TUTORIAL ANSWERS AND RANDOM QUESTIONS

QUESTION 1:What are the various sources through which research

problems could be identified?
A research problem is a discrepancy between what one knows and ought to know
about a problem
 causal Observation
 Clarification of contradictory research results
 Personal Experiences
 Replication of previous studies
 Current social and political issues
 Environmental issues
 Supervisors
 Experience
 Technology
 Theories
 General education problems

QUESTION 2: Compare and contrast hypothesis and research

questions.

o Hypothesis – is a guess or an assumption. Mostly Quantitative

o Research Questions – these are identified problems which require solution
Similarities
 They are written in the initial stages of a research
 used to help guide the research
 They are both required to be proven
 Used similarly in different research methods
 Helps in collecting wanted data
 Both are used to find out something
 Both help to review relevant literature
 They enable the researcher to understand the clarity of his problem.
 They link together related facts and information
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 They both look at the relationship through a variable.
 Guides researcher to interpret data and draw conclusions in a meaningful way

Differences
 Hypothesis is a guess or an assumption which has to be proven. While Research
Questions are identified problems which require solution
 Hypothesis research is used for mostly quantitative research while research
questions mostly used qualitative.
 Research questions at times can be an overload in comparison to a hypothesis
 Research questions are broad while Hypotheses are narrow.
 Hypotheses are mostly used in scientific research while research questions can
be used in social sciences
 Research questions are to find out something while Hypotheses are just
statement
 Research Questions are not biased while hypotheses are
 Research Questions require going into the field while
 Research Questions abstract while Hypothesis is tangible.
 Hypotheses predict a scientific experimental outcome while Research Questions
require field work
 Hypothesis is a predication which can either be positive or negative while
Research Questions are questions formulated to prove hypothesis.

QUESTION 3
Compare and contrast interview method and questionnaire method
Similarities
 They are both primary sources of data
 Both instruments of collecting
 Both techniques require some information obtained from the responded
 They are prone to non-response error
 Help draw a better conclusion
 Both prone to biasness.
 In both confidentiality must be held.

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 Sampling of population is critical in both interviews and questions.
 Time consuming.

Contrasts
 A questionnaire is self-administered while interviews require face to face
 Note taking of interview is done by the interviewer questionnaire is done by
responded
 Interviews are time consuming while questionnaires take less time
 Interviews are more flexible than questionnaires as questionnaires will be
limited.
 Questionnaires are mostly used in quantitative while interview is qualitative.
 In interview method, Interviewer is able to clarify answers from respondent
 Questionnaires require a person fluent in target language while interview
method can be used on anyone literate or illiterate.
 Interviews are difficult to organize while questionnaires are much easier.
 Data collected from interview is easily distorted from wrong recording of the
interview while data collected from questionnaire will give direct answers.

QUESTION 4
Discuss each one of the following components

1. Background of study
 It is an introduction to a topic of discussion usually contains a brief explanation
of the concepts in the title as they relate to the study.
 Understanding of the research
 Makes research to be more clear
 Shouldn’t be biased
 Should be precise.
 Variables should be highlighted and how they are related to the research
problem.
 You can site a bit of work already done in the study area.

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2. Research Questions
 these are identified problems which require solution
 Questions derived from the study topic objectives that drive the entire research
topic and to draw a conclusion
 Initial step to be taken for the research
 It can be used for both Qualitative and Quantitative
 It makes the research to be more explicit
 Determines what kind of research being tackled.

3. Objectives of the study

 States specific aspects of the study and reasons for focusing on them.
 Basis of analysing, researching and concluding of a research
 Includes statements of what should be accomplished and what is it be
investigated.
 Broad statements of desired outcomes
 General intentions of research
 Emphasize what is to be accomplished
 Address the long term outcomes e.g should reflect the aspirations and
expectations of the research.
 Must be highly focused and visible
 Precision
 Steps taken to answer research question.

4. Ethics on Research
 Considerations of what is wrong and right in a research
 APA (American Psychiatric Association) is a guideline policy that ensures that
the research is free from misconduct.
 E.g. Quotations, referencing
 Confidentiality- personal information from the respondent should be protected.
 Permission–you need to get appropriate permission and informed consent, in
order to make an appointment
 Coordination – cooperating with the respondent
 Objectiveness – avoiding biasness
 Honesty

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 Faking data
 Over siting the same reference
 Social responsibilities – respect society

QUESTION 5
Action Research. Advantages and disadvantages.
Action research is the type that requires immediate impacts on the target.
Advantages
 Provides solutions to immediate problems
 It can be used on multiple schools of thought.
 Doesn’t require experts to be carried out.
 Can be done in a local setting and its findings are defined within local
 Used to guide and evaluate and make decisions.
 Participants are not systematically sampled or selected.
 Does not need theories or laws in order to be researched upon or implemented.
 Concentrates on immediate sample in order to solve immediate problems.

QUESTION 6What values does research project act to;

a.) Teaching Profession
 Creativity – finding new methods of teaching
 Production of good teachers – finding reasons why teachers are being
recruited.
 Useful at government level
 Strengthening knowledge of pupils and teachers
 Selection of resources, designed to stimulate learning and activity.
 Helps to handle learners with physical abilities
b.) Education System
 Coming up with Policies

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  It can attract help of education system from NGOs.
 Coming up with Curriculum
 Provide training in problem solving e.g. Guidance and councelling
 Provide valid
 Provide objective evidence to improve school learning
 To controvert myths surrounding the education system e.g. girls are not to be
educated, they controvert by saying educate a woman, you will educate the
world
c.) Development in Community
 Helps to deal with health problems e.g. HIV/AIDS awareness, sanitation,
 To controvert myths surrounding the education system e.g. girls are not to be
educated, they controvert by saying educate a woman, you willsave the world.
 It helps members of the community to invest their children in education.
 Updates community with knowledge that is up-to-date.
 Helps the community to conserve the environment. E.g.effects of Chitemene
farming system, sustainable development, climate change.

QUESTION 7How does a good research proposal help a researcher in

coming up with a good research report.
 A proposal is systematic, hence will come up with a systematic report
 Gives a brief overview of the research project
 Objectivity will be considered
 Guiding process
 It determines the budget
 Determining of the sample size
 Determining the time frame
 Research designing
 Data analysing
 Helps in contradicting biasness
 Pilot study
 Research method will be determined
 Data collecting
 Concluding and recommending
 Helps knowing the knowledge gap
 Helps in determining the specific research
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  Enables researcher to be conversant with the study area

QUESTION 8Discuss in detail to show how descriptive statistics help

in research activity.
 A type of statistical application concerned with the organization and
presentation of data in a convenient, usable and communicable form.
 Can be used in describing characteristics of research
 Description of study group
 Mean median mode
 Helps to simplify data in a sensible way.
 To summarise data
 Can be used to provide basic information on variables in a data set.
 To highlight potential relationships between variables.

QUESTION 9Difference between action research and field research
 Action research is research type that requires immediate impacts on the target.
 Field Research – systematic collection of information outside the laboratory or
work place aimed at understanding, observing and interacting with people in
their natural setting.
 Field research is more systematic
 Field research is more practical
 Action is done within activity
 Action research targets a smaller population as compared to field research
 Action research requires immediate solutions to problems
 Action research does not always require expert’s field.
 Action research is less time consuming

QUESTION 10
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Discuss the difference between conceptual framework and theoretical frame
work.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
 States the concept that informed the study
 Assists to bring out salient points that assist literature review
 Abstract of previous research study
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
 Discussion of related theories attempted to predict a pattern of phenomena of
events
 Play a major role in research
 Guide the researcher to new view of research problem
 Help researcher to find out the problem
 Based on recognised theories
 Help researcher acknowledge, conceptualise the topic clearly and in total.
 Use specific theories to explain things the way they are

QUESTION 11 Explain the three types of recording interviews.

 Mental notes
Memory retention
Information lost cannot be easily constructed
 Written note
-When there are too many questions
-It may excite or frighten
-Short hand is an advantage
Minimum writing is advised
Informing the respondent is advised
 Taped records
- Removes strain from the interviewer
- Solves problems of memory loss and writing
- Can be replayed and transcribed at leisure.
- Audio or video recording can go faulty in the process
- Instrument activity should be taken care of at the beginning

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 - Recording can also frighten or excite the respondent and can bring about
distortion in his behaviour
- As far as possible conceal the recorder.
- Use of micro recorders when available.

QUESTION 12 :Discus the three major considerations in an

interview
INTERVIEWER CHARACTERISTICS
- Characteristics of an interviewer can have profound influence
- Articulation, inquisition, and ability to identify new areas ready for exploration.
- Age,
- Gender
- Cultural affiliation,
- Mode of dressing,
- Status
- Manner of speech.
- Interviewers willingness to be interviewed

INTERVIEWEE CHARACTERISTICS.
- Influence the success of interview
- Expected to verbally communicate in an understandable way
- In the case of children or mentally challenged, interview cannot be successful
- Level of education
- Willingness of participation
- Age
- Cultural affiliation
- Status
NATURE OF THE PROBLEM UNDER INVESTIGATION

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- Topics that are a bother on private lives of individuals.
- Secret or confidential issues cannot be communicated during the interview.
- Most people may not be frank in some sensitive cases.

