VIRTUAL
RESEARCH
1
2
LOST IN DATA
IN THE VIRTUAL
WORLD
3
 RESEARCH,
IN AND OF ITSELF, IS A
 PHILOSOPHICAL METHODOLOGY, IN A
 SCIENTIFIC FORM GUIDED BY A SPECIALIZED
 ETHICAL SET OF STANDARDS.
4









It is based on the work of others.
It can be replicated.
It is generalizable to other settings.
It is based on some logical rationale and tied to
theory.
It is doable!
It generates new questions or is cyclical in nature.
It is incremental.
It is an apolitical activity that should be
undertaken for the betterment of society.
Neil J. Salkind, Exploring Research, (Prentice Hall,
New Jersey, 2000), p.3

5

BASIC RESEARCH

The research which is done for knowledge enhancement, the research
which does not have immediate commercial potential. The research
which is done for human welfare, animal welfare and plant kingdom
welfare. It is called basic,pure,fundamental research. The main
motivation is to expand man's knowledge, not to create or invent
something.

APPLIED RESEARCH

Applied research is designed to solve practical problem of the modern
world, rather than to acquire knowledge for knowledges sake. The goal of
applied research is to improve the human condition. It focus on analysis
and solving social and real life problems. This research is generally
conducted on large scale basis, it is expensive.
6

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

Quantitative research aim to measure the quantity or amount and compares it with
past records and tries to project for future period. In social sciences, “quantitative
research refers to the systematic empirical investigation of quantitative properties
and phenomena and their relationships”. The objective of quantitative research is
to develop and employ mathematical models, theories or hypothesis pertaining to
phenomena. The process of measurement is central to quantitative research
because it provides fundamental connection between empirical observation and
mathematical expression of quantitative relationships. Statistics is the most widely
used branch of mathematics in quantitative research. Statistical methods are used
extensively with in fields such as economics and commerce.


QUALITATIVE RESEARCH.

Qualitative research presents non-qualitative type of analysis. Qualitative research
is collecting, analyzing and interpreting data by observing what people do and say.
Qualitative research research refers to the meanings, definitions, characteristics,
symbols, metaphors, and description of things. Qualitative research is much more
subjective and uses very different methods of collecting information,mainly
individual, in depth interviews and focus groups. The nature of this type of research
is exploratory and open ended.
7
The
philosophy of research is simply
the application of human standards
to what is believed to be the
essence of the science of research
and then explaining it in a manner
that is understandable.
8
David
Hume once tied the definition
of research to the concept of legal
positivism, today this concept has
been expanded to:
Research as a science is a systematic
and formulated knowledge of a
specified type, or, on a specified
subject.
9

"Other influential research ethics policies include the
Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to
Biomedical Journals (International Committee of Medical
Journal Editors), the Chemist's Code of Conduct (American
Chemical Society), Code of Ethics (American Society for
Clinical Laboratory Science) Ethical Principles of
Psychologists (American Psychological Association),
Statements on Ethics and Professional Responsibility
(American Anthropological Association), Statement on
Professional Ethics (American Association of University
Professors), the Nuremberg Code and the Declaration of
Helsinki (World Medical Association)."
http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethics/
whatis/

10

FIRST OF ALL WE NEED TO FIND A PATH TO ENTER RESEARCH AS
HUMANS AND ACTUALLY BE PART OF THE PROCESS RATHER THAN A
MERE PARTICIPANT SEEKING A GOAL.

SECONDLY, WE MUST USE OUR OWN CRITICAL AND CREATIVE
THINKING ABILITIES TO MAKE CHANGES AND ALTER DIRECTIONS OF
RESEARCH FROM AN INTERIOR PERSPECTIVE.

THIRD, WE MUST KEEP IN MIND ALL OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL
MEANS AVAILABLE TO US; WHETHER IT BE THE INTERNET OR EVEN
VIRTUAL REALITY GAMES.

FOURTH, OUR IMAGINATIONS MUST BE ALLOWED TO EVOLVE AT
LIGHTNING SPEED WHILE THIS PROCESS IF ONGOING.

FIFTH, AS JAMES MICHENER ONCE SAID, A GOOD AUTHOR GETS
“INSIDE THE SKIN OF HIS CHARACTERS”, WELL WE MUST GET
INSIDE THE PROVERBIAL SKIN OF THE PEOPLE WE ARE
RESEARCHING, LIVE THROUGH THE EVENTS OF THE PAST, AND IN
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, LIVE THE EXPERIMENTATION.
11

Navigate your way to fun &
learning

_______________________

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

2. EDUCATORS

3. PARENTS

4. STUDENTS





AS A STUDENT, HAVE YOU EVER
BEEN IN A CLASS AND DIRECTED
BY YOUR TEACHER TO
RESEARCH AND WRITE A PAPER
ON A SUBJECT THAT YOU DO
NOT CARE FOR?

AS A TEACHER, HAVE YOU EVER
BEEN FACED WITH GIVING A
RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT THAT
YOU DO NOT PARTICULARY LIKE
THE SUBJECT MATTER?

AS A PARENT HAVE YOU EVER
BEEN REGALED BY YOUR
CHILD/YOUNG ADULT ABOUT A
RESEARCH PROJECT THAT
THEY HAVE NO INTEREST IN AT
ALL & HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO
BEGIN THEIR RESEARCH?
A. ELEMENTARY
B. LEVEL ONE: (JUNIOR HIGH)
C.LEVEL TWO: ( HIGH
SCHOOL)
D. LEVEL THREE: (COLLEGE)
12
13
14
15

DEPENDENT VARIABLES

. . . show the effect of manipulating or introducing the independent variables. For example, if the
independent variable is the use or non-use of a new language teaching procedure, then the
dependent variable might be students' scores on a test of the content taught using that procedure.
In other words, the variation in the dependent variable depends on the variation in the
independent variable.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLES

. . . are those that the researcher has control over. This "control" may involve manipulating
existing variables (e.g., modifying existing methods of instruction) or introducing new variables
(e.g., adopting a totally new method for some sections of a class) in the research setting.
Whatever the case may be, the researcher expects that the independent variable(s) will have
some effect on (or relationship with) the dependent variables.

INTERVENING VARIABLES

. . . refer to abstract processes that are not directly observable but that link the independent and
dependent variables. In language learning and teaching, they are usually inside the subjects'
heads, including various language learning processes which the researcher cannot observe. For
example, if the use of a particular teaching technique is the independent variable and mastery of
the objectives is the dependent variable, then the language learning processes used by the
subjects are the intervening variables.

MODERATOR VARIABLES

. . . affect the relationship between the independent and dependent variables by modifying the
effect of the intervening variable(s). Unlike extraneous variables, moderator variables are
measured and taken into consideration. Typical moderator variables in TESL and language
acquisition research (when they are not the major focus of the study) include the sex, age,
culture, or language proficiency of the subjects.
16

CONTROL VARIABLES

Language learning and teaching are very complex processes. It is not
possible to consider every variable in a single study. Therefore, the
variables that are not measured in a particular study must be held
constant, neutralized/balanced, or eliminated, so they will not have a
biasing effect on the other variables. Variables that have been controlled
in this way are called control variables.

EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES

. . . are those factors in the research environment which may have an
effect on the dependent variable(s) but which are not controlled.
Extraneous variables are dangerous. They may damage a study's validity,
making it impossible to know whether the effects were caused by the
independent and moderator variables or some extraneous factor. If they
cannot be controlled, extraneous variables must at least be taken into
consideration when interpreting results.
17
18
19
20