During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”.It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
Name: Ugwu Emmanuel Onyekachi
Reg no. 2015/203177
Dpt: C.S.S Economics/psychology
Course code: Eco 391
Course title: Research Methods in Economics 1
1. The purpose of research and importance of research.
-From weather forecasts to the discovery of antibiotics, researchers are constantly trying to find new ways to understand the world and how things work – with the ultimate goal of improving our lives.
Research often follows a systematic approach known as a Scientific Method, which is carried out using an hourglass model.
A research project first starts with a problem statement, or rather, the research purpose for engaging in the study. This can take the form of the ‘scope of the study’ or ‘aims and objectives’ of your research topic.
Subsequently, a literature review is carried out and a hypothesis is formed. The researcher then creates a research methodology and collects the data.
The data is then analysed using various statistical methods and the null hypothesis is either accepted or rejected.
In both cases, the study and its conclusion are officially written up as a report or research paper, and the researcher may also recommend lines of further questioning. The report or research paper is then shared with the wider research community, and the cycle begins all over again.
Although these steps outline the overall research process, keep in mind that research projects are highly dynamic and are therefore considered an iterative process with continued refinements and not a series of fixed stages.
The purpose of research is therefore to find out what is known, what is not and what we can develop further. In this way, scientists can develop new theories, ideas and products that shape our society and our everyday lives.
The purpose of research is to further understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life. It is an integral part of problem solving.
Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of research:
1. Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
2. Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
3. Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
Summary
The purpose of research is to enhance society by advancing knowledge through the development of scientific theories, concepts and ideas. A research purpose is met through forming hypotheses, collecting data, analysing results, forming conclusions, implementing findings into real-life applications and forming new research questions.
2. Importance of research
-RESEARCH IS NECESSARY because research improves services and treatments not just for us but for future generations, since research is a tool by which we can test our own and each others theories, to find an answer and advance knowledge. The purpose of research is really an ongoing process of correcting and refining hypotheses, which should lead to the acceptance of certain scientific truths.
So not only is research an invaluable tool for building on crucial knowledge, it is also the most reliable way we can begin to understand complexities of various issues to maintain our integrity as we disprove lies and uphold important truth to serve as seed for analyzing sets of data.
Scientific research is the research performed by applying systematic and constructed scientific methods to obtain, analyze and interpret data which provides us with the information and knowledge needed for problem solving and making decisions.
In medical field research is essential to find out which treatments work better for patients. Some of the common aim for conducting research studies are to diagnose desease and health problem.
-Research is as important as life itself. It provides the building block upon which societal growth and advancement is hinged. Our understanding of the way things are, how things happen and what is responsible for such occurrences is due to the help of research. Research also helps us study patterns in the past, feelings, attitudes and opinion then use it to determine what should happen next.
With research we can extrapolate how a city would likely expand and the level of infrastructural development such a city would require to cope with the expansion. It also helps to ascertain per capital income, medical needs, birth rates and death rates. It helps organizations understand what their consumers need and where they need improvement. It also helps to determine how to innovate…so and so.
Research has left an indelible mark on society and will forever be the basis for any genuine advancement in human society… hence countries and organizations fund research heavily.
SECTION 2.
Clinical discuss and analyse the problems of conducting social science research in developing countries.
1. Introduction
1.1 In this section i want to explore some of the particular ethical issues that arise for social scientists working in developing countries. This is an inherently difficult topic to address for a number of reasons, but especially in relation to problems of definition. As with any attempt to draw boundaries around regions, and characterise them according to various features, there is the tendency to draw upon highly loaded simplifications. Our ways of thinking and writing about development often rely on distinctions which are far from uniform and in many ways fall short of complex reality.
2. The Globalisation of Social Science Research.
SSR is becoming ever more globalised with an increasing focus on research in developing countries.
2.1 An ever-increasing number of researchers are now encouraged, even mandated through assessment programmes like the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), to operate on an international basis. More frequently, this involves conducting research in underdeveloped and highly stressed regions where the burden of risk borne by the researched is more severe than in more affluent contexts. Many of the specific features of these risks, peculiar to underdeveloped contexts, are explored in greater detail below. For now, we will concern ourselves with some of the factors that have been instrumental in shaping the increased focus of SSR in poorer regions.
2.2 Of course, it would be naïve to assume that these changing patterns of research will lead inevitably to improved conditions for less advantaged regions of the world. The global patterning of social science research expresses difficult tensions, many of which are ethically problematic for research practitioners and sponsoring agencies alike. Illustrating this are the huge shifts that have taken place within development economics and sociology over the latter half of the 20th Century. For example, the functionalist perspectives of the 1960/70s were highly influential on agencies like the World Bank. And yet they provided what is now widely viewed as a flawed intellectual rationale for instituting Western Industrialisation as the primary model for development, regardless of economic and cultural differences. This has now largely given way to perspectives that recognise the way ‘aid’ and ‘development’ in themselves sometime contribute to conditions of chronic impoverishment through new patterns of dependency (Leys 1996).
2.4 Our point here is that the globalisation of research prompts difficult ethical dilemmas for researchers and for those institutions that fund them, and that these tensions are likely to become more acute as the global reach of SSR extends. The central tension or dilemma facing international research policy arises because the globalisation of knowledge is paralleled by a growth in disparities in regional wealth and living standards. As Bhutta observes:
‘It is likely that the accelerating trend towards globalization, without the requisite safeguards and protection of humans rights, will only worsen inequalities’ (Bhutta 2002, 114).
3. The ethics of problem focussed research in developing regions.
3.1 Developing countries are also characterised by the often devastating effects of political, religious and territorial conflict resulting in unprecedented levels of migration and displacement (Haug 2002). International provision for refugee communities has often been accompanied by social scientific forms of enquiry, for example into the psychological implications of catastrophic trauma, especially arising from mass genocidal events exemplified by Rwanda in the mid 1990s and the Democratic Republic of Congo more recently. These include documentary research into highly sensitive aspects of such events, particularly those exploring torture, bereavement and sexual violence (Lindsey 2002). Numerous journals have emerged as specialist areas of social science research in these and related fields including The Journal of Genocide Research, International Migration, Journal of Refugee Studies, Disasters, Journal of Conflict Resolution, and so on.
Our point here is that developing regions suffer some of the most extreme forms of stress experienced by the world’s peoples. Given these acute vulnerabilities they are also deserving of the most stringent ethical oversight possible. And yet, they are regions of the world which present sometimes prohibitively difficult challenges to the organisation and implementation of ethical oversight. As Jacobson and Landau observe:
‘Research into vulnerable populations like refugees, some of whom might be engaged in illegal or semi-illegal activities, raises many ethical problems. The political and legal marginality of refugees and IDPs means that they have few rights and are vulnerable to arbitrary action on the part of state authorities, and sometimes even the international relief community. In conflict zones, or in situations of state collapse, few authorities are willing to protect refugees from those who may do them harm, including researchers’ whose action may have less than ideal outcomes’ (Jacobson and Landau 2002 187).
3.2 It is fair to say that there is a notable paucity of literature that deals specifically with the ethical dimensions of social science in developing contexts. Whilst extensive work has been undertaken to both comment upon and critique medical research oversight, this is far from true for social science research ethics generally. Of the few disciplines to more directly reflect on these issues, anthropology has been engaged in sustained debate, especially since the early 1970s (Asad 1973; Bleek 1979; Mauch 1989; Anatoloy 1996; Eipper 1996; Erman 1997). With a few notable exceptions (Clark 2002), very little from within quantitative social science has been published on the ethical difficulties presented by the methodological complexities of underdeveloped regions since Warwick’s (1983) edited collection in the early 1980s.
4. Inequities of advantage between the researched and the researcher.
Research in these contexts involves some of the world’s least powerful and most vulnerable populations.
4.1 It seems obvious that the relationships between the researcher and the researched in such stressed contexts are likely to be asymmetrical, and that this is indeed likely to have an impact both on the welfare of participants and the veracity of findings. Still, these kinds of considerations are notably absent from reported studies conducted amongst disadvantaged populations (Jacobson and Lanua 2002). As with many of the issues addressed in this paper, questions of both structural and more situational inequities come to the fore.
4.2 In structural terms, we have already alluded to the obvious wealth disparities which, in the first place, create the opportunities for researchers from wealthy regions to conduct research in less advantaged contexts, but less frequently the other way around. To be sure, most research conducted on vulnerable communities comes with an obligation to provide data that may ameliorate problems and guide policy. And a great number of studies are initiated with reciprocal arrangements that provide opportunities for researchers from developing countries. Nevertheless, as Benetar points out, ‘While researchers are generally privileged people, many research subjects are among the most vulnerable in our world, living in the worst conditions of deprivation and exploitation… [and hence] appreciation of concerns regarding research in developing countries requires some knowledge of the growing global disparities in wealth and health, and of the lifestyle and worldview of potential research subjects’ (Benetar 2002: 1131).
Importantly, additional challenges may arise for co-researchers from developing countries and their equality within the research team. This may extend both into shaping the direction of research, agenda setting, research prioritisation. At the same time, however, it is not always easy to be aware of ways in which an ‘external researcher’ based in the West may be making culture- bound assumptions about the research process and acting as a ‘powerful outsider’.
Considering this matter further, let us remember that those who are ‘the researched’ could also do research. There are power issues here related to establishing research teams that might lead one to consider the ethics of research. Even if researchers from developed countries consider that they are conducting their own research, those from developing countries may see them as useful resources of knowledge. Considerations arise about the extent to which research is a one-off exercise or, alternatively, is a process contributing to the long-term transformation of developing contexts. This also generates considerations about the ethics of researchers conducting research in the form of ‘transactions’ (i.e. periodic visits while funding lasts), or in the form of ‘transformations’ (i.e. preparing researchers in developing countries to continue with research).
Considerations arise also about researchers from developed countries being used for purposes other than research (for example, for political purposes, legitimising the authority of certain stakeholders) (Cordoba 2004).
Issues of intellectual property and knowledge transfer arise also in the case where developed countries’ companies use natural resources to conduct research to produce new biogenetic medicines. The transfer of knowledge to the developing world does not happen in many of these cases (Cordoba 2004).
4.3 Inequities in access to research resources are matched by parallel deficiencies in adequate ethical oversight and the institutional structures to support them. Whilst this situation is changing, research originating in the affluent North has often been seen to take advantage of such absences – through ‘research tourism’ – rather than seek to foster better ethical arrangements. As Bhutta notes, it has become difficult to overlook the fact that many of the most controversial research events of recent years have been conducted in contexts with poor ethical governance: ‘Although it is accepted that ethics play a central role in health research in developing countries, much of the recent debate has focused on controversies surrounding internationally sponsored research and has taken place largely without adequate participation of the developing countries’ (Bhutta 2002).
This has led to strong criticism and sensitivities about whether and how research originating in wealthy regions has taken account of the problems and diversity of views in the contexts where research is conducted. ‘So long as all the ethicists are in the North, and the South is just the recipient of ethical principles, nothing will change’ (Daar and Singer 2001).
4.4 These asymmetries in the institutional and professional embedding of ethics discourse and practice can have a significant and detrimental impact at a more local and situational level in the encounters between researchers and the researched. Anthropological enquiry in particular has been challenged by the way in which the presence of exogenous researchers can have a detrimental affect on communities. The researcher can become the focus of new tensions in relationships, destabilising existing alliances, causing conflicts which may well persist long after the research has been completed. Bleek’s (1979) account of ‘envy and inequality in fieldwork’ is just one illustration of the disruption that can be caused by a lack of sensitivity to actual and perceived differences in wealth and status between social scientists and research subjects.
4.5 There are therefore important connections between professional considerations such as these and the particular ethical difficulties of conducting research in disadvantaged regions. These issues are in turn closely connected to the relationship between ethics and methodology, as we now discuss.
5. Methodological Questions
Such contexts also present unique sampling difficulties for SSR, undermining the validity of findings and therefore the ethics of the research conducted.
5.1 A number of studies have observed the way in which SSR in developing regions can be susceptible to various factors that undermine the methodological, and therefore ethical, status of research. For instance, Jacobsen and Landau point out that many sponsoring organisations involved in overseas development are sometimes poorly placed to judge the methodological rigour of research proposals (2002). However, weaknesses in peer review and audit are often lessened through the creation of trans-organisational research associations involved in selecting and administering research. Nevertheless, serious considerations of methodological integrity remain: ‘…that much of the current research on forced migration is based on unsound methodology, and that the data and subsequent policy conclusions are often flawed or ethically suspect… humanitarian studies in general reveal a paucity of good social science, are rooted in a lack of rigorous conceptualisation and research design, weak methods and a general failure to address the ethical problems of researching vulnerable communities (Jacobsen and Landau, 2002, 187).
5.2 Additionally, funding is more likely to be linked to various normative goals which in themselves can predispose research findings to results that are in keeping with the aspirations of the funding body (Silverman 1985; Opie 1992), or the aspirations of researchers to empower the researched. As Long and Long (1992) argued it often seems to be the case that research with disadvantaged groups can, in fact, struggle to balance normative and analytical priorities: ‘Although the word [empowerment] stresses the need to ‘listen to the people’ in order to arrive at appropriate alternatives ‘from below’, it is difficult to deny the connotation of an ‘injection of power’ from outside… no matter how firm the commitment to good intentions, the notion of ‘powerful outsiders’ helping ‘powerless insiders’ slips constantly in’ (1992, 275).
5.3 In addition to the priorities of aid and humanitarian organisations, researchers in developing countries often find themselves presented with acute political pressures. Zuniga, for instance, offers an account of the ethical problems confronted by social scientists under Chile’s Allende regime and the pressures they were under to formulate findings that were politically acceptable in that climate (Zuniga, 1983). Whilst these kinds of considerations are far from unique to developing countries, they are rarely accompanied by issues of personal security that can arise in contexts where stability and the rule of law may be poorly enforced.
But such ‘political pressures’ are often defined according to what the developed world sees as valid. The uncritical acceptance of such views has led to the academic impoverishment of countries like Cuba, where access to electronic journals is banned not by the government but by developed nations. Or Iraq and Palestine, where sanctions in the 1990s and occupation, respectively, makes any research difficult to conduct. This presents ethical dilemmas for researchers who wish to conduct research and transfer knowledge to such nations despite political and legal pressure. The point here is that these political pressures need to be examined in the context of the implications for developing countries and their research knowledge base.
5.4. Greater differences in power between researchers and the researched are more likely to give rise to problems of bias, etc.
We have already alluded above to questions of the asymmetries in power and privilege between the researcher and the researched, and how this can be the cause of harm. And of course, this raises methodological issues too. It is fundamentally important for researchers to be sensitive to the aspirational goals with which they may be associated. Research always involves complex questions of identity and identification around issues of ethnicity, education, class, gender and will necessarily have an influence on the data generated. The greater these differences, the more likely it is that findings will reflect artefactual considerations of the relationship between researcher and researched. This might result in what, in social science parlance is commonly described as ‘positive bias’ or ‘extreme’ and ‘acquiescence’ responsestyles (or ERS/ARS). As Cheung and Rensvold note ‘Differences in ERS and ARS, if undetected, may give rise to spurious results that do not reflect genuine differences in attitudes or perceptions’ (2000). On the other hand, tensions in research relationships can give rise to hostile antagonism producing negative bias and a disinclination to collaborate with research (Bleek 1979).
5.5 Statistical research instruments which depend on the availability of population data may have limited value in developing regions
The difficulties faced by quantitative studies are no less problematic. Methodologically, statistical social science research often depends on population and census data and is therefore more suited to studies in contexts where public administration is highly developed. In many developing countries this kind of data may not be available, or if it is, then it may be of limited relevance in rapidly changing circumstances (Warwick 1983). This quite clearly contrasts with those countries where public records and statistical data may be both more accessible and reliable.
5.6 The interpretation and analysis of findings consistently raises issues of ethnocentrism and elitism
The interpretation and analysis of data adds to the methodological difficulties of research conducted in developing contexts, particularly where interpretation is formulated from a non- indigenous position. We have already alluded to the way functionalist development studies mistakenly attributed many of the problems of the developing world to absence of various cultural attributes, such as industriousness, instead of exploring structural and financial forms of dependency and ‘neo-colonialism’. We can reasonably expect therefore that our interpretation will embody values that may implicitly endorse the mechanisms of underdevelopment that we seek to relieve. Gidwani, for instance, questions the notion of ‘cultural capital’ in numerous accounts of underdevelopment arguing that, as an interpretative framework, it has diverted ‘… attention from the role of political society and de-politicized the process of development in pernicious ways’ (2002:86).
5.7 Similarly, using analysis to ‘give voice’ to otherwise marginalised groups can be far from ethically innocent. Lindsey’s observations about the role of social science in reporting the Balkan conflict are particularly striking here (2000). Sexual violence in the atrocities of Former Yugoslavia have been at the centre of numerous social science research accounts, each seeking to represent the experiences of rape victims. She argues that many of these studies have been skewed towards material evidence to prove that rapes had taken place and were systematically related to ethnic cleansing. The result, she suggests, has been ‘… an overarching emphasis on evidence that has dominated the description, analysis and theorizing of the rapes and has led to the marginalizing and silencing of a range of voices, particularly of those working with survivor communities and the survivors themselves. The evidence-led debate has created a genre in which there has been an almost casual use of survivor testimony by academics to illustrate the types of violence that have taken place. This appropriation of survivors’ stories has degraded survivor testimony’ (Lindsey 2002).
This exemplifies the way in which the consideration of ethics in such contexts has to go far beyond the conventional terrain of confidentiality, consent, and risk/benefit considerations: clearly, in these cases, ethics is as much about being attentive to a collective morality, a political economy of ethics as it is anything to do with respect for the individual rights of the subject. As mentioned above, dominant political discourses may also serve to define what is appropriate research and bias research choices in favour of developed countries’ agendas.
5.8 Research results raise acute questions of property and appropriation
Health related research has clearly been associated with accusations of material and biological appropriation where products have been developed on the basis of research conducted in developing regions. Nevertheless, though in very different ways, social scientists too have had to reflect on the way research involves processes of appropriation and even commodification.
Lindsey’s account above is one illustration amongst many where research subjects, their identities, ways of life and experiences become available to others as symbolic and material resources. At the most general level, social science and anthropology have been intricately tied to the popularisation of indigenous cultures in ways that have been criticised for debasing identities, traditions and symbols. And yet this has had to be balanced with a whole range of other priorities including the moral duties of cultural conservation and the representation of marginal groups. 5.9 Nevertheless, developing regions are complex environments in which it is proper that researchers are sensitive to the historical role of social science in colonial and neo-colonial practices. Green (1996) for instance has written about the role of participatory development and research projects in appropriating the agency of the poor: ‘Despite the claims of participatory development ideologies to foster the empowerment of the poor, the interventions it promotes are premised on a denial of poor people’s capacity to bring about change for themselves. Agency can only be effected through the imposed institutional structures for participation’ (1996, 67). Fairhead and Leach (2003) have also shown how the analytical tradition of western SSR has ignored local realities and understandings within poorer African countries, even that form of ethnography whose aims are to understand and perhaps empower indigenous communities.
In such highly stressed contexts as these, we can see inexhaustible connections between ethics and methodology – at all tiers of research design, implementation and analysis.
6. Normative ethics and cultural pluralism
Vulnerable populations are poorly placed to exercise their right to chose and give consent to participation in research.
6.1 One of the main points that we would like to stress in this paper is that research ethics in developing regions raises difficulties for the very basis of what we mean by ethics, and therefore how we conceptualise notions of rights (consent, choice, volition, self-determination, etc). Most social science operating in developing countries stresses the importance of a pluralistic position on cultural variation and diversity. In most respects, the analyst has an obligation not to compare cultures hierarchically thereby suspending any single position from which to judge or assess the objects of their analysis. And yet, this is clearly in tension with the classical western model of ethics and its basis in universalistic normative rights.
It is clearly difficult to resolve these kinds of tensions in any straightforward way and both are open to question. The pluralistic orientation embedded in social science research is open to problems of cultural relativism whereby it becomes increasingly difficult to exercise moral judgement. In a sense, good social science suspends any single authoritative position from which to form a moral position. Additionally, pluralistic approaches force us to consider questions of representation and who exactly has the right to lay claim to a culture and represent its foundational moral attributes.
6.2 Without over simplifying the underlying basis of most research ethics, as noted in Discussion Paper 1, it tends to involve the exercise of judgements regardless of cultural variation and in reference to a timeless/invariant body of principles that apply universally (Clark 2002). Considerations of context and circumstance are often taken into account, but core notions of intrinsic value usually prevail.
6.3 Additionally, most classical western models of ethics tend to rest on principles such as the ‘primacy of the individual’, which can seem alien in some contexts. The individual here is both the repository of rights and the bearer of reciprocal duties to the rights of others. Nevertheless, this emphasis on the individual can seem curious outside the cultural ambit of western philosophical ethics, where the individual may take lesser precedence to broader notions of kin or community.
One example of this is the sometimes difficult balance struck between individual and public health priorities. Bhutta suggests that the Western framework, and its individually oriented ethical orientation, has sometimes inappropriately usurped frameworks that may have greater relevance in developing countries. ‘It is in the field of public health that the application of the broad principles of ethics of public health lags far behind those of the ethics of the individual, and is not sufficiently addressed by existing guidelines’ (2002, 116). Or, as Benetar puts it: ‘it is vital now for the ethics debate to include the best interests of whole populations, the ethics of how institutions should function, and the ethics of international relations’ (Benetar 2002, 1132).
As noted by the Nuffield Council (2002), this focus on the individual also has practical implications for researchers when seeking informed consent from individuals located in highly deferential communities:
‘… participants in research may feel much more able to discuss research and ask questions within a meeting of the local community than on a one-to-one basis with researchers. In some regions, individuals may feel unable to refuse to participate in research that their elders, family members or community have assented to [p6]… In many developing countries, concepts of respect for family and community are equally as important as, or more important than, concepts of individual autonomy and rights’ (p43).
The lack of the concept of the individual in East Asian cultures – and hence the difficulty of individual consent procedures as we know them in the west, and the idea of debate and discussion around this issue – is discussed in terms of culture and systems of thought by Nisbett et al (2001).
Cordoba (2004) argues that the ethics of professions also contributes to tension between ethical and collective ethics. With the growth in interdisciplinary research, the ethics of different professions and their impact on developing countries should be recognised. This recognition then translates to the question: whose ethics prevail? Researchers doing research in the developing world need to pay attention to the possibility of adapting the ‘universal ethics’ of their own disciplines (medicine, biotechnology etc.) to local social conditions in such a way that those ‘being researched’ understand, respect and agree with the ethical decisions made throughout the research process.
6.4 Ultimately, most resolutions to these kinds of tensions follow some form of deliberative work directed towards negotiation and bargaining, or what Holm calls a ‘negotiated universalism’ (2003: 10). Here, moral pluralism does not necessarily imply a form of nihilistic cultural relativism, but instead opens the door to reflection between different ethical frames of reference but without reducing the debate to normative absolutes. The way forward, according to Crigger et al (2001) is unavoidably difficult, but necessary, as stakeholders become involved in a philosophically hybrid process of ‘ethical multiculturalism’.
7. Institutional Development
Institutional forms of governance in such contexts rarely parallel those in the countries providing the largest share of funds for SSR.
7.1 Without doubt there is now a growing awareness of the requirement to put in place institutional arrangements that advance both the benefits of research whilst respecting the particular difficulties of developing countries and other highly stressed research contexts. Whereas this is now somewhat advanced in the context of health related research (Slowther et al 2001), it is far less so the case for social science research more generally (Crosby et al 2002; Pievskaya 2000; Simek et al 2000).
8. General Conclusions:
The ethics of social science research in developing countries
We would like to conclude with a number of key observations and questions which will be of relevance for those whose work is likely to include or impact upon research subjects in potentially disadvantaged regions of the world:
8.1Explicitenquiriesneedtobemaderegardingexistingethicalandinstitutional arrangements in the locations where research is to be conducted – those conducting the fieldwork should be formally obliged to observe professional standards that are (at least) comparable with those in the UK, and understood and agreed by research partners and collaborators in the developing world.
8.2 Consent documentation, in respect to language and literacy, should be as inclusive as possible with strategies in place to deal with questions of cross-cultural communication.
8.3The increasingly globalised focus of research exposes those in developingcountries to new levels of ‘research scrutiny’. These tendencies are often not sufficiently accompanied by parallel developments in research ethics, either institutionally or culturally. Researchers also need to be especially attentive to the ways in which such scrutiny carries an analytical and methodological baggage that might well work against the local interests of the researched.
8.4Without over stating the differences,the way in which social scientists engage with research ethics in developing countries will very probably be on a very unfamiliar basis to that in more developed contexts. For instance, it is probably the case that far more energy and resources will need to be channelled into securing an ethical basis for research than would normally be the case. This has resource and time implications since project leaders should be prepared for much more sustained engagement with research subjects and local (or collaborating) institutions.
8.5The basis of research ethics,in the secircumstances,is far more likely to be the result of deliberative negotiation and dialogue than might normally be the case where standard principles and procedures have already been embedded in research culture and practice.
8.6Routes of accountability with which Western university sector researchers are normally familiar are likely to be different in non-western contexts. This might require the greater involvement of local civic authorities, party officials, community and religious leaders. Failure to both understand and acknowledge structures of authority exposes researchers to accusations of negligence, and more seriously, can have disastrous consequences for research subjects whose involvement may be viewed negatively.
8.7More scrutiny and accountability is needed regarding the roles that researchers from developed countries play in the research effort, and the long-term consequences of the research in terms of sustainability and implications for different groups, once researchers leave the developing country setting.
8.8 Consent issues might well have to be addressed at the level of the community as a whole and make much greater use of public fora, where the merits or otherwise of the research can be publicly debated. In China for instance, most villages below township level operate as self governing councils where research is more likely to be seen as a matter for village-wide debate rather than individual or personal consent (Pieke 1996).
8.9Research ethics training research for collaborators indeveloping countries should be a requirement for those bodies sponsoring overseas research, even at individual project level.
8.10Planning needs to pay much greater attention to questions of how researchers represent themselves and, indeed, are likely to be represented amongst research subjects. In any context, the presence of researchers can be disruptive, but in highly stressed and sometimes impoverished contexts, researchers may find themselves at the centre of highly charged tensions over resources, etc.
8.11 An effort should be made to explore and include local forms of research governance and problematisation about ethics in the design of research processes and structures or mechanisms for governance.
8.12Finally,there is a need for researchers’ own employing organisations to ensure that research in unstable countries does not put the researchers themselves at significant risk. Often, this may lead to arrangements where local third party research teams are used to undertaken potentially hazardous fieldwork. While this solution might resolve the problem of the rights of the researcher to minimal risk, it can abrogate responsibility for the proper conduct of field research to agencies that are not subject to proper forms of research governance.
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Bioethics, 13, 3-4, 244-248 Eipper C. (1996) Ethnographic testimony, trust and authority. Canberra Anthropology 19, 1, 15-30. Erman T. (1997) The politics of squatter (Gecekondu) studies in Turkey: The changing
representations of rural migrants in the academic discourse. Urban Studies 38, 7, 983-1002. Fairhead, J, and M. Leach, 2003, Science, power and society: environmental knowledge and policy
in West Africa and the Caribbean. Cambridge, CUP.
Gidwani, V. (2002) New theory of new dogma? A tale of social capital and economic development
from Gujarat, India. Journal of Asian and African Studies, 37, 2, 83-112.
Green, M. (1996) Participatory development and the appropriation of agency in Southern
Tanzania, Critique of Anthropology, 20, 1, 67-78.
Haug, R. (2002) Forced migration, processes of return and livelihood construction among
pastoralists in Northern Sudan, Disasters, 26, 1, 70-84.
Holm, Soren. Moral Pluralism. 7-10. 2003. Luxembourg, Luxembourg: Office for Official
Publications of the European Communities, 2003. The ethical aspects of biomedical researching
developing countries – Proceedings of the roundtable – Brussels 2002 .
Hveem H (2004) Globalisation, Governance and Development: A Political Economy Perspective.
The European Journal of Development Research 14, 1, 219-243.
Reasons Why Research Is Important
The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study. This article discusses the significance of research and the many reasons why it is important for everyone—not just students and scientists.
Understanding that research is important might seem like a no-brainer, but many people avoid it like the plague. Yet, for those who like to learn, whether they are members of a research institution or not, conducting research is not just important—it’s imperative.
Why Research Is Necessary and Valuable in Our Daily Lives
It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
It helps us succeed in business.
It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, a and analyzing.
PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
1). EXPLORATORY; Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
2).DESCRIPTIVE; descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
3). EXPLANATORY; Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
In a nutshell,the purpose of research is to further understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life. It is an integral part of problem solving.A research purpose is met through forming hypotheses, collecting data, analysing results, forming conclusions, implementing findings into real-life applications and forming new research questions.
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
1).It is a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning :Research is required not just for students and academics but for all professionals and non professionals alike. It is also important for budding and veteran writers, both offline and online.
For nonprofessionals who value learning, doing research equips them with knowledge about the world and skills to help them survive and improve their lives.
2).It is used to prove theories:we research a point of view where we do not have to keep things to ourselves, and instead, we do it to inform humankind about what change our theory might bring. The primary purpose of all the research has kept us connected.
3).Helps succeed in business; A successful business cannot be done without solid proves and case studies. That being said, it makes research the foremost step before doing any business.So, it is always better to do appropriate research in every way before jumping into any business. Businesses prosper because they had sensible owners who researched their product, and the market needs before launching it.
4).Research is essential to find out which treatments work better for patients. It plays an important role in discovering new treatments, and making sure that we use existing treatments in the best possible ways.
5).Learn to create a balance between collaborative and individual work; Individual work in which the student has to do, while the collaborative work means that work which has already been done by the previous researchers.
So, in this manner, the students get to know which points to take into consideration and which points are to be ignored.
PROBLEMS OF CONDUCTING SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Research requires several ingredients; some difficult to manage, while others are difficult to arrange. It is done by a single individual, but requires the acceptance/approval of several others; guides, supervisors, defense committee members, interviewees, focus group members, etc.Below is a compilation of some problems of conducting social science research in developing countries;
1).Insufficient data: Insufficiency of data is a potential problem. Most of the business establishments are of the opinion that researchers may misuse the data provided by them. This affects the purpose of research studies for which that particular data may be of utmost importance.
2).Library management: Library management and functioning is not satisfactory in many Universities; A lot of time and energy is spent on tracing appropriate books, journals, reports etc. Also, many of the libraries are not able to get copies of new reports and other publications on time.
3).Lack of Scientific Training: The research methodology is not systematic. Many researchers undertake research work without having actual knowledge of the research methods. Even the guides do not have a thorough knowledge of the various methodologies. Before undertaking research projects, researchers should be well equipped with all the methodological aspects.
4).Lack of Interaction: You will find inadequate interaction between the university research department, on one side and business establishments, government departments and research institutions.
5).Shortage of Resources: For performing a quality research sufficient funds are not provided. This discourages research of all types. Governments, institutions/organizations don’t appreciate the contributions of research findings to economic development and for that reason do not offer adequate amounts for research of all types.
6).Illiteracy: This has affected the appreciation of the value of research findings by the vast majority of the people
Name: Ugwuegede Chiamaka Precious
Reg no: 2017/249463
Dept: Combined Social Sciences (Economics /Geography)
course Code: Eco 391
Course Title: Research Methods 1
ASSIGNMENT.
During a paper presented at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”.It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion of past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
ANSWER.
As a special Adviser to Mr President on Research matters invited to grace the occasion of the paper presented at the Centre for Economic Research and scientific Analysis. I would, first of all, explain to the audience who supposedly have little knowledge about Research methodology, the purpose and importance of Research.
• PURPOSE OF RESEARCH:
The purpose of research is to find out what is known, what is not and what we can develop further. In this way, scientists can develop new theories, ideas and products that shape our society and our everyday lives.
The purpose of research is to further understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life. It is an integral part of problem-solving.
Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of research:
1. Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research, therefore, aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
2. Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
3. Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and are therefore often based on experiments.
* IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH:
The following include reasons as to why Research remains an integral part of our lives:
1. It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
2. It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
3. It helps us succeed in business.
4. It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
5. It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
6. It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
7. It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind.
All of the above are reasons and also the importance and value of Research in our everyday lives. But also conducting Research especially in a Developing country like Nigeria has its own challenges. Nigeria is regarded as a Developing country regardless of its abundant natural resources because of the high level of corruption and poor economic performance.
Therefore the problems of conducting Research in Developing countries include:
* INEFFECTIVE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: A lot of academics in Nigeria consider research methodology as just a systematic technique of carrying out a study; however, the truth is that methodology encompasses all the guidelines, strategies and principles a researcher should follow when carrying out his research. Methodology aids in the identification of the system to be adopted by the researcher for a thorough study. In Nigeria, however, many researchers adopt the wrong methods for their research works which inadvertently affects the result that will be gotten. Indeed, Nigerians work hard to emerge as the best in their chosen field; it doesn’t mean that all the accepted standards are being followed when carrying out a study.
* INEFFECTIVE EDUCATION SYSTEM: The most important tool needed to surmount the challenges of research in Nigeria is adequate training. However, how do you train researchers adequately when the educational system itself is inadequate? There are myriads of the problem facing the educational sector in Nigeria, ranging from the continuous industrial strikes of lecturers in tertiary institutions, inadequate funding from the government to mention just a few. There is a need for a complete overhaul of the current setup of the educational sector in Nigeria.
* LOW ACCESSIBILITY OF DATA AND INFORMATION: Although there is numerous information on the internet, getting valid information is not cheap in Nigeria, which is aided by the ineffective educational and library systems. Hence, the difficulty in accessing information poses a serious challenge for researchers when carrying out a study. In addition to this, the lack of a database for information and records that can be easily accessed from anywhere poses a serious barrier for researchers. Also, the price to access journals, reports, and statistics to carry out research work is quite high, thus demotivating the researcher from carrying out the work.
* INSECURITY: Another major challenge for research in Nigeria is insecurity. Researchers’ inability to move freely within the country while carrying out research affects many researchers in Nigeria. When you couple insecurity with the unavailability of published works from academic institutions, non-governmental organizations, government agencies, and many more, one begins to understand the magnitude of the problems facing a researcher in Nigeria.
Name:Onyia Emmanuel
Reg no: 2016/234618
Department: Economics/political science
Course code: Eco 391
Assignment: During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that“Research is creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole. Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
Answer: Question 1
This could be personal or General. Personal in the s ense that they may be carried out majorly to prove or defend a theory of theirs.
Generally, the main purposes of Research are:
To influence action: The new knowledge obtained from a research work can influence the action of firms, policy makers, politicians and as many as the research work borders on.
Gathering evidence for theories: Theories can be propounded through Research work. It can also serve as a strengthening mechanism to the truths or statement of a theory.
Developing knowledge in a field of study: Research work is the major Parameter used in contributing and enlarging the scope or border of a particular field of study.
