CHAPTER 3 DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH
❖ Describes data and characteristic about the phenomenon being studied.

TECHNIQUES OF DESCRIPTIVE METHOD OF RESEARCH

❖ SURVEYS - Survey research allows you to gather large volumes of data that can be analyzed for
frequencies, averages and patterns.
❖ CASE STUDY - A case study can be used to describe the characteristic of a specific subject (such
as person, event or organization).
❖ CONTENT ANALYSIS - Is a research technical for the objective, systematic, and quantitative
description of the manifest content of communication

ADVANTAGES OF THE SURVEY APPROACH OVER THE CASE STUDY APPROACH.

1. Surveys reveals what is typical, average, or normal against which the behavior or
performance of an individual can be judged or evaluated.
2. The result of a survey may be used for prediction.
3. Survey makes possible the formulation of generalization because the sample has a high
degree of representativeness.
4. Survey reveals problems for which timely remedial measures may be instituted
5. It is easy to get respondents for a survey.
6. The instruments for gathering data are easy to determine, construct, validate,
administrator.
7. The survey instruments are usually the interview schedule as well as the questionnaire
and they are very similar if not the same in structure.

ADVANTAGES OF THE SURVEY APPROACH OR TECHNIQUE

1. Lack of manipulation over independent variables
2. One cannot progressively investigate one aspect after another of the independent
variable to get closer to the real cause.
3. 3. Survey approach yields a low degree of control or there is no control at all over
extraneous variables.
4. 4. The instrument for getting data may lack validity, reliability or adequacy.
5. 5. Statistical devices are not always able to separate the effects of several independent
variables when there is multivariable causation, especially when to independent
variables themselves highly associated.
TYPES OF SURVEY TECHNIQUE OR APPROACH
1. Total population survey- the entire is involved in the survey
2. Sample survey- only a sample or portion of the population is involved in the survey
3. Social survey- the investigator researches on the attitudes and behaviors of different groups to one
issue
4. School survey- this used to gather data for and about schools and to asses educational achievement
and educational itself
5. Public opinion survey- this used to gauge the reactions of people towards certain issues or persons.
6. Poll survey- this a survey in which the respondents are asked if they are voting for a certain candidate
in an election
7. Market survey- this aimed at finding out what kinds of people purchased which products, how
packaging, advertising, and displaying affect buying prices, and so on.
8. Evaluation survey- the researchers looks back to see what has been accomplish and, with a critical
eye, evaluates the results whether they are satisfactory or not, with the end in view of making
improvements.
9. Comparative survey- the results from two different groups, techniques, or procedure are compared.
10. Short term survey- data are collected over a period of weeks, months, or even years but the period
should be less than five years.
11. Long term survey- any survey conducted for more than five years.
12. Longitudinal survey- this almost the same as the long term survey. The data collected in the past
will be compared with the present data.
13. Cross sectional survey- in this types of survey, several groups in various stages of involvement are
studied simultaneously.
14. Job analysis survey- this provides information on the general duties and responsibilities of workers,
their education, training, experiences, salaries, types of knowledge and skills, and other that help
administrators or managers in setting up training programs and recruitment policies.
15. Community survey- this survey provides information on the various aspects of the community.
16. Correlation study- this is a survey that shows the relationship between two variables, that is, how
variable varies with another.

CASE STUDY AND CASE WORK

⮚ Case study – an extensive and intensive investigation of a unit represented, whether
the unit is an individual, a family, a social group an institution, or a community.
⮚ Case work – refers especially to the development, adjustment, remedial or corrective
procedures that appropriately follow diagnoses of the cause of maladjustment or of
favorable development.
⮚ Case method – has been employed to describe a plan of organizing and presenting
instructional materials.
⮚ Case history – a biography obtained by interview and other means, sometimes
collected over the years.
 ⮚ Clinical history – a process which we collect all available evidence.
KINDS OF INFORMATION NEEDED IN CASE STUDIES:
🠶 Identifying data
🠶 Identification of statement of the problem
🠶 Health and developmental history
🠶 Family history
🠶 Educational history
🠶 Social history
🠶 Economic history
🠶 Psychological history

DATA GATHERING INSTRUMENTS

🠶 Interview
🠶 Observation
🠶 Questionnaire
🠶 Psychological test
🠶 Anecdotal records
🠶 Other devices(checklist, score cards and rating scales)
CHARACTERISTIC OF CONTENT ANALYSIS
🠶 Objective - there should be no bias involved in the selection and the content to be
analyzed, in its sampling design, and in the interpretation of result.
🠶 Systematic – must follow the step of scientific method the recognizing and determining
the problem, forming the hypothesis.
🠶 Quantitative – content analysis of documentary is quantitative because interpretation
and conclusion from finding must have to depend almost entirely on the frequency
counts on the items aspects studied.
STEPS IN CONTENT ANALYSIS
1. RECOGNIZING THE PROBLEM
2. FORMING THE HYPOTHESIS
3. DOING LIBRARY RESEARCH
4. DESIGNING THE STUDY
5. DEVELOPING STUIDY
6. COLLECTING THE DATA
7. ANALYZING THE DATA
8. MAKING THE CONCLUSION
9. MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS