Download Form 4 Geography Notes for Ordinary Level (O-Level) Secondary School. These Geography notes follows the Tanzania Geography Form 4 syllabus.
What is Research?
Research is a scientific and systematic process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting data basing on a certain phenomenon.
OR
Is a careful and systematic investigation in a field of knowledge or a systematic process of collecting information and interpreting it.
OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH
– To search for a new knowledge/insight.
– To gain familiarity with a certain phenomenon.
– To develop theory about certain social economic phenomena.
– To test hypothesis so as to find out their reliability.
– To explain/describe about certain phenomena.
– To find solution to the existing problems.
– To make evaluation of a certain issue.
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH IN DAILY LIFE
1. Research develop or generate new knowledge e.g the information produced by research can be applied in many ways.
2. It helps to improve human activities for the betterment of people e.g A society can develop irrigation scheme when finds show that there is food shortage.
3. Research can be used to develop new theories and laws.
4. It helps to improve various sectors as related to daily life e.g Agriculture, industries, etc.
5. It provides reliable and needed information to data bank.
6. Research enable in finding solutions about the special programmes e.g HIV, hunger, etc.
TYPES OF RESEARCH
1. According to their aims/purpose
i) Basic/pure research
Is a type of research which is conducted to collect data to advance or develop a certain scientific knowledge.
It is always done through the verification of theories especially in laboratory.
ii) Applied research
Is the research which seeks the specific knowledge necessary to find solution to solve certain in the society.
iii) Evaluative research
It a type of research which is conducted purposely to measure or asses the achievement of a certain scientific practice.
iv) Analytical research
Is a type of research that uses facts already available and analyses these facts to make a critical evaluation of the material.
v) Fundamental research
Is a type of research which studies life process that is universal in their application to scientific knowledge.
2.According to the type of data to be collected.
i) Quantitative research
It focuses on the measurement of quantity.
It is applicable on phenomena that can be expressed in terms of quantity like population data.
It tries to answer the question how much? How many?
ii) Qualitative research.
It concerned with qualitative phenomena.
It is applicable to phenomena that can be expressed in terms of qualitative. The data gathering is purely in form of description. It is alternatively called Descriptive research.
Other type of Research
1. Empirical research – relies on intensive interpretation of data and come up with conclusion which is capable of being verified through observation/experiment.
2. Conceptual research – is related to some abstract ideas. It is used to develop new concept.
3. Exploratory research -Is conducted when a researcher explores things like gold, iron, diamond, and other mates related to mining.
4. Explanatory research – Is a research that explain about a certain phenomenon.
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