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
It serves as a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning i.e it increases the knowledge of people who are engaged in studying and aids their learning.
It is a means to understand issues(public and private) and to increase it’s awareness
It aids success in business.
It enlightens us to see both truth and lie and support truth.
It serves as a medium of finding, scrutinizing and seizing opportunities.
It builds our confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
Our mind receives nourishment and is exercised through the knowledge gained or the experience of Research.
Performing clinical research in the developing countries has multiple barriers and they are;
1, Lack of Training: It is a big problem faced by researchers in developing countries. There is scarcity of qualified research workers. Many research workers take a step in the dark not understanding research techniques. The majority of the work, which goes in the name of research is not methodologically sound. Research to a lot of investigators is mainly a cut and paste job with no insight shed on the collated materials. The impact is obvious, the research results, frequently, don’t reveal the reality. Therefore, an organized study of research methodology is definitely an immediate requirement. Prior to undertaking research projects, investigators must be well equipped with all the methodological aspects. As such, efforts need to be made to provide short term intensive courses for achieving this requirement.
2, Repetition: Research studies overlapping one another are carried out in many cases for want of adequate information.
3, Lack of Interaction: You will find inadequate interaction between the university research department, on one side and business establishments, government departments and research institutions, on the other.
4, Illiteracy: This has affected the appreciation of the value of research findings by the vast majority of the people (social workers and business executive)
5, Lack of Code of Conduct: There doesn’t exist a code of conduct for researchers and inter-University and inter-departmental rivalries are also quite common.
6, Shortage of Resources: For performing a quality research sufficient funds are not provided. This discourages research of all types. Governments, institutions/organizations don’t appreciate the contributions of research findings to economic development and for that reason do not offer adequate amounts for research of all types.
7, Absence of Coordination: There exists lack of coordination among various organizations responsible for performing research.
8, Problem of Conceptualization: Many a time problems of conceptualization and problems concerning the procedure for data collection and related things crop up leading to frittering of resources.
NAME:AGBOEZE LOVINA CHIDERA
REG NO:2017/249297
DEPARTMENT:COMBINED SOCIAL SCIENCE (ECONOMICS/GEOGRAPHY)
Email:lovinachidera20@gmail.com
COURSE:RESEARCH METHOD IN ECONOMICS 1 (ECO 391)
LEVEL:400L
ASSIGNMENT
PURPOSE/IMPORTANT OF RESEARCH AND CHALLENGES OF CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN LDCS.
The purpose of research is to enhance society by advancing knowledge through the development of scientific theories, concepts and ideas.
The main important of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study. This article discusses the significance of research and the many reasons why it is important for everyone—not just students and scientists.
Understanding that research is important might seem like a no-brainer, but many people avoid it like the plague. Yet, for those who like to learn, whether they are members of a research institution or not, conducting research is not just important—it’s imperative.This below are major important of research:
1. It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
2. It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
3. It helps us succeed in business.
4. It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
5. It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
6. It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
7. It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind
Challenges of conducting research in LDCS :
Research requires several ingredients; some difficult to manage, while others are difficult to arrange. It is done by a single individual, but requires the acceptance/approval of several others; guides, supervisors, defense committee members, interviewees, focus group members, etc.
In developing nations, research is in its incessant stage. Researchers face challenges in choosing a research topic, statement etc. In addition, researchers are faced with challenges associated with growth, infrastructural deficiencies, financial crunches, etc. Here’s a list of top challenges that we found intimidating for budding researchers:
Lack of Scientific Training: The research methodology is not systematic. Many researchers undertake research work without having actual knowledge of the research methods. Even the guides do not have a thorough knowledge of the various methodologies. Before undertaking research projects, researchers should be well equipped with all the methodological aspects.
Lack of communication with the supervisor: A university professor is a busy person. It is important to have guidance on a research project. Poor communication gets on the way of the progress of the research. It is important to communicate with the supervisor to clarify the doubts regarding the research topic, to know what the supervisor expects from you and to learn more about your research topic.
Time management: Spending ample time in learning the skills and practical implementation consumes a lot of time. In such a scenario, taking out time for intense research and to draft a top-notch research paper becomes impossible.
Not having a definite deadline: Deadlines are stressful. But not having a deadline can be troublesome during the Ph.D. journey. Deadlines help you get closer to your goals. Many times, Universities fail to implement a due date to submit the research paper, leading to confusion and improper time management among the scholars.
A quantity of literature: It can be difficult to deal with the quantity of literature that one might have accessed. The literature review is iterative. This involves managing the literature, accessing data that supports the framework of the research, identifying keywords and alternative keywords, as well as constantly looking for new sources.
Implementing quality of writing within the literature review: A literature review has to go beyond being a series of references and citations. You need to interpret the literature and be able to position it within the context of your study. This requires careful and measured interpretation and writing in which you synthesize and bring together the materials that you have read.
Insufficient data: Insufficiency of data is a potential problem. Most of the business establishments are of the opinion that researchers may misuse the data provided by them. This affects the purpose of research studies for which that particular data may be of ultmost importance.
Lack of confidence: Lack of confidence is one of the most common problems among researchers. Researchers with low self-esteem feel less motivated thereby affecting the quality of the work.
Concern that your focus is either still too broad or too narrow: This concern is inevitable. Be prepared to adapt your research as you look through the literature. This might require you to either increase its focus or narrow down so that the research is manageable. A broad focus for research might be narrowed down by adding an appropriate context or by looking for another variable within the research question or by focusing upon a theoretical viewpoint.
Library management: Library management and functioning is not satisfactory in many Universities; A lot of time and energy is spent on tracing appropriate books, journals, reports etc. Also, many of the libraries are not able to get copies of new reports and other publications on time.
Research demands immediate action on the part of the concerned authorities or personnel at national levels, so as to transform these challenges into major opportunities.
Gwom Paul Jacob
2018/243820
Eco 391
ASSIGNMENT
Purpose of research
The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study. The purpose of research are as follows;
It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
It helps us succeed in business.
It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind
2. Problems of conducting social science research in developing countries.
a) lack of scientific training
b) Insufficiency of data is a potential problem. Most of the business establishments are of the opinion that researchers may misuse the data provided by them.
c) The overall problem is largely one of resources and their allocation, joint with a much smaller base of educated people in developing countries than usually found in the developed countries.
d)Scientific research is not cheap these days. At one time the most expensive item in a research programme was the salary of the research worker involved, nowadays the cost of equipment and its maintenance are ever.
Name Iheukwumere Chinedu Kingsley
Department: economics/political science
Reg number: 2018/243099
Questions:
During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”.It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
Answer:
Question One:
Purpose/Importance of Research
1. It’s a Tool for Building Knowledge and Facilitating Learning
Research is required not just for students and academics but for all professionals and nonprofessionals alike. It is also important for budding and veteran writers, both offline and online.
For nonprofessionals who value learning, doing research equips them with knowledge about the world and skills to help them survive and improve their lives. Among professionals and scribes, on the other hand, finding an interesting topic to discuss and/or to write about should go beyond personal experience. Determining either what the general public may want to know or what researchers want others to realize or to think about can serve as a reason to do research. Thus, research is an essential component in generating knowledge, and vice-versa.
Knowledge is commonly described as a factual proposition in the mind of an individual. It essentially refers to facts based on objective insights and/or study findings processed by the human brain. It can be acquired through various means, such as reading books and articles, listening to experts, watching documentaries or investigative shows, conducting scientific experiments, and interacting with other people, among others. Facts collected during research can be checked against other sources to ensure their truthfulness and accuracy
2. It’s a Means to Understand Issues and Increase Public Awareness
Using Research to Understand Current Issues
Television shows and movies—both fictional and nonfictional—ooze with research. For instance, Oprah Winfrey would have not achieved remarkable success as a news anchor and television show host had she eschewed doing her own research about certain topics and public figures. According to entrepreneur and lifestyle coach Paul C. Brunson, in his interview with emotional intelligence expert and author Justin Bariso (2017):
“Oprah spends a disproportionate amount of her time gathering information from communities of people outside of her core (different age groups, social classes, ethnicities, education levels, careers, etc.) and then she shares that information within her community.”
This kind of effort shows the necessary role of research in helping others and raising social consciousness.
Using Research to Understand People
Many film and TV actors also take time to interview individuals to better understand their roles. Actors have worked with detectives, boxers, scientists, business owners, criminals, and teachers, among others to gain an inside understanding of what it’s like to have a certain identity. Others even go through immersion so they can begin to understand their characters’ issues better. This might look like living in jail or in a drug rehabilitation center for a while, gaining or losing a significant amount of weight, or learning to captain a sailboat. Many read literature, biographies, or journals to have a better view or context of the story they’ve been hired to tell.
3. It Helps Us Succeed in Business
The Importance of Research and Development (R&D)
Research benefits business. Many successful companies, such as those producing consumer goods or mass-market items, invest in research and development, or R and D. Different industries that involve science and engineering processes (like agriculture, food and beverage, manufacturing, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, computer software, semiconductor, information and communication technology, construction, robotics, aerospace, aviation, and energy) have high R and D expenses because it is critical to the creation and improvement of their products and services.
R and D can also help secure an advantage over competitors. Finding out how to make things happen more efficiently and differentiate a business’s offerings from those of its competitors can raise a company’s market value.
Market Research and Targeted Marketing
Research can also help a company maintain a positive commercial image, retain existing customers, and attract new customers through targeted marketing. Marketing is a type of communication, and for that communication to be effective, businesses need to understand their customers.
This usually happens through market research, which can involve examining psychological studies about consumption, hosting focus groups, beta testing products with a select group of customers, sending satisfaction surveys to existing customers, and researching the business’s main competitors, among other strategies. The most successful businesses, large and small, base their product design, service offerings, and marketing communications on insights gleaned from thorough research processes.
4. It Allows Us to Disprove Lies and Support Truths
Background Research and Private Investigations
Have you ever experienced the feeling that your partner is having an affair behind your back? Some people would overlook this and say that it’s better not to know; others though would take discreet action, hiring a private detective to find out for sure. What does research have to do with this situation? A lot. Doing research to reveal lies or truths involving personal affairs can contribute to either making a relationship work or breaking away from a dysfunctional one. For the monogamous lot, doing research to disprove or prove infidelity is one way to find out the truth.
Field Testing and Peer Reviews
Scientists also deal with research to test the validity and reliability of their claims or those of other scientists. Their integrity and competence depend on the quality of their research. Nevertheless, not everything scientists come up with gets accepted. Scientific work is typically peer-reviewed before being published. This means that when an individual publishes research, it is fact-checked and investigated for common biases, statistical errors, and methodological issues by others in the field before being shared with the scientific community at large.
Question Two:
Challenges of Conducting Research in LDCs):
Lack of Scientific Training: The research methodology is not systematic. Many researchers undertake research work without having actual knowledge of the research methods. Even the guides do not have a thorough knowledge of the various methodologies. Before undertaking research projects, researchers should be well equipped with all the methodological aspects.
Lack of communication with the supervisor: A university professor is a busy person. It is important to have guidance on a research project. Poor communication gets on the way of the progress of the research. It is important to communicate with the supervisor to clarify the doubts regarding the research topic, to know what the supervisor expects from you and to learn more about your research topic.
Time management: Spending ample time in learning the skills and practical implementation consumes a lot of time. In such a scenario, taking out time for intense research and to draft a top-notch research paper becomes impossible.
Not having a definite deadline: Deadlines are stressful. But not having a deadline can be troublesome during the Ph.D. journey. Deadlines help you get closer to your goals. Many times, Universities fail to implement a due date to submit the research paper, leading to confusion and improper time management among the scholars.
A quantity of literature: It can be difficult to deal with the quantity of literature that one might have accessed. The literature review is iterative. This involves managing the literature, accessing data that supports the framework of the research, identifying keywords and alternative keywords, as well as constantly looking for new sources.
Implementing quality of writing within the literature review: A literature review has to go beyond being a series of references and citations. You need to interpret the literature and be able to position it within the context of your study. This requires careful and measured interpretation and writing in which you synthesize and bring together the materials that you have read.
Insufficient data: Insufficiency of data is a potential problem. Most of the business establishments are of the opinion that researchers may misuse the data provided by them. This affects the purpose of research studies for which that particular data may be of utmost importance.
Lack of confidence: Lack of confidence is one of the most common problems among researchers. Researchers with low self-esteem feel less motivated thereby affecting the quality of the work.
Concern that your focus is either still too broad or too narrow: This concern is inevitable. Be prepared to adapt your research as you look through the cliterature. This might require you to either increase its focus or narrow down so that the research is manageable. A broad focus for research might be narrowed down by adding an appropriate context or by looking for another variable within the research question or by focusing upon a theoretical viewpoint.
Library management: Library management and functioning is not satisfactory in many Universities; A lot of time and energy is spent on tracing appropriate books, journals, reports etc. Also, many of the libraries are not able to get copies of new reports and other publications on time.
Clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
The social sciences have always been treated as a poor cousin of the natural and physical sciences. The latter have for long enjoyed the enviable status of the darlings of the state. And the reasons are not far to seek. It is they, so runs the argument, who find solutions for areas ranging all the way from agriculture to the country’s defence. That virtually every problem which science and technology tackles has societal ramifications is rarely perceived with any degree of clarity. Worse, it is all too easy to overlook the fact that policy, be it in agriculture, irrigation or defence, has to be informed by a more holistic understanding of social processes. And not many in the higher echelons of power are guilty of such a broad view. Inevitably such a technocentric view results in gross unfairness in resource allocation between the physical and social sciences. Admittedly the former need more resources given their input requirements but even so the social sciences get short shrift. The inequity is compounded by the declining share of higher education in the overall budget for education.
What are the major problems and challenges in social science research and let us proposed comprehensive solution accordingly. The considerable known challenges are development of conceptualisations, problem of maintaining objectivity, difficulty in the verification of the inferences, unpredictability and problem of universalisation etc? Besides above mentioned problems, what would be other other challenges in respect to different societies, conditions and different nations.
NO. 1. What I understand as purpose of research:
The purpose of research is therefore to find out what is known, what is not and what we can develop further. In this way, scientists can develop new theories, ideas and products that shape our society and our everyday lives.
The purpose of research is to further understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life. It is an integral part of problem solving.
Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of research:
1. Exploratory:
Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
2. Descriptive:
Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
3. Explanatory:
Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
II. Importance of research are :
No matter what career field you’re in or how high up you are, there’s always more to learn. The same applies to your personal life. No matter how many experiences you have or how diverse your social circle, there are things you don’t know. Research unlocks the unknowns, lets you explore the world from different perspectives, and fuels a deeper understanding. In some areas, research is an essential part of success. In others, it may not be absolutely necessary, but it has many benefits. Here are the reasons why research is important:
1. Research expands your knowledge base
The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
2. Research gives you the latest information
Research encourages you to find the most recent information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.
3. Research helps you know what you’re up against
In business, you’ll have competition. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to helps you formulate your plans and strategies. You can figure out what sets you apart. In other types of research, like medicine, your research might identify diseases, classify symptoms, and come up with ways to tackle them. Even if your “enemy” isn’t an actual person or competitor, there’s always some kind of antagonist force or problem that research can help you deal with.
4. Research builds your credibility
People will take what you have to say more seriously when they can tell you’re informed. Doing research gives you a solid foundation on which you can build your ideas and opinions. You can speak with confidence about what you know is accurate. When you’ve done the research, it’s much harder for someone to poke holes in what you’re saying. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
What are the challenges in conducting research?
Lack of motivation. …
Lack of self-confidence. …
Poor time management.
Lack of focus or direction.
Limited support.
Stuck in your comfort zone.
Fear of failure/taking risks.
Lack of relevant experience
NAME: EZEMA CHARITY CHIADIKOBI
REG NO:2018/245943
DEPARTMENT: ECONOMICS
1:what are the purpose of research
2:what are the important of research
3:what are the problems of research
. PURPOSES OF RESEARCH
Research is the process of discovering new knowledge. This knowledge can be either the development of new concepts or the advancement of existing knowledge and theories, leading to a new understanding that was not previously known. Its purposes includes;
1. Information gathering or
a. Exploratory: for example, discovering, uncovering, exploring
b. Descriptive: for example, gathering info, describing, summarizing
2. Theory testing
a. Explanatory: For example, testing and understanding causal relations.
b. Predictive: for example, predicting what might happen in various scenarios.
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
1. Research expands your knowledge base
The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
2. Research gives you the latest information
Research encourages you to find the most recent information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.
3. Research helps you know what you’re up against
In business, you’ll have competition. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to helps you formulate your plans and strategies. You can figure out what sets you apart. In other types of research, like medicine, your research might identify diseases, classify symptoms, and come up with ways to tackle them. Even if your “enemy” isn’t an actual person or competitor, there’s always some kind of antagonist force or problem that research can help you deal with.
4. Research builds your credibility
People will take what you have to say more seriously when they can tell you’re informed. Doing research gives you a solid foundation on which you can build your ideas and opinions. You can speak with confidence about what you know is accurate. When you’ve done the research, it’s much harder for someone to poke holes in what you’re saying. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
5. Research helps you narrow your scope
When you’re circling a topic for the first time, you might not be exactly sure where to start. Most of the time, the amount of work ahead of you is overwhelming. Whether you’re writing a paper or formulating a business plan, it’s important to narrow the scope at some point. Research helps you identify the most unique and/or important themes. You can choose the themes that fit best with the project and its goals.
PROBLEMS OF RESEARCH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
1: Lack of Training: It is a big problem faced by researchers in developing countries. There is scarcity of qualified research workers. Many research workers take a step in the dark not understanding research techniques. The majority of the work, which goes in the name of research is not methodologically sound. Research to a lot of investigators is mainly a cut and paste job with no insight shed on the collated materials. The impact is obvious, viz., the research results, frequently, don’t reveal the reality. Therefore, an organized study of research methodology is definitely an immediate requirement. Prior to undertaking research projects, investigators must be well equipped with all the methodological aspects. As such, efforts need to be made to provide short term intensive courses for achieving this requirement.
2: Lack of confidence: The business houses are usually unwilling to provide the necessary information to researchers because of fear of misuse of information.
3:Repetition: Research studies overlapping one another are carried out in many cases for want of adequate information.
4:Lack of Interaction: You will find inadequate interaction between the university research department, on one side and business establishments, government departments and research institutions, on the other.
5:llliteracy: This has affected the appreciation of the value of research findings by the vast majority of the people (social workers and business executive)
6:Lack of Code of Conduct: There doesn’t exist a code of conduct for researchers and inter-University and inter-departmental rivalries are also quite common.
7:Shortage of Resources: For performing a quality research sufficient funds are not provided. This discourages research of all types.
8:Absence of Coordination: There exists lack of coordination among various organizations responsible for performing research.
9:Problem of Conceptualization: Many a time problems of conceptualization and problems concerning the procedure for data collection and related things crop up leading to frittering of resources.
10:Scanty Information Base: This narrows down the volume and quality of literature accessible to a researcher. Put simply, not much research findings have been collected from where a researcher can take help.
Name: NWEKE MELODY CHIOMA
Reg No: 2018/243742
Department: Economics
Course code: ECO 391
The purposes of research simply means the reason, objective or what a research seeks to achieve. There are basically three main purposes of research. The purposes are:
1. Exploratory
2. Descriptive
3. Explanatory
Exploratory: here, the purpose of research is basically to explore, try to find explanation or find solutions to a problem. This is usually the case when one is researching on new areas that hasn’t been researched on.
Discriptive: research is descriptive when it seems to expand ones knowledge about a particular phenomenon. This kind of research wants to describe, explain and validate previous findings. It is most likely the purpose of research into areas that others have researched on.
Explanatory: this is also called casual research. The aim or purpose of this kind of research is to understand the impact of changes on a particular phenomenon.
The importance of research are:
1. Research is a way of discovering new knowledge.
2. It is a way of gaining more knowledge about an existing phenomenon.
3. It helps us to understand public issues.
4. It helps us to disprove lies or false propositions.
5. It is an instrument for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
6. It helps us to follow a systematic and testable ways in trying to solve a problem.
The challenges to conducting research in less developed countries are:
1. Illiteracy and ignorance: most of the people in the less developed countries are not educated. They don’t know about research or even its importance and therefore dodge from researchers.
2. Lack of access to public documents: there are certain information that a researcher may need but the public workers wl not allow them access to those documents that they need in order to assist their research work.
3. Lack of proper record keeping: most of our public institutions do not keep proper record of their activities and it therefore hinders research.
4. Lack of capital: another huge hinderance to research in less developed countries are the limited capital available to the researcher which prevents their research process. Capital is needed to employ and pay enumerators, print questionaires, etc.
5. Poor road network: most of the roads in less developed countries are bad and not motorable and this hinders researchers from conducting their research properly.
6. Time frame: another hinderance to a research work is the time that the research is required to be completed. At times, the time available to a researcher may be too short to complete such a research topic and may lead to the change of such a research topic.
7. Strength of the researcher: the strength of the researcher may lead to the termination of a research work where he does not have the enough strength required to complete a particular research work.
8. Availability of supervisors: some research work cannot be supervised by every supervisor. Therefore, when the strength of the supervisor is not enough for such research work, then such research topic may be terminated where there is no capable supervisor to supervise such a work and is therefore a challenge sometimes.
NAME: OFILI BELUCHI JOAN
REG NO: 2018/241862
DEPARTMENT:ECONOMICS MAJOR
PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
As we go about our everyday lives , we are bombarded with a lot of information from adverts, news, social media, and even on products we consume. A lot of this information were as it is refined into their consumable state through research which enlightens us on a particular use of a thing, event or product. Knowing impact of research on our lives, what exactly are its purpose as an academic:
i) Research can be conducted for exploratory purposes on an issue or study that has not been clearly explored or defined. This is carried out to get a better understanding of the issue or study which the researcher has little insight on.
ii) When a researchers want to know the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of a case study or problem either of a population or its characteristics, such a purpose of research is a descriptive one. It does not necessarily ask questions of the ‘why’ in research.
iii) Most times in conducting research, a researcher may also like to know how various variables in a model interact by studying and explaining the cause-effect relationship that exists among the variables. Such purpose explains and questions the ‘why’ and is often experiment based.
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
These three purposes from the fundamental purpose for conducting research any field of study. Having now an idea as to why we conduct research, what are its importance not just to the researcher and professionals but also the non-professionals alike.
1. Research gives insight into a subject matter which the researcher seeks to inquire and also helps to find the cause-effect relationship between variables. This insight is both beneficial to the researcher and all the actors in the society, depending on the study.
2.Results of the research serves as a means of awareness to the public as it pertains to all aspects of their life. It is research that aids in the public to become aware of the new innovations that can aid daily activities.
3.Many discoveries in various fields of study, are products of research all of which gives us insight and understanding to the subject matter in discussion
4.Businesses also benefit from the research like companies that produce consumer products. They invest in research to discover new and innovative ways to either ease production or the quality of the products produced all while reducing the cost of producing them.
5. Research also has become a means to test and watch against lies and the approval of the truth. If research is done by a researcher and he has a result, such result must be attainable by another person using the same methods of experiments.
RPROBLEMS OF CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Given the plethora of issues that plague most LDC’s, researchers in these countries are faced with a lot of handicaps to conduct their research in their country some of which includes:
a. Human Resources: Given the lack of educational infrastructures in LDC’s, students who are studying abroad do not find it of benefit to come back to their country. This also contributes to the lack of innovativeness within that country because their graduated students have no reason to stay and develop their country instead when offered a higher paying job oversees, they take it.
b. Funding: This is a major problem faced by researchers in developing countries. Support doesn’t come as a right to researchers but as a sponsorship to foster more innovativeness. This is because most governments of most LDC’s do not view research as anything substantial enough to contribute to the economy. They see research as an activity where money apparently comes out of. Research is an inquiry and it costs a lot of money to carry out.
c. Lack of facilities: The expensiveness of research comes to no surprise that the facilities to carry them out efficiently and effectively are also on the high side. Although most researchers can source for the funds to start, they quickly become handicap as money becomes a constraint.
The importance of research is as follows:
1- Research is a tool to Acquire Knowledge Effectively
All professions and nonprofessionals, including students and professors, must conduct research. It is also crucial for aspiring and experienced authors, both offline and online.
Nonprofessionals who value learning will benefit from performing research since it will provide them with world information and skills to help them survive and enhance their lives. Finding an intriguing topic to talk and/or write about among experts and scribes, on the other hand, should go beyond personal experience. The purpose of conducting research can include determining what the general public wants to know or what researchers want people to realize or consider. As a result, research is critical to knowledge generation and vice versa.
A factual proposition in a person’s mind is frequently described as knowledge. It essentially refers to facts derived from objective observations and/or research findings that the human brain has processed. It can be obtained in various ways, including reading books and articles, listening to experts, watching documentaries or investigative shows, undertaking scientific experiments, and connecting with others. Facts gathered during research can be cross-referenced with other sources to guarantee their integrity and authenticity.
2- It’s used to prove theories
Just like our brain development needs research, theoretical proofs need research, too. To understand the importance of research, we should realize that our life revolves around theories, and if we remove research from the equation, we can see that our lives are nothing but a mess. Moreover, we research a point of view where we do not have to keep things to ourselves, and instead, we do it to inform humankind about what change our theory might bring. The primary purpose of all the research has kept us connected.
3- Provides the latest information
Knowledge is one of the core reasons human beings have desired since the start of the human race. Being more knowledgeable powerful has made us addicted to the latter. And this is true as well. The countries with the most knowledge base are the ones that have shown development. However, there can be other reasons for doing research. With the help of tools and certifications like CIRS, we can get these skills very fast and with the lowest efforts. Anyone can become a researcher who will be certified and recognized by the AOFIRS. An opportunity of a lifetime.
4- Research builds credibility
Research provides a strong basis for you to construct your thoughts and beliefs on. You may talk confidently about something you know to be correct. When you’ve done your homework, it’s far more difficult for someone to find flaws in what you’re saying. Your study should concentrate on the most reliable sources. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
5- Helps succeed in business
A business, like any other technical work, demands a lot of energy. A successful business cannot be done without solid proves and case studies. That being said, it makes research the foremost step before doing any business. The percentage of companies turning unsuccessful without proper research involved is near 90%. So, it is always better to do appropriate research in every way before jumping into any business. Businesses prosper because they had sensible owners who researched their product, and the market needs before launching it. Only if we pay attention to these nit-picks of a company and see the importance of research decision-making will there be a higher chance to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
R&D might also help you gain a competitive advantage. Finding ways to make things run more smoothly and differentiate a company’s products from those of its competitors can help to increase a company’s market worth.
2. With Nigeria as a reference, we will be looking at some of the issues with conducting research in LDCs( Less developed countries):
1. Lack of Proper Research Ethics
In academia, research is placed on the highest pedestal. Owing to this value placed on research, specific ethical guidelines must be observed with good sense when carrying out research of any kind.
When we talk about ethics in research, we mean the usage of basic ethical guidelines to a wide range of issues involving research such as scientific research. Many researchers in Nigeria ignore the appropriate ethical applications, methods and usage when carrying out their study to guarantee credibility.
2. Ineffective Research Methodology
A lot of academics in Nigeria consider research methodology to be the just a systematic technique of carrying out a study; however, the truth is that methodology encompasses all the guidelines, strategies and principles a researcher should follow when carrying out his research.
Methodology aids in the identification of the system to be adopted by the researcher for thorough study. In Nigeria, however, many researchers adopt the wrong methods for their research works which inadvertently affects the result that will be gotten.
Indeed, Nigerians work hard to emerge as the best in their chosen field; it doesn’t mean that all the accepted standards are being followed when carrying out a study.
To surmount this challenge, we advise that researchers should first immerse themselves on the research methodology appropriate for their various disciplines. This wrong application of methods can be inarguably said to be the most important factor affecting researchers in Nigeria.
3. Ineffective Education System
The most important tool needed to surmount the challenges of research in Nigeria is adequate training. However, how do you train researchers adequately when the educational system itself is inadequate?
There are myriads of the problem facing the educational sector in Nigeria, ranging from the continuous industrial strikes of lecturers in tertiary institutions, inadequate funding from the government to mention just a few. There is a need for a complete overhaul of the current setup of the educational sector in Nigeria. Without this being done, researchers in Nigeria will continue to operate with inadequate knowledge. Take, for instance, most of the courses in Nigeria are taught theoretically even when there is a need for practical to make the students understand better. Bringing it to the current topic, for research to be credible, the researcher must be able to practice it; however, the opposite is the case in Nigeria.
4. Ineffective Library System
Following the broken educational system, it is only normal to expect a library system that is not functioning well. Most of the libraries in universities in Nigeria provide minimal research materials (books, journals, newspapers etc.) Most of the libraries well equipped in Nigeria are private-owned libraries.
With the under stocking of libraries in Nigeria, researchers face a challenge when compiling data. Even those libraries that are seemingly well-stocked are filled with old materials. Even those few that are functioning well are not managed well, and many times researchers end up using up a lot of time looking for books, journals or reports needed to conduct proper and credible research.
5. Poor Infrastructural Management
The poor state of infrastructure in Nigeria is a substantial contributing factor to the underdevelopment of research. In many schools in the country, laboratories are under-equipped, mismanaged and not maintained properly. This leads to heaping more load on the already heavy load of researchers in Nigeria. Take, for instance, a microbiology laboratory lacking a refrigerator, microscopes and test tubes; this will push the researcher to go outside his/her institution to look for a laboratory that has all the needed equipment which will likely happen at a massive cost to the researcher’s finance.
Name: Obiesie Mmesoma Rejoice
Reg. No: 2018/245427
Department: Economics/Education
E-mail: obiesiemmesoma@gmail.com
Quiz 2
During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”.It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
As the special adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters, I’m humbly speaking on what I understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
1. It’s a Tool for Building Knowledge and Facilitating Learning
Research is required not just for students and academics but for all professionals and nonprofessionals alike. It is also important for budding and veteran writers, both offline and online.
Knowledge is commonly described as a factual proposition in the mind of an individual. It essentially refers to facts based on objective insights and/or study findings processed by the human brain. It can be acquired through various means, such as reading books and articles, listening to experts, watching documentaries or investigative shows, conducting scientific experiments, and interacting with other people, among others. Facts collected during research can be checked against other sources to ensure their truthfulness and accuracy.
2. It’s a Means to Understand Issues and Increase Public Awareness
Using Research to Understand Current Issues
Television shows and movies—both fictional and nonfictional—ooze with research. For instance, Oprah Winfrey would have not achieved remarkable success as a news anchor and television show host had she eschewed doing her own research about certain topics and public figures. According to entrepreneur and lifestyle coach Paul C. Brunson, in his interview with emotional intelligence expert and author Justin Bariso (2017):
3. It Helps Us Succeed in Business
The Importance of Research and Development (R&D)
Research benefits business. Many successful companies, such as those producing consumer goods or mass-market items, invest in research and development, or R and D. Different industries that involve science and engineering processes (like agriculture, food and beverage, manufacturing, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, computer software, semiconductor, information and communication technology, construction, robotics, aerospace, aviation, and energy) have high R and D expenses because it is critical to the creation and improvement of their products and services. R and D can also help secure an advantage over competitors. Finding out how to make things happen more efficiently and differentiate a business’s offerings from those of its competitors can raise a company’s market value.
4. It Allows Us to Disprove Lies and Support Truths
Background Research and Private Investigations
Have you ever experienced the feeling that your partner is having an affair behind your back? Some people would overlook this and say that it’s better not to know; others though would take discreet action, hiring a private detective to find out for sure. What does research have to do with this situation? A lot. Doing research to reveal lies or truths involving personal affairs can contribute to either making a relationship work or breaking away from a dysfunctional one. For the monogamous lot, doing research to disprove or prove infidelity is one way to find out the truth.
5. It Is a Means to Find, Gauge, and Seize Opportunities
Research helps people nurture their potential and achieve goals by taking advantage of various opportunities. This can mean securing employment, being awarded scholarships or grants, securing project funding, initiating a business collaboration, finding budget travel opportunities, or securing other little wins.
6. Using Research to Maximize Job and Career Options
For those looking for a job or seeking greener pastures, research is necessary. With thorough research, an individual can increase their chances of finding employment by scouring job-posting sites, contacting employment agencies. Research can also help inform them if work opportunities are legitimate. Without research, the gullible-yet-hopeful jobseeker or traveling worker may fall prey to unscrupulous headhunters, bogus employment opportunities, or even full-on scams. Sites like Glassdoor and organizations like the Better Business Bureau allow job candidates to find out what experiences others have had with an employer they are considering or a placement agency they are thinking of using. After finding a free or low-cost academic course or skills-development training, students and professionals can assess their eligibility for certain roles and find out about application requirements and deadlines by conducting additional research.
1. Research expands your knowledge base
The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
2. Research gives you the latest information
Research encourages you to find the most recent information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.
3. Research helps you know what you’re up against
In business, you’ll have competition. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to helps you formulate your plans and strategies. You can figure out what sets you apart. In other types of research, like medicine, your research might identify diseases, classify symptoms, and come up with ways to tackle them. Even if your “enemy” isn’t an actual person or competitor, there’s always some kind of antagonist force or problem that research can help you deal with.
4. Research builds your credibility
People will take what you have to say more seriously when they can tell you’re informed. Doing research gives you a solid foundation on which you can build your ideas and opinions. You can speak with confidence about what you know is accurate. When you’ve done the research, it’s much harder for someone to poke holes in what you’re saying. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
5. Research helps you narrow your scope
When you’re circling a topic for the first time, you might not be exactly sure where to start. Most of the time, the amount of work ahead of you is overwhelming. Whether you’re writing a paper or formulating a business plan, it’s important to narrow the scope at some point. Research helps you identify the most unique and important themes. You can choose the themes that fit best with the project and its goals.
NAME: NWOKE EBERECHI ANGEL
REG NO:2018/251570
DEPT: ECONOMICS
The reason for research is in this manner to discover what is known, what isn’t and what we can grow further. Thusly, researchers can foster new speculations, thoughts and items that shape our general public and our day to day existences.
The reason for research is to additionally comprehend the world and to figure out how this information can be applied to better regular day to day existence. It is a necessary contributor to critical thinking.
In spite of the fact that research can take many structures, there are three fundamental motivations behind research:
1. Exploratory:
Exploratory research is the principal research to be directed around an issue that has not yet been plainly characterized. Investigation research hence expects to acquire a superior comprehension of the specific idea of the issue and not to give a convincing response to the actual issue. This empowers us to direct more inside and out research later on.
2. Unmistakable:
Unmistakable research grows information on a research issue or peculiarity by depicting it as indicated by its attributes and populace. Spellbinding research centers around the ‘how’ and ‘what’, however not on the ‘why’.
3. Informative:
Informative research, additionally alluded to as relaxed research, is directed to decide how factors communicate, for example to distinguish circumstances and logical results connections. Informative research manages the ‘why’ of research questions and is accordingly frequently dependent on tests.
