The nature and scope of research
- 1. The Nature and Scope of Research L.E.I. Carlos García, CESUES UAM
- 2. What is research? • Nunan (1992:2) got a group of his graduate students to complete the following two phrases: • ‘Research is…’ and ‘Research is carried out in order to…’
- 3. What is research+ Research is… • An activity which critically evaluates some problem; • Undertaking structured investigation which hopefully results in greater understanding of the chosen interest area. Ultimately, this investigation becomes available to the ‘public’; • To collect and analyse the data in a specific field with the purposes of proving your theory.
- 4. What is research+ Research is carried out in order to… • Get a result with scientific methods objectively, not subjectively; • Solve problems, verify the application of theories, and lead on to new insights; • Enlighten both researcher and any interested readers.
- 5. The basic components of research in our daily lives (Seliger and Shohamy, 1987:7): • There is a phenomenon that is not clearly understood. • To try to understand it, the phenomenon is observed and analysed. • in this process we ask questions about the phenomenon: Why, how, when, …does it happen? What’s the connection with other events? Etc. • Several guesses, answers and possible explanations that most probably explain(s) the phenomenon (hypohesis) is/are considered.
- 6. The basic components of research in our daily lives (Seliger and Shohamy, 1987:7): • One (or some) of the anticipated explanations that most probably explain(s) the phenomenon (hypothesis) is/are considered. • We check the hypothesis in other situations: collect more data and test to what extent the hypothesis can be mantained.
- 7. Scientific and every day life research compared The differences between knowledge arrived at through common sense and intuition on the one hand, and scientific research on the other, can be expressed by concepts such as “organized”, “structured”, “methodical”, “systematic”, “testable” and specifically by the notion of disciplinary inquiry. Selinger and shohamy (1989:10)
- 8. Task on types of research AR = Applied research PR = Practical Research B/TR = Basic or Theoretical Research • ______ This makes a practical utilization of theoretical research and applied research. • ______ This applies the theoretical models provided by basic research to different fields of study (e.g. education). • ______ It is based on the premises established by theoretical and applied research and it is influenced by them when it is developed in classroom situations. • ______ This aims to construct abstract theoretical models which explain second language teaching and learning. • ______ Example: testing classroom hypotheses, controlling variables, offering pedagogical principles based on classroom experience, etc.
- 9. Task on types of research+ • What kind of research is classroom research? Why? • Practical research is centered in the classroom • It aims to explain what actually happens inside the classroom, the direct and indirect influence of internal/external factors related to the S, T and ELT curriculum
- 10. As yet we know too little about all the variables that play a role in all the classrooms to be able to make rash recommendations about methods of teaching and ways of learning. Van Lier (1988:7)