THE CONCEPT OF RESEARCH

Let us start this section by saying that research is the way in which we acquire dependable and useful information about everyday life process. Research may be broadly described as any systematic endeavors or striving towards the understanding, on perceiving certain complex situational problem of more than immediate personal concern and stated in a problematic form. (Heros, 1960). Travers (1969) has described research as an activity directed towards the development of an organized body of scientific knowledge about the events with which human 7
beings are concerned. The goal is to discover general principles or interpretations of behaviour, to explain, predict and control events in everyday life situations.
Now tell me, when you spend the whole day or days in the library making notes from textbooks and other publications, when you visit many websites through your computer to collect information or when you rummage through available sources to retrieve some information, are you doing research? Some people may claim they are doing research. Let us see other definitions by other scholars. For instance leedy (1997) defines research as the systematic process of collecting and analyzing information (data) in order to increase our understanding of the phenomenon with which we are concerned or interested. Leedy (1997) has gone further to clarify for us what research is classified with and what research is NOT. Let us start with what research is NOT. According to him research is not:
i. Mere information gathering
ii. Mere transformation of facts from one location to another
iii. Merely rummaging information and
iv. A catch word used to get information.
Leedy (1997) tells us that research is 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, or a greater understanding of a phenomenon. This process has eight distinct characteristics. These are:
1. Research originates with a question or problem: Everywhere around us is filled with many answered questions and unresolved problems. When we look around, we observe things that make us wonder and to ask questions. These questions may start to spark igniting chains of reactions which terminate in the research process. An inquisitive mind is the beginning of research.
ii. Research requires a clear articulation of a goal: It is critical to have a clear and unambiguous statement of the problem. This statement gives you an exercise in 8
intellectual honesty. The ultimate goals of the research should be given in a grammatically complete sentence which is precise and clear.
iii. Research requires a specific plan of procedure: You should not hope that the data necessary to solve the problem would somehow fortuitously come up. You have to have rather a planned attack, a search – and – discover mission explicitly planned or designed in advance.
iv. Research usually divides the principal problem into more manageable sub-problems: A whole is made up of parts. This is a natural law universally accepted. So when you think about your principal goal in research, try to observe this goal precept.
v. Research is guided by specific research questions, problems or hypothesis: These guide you and direct you on what to do and how to do it in order to arrive at the solution to the problem.
vi. Research accepts certain critical assumptions: These must be self-evident truths. These assumptions must be valid in order to make the research to proceed. You must let others know what you assume with respect to your study.
vii. Research requires the collection and interpretation of data: You need to collect appropriate data, organize them in a meaningful way so that they can be analyzed and interpreted.
viii. Research is cyclical or helical: The process of research follows a cycle. It begins simply and follows logical developmental steps. Before we leave this section, let us touch briefly on another definition of research by Best and kalin (1995). This definition is a more comprehensive and operational definition. It sees research as the systematic and objective analysis and recording of controlled observations that may lead to the development of generalizations, principles or theories, resulting in prediction and possibly ultimate control of events. Now let us look at the characteristics of research to classify this definition. 9
1. Research emphasizes the development of generalizations, principles or theories that will be helpful in predicting future occurrences.
Ii Research is based upon observable experience or empirical evidence.
Iii Research demands accurate observation and description.
IV Research involves gathering new data from primary or firsthand sources or using existing data for a new purpose.
V Research is often characterized by carefully designed procedures that apply rigorous analysis.
VI Research requires expertise.
Vii Research strives to be objective and logical, applying every possible test to validate the procedures employed, the data collected and the conclusions reached.
Viii Research involves the quest for answers to unresolved problems.
Ix Research is characterized by patient and unhurried activity.
X Research is carefully recorded and reported.
Xi Research requires courage sometimes.
Looking at the definitions and characteristics of research in this section, you must note that for you to be a research worker, you should be a scholarly imaginative person of the highest integrity, who is willing or spend long hours painstakingly seeking for the truth.