II. Significance of research are :
Regardless vocation field you’re in or how high up you are, there’s something else to learn. The equivalent applies to your own life. Regardless of the number of encounters you have or how different your group of friends, there are things you don’t have the foggiest idea. Research opens the questions, allows you to investigate the world according to alternate points of view, and fills a more profound agreement. In certain spaces, research is a fundamental piece of accomplishment. In others, it may not be totally essential, yet it has many advantages. Here are the motivations behind why research is significant:
1. Research grows your insight base
The most clear motivation to do research is that you’ll find out additional. There’s something else to find out with regards to a point, regardless of whether you are as of now knowledgeable in it. In case you’re not, research permits you to expand on any close to home experience you have with the subject. The course of research opens up new freedoms for learning and development.
2. Research gives you the most recent data
Research urges you to track down the latest data accessible. In specific fields, particularly logical ones, there’s in every case new data and disclosures being made. Remaining refreshed keeps you from falling behind and giving information that is off base or doesn’t paint the entire picture. With the most recent data, you’ll be better prepared to discuss a subject and expand on thoughts.
3. Research helps you realize what you’re facing
In business, you’ll have contest. Researching your rivals and what they’re up to assists you with figuring your arrangements and procedures. You can sort out what separates you. In different kinds of research, similar to medication, your research may recognize sicknesses, characterize manifestations, and think of ways of handling them. Regardless of whether your “adversary” is definitely not a real individual or contender, there’s in every case some sort of enemy power or issue that research can assist you with managing.
4. Research constructs your validity
Individuals will view what you need to say more in a serious way when they can see you’re educated. Helping research gives you out establishment on which you can construct your thoughts and suppositions. You can talk with certainty regarding what you know is precise. At the point when you’ve done the research, it’s a lot harder for somebody to punch holes in the thing you’re saying. Your research ought to be centered around the best sources. If your “research” comprises of feelings from non-specialists, you will not be entirely valid. At the point when your research is acceptable, however, individuals are bound to focus.
5. Research assists you with limiting your extension
At the point when you’re circumnavigating a subject interestingly, you probably won’t be by and large sure where to begin. More often than not, the measure of work in front of you is overpowering. Regardless of whether you’re composing a paper or forming a marketable strategy, limited the extension sooner or later. Research assists you with recognizing the most special as well as significant subjects. You can pick the topics that fit best with the task and its objectives.
6. Research shows you better insight
Doing a great deal of research assists you with filtering through bad quality and top notch data. The more research you do on a subject, the better you’ll get at knowing what’s exact and so forth. You’ll likewise improve at knowing the ill defined situations where data might be actually right however used to reach problematic determinations.
7. Research acquaints you with novel thoughts
You may as of now have conclusions and thoughts regarding a point when you begin researching. The more you research, the more perspectives you’ll run over. This urges you to engage novel thoughts and maybe investigate yours. You may alter your perspective on something or, at any rate, sort out some way to situate your thoughts as the best ones.
8. Research assists with critical thinking
Regardless of whether it’s an individual or expert issue, it assists with looking external yourself for help. Contingent upon what the issue is, your research can zero in on what others have done previously. You may very well need more data, so you can make an educated arrangement regarding assault and an educated choice. At the point when you realize you’ve gathered great data, you’ll feel considerably more positive about your answer.
9. Research assists you with contacting individuals
Research is utilized to assist with bringing issues to light of issues like environmental change, racial segregation, sexual orientation imbalance, and the sky is the limit from there. Without hard realities, it’s extremely challenging to demonstrate that environmental change is deteriorating or that sex disparity isn’t advancing as fast as it ought to. The public has to know what the realities are, so they have a reasonable thought of what “deteriorating” or “not advancing” really implies. Research likewise involves going past the crude information and sharing genuine stories that by and by affect individuals.
10. Research empowers interest
Having interest and an affection for learning take you far throughout everyday life. Research frees you up to various assessments and novel thoughts. It likewise assembles knowing and logical abilities. The research interaction rewards interest. At the point when you’re focused on learning, you’re generally in a position of development. Interest is additionally useful for your wellbeing. Studies show interest is related with more significant levels of inspiration, better fulfillment with life, and lower nervousness.
QUESTION 2
1. Nonappearance of an obvious way of thinking of public turn of events: The establishment to accomplishing concordance between the requests/assumptions for a state and the reaction/commitment of its residents, is revered in obvious methods of reasoning that are engraved in the personalities of the residents through cognizant lessons. If research in Nigeria turns into a natural way of thinking for its turn of events, residents would purposefully act to accomplishing advancement by means of the creation and proliferation of thoughts, developments and new advances. It is within the sight of such ways of thinking that the precariousness of government would presently don’t be a tested since everybody should need to tailor his/her activities to the requests of the expressed methods of reasoning. In countries where this is available, individuals out of even compulsory impulse will in general see themselves living in such standards. A reliable, intelligible and far reaching reasoning of public advancement is fundamental for deliberate research exertion (Jimoh 1998).
2. Helpless consideration given to the advancement of Human Capacity: Human asset is a significant point of reference for improvement whose significance can’t be overemphasized. It goes past populace to the nature of the populace clear in what is brought to the table by these people for improvement to occur. In Nigeria, the helpless consideration given to the advancement of human limit in all repercussions is troubling and has influenced the nature of social research both with respect to the researchers and their respondents. An illuminated and clever researcher probably won’t bamboozle results from a major respondent elements of being appropriately instructed. A sociology researcher who doesn’t have the inclination for research inferable from absence of inspirations and a research empowered environ may likewise not get the best of results regardless of how illuminated his/her respondents may be. These reduces to the shortfall of value consideration presented to the improvement of human limit, above all at institutional levels. Indeed, even an obvious way of thinking of public improvement would not make due in a climate of unremarkableness, in however much they are reliant. The prior was caught in Kamba (2008) who expressed that normal results of a practical research and improvement drives involve furnishing individuals with the required limit with which they need to complete their financial exercises with calculable level of capability prompting the achievement of greatest yield. They further construed that these limits include improving individuals with the abilities and skills expected to viably outfit and use the possibilities found in one’s current circumstance. All in all, they kept up with that Nigeria’s case today is proof of the way that it is a country exceptionally populated with entire part of possibilities yet with lacking capabilities expected to make an interpretation of these possibilities into financial changes for the country.
3. Nonappearance of Quality Tertiary Education:
Tertiary instruction all around the world are known to be seats of research. They possess an indispensable situation in the core of research. They are instrumental to doing these researches for commitment to information base and for applied purposes. They likewise train researchers at various levels. Most research communities are situated inside these tertiary establishments with the end goal of insight, coordinations and labor. Tertiary organizations are as far as anyone knows to accept a mentorship position for those at the optional degree of training by means of trade of thoughts either on exceptional welcomes, arrangement of auxiliary schools’ research instructors, arrangement of text materials, to make reference to however few. It is lamentable that a Nigerian understudy goes through six years all through optional instruction without having a presentation or quality involvement with legitimate research adventures. This has unfavorably influenced the nature of social research in Nigeria, corresponding to researchers who are relied upon to know all in a space of four, five or six years by and large. It has likewise influenced the nature of social research results particularly when these understudies in these auxiliary schools are relied upon to be respondents for a specific report. All the more along these lines, disciplines like brain science and antiquarianism come up short on those uncommon gear and mechanical assembly that make exploratory investigations genuine, which to an exceptionally huge degree influence the level of their usefulness in having fantastic research results. This stances limits on the extent of what they can do, in this manner, having them to be ineffectively evaluated when in correlation with their peers in cutting edge countries. In a review led by Odia and Omofonmwan (2007), they deplored the helpless cooperative energy that exists between tertiary organizations and optional schooling and those of research results and insight for enterprises. This brings to the front that social research directed in Nigeria is basically for scholarly purposes and limited time prerequisites as against legitimate application by huge people and bodies to better the loads of individuals. The shortfall of these and a lot more is no inspiration by any means. To this end, clearly the shortfall of value tertiary schooling in content, coordinations and collaborations have clipped on the headway of social research in Nigeria. As properly expressed by Odia and Omofonmwan (2013), countries on the planet that have accomplished a healthy level of advancement and the individuals who seek to achieve comparable tallness are countries that have recognized and accepted the principles of subjective instruction, research and improvement just as making their administrations available to its kin.
Accordingly, the college fills in as an intermediary among government and private interests. It likewise has the freedom to serve general society and normal great by inciting public discussions with fair research (Orbach, 2001). In a review led by Odia and Omofonmwan (2013) on Research and Development.
4. Drives in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects, utilizing the six geo-political zones of Nigeria, a huge level of the respondents agreed to the way that a country’s degree of improvement is an element of its research drives and advancement structure which is explored by crafted by quality tertiary foundations. Thus, social research in Nigeria would turn out to be just on par with the quality of tertiary foundations inside the country.
5. Financing: Funding has been a significant issue for most endeavors from one side of the planet to the other, attributable to scant
assets. In any case, countries have turned to getting needs right to go around the ills of helpless financing on usefulness. This is apparent in the way that regions that are fit for yielding more assets are focused on in their financial plans. One of such regions is instruction and research which have been demonstrated to be significant forerunners and essentials for improvement to occur. In the Nigeria’s case, these regions have for some time been influenced which tells on its turn of events. Absence of satisfactory assets for a group focused research like that of the social research has obstructed the wheels of progression for such formative relevant endeavor. The tyrannical inclination given to the unadulterated and actual sciences over the sociologies has likewise influenced the financing of social research. The Nigerian government and related foundations could spend such a huge amount on space science, meteorological investigations, geographical mining and different family members. Studies what’s more, research in the sociologies like gerontology, criminal science, religion examines, struggle the board, human asset the executives, advertising, adolescent consideration, kid government assistance, strategy contemplates and so forth, and among others, when in examination with their counterparts in the unadulterated and actual sciences, languish over absence of sufficient financing. This has prompted disciplines who are sufficiently supported to despise those
who are not, accordingly sabotaging their significance. This has similarly influenced the genuine use of such information inside those spaces of disregard to the real course for which they have been educated. Do the trick here that the bunch of social issues looked by Nigeria is a demonstration of the disregard of these spaces mindful to social research, which has been depicted individuals focused. In this way, improvement as a individuals focused undertaking becomes illogical for such a country. To affirm the abovementioned, Okunamiri, Okoli and Okunamiri (2008) in their review, attested that a country’s speed of improvement is controlled by its degree of research financing.
6. Neo-imperialism: The establishment for expansionism is communicated in the rule of Manicheanism that holds the prevalence of white over dark (Achebe, 1958). This bias has been supported after some time tracing all the way back to imperialism and up until recently through neo-expansionism. This factor has generally affected grant in Africa and unfavorably influences social research in Nigeria. Exceptionally despicable is the way that the mindset of reliance made by expansionism for the dark populace actually includes unmistakably in the exercises of the blacks, with practically no endeavors strongly taken to upset the table. Most Nigerian researchers rely upon unfamiliar grants, awards and helps to support their research projects since the Nigerian government ineffectively subsidizes such endeavor. The Nigerian government similarly will collaborate with these unfamiliar organizations with the end goal of research which should exclusively be possible by them if they submit themselves relentlessly. Jimoh (1998) affirms the previous when he stated that thus, emerging African nations actually rely upon all types of unfamiliar guide to help research, for example, those given by the USAID and the UNESCO. Over-dependence on unfamiliar guide would just decrease the importance of research exercises to the Nigerian circumstance. To support logical and mechanical impulse paying little heed to general sadness, Sub-Saharan countries should infuse tremendous measures of assets into starting and growing preparing and research offices (Jimoh 1998). All the more along these lines, the way that African Scholars who venture into varying research projects seek to be scored and rated on impact factor by some foreign controlled bodies is worrisome. At times, research made to promote and emancipate indigenous cultural heritage and pride of Africans tend to hit the rock when to be reviewed and published by some foreign based bodies who feel affected. This obviously impedes on actual rating based on originality of research content since the raters might not have relevant socio-cultural experience to justify such scores and the sweet savour of African pride. Nonetheless, Africans can cease being victims of neo-colonialism the moment they start forming world class scholarship forums and assessment grounds, hence social research in Nigeria would remain in its not so good condition. More so, one area that neo-colonialism has affected social research is the aspect of brain-drain. Very principle to this is the neglect of these scholarly ventures by principally the government and its institutions. This has culminated to many social researchers who travel out of the country in search for greener pastures and self actualizatio. Thereby, making the venture back home to suffer. The above was captured in the words of Odia and Omofonmwan (2013) who opined that the seemingly absence of conducive environment needed for qualitative and productive research and scholarship endeavor in the country have over time propelled the incidence of brain drain by legions of scholars and researchers to other parts of the world. The home system deserves rejuvenation and enhancement in order to be able to groom more scholars and encourage brain gain. A system where unproductive
researchers/academia who lack innovation/creativity in every sense of it dominate the scene cannot move the system any stepforward.
7. Insufficient adjustment to the demands of Information and Communication and Technology: The social research space has been largely affected by the demands of ICT. The problem here is not the absence of ICT in Nigerian’s social research nor the adjustment to its demands but the insufficiency of the expected adjustments required. Kamba (2008) highlighted that researchers and scholars need the Internet for literature searches and data collection. Equally, data can be processed and analyzed using ICT and findings can be disseminated. This knowledge is only prominent among students in Tertiary schools with very little obtainable in secondary schools. Some of the lecturers in tertiary institutions are also oblivious regarding the functionality of ICT in strengthening social research. Hence, they lack the know-how. More to just social research is the fact that the virtual world created by ICT has brought to bear several ingredients that could strengthen social research such as online courses/trainings, electronic libraries, virtual opinion sampling and among others. Pathetically, several social researchers in Nigeria cannot have access to such logistics to enable them bring the best to the table within the minutest of time, which portends enormous problem for social research in Nigeria.
8. Political Atmosphere: Very key to the progress of any happening in a State is politics. Social researchers oft do research into relationship between people and the State and the influence of the State on this people. Such researches are conducted through the structures and institutions of the state.
Name : IZUEKE CHIDERA MAXIMILIAN
REG NO: 2018/246268
DEPARTMENT : Combined social sciences
(Economics/political science)
Purpose/importance of research
Research aids us to find out issues that surrounds a business, how to address it in order to achieve a goal
Research is a systematic way of building knowledge and facilitating learning.
Research promotes truth and disproves lies in the society.
It promotes a love and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
Research is a way to find, measure, and grab opportunities.
We understand issues and create public awareness when we carry out a research.
Research helps us to identify the most unique and/or important themes so as to narrow our scope in a study.
It gives current information and expands knowledge base
2. Challenges to conducting a research and how to overcome them
Choosing the Right Topic
Your research topic is the foundation on which everything else rests, so it is of paramount importance to choose carefully. When choosing a topic, you must pick a topic that is of interest to you and that is researchable.
Choosing the Right Methodology
After you have chosen a topic, you will need procedure for conducting your research. It is important for you to formulate a research question to adopt the best methodology. Then you can now allow your answers to guide you, be clear with your studies and honest about your abilities, give time to the planning process.
Assembling a Research Team
Once you selected your topic and methodology, the next thing you will need is a research team to support your study. Research is never conducted in a space. You must look out for useful feedback and be certain about your needs.
Finding Study Participants
Once you have your team together, you then look for participants to help conduct your study. You must be bold to reach out and avoid wastage of resource.
Getting Institutions to Participate
Sometimes recruiting study participants requires going through institutions. This institutions may put up barriers, mainly if your research is controversial or sensitive. This brings up an additional challenge. To overcome this, build relationships with the persons who will help you gain access, always percevere, do not give up at the first rejection, and pursue alternative opportunities.
Staying Motivated and Working Your Plan
Maintaining the motivation to keep going despite obstacles in your research, pressures of work and personal commitments in a large research is indeed a great internal challenge. This challenge can be addressed by following your passion and purpose, learn to monitor your attitude, and ask for help.
Dealing With Your Data
The final challenge is knowing how to make sense of the data that you have collected when you have completed the study. You can solve this by grounding yourself in the research, get back to your methodology and account for biases.
Other challenges includes
Lack of funds for research
Time management
Change
Lack of proper research ethics
Low accessibility to data and information
Poor Technological Advancement
Insecurity
Ineffective Educational System
NAME: IGWILO UGOCHUKWU HENRY
REG NO: 2017/249345
DEPT: ECONOMICS/SOCIOLOGY (COMBINED SOCIAL SCIENCE)
COURSE: RESEARCH METHOD (ECO 391)
QUESTION
During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that“Research is creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole. Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
ANSWERS
PURPOSE OF A RESEARCH
The purpose of research is to inform action. Thus, your study should seek to contextualize its findings within the larger body of research. Research must always be of high quality in order to produce knowledge that is applicable outside of the research setting. Furthermore, the results of your study may have implications for policy and future project implementation.
Basically, Social research can serve a variety of purposes. Three of the most influential and common purposes of research are exploration, description and explanation.
Exploration involves familiarizing a researcher with a topic. Exploration satisfies the researcher’s curiosity and desire for improved understanding. Exploration tests the feasibility of undertaking a more extensive study. Exploration helps develop the methods that will be used in a study.
Description involves describing situations and events through scientific observation. Scientific descriptions are typically more accurate and precise than causal ones. For example, the U. S. Census uses descriptive social research in its examination of characteristics of the U. S. population.
Explanation involves answering the questions of what, where, when, and how. Explanatory studies answer questions of why. For example, an explanatory analysis of the 2002 General Social Survey (GSS) data indicates that 38 percent of men and 30 percent of women said marijuana should be legalized, while 55 percent of liberals and 27 percent of conservatives said the same. Given these statistics, you could start to develop an explanation for attitudes toward marijuana legalization. In addition, further study of gender and political orientation could lead to a deeper explanation of this issue.
IMPORTANCE OF A RESEARCH
i) More fact corroboration: When you find a fact in one reference source that is supported in another reference source, you can be assured that the fact you are using in your business paper or assignment is accurate.
ii) More viewpoints: The more resources you use, the more viewpoints you will consider during your topic exploration. This allows you to consider more ideas than the original one you may have been assigned.
More facts: When you use more research skills and sources, you will be able to gain more facts for your final project.
iii) Larger frame of understanding: Because different research sources offer different kinds of information, you can find different ways to understand your topic, depending on the manner in which you need to present your findings.
iv) Gain knowledge quickly: If you need to prepare for a presentation or a test, you want to be able to find the facts about your topic quickly. With basic research skills, you will find what you need promptly.
TO DISCUSS AND ANALYSE THE PROBLEMS OF CONDUCTING SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Various issues have clogged on the wheels of social research in Nigeria. Thereby, slowing the pace of its growth or keeping it stagnated. It has been observed that the proper environment for research is not yet available in Nigeria. As stated in Odia and Omofonmwan (2013), a conducive environment is needed for growth and utilization of research. For this to happen, many things have to be considered, among which include: adequate infrastructure, trained manpower, institutional capacity, and sufficient funding. The entire population must also be motivated to adopt a science culture as a pattern of life. These and other matters call for the urgent attention of practitioners, policy makers and other significant persons in Nigeria by the New Growth Theory, nations are expected to grow on the bases of human resources they possess.
These human resources are responsible for the brewing of knowledge, finding solutions to problems and as well applications. But this is not so in Nigeria, in spite of the numerous human and material resources with which they are blessed. Based on the precedent set above, we can now explore further on areas that have affected our developmental strides with particular reference to those issues that impede on the astuteness and quality of social
research. Scholars have taken varying positions on this particular phenomenon.
Nevertheless, they all concur to the fact that social research in Nigeria could have done better, especially when in comparison with what is obtainable in those nations usually referred to as advanced.
Among legion of problems that have bedeviled the progress of social research in
Nigeria, some of them include:
i. Absence of a clear cut philosophy of national development: The foundation to achieving harmony between the demands/expectations of a state and the response/obligation of its citizens, is enshrined in clear cut philosophies that are engraved in the minds of the citizens through conscious teachings. If research in Nigeria becomes an inalienable philosophy for its development, citizens would concertedly
act to achieving development via the production and reproduction of ideas, innovations and new
technologies.
It is in the presence of such philosophies that the instability of government would no longer be a challenged since everyone must have to tailor his/her actions to the demands of the stated philosophies. In nations where this is present, people out of even involuntary compulsion tend to see themselves living in such ideals. A consistent, coherent and comprehensive philosophy of national
development is essential for concerted research effort.
ii) Poor attention given to the development of Human Capacity: Human resource is a major precedent for development whose importance cannot be overemphasized. It goes beyond population to the quality of the population evident in what is brought to the table by these humans for development to happen. In Nigeria, the poor attention given to the development of human capacity in all ramifications is worrisome and has affected the quality of social research both on the part of the researchers and their
respondents. An enlightened and astute researcher might not get the best of results from a respondent who lacks fundamental features of being properly educated. A social researcher who does not have the penchant for research owing to lack of motivations and a research enabled environ might also not get the best of results no matter how enlightened his/her respondents might be. All of these boils down to
the absence of quality attention offered to the development of human capacity, most importantly at institutional levels.
The foregoing was captured in Kamba (2008) who stated that expected outcomes of a functional research and development initiatives entail equipping the people with the needed capacity with which they need to carry out their economic activities with appreciable degree of proficiency leading to the attainment of maximum output. They further inferred that these capacities encompass enhancing the people with the skills and competences needed to effectively harness and utilize the potentials found in one’s environment. In conclusion, they maintained that Nigeria’s case today is evidence of the fact that it is a nation highly populated with whole lot of potentials but with inadequate competences needed to translate these potentials into socio-economic transformations for the nation.
iii) Absence of Quality Tertiary Education: Tertiary education all over the world are known to be seats of research. They occupy a vital position in the heart of research.
They are instrumental to carrying out these researches for contribution to knowledge base and for applied purposes. They also train researchers at different levels. Most research centres are located within these tertiary institutions for the purpose of intelligence, logistics and manpower.
Tertiary institutions are supposedly to assume a mentorship position for those at the secondary level of education via exchange of ideas either on special invites, provision of secondary schools’research educators, provision of text materials, to mention but few. It is pathetic that a Nigerian student spends six years all through secondary education without having an introduction or quality experience in proper research ventures. This has adversely affected the quality of social research in Nigeria.
It has also affected the quality of social research results especially when these students in these secondary schools are expected to be respondents for a particular study. More so, disciplines like psychology and archeology lack those special equipment and apparatus that make experimental studies veritable, which to a very large extent affect the degree of their productivity in having excellent research results. This poses limits on the scope of what they can do, thus, having them to be poorly rated when in comparison with their contemporaries in advanced nations. In a study conducted by Odia and Omofonmwan, they lamented the poor synergy that exists between tertiary institutions and secondary education and those of research outcomes and intelligence for industries. This brings to the fore that social research conducted in Nigeria is mainly for academic purposes and promotional requirements as against proper application by significant persons
and bodies to better the lots of the people. The absence of these and many more is no motivation at all.
To this end, it is obvious that the absence of quality tertiary education in content, logistics and synergies have clamped on the advancement of social research in Nigeria.
As rightly stated by Odia and Omofonmwan (2013), nations in the world that have attained a reasonable degree of development and those who aspire to attain similar height are nations that have identified and embraced the tenets of qualitative education, research and development as well as making their services accessible to its people.
Thus, the university serves as a broker between government and private interests. It also has the opportunity to serve the public and common good by provoking public debates with unbiased research. In a study conducted by Odia and Omofonmwan (2013) on Research and Development Initiatives in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects, using the six geo-political zones of Nigeria, a significant large percentage of the respondents concurred to the fact that a nation’s level of development is a function of its research initiatives and development structure which is navigated by the works of quality tertiary institutions. Hence, social research in Nigeria would become only as good as the quality of tertiary institutions within the nation.
v) Funding: this has been a major issue for most ventures all over the world, owing to scarce resources. Nonetheless, nations have resorted to getting priorities right to circumvent the ills of poor funding on productivity. This is evident in the fact that areas that are capable of yielding more resources are prioritized in their budgets. One of such areas is education and research which have been proven to be major precursors and requisites for development to happen. In the Nigeria’s case, these areas have
long been affected which tells on its development. Lack of adequate funds for a people-centred research like that of the social research has clogged the wheels of advancement for such developmental germane venture.
The overbearing preference given to the pure and physical sciences over the social sciences has also affected the funding of social research. The Nigerian government and related institutions could spend so much on space science, meteorological studies, geological mining and other relatives. Studies and research in the social sciences such as gerontology, criminology, religion studies, conflict management, human resource management, public relations, juvenile care, child welfare, policy studies and among others, when in comparison with their contemporaries in the pure and physical sciences, suffer for lack of adequate funding.
This has led to disciplines who are adequately funded to scorn those who are not, thus undermining their relevance. This has equally affected the real application of such knowledge within those areas of neglect to the actual course for which they have been informed. Suffice here that the myriad of social problems faced by Nigeria is a show of the neglect of these areas responsible to social research, which has been described people-centred. Therefore, development as a people-centered project becomes untenable for such a nation. To confirm the above, Okunamiri, Okoli and Okunamiri (2008) in their study, asserted that a nation’s pace of development is determined by its level of research funding.
NAME: IGWILO UGOCHUKWU HENRY
REG NO: 2017/249345
DEPT: ECONOMICS/SOCIOLOGY (COMBINED SOCIAL SCIENCE)
COURSE: RESEARCH METHOD (ECO 391)
QUESTION
During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that“Research is creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole. Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
ANSWERS
PURPOSE OF A RESEARCH
The purpose of research is to inform action. Thus, your study should seek to contextualize its findings within the larger body of research. Research must always be of high quality in order to produce knowledge that is applicable outside of the research setting. Furthermore, the results of your study may have implications for policy and future project implementation.
Basically, Social research can serve a variety of purposes. Three of the most influential and common purposes of research are exploration, description and explanation.
Exploration involves familiarizing a researcher with a topic. Exploration satisfies the researcher’s curiosity and desire for improved understanding. Exploration tests the feasibility of undertaking a more extensive study. Exploration helps develop the methods that will be used in a study.
Description involves describing situations and events through scientific observation. Scientific descriptions are typically more accurate and precise than causal ones. For example, the U. S. Census uses descriptive social research in its examination of characteristics of the U. S. population.
Explanation involves answering the questions of what, where, when, and how. Explanatory studies answer questions of why. For example, an explanatory analysis of the 2002 General Social Survey (GSS) data indicates that 38 percent of men and 30 percent of women said marijuana should be legalized, while 55 percent of liberals and 27 percent of conservatives said the same. Given these statistics, you could start to develop an explanation for attitudes toward marijuana legalization. In addition, further study of gender and political orientation could lead to a deeper explanation of this issue.
IMPORTANCE OF A RESEARCH
i) More fact corroboration: When you find a fact in one reference source that is supported in another reference source, you can be assured that the fact you are using in your business paper or assignment is accurate.
ii) More viewpoints: The more resources you use, the more viewpoints you will consider during your topic exploration. This allows you to consider more ideas than the original one you may have been assigned.
More facts: When you use more research skills and sources, you will be able to gain more facts for your final project.
° Larger frame of understanding: Because different research sources offer different kinds of information, you can find different ways to understand your topic, depending on the manner in which you need to present your findings.
iii) Gain knowledge quickly: If you need to prepare for a presentation or a test, you want to be able to find the facts about your topic quickly. With basic research skills, you will find what you need promptly.
TO DISCUSS AND ANALYSE THE PROBLEMS OF CONDUCTING SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Various issues have clogged on the wheels of social research in Nigeria. Thereby, slowing the pace of its growth or keeping it stagnated. It has been observed that the proper environment for research is not yet available in Nigeria. As stated in Odia and Omofonmwan (2013), a conducive environment is needed for growth and utilization of research. For this to happen, many things have to be considered, among which include: adequate infrastructure, trained manpower, institutional capacity, and sufficient funding. The entire population must also be motivated to adopt a science culture as a pattern of life. These and other matters call for the urgent attention
of practitioners, policy makers and other significant persons in Nigeria by the New Growth Theory, nations are expected to grow on the bases of human resources they possess.
These human resources are responsible for the brewing of knowledge, finding solutions to problems and as well applications. But this is not so in Nigeria, in spite of the numerous human and material resources with which they are blessed. Based on the precedent set above, we can now explore further on areas that have affected our
developmental strides with particular reference to those issues that impede on the astuteness and quality of social
research. Scholars have taken varying positions on this particular phenomenon.
Nevertheless, they all concur to the fact that social research in Nigeria could have done better, especially when in comparison with what is obtainable in those nations usually referred to as advanced.
Among legion of problems that have bedeviled the progress of social research in
Nigeria, some of them include:
i. Absence of a clear cut philosophy of national development: The foundation to achieving harmony
between the demands/expectations of a state and the response/obligation of its citizens, is enshrined in clear cut philosophies that are engraved in the minds of the citizens through conscious teachings. If research in Nigeria becomes an inalienable philosophy for its development, citizens would concertedly
act to achieving development via the production and reproduction of ideas, innovations and new
technologies. It is in the presence of such philosophies that the instability of government would no
longer be a challenged since everyone must have to tailor his/her actions to the demands of the stated philosophies. In nations where this is present, people out of even involuntary compulsion tend to see themselves living in such ideals. A consistent, coherent and comprehensive philosophy of national
development is essential for concerted research effort.
ii) Poor attention given to the development of Human Capacity: Human resource is a major precedent for development whose importance cannot be overemphasized. It goes beyond population to the quality of the population evident in what is brought to the table by these humans for development to happen. In Nigeria, the poor attention given to the development of human capacity in all ramifications is worrisome and has affected the quality of social research both on the part of the researchers and their
respondents. An enlightened and astute researcher might not get the best of results from a respondent who lacks fundamental features of being properly educated. A social researcher who does not have the penchant for research owing to lack of motivations and a research enabled environ might also not get the best of results no matter how enlightened his/her respondents might be. All of these boils down to
the absence of quality attention offered to the development of human capacity, most importantly at institutional levels.
The foregoing was captured in Kamba (2008) who stated that expected outcomes of a functional research and development initiatives entail equipping the people with the needed capacity with which they need to carry out their economic activities with appreciable degree of proficiency leading to the attainment of maximum output. They
further inferred that these capacities encompass enhancing the people with the skills and competences
needed to effectively harness and utilize the potentials found in one’s environment. In conclusion, they maintained that Nigeria’s case today is evidence of the fact that it is a nation highly populated with
whole lot of potentials but with inadequate competences needed to translate these potentials into socio-economic transformations for the nation.
iii) Absence of Quality Tertiary Education: Tertiary education all over the world are known to be seats of research. They occupy a vital position in the heart of research.
They are instrumental to carrying out these researches for contribution to knowledge base and for applied purposes. They also train researchers at different levels. Most research centres are located within these tertiary institutions for the
purpose of intelligence, logistics and manpower. Tertiary institutions are supposedly to assume a mentorship position for those at the secondary level of education via exchange of ideas either on special invites, provision of secondary schools’research educators, provision of text materials, to mention but few. It is pathetic that a Nigerian student spends six years all through secondary education without having an introduction or quality experience in proper research ventures. This has adversely affected the quality of social research in Nigeria.
It has also affected the quality of social research results especially when these students in these secondary schools are expected to be respondents for a particular study. More so, disciplines like psychology and archeology lack those special equipment and
apparatus that make experimental studies veritable, which to a very large extent affect the degree of
their productivity in having excellent research results. This poses limits on the scope of what they can do, thus, having them to be poorly rated when in comparison with their contemporaries in advanced nations. In a study conducted by Odia and Omofonmwan (2007), they lamented the poor synergy that
exists between tertiary institutions and secondary education and those of research outcomes and intelligence for industries. This brings to the fore that social research conducted in Nigeria is mainly for academic purposes and promotional requirements as against proper application by significant persons
and bodies to better the lots of the people. The absence of these and many more is no motivation at all.
To this end, it is obvious that the absence of quality tertiary education in content, logistics and synergies have clamped on the advancement of social research in Nigeria.
As rightly stated by Odia and Omofonmwan (2013), nations in the world that have attained a reasonable degree of development and those who aspire to attain similar height are nations that have identified and embraced the tenets of qualitative education, research and development as well as making their services accessible to its people.
Thus, the university serves as a broker between government and private interests. It also has the opportunity to serve the public and common good by provoking public debates with unbiased research. In a study conducted by Odia and Omofonmwan (2013) on Research and Development Initiatives in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects, using the six geo-political zones of Nigeria, a significant large percentage of the respondents concurred to the fact that a nation’s level of development is a function of its research initiatives and development structure which is navigated by the works of
quality tertiary institutions. Hence, social research in Nigeria would become only as good as the quality of tertiary institutions within the nation.
v) Funding: this has been a major issue for most ventures all over the world, owing to scarce resources. Nonetheless, nations have resorted to getting priorities right to circumvent the ills of poor funding on productivity. This is evident in the fact that areas that are capable of yielding more resources are prioritized in their budgets. One of such areas is education and research which have been proven to be major precursors and requisites for development to happen. In the Nigeria’s case, these areas have
long been affected which tells on its development. Lack of adequate funds for a people-centred research like that of the social research has clogged the wheels of advancement for such developmental germane venture.
The overbearing preference given to the pure and physical sciences over the social sciences has also affected the funding of social research. The Nigerian government and related institutions could spend so much on space science, meteorological studies, geological mining and other relatives. Studies
and research in the social sciences such as gerontology, criminology, religion studies, conflict management, human resource management, public relations, juvenile care, child welfare, policy studies and among others, when in comparison with their contemporaries in the pure and physical sciences, suffer for lack of adequate funding.
This has led to disciplines who are adequately funded to scorn those who are not, thus undermining their relevance. This has equally affected the real application of such knowledge within those areas of neglect to the actual course for which they have been informed. Suffice
here that the myriad of social problems faced by Nigeria is a show of the neglect of these areas responsible to social research, which has been described people-centred. Therefore, development as a people-centered project becomes untenable for such a nation. To confirm the above, Okunamiri, Okoli
and Okunamiri (2008) in their study, asserted that a nation’s pace of development is determined by its
level of research funding.
Name:okoye favour
Reg no:2018/249186
Ifyfavourokoye@gmail.com
The purpose of research is to inform action. Thus, your study should seek to contextualize its findings within the larger body of research. Research must always be of high quality in order to produce knowledge that is applicable outside of the research setting. Furthermore, the results of your study may have implications for policy and future project implementation.
One problem that often plagues progress in global health is the slow translation of research into practice. Often, a disconnect exists between those who conduct research and those who are positioned to implement the research findings. The underlying problem is that “the production of evidence is organized institutionally with highly centralized mechanisms, whereas the application of that science is highly decentralized. This social distance prevails because scientists are more oriented to the international audiences of other scientists for which they publish than to the needs of practitioners, policy makers, or the local public.”(1)
Thus, as researchers, it is imperative to take steps to overcome this barrier. Publishing your study may be one initial step to make your research known to the global community. Other proactive measures can be taken to encourage the uptake of evidence-based interventions. For example, you can present your research findings at various venues, such as Unite for Sight’s Global Health and Innovation Conference. Furthermore, you can send the results of your study to local officials, policy-makers, and community leaders.The four purposes of research include exploration, description, explanation, and application.
Research is important because Research is essential to find out which treatments work better for patients. It plays an important role in discovering new treatments, and making sure that we use existing treatments in the best possible ways. Research can find answers to things that are unknown, filling gaps in knowledge and changing the way that healthcare professionals work. Some of the common aims for conducting research studies are to:
• Diagnose diseases and health problems
• Prevent the development or recurrence of disease and reduce the number of people who become ill
• Treat illness to improve survival rates or increase the number of people who are cured
• Improve the quality of life for people living with illness
The considerable known challenges are development of conceptualisations, problem of maintaining objectivity, difficulty in the verification of the inferences, unpredictability and problem of universalisation etc
NAME: OKORONKWO UCHECHUKWU DAVID
REG: 2017/241455
DEPARTMENT: ECONOMICS
EMAIL: okoronkwo762@gmail.com
The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study.
The purpose of a research generally is for it be able to open our eyes more into the depths of the study, thus we have the following purposes which are;
1, The Exploratory: which as the name suggests, researchers conduct exploratory studies to explore a group of questions, although answers and analytics may not offer a conclusion to the perceived problem. It is undertaken to handle new problem areas that haven’t been explored before.
This exploratory process lays the foundation for more conclusive data collection and analysis.
2, Descriptive: focuses on expanding knowledge on current issues through a process of data collection. A Descriptive research describes the behavior of a sample population, Only one variable is required to conduct the study and the three primary purposes of descriptive studies are describing, explaining, and validating the findings. For example, a study conducted to know if top-level management leaders in the 21st century possess the moral right to receive a considerable sum of money from the company profit.
3, Explanatory: Causal or explanatory research is conducted to understand the impact of specific changes in existing standard procedures and running experiments is the most popular form.
For instance, a study that is conducted to understand the effect of rebranding on customer loyalty.
Some importance of Research are;
It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
It helps us succeed in business.
It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
It helps in writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
Performing clinical research in the developing countries has multiple barriers and they are;
1, Lack of Training: It is a big problem faced by researchers in developing countries. There is scarcity of qualified research workers. Many research workers take a step in the dark not understanding research techniques. The majority of the work, which goes in the name of research is not methodologically sound. Research to a lot of investigators is mainly a cut and paste job with no insight shed on the collated materials. The impact is obvious, the research results, frequently, don’t reveal the reality. Therefore, an organized study of research methodology is definitely an immediate requirement. Prior to undertaking research projects, investigators must be well equipped with all the methodological aspects. As such, efforts need to be made to provide short term intensive courses for achieving this requirement.
2, Repetition: Research studies overlapping one another are carried out in many cases for want of adequate information.
3, Lack of Interaction: You will find inadequate interaction between the university research department, on one side and business establishments, government departments and research institutions, on the other.
4, Illiteracy: This has affected the appreciation of the value of research findings by the vast majority of the people (social workers and business executive)
5, Lack of Code of Conduct: There doesn’t exist a code of conduct for researchers and inter-University and inter-departmental rivalries are also quite common.
6, Shortage of Resources: For performing a quality research sufficient funds are not provided. This discourages research of all types. Governments, institutions/organizations don’t appreciate the contributions of research findings to economic development and for that reason do not offer adequate amounts for research of all types.
7, Absence of Coordination: There exists lack of coordination among various organizations responsible for performing research.
8, Problem of Conceptualization: Many a time problems of conceptualization and problems concerning the procedure for data collection and related things crop up leading to frittering of resources.
9, Scanty Information Base: This narrows down the volume and quality of literature accessible to a researcher. Put simply, not much research findings have been collected from where a researcher can take help.
10, Lack of confidence: The business houses are usually unwilling to provide the necessary information to researchers because of fear of misuse of information.
Name: Igweh Irene Chidubem
Reg no: 2018/241400
Department : Economics
ECO. 391: RESEARCH METHODS INFLUENCES ECONOMICS I
During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”.It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
Answers
Purpose of Research
We conduct researches for the following reasons:
[ ] To solve problems.
[ ] To develop new ideas and unveil the truth.
[ ] To generate new theories to confirm or disapprove the existing one.
[ ] To provide answers to unknown problems.
[ ] To aid proper decision making processes.
[ ] Information gathering and/or. Exploratory: e.g., discovering, uncovering, exploring. Descriptive: e.g., gathering info, describing, summarizing.
[ ] Theory testing. Explanatory: e.g., testing and understanding causal relations.
Importance of research
There are enumerous Importance of research but I will be mentioning a few below:
• Research is a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
• It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
• It helps us succeed in business.
• It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
• It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
• It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
• It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind.
The problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
As a result of poor development in the third world Countries problems and various inconveniences are witnessed in the process of conducting researches. These problems are stated below:
[ ] Inability to analyse the data properly:
As a result of poor development, even after the data is obtained it is not properly handled or interpreted due to lack of technical know-how.
[ ] Lack of adequate resources ( money):
Due to shortage of funds in Developing Countries, vast researchs can not be carried out. This is so because they cannot cover the vast population sample to get adequate data because the funds are not sufficient to carry on.
[ ] Non-corpration of respondents;
In most Developing countries, respondents tend to either avoid engaging in the survey or give wrong information to the researchers because they don’t trust them. This tends to affect the outcome of the research.
[ ] Conflict of interest
[ ] Unavailability of adequate data.
[ ] Inadequate proper infrastructure.
[ ] Lack of archivialor public records.
[ ] The anthropogenic nature of the society .
Name: ozoemena Chukwuebuka sabastine
Reg:no 2017/250816
Course: assignment on Eco 391 purpose and important of research and challenges in conducting research in less developed countries.
To explore the unique challenges that occur when conducting research in developing countries so the reader can consider approaches for providing ethically and culturally-appropriate research strategies applicable for the context of the host country.
Organizing Construct
This article presents an overview of the challenges, which are organized based on the phases of the research period: pre-enrollment, enrollment, and post-enrollment. At each stage, examples of adaptation to meet the challenges are presented and recommendations are posited.
Conclusions
Strategies for research should protect the rights of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged populations while balancing the needs of society at-large, provide culturally relevant ethical informed consent while balancing institutional review board requirements, and conduct research in a culturally-appropriate manner for the host country while balancing the principles of ethical research established by developed countries.
Clinical Relevance
Researchers are implored to focus on the ethical and cultural appropriateness of each aspect of the study process to afford the highest level of research credibility and validity.Keywords: cultural issues, international health, ethical issues, research trends
Research should be conducted in a manner that is appropriate for the unique community and the culture of the proposed research site. While this may seem straightforward, significant challenges have been encountered when conducting research in developing countries where cultural perspectives often vary significantly from those of developed countries. These challenges include: protecting the rights of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged populations while balancing the needs of the many providing a relevant informed consent that is truly appropriate for the culture of study while balancing an institutional review board’s set of rules, and conducting research in a culturally-appropriate manner for the host country while balancing the principles of ethical research established by developed countries.Beneficence, justice, and respect for the rights of each human being should be expressed throughout the research plan. Ethical research can only be conducted when the unique circumstances and constraints of the host country are considered and the standards of research are upheld, yet adapted, to address these needs.One might question, why should we conduct research in developing countries? Many developing countries have insufficient resources or a weak infrastructure to support their own research.The Global Forum for Health Research reports that only 10% of research funding is spent on 90% of the world’s health problems; therefore using funds from developed countries to address health disparities in the lesser developed countries is appropriate to reduce the inequality that Constituents of the United States (US) or other developed countries might question the exportation of research dollars to other countries. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) support research outside the US when the research has the potential to impact global health issues that affect many countries. Indigenous knowledge may hold keys to scientific advances. Also, the incidence of specific diseases may not be high in the US or other developed countries and therefore no longer a developed-world focus. Researchers must travel to the geographical regions where the diseases are more prevalent and those suffering are in continued need of care. For example, diarrhea remains the second leading cause of mortality for children under the age of five worldwide. Yet this is a health concern found primarily in developing countries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014), malaria remains a leading cause of illness and death in developing countries. Clearly, the staggering rates of these diseases warrant further research to reduce mortalities.The majority of published literature related to conducting research in developing countries is currently written by ethicists. Normative global health ethics seeks to identify “wrongdoings” and readdress those issues in an ethical manner which is appropriate to “specific circumstances and constraints. In consideration of this ethical framework, nursing must take a pro-active stance and join the conversation in order to lead health initiatives on a global front in a more ethical manner.Researchers commonly initiate research studies with the best intentions. Unfortunately a lack of understanding by the researchers of the social determinants of health and the unique cultural factors of the community inhibit attempts to attain successful outcomes. A systematic review of 27 studies focusing on improving patient knowledge of informed consent found evidence of comprehension issues related to the meaning of randomization, placebo, benefits, and risks Of the 27 studies, three were conducted outside the US and reported a lack of understanding related to terminology in the presence of low literacy levels. During a community-directed treatment study for onchocerciasis (river blindness) in Tanzania, people failed to participate in the treatment due to a lack of understanding about the cause of the disease, the benefit of the medication, and fears of sterility and impotence that might be associated with the medication.. Consideration of the low literacy levels in this community and the availability of visual education materials would likely have improved the outcomes of the program. Also, the lack of education for the community-directed distributors of the medication played a pivotal role in the less-than-optimal implementation of the program.The Declaration of Helsinki, established in 1964, provides guidance on ethical issues in research; however, it offers little guidance to address specific issues that arise when conducting research in developing countries.This document was originally intended for use by physicians conducting biomedical research and suggests a portion of participants be assigned to a control group. The participants in the control group may receive a placebo; therefore they are not always provided the best treatment. For example, clinical trials regarding the use of zidovudine, in developing countries in 1994, deemed the drug too expensive for developing countries; thus placebos were used in one arm of the study. Clearly, the participants who were placed in the placebo group (participants received no treatment) were not provided with the best treatment. This lead to ethical questions about the research associated with preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV in developing countries.A great debate exists about what is “ethical” care that should be provided, both during and after the study. What should be provided: the standard of care for a developed country or the standard of care in the host country? Can the host country afford to provide the best care? What happens after the research is over? Can a level of best care be maintained? An updated version of the Declaration in 2008, continues to fuel the debate. The declaration continues to support the use of placebos when no effective treatment is available or there are compelling reasons to support the use of the placebo and participants will not be subject to any serious harm.It is important to develop a research plan with health interventions that will be available and can be sustained in the host country.
These issues and questions provide a small glimpse of the challenges associated with research in developing countries. The following sections address specific challenges from published literature, as well as the encounters of two experienced researchers working with indigenous populations in the developing countries of Guatemala and Kenya. The following challenges and recommendations are organized based on the phases of the research periods: pre-enrollment, enrollment, and post-enrollment.
Pre-enrollment Phase
The pre-enrollment phase involves determining how to convey the meaning and protocol of the research study, assessing the community for issues that may impact the research study, and demonstrating respect of the potential research participants (Woodsong & Abdool Karim, 2005). An ethical challenge for the professional conducting research in a cross-cultural environment, often within a vulnerable population, is to ensure “truly voluntary and fully informed” consent.Challenges related to the informed consent protocol have been encountered in multiple and diverse studies worldwide. According to Igoumenidis and Zyga (2011), “informed consent is the cornerstone of modern ethics, but it tends to lose its true meaning when put in the context of a developing country” (p. 247). Low education levels often affect the participant’s full understanding of what research entails (Stapleton et al., 2014). In sub-Saharan Africa, researchers participating in the HIV/AIDS Prevention Trials were challenged to find ways to develop informed consents that conveyed basic research concepts in a society where few participants had even the basic education levels to understand what is meant by “experiment” (Woodsong & Abdool Karim, 2005). Many Maasai in Kenya continue to live very traditional lifestyles in a predominately oral society, and have limited or no formal schooling (Strang & Mixer, 2015). While conducting research in Kenya, pre-enrollment involved the careful translation of the informed consent using forward and backward procedures along with community input; training of the translators about the research process and importance of fully informing the participants; and allowing a time for questions by the participant prior to each interview.Other challenges related to the informed consent arise in diverse cultures. Informed consent is a process and requires community input, formal or informal, depending on the culture of the community. For many countries, autonomous decision-making is not a communal social structure concept (Woodsong & Abdool Karim, 2005). For example, in Maasailand, Kenya, research involvement required the overall, initial permission to be given by the area chief and Maasai elders for the villagers to participate. When granted permission, the researcher was informed that individual consents were no longer needed. Word had traveled to the villages prior to the arrival of the researcher that they had permission to share their stories. In accordance with institutional review board (IRB) protocol, the procedure to garner individual consents was still fully followed. During a study in rural Guatemala, permission was sought from the cocode (local mayor and town council) prior to beginning focus groups or household surveys. some cases, informed consent may be more heavily focused on protecting the rights of the researchers from developed countries, and not the rights of participants. Based on the standards of the developed world, the informed consent may be lengthy; may include complicated concepts that are foreign to collectivistic cultures; and is often impractical in an oral society.The standard protocol for informed consent requires an explanation of the study, benefits, risks, incentives, privacy, confidentiality, and contact information for the researchers as well as the sponsoring university. The provision of contact information for the researcher’s IRB, which is located in a foreign country, for all practical purposes, is irrelevant for poor, non-technological communities and participants. In Guatemala, participants often consult their family members before giving their permission to participate in the research. The western concept of confidentiality often seems at odds with their family-oriented culture. Language differences create significant barriers for true informed consent. All words are not completely translatable into another language. Words such as “placebo” and “randomization” may not translate, if no equivalent word exists in the indigenous language. Researchers must consider these issues and balance them with the requirements of the IRB for their institution.Gaining permission in a developing country with different social structures presents additional challenges. Commonly, patriarchal or matriarchal social structures may require non-research participants to give consent for others to participate. The process of gaining permission frequently is a lengthy process. In Massailand, this process required almost two years. The researcher visited the host country to gain gatekeeper permissions, hear potential community concerns about the research process, confirm interest in and need for the study topic within the community, and seek opportunities for pragmatic use of data gathered for the research participants or community at large.Prior to the actual study date, this initial effort paved the way for an overwhelming response to participate in a large ethnonursing study of 48 participants from the Maasai community. In Guatemala, this process was reduced to approximately six months by the presence of an in-country host, who served as a liaison with the community.This host, with a well-established reputation within the local community, facilitated meetings and introductions to gatekeepers of the village. Also, one of the researchers had been working in the community periodically for over 3 years.Age of consent varies depending upon the host country and should also be considered in the context of the country of study. In Guatemala, the age of consent is 18. According to NIH guidelines, the age of consent is 21 years; thereby necessitating a waiver from the IRB to allow participants to provide their own consent.Indigenous cultures may have alternative definitions of adulthood that do not fit with a chronological age. For example, marriage and motherhood may signify adulthood, while occurring far less than 18 years of age. Within the Maasai culture, it was important to seek the malaria care practices from all generations of malaria sufferers and care givers. To hear the full story, the researcher sought and was granted IRB approval for mothers and fathers age 14 and above (Strang & Mixer, 2015). Not only is age an important consideration, gender practices may influence how consent is given. In certain cultures, male consent must be given for females to participate (Woodsong & Abdool Karim, 2005). Many variations of the consent process must be considered prior to development of a culturally appropriate consent.Opportunities to gather credible data are the responsibilities of all researchers. In the Maasailand study, villagers were very hesitant to participate in the interviews because as they stated researchers in the past had come, interviewed them, promised to return with information, but never had (Strang & Mixer, 2015). In addition to apologies that previous researchers had not kept their word, much time was spent with the leaders of the village to assure them the researcher would return with the study results and a training seminar on the topic of malaria care.
Enrollment Phase
Ethical considerations continue in the enrollment phase, the research period during which informed individuals agree to participant in the study. Often in a cross-cultural research study, a different language is used with which the research team is not completely familiar. Some have debated that the research team should be representative of the community and cultural. This is not feasible in many indigenous communities. Finding an indigenous member of the community with the required education levels, language skills, and expertise to conduct or lead the research may be highly improbable. In addition, the participants of an oral culture such as the Maasai do not often read. Ensuring comprehension of the study to each participant is critical, yet may not follow the standard IRB approach to confirm the best understanding. Because participants may find the consent process long and boring with untranslatable terms or concepts, consent should only include essential and relevant information. In countries with low formal education levels, non-readers or non-writers require the entire process to be oral. Consent forms that require a signature or mark from the participant often raise issues of mistrust, especially if the participant cannot read or write. In cultures with an oral tradition, a person’s verbal consent is highly valued. As both authors have witnessed while conducting research, asking for a signature to confirm the contract may actually imply an insult to the individual’s integrity.
Demonstration of comprehension is essential. Providing a verbal agreement for consent does not always ensure that participants are choosing to enroll for the appropriate reason. Research participants may be influenced by others within their community (i.e., community leaders) or by family members who urge them to participate.Participants may have unrealistic expectations of the benefits or risks. In Guatemala, potential community health workers were informed that minimal reading skills were required to participate as a promotora (promotor of health). Even when this was repeated daily, women continued to come to training sessions with less than adequate literacy skills.To assist in comprehension, incorporating community members into the research process is strongly supported by community-based research protocols, but this also can add challenges. Standard IRB protocols require members of a research team (i.e., anyone collecting data) to complete training on human research ethics. However, ethics training in the developed world is not always amendable in a developing world context.Members of the community frequently also have low literacy skills and a lack of formal education.
Cultural practices sometimes conflict with the treatment and inventions of the study. Information about voluntary withdrawal must be balanced with acknowledgement of their value to the research program and encouragement not to withdraw. If too many people withdraw, then the research may be jeopardized. During HIV Prevention trials, researchers balanced the enrollment of women to the condom-only groups with the microbicide groups of the study (Woodsong & Abdool Karim, 2005). It was feared that women would withdraw from the condom-only group. Researchers in this study focused on the importance and value to the community of the participants’ willingness to remain in the study.
Post-enrollment Phase
The post-enrollment phase is the timeframe when the study is underway and may extend past the actual period of research. This phase ensures continuation of the study and also entails its own unique challenges. If a study continues over a long period of time, misunderstandings about the research and interventions may occur. Many Maasai informants requested clinics with malaria medicines and distribution of free insecticide treated nets (ITNs), but immediate fulfillment of these were outside the scope of the research study. It was important, during the study period of two months, to listen carefully and quell rumors that certain areas would receive such benefits. In Guatemala, rumors began to circulate that promotoras were being paid to provide education to families. This belief led to an expectation that families should also receive payment. In fact, promotoras only received a small quota of cell phone minutes in order to communicate with the researchers. Reasonable incentives for the culture, context, host country, and individual’s time are important to reiterate during each stage of the research.
Some of the challenges of international research extend beyond the period of intervention. The information gathered and opportunities for care relevant to the data are often difficult to share because: (1) the researcher may have returned to their country to review and determine findings;
(2) the cost to return to the research setting may not be included in the research funds; and
(3) needed care related to research findings may not be affordable or accessible for the participants. The responsibility of the researcher to address the discoveries of needed professional care for the participants should also be considered prior to the onset of the study.
Recommendations
Each of these challenges, that are more commonly encountered in developing countries, need nurses to acknowledge the dilemmas that arise and promote ethical and culturally-appropriate research in order to fully protect every research participant. In a study conducted with registered nurses serving as research coordinators (n=266), scientific misconduct in the form of informed consent violations occurred in approximately a quarter (26.6%) of the research studies.The International Code of Ethics for Nurses.Includes the universal mandate for all nurses to uphold ethical practices, respect the cultural rights of each human being, and provide culturally appropriate information. The code is intended for application in every aspect of nursing practice, including research among vulnerable populations. Researchers can develop partnerships of accountability among international, regional, community, and local persons who share the topic of interest.Prior to, during, and post research study; the primary researcher met with international, national, community, and local leaders for the fight against malaria to ensure relevance of study, and shared information, sought research needs, and brainstormed post-research resources for the Maasai community. Researchers are further encouraged to consider Meleis’s eight criteria for culturally competent scholarship throughout all phases of the research process. These criteria address contextuality, relevance, communication styles, awareness of identity and power differentials, disclosure, reciprocation, empowerment, and time. The authors, whose expertise is working in developing countries, make the following recommendations to conduct an ethical study. The recommendations support and expand upon the three phases outlined by Woodsong and Abdool Karim (2005) and support Meleis’ guidelines for culturally competent research.
Pre-enrollment Phase
Externally-sponsored research should be reviewed by an independent reviewer from the host country in addition to the sponsoring country.Ethical research practices require an added layer of accountability when data is collected within a developing countries.Initially, the researcher should consider how best to offer cross-cultural care over the span of the study. This would include cultural and participant factors, such as the cultural context, education level, socio-economic status, and translation needs in relation to informed consent, translation needs, compensation, and benefits to the participants.To discover this information, formal and informal community leaders should be involved. This will enhance the overall understanding of the entire research process for both the researchers and the participating parties sought an external review with a non-governmental organization (NGO) working in Guatemala to ensure the protocol was appropriate for the cultural context. This type of input is essential to develop health care interventions which are culturally and economically suitable for the host country.Advisory boards and focus groups should be established to represent the concerns of participants prior to enrollment.In Guatemala, meeting with the cocode allowed the researchers to seek permission to work in the community, but also to answer questions about the intent of the research and how the information would be used. Community representatives need to be involved in the decision-making process to clarify the types of activities that participants will engage in during the research. It is critically important that researchers make an effort to learn what the community wants and expects from the study prior to the initiation of enrollment procedures. Researchers and community members should agree in advance about the materials and/or interventions that will be shared as a result of the research.Also anticipating common health problems that occur outside the parameters of the research protocol may prevent ethical scenarios associated with failure to provide treatment. For example, promotoras were trained to recognize and make referrals for children who were exhibiting signs of dehydration. While they did provide education, they also performed consultations for children with diarrhea. should consider the length of the consent and how to include all the necessary information to fulfill ethical standards in a concise manner while incorporating the cultural perspectives of the country. Maasai elders, community leaders, and others in the Maasai community-at-large were consulted by the researcher as to the relevance and cultural respect of the research inquiry guide (Strang & Mixer, 2015). This information was then used to construct important concepts of the informed consent. Researchers may choose to conduct a pilot study with the consent form to determine its usefulness in the target community.To enhance communication and culturally appropriate interactions during the research period, the use of translators who are fluent in the languages used and an expert in the culture is important. Careful translation of the informed consent in the language of the participants will enable the highest possible level of comprehension. Consideration prior to IRB approval is necessary to determine the need of a written or oral format for the informed consent. Researchers should consider avoiding the use of signed consent forms when possible. The need for an oral consent procedure should be anticipated during the pre-enrollment phase and researchers should gain an IRB waiver for a signed consent.To best enable community members to assist in the pre-enrollment phase, to engage in the research process, and to enhance the comprehension of participants; training materials must be adapted to their culture, language, and education level. Materials available through the Family Health International’s Research Ethics Training Curriculum provide an excellent starting point, but should be adapted to the specific community.
Enrollment Phase
Most developed countries’ IRB policies are focused on the rights of the individual, yet this focus may conflict with the values of collectivistic cultures.Informed consent should be provided in a manner that allows for the whole family to be involved when appropriate to the culture. If the consent is read to the participants, it is suggested to read each section then follow with a period of questions and answers before moving to the next section of the consent. Allowing interested family members sufficient time to ask questions and to be involved may be more consistent with the norms of the culture.Community-based research occurs in homes and villages where arrival is public and members of the community at-large may view the research participant as getting special privileges.Research incentives may be viewed by others as special privileges; thus creating some level of animosity within close communities. It is essential to keep these cultural variations in mind when conducting research. Compensation and incentives should be relevant to the cultural context. In Maasailand, it was suggested by a Western researcher that each participant should receive an ITN as an incentive for a malaria study. However, the cost of an ITN was equivalent to the pay from three days of work and it had not yet been discovered if the Maasai communities had knowledge of the use or benefits of an ITN. It is often difficult to determine non-coercive compensation in a developing world context.A pre-research visit to the Maasai culture revealed that an ITN was actually not a culturally appropriate incentive.Health problems may be identified during the research study which will not be treated by the research intervention. It is important to foster relationships with local agencies or NGOs who can provide ancillary health care needs. For example, some of the Maasai participants did not desire to talk about malaria, but about their current concerns for clean water or of the problem with bed bugs. It is important that the researcher is aware of the closest health care facility to each interview site, so to refer persons for assistance.
Post-enrollment Phase
Both during and following the study time frame, efforts to maintain cultural and ethical practices continue. Researchers should continuously check for rumors or misconceptions that are occurring in the community that may affect enrollment.Participants may expect special privileges or incentives that were not anticipated or planned by the researchers. Ethics boards may limit incentives, yet communities may expect some type of incentives for their participation. Eventually, the products or knowledge gained from the research should be shared with the local community in addition to higher levels within the host country. Any product developed through the research efforts should be made available to participants in a reasonable manner.Following the completion of the research in Guatemala, the training materials were shared with the local health post and the regional office. The promotoras were urged to connect with the local clinic and continue to assist with training and consultations within the community. resources provide guidance for researchers working outside developed countries. The Ethical Aspects of Clinical Research in Developing Countries provides a framework of 8 principles to be considered when conducting research in a developing country. This report also provides 31 benchmarks to assist researchers to evaluate the ethical appropriateness of their study. A report by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics (2002) provides four principles to guide research in developing countries.
These principles include:
(a) the duty to alleviate suffering
(b) the duty to show respect for persons
(c) the duty to be sensitive to cultural differences; and the duty not to exploit the vulnerable.
The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study.
Three Purposes of Research
Social research can serve a variety of purposes. Three of the most influential and common purposes of research are exploration, description and explanation.
Exploration involves familiarizing a researcher with a topic. Exploration satisfies the researcher’s curiosity and desire for improved understanding. Exploration tests the feasibility of undertaking a more extensive study. Exploration helps develop the methods that will be used in a study.
Description involves describing situations and events through scientific observation. Scientific descriptions are typically more accurate and precise than causal ones. For example, the U. S. Census uses descriptive social research in its examination of characteristics of the U. S. population.
Explanation involves answering the questions of what, where, when, and how. Explanatory studies answer questions of why. For example, an explanatory analysis of the 2002 General Social Survey (GSS) data indicates that 38 percent of men and 30 percent of women said marijuana should be legalized, while 55 percent of liberals and 27 percent of conservatives said the same. Given these statistics, you could start to develop an explanation for attitudes toward marijuana legalization. In addition, further study of gender and political orientation could lead to a deeper explanation of this issue.
Importance of Research
1.It’s a tool for gaining knowledge and making learning more accessible.
2.The importance of research can be visible if we see it as the only means of proving theories.
3.Through research, we can gather updated information and to-the-point data.
4.By differentiating between valuable and vague data, it creates credibility.
5.It helps us succeed in business.
6.It Is a Means to Find, Gauge, and Seize Opportunities
Problems in conducting research in developing countries
Lack of Training: It is a big problem faced by researchers in developing countries. There is scarcity of qualified research workers. Many research workers take a step in the dark not understanding research techniques. The majority of the work, which goes in the name of research is not methodologically sound. Research to a lot of investigators is mainly a cut and paste job with no insight shed on the collated materials. The impact is obvious, viz., the research results, frequently, don’t reveal the reality. Therefore, an organized study of research methodology is definitely an immediate requirement. Prior to undertaking research projects, investigators must be well equipped with all the methodological aspects. As such, efforts need to be made to provide short term intensive courses for achieving this requirement.
Lack of confidence: The business houses are usually unwilling to provide the necessary information to researchers because of fear of misuse of information.
Repetition: Research studies overlapping one another are carried out in many cases for want of adequate information.
Lack of Interaction: You will find inadequate interaction between the university research department, on one side and business establishments, government departments and research institutions, on the other.
Illiteracy: This has affected the appreciation of the value of research findings by the vast majority of the people (social workers and business executive)
Lack of Code of Conduct: There doesn’t exist a code of conduct for researchers and inter-University and inter-departmental rivalries are also quite common.
Shortage of Resources: For performing a quality research sufficient funds are not provided. This discourages research of all types.
Absence of Coordination: There exists lack of coordination among various organizations responsible for performing research.
Problem of Conceptualization: Many a time problems of conceptualization and problems concerning the procedure for data collection and related things crop up leading to frittering of resources.
Scanty Information Base: This narrows down the volume and quality of literature accessible to a researcher. Put simply, not much research findings have been collected from where a researcher can take help.
14. Do educational systems in developing countries really promote economic development, or are they simply a mechanism to enable certain select groups or classes of people to maintain positions of wealth, power, and influence?
The Educational system in Developing countries do not promote economic development. Nigeria being a developing country has experienced low funding towards the education sector, as a whole it represents just an insignificant percentage of the whole budget. Inadequate classrooms, incompetent teachers and poverty are significantly present in developing countries which wrestles with the improvement education should bring to a country.
Political leaders in developing countries don’t fund education as they should. We see situations where development in Western Nations is made possible from their heavy financing on education and Research and Development. The Low funding of education in developing countries is done in a manner where protest against the government is not possible because people are not enlightened about their rights and obligation
15. As more than half the people in developing countries still reside in rural areas, how can agricultural and rural development best be promoted?
Development can be promoted in many ways;
1. Subsidies: Government can provide subsidies to rural dwellers for agricultural production, this can raise the standard of living for those rural dwellers
2. Education: At the fore front of Development is education, providing educational institutions can really improve the well beings of rural dwellers.
3. Infrastructure: Infrastructure like Houses, roads and water supply can really impact development in rural areas As government begin to provide all these facilities people will enjoy better welfare
Are higher agricultural prices sufficient to stimulate food production, or are rural institutional changes (land redistribution, roads, transport, education, credit, etc.) also needed?
Higher prices is not sufficient alone to booster food production more and more rural institutions are a necessity for this goal
16. What do we mean by “environmentally sustainable development”? Are there serious economic costs of pursuing sustainable development as opposed to simple output growth, and who bears the major responsibility for global environmental damage—the rich North or the poor South?
Environmentally Sustainable development are the various public policies aimed at address environmental problems face by the Global community. Zero carbon emission goals presently pursued by the Eurozone Community this 2021 is aimed at reduce Green house gasses that rise to the atmosphere and cause various environmental hazards. The economic costs of pursuing sustainable development in the short run could be heavy to reduce this environmental problems, but the long run benefits can’t be measured.
The major bearers of responsibility for this environmental damage are the rich North and Western countries, reference to the industrial age where factories and manufacturing was a major contribution to the economy saw various environmental degrading emissions in the world.
17. Are free markets and economic privatization the answer to development problems, or do governments in developing countries still have major roles to play in their economies?
Government in developing countries have a significant role to play in their economies. The market has failed to bring development in a number of ways because it is a self driven, individualistic mechanism which might not have the common good or perspective in mind.
18. Why do so many developing countries select such poor development policies, and what can be done to improve these choices?
Developing countries select poor policies because of the following reasons
1. Corruption- one of the leading reasons for poor policies in developing countries is the poor political institutions, the political system in most developing countries is rot with a lot of dishonourable practices and most of this officials formulatr policies to favour themselves as against the public which it was elected to serve. For Example in Nigeria, government institutions installed in the country are set up to help politicians family relatives to receive wealth
2. Social and Cultural Reasons: This is also a contributing factor to the poor policies formulated in developing countries. Most of the cultural values are place ahead of economic stability and growth so the resultant effect is the mis allocation of resources to things of lesser economic importance.
19. Is expanded international trade desirable from the point of view of the development of poor nations? Who gains from trade, and how are the advantages distributed among nations?
International trade has a lot of implications for developing countries. It generates foreign reserves, allows to Trade surplus and also More Stabilization of the countries policies. It’s very important that countries trade cause. Theories that support trade are the comparative advantage theory, factor proportion theory etc. Gainers from trade is quite relative and may depend on what countries has more advantage over a particular product.
20. When and under what conditions, if any, should governments in developing countries adopt a policy of foreign-exchange control, raise tariffs, or set quotas on the importation of certain “nonessential” goods in order to promote their own industrialization or to ameliorate chronic balance of payments problems?
The Condition for which countries should adopt a policy of foreign-exchange control, raised tariffs, or set quotas on the importation of certain “nonessential” goods is for the sustainance of its Macroeconomic Goals. Such as:
Exchange rate stability
Balance of payments
Unemployment
Inflation etc.
When Government perceived any undesirable changes in this factors above it may choose to adopt policies that would help it attain this goals
What has been the impact of International Monetary Fund “stabilization programs” and World Bank “structural adjustment” lending on the balance of payments and growth prospects of heavily indebted less developed countries?
This stabilization programs have increased the debt of most developing countries because of poor institutions for implementing of good policies and their is also the problem that countries in the developing face and thats the patternism that most developing countries adopt, I e most of the policies being taken into account by developing countries do not consider the structural patterns of the country.
21. What is meant by globalization, and how is it affecting the developing countries?
Globalization is the process of interaction between individuals, firms and government in the world through various technologies. Globalization comes with some benefits to the developing countries, but we can’t over look the benefits it give to already developed countries expand market and exploit cheap labour from developing countries. The effect on developing countries can be positive- more FDI, improved technology and development in some parts. It can also be negative.
22. Should exports of primary products such as agricultural commodities be promoted, or should all developing countries attempt to industrialize by developing their own manufacturing industries as rapidly as possible?
23. How did so many developing nations get into such serious foreign-debt problems, and what are the implications of debt problems for economic development? How do financial crises affect development?
24. What is the impact of foreign economic aid from rich countries? Should developing countries continue to seek such aid, and if so, under what conditions and for what purposes?
Should developed countries continue to offer such aid, and if so, under what conditions and for what purposes?
25. Should multinational corporations be encouraged to invest in the economies of poor nations, and if so, under what conditions? How have the emergence of the “global factory” and the globalization of trade and finance influenced international economic relations?
26. What is the role of financial and fiscal policy in promoting development? Do large military expenditures stimulate or retard economic growth?
27. What is microfinance, and what are its potential and limitations for reducing poverty and spurring grassroots development?
This is Eco. 361 that you submitted under Eco. 391 very wrong
Onyedekwe Henry Chinedu
2018/242306
Economics Department
In order to solve problems in any society (Economic problem), one has to obtain detailed information about the problem to be solved. This will enable him or her to gather evidence and facts to solve the problem.
The process of obtaining these obtaining these information, as well as discovering new knowledge is known as research.
Research is very important in Economics. It give economist the data which they need for analysis. Among may other purposes of research includes:
1. Research enables us to learn new fact, it gives us better understanding of how the world works.
2. Research further gives us a greater knowledge of what we know, hence it enables us understand a phenomenon better.
3. Research is there to serve as a tool for problem solving.
4. Through research, new innovations and ideas are provided to better our lives.
5. Research is conducted to determined the relationship between two or more variables.
Research plays an important role in discovering new ideas and making sure that we use existing treatments in the best possible ways. Research can find answers to things that are unknown, filling gaps in knowledge and changing the way that economic professionals work.
