasonably have occurred in simple
random sampling or whether they likely represent a genuine relationship between the variables
involved.
• Discriminant analysis seeks to account for variation in some dependent variable. It results in an
equation that scored people on the basis of that hypothetical dimensions and allows us to predict
their values on the dependent variable.
• Log-linear models offer a method for analyzing complex relationships among several nominal
variables having more than two attributes each.
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) map quantitative data that describe geographic unites
for a graphic display.
3. IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL RESEARCH
Source of Knowledge. Social research is an important source of knowledge. It opens new ways
of knowledge and wisdom. When something unknown brings to a researcher, there is a sort of
inner pleasure and happiness. It gives knowledge to the researcher about the unknown facts. It
paves out the way of ignorance and gives new direction in a social life.
Research in Informative. It provides updated, proved, authentic and very useful information to
the end users. Researchers and common people can take advantages from research. It is not only
informative. Its findings are scientific based therefore the results and information are reliable.
Social Cohesion and Unity. Social unity in a problematic area b/w two groups or castes is only
possible due to social research. Social research manifests the causes of these events and gives a
remedial solution to it. So, social researcher is the main factor for bringing social coherence and
unity in society.
Social Planning. If someone wants to develop and bring social growth and development in a
society, social planning will be developed which is the outcome of social research. In this
situation achieve the growth of society on right line is highly necessary. Social growth can
possible only when problems are solved.
Solution of Social Problems. Social research also helps in the solution of social problems it is
the research through which we can find the causative factors of an existing social problem and
guide us about his solution.
Structural Changes. Social research is responsible for bringing structural changes in a social
life. We bring social and cultural change in a social situation which is the outcome of social
research.
Social Welfare. Social evils can be removed from society due to research. The process of social
welfare is possible due to the procedure of social research through which social evils can be
removed.
Social Prediction. Social research helps in making laws and the relation between social laws and
their factors. It helps to know the existence of causative factors and their magnitude and this
facilitates prediction of results.
Social Control. For smooth running of society social control is necessary. For this purpose we
apply social research to a society for bringing social order and control.
Social Growth. The growth and development in a society is possible for the improvement of
living standard and it is the main function of social research.
New Techniques. Social Research introduces new techniques and improves the old ones. It also
modifies the existing tools of research. It gives us the methods of knowing new ways for using
our research procedure.

4. LIMITATION OF RESEARCH
It is for sure that your research will have some limitations and it is normal. However, it is
critically important for you to be striving to minimize the range of scope of limitations
throughout the research process. Also, you need to provide the acknowledgement of your
research limitations in conclusions chapter honestly.
It is always better to identify and acknowledge shortcomings of your work, rather than to leave
them pointed out to your by your dissertation assessor. While discussing your research
limitations, don’t just provide the list and description of shortcomings of your work. It is also
important for you to explain how these limitations have impacted your research findings.
Your research may have multiple limitations, but you need to discuss only those limitations that
directly relate to your research problems. For example, if conducting a meta-analysis of the
secondary data has not been stated as your research objective, no need to mention it as your
research limitation.
Research limitations in a typical dissertation may relate to the following points:

1. Formulation of research aims and objectives. You might have formulated research aims and
objectives too broadly. You can specify in which ways the formulation of research aims and
objectives could be narrowed so that the level of focus of the study could be increased.

2. Implementation of data collection method. Because you do not have an extensive

experience in primary data collection (otherwise you would not be reading this book), there is a
great chance that the nature of implementation of data collection method is flawed.

3. Sample size. Sample size depends on the nature of the research problem. If sample size is too
small, statistical tests would not be able to identify significant relationships within data set. You
can state that basing your study in larger sample size could have generated more accurate results.
The importance of sample size is greater in quantitative studies compared to qualitative studies.

4. Lack of previous studies in the research area. Literature review is an important part of any
research, because it helps to identify the scope of works that have been done so far in research
area. Literature review findings are used as the foundation for the researcher to be built upon to
achieve her research objectives.
However, there may be little, if any, prior research on your topic if you have focused on the most
contemporary and evolving research problem or too narrow research problem. For example, if
you have chosen to explore the role of Bitcoins as the future currency, you may not be able to
find tons of scholarly paper addressing the research problem, because Bitcoins are only a recent
phenomenon.

5. Scope of discussions. You can include this point as a limitation of your research regardless of
the choice of the research area. Because (most likely) you don’t have many years of experience
of conducing researches and producing academic papers of such a large size individually, the
scope and depth of discussions in your paper is compromised in many levels compared to the
works of experienced scholars.
You can discuss certain points from your research limitations as the suggestion for further
research at conclusions chapter of your dissertation.