QUESTION 13:With clear examples discuss the main types of

interview
Face to face interview
- Direct source of information from respondent
-
Telephone interview
- Researcher personally calls the respondent to discuss the issue under
concern.
- Cheaper in the case of distance

QUESTION 14: Merits and Demerits of interviews

Merits
- easy to conduct
- effective tool of collecting data
- direct source of information
- provides opportunity for face to face
- subjects respond to question the way they like
- information is reliable
- useful for collecting data from illiterate
Demerits
- Respondents may not be frank in some cases.
- Respondents may be insecure
- Biasness
- Time consuming
- Expensive
- Not easy to organise

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QUESTION 15: Phases of an Interview
PREPARATION PHASE
- Question preparations
- Resources
-
1. RAPPORT PHASE
- Relationship you create with the respondents building trust
- Dress code can affect the rapport
- Time consideration
2. QUESTION AND ANSWER PHASE
- Actual action of interviewing
3. RECORDING PHASE
[Refer to question 11]

QUESTION 16:Using clear examples discuss 5 advantages of

educational research.
- This is a type of research that seeks to find problems and solutions related to
education and the environment.
- Through research we might find certain problems
- Policy formulation
- Policy analysis
- Policy evaluation
- recognise Knowledge gaps
- Solution finding
- Helps decision makers implement necessary educational decisions
- Predictability and decision outcomes
- Helps to raise standards of education e.g. 8 hour policy

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- Helps to keep education system at bar with time (up-to-date) e.g. i.c.t.
- Prioritising of education esp. with gender.

QUESTION 17: Highlight the skills involved in writing literature

review. Discuss the two basic sources of literature review.
- Objectivity
- Should be an introduction
- Should show the topic under study
- Identification of key concepts.
- Should clearly outline the entire research
- Should be systematic
- Appropriate knowledge sources
- Use of updated literature.
- Avoiding replication
- Paraphrasing (to guide the reader on difficult concepts)
- Rewriting
- In depth research
Discuss the two basic sources of literature review
Primary
-letters
-autobiography
-diaries
-report
-budget
- Speeches
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- Newspaper articles
- Meeting minutes
Secondary
- Text books
- Magazines
- Articles
- Journals

QUESTION 18

Theoreticlal framework
- A group of related ideas that provides guidance to a research project endeavour
- To predict a phenomena or pattern of work
- Based on recognised theories
- They use specific theories to clarify and account for how the way things are
- Introduces the researcher to a new view of the research problem
- Total realm of the problem
- Understand or conceptualise the topic.
- Helps the research acknowledge the problem from a wider perspective
Conceptual framework
- Concepts that inform the system of study
- Assists to bring out salient points
- Management

QUESTION 19: Discuss how one draw questions from the literature
review
- Read and understand the several necessary literature

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- Identifying the knowledge gap.
- Criticising the necessary literature.
- Reading through critics of the literature review.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

Qualitative-type of research that is based on the analysis of non-quantifiable data
Quantitative Research – type of research that is based on the analysis of
quantifiable values
Similarities
- they are both research instruments
- they both involve collection of data
- both objective in nature
- they both help in analysing data
- they both help incollection of data
- they both draw conclusions
- their intentions are to draw conclusions
- they both find solutions to problems
CONTRASTS;
- quantitative research employs statistical use of qualitative data is non-
quantitative
- qualitative research employs both questionnaire and interview while
quantitative strictly employs questionnaires
- Qualitative involves one to one experience with the respondent while
quantitative depends on
- They differ in analytical objectives
- Quantitative mostly uses hypothesis, while qualitative mostly uses research
questions
- Qualitative mostly generalisation of data
- Qualitative may be biased
- The types of questions they pose
- The forms of data they produce
- Quantitative is less time consuming
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 - Qualitative is less time consuming at preparation and more time consuming
at analysis.
- Qualitative focuses on a smaller sample size

QUESTION 20
Differences between basic research and educational research
- Basicresearch is a fundamental research, pure in nature, aims at finding
generalisations in order to formulate a theory about a particular phenomena
- It aims at drawing generalisations about human behaviour

- Educational research

Differences
- Educational research is educationally purposeful
- Results for educational research are usually applied
- Basic research is a generalisation. Ed research explains in details.
- Basic research is pure in nature, the other is educational in nature
- Basic research is empirical, mostly laboratory based.
- Basic research is mostly applied in natural science
- Primary audience includes the other researcher in the research process
- Ed research mostly relies on fundamental results in which the future
research might be built

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