Among all these purpose and importance of research are different problems of research, some of which are:
1. Lack of good research ethics: In a country like Nigeria where ethical applications and principles and not always judiciously followed, there is bound to be poor research findings. Hence serving as a problem of research.
2. Poor Research Methods: In Nigeria, some researchers do not follow the normal methods of conducting research, they may instead control their findings to suite their benefit.
3. Poor Education System: The education system in Nigeria is very poor, there is no incentive to acquire knowledge and the lecturers are paid peanuts. This will go a long way to diminish the efforts of the lecturers and then lead to production of incapable researchers who do not have the appropriate skill.
4. Absence of Data: In Nigeria, there is poor access to past data. These data are very important as they allow as for comparison and for analysis. But little or no record is being kept of these data. This will make the researcher to work with only the data he can find which may not be suitable enough.
5. Poor Infrastructure: In most learning and research institutions in Nigeria, the laboratories are I’ll kept and there may not be necessary tools to work. This also hampers the research progress in Nigeria
PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
Everyday as we go about our individual lives, we are bombarded we so much information from adverts, news, social media, and even on products we consume. Most of this information were as it is refined into their consumable state through research which enlightens us on a particular use of a thing, event or product. Knowing impact of research on our lives, what exactly are its purpose as an academic:
a. Research can be conducted for exploratory purposes on an issue or study that has not been clearly explored or defined. This is carried out to get a better understanding of the issue or study which the researcher has little insight on.
b. When a researchers want to know the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of a case study or problem either of a population or its characteristics, such a purpose of research is a descriptive one. It does not necessarily ask questions of the ‘why’ in research.
c. Most times in conducting research, a researcher may also like to know how various variables in a model interact by studying and explaining the cause-effect relationship that exists among the variables. Such purpose explains and questions the ‘why’ and is often experiment based.
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
These three purposes from the fundamental purpose for conducting research any field of study. Having now an idea as to why we conduct research, what are its importance not just to the researcher and professionals but also the non-professionals alike.
a. Research gives insight into a subject matter which the researcher seeks to inquire and also helps to find the cause-effect relationship between variables. This insight is both beneficial to the researcher and all the actors in the society, depending on the study.
b. Results of the research serves as a means of awareness to the public as it pertains to all aspects of their life. It is research that aids in the public to become aware of the new innovations that can aid daily activities.
c. Many discoveries in various fields of study, are products of research all of which gives us insight and understanding to the subject matter in discussion
d. Businesses also benefit from the research like companies that produce consumer products. They invest in research to discover new and innovative ways to either ease production or the quality of the products produced all while reducing the cost of producing them.
e. Research also has become a means to test and watch against lies and the approval of the truth. If research is done by a researcher and he has a result, such result must be attainable by another person using the same methods of experiments.
RPROBLEMS OF CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Given the plethora of issues that plague most LDC’s, researchers in these countries are faced with a lot of handicaps to conduct their research in their country some of which includes:
a. Human Resources: Given the lack of educational infrastructures in LDC’s, students who are studying abroad do not find it of benefit to come back to their country. This also contributes to the lack of innovativeness within that country because their graduated students have no reason to stay and develop their country instead when offered a higher paying job oversees, they take it.
b. Funding: This is a major problem faced by researchers in developing countries. Support doesn’t come as a right to researchers but as a sponsorship to foster more innovativeness. This is because most governments of most LDC’s do not view research as anything substantial enough to contribute to the economy. They see research as an activity where money apparently comes out of. Research is an inquiry and it costs a lot of money to carry out.
c. Lack of facilities: The expensiveness of research comes to no surprise that the facilities to carry them out efficiently and effectively are also on the high side. Although most researchers can source for the funds to start, they quickly become handicap as money becomes a constraint.
d. Communication: no researcher works alone on a project but collaborates and corroborates with other researchers to work their projects. If there are no infrastructure in place, communication and feedback will begin to have lapses to the detriment of the researcher and his collaborators and corroborators.
Name: Okonkwo Chikaodinaka Justina
Reg No:2018/242322
Department: Economic
Email: okonkwochikaodinaka@gmail.com
QUESTION: PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
The purpose of research is to discover answers to questions through the
application of scientific procedure. The main aim of research is to find
out the truth which is hidden and which has not been discovered as yet.
Though each research study has its own specific purpose, some general objectives of research below:
(i) To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into it. (Studies with this object in view are termed as exploratory or formative research studies).
(ii) To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular individual,
situation or a group.(Studies with this object in view are known as
descriptive research studies).
(iii) To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with
which it is associated with something else. (Studies with this object
in view are known as diagnostic research studies).
(iv) To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables.
(Such studies are known as hypothesis-testing research studies).
Characteristics of Research:
Following are the characteristics of research;
•Research is directed toward the solution of a problem.
• Research requires expertise.
• Research emphasizes the development of generalizations, principles, or theories that will be helpful in predicting future
occurrences.
•Research is based upon observable experience or empirical evidences.
•Research demands accurate observation and description.
• Research involves gathering new data from primary or first-hand
sources or using existing data for a new purpose.
•Research is characterized by carefully designed procedures that
apply rigorous analysis.
•Research involves the quest for answers to un-solved problems.
•Research strives to be objective and logical, applying every
possible test to validate the procedures employed the data
collected and the conclusions reached.
•Research is characterized by patient and unhurried activity.
• Research is carefully recorded and collected.
• Research sometimes requires courage.
PROCESSES OF RESEARCH
Research process consists of series of actions or steps necessary to
effectively carry out research. These actions or steps are;
(i)Formulating the Research Problem:At the very outset, the researcher must decide the general area of interest or aspect of a subject matter that he would like to inquire into and then research problem should be formulated.
(ii) Extensive Literature Survey:Once the problem is formulated the researcher should undertake
extensive literature survey connected with the problem. For this purpose, the abstracting and indexing journals and published or unpublished bibliographies are the first place to go to academic
journals, conference proceedings, government reports, books etc. must be tapped depending on the nature of the problem.
(iii) Developing the Research Hypothesis:After extensive literature survey, researcher should state in clear terms the working hypothesis or hypotheses. Working hypothesis is tentative assumption made in order to draw out and test its logical or empirical consequences. It’s very important or it provides the focal point for research.
(iv) Preparing the Research Design:After framing hypothesis we have to prepare a research design i.e. we have to state the conceptual structure within which research would be conducted. The preparation of such a design facilitates research to be as efficient as possible yielding maximal information. In other words, the function of research design is to provide for the collection of relevant evidence with optimum effort, time and expenditure. But how all these can be achieved depends mainly on the research purpose.
(v) Determining the Research Design:A sample design is a definite plan determined before any data is actually collected for obtaining a sample from a given population.in census inquiry we involve a great deal of time, money and energy so it it not possible in practice under many circumstances. Sample designs can be
either probability or non-probability. With probability samples each element has a known probability of being included in the sample but the non-probability samples do not allow the researchers to determine this probability.
(vi) Collecting the Research Data:There are several ways of collecting the appropriate data which differ
considerably in context of cost, time and other resources at the disposal of the researcher. Primary data can be collected either through
experiment or through survey. In case of survey, data can be collected by any one or more of the following ways;
By observation,
Through personal interview,
Through telephonic interviews,
By mailing of questionnaires or
Through schedules.
(vii) Execution of the Project:Execution of project is a very important step in the research process. If
the execution of the project proceeds on correct lines, the data to be collected would be adequate and dependable .A careful watch should be kept for unanticipated factors in order to keep the survey realistic as much as possible.
(viii) Analysis of Data:The analysis of data requires a number of closely related operations such as establishment of categories, the application of these categories to raw data through coding, tabulation and then drawing statistical
inference. Analysis work after tabulation is generally based on the computation of various percentages; coefficients etc., by applying various well defined statistical formulae. In the process of analysis, relationships of differences supporting or conflicting with original or new hypothesis should be subjected to tests of significance to determine with what validity data can be said to indicate any conclusions.
(ix) Hypothesis Testing:After analyzing the data, the researcher is in a position to test the
hypothesis, if any, he had formulated earlier. Do the facts support the hypothesis or they happen to be contrary? This is the usual question
which is to be answered by applying various tests like ‘t’ test, ’F’ test etc. F test have been developed by statisticians for the purpose
.Hypothesis testing will result in either accepting the hypothesis or in rejecting it. If the researcher had no hypothesis to start with, generalizations established on the basis of data may be stated.
(x) Generalization and Interpretation:If a hypothesis is tested and upheld several times, it may be possible for the researcher to arrive at generalization i.e. to build a theory. As a matter of fact, the real value of research lies in its ability to arrive at certain generalizations. If the researcher had no hypothesis to start with, he might seek to explain his findings on the basis of some theory. It is known as interpretation.
(xi) Preparing of the Report or Presentation of the Result:Finally, the researcher has to prepare the report of what has been done by him. The layout of the report should be as follows; the preliminary pages, the main text and end matter. The preliminary pages carry title, acknowledgements and forward and then index. The main text of the report should have introduction, review of literature and methodology.
Criteria of a Good Research:
One expects scientific research to satisfy the following criteria:
R= Rational way of thinking
E= expert exhaustive treatment
S= Search for solution
E= exactness
A= adequate date and data analytical analysis
R= relationship among facts information
C= careful recording; critical observation
H= honesty; hardwork
Importance of research:
1. Research expands your knowledge base
2. Research gives you the latest information
3. Research helps you know what you’re up against
4. Research builds your credibility
5. Research helps you narrow your scope
1. Research expands your knowledge base
The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
2. Research gives you the latest information
Research encourages you to find the most recent information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.
3. Research helps you know what you’re up against
In business, you’ll have competition. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to helps you formulate your plans and strategies. You can figure out what sets you apart. In other types of research, like medicine, your research might identify diseases, classify symptoms, and come up with ways to tackle them. Even if your “enemy” isn’t an actual person or competitor, there’s always some kind of antagonist force or problem that research can help you deal with.
4. Research builds your credibility
People will take what you have to say more seriously when they can tell you’re informed. Doing research gives you a solid foundation on which you can build your ideas and opinions. You can speak with confidence about what you know is accurate. When you’ve done the research, it’s much harder for someone to poke holes in what you’re saying. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
5. Research helps you narrow your scope
When you’re circling a topic for the first time, you might not be exactly sure where to start. Most of the time, the amount of work ahead of you is overwhelming. Whether you’re writing a paper or formulating a business plan, it’s important to narrow the scope at some point. Research helps you identify the most unique and/or important themes. You can choose the themes that fit best with the project and its goals.
CHALLENGESS OF CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN LESS DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Meaning of Developing countries: countries of Asia, Africa, the middle east, Latin America, eastern Europe, and for soviet union, that are presently characterized by low levels of living and other development literature as a synonym for less developed countries. Problem of conducting economic research in Nigeria:
• Lack of public and private record (lack of record): This entails that records of
Public and private sector are not reveal to the public or masses and this hide the effectiveness of sorting research information which might have led to “breakthrough” in the society. When vital information needed to implement or carry out policy formulation is not disclose for public consumption, development is at the “mercy” of mediocracy. So therefore, lack of information needed in carrying out research is a challenge
• Lack of corporation from public and private sector institution: there is absolute lack of corporation between various institution and researcher and this impede development in developing countries.
• Poor infrastructural base: this is the major challenge facing research in developing nation. These infrastructural base constrains are electricity, internet connection, bad rood such that in attempt of collecting data a researcher may be unable to get across the desired area due to bad road and it affects data collection.
• Lack of funding and data collection: when the research is not well funded either by Government or self. This affect the research in the developing countries.
• Problem of illiteracy: this is often associated with data collection, when the majority of the population cannot read how then can they provide answers to research question being administered by the researcher through Questionnaires and other means of data collection. This negatively affect the quality of data collection and is a big challenge in the developing countries
• People perceive research as merely academic exercise and has no meaning.
NAME: NGADI GOD’S PROMISE CHICHOROBIM
REG NO:2018/242405
DEPARTMENT: ECONOMICS
EMAIL: emmanuelgodspromise@gmail.com
ANSWERS
PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
Purpose refers to the reason why something is done or used. It is the aim or intention of something, Therefore, the purpose of Research refers to the aim, reasons or intentions for carryyingout a research in any field of study. This could be personal or General. Personal in the s ense that they may be carried out majorly to prove or defend a theory of theirs.
Generally, the main purposes of Research are:
To influence action: The new knowledge obtained from a research work can influence the action of firms, policy makers, politicians and as many as the research work borders on.
Gathering evidence for theories: Theories can be propounded through Research work. It can also serve as a strengthening mechanism to the truths or statement of a theory.
Developing knowledge in a field of study: Research work is the major Parameter used in contributing and enlarging the scope or border of a particular field of study.
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
It serves as a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning i.e it increases the knowledge of people who are engaged in studying and aids their learning.
It is a means to understand issues(public and private) and to increase it’s awareness
It aids success in business.
It enlightens us to see both truth and lie and support truth.
It serves as a medium of finding, scrutinizing and seizing opportunities.
It builds our confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
Our mind receives nourishment and is exercised through the knowledge gained or the experience of Research.
2. clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
Unavailability of data: Most Researchers encounter this problem. Many atimes, the data needed to run analysis is unavailable and this could be as a result of the non-challantness of those who are suppose to source for it.
Difficulty in obtaining data: Some research work requires sensitive data and the organisation who have access to it might not be willing to give it out for the purpose of research.
Poor funding: Research in social sciences requires fund but Researchers in this field hardly get any from Government or private organisation and this impedes generally on the research work.
Development of conceptualisations: Developing countries also have “Developing Researchers” and they find it difficult to coin an idea or to generalise an issue and make it into a research topic.
Difficulty in maintaining objectivity: Researchers in developing countries who are not Experienced in research work often find it difficult in maintaining the objective of their study. They tend to stray away from the discourse and this could be as a result of the complexity of the study, or lack of focus by the researcher.
Difficulty in verifying of inferences: The results gotten many atimes are unverifiable meaning that they can’t be used in formulating policies or taking decisions.
Name: Edeh Amarachukwu Jennifer
Reg. No: 2018/248241
Dept: Economics/Psychology
QUESTION
As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
ANSWERS
The Purpose and Importance Of Research in Economics
The place of research cannot be underestimated. Research in different ways to drive economic growth and development and eventually improve the welfare of citizens.
Research is a very creative activity. It is carried out to creates new products and jobs as well as to establish new industries and minimize the costs of production. Research helps to improve the overall
national welfare. Research is the spearhead of economic growth in a modern industrial nation, it provides solutions to problems.
Therefore, the purpose of research is simply to find out what is already known, and discover what is not known and can be developed. This is why research is said to develop new ideas, theories and policies that can improve the lives of people and the society at large. Research serves as an eye opener or compass that helps us to understand the world and apply our understanding for better living and profering solutions to the problems of our everyday life.
Research takes three forms according to the purpose it is supposed to serve. Let us briefly discuss these forms of research below:
Exploratory research: Exploratory research is conducted to understand certain problems clearly and not to provide a conclusive solutions to the problems. It is conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploratory research serves the purpose of providing a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem. On the basis of the discovery of this research, more in-depth research can be conducted.
Descriptive: Descriptive research simply explains the knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research discusses the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not the ‘why’.
Explanatory: Explanatory research is the type of research that discusses the “why.” It identifies cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments. It is deterministic in nature.
The endpoint or purpose of timely and accurate economic research is therefore to create more sound economic policies for enhancing a stable and non-inflationary growth and for coping with various unexpected conditions in an ever-changing world.
Problems of conducting research in the social sciences
There are several problems a researcher would face while conducting research in the social sciences, especially in third world countries. These problems include;
-Lack of adequate data
-Poor funding
– Inadequate human capital development
– Poor infrastructure for conducting research
– little or no support from public and private institutions
– poor quality of research
– conducting of research as merely an academic activity rather than a development plan
– re-invention of the wheel/no value added to knowledge
– Illiteracy
Name: Joseph Chinonso Lucky
Reg. No.: 2018/241859
Department: Economics.
* Question.
During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”.It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
* Answer.
*purpose of research
Social science research can serve a variety of purposes. Three of the most influential and common purposes of research are exploration, description and explanation.
Exploration involves familiarizing a researcher with a topic. Exploration satisfies the researcher’s curiosity and desire for improved understanding. Exploration tests the feasibility of undertaking a more extensive study. Exploration helps develop the methods that will be used in a study.
Description involves describing situations and events through scientific observation. Scientific descriptions are typically more accurate and precise than causal ones. For example, the U. S. Census uses descriptive social research in its examination of characteristics of the U. S. population.
Explanation involves answering the questions of what, where, when, and how. Explanatory studies answer questions of why. For example, an explanatory analysis of the 2002 General Social Survey (GSS) data indicates that 38 percent of men and 30 percent of women said marijuana should be legalized, while 55 percent of liberals and 27 percent of conservatives said the same. Given these statistics, you could start to develop an explanation for attitudes toward marijuana legalization. In addition, further study of gender and political orientation could lead to a deeper explanation of this issue.
*Importance of research
1. A Knowledge Building Tool
The most prominent reason to engage in research is to enhance your knowledge. Even if you are an expert of your field, there is always more to uncover. If researching about a topic entirely new to you, it will help build your unique perspective about it. The whole process of research opens new doors of learning and literary growth.
2. Enables Efficient Learning
Studies reveal that research helps restore and protect memory and enhances mathematic and problem-solving skills. Therefore, it prepares the mind for a better understanding of concepts and theories. A person’s learning capacity is improved and they can perform better in comparison who is reluctant to research.
3. Aids Employment Prospects
Research has an undeniable role in the business industry. Successful companies have resources invested in research and development to have all the information they need of the market. Your academic phase helps you prepare for any research tasks you will have to accomplish in the future
4. Helps in Understanding Issues
It sheds light on problems that have not yet come out in the open. It gives people the opportunity to address issues and answer questions that the society doesn’t respond to.
5. Provides Truthful Evidence
The process of research can prove to dispel various myths that have been built up in our minds. They can either develop because of common belief or a wrong resource. Logical and fact-based knowledge is easily accessible if you only reach out to find the truth.
* problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
1. Religion.
Certain African region forbids a man having conversation with a married man. e.g. Northern Nigeria. Because it is a taboo to do such, it becomes difficult to carry out a research involving such.
2. Culture and traditions.
In some Yoruba land, they condemn telling people the number of children they have or their age. Because of this kind of tradition, surveys on the number of children in a family might be difficult to get.
3. Lack of priority and funding.
Governments of developing countries find research projects unnecessary and unimportant. Therefore they tend not to release funds to carry out research.
4. Communication.
Language barrier can also stand as a barrier.
5. Access to data.
This is another problem encountered by researchers. For instance certain data cannot be released to researchers e.g. GDP of Enugu state and other states in Nigeria.
NAME: Stephen Faith Kuranen.
REG.NO: 2018/242333
DEPT: Economics
EMAIL: faithkuranen@gmail.com
Assignment.
During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”.It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
Answer.
Good day ladies and gentlemen, my name is Stephen Faith Kuranen, i am the special adviser to the president and i will be talking on the topic purpose, importance and problems of conducting a good research in developing countries. First of, what is research? Research is a carefully analyse the problem or to do a detailed study of the specific problem by making use of special scientific methods. Research plays a very important role in our lifes maybe daily, weekly or even yearly. Now let’s go futher to THE PURPOSE OF RESEARCH.
It is the ability to gind out the answers to any specific problem that we do know that is data on statistics, theories and observation and real situations etc.
The main purpose of research according to (Owlcation.com) are to inform action, gather evidence for theories and contribute to developing knowledge in the field of study. It is also to enhance society by advancing knowledge through the development of scientific theories, concepts and ideas just what i said before. We can see the we can’t learn in this 21st century without Internet searching, creating, blogging, exploring and applying for one thing or the other. There are different purpose of research
1. Exploration: to get expand your knowledge beyond your field of study like the world torism on internet instead of traveling by transportation.
2. Description: it just like you want to travel to london and you don’t know how, you do research on places in that area or country.
3. Explanation: so now for me to address and give you all this explanations, i needed to research so i can be on track with what am talking about right! Yes and lastly but there are lots of them but i will just give you only four of them.
4. Application: we all know the search for jobs online and apply for them, why we research for them is because we want to know and get to find our result from what we are searching for that’s our purpose of research.
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
What are the importance of research?
1. To enhance Knowledge: for students in school it helps them with detailed information on a particular topic or courses.
2. Goal of research: is what are your expartise and skills that you want to pursure, your goal and solutions that you aim for. Resaerch will help you out.
3. Study Implications: like when you want to get job or a project done or go deep into topics that is helpful in a partcular niche sector for the future.
4. Clarifies confusion: when you in any sort of doubt or confusion in a complicated facts and figures, research helps in understanding them.
5. It helps in understanding a Report.
6. The Iterative process of Research: it helps to study deep and deep knowledge on expected results, outcome that leads to new ideas and the process of making data effective and useful.
7. To understand published works and about methoda and issues.
8. For more awareness and making the right choices for a career.
And that is all for importance of research. Now
The problems of conducting social science research in developing countries using Nigeria as case study. According to Dr Ogbuabor (2021) he gave us some problems which are
• Lack of public and private sector records: that is you cannot see an accurate record on some states while some don’t even have a statistical data in their states.
• Lack of corporation from public and private institutions: that is lack of support from public and private institutions like banks, hospitals, companies and schools.
• Poor Infractructural base: example electricity, network services and the rest of them.
• Illiteracy
• Mere Academic Execises: that is student sees research as just project but they don’t know that it is a lifestyle.
• Lack of finding correct data: that is why some project are being rejected for students because it will be very hard to find some data. So ladies and gentlemen that is all i have to say concerning research, we just have to come together and find a better solution to this problems Thank You for listening.
NAME: Stephen Faith Kuranen.
REG.NO: 2018/242333
DEPT: Economics
EMAIL: faithkuranen@gmail.com
Assignment.
During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”.It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
Answer.
Good day ladies and gentlemen, my name is Stephen Faith Kuranen, i am the special adviser to the president and i will be talking on the topic purpose, importance and problems of conducting a good research in developing countries. First of, what is research? Research is a carefully analyse the problem or to do a detailed study of the specific problem by making use of special scientific methods. Research plays a very important role in our lifes maybe daily, weekly or even yearly. Now let’s go futher to THE PURPOSE OF RESEARCH.
It is the ability to gind out the answers to any specific problem that we do know that is data on statistics, theories and observation and real situations etc.
The main purpose of research according to (Owlcation.com) are to inform action, gather evidence for theories and contribute to developing knowledge in the field of study. It is also to enhance society by advancing knowledge through the development of scientific theories, concepts and ideas just what i said before. We can see the we can’t learn in this 21st century without Internet searching, creating, blogging, exploring and applying for one thing or the other. There are different purpose of research
1. Exploration: to get expand your knowledge beyond your field of study like the world torism on internet instead of traveling by transportation.
2. Description: it just like you want to travel to london and you don’t know how, you do research on places in that area or country.
3. Explanation: so now for me to address and give you all this explanations, i needed to research so i can be on track with what am talking about right! Yes and lastly but there are lots of them but i will just give you only four of them.
4. Application: we all know the search for jobs online and apply for them, why we research for them is because we want to know and get to find our result from what we are searching for that’s our purpose of research.
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
What are the importance of research?
1. To enhance Knowledge: for students in school it helps them with detailed information on a particular topic or courses.
2. Goal of research: is what are your expartise and skills that you want to pursure, your goal and solutions that you aim for. Resaerch will help you out.
3. Study Implications: like when you want to get job or a project done or go deep into topics that is helpful in a partcular niche sector for the future.
4. Clarifies confusion: when you in any sort of doubt or confusion in a complicated facts and figures, research helps in understanding them.
5. It helps in understanding a Report.
6. The Iterative process of Research: it helps to study deep and deep knowledge on expected results, outcome that leads to new ideas and the process of making data effective and useful.
7. To understand published works and about methoda and issues.
8. For more awareness and making the right choices for a career.
And that is all for importance of research. Now
The problems of conducting social science research in developing countries using Nigeria as case study. According to Dr Ogbuabor (2021) he gave us some problems which are
• Lack of public and private sector records: that is you cannot see an accurate record on some states while some don’t even have a statistical data in their states.
• Lack of corporation from public and private institutions: that is lack of support from public and private institutions like banks, hospitals, companies and schools.
• Poor Infractructural base: example electricity, network services and the rest of them.
• Illiteracy
• Mere Academic Execises: that is student sees research as just project but they don’t know that it is a lifestyle.
• Lack of finding correct data: that is why some project are being rejected for students because it will be very hard to find some data. So ladies and gentlemen that is all i have to say concerning research, we just have to come together and find a better solution to this problems Thank You for listening.
1. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Research purposes
Research involves systematic investigation of phenomena, the purpose of which could be for:
1. Information gathering and/or
1. Exploratory: e.g., discovering, uncovering, exploring
2. Descriptive: e.g., gathering info, describing, summarizing
2. Theory testing
1. Explanatory: e.g., testing and understanding causal relations
2. Predictive: e.g., predicting what might happen in various scenarios
Why Is Research Important?
The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study. This article discusses the significance of research and the many reasons why it is important for everyone—not just students and scientists.
Understanding that research is important might seem like a no-brainer, but many people avoid it like the plague. Yet, for those who like to learn, whether they are members of a research institution or not, conducting research is not just important—it’s imperative.
Why Research Is Necessary and Valuable in Our Daily Lives
1. It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
2. It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
3. It helps us succeed in business.
4. It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
5. It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
6. It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
7. It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind.
2. Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
1. ETHICAL ISSUES
IN SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: USEFUL OR SYMBOLIC In many cases, it seems that an international PhD student may have difficulty in applying for the required ethical behaviour approval to collect data (by interview or questionnaire) due to the fact that there is are differences in the environment for conducting research between developed and developing countries. This concern arises particularly in relation to research topics relating to sensitive issues of culture or security in developing countries. This problem may affect the completion of research projects by international PhD students. This paper will examine the critical issues of ethical social research in developing countries, based on a researcher’s experience in conducting fieldwork in West Papua, Indonesia.
2. Absence of Coordination: There exists lack of coordination among various organizations responsible for performing research.
Problem of Conceptualization: Many a time problems of conceptualization and problems concerning the procedure for data collection and related things crop up leading to frittering of resources.
3. Scanty Information Base: This narrows down the volume and quality of literature accessible to a researcher. Put simply, not much research findings have been collected from where a researcher can take help.
Library management: Library management and functioning is not satisfactory in many Universities; A lot of time and energy is spent on tracing appropriate books, journals, reports etc. Also, many of the libraries are not able to get copies of new reports and other publications on time.
Research demands immediate action on the part pf the concerned authorities or personnel at national levels, so as to transform these challenges into major opportunities.
4. Insufficient data: Insufficiency of data is a potential problem. Most of the business establishments are of the opinion that researchers may misuse the data provided by them. This affects the purpose of research studies for which that particular data may be of utmost importance.
Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of research:
Exploratory: Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
the importance of research are
a. It encourages a love of learning that extends beyond classrooms.
b.The importance of research can be visible if we see it as the only means of proving theories.
c. Through research, we can gather updated information and to-the-point data.
d. By differentiating between valuable and vague data, it creates credibility.
e. Proper research of products and markets will make your business succeed.
f.Research facilitates learning process
g. Educational research plays a crucial role in knowledge advancement across different fields of study.
h. It provides answers to practical educational challenges using scientific methods.
i. Findings from educational research; especially applied research, are instrumental in policy reformulation.
j. For the researcher and other parties involved in this research approach, educational research improves learning, knowledge, skills, and understanding.
k. Educational research improves teaching and learning methods by empowering you with data to help you teach and lead more strategically and effectively.
l. Educational research helps students apply their knowledge to practical situations.
problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries includes
a.Human resources
The overall problem is largely one of resources and their allocation, coupled with a much smaller base of educated people in developing countries than usually found in the developed countries. Increasing the educated population is a slow business which will take a couple of generations or more, in many cases. It is therefore necessary to make the best use of the scientific manpower that there is available in the short term. Nowadays with the improved facilities which exist in most countries, undergraduate training is best carried out in the country, rather than in a developed country, which can lead to problems of re-assimilation on return home
b. Research priorities and funding
Scientists should realize that at least some of the responsibility for achieving general government support and specific funding rests on them. They cannot expect support just to come to them as of right. Members of government and higher civil servants are mostly nonscientists and it is necessary for scientists to go out and explain the significance of their work and what they hope to achieve, with the objective of building up a climate of support. This is true for scientists in developed countries, too, but it is especially important in developing countries
c. Research facilities
Scientific research is not cheap these days. At one time the most expensive item in a research programme was the salary of the research worker involved, nowadays the cost of equipment and its maintenance are ever increasing factors. Moreover, science is no longer neatly compartmented — every branch is interdependent with a number of other disciplines. Today, too, biological and agricultural research is more dependent on physical methods of analysis, isotope and radiation techniques, etc., and a modern research station requires a whole range of sophisticated equipment.
d. Communication
Keeping in contact with the mainstream of ideas and developments is a major problem for scientists in most developing countries, if a high level of scientific attainment is aspired to. Particularly South of the Equator, there is both a geographical and communication problem relative to the well-established scientific centres of the Northern Hemisphere. Frequent contact for intellectual stimulation, as well as for keeping up-to-date is thus very important, and for this the short scientific visit or study tour has proved to be extremely valuable.
e. Importation problems
In most developing countries the difficulties and cost of importing scientific equipment and spare parts is a principal limiting factor to scientific research but seldom recognized by governments. Obtaining permission for the necessary foreign exchange can be both difficult and time consuming. Almost all developing countries have balance of payment problems, especially since the great increase in the price of oil, and governments’ basic reasons for tight foreign exchange control are fully understood. They wish to reduce imports and to encourage local manufacture.
Research is defined as the creation of new knowledge and/or the use of existing knowledge in a new and creative way so as to generate new concepts, methodologies and understandings.
Research can also be seen as a process of systematic inquiry that entails collection of data; documentation of critical information; and analysis and interpretation of that data/information, in accordance with suitable methodologies set by specific professional fields and academic disciplines.
The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study. This article discusses the significance of research and the many reasons why it is important for everyone—not just students and scientists.
Research is of outmost importance mainly ;
REASONS WHY RESEARCH IS IMPORTANT
Why Is Research Important?
The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study. This article discusses the significance of research and the many reasons why it is important for everyone—not just students and scientists.
Understanding that research is important might seem like a no-brainer, but many people avoid it like the plague. Yet, for those who like to learn, whether they are members of a research institution or not, conducting research is not just important—it’s imperative.
Why Research Is Necessary and Valuable in Our Daily Lives
It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awarness.
It helps us succeed in business.
It allows us to disprove lies and support truths
It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind.
Some of the problems encounted when conducting social science reaserch in developing countries are :
is impossible to ask for informed consent from members of such
communities, because they do not want to be investigated. It has also
been argued that the very act of seeking informed consent from some
research participant can lead to a change in the attitude of the
research participant towards giving information to the researchers.
2 second issue relates to the role of researcher as participant‐
observer. The main concern here is that the researcher should be
neutral in order to maintain their aim of ‘objectivity’ in their research
project
3third issue concerns the nature of ethical regulation. With
universities setting up Ethics Committees to review research
proposals through a process of ethical review, and with academics
under pressure to obtain for research grants (Biber, 2005), researchers
have raised concerns that increased ethical review is circumscribing
their ability to make their own decisions about ethical issues relating
to their specific projects.
2018/243825
Answers
Before finding out the purpose of research we must therefore know that research is the systematic investigation to find new things or investigate further into the known.
The Various purpose of research include
1. To answer various questions in the society today. Man is really inquisitive and always seeks to know more by questioning everything they come across so personally, research is carried out to figure out why things are the way they are
2. For Hypothesis testing. From all my study there alot of assumptions in the world today about happenings around the world and people would want to go deeper into its roots to confirm if these said assumptions are actually true.
3. For the purpose of planning. When research is carried out, and alot are discovered especially in economics for example, we would be able to plan ahead by formulating the appropriate policies and taking the appropriate measures. Even in our businesses we can carry out research on what people want and implement them in our businesses and also make other plans.
4. To add more knowledge to us as human beings. We are wise and critical thinking creatures who need to expand our knowledge on the world that God left us to handle.
Now for the problems of conducting social science research in developing countries. They are
• lack of planning, Attimes we fail to plan the way we are to go about the research and this is a strong problem as we won’t arrive at anything reasonable if we don’t plan.
• lack of moral incentives. Some researchers go into the research for ways to better their way of life but once the research involves something else we tend to ignore it. Developed countries often do it because of their zeal to expand their horizons and not for what they benefit.
• shortage of time available for research. Some researchers are given little time to conduct such research and this could have a huge toll on the researchers as they would only be able to do so little in the available time.
• underdeveloped informatics structure and lack of available funding. In alot of developing countries, the major problem they face is due to lack of funding and without funds nothing can be done. Underdeveloped informatics structure I guess means underdeveloped structures which makes such information available as we tend to forget about the little details that matter we miss alot of things.
Eze Chidera Aloysius
2018/242420
Economic research generates a wide array of benefits. These include information, technological change, and improved policy. There are few quantitative studies of the benefits of economic research, and some benefits may be misattributed to biological and physical research. To be productive, economic research must be transmitted and the user must be able to use it. Therefore, investment in extension outreach and economic literacy are important to improve its impact. Even casual observation suggests that economic research is valuable, but noneconomists must be convinced of this. Since benefits are likely to be concentrated in a small number of successful projects, a useful approach to the assessment of the benefits of research is to identify these projects and their results. The analysis must recognize that the accuracy of any estimates of benefits is uncertain. In addition, the argument behind the estimates should be transparent, relying on documentation and testimony from users, policymakers, and noneconomists. Assessments of the benefits of economic research provide information that can be used both to justify support for economic research and to allocate monies among lines of research.
QUESTION 1;What are the purpose/importance of research in LDCs
ANSWERS
The purpose of research in general could be stated as follows:
a Data obtained through research enables us understand existing phenomena. understanding existing phenomena deals with a comprehensive search on what exists.
b It enables researchers to establish the existence and extent of relationships between variables. in the society, many variables impact on others positively or negatively in varying degrees.The knowledge of the extent of causality or correlation between variables is very useful for adequate control and manipulation of such variables during experimentation and policy making.
c. Research helps to provide answers to unknown problems.
d. Research helps us with data for the purposes of extrapolation, forecasting and policy especially during the occurrences.
e. It helps to formulate or refine theories inorder to enrich the school curriculum or frontiers of knowledge.
QUESTION 2:CHALLENGES OF CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN LDCs
ANSWERS
a. Lack of co- operation from the public
b. Inadequate archival or public records
c. Underdeveloped infrastructural base
Name :Akachukwu Christian Nonso
Dept:Economics
Reg No:2018/249531
Eco 391(development research)
(1)
The role of research in several fields of applied economics, whether related to business or to the economy as a whole, has greatly increased in modern times.
The increasingly complex nature of business and government has focused attention on the use of research in solving operational problems. Research, as an aid to economic policy, has gained added importance, both for government and business. •
Research provides the basis for nearly all government policies in our economic system. For instance, government’s budgets rest in part on an analysis of the needs and desires of the people and on the availability of revenues to meet these needs.
The cost of needs has to be equated to probable revenues and this is an aspect where research is mostly welcomed. Through research we can devise alternative policies and
can as well examine the implications of each of these alternative.
Decision-making may not be a part of research, but research certainly facilitates the decisions of the policy maker. Government has also to chalk out programmes for dealing with all facets of the country’s existence and most of these will be related directly or indirectly to economic conditions. The plight of cultivators, the problems of big and small business and industry, working conditions, trade union activities, the problems of distribution, even the size and nature of defence services are matters requiring investigation.
Thus, research is considered necessary with regard to the allocation of nations’ resources. • Research has its special significance in solving various operational and planning problems of business and industry.
Operations research and market research, along with motivational research, are considered crucial and their results assist, in more than one way, in taking business decisions. Market research is the investigation of the structure and development of a market for the purpose of formulating efficient policies for purchasing, production and sales. Operations research refers to the application of mathematical, logical and analytical techniques to the solution of business problems of cost minimization or of profit maximization or the combination of the two called optimization problems.
Motivational research of determining why people behave as they do is mainly concerned with market characteristics. In other words, it is concerned with the determination of drives underlying the consumer (market) behaviour. All these are of great help to people in business and industry who are responsible for business decisions making.
Research with regard to demand and market factors has great utility in business. Given knowledge of future demand, it is generally not difficult for a firm, or for an industry to alter its supply schedule within the bounds of its anticipated capacity. Market analysis has become an essential device of making business policy these days. Business budgeting, which eventually results in a projected profit and loss account, is founded primarily on sales estimates which in turn depend on business research. Once an organization is able to project her sales, efficient production and investment programmes can be planned, this will include the purchasing and financing plans. Research, thus, replaces intuitive business decisions by more logical and scientific decisions. •
Research is equally significant for social scientists in studying social relationships and in seeking answers to various social problems.
It provides the intellectual satisfaction of knowing a few things just for the sake of knowledge and also, it has practical utility for the social scientist to know for the sake of being able to do something better or in a more efficient manner.
Research is concerned with both knowledge for its own sake and knowledge for what it can contribute to practical concerns. “This double emphasis is perhaps especially appropriate in the case of social science.” On the one hand, its responsibility as a science is to develop a body of principles that make possible the understanding and prediction of the whole range of human interactions.
Objectives of Research :-
The purpose of any research is to find solutions to problems through the application of scientific procedures.
The main purpose of research is to find out the truth which is not known and is yet to be revealed.
Though each research study has its own specific purpose, we may think of research objectives as falling into a number of groups. These include: •
To gain acquaintance with a phenomenon or to have understandings into it (studies with this object in mind are tagged exploratory or formativeresearch); •
To show accurately the features of a particular individual, situation or a group (studies with this objective are known as descriptiveresearch); •
To determine the rate at which something occurs or with which it is associated with something else (studies with this kind of objective in view are known as diagnosticresearch);
To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between two or more variables (such studies are referred to as hypothesis-testingresearch).
(2) There are various problem associated with social science research in developing countries which are the following :-
Lack of communication with the supervisor: A university professor is a busy person. It is important to have guidance on a research project. Poor communication gets on the way of the progress of the research. It is important to communicate with the supervisor to clarify the doubts regarding the research topic, to know what the supervisor expects from you and to learn more about your research topic.
Time management: Spending ample time in learning the skills and practical implementation consumes a lot of time. In such a scenario, taking out time for intense research and to draft a top-notch research paper becomes impossible.
Not having a definite deadline: Deadlines are stressful. But not having a deadline can be troublesome during the Ph.D. journey. Deadlines help you get closer to your goals. Many times, Universities fail to implement a due date to submit the research paper, leading to confusion and improper time management among the scholars.
A quantity of literature: It can be difficult to deal with the quantity of literature that one might have accessed. The literature review is iterative. This involves managing the literature, accessing data that supports the framework of the research, identifying keywords and alternative keywords, as well as constantly looking for new sources.
Implementing quality of writing within the literature review: A literature review has to go beyond being a series of references and citations. You need to interpret the literature and be able to position it within the context of your study. This requires careful and measured interpretation and writing in which you synthesize and bring together the materials that you have read.
Insufficient data: Insufficiency of data is a potential problem. Most of the business establishments are of the opinion that researchers may misuse the data provided by them. This affects the purpose of research studies for which that particular data may be of utmost importance.
Lack of confidence: Lack of confidence is one of the most common problems among researchers. Researchers with low self-esteem feel less motivated thereby affecting the quality of the work.
Concern that your focus is either still too broad or too narrow: This concern is inevitable. Be prepared to adapt your research as you look through the literature. This might require you to either increase its focus or narrow down so that the research is manageable. A broad focus for research might be narrowed down by adding an appropriate context or by looking for another variable within the research question or by focusing upon a theoretical viewpoint.
Library management: Library management and functioning is not satisfactory in many Universities; A lot of time and energy is spent on tracing appropriate books, journals, reports etc. Also, many of the libraries are not able to get copies of new reports and other publications on time.
Research demands immediate action on the part pf the concerned authorities or personnel at national levels, so as to transform these challenges into major opportunities.
NAME: UGWU CYNTHIA UGOCHUKWU
REG:2018/245470
DET:ECONOMICS MAJOR
COURSE:ECO 391
ASSIGNMENT
PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study. This article discusses the significance of research and the many reasons why it is important for everyone—not just students and scientists.
1. It’s a Tool for Building Knowledge and Facilitating Learning
Research is required not just for students and academics but for all professionals and nonprofessionals alike. It is also important for budding and veteran writers, both offline and online.
Knowledge is commonly described as a factual proposition in the mind of an individual. It essentially refers to facts based on objective insights and/or study findings processed by the human brain. It can be acquired through various means, such as reading books and articles, listening to experts, watching documentaries or investigative shows, conducting scientific experiments, and interacting with other people, among others. Facts collected during research can be checked against other sources to ensure their truthfulness and accuracy.
2. It’s a Means to Understand Issues and Increase Public Awareness
Using Research to Understand Current Issues
Television shows and movies—both fictional and nonfictional—ooze with research. For instance, Oprah Winfrey would have not achieved remarkable success as a news anchor and television show host had she eschewed doing her own research about certain topics and public figures. According to entrepreneur and lifestyle coach Paul C. Brunson, in his interview with emotional intelligence expert and author Justin.
Using Research to Create Realistic Fiction and Stories
A number of films, theater plays, broadcast dramas, and online videos present stories based on real-life events and problems. A serious writer or content producer sees how vital research is in substantiating the context of the stories they are telling to entertain and educate audiences through different media platforms.
Good business is built on sound research.
3. It Helps Us Succeed in Business
The Importance of Research and Development (R&D)
Research benefits business. Many successful companies, such as those producing consumer goods or mass-market items, invest in research and development, or R and D. Different industries that involve science and engineering processes (like agriculture, food and beverage, manufacturing, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, computer software, semiconductor, information and communication technology, construction, robotics, aerospace, aviation, and energy) have high R and D expenses because it is critical to the creation and improvement of their products and services.
Market Research and Targeted Marketing
Research can also help a company maintain a positive commercial image, retain existing customers, and attract new customers through targeted marketing. Marketing is a type of communication, and for that communication to be effective, businesses need to understand their customers.
4. It Allows Us to Disprove Lies and Support Truths
News outlets around the world are reporting on the news that Pope Francis has made the unprecedented decision to endorse US presidential candidate Donald Trump. (Reported in July 2016, by the WTOE 5 News)
After gay club massacre, Phoenix LGBT officially endorses Trump. (Reported on June 13, 2016, by the Gateway Pundit)
African-American supporter of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has died after allegedly sustaining gunshot wounds in the aftermath of Friday night’s chaos in Chicago. (Reported on March 12, 2016, by the Christian Times Newspaper)
According to Pew Research, social media, especially Facebook, serves as a primary source of news for over 60 percent of adult Americans (Chang, Lefferman, Pedersen, and Martz, 2016). In addition to fueling social media company profits, fake news has become profitable for pseudo-journalists whose main goal is to attract reader clicks that lead to Google Adsense revenue.
Fact-checking to determine the truth is integral to the process of research. Murray, Social News, and UGC Hub (2016) suggest that before news readers share information on social media, they need to assess the integrity of the news source and check for similar news on legitimate media outlets.
Genuine journalists do not rely on imagination for their news reports, nor do they avoid doing research. They eschew propaganda and have no intention of misleading the public. They are messengers of useful information—not lies.
Opportunities for success come more easily when we’re well informed.
Opportunities for success come more easily when we’re well informed.
Kelly Sikkema via Unsplash; Canva.
5. It Is a Means to Find, Gauge, and Seize Opportunities
Research helps people nurture their potential and achieve goals by taking advantage of various opportunities. This can mean securing employment, being awarded scholarships or grants, securing project funding, initiating a business collaboration, finding budget travel opportunities, or securing other little wins.
Using Research to Maximize Job and Career Options
For those looking for a job or seeking greener pastures, research is necessary. With thorough research, an individual can increase their chances of finding employment by scouring job-posting sites, contacting employment agencies.
6. It Promotes a Love of Reading, Writing, Analyzing, and Sharing Valuable Information
Research for Critical Thinking
Research entails both reading and writing. These two literacy functions help maintain critical thinking and comprehension. Without these skills, research is far more difficult. Reading opens the mind to a vast reservoir of knowledge, while writing helps us express our own perspectives and transform our thoughts into more concrete ideas in a way others can understand.
WHY RESEARCH IS IMPORTANT FOR STUDENT
1. A Knowledge Building Tool
The most prominent reason to engage in research is to enhance your knowledge. Even if you are an expert of your field, there is always more to uncover. If researching about a topic entirely new to you, it will help build your unique perspective about it. The whole process of research opens new doors of learning and literary growth.
2. Enables Efficient Learning
Studies reveal that research helps restore and protect memory and enhances mathematic and problem-solving skills. Therefore, it prepares the mind for a better understanding of concepts and theories. A person’s learning capacity is improved and they can perform better in comparison who is reluctant to research.
4. Helps in Understanding Issues
It sheds light on problems that have not yet come out in the open. It gives people the opportunity to address issues and answer questions that the society doesn’t respond to.
5. Provides Truthful Evidence
The process of research can prove to dispel various myths that have been built up in our minds. They can either develop because of common belief or a wrong resource. Logical and fact-based knowledge is easily accessible if you only reach out to find the truth.
6. Keeps You Updated on Recent Information
In various fields, especially ones that are related to science, there are always new discoveries to explore. Research prevents you from remaining behind or have inaccurate information about a topic. You can use the latest knowledge to build upon ideas or talk confidently about a subject if required. Which takes us to the next factor about building credibility.
PROBLEMS OF RESEARCH
Growing Pressure for Positive Results
Science is a competitive field. Scientists have intense pressure to produce meaningful results. As a result, fewer and fewer papers are being published that show “negative results”—i.e. that their hypothesis was false. In 1990, “negative results” accounted for 30% of published papers—that number has fallen to a mere 14%.
Another problem is that scientists are under pressure to publish new, groundbreaking research, rather than performing studies to replicate results from previous research. Journals are exclusive and want to publish striking results that present a “major advance.” Replicating studies, however, is extremely important. It’s a key part of confirming findings and eliminating scientific fraud.
Sloppy Lab Work
Labs can often be messy and chaotic. In far too many cases, samples and chemicals are mislabeled and even forgotten. The Wall Street Journal took a hard look at this issue after a cancer researcher had his work on head-and-neck cancer retracted from the journal Oral Oncology due to the fact that the cells he was studying were actually cervical cancer cells. The WSJ highlights the extent of the problem: “Cancer experts seeking to solve the problem have found that a fifth to a third or more of cancer cell lines tested were mistakenly identified—with researchers unwittingly studying the wrong cancers, slowing progress toward new treatments and wasting precious time and money.”
The problem is incredibly widespread: “Cell repositories in the U.S., U.K., Germany and Japan have estimated that 18% to 36% of cancer cell lines are incorrectly identified.
While the National Institutes of Health and the scientific community are slowly trying to weed out these problems by increasing scrutiny on papers submitted using cell lines and setting up a central repository of cell lines, cell contamination remains a major problem in scientific research.
Sloppy lab conditions can also lead to another major problem: mycoplasma infestations. Mycoplasma is a bacteria that can spread rapidly throughout lab cultures, compromising scientists’ potential findings. The problem is also widespread. A recent article in Nature covered the problem and interviewed researchers who “found that more than one-tenth of gene-expression studies, many published in leading journals, show evidence of Mycoplasma contamination.
Fraudulent Findings
Alarmingly, the pressure to produce prestigious research has led a number of scientists to simply fake results or plagiarize from other researchers. In the last year, articles have been retracted from prestigious journals in which authors:
“Knowingly and intentionally falsifying” results in a study of cancerous tumors,
Duplication or “self-plagiarism” in a study of liver cancer,
“Large sections of text duplicated from previously published articles” in a study of gastrointestinal cancer.
Unfortunately, this is just a small sample of the many instances of fraud every year. A recent study found that fraud is the reason for 43% of all journal retractions.
ERHIJAKPOR FLOURISH OGHENEOCHUKOME
2018/242450
ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT
QUESTION 1: What do you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
ANSWER
In my opinion and indeed from my research on what research entails, research has 2 GENERAL purposes:
1. Increasing knowledge within the discipline
2. Increasing knowledge within oneself as a professional consumer of research in order to evaluate and understand new developments within the discipline.
Increasing knowledge within the discipline can serve several sub purposes:
1. To create methods to assess important concepts and phenomena
2. To describe relevant phenomena and their relationships
3. To provide evidence for the efficacy of a therapeutic technique or other change
4. To provide support for the theoretical base of the discipline
With regards to the purpose of increasing knowledge within professionals, today’s professional cannot simply rely on the statements of a workshop instructor or newspaper to determine what should
be included in an intervention. Even journal articles need to be scrutinized for weak designs, inappropriate data analyses, or incorrect interpretation of these analyses. Current professionals must have the research and reasoning skills to be able to make sound decisions and support them.
The importance of research cannot be overemphasized. Infact, we really couldn’t have survived as long as we have without research. We would have become ignorant and uninformed. We wouldn’t be capable of comprehending or moving forward. Millions of new things are yet to be discovered. Humanity is propelled forward by research. Curiosity drives it: we become curious, ask questions, and engage ourselves in learning everything there is to know. Learning is progressing. Without curiosity and research, progress would stall and our lives as we know them would be significantly altered. With research, all of discovery is possible.
CHALLENGES OF CONDUCTING RESEARCH
Research by nature, is a critical challenging task and requires in-depth knowledge of the subject matter, planning, care, and hard work.
QUESTION 2:
ANSWER:
When we talk about Social Science Research, it means research conducted by social scientists following a systematic plan.
Social science research is chiefly driven by two forces: (a) interest in knowledge about the functioning of society in its diverse social, cultural, political and economic aspects, and in understanding the factors that shape them;
and (b) the practical needs of policy makers and managers in government, civil society and the private sector for reliable information and professional analysis.
Social science research in developing countries must overcome many difficulties and barriers that are not present in developed countries.
If a serious study of the availability of reliable data is undertaken, the
situation in many developing countries is likely to be found to be quite
alarming. It is not only a question of lack of data; in many situations, the
position is more a case of poor quality data than of no data. Further, there
are situations where data are available, but minimal or no use is made of
the same owing to lack of proper infrastructure or suitable opportunity.
Developing countries have limited adminstrative capacity and a
restricted supply of trained manpower. Trained statisticians are particularly likely
to be scarce at the middle and senior levels.
The official statistical collection system and infrastructure in many
developing countries is much more fragile than in developed ones, and in
social statistics, which have relied primarily on administrative sources, the
collection system is particularly weak.
A major intellectual problem of the survey researcher in developing countries is the
problem of equivalence of data. Not only are there major differences
between developing countries, there are also major variations within developing
countries. There are major differences between urban and rural areas, as well as
within them. Population mobility is high. Geographical, cultural and regional
diffrences may be extreme; for example, different types of agriculture may be
found in the same society, ranging from nomadic pastoralism through small-
scale subsistence farming to modern commercial production. Ethnic and racial
differences are not uncommon. Language differences are widespread, and most
developing countries use more than one language.
Such heterogeneity poses formidable problems, particularly for the survey
researcher. For the social survey, as it has developed in the industrial west, tends
to assume a degree of homogeneity in the population being studied.
Name: oguegbu chiamaka maureen
Reg no: 2018/242309
Department: Economics
Assignment
The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study. This article discusses the significance of research and the many reasons why it is important for everyone—not just students and scientists.The purpose of research is to further understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life. It is an integral part of problem solving.
Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of research:
Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
Understanding that research is important might seem like a no-brainer, but many people avoid it like the plague. Some importance of research are:
It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.It helps us succeed in business.
It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind.
Problems of conducting social science Research in least developing countries include:
1. Lack of training: there is scarcity of adequate qualified researchers in least developing countries.
2. Lack of data: most data needed by researchers in least developing countries are hard to find/get
3. Non-cooperation of respondents: due to cultural or religious norms, some respondents do not respond to certain questions on the questionnaire. Such questions can include questions on birth control etc. Some cultures do not allow for foreigners/strangers to come into their land and question their women as is the case of the Hausa/Fulani tribe where a male who is not directly related to the female is not permitted to see her.
4. Lack of funding: there is little or no funding available to researchers to aid them in carrying out their work
5. Time management: researchers may find it difficult to meet up with their research deadline due to the numerous challenges before them.
NAME: Olayiwola Nurudeen Akanni
REG NO: 2018/246563
DEPARTMENT: Economics
COURSE: Eco 391
Assignment
During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”.It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
Answer
I will present the above question by stating the Purpose and Importance of Research, likewise the problems of conducting Social Sciences research in developing countries which are as follow;
Purpose of Research
Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of research:
Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
Importance of Research
1. Research expands your knowledge base
The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
2. Research gives you the latest information
Research encourages you to find the most recent information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.
3. Research helps you know what you’re up against
In business, you’ll have competition. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to helps you formulate your plans and strategies. You can figure out what sets you apart. In other types of research, like medicine, your research might identify diseases, classify symptoms, and come up with ways to tackle them. Even if your “enemy” isn’t an actual person or competitor, there’s always some kind of antagonist force or problem that research can help you deal with.
4. Research builds your credibility
People will take what you have to say more seriously when they can tell you’re informed. Doing research gives you a solid foundation on which you can build your ideas and opinions. You can speak with confidence about what you know is accurate. When you’ve done the research, it’s much harder for someone to poke holes in what you’re saying. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
5. Research helps you narrow your scope
When you’re circling a topic for the first time, you might not be exactly sure where to start. Most of the time, the amount of work ahead of you is overwhelming. Whether you’re writing a paper or formulating a business plan, it’s important to narrow the scope at some point. Research helps you identify the most unique and/or important themes. You can choose the themes that fit best with the project and its goals.
6. Research teaches you better discernment
Doing a lot of research helps you sift through low-quality and high-quality information. The more research you do on a topic, the better you’ll get at discerning what’s accurate and what’s not. You’ll also get better at discerning the gray areas where information may be technically correct but used to draw questionable conclusions.
7. Research introduces you to new ideas
You may already have opinions and ideas about a topic when you start researching. The more you research, the more viewpoints you’ll come across. This encourages you to entertain new ideas and perhaps take a closer look at yours. You might change your mind about something or, at least, figure out how to position your ideas as the best ones.
8. Research helps with problem-solving
Whether it’s a personal or professional problem, it helps to look outside yourself for help. Depending on what the issue is, your research can focus on what others have done before. You might just need more information, so you can make an informed plan of attack and an informed decision. When you know you’ve collected good information, you’ll feel much more confident in your solution.
9. Research helps you reach people
Research is used to help raise awareness of issues like climate change, racial discrimination, gender inequality, and more. Without hard facts, it’s very difficult to prove that climate change is getting worse or that gender inequality isn’t progressing as quickly as it should. The public needs to know what the facts are, so they have a clear idea of what “getting worse” or “not progressing” actually means. Research also entails going beyond the raw data and sharing real-life stories that have a more personal impact on people.
10. Research encourages curiosity
Having curiosity and a love of learning take you far in life. Research opens you up to different opinions and new ideas. It also builds discerning and analytical skills. The research process rewards curiosity. When you’re committed to learning, you’re always in a place of growth. Curiosity is also good for your health. Studies show curiosity is associated with higher levels of positivity, better satisfaction with life, and lower anxiety.
Problems of conducting social sciences research in developing countries
1. Lack of Scientific Training: The research methodology is not systematic. Many researchers undertake research work without having actual knowledge of the research methods. Even the guides do not have a thorough knowledge of the various methodologies. Before undertaking research projects, researchers should be well equipped with all the methodological aspects.
2. Lack of communication with the supervisor: A university professor is a busy person. It is important to have guidance on a research project. Poor communication gets on the way of the progress of the research. It is important to communicate with the supervisor to clarify the doubts regarding the research topic, to know what the supervisor expects from you and to learn more about your research topic.
3. Time management: Spending ample time in learning the skills and practical implementation consumes a lot of time. In such a scenario, taking out time for intense research and to draft a top-notch research paper becomes impossible.
4. Not having a definite deadline: Deadlines are stressful. But not having a deadline can be troublesome during the Ph.D. journey. Deadlines help you get closer to your goals. Many times, Universities fail to implement a due date to submit the research paper, leading to confusion and improper time management among the scholars.
5. A quantity of literature: It can be difficult to deal with the quantity of literature that one might have accessed. The literature review is iterative. This involves managing the literature, accessing data that supports the framework of the research, identifying keywords and alternative keywords, as well as constantly looking for new sources.
6.Implementing quality of writing within the literature review: A literature review has to go beyond being a series of references and citations. You need to interpret the literature and be able to position it within the context of your study. This requires careful and measured interpretation and writing in which you synthesize and bring together the materials that you have read.
7. Insufficient data: Insufficiency of data is a potential problem. Most of the business establishments are of the opinion that researchers may misuse the data provided by them. This affects the purpose of research studies for which that particular data may be of utmost importance.
8. Lack of confidence: Lack of confidence is one of the most common problems among researchers. Researchers with low self-esteem feel less motivated thereby affecting the quality of the work.
9. Concern that your focus is either still too broad or too narrow: This concern is inevitable. Be prepared to adapt your research as you look through the literature. This might require you to either increase its focus or narrow down so that the research is manageable. A broad focus for research might be narrowed down by adding an appropriate context or by looking for another variable within the research question or by focusing upon a theoretical viewpoint.
10. Library management: Library management and functioning is not satisfactory in many Universities; A lot of time and energy is spent on tracing appropriate books, journals, reports etc. Also, many of the libraries are not able to get copies of new reports and other publications on time.
NOTE: Research demands immediate action on the part of the concerned authorities or personnel at national levels, so as to transform these challenges into major opportunities.
Odo Onochie Godsmark
2017/249540
Economics department
2nd September 2021
Assignments
1. The purpose of research include:
The purpose of research is to further understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life. It is an integral part of problem solving.
Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of research:
a. Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
b. Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
c. Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
2. The importance of research include:
1. A Knowledge Building Tool
The most prominent reason to engage in research is to enhance your knowledge. Even if you are an expert of your field, there is always more to uncover. If researching about a topic entirely new to you, it will help build your unique perspective about it. The whole process of research opens new doors of learning and literary growth.
2. Enables Efficient Learning
Studies reveal that research helps restore and protect memory and enhances mathematic and problem-solving skills. Therefore, it prepares the mind for a better understanding of concepts and theories. A person’s learning capacity is improved and they can perform better in comparison who is reluctant to research.
3. Aids Employment Prospects
Research has an undeniable role in the business industry. Successful companies have resources invested in research and development to have all the information they need of the market. Your academic phase helps you prepare for any research tasks you will have to accomplish in the future
4. Helps in Understanding Issues
It sheds light on problems that have not yet come out in the open. It gives people the opportunity to address issues and answer questions that the society doesn’t respond to.
5. Provides Truthful Evidence
The process of research can prove to dispel various myths that have been built up in our minds. They can either develop because of common belief or a wrong resource. Logical and fact-based knowledge is easily accessible if you only reach out to find the truth.
6. Develops a Love of Reading and Analyzing
Reading and writing are the core elements of research. So, they automatically become familiar to you if you are involved in researching facts and figures. Reading helps open your mind to a never-ending horizon of knowledge. While developing writing skills gives you the ability to express in a constructive way.
7. Exercises your Mind
Letting your mind frequently absorb logic and creativity allows it to become more active. It creates a healthy curiosity that fuels the brain and makes it seek new answers.
8. Keeps You Updated on Recent Information
In various fields, especially ones that are related to science, there are always new discoveries to explore. Research prevents you from remaining behind or have inaccurate information about a topic. You can use the latest knowledge to build upon ideas or talk confidently about a subject if required. Which takes us to the next factor about building credibility.
9. Builds Credibility
People tend to take a person’s ideas seriously when it evident he or she are well informed about them. Being involved in research helps in forming a solid foundation to build an opinion upon. It also makes it much harder for people to find fault in something you have proposed.
10. Focuses your Scope
If you are delving into a topic for the first time, it might be confusing where to begin. Most of the time you have an overwhelming amount of information to sort through. Research helps in narrowing down to the most important and unique points so you are able to write meaningfully.
11. Teaches Discernment
When you become adept at research you can easily identify between low- and high-quality data. You will get better at discerning accurate from false information. Any gray areas will also become clear where the facts are correct but conclusions might be questionable.
12. Introduces New Ideas
It is possible that you already have ideas and opinions about a topic you are researching upon. The more research is done, the more viewpoints are unearthed. It encourages one to entertain fresh ideas and review your own perspective too. It can even change your mind about a concept or two.
13. Raises Awareness
By doing research on important issues like racial injustice, climate change and gender inequality, you can reach out to people. This type of research goes beyond data collection and consists sharing of real stories that create awareness.
14. Encourages Curiosity
A love for learning new things can last a lifetime if you have sources to fuel it. Even the most basic research opens up new possibilities and develops analytical skills. It is reward to the curiosity burning away inside any human being. When you have committed yourself to gaining knowledge it constantly helps you to grow.
15. Prepares you to Deal with the Future
If you are a business studies student, you can discover how to form plans and strategies once you are employed in the field. You can figure out your goals for ahead. In areas like medicine, research helps you identify diseases, symptoms and reveals new ways to eradicate them. Hence you can prepare for the real world by knowing more about the challenges you have to face.
These were some of the reasons why research work is so important in education.
3. discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
a. Problem of maintaining objectivity: The problem of impartiality is in part a problem of objectivity. It is generally argued that the social scientists are less objective than natural scientist because their own interest affected by the findings of their studies, hence leading to prejudice and bias.
b. Unpredictability: Predictability is one of the most important characteristics of science. In case of physical science, high degree of predictability is possible but it is not so in case of social data. But this statement is also partially true; the social scientist can roughly estimate the behavior of the group.
c. Difficulty in the Verification of the Inferences: In social science research, the events of social sciences are non repetitive and the social scientists are ill-equipped with their tools to verify inferences.
d. Difficulty in the Use of Experimental Method: In case of social science research, its product being a human being cannot be put to laboratory test. Even if it is done, their responses wouldn’t be natural but subject to the awareness of the artificial condition. Thus the social scientist has to watch them in wide world.
e. Incapability of being dealt through empirical method: An empirical method cannot be applied in case of social science research as repeated experiment is not possible, for example, the problem of unbiased sampling, selection of data etc.
f. Problems of inter-disciplinary research: Social science being, inter-disciplinary one related with, Economics, Political Science and Sociology, we cannot draw water-tight compartments for each other social sciences.
Purpose of Research
The purpose of a thing refers to the reasom for its being. Why is there researcg, why does Research exist
1.To solve problem. Every Research has a problem in min, that is that identified solution that arouses a restlessness and a curiosity (both of which are deep) on the researcher.
2. To prove a point: it could be a theory or a concept developed or propounded by one, it becomes imperative for one to carry out a research to ascertain and know the level of truth and the accuracy in that theory
3. Informed action: The results or conclusions from a search enables us to take literate and appropriate actions; actions not biased or based on sentiments but in replicable and verifiable research finding
4. Contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study; research is the bedrock of academia, one researchers findings becomes a necessary topic in a particular course or a particular course in a particular discipline.
5. Enhance society by enhancing knowledge through development of concepts and theories; this is self explanatory because as man grows sin knowlit reflects in all his endeavours and man makes up the society ; a better man( a knowledgeable man) is a better society.
The importance of Research are as follows;
1. It’s a tool for facilitating knowledge and learning
2. It’s a means to understanding issues and increase public awareness
3. It helps us to succeed in business
4. It allows us to disprove lies and support truths
5. It’s a means to fund opportunities.
The problems of conducting Social science research in Developing Countries
1. Unavailability of Data
2. Lack of Funding
3. Lack of private and public sector institutions
4. Illetracy
5. Wrong perception
NAME: UGWU SERAH IZUNNA.
REG NUM:2018/247399
DEPARTMENT: ECONOMICS.
LEVEL: 300
izunnafavour@gmail.com
ASSIGNMENT.
During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”.It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
7 REASONS WHY RESEARCH IS IMPORTANT.
Learning to conduct research is an integral part of learning about life.
The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study. This article discusses the significance of research and the many reasons why it is important for everyone—not just students and scientists.
Understanding that research is important might seem like a no-brainer, but many people avoid it like the plague. Yet, for those who like to learn, whether they are members of a research institution or not, conducting research is not just important—it’s imperative.
Why Research Is Necessary and Valuable in Our Daily Lives
* It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
* It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
* It helps us succeed in business.
* It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
* It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
* It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
* It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind.
Conducting research doesn’t just arm us with knowledge—it helps teach us how to think.
Conducting research doesn’t just arm us with knowledge—it helps teach us how to think.
1. It’s a Tool for Building Knowledge and Facilitating Learning
Research is required not just for students and academics but for all professionals and nonprofessionals alike. It is also important for budding and veteran writers, both offline and online.
For nonprofessionals who value learning, doing research equips them with knowledge about the world and skills to help them survive and improve their lives. Among professionals and scribes, on the other hand, finding an interesting topic to discuss and/or to write about should go beyond personal experience. Determining either what the general public may want to know or what researchers want others to realize or to think about can serve as a reason to do research. Thus, research is an essential component in generating knowledge, and vice-versa.
Knowledge is commonly described as a factual proposition in the mind of an individual. It essentially refers to facts based on objective insights and/or study findings processed by the human brain. It can be acquired through various means, such as reading books and articles, listening to experts, watching documentaries or investigative shows, conducting scientific experiments, and interacting with other people, among others. Facts collected during research can be checked against other sources to ensure their truthfulness and accuracy.
2. It’s a Means to Understand Issues and Increase Public Awareness
Using Research to Understand Current Issues
Television shows and movies—both fictional and nonfictional—ooze with research. For instance, Oprah Winfrey would have not achieved remarkable success as a news anchor and television show host had she eschewed doing her own research about certain topics and public figures. According to entrepreneur and lifestyle coach Paul C. Brunson, in his interview with emotional intelligence expert and author Justin Bariso (2017):
“Oprah spends a disproportionate amount of her time gathering information from communities of people outside of her core (different age groups, social classes, ethnicities, education levels, careers, etc.) and then she shares that information within her community.”
This kind of effort shows the necessary role of research in helping others and raising social consciousness.
Using Research to Understand People
Many film and TV actors also take time to interview individuals to better understand their roles. Actors have worked with detectives, boxers, scientists, business owners, criminals, and teachers, among others to gain an inside understanding of what it’s like to have a certain identity. Others even go through immersion so they can begin to understand their characters’ issues better. This might look like living in jail or in a drug rehabilitation center for a while, gaining or losing a significant amount of weight, or learning to captain a sailboat. Many read literature, biographies, or journals to have a better view or context of the story they’ve been hired to tell.
In her 2017 article about Daniel Day-Lewis, Lynn Hirschberg described how the award-winning actor prepared for his role as dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock in Paul Thomas Anderson’s film, Phantom Thread. She wrote:
3. It Helps Us Succeed in Business
The Importance of Research and Development (R&D)
Research benefits business. Many successful companies, such as those producing consumer goods or mass-market items, invest in research and development, or R and D. Different industries that involve science and engineering processes (like agriculture, food and beverage, manufacturing, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, computer software, semiconductor, information and communication technology, construction, robotics, aerospace, aviation, and energy) have high R and D expenses because it is critical to the creation and improvement of their products and services.
R and D can also help secure an advantage over competitors. Finding out how to make things happen more efficiently and differentiate a business’s offerings from those of its competitors can raise a company’s market value.
In addition, R and D is essential to supporting a country’s economy. For instance, the United Kingdom’s Department of Business Innovation and Skills, or BIS (now known as the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy), used to publish an annual R and D Scoreboard. The report served “. . . as a benchmarking tool for companies, investors and policymakers” for 20 years. However, due to the UK government’s austerity measures, it has not been produced since 2010.
4. It Allows Us to Disprove Lies and Support Truths
Background Research and Private Investigations
Have you ever experienced the feeling that your partner is having an affair behind your back? Some people would overlook this and say that it’s better not to know; others though would take discreet action, hiring a private detective to find out for sure. What does research have to do with this situation? A lot. Doing research to reveal lies or truths involving personal affairs can contribute to either making a relationship work or breaking away from a dysfunctional one. For the monogamous lot, doing research to disprove or prove infidelity is one way to find out the truth.
Field Testing and Peer Reviews
Scientists also deal with research to test the validity and reliability of their claims or those of other scientists. Their integrity and competence depend on the quality of their research. Nevertheless, not everything scientists come up with gets accepted. Scientific work is typically peer-reviewed before being published. This means that when an individual publishes research, it is fact-checked and investigated for common biases, statistical errors, and methodological issues by others in the field before being shared with the scientific community at large.
Professional and credible journalists also undertake thorough research to establish the veracity of their stories. The 2003 movie Shattered Glass tells the rise-and-fall story of a real-life journalist who worked for The New Republic based in New York City. If fellow journalists hadn’t debunked his stories as fabricated, Stephen Glass could have written even more dubious pieces that would have been taken at face value by readers of the publication.
5. It Is a Means to Find, Gauge, and Seize Opportunities
Research helps people nurture their potential and achieve goals by taking advantage of various opportunities. This can mean securing employment, being awarded scholarships or grants, securing project funding, initiating a business collaboration, finding budget travel opportunities, or securing other little wins.
Using Research to Maximize Job and Career Options
For those looking for a job or seeking greener pastures, research is necessary. With thorough research, an individual can increase their chances of finding employment by scouring job-posting sites, contacting employment agencies. Research can also help inform them if work opportunities are legitimate. Without research, the gullible-yet-hopeful jobseeker or traveling worker may fall prey to unscrupulous headhunters, bogus employment opportunities, or even full-on scams. Sites like Glassdoor and organizations like the Better Business Bureau allow job candidates to find out what experiences others have had with an employer they are considering or a placement agency they are thinking of using. After finding a free or low-cost academic course or skills-development training, students and professionals can assess their eligibility for certain roles and find out about application requirements and deadlines by conducting additional research.
Using Research to Maximize Investment
Research also benefits civil society and its members. Securing funding for projects and research initiatives is a top concern for those who want to address social issues. However, not all funding organizations accept proposals year-round, nor are they all interested in solving the same types of social problems. Thus, it is necessary to conduct research to find agencies whose missions match the objectives of particular advocacy programs or social-change projects.
An aspiring business owner can likewise meet potential investors through research. They can examine investor profiles to find a good fit in terms of vision, mission, goals work ethic, and available capital.
Some hobbies and interests are expensive to pursue. One of these is traveling. For budget-conscious tourists, searching for airfare and hotel promos, discount rides, and cheap markets is certainly a must to maximize the value of their money.
Seizing opportunities can broaden one’s social network, raise one’s awareness, or secure the support one direly needs to start a project or a business. Indeed, research contributes to a person’s ability to make life-changing decisions. It encourages self-growth, participation in worthwhile causes, and productive living.
6. It Promotes a Love of Reading, Writing, Analyzing, and Sharing Valuable Information
Research for Critical Thinking
Research entails both reading and writing. These two literacy functions help maintain critical thinking and comprehension. Without these skills, research is far more difficult. Reading opens the mind to a vast reservoir of knowledge, while writing helps us express our own perspectives and transform our thoughts into more concrete ideas in a way others can understand.
Apart from reading and writing, listening and speaking are also integral to conducting research. Conducting interviews, attending knowledge-generating events, and participating in casual talks can help us gather information and formulate research topics. These things also facilitate our critical thinking process, much like reading and writing. Listening to experts discuss their work can help us analyze issues from new perspectives and add new techniques to our information-gathering arsenal.
Sharing Research for Wider Understanding
With the wide array of ideas floating around and the interconnectedness of people and places through the internet, scholars and non-scholars involved in research are able to share information with a larger audience. Some view this process as ego-boosting, while others see it as a means to stimulate interest and encourage further research into certain issues or situations.
Literacy is integral in improving a person’s social and economic mobility and in increasing awareness, and research hones these basic life skills and makes learning a lifelong endeavor.
Exercising your mind is just as important as exercising your body.
Exercising your mind is just as important as exercising your body.
Heath Vester via Unsplash; Canva
7. It Provides Nourishment and Exercise for the Mind
Curiosity may kill the cat, but it also fuels the mind to seek answers. An article by Todd Johnson for College Admission Partners (n.d.) notes how scientific research in particular “helps students develop critical reasoning skills . . . helpful for any field of higher education . . .” The acts of searching for information and thinking critically serve as food for the brain, allowing our inherent creativity and logic to remain active. Keeping the mind active may also help prevent certain mental illnesses like Alzheimer’s.
Critical Thinking and Mental Health
Several studies have shown that mentally stimulating activities like doing research can contribute to brain health. In “Educating the Brain to Avoid Dementia: Can Mental Exercise Prevent Alzheimer Disease?” Margaret Gatz (2005) enumerated research findings that support such a position. However, she also noted that there may be other factors involved in averting dementia and relates issues. One of these is intelligence. A study involving 11-year-old pupils in Scotland in 2000, for instance, pointed to intelligence quotient (IQ) scores as “predictive of future dementia risk”. Gatz opined that clinical trials are needed and that “conclusions must be based on large samples, followed over a long period of time.” She further posited:
(2). Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
Social Science Research is the activity of gathering, analysing and interpreting information for a variety of social, economic, educational and political purposes.
Social Science Research is not offered as an undergraduate major or supporting subject. Students who commenced a Social Science Research major in 2011 or prior should contact the School of Social Sciences for advice.
Social Science Research papers consider the principles of effective design of social science research projects with both quantitative and qualitative approaches. They contribute to a number of specialist subject areas within the School of Social Sciences.
A competent social researcher has a critical appreciation of contemporary society and social issues based on a sound foundation of social theory and research methodology. Researchers need a critical understanding of a range of social research methods and styles. Social research design encompasses not only theoretical and methodological but also ethical considerations relating to respect for the rights and welfare of all parties involved in the research.
Problems of scientific research in developing countries
Since World War II there has been intense activity
concerned with training and developing research —
particularly agricultural research — capacity in most
developing countries, under many national, bi-lateral and
UN Agency and other programmes. Although sometimes
both governments and individuals are pessimistic when
they see how difficult it is to make much of an impression on the problems, this should not blind us to the fact
that a great deal has been achieved. The pool of trained
scientists in developing countries is incomparably
greater than it was twenty-five years ago.
Nevertheless, a very large gap between desirability and
achievement clearly exists, and the question is what
can be done to close it?
Human resources
The overall problem is largely one of resources and
their allocation, coupled with a much smaller base of
educated people in developing countries than usually
found in the developed countries. Increasing the
educated population is a slow business which will take a
couple of generations or more, in many cases. It is
therefore necessary to make the best use of the scientific
manpower that there is available in the short term.
Nowadays with the improved facilities which exist in
most countries, undergraduate training is best carried out
in the country, rather than in a developed country, which
can lead to problems of re-assimilation on return home.
At the graduate level many countries do not have
adequate training and research programmes and
training abroad is essential. Even when graduate level
instruction exists, the broader experience gained from a
period of study in another country is almost required
education of a scientist, whether from developing or
developed countries. Governments can be remarkably
* Mi Vose is Project Manager of the IAEA/UN Development
Programme project at the Centro de Energia Nuclear na
Agricultura (CENA), Piracicaba, Sab Paulo, Brazil.
Mr Cervellini, formerly Director of CENA, is now an adviser to
the Comissab Nacional de Energia Nuclear, Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil. This article is reprinted from the collection of Papers
Dedicated to Professor Johannes Moustgaard published by the
Royal Danish Agricultural Society, Copenhagen, Denmark
(1981).
short-sighted here: they pay large sums of money for
their nationals to receive higher education abroad, and
then fail to provide them with adequately paid employment or facilities when they return home. The lack of
adequate status, as reflected by relatively low salaries
and inadequate career structure is a major deterrent to
the proper advancement of science in many developing
countries — and some developed ones too!
The phenomenon of overseas graduate students trying
to remain in their country of training is well known in
all developed countries. The only long term solution is
to improve status and facilities in the home country. As
a general rule it seems likely that a policy of sending
abroad for graduate study only those scientists who
already have jobs and an established commitment to an
institution and a career at home, is one way of achieving
both a greater proportion re-establishing themselves in
the home country, and may also ensure studies most in
line with national requirements.
Research priorities and funding
Scientists should realize that at least some of the
responsibility for achieving general government support
and specific funding rests on them. They cannot expect
support just to come to them as of right. Members of
government and higher civil servants are mostly nonscientists and it is necessary for scientists to go out and
explain the significance of their work and what they
hope to achieve, with the objective of building up a
climate of support. This is true for scientists in
developed countries, too, but it is especially important
in developing countries.
Having obtained support then the work should be
pursued with the serious intention of showing results
for the money received. The reason that the governments of many developing countries do not support
scientific research more enthusiastically than they do,
is because they regard research as a sack into which
money is poured and nothing of apparent value comes
out.
It is inevitable, probably desirable, that most research
in developing countries will be applied or missionoriented. Applied research need not really be restrictive –
there is always room for original and basic approaches
within the framework of programmes having ultimate
practical objectives. Such an approach is more likely
to receive increased government funding than programmes
not linked to practical requirements. Purists may balk
at the idea of scientific research being channelled
towards specific national requirements — but they have
to face reality. Competition for resources is too great
to support programmes which cannot in the long term
help to improve the development of the country.
Particularly in pure science, on occasion the research
priorities will follow the availability of personnel. In
many developing countries there is not a broad
spectrum of equal competence in all branches of science,
but there may be outstanding individuals and groups in
certain fields, who may be of international level.
Government policy should be to support such individuals
and groups, as they are the catalyst and growth centre
around which other activities will be encouraged.
Moreover, they add to a country’s scientific prestige
abroad.
Of course in the long term more money needs to be
made available; there are very few developing countries
supporting their scientists at a level which make national
research programmes self-sustaining and significant in
world terms. Probably not more than US $2000 million
is spent on scientific research by all developing countries
at the present time. Overall this is a very small proportion of total expenditure, particularly if one realizes
that such research is the basis of all advances in agriculture
and technology, the twin goals of most developing
countries. We need to look to expenditure of at least
five times this amount in the medium term.
Considering international aspects, it is clear that “big
science” is becoming too costly for many developed
countries, and they are finding a solution through the
joint funding of laboratories and projects. Thus in
Western Europe, countries have joined together to pursue
advanced nuclear physics research through the European
Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN); molecular
biology through the European Molecular Biology
Laboratory (EMBL); and nuclear fusion research through
the European joint project at Culham. Similar regional
co-operative research endeavours must surely be the way
for developing countries to follow, although the difficulties
of funding and intra-regional jealousies should not be
underestimated.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has shown
the possibility of regional co-operation between
countries in South Asia and the Pacific through the
Regional Co-operative Agreement (RCA) for research and
development related to nuclear science and technology [1 ].
At present the international money involved is trivial
and the development objectives diverse, but the important
thing is the establishment of the principle of co-operation
for scientific and technological goals, and to establish an
instrument through which to build scientific co-operation
in the future.
Research facilities
Scientific research is not cheap these days. At one
time the most expensive item in a research programme
was the salary of the research worker involved, nowadays
the cost of equipment and its maintenance are ever
increasing factors. Moreover, science is no longer neatly
compartmented — every branch is interdependent with
a number of other disciplines. Today, too, biological
and agricultural research is more dependent on physical
methods of analysis, isotope and radiation techniques,
etc., and a modern research station requires a whole
range of sophisticated equipment.
Probably many developing countries might have made
more progress in scientific research if they had concentrated their effort. Rich, developed countries can
afford the luxury of many research institutes and centres,
but the situation in developing countries is different.
The demand for resources far exceeds the funds
available and concentration of equipment is not only
desirable but has become virtually a necessity in some
areas of activity. Consider the costs of some equipment
items. The present price of an automatic liquid
scintillation counter is upwards of US $40 000, the most
economical and basic mass spectrometer that you can
buy for nitrogen-15 studies is US $100 000 and more
adaptable ones are US $200 000 upwards. An emission spectrometer for nitrogen-15 is US $35 000.
These prices take no account of possible import duties.
Electron microscopes, plasma spectrographs, radiation
sources, and dozens of items of essential equipment are
also very costly.
The rapid obsolescence of scientific equipment is
especially acute at present due to the adoption of microprocessor control of so many instruments, and the
consequent introduction of many new models. The useful life of instruments is little more than five years as
spares are often not available; one suspects due to
“planned obsolescence”. This may be irritating to
laboratories in developed countries but quite crippling to
laboratories in developing countries where money and
importation are major difficulties.
For many countries it is therefore essential to concentrate specialized facilities and equipment at a few
sites, where it may be most efficiently utilized and
maintained. Maintenance is a real problem, and often
one finds laboratories in developing countries with much
unserviceable equipment, because there is no-one
available to carry out even minor repairs. Larger research
centres can be much more effective, as they are large
enough to have their own workshop and repair facilities.
Some equipment, like mass spectrometers, are not really
self-contained but demand glass blowing and repair
facilities, liquid-air plant, and so on.
Too few countries have recognized the value of having
a powerful, well-equipped central unit and have tended
to disperse their effort between too many institutes.
The concept of a “science park” with a concentration
of facilities is one which needs to be considered. As
physics is becoming increasingly important for the
solution of biological problems, the provision of such
facilities can only become more necessary as the cost
and complexity of equipment is ever increasing.
CENA* is an example, on a small scale, of this
approach [2]. Specialized equipment for advanced agricultural and biological research has been assembled on a
small and convenient campus; it includes 30 000 Ci
radiation source, three mass spectrometers, electron
microscope, ultra-centrifuge, radioisotope and radiation
measuring equipment. Facilities for soil microbiology
and nitrogen fixation research are good, with normal
microbiology equipment and sophisticated gas
chromatography instrumentation. Biochemistry has
special facilities and expertise in plant tissue culture and
amino acid and protein analyses. There is an experienced
electron microscopy group, an active soil physics group
and an analytical laboratory with autoanalyser equipment, two atomic absorption spectrometers and a plasma
spectrograph capable of quantitative determination of
19 elements simultaneously. Naturally, there is a workshop, too.
Now, although it was not initially intended that way,
this concentration of equipment and expertise has
resulted in CENA being a participant in nationwide cooperative programmes. For example, a majority of the
people trained at CENA do not have nuclear facilities in
the institutes where they work, consequently they often
develop joint work. CENA now has contacts in 16
Brazilian States, with 51 Brazilian universities, and with
another 25 individual research centres or institutes [3],
Brazil is a large country with a relatively well developed
scientific infrastructure, but the CENA experience clearly
suggests that many smaller countries would benefit from
concentrating expensive equipment and critical expertise.
Such centres would also support better and more
comprehensive library facilities. Despite the development of such information systems as AGR1S for
agricultural sciences and IMS for nuclear sciences,
obtaining recent literature is still a serious problem in
many developing countries.
Communication
Keeping in contact with the mainstream of ideas and
developments is a major problem for scientists in most
developing countries, if a high level of scientific
attainment is aspired to. Particularly South of the
Equator, there is both a geographical and communication
problem relative to the well-established scientific centres
of the Northern Hemisphere. Frequent contact for
intellectual stimulation, as well as for keeping up-to-date
is thus very important, and for this the short scientific
visit or study tour has proved to be extremely valuable.
* Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura.
Such tours provide the opportunity to attend international meetings, renew contacts, observe developments
elsewhere, and to check the relevance and standard of
one’s own work with some of the best work in other
countries. Often this provides new information and new
ideas for further research, and often for better organization and improved facilities.
Although short term visits are invaluable for
maintaining contacts and keeping informed, longer
fellowships (at whatever level) provide the basis for new
skills and enlarged experience. The cumulative effect of
a broad and sustained fellowship programme can be very
great. As an example, there can be little doubt that
the international fellowship programme has played a
substantial role in the development of CENA expertise to
its present internationally recognized position, with
contacts with some 15 countries, some direct and others
through IAEA and other programmes.
Existing support for international fellowship programmes comes from national, bilateral, Rockefeller or
from agencies of the UN system, such as the International
Atomic Energy Agency, Food and Agriculture Organization
or the UN Development Programme. The source of
funding of the fellowship is basically not important, but
the essential thing is that the provision of fellowships
should be recognized as one of the most important, yet
cheapest, ways of improving the level of research in any
country, and in developing countries especially.
Visiting scientists from developed countries can also
provide valuable contacts. More specifically they can
transfer skills, give experienced advice, and act as a
catalyst for new work. Sometimes directors of institutes
in developed countries are unwilling to release staff for
overseas assignments, because they consider it a loss to
the home research programme. This is short-sighted, as
most scientists who undertake an overseas mission are
enriched by the experience and particularly those working
in biology and agriculture, get new ideas and see their
work with new objectivity.
The co-ordinated research contract programmes
pioneered by the Joint FAO/IAEA Division have also
provided valuable means of contact in many agricultural
research areas. The programmes have combined a
mixture of contractors from developing countries and
costfree research agreement holders from developed
laboratories, all working in a specific research field. The
participants have not only collectively achieved more
than they would have done working separately, but the
annual planning meetings have been extremely valuable
for peer review and constructive criticism, and for
making and retaining contacts. The amount of money
required has been relatively very small, and it is a very
cost-effective way of combining the efforts of a group of
twenty or so scientists. The method of operation could
usefully be more widely adopted.
Theoretical physicists in developing countries have
benefited considerably from the International Centre for
Theoretical Physics at Trieste, sponsored by IAEA and
UNESCO. The Centre holds annually many courses,
workshops and seminars, and on average over a
thousand scientists a year have attended the Centre [4].
Biologists could similarly profit from an International
Centre for Biological Sciences – it is true that there are
many specialized meetings and training courses, but no
major international centre exists where there is a
continuity of course programming, with laboratory,
library and study facilities primarily directed
towards stimulating advanced biological research in the
developing countries.
Importation problems
In most developing countries the difficulties and
cost of importing scientific equipment and spare parts is
a principal limiting factor to scientific research but
seldom recognized by governments. Obtaining permission
for the necessary foreign exchange can be both difficult
and time consuming. Almost all developing countries
have balance of payment problems, especially since the
great increase in the price of oil, and governments’ basic
reasons for tight foreign exchange control are fully
understood. They wish to reduce imports and to
encourage local manufacture.
The fact is that there are very few developing countries
that can either technically or economically produce
sophisticated scientific equipment in the foreseeable
future. In any case, to attempt to produce highly
specialized costly-to-develop equipment represents a
diversion of national effort which might be better utilized
in other areas. Chemicals, especially biochemicals, and
radioisotopes are also items which can be obtained from
only a limited number of countries and their importation
is vital.
The enlightened answer to scientific importation
problems must be, in most cases, the exemption by
government of import restrictions and customs duties,
with the provision of the necessary foreign exchange. In
most cases the total foreign exchange involved in totally
exempting scientific equipment and supplies from import
restrictions would be a quite insignificant proportion of
the total import bill. Yet this could be of the most
significant importance for the stimulation of science and
technology for development.
Conclusions
Some of the problems of scientific research in
developing countries, such as creating an increased pool
of trained people, providing more resources and
strengthening the whole national infrastructure, can
only be solved through time. Although in the long term
there can be no substitute for spending more money,
some aspects such as improving the relative status of
scientists, choosing rational and useful research projects,
removing unnecessary bureaucracy and making the
importation of scientific material easier, could be
improved comparatively quickly with relatively little
expenditure.
Similarly, the special encouragement of existing
effective research groups and the concentration of
facilities are often more a matter of wise planning rather
than requiring massive additional expenditure.
Apart from the direct financial support of specific
projects, there will be a continuing need for international
assistance through the provision of fellowships, visiting
scientists, and facilities for study at well established
centres. In the future many developing countries may
need to develop co-operative regional projects, if they
wish to participate in more costly advanced research
areas.
REFERENCES.
[ 1 ] A. Cervellini and P.B. Vose The development and work of
the Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA) in
Piracicaba IAEA Bulletin Vol. 18, Supplement, p. 33 (1977).
[2] A. Cervellini and P.B. Vose The acceptance and
integration of nuclear techniques in agricultural research and
development: the CENA experience Energ. Nucl. Agric.
Piracicaba Vol. 2, No. 2, p. 78 (1980).
[3] E. E. Fowler The economic and social significance of
RCA regional co-operative projects IAEA Bulletin Vol. 21 , No. 5,
p. 40(1979).
(4] A. Hamende The International Centre for Theoretical
Physics — physics and the developing countries.
Eze Chibuike Benjamin
2018/244287
Education/Economics
Eco 391
Purpose of research
1. Solutions to problems: For me, the basic ‘purpose of conduction research is to find the solution to a problem. This ‘is to say that there is no research without a problem.
2. Information gathering: Research is conducted to gather information about a certain phenomenon. This information helps to better understand, prove, or disprove the phenomenon.
3. Theory testing: Research is conducted to either accept or reject hypotheses about a theory.
Important of research
1. Research enables us to provide answers to problems
2. When others can see you’re well-informed, they’ll take your words more seriously. Research provides you with a strong basis on which to construct your ideas and beliefs.
3. When you begin researching a topic, you may already have opinions and beliefs about it. The more you research, the more points of view you’ll encounter. This pushes you to consider fresh views and possibly examine your own more closely. This is to say that research broadens our knowledge base.
4. It helps us to formulate theories in other to enrich the frontier of knowledge.
5. It enable us to make prediction and formulate policies.
Problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries
1. One of the major problem of conducting social science research in developing countries is the inability to access data. Sometimes both public and Private institutions refuse to release data needed for research.
2. Reliability and validity of the collected data.
3. In case of conducting survey, there is a poor response from the respondents to the required survey due to other factors like limited knowledge’s on the subject matter addressed and etc.
4. Some people in developing countries perceive research as a mere academic exercise.
5. Also there’s problem with funding In developing countries making social science research difficult
Also there are several issues facing research in the social sciences:
Lack of funds
Under developed social science laboratories
Inappropriate content for research
Human incompetence from the researcher
Poor Public Works and Infrastructure
Name: Nelson Favour Ogechukwu
Reg No: 2018/245389
Department: Education Economics
Email: nelsonfavour38@gmail.com
Course: Eco. 391 —26-8-2021 (Online Discussion Quiz 2—Purpose/Importance of Research and Challenges of Conducting Research in LDCs)
During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”.It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
Importance/Purpose of Research
The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study.
Why Research Is Necessary and Valuable in Our Daily Lives
1. It’s a Tool for Building Knowledge and Facilitating Learning
Research is required not just for students and academics but for all professionals and nonprofessionals alike. It is also important for budding and veteran writers, both offline and online.
For nonprofessionals who value learning, doing research equips them with knowledge about the world and skills to help them survive and improve their lives. Among professionals and scribes, on the other hand, finding an interesting topic to discuss and/or to write about should go beyond personal experience. Determining either what the general public may want to know or what researchers want others to realize or to think about can serve as a reason to do research. Thus, research is an essential component in generating knowledge, and vice-versa.
Knowledge is commonly described as a factual proposition in the mind of an individual. It essentially refers to facts based on objective insights and/or study findings processed by the human brain. It can be acquired through various means, such as reading books and articles, listening to experts, watching documentaries or investigative shows, conducting scientific experiments, and interacting with other people, among others. Facts collected during research can be checked against other sources to ensure their truthfulness and accuracy.
2. It’s a Means to Understand Issues and Increase Public Awareness
Using Research to Understand Current Issues
Television shows and movies—both fictional and nonfictional—ooze with research. For instance, Oprah Winfrey would have not achieved remarkable success as a news anchor and television show host had she eschewed doing her own research about certain topics and public figures. According to entrepreneur and lifestyle coach Paul C. Brunson, in his interview with emotional intelligence expert and author Justin Bariso (2017):
“Oprah spends a disproportionate amount of her time gathering information from communities of people outside of her core (different age groups, social classes, ethnicities, education levels, careers, etc.) and then she shares that information within her community.”
This kind of effort shows the necessary role of research in helping others and raising social consciousness.
Using Research to Understand People
Many film and TV actors also take time to interview individuals to better understand their roles. Actors have worked with detectives, boxers, scientists, business owners, criminals, and teachers, among others to gain an inside understanding of what it’s like to have a certain identity. Others even go through immersion so they can begin to understand their characters’ issues better. This might look like living in jail or in a drug rehabilitation center for a while, gaining or losing a significant amount of weight, or learning to captain a sailboat. Many read literature, biographies, or journals to have a better view or context of the story they’ve been hired to tell.
In her 2017 article about Daniel Day-Lewis, Lynn Hirschberg described how the award-winning actor prepared for his role as dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock in Paul Thomas Anderson’s film, Phantom Thread. She wrote:
“To become Woodcock, Day-Lewis, who is 60, watched archival footage of fashion shows from the 1940s and ’50s, studied the lives of designers, and most important, learned to sew. He consulted with Cassie Davies-Strodder, then curator of fashion and textiles at the Victoria and Albert Museum, in London. And for many months he apprenticed under Marc Happel, who is head of the costume department at the New York City Ballet, watching intently and then helping to reconstruct the famous Marc Chagall costumes for a production of Firebird. At the end of the ballet season, Day-Lewis decided he needed to build a couture piece from scratch.”
People both within and outside of the entertainment industry have, on occasion, belittled what actors do or even the profession of acting itself. However, professional thespians like Daniel Day-Lewis exert a great deal of effort to make their characters believable. The dedication they pour into studying their roles involves a tremendous amount of research.
Using Research to Create Realistic Fiction and Stories
A number of films, theater plays, broadcast dramas, and online videos present stories based on real-life events and problems. A serious writer or content producer sees how vital research is in substantiating the context of the stories they are telling to entertain and educate audiences through different media platforms.
As Terry Freedman opined in “The Importance of Research for ICT Teachers” (2011): “Research can shed light on issues we didn’t even know existed, and can raise questions we hadn’t realised even needed asking.” Thus, almost all writers of both imaginary tales and non-fictive accounts do research, as doing so helps them create good stories and achieve credibility.
Good business is built on sound research.
3. It Helps Us Succeed in Business
The Importance of Research and Development (R&D)
Research benefits business. Many successful companies, such as those producing consumer goods or mass-market items, invest in research and development, or R and D. Different industries that involve science and engineering processes (like agriculture, food and beverage, manufacturing, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, computer software, semiconductor, information and communication technology, construction, robotics, aerospace, aviation, and energy) have high R and D expenses because it is critical to the creation and improvement of their products and services.
R and D can also help secure an advantage over competitors. Finding out how to make things happen more efficiently and differentiate a business’s offerings from those of its competitors can raise a company’s market value.
In addition, R and D is essential to supporting a country’s economy. For instance, the United Kingdom’s Department of Business Innovation and Skills, or BIS (now known as the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy), used to publish an annual R and D Scoreboard. The report served “. . . as a benchmarking tool for companies, investors and policymakers” for 20 years. However, due to the UK government’s austerity measures, it has not been produced since 2010.
Market Research and Targeted Marketing
Research can also help a company maintain a positive commercial image, retain existing customers, and attract new customers through targeted marketing. Marketing is a type of communication, and for that communication to be effective, businesses need to understand their customers.
This usually happens through market research, which can involve examining psychological studies about consumption, hosting focus groups, beta testing products with a select group of customers, sending satisfaction surveys to existing customers, and researching the business’s main competitors, among other strategies. The most successful businesses, large and small, base their product design, service offerings, and marketing communications on insights gleaned from thorough research processes.
4. It Allows Us to Disprove Lies and Support Truths
Background Research and Private Investigations
Have you ever experienced the feeling that your partner is having an affair behind your back? Some people would overlook this and say that it’s better not to know; others though would take discreet action, hiring a private detective to find out for sure. What does research have to do with this situation? A lot. Doing research to reveal lies or truths involving personal affairs can contribute to either making a relationship work or breaking away from a dysfunctional one. For the monogamous lot, doing research to disprove or prove infidelity is one way to find out the truth.
Field Testing and Peer Reviews
Scientists also deal with research to test the validity and reliability of their claims or those of other scientists. Their integrity and competence depend on the quality of their research. Nevertheless, not everything scientists come up with gets accepted. Scientific work is typically peer-reviewed before being published. This means that when an individual publishes research, it is fact-checked and investigated for common biases, statistical errors, and methodological issues by others in the field before being shared with the scientific community at large.
Professional and credible journalists also undertake thorough research to establish the veracity of their stories. The 2003 movie Shattered Glass tells the rise-and-fall story of a real-life journalist who worked for The New Republic based in New York City. If fellow journalists hadn’t debunked his stories as fabricated, Stephen Glass could have written even more dubious pieces that would have been taken at face value by readers of the publication.
5. It Is a Means to Find, Gauge, and Seize Opportunities
Research helps people nurture their potential and achieve goals by taking advantage of various opportunities. This can mean securing employment, being awarded scholarships or grants, securing project funding, initiating a business collaboration, finding budget travel opportunities, or securing other little wins.
Using Research to Maximize Job and Career Options
For those looking for a job or seeking greener pastures, research is necessary. With thorough research, an individual can increase their chances of finding employment by scouring job-posting sites, contacting employment agencies. Research can also help inform them if work opportunities are legitimate. Without research, the gullible-yet-hopeful jobseeker or traveling worker may fall prey to unscrupulous headhunters, bogus employment opportunities, or even full-on scams. Sites like Glassdoor and organizations like the Better Business Bureau allow job candidates to find out what experiences others have had with an employer they are considering or a placement agency they are thinking of using. After finding a free or low-cost academic course or skills-development training, students and professionals can assess their eligibility for certain roles and find out about application requirements and deadlines by conducting additional research.
Using Research to Maximize Investment
Research also benefits civil society and its members. Securing funding for projects and research initiatives is a top concern for those who want to address social issues. However, not all funding organizations accept proposals year-round, nor are they all interested in solving the same types of social problems. Thus, it is necessary to conduct research to find agencies whose missions match the objectives of particular advocacy programs or social-change projects.
An aspiring business owner can likewise meet potential investors through research. They can examine investor profiles to find a good fit in terms of vision, mission, goals work ethic, and available capital.
Some hobbies and interests are expensive to pursue. One of these is traveling. For budget-conscious tourists, searching for airfare and hotel promos, discount rides, and cheap markets is certainly a must to maximize the value of their money.
Seizing opportunities can broaden one’s social network, raise one’s awareness, or secure the support one direly needs to start a project or a business. Indeed, research contributes to a person’s ability to make life-changing decisions. It encourages self-growth, participation in worthwhile causes, and productive living.
6. It Promotes a Love of Reading, Writing, Analyzing, and Sharing Valuable Information
Research for Critical Thinking
Research entails both reading and writing. These two literacy functions help maintain critical thinking and comprehension. Without these skills, research is far more difficult. Reading opens the mind to a vast reservoir of knowledge, while writing helps us express our own perspectives and transform our thoughts into more concrete ideas in a way others can understand.
Apart from reading and writing, listening and speaking are also integral to conducting research. Conducting interviews, attending knowledge-generating events, and participating in casual talks can help us gather information and formulate research topics. These things also facilitate our critical thinking process, much like reading and writing. Listening to experts discuss their work can help us analyze issues from new perspectives and add new techniques to our information-gathering arsenal.
Sharing Research for Wider Understanding
With the wide array of ideas floating around and the interconnectedness of people and places through the internet, scholars and non-scholars involved in research are able to share information with a larger audience. Some view this process as ego-boosting, while others see it as a means to stimulate interest and encourage further research into certain issues or situations.
Literacy is integral in improving a person’s social and economic mobility and in increasing awareness, and research hones these basic life skills and makes learning a lifelong endeavor.
7. It Provides Nourishment and Exercise for the Mind
Curiosity may kill the cat, but it also fuels the mind to seek answers. An article by Todd Johnson for College Admission Partners (n.d.) notes how scientific research in particular “helps students develop critical reasoning skills . . . helpful for any field of higher education . . .” The acts of searching for information and thinking critically serve as food for the brain, allowing our inherent creativity and logic to remain active. Keeping the mind active may also help prevent certain mental illnesses like Alzheimer’s.
Critical Thinking and Mental Health
Several studies have shown that mentally stimulating activities like doing research can contribute to brain health. In “Educating the Brain to Avoid Dementia: Can Mental Exercise Prevent Alzheimer Disease?” Margaret Gatz (2005) enumerated research findings that support such a position. However, she also noted that there may be other factors involved in averting dementia and relates issues. One of these is intelligence. A study involving 11-year-old pupils in Scotland in 2000, for instance, pointed to intelligence quotient (IQ) scores as “predictive of future dementia risk”. Gatz opined that clinical trials are needed and that “conclusions must be based on large samples, followed over a long period of time.” She further posited:
“. . . we have little evidence that mental practice will help prevent the development of dementia. We have better evidence that good brain health is multiply determined, that brain development early in life matters, and that genetic influences are of great importance in accounting for individual differences in cognitive reserve and in explaining who develops Alzheimer disease and who does not . . .
For older adults, health practices that could influence the brain include sound nutrition, sufficient sleep, stress management, treatment of mood or anxiety disorders, good vascular health, physical exercise, and avoidance of head trauma. But there is no convincing evidence that memory practice and other cognitively stimulating activities are sufficient to prevent Alzheimer disease; it is not just a case of “use it or lose it.”
Gatz would have not formed such a perspective if she failed to conduct her own research about the effects of mentally stimulating activities on the human brain. This demonstrates how research can be both an exciting and challenging cerebral endeavor. Various studies may or may not support each other based on gathered information and other evidence. Data collection and analysis are vital aspects of the research process. These are mental activities that both expend mental energy and nurture the brain.
Indeed, doing research encourages people to explore possibilities, understand existing issues, and disprove fabrications. Without research, all of our technological advancements and other developments would have remained fantasies. Reading, writing, observing, and analyzing facilitate an inquisitive mind’s quest for knowledge, learning, and wisdom. Research is a bridge that we must cross to achieve all of our goals—both personal and societal.
Challenges of Conducting Research in LDCs)
1. Lack of Training: It is a big problem faced by researchers in developing countries. There is scarcity of qualified research workers. Many research workers take a step in the dark not understanding research techniques. The majority of the work, which goes in the name of research is not methodologically sound. Research to a lot of investigators is mainly a cut and paste job with no insight shed on the collated materials. The impact is obvious, viz., the research results, frequently, don’t reveal the reality. Therefore, an organized study of research methodology is definitely an immediate requirement. Prior to undertaking research projects, investigators must be well equipped with all the methodological aspects. As such, efforts need to be made to provide short term intensive courses for achieving this requirement.
2. Lack of confidence: The business houses are usually unwilling to provide the necessary information to researchers because of fear of misuse of information.
3. Repetition: Research studies overlapping one another are carried out in many cases for want of adequate information.
4. Lack of Interaction: You will find inadequate interaction between the university research department, on one side and business establishments, government departments and research institutions, on the other.
5. Illiteracy: This has affected the appreciation of the value of research findings by the vast majority of the people (social workers and business executive)
6. Lack of Code of Conduct: There doesn’t exist a code of conduct for researchers and inter-University and inter-departmental rivalries are also quite common.
7. Shortage of Resources: For performing a quality research sufficient funds are not provided. This discourages research of all types. Governments, institutions/organizations don’t appreciate the contributions of research findings to economic development and for that reason do not offer adequate amounts for research of all types.
8. Absence of Coordination: There exists lack of coordination among various organizations responsible for performing research.
9. Problem of Conceptualization: Many a time problems of conceptualization and problems concerning the procedure for data collection and related things crop up leading to frittering of resources.
10. Scanty Information Base: This narrows down the volume and quality of literature accessible to a researcher. Put simply, not much research findings have been collected from where a researcher can take help.
Reference
https://owlcation.com/academia/Why-Research-is-Important-Within-and-Beyond-the-Academe
https://universalteacher.com/1/problems-of-research-in-developing-countries/
Name: Ikechukwu Mmesoma Mary-ann
Reg no: 2018/241875
ECO 391: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
What is the Purpose of Research???
ANSWER:
From weather forecasts to the discovery of antibiotics, researchers are constantly trying to find new ways to understand the world and how things work – with the ultimate goal of improving our lives.
The purpose of research is therefore to find out what is known, what is not and what we can develop further. In this way, scientists can develop new theories, ideas and products that shape our society and our everyday lives.
The purpose of research is to further understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life. It is an integral part of problem solving.
Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of research:
Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
Why is research important???
ANSWER:
1- Encourages learning beyond the classroom
The first thing which makes research important is the fact that it encourages learning. Research makes it necessary for us to keep learning. The concept of learning beyond the boundaries of school/college/university was instead a new thing. We can say that just because of research, the human mind and their lifestyle have changed. The mere fact that mental development is just because we cannot deny the importance research has for developing our mindsets.
2- It is used to prove theories
Just like our brain development needs research, theoretical proofs need research, too. To understand the importance of research, we should realize that our life revolves around theories, and if we remove research from the equation, we can see that our lives are nothing but a mess. Moreover, we research a point of view where we do not have to keep things to ourselves, and instead, we do it to inform humankind about what change our theory might bring. The primary purpose of all the research has kept us connected.
3- Provides the latest information
Knowledge is one of the core reasons human beings have desired since the start of the human race. Being more knowledgeable powerful has made us addicted to the latter. And this is true as well. The countries with the most knowledge base are the ones that have shown development. However, there can be other reasons for doing research. With the help of tools and certifications like CIRS, we can get these skills very fast and with the lowest efforts. Anyone can become a researcher who will be certified and recognized by the AOFIRS. An opportunity of a lifetime.
4- Research builds credibility
Research provides a strong basis for you to construct your thoughts and beliefs on. You may talk confidently about something you know to be correct. When you’ve done your homework, it’s far more difficult for someone to find flaws in what you’re saying. Your study should concentrate on the most reliable sources. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
5- Helps succeed in business
A business, like any other technical work, demands a lot of energy. A successful business cannot be done without solid proves and case studies. That being said, it makes research the foremost step before doing any business. The percentage of companies turning unsuccessful without proper research involved is near 90%. So, it is always better to do appropriate research in every way before jumping into any business. Businesses prosper because they had sensible owners who researched their product, and the market needs before launching it. Only if we pay attention to these nit-picks of a company and see the importance of research decision-making will there be a higher chance to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
6- Facilitates Learning Process
Learning new things and implementing them in daily life can be a frustrating task. Learning is not made for just anyone and everyone; however, the short courses and certifications like CIRS keep the research process somewhat more manageable. The accreditation offers complete knowledge from beginner to expert level.
The problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries???
ANSWER:
Lack of Scientific Training: The research methodology is not systematic. Many researchers undertake research work without having actual knowledge of the research methods. Even the guides do not have a thorough knowledge of the various methodologies. Before undertaking research projects, researchers should be well equipped with all the methodological aspects.
Lack of communication with the supervisor: A university professor is a busy person. It is important to have guidance on a research project. Poor communication gets on the way of the progress of the research. It is important to communicate with the supervisor to clarify the doubts regarding the research topic, to know what the supervisor expects from you and to learn more about your research topic.
Time management: Spending ample time in learning the skills and practical implementation consumes a lot of time. In such a scenario, taking out time for intense research and to draft a top-notch research paper becomes impossible.
Not having a definite deadline: Deadlines are stressful. But not having a deadline can be troublesome during the Ph.D. journey. Deadlines help you get closer to your goals. Many times, Universities fail to implement a due date to submit the research paper, leading to confusion and improper time management among the scholars.
A quantity of literature: It can be difficult to deal with the quantity of literature that one might have accessed. The literature review is iterative. This involves managing the literature, accessing data that supports the framework of the research, identifying keywords and alternative keywords, as well as constantly looking for new sources.
Implementing quality of writing within the literature review: A literature review has to go beyond being a series of references and citations. You need to interpret the literature and be able to position it within the context of your study. This requires careful and measured interpretation and writing in which you synthesize and bring together the materials that you have read.
Insufficient data: Insufficiency of data is a potential problem. Most of the business establishments are of the opinion that researchers may misuse the data provided by them. This affects the purpose of research studies for which that particular data may be of utmost importance.
Lack of confidence: Lack of confidence is one of the most common problems among researchers. Researchers with low self-esteem feel less motivated thereby affecting the quality of the work.
Concern that your focus is either still too broad or too narrow: This concern is inevitable. Be prepared to adapt your research as you look through the literature. This might require you to either increase its focus or narrow down so that the research is manageable. A broad focus for research might be narrowed down by adding an appropriate context or by looking for another variable within the research question or by focusing upon a theoretical viewpoint.
Library management: Library management and functioning is not satisfactory in many Universities; A lot of time and energy is spent on tracing appropriate books, journals, reports etc. Also, many of the libraries are not able to get copies of new reports and other publications on time.
Name:- Ani Obiwanne Fortune
Department:- Economics
Reg. No. :- 2018/243744
Email:- obinwannefortune.ani@gmail.com
Course Code:- Eco391
Questions:-
1. As the special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
2. Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries. What will you tell your audience?
Answers:-
Question 1.
Research is essential to find out which treatments work better for patients. … Research can find answers to things that are unknown, filling gaps in knowledge and changing the way that healthcare professionals work. Some of the common aims for conducting research studies are to: Diagnose diseases and health problems.
Why Research Is Necessary and Valuable in Our Daily Lives
It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning. It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness. It helps us succeed in business. It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
Research purposes
Information gathering and/or. Exploratory: e.g., discovering, uncovering, exploring. Descriptive: e.g., gathering info, describing, summarizing.
Theory testing. Explanatory: e.g., testing and understanding causal relations. Predictive: e.g., predicting what might happen in various scenarios.
What is Research?
Research means to carefully analyze the problems or to do the detailed study of the specific problems, by making use of special scientific methods.
Research can be done on any topic, be it medical, non-medical, IT, or anything else. In order to do research, first of all, you need to have a topic or the problem on which you can do research. The topic must have relevant questions to answer. For research, certain steps have to follow like first observation, then background research then preparing of hypothesis, eventually conducting a simple experiment.
Study implications:
The main purpose of the research is to get deep into the topic so that something helpful can churn out, which can be helpful for everybody and used in that particular niche sector. The quality which you maintain while research should always be high so that the information that you get can be used in certain policies and any future project implications.
Goals of Research:
Working on a research project will obviously be a challenging and rewarding experience, provided you put the best of your expertise and skill in it.
It is an opportunity that helps you to pursue an in-depth or deep original study about any topic which interests you. The main aim of the goals is to provide the best of the solution to some of the world problems and also to enhance our knowledge.
The “Iterative” Process of Research:
Iteration is one of the keys to successful research. Researches usually do not end, the study goes on deep and deep. There may be instances when you will take the time to find the expected results but ultimately you will be getting the outcome. One thing that you will always observe during research, are the questions that arise one after the other. These questions usually lead to new ideas, revisions, and improvements.
All these, in turn, will be very helpful in the research process making data more effective and useful.
How does research impact our daily life:
“Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought.” – Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Research can be important for;
A. Educationalional purposes
Research?
Any kind of educational research requires a few steps of inquiry to provide the solution to any particular research query.Creswell defines educational research as,
“…Aside from the pure pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, research is linked to problem-solving,” John Armstrong, a respected global higher education, and research professional write for The Conversation.
Types of Educational Research purposes:-
There are majorly 3 types of educational research;-
Descriptive:
This type of research will try to describe things as they presently are.
Correlation:
This type of study will try to identify the relationship between two or more things.
Experimental:
This research tries to display a relation between two or more things. They usually might be groups.
B. For Societal/Human purposes
Humankind involves everything from a pin to an elephant. Every bit of information, the things to live and survive are needed for mankind, should be known, As if the essentials will not be known then we will remain illiterate, unaware of what is happening in the society or around the world. Research is important for humankind because of the various factors:
1. Helps in understanding society:
When one does some research related to society, the human becomes aware and also alert of the good and bad things. In order to know society’s norms, policies, code of conduct, one needs to do proper research or it may become difficult to survive in society.
2. Helps in knowing the culture:
Every society has it’s own culture. In order to understand the culture of a particular society, research about that society needed. If you do not do research or read maximum about any topic, you will fail to know the hidden meanings and the concepts about society’s culture and will remain unaware of the same. So, if you tare curious to know and learn something new, then the research work will help.
3. For more awareness, research needed:
To make yourself aware, reading is the key. Read the published books and the research already done by an expert. Once you have gone through the research work of great alumni, you feel like being on the top of the world as the information flows into your head. Not just this, if you wish to plan any holiday, you become aware of the weather and the requirements of that particular place. This way also research is very helpful.
4. For making the right choices for a career:
Research needed in all fields, i.e. it is pervasive. For even the smallest information, one needs to research and understand. For example, if you need to know about careers with greater scope overseas, you will have to research that too. So, this way research is of great importance to everyone, be it a student, a traveler, teacher, professor, researcher himself.
5. Knowing the truth:
If you wish to know the truth about anything like reading, learning, and research is the only way. When you read and research on any topic, you get to know the truth.
The real facts and statistics come across which enlightens the person and also increases one’s knowledge.
6. Update about the technology:
If there comes any new technology, the human gets to know about that also through the research work. So, basic research is helpful to humans to know what new is coming in the market. Also, it helps in being updated about the present scenario of the society one is living in.
7. Differences between good and bad:
When a person reads the already published material, it builds trust and also enlightens one’s mind. The person is able to differentiate between right and wrong which further helps in the decision making process.
So, above are the reasons which say why one should do research or what is the importance of research. It is for the whole of mankind, which involves individuals from every group and age. Whatever an individual reads, it somewhere and at sometime surely helps as it gets accumulated in the knowledge bank of an individual.
Question 2.
Performing clinical research in the developing countries has multiple barriers including: lack of planning, lack of moral and financial incentives, and shortage of time available for research; underdeveloped health informatics structure; and lack of available funding. Difficulty in the Use of Experimental Method: In case of social science research, its product being a human being cannot be put to laboratory test. Even if it is done, their responses wouldn’t be natural but subject to the awareness of the artificial condition.
Thus the social scientist has to watch them in wide world. A research problem is a statement about an area of concern, a condition to be improved upon, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or in practice that points to the need for meaningful understanding and deliberate investigation. Social science research provides authentic information to the people that are scientifically proven so that end users can rely upon it. It also helps us in finding the solutions to different social problems.
NAME: CHINWUBA IFEANYI CHINWUBA CLASS: 300LVL REG NO: 2018/242447 COURSE CODE : ECO 391 ASSIGNMENT 1. As the special adviser to Mr President on research matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose and importance of research. 2. Clinically discuss and analyze the problems of conducting social science research in developing countries. ANSWER 1. Research has great purpose and importance to Economics and the world at large as it helps to seek, improve and verify knowledge. Below are the purposes and importance of research : PURPOSE OF RESEARCH The purpose of every research is to enhance society by advancing knowledge through the development of scientific theories, concepts and ideas as to inquire something new about something. According to Collis and hussey 2003, the purpose of research is to: 1.) Review or synthesize existing knowledge, 2.) Investigate existing situations or problems, 3.) Provide solutions to problems, 4.) Explore and analyze more general issues, 5.) Construct or create new procedures or systems, 6.) Explain new phenomenon and to 7.) Generate new knowledge. Research brings exploration towards a certain topic. It gives a deeper touch to a certain topic giving a person an understanding towards it until he or she comes up with a conclusion which is tested and proven by facts (Shemmarzan 2017). IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH Research is important in that: 1. It is a means of building knowledge and aiding learning 2. It helps to understand issues and create public awareness 3. It helps to disprove lies and support truths (through verification of existing knowledge) 4. Conducting research adds to the existing body of knowledge. 5. It introduces us to new and various ideas 6. It encourages a love for learning and acquiring knowledge. ANSWER 2. The problems of conducting social science research in developing countries are : *Lack of Training: This is a big problem faced by researchers in least developed countries (LDCs). There is paucity of research workers available in these countries. Many of the researchers’ work does not make use of the required research techniques and this results in publication of a research work which is lacking in sound research methodology. Finally, researchers in LDCs engage in copy and paste job without contributing any new idea to existing knowledge. *Lack of Support from Public and Private Sector Institutions: Private and public sector institutions are not usually willing to provide the data needed by a researcher in a LDC because of fear of misuse of information, facts or data. *Lack of Adequate Data: You will find in LDCs a dearth of quality in research work, this is due to non availability of relevant data or literature. Also, there is repetition or overlapping of research works due to lack of adequate data. *Illiteracy: This has affected the appreciation of the value of research findings by the majority of researchers in LDCs because in these countries, people see research as a purely academic exercise which contribute nothing to solving a problem in the society. *Lack of Funding: Sufficient funds for conducting quality research are not made available by Government/Organizations because they see research as not being capable of contributing to national development. This discourages all types of research in LDCs. *Poor Infrastructural Base: Another problem of conducting research in LDCs manifest in the form of poor infrastructure. This can contribute to poor power supply, limited access to Information Communication Technology etc., these further discourages research venture in these countries.
REG NO: 2018/242297
DEPARTMENT: ECONOMICS
COURSE: ECO 391(RESEARCH METHODS IN ECONOMICS I)
As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research
Research means to carefully analyze the problems or to do the detailed study of the specific problems, by making use of special scientific methods.
Now, the importance/purpose of research are as follows:
Study implications:
The main purpose of research is to get deep into the topic so that something helpful can be obtained, which can be helpful for everybody. The quality which you maintain while researching should always be high so that the information that you get can be used in certain policies and any future project implications.
It leads to greater success in business:
Research benefits business. Many successful companies, such as those producing consumer goods or mass-market items, invest in research and development. Different industries that involve science and engineering processes (like agriculture, food and beverage, manufacturing, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, computer software, information and communication technology, etc. have high research and development expenses because it is critical to the creation and improvement of their products and services.
It Allows Us to Disprove Lies and Support Truths
Research as we all know deals with exhaustive treatment and critical observations. Through research, we are able to find out what is true and what is not.
Research is also performed to understand the concept from scratch. Like, if you wish to know from where has the concept originated, then this could be done only through the research work.
Helps in decision making:
Good research requires proper time and effort. It prepares the person for taking essential decisions which further necessitates the same from all the participants involved in the process.
It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
It is a means to understand issues and increase public awareness
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
Problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries are the reasons affecting growth and development. To address these problems, they have to be identified.
Some of these problems include:
(a) Lack of adequate research facilities:
Scientific research is not cheap these days. At one time the most expensive item in a research programme was the salary of the research worker involved, nowadays the cost of equipment and its maintenance are ever increasing factors. Moreover, science is no longer neatly compartmented — every branch is interdependent with a number of other disciplines. Today, biological and agricultural research is more dependent on physical methods of analysis, isotope and radiation techniques, etc., and a modern research station requires a whole range of sophisticated equipment
(b) Cost of importing equipment for research:
In most developing countries the difficulties and cost of importing scientific equipment and spare parts is a principal limiting factor to scientific research but seldom recognized by governments. Obtaining permission for the necessary foreign exchange canbe both difficult and time consuming. Almost all developing countries have balance of payment problems, especially since the great increase in the price of oil, and governments’ basic reasons for tight foreign exchange control are fully understood. They wish to reduce imports and to encourage local manufacture. The fact is that there are very few developing countries that can either technically or economically produce sophisticated scientific equipment in the foreseeable future. In any case, to attempt to produce highly specialized costly-to-develop equipment represents a diversion of national effort which might be better utilized.
(c) Human resources:
The overall problem is largely one of resources and their allocation, coupled with a much smaller base of educated people in developing countries than usually
found in the developed countries. Increasing the educated population is a slow business which will take a couple of generations or more, in many cases. It is therefore necessary to make the best use of the scientific
manpower that there is available in the short term.
Nowadays with the improved facilities which exist in most countries, undergraduate training is best carried out in the country, rather than in a developed country, which can lead to problems of re-assimilation on return home.
(d) Research priorities and funding:
Scientists should realize that at least some of the responsibility for achieving general government support and specific funding rests on them. They cannot expect support just to come to them as of right. Members of government and higher civil servants are mostly non scientists and it is necessary for scientists to go out and
explain the significance of their work and what they hope to achieve, with the objective of building up a climate of support. This is true for scientists in
developed countries, too, but it is especially important in developing countries.
Eze Naomi Onyinyechi
2018/241870
Economics Major 300l
naomi.eze.241870@unn.edu
Eco 391 online quiz 2
As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Answer.
The purpose of research is dependent on the researcher. The aim/objectives to be achieved is what leads him/her into conducting a research.
Some of these objectives include:
Gaining new knowledge,
Testing existing theories,
Solving existing problems,
Searching for novel theories,
Sourcing important information,
Expanding one’s base, e.t.c
Research is very important as well. Its importance include:
.It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
.It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
.It helps us succeed in business.
.It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
.It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
.It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
.It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
Answer.
In developing countries, where societies are often pluralistic,cultural
background and security become important issues for social
researchers in conducting fieldwork.This state of affairs can lead to
the researchers finding it difficult to get letters of permission from
the local authorities, and may lead to delays in conducting research.
Some of the other problems encountered includes;
1. Lack of Scientific Training: The research methodology is not systematic. Many researchers undertake research work without having actual knowledge of the research methods.
2. Time management,
3. Quantification of qualitative data,
4. Low/no response from Target population,
5. Insufficient data: Insufficiency of data is a potential problem.
ANSWER
The 3 most influential and common purpose of research are- exploration, description and explanation.
Although, the ultimate goal of research is to enhance the society, by advancing knowledge through the development of scientific theories, concepts and ideas.
Nevertheless, below are various ways in which Research is of utmost importance-
1) Research is a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning-
Research is required not just for students and academics but for all professionals and nonprofessionals alike. It is also important for budding and veteran writers, both offline and online.
For nonprofessionals who value learning, doing research equips them with knowledge about the world and skills to help them survive and improve their lives.
Thus, research is an essential component in generating knowledge.
2) Research is a means to understand issues and increase public awareness-
Television shows and movies—both fictional and nonfictional—ooze with research. For instance, Oprah Winfrey would have not achieved remarkable success as a news anchor and television show host had she eschewed doing her own research about certain topics and public figures.
Using Research to Understand People;
Many film and TV actors also take time to interview individuals to better understand their roles. Actors have worked with detectives, boxers, scientists, business owners, criminals, and teachers, among others to gain an inside understanding of what it’s like to have a certain identity. Others even go through immersion so they can begin to understand their characters’ issues better.
This might look like living in jail or in a drug rehabilitation center for a while, gaining or losing a significant amount of weight, or learning to captain a sailboat. Many read literature, biographies, or journals to have a better view or context of the story they’ve been hired to tell.
3) Research helps us succeed in business-
Research benefits business. Many successful companies, such as those producing consumer goods or mass-market items, invest in research and development, or R and D. Different industries that involve science and engineering processes (like agriculture, food and beverage, manufacturing, health care and pharmaceuticals, computer software, semiconductor, information and communication technology, construction, robotics, aerospace, aviation, and energy) have high R and D expenses because it is critical to the creation and improvement of their products and services.
R and D can also help secure an advantage over competitors. Finding out how to make things happen more efficiently and differentiate a business’s offerings from those of its competitors can raise a company’s market value.
4) Research promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information-
Research entails both reading and writing. These two literacy functions help maintain critical thinking and comprehension. Without these skills, research is far more difficult. Reading opens the mind to a vast reservoir of knowledge, while writing helps us express our own perspectives and transform our thoughts into more concrete ideas in a way others can understand.
Apart from reading and writing, listening and speaking are also integral to conducting research. Conducting interviews, attending knowledge-generating events, and participating in casual talks can help us gather information and formulate research topics. These things also facilitate our critical thinking process, much like reading and writing.
Listening to experts discuss their work can help us analyze issues from new perspectives and add new techniques to our information-gathering arsenal.
5) Research provides nourishment and exercise for the mind-
Curiosity may kill the cat, but it also fuels the mind to seek answers. An article by Todd Johnson for College Admission Partners (n.d.) notes how scientific research in particular “helps students develop critical reasoning skills . . . helpful for any field of higher education . . .” The acts of searching for information and thinking critically serve as food for the brain, allowing our inherent creativity and logic to remain active.
Keeping the mind active may also help prevent certain mental illnesses like Alzheimer’s.
Critical Thinking and Mental Health;
Several studies have shown that mentally stimulating activities like doing research can contribute to brain health.
6) Research allows Us to Disprove Lies and Support Truths-
Background Research and Private Investigations helps to reveal lies or truths involving personal affairs and this contributes to either making a relationship work or breaking away from a dysfunctional one.
For the monogamous lot, doing research can prove or disprove infedility, hiring the services of a private detective.
Field Testing and Peer Reviews;
Scientists also deal with research to test the validity and reliability of their claims or those of other scientists. Their integrity and competence depend on the quality of their research. Nevertheless, not everything scientists come up with gets accepted.
Scientific work is typically peer-reviewed before being published. This means that when an individual publishes research, it is fact-checked and investigated for common biases, statistical errors, and methodological issues by others in the field before being shared with the scientific community at large.
7). It Is a Means to Find, Gauge, and Seize Opportunities-
Research helps people nurture their potential and achieve goals by taking advantage of various opportunities. This can mean securing employment, being awarded scholarships or grants, securing project funding, initiating a business collaboration, finding budget travel opportunities, or securing other little wins.
Using Research to Maximize Job and Career Options;
For those looking for a job or seeking greener pastures, research is necessary. With thorough research, an individual can increase their chances of finding employment by scouring job-posting sites, contacting employment agencies.
(2) The Challenges of conducting research in the Less Developing Countries (LDCs) are-
1) The lack of Scientific Training-
The research methodology is not systematic. Many researchers undertake research work without having actual knowledge of the research methods. Even the guides do not have a thorough knowledge of the various methodologies.
Before undertaking research projects, researchers should be well equipped with all the methodological aspects.
2) Lack of communication with the supervisor-
A university professor is a busy person. It is important to have guidance on a research project. Poor communication gets on the way of the progress of the research.
It is important to communicate with the supervisor to clarify the doubts regarding the research topic, to know what the supervisor expects from you and to learn more about your research topic.
3) Poor time management-
Spending ample time in learning the skills and practical implementation consumes a lot of time. In such a scenario, taking out time for intense research and to draft a top-notch research paper becomes impossible.
4) Not having a definite deadline-
Deadlines are stressful. But not having a deadline can be troublesome during the Ph.D. journey. Deadlines help you get closer to your goals. Many times, Universities fail to implement a due date to submit the research paper, leading to confusion and improper time management among the scholars.
5) A quantity of literature-
It can be difficult to deal with the quantity of literature that one might have accessed. The literature review is iterative. This involves managing the literature, accessing data that supports the framework of the research, identifying keywords and alternative keywords, as well as constantly looking for new sources.
6) Implementing quality of writing within the literature review-
A literature review has to go beyond being a series of references and citations. You need to interpret the literature and be able to position it within the context of your study. This requires careful and measured interpretation and writing in which you synthesize and bring together the materials that you have read.
7) Insufficient data-
Insufficiency of data is a potential problem. Most of the business establishments are of the opinion that researchers may misuse the data provided by them. This affects the purpose of research studies for which that particular data may be of utmost importance.
8) Lack of confidence-
Lack of confidence is one of the most common problems among researchers. Researchers with low self-esteem feel less motivated thereby affecting the quality of the work.
9) The concern that your focus is either still too broad or too narrow-
This concern is inevitable. Be prepared to adapt your research as you look through the literature. This might require you to either increase its focus or narrow down so that the research is manageable. A broad focus for research might be narrowed down by adding an appropriate context or by looking for another variable within the research question or by focusing upon a theoretical viewpoint.
10) Poor library management-
Library management and functioning is not satisfactory in many Universities as alot of time and energy is spent on tracing appropriate books, journals, reports etc. Also, many of the libraries are not able to get copies of new reports and other publications on time.
Others includes; stress and financial issues.
Research demands immediate action on the part of the concerned authorities or personnel at national levels, so as to transform these challenges into major opportunities.
Joseph Ruth Tochukwu
2018/245132
Economics department
Assignment
1. PURPOSE AND IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
The purpose of research is to find out what is known, what is not and what we can develop further. In this way, researchers can develop new theories, ideas and products that shape our society and our everyday lives. Research is aimed at enabling us understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life. It is an integral part of problem solving. Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of research:
Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
Research enables scientists to find out which treatments works better for patients. It plays an important role in discovering new treatments, and making sure that existing treatments are used in the best possible ways. Research can find answers to things that are unknown, filling gaps in knowledge and changing the way that healthcare professionals work. It informs actions. It produces knowledge that is applicable outside of the research setting. Well conducted research is vital to the success of global heath endeavors. It forms the foundation of program development and policies all over the world
2. clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
Research is done with the aim of gathering more information on a particular subject/topic. However, in the process of conducting social science research, researchers encounter numerous challenges.
1. Lack of Proper Research Ethics
When we talk about ethics in research, we mean the usage of basic ethical guidelines to a wide range of issues involving research such as scientific research. Many social science researchers in Nigeria ignore the appropriate ethical applications, methods and usage when carrying out their study to guarantee credibility.
2. Ineffective Research Methodology
A lot of social science researchers consider methodology to be the just a systematic technique of carrying out a study; however, the truth is that methodology encompasses all the guidelines, strategies and principles a researcher should follow when carrying out his research.
Methodology aids in the identification of the system to be adopted by the researcher for thorough study. In Nigeria, however, many researchers adopt the wrong methods for their research works which inadvertently affects the result that will be gotten.
3. Ineffective Education System
The most important tool needed to surmount the challenges of research in developing countries like Nigeria is adequate training. However, how do you train researchers adequately when the educational system itself is inadequate?
4. Ineffective Library System
Following the broken educational system, it is only normal to expect a library system that is not functioning well. Most of the libraries in universities in Nigeria provide minimal research materials (books, journals, newspapers etc.) Most of the libraries well equipped in Nigeria are private-owned libraries.
With the under stocking of libraries in Nigeria, researchers face a challenge when compiling data. Even those libraries that are seemingly well-stocked are filled with old materials. Even those few that are functioning well are not managed well, and many times researchers end up using up a lot of time looking for books, journals or reports needed to conduct proper and credible research.
5. Poor Infrastructural Management
The poor state of infrastructure in Nigeria is a substantial contributing factor to the underdevelopment of research. In many schools in the country, laboratories are under-equipped, mismanaged and not maintained properly. This leads to heaping more load on the already heavy load of researchers in Nigeria.
6. Low Accessibility of Data and Information
Although there is numerous information on the internet, getting valid information is not cheap in Nigeria, which is aided by the ineffective educational and library systems. Hence, the difficulty in accessing information poses a serious challenge for researchers when carrying out a study.
In addition to this, the lack of a database for information and records that can be easily accessed from anywhere poses a serious barrier for researchers.
Also, the price to access journals, reports, and statistics to carry out research work is quite high, thus demotivating the researcher from carrying out the work.
7. Insecurity
Another major challenge for research in Nigeria is insecurity. Researchers’ inability to move freely within the country while carrying out research affects many researchers in Nigeria. When you couple insecurity with the unavailability of published works from academic institutions, non-governmental organizations, government agencies, and many more, one begins to understand the magnitude of the problems facing a researcher in Nigeria.
8. Lack of Funds for Research
The lack of funds and time is perhaps the second on the list of challenges facing researchers in Nigeria. To use research facilities that are well equipped in Nigeria, one must be prepared to spend a lot. From the purchase of research equipment, transportation, books, etc., one would spend a lot. In addition to this, the lack of time is another problem facing research in Nigeria. Many researchers in Nigeria are either juggling between two or three jobs, so they only have little time to spare for adequate research. For example, you might have seen a lawyer, who is also a lecturer.
9. Poor Technological Advancement
The majority of researchers in Nigeria have not evolved with technology. What do we mean by this? Most researchers in Nigeria are only well versed with pen and paper, which is a challenge of research in the country. This is because most of the materials needed to carry out a study are now stored on a technological database. A lack of understanding of how this database works can lead to spending a lot of time surfing the internet for information without results to show for it. To combat this problem, there is a need for technological training to be inculcated into the educational curriculum to train the researcher on technological advancements.
10. Political Uncertainty
The political instability in Nigeria also affects research development in Nigeria. It can be argued that the majority of the problems facing researchers in Nigeria are occasioned because of political uncertainty.
In addition to the above, most researchers who should be undertaking various studies in Nigeria are busy trying to patch up the polity and thus give little time to research.
REG NO: 2018/241848
DEPARTMENT: ECONOMICS
COURSE: ECO 391(RESEARCH METHODS IN ECONOMICS I)
During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”.It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Research is very necessary in every organisation or nation for various purposes. Research don’t just come to be, there are reasons why we do research, some will be highlighted below.
The following are the reasons for research:
(a) Out of curiosity
(b) Will to knowledge
(c) To drive growth
(d) To look to the future
(a) Out of curiosity: One of the main reasons why research is curiosity. People make research in other to find out why what and how things exist or how things work. Curiosity can be tagged as the bedrock of research because curiosity breed investigation or research.
(b) Will to knowledge: Most scientific research is done so as to know how. To gain more knowledge or get more information about something research is been done.
(c) To drive growth: Another reason why we do research is for growth. For a country or an organization to grow research is needed as it helps in getting means to improve standards and develop means for progress
(d) To look to the future: Research helps us to get idea of how to develop the future. It shows us new inventions that will help create a better future
Research is also important to every day human, country and organization life and activity.
The following are importance of research:
(a) it helps in growth and development
(b) it helps in gaining knowledge about problems affecting the state
(c) it helps in solving social and economic problems
(d) it helps in providing ways to create better future
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
Research is one important aspect of life that helps develop a person, a nation and an organization. Without research growth would not be achieved most especially in social sciences.
In developing countries research in social sciences have been deeply affected due to the following reasons:
(a) Lack of access to data: Most problem encountered by researchers is lack of access to data as most times these data are not released or are not accessible by these researchers either due to political reasons or lack of record keeping
(b) Funding: Another problem developing nation researchers face is lack of fund. The cost of funding a research is high in developing states as most facilities are not produced in the countries so also the cost of transportation is high.
(c) Communication gap and illiteracy: Most times, researchers faces the problem of communication as most times in getting raw data for their research work the visit places where they do not speak their language making it difficult to communicate and garner adequate data. Also most uneducated individuals find it difficult to give thier data either because they can not read or write or because they are scared the information might hunt them later thereby affecting research
(d) Lack of research facilities: One other problem of research in developing countries is the absence of adequate or proper research facilities. The absence of adequate research facilities have always affected the performance of researchers in developing countries as most of the facilities needed for research are not made available or accessible
(e) Poor Internet access or networking: Poor networking or internet is a big problem researchers in the social sciences are facing today. Most times the cost of internet is high compared to the usage making access to data on the internet expensive and less accessible.
NAME: ONYEKA CHIDERA SUNDAY
REG NO.: 2018/245517
DEPT: CSS- ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE
COURSE: ECO 391 – RESEARCH METHODS
EMAIL: ONYEKACHIDERA58@GMAIL.COM
ASSIGNMENT :
What I understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
ANSWERS :
NO. 1. What I understand as purpose of research
PURPOSE OF FINDING RESEARCH
There are three main purposes:
1.Exploratory: As the name suggests, researchers conduct exploratory studies to explore a group of questions. The answers and analytics may not offer a conclusion to the perceived problem. It is undertaken to handle new problem areas that haven’t been explored before. This exploratory process lays the foundation for more conclusive data collection and analysis.
2. Descriptive: It focuses on expanding knowledge on current issues through a process of data collection. Descriptive research describe the behavior of a sample population. Only one variable is required to conduct the study. The three primary purposes of descriptive studies are describing, explaining, and validating the findings. For example, a study conducted to know if top-level management leaders in the 21st century possess the moral right to receive a considerable sum of money from the company profit.
3. Explanatory: Causal or explanatory research is conducted to understand the impact of specific changes in existing standard procedures. Running experiments is the most popular form. For example, a study that is conducted to understand the effect of rebranding on customer loyalty.
Why
1. Research provides us with latest information: Research clearly provides us with the newest information on our areas of study or research. It’s gives an updated pieces of information on the areas of our finding which helps in providing us with fresh knowledge.
2. Research builds ones credibility: As a researcher who is well informed seems to gain great audience from people. Its helps to build up ideas and opinions as well as gives you a solid foundation on the field of discourse. Its also calls for great attention when you stand to speak on a subject.
it’s very difficult to prove that climate change is getting worse or that gender inequality isn’t progressing as quickly as it should. The public needs to know what the facts are, so they have a clear idea of what “getting worse” or “not progressing” actually means. Research also entails going beyond the raw data and sharing real-life stories that have a more personal impact on people.
3. Research encourages curiosity
Having curiosity and a love of learning take you far in life. Research opens you up to different opinions and new ideas. It also builds discerning and analytical skills. The research process rewards curiosity. When you’re committed to learning, you’re always in a place of growth. Curiosity is also good for your health. Studies show curiosity is associated with higher levels of positivity, better satisfaction with life, and lower anxiety.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries. What will you tell your audience?
1. Lack of training: In developing countries, most researchers are not properly trained. They are not equipped with the full knowledge of how to condudct research. This results in most research works being poorly done and the result of the research nor being accurate.
2. Lack of funding: In developing countries researchers are not properly funded to carry out their research. This may be due to the government nor seeing research as an important thing, or them not holding it in high regard. This results in researchers being discouraged or research works not properly done.
3. Illiteracy: The disadvantages of illiteracy in this world are widely known and research works also suffer from it. Many people due to illiteracy refuse to cooperate with researchers when they are conducting their researches. This leads to the researchers not having proper data to conduct their research.
Name: Onyekwelu Collins Obinna
Reg No: 2018/251026
Q1. What you understand as the purpose of research?
The purpose of research can be a complicated issue and varies across different scientific fields and disciplines. The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study. It can further be grouped into:
Exploratory: This form of research involves discovering, uncovering, and exploring. It is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself.
Descriptive: This involes gathering info, describing, and summarizing issues. Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population.
Explanatory: This is also referred to as casual research. It deals with testing and understanding causal relations. Explanatory research is therefore conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research is therefore often based on experiments.
Q2. The importance of research?
Research is important for the following reasons:
1. It is a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning:
Research is required not just for students and academics but for all professionals and nonprofessionals alike. For nonprofessionals who value learning, doing research equips them with knowledge about the world and skills to help them survive and improve their lives. Among professionals and on the other hand, finding an interesting topic to discuss and/or to write about should go beyond personal experience. Determining either what the general public may want to know or what researchers want others to realize or to think about can serve as a reason to do research. Thus, research is an essential component in generating knowledge.
2. It is a means to understand issues and increase public awareness:
Research enlightens us on issues we didn’t even know existed. This kind of effort shows the necessary role of research in helping others and raising social consciousness. One can discover new theory, and other maiden issues.
3. It helps us succeed in business:
Research benefits business. Many successful companies, such as those producing consumer goods or mass-market items, invest in research and development.
Research and Development can also help secure an advantage over competitors. Finding out how to make things happen more efficiently and differentiate a business’s offerings from those of its competitors can raise a company’s market value.
4. It allows us to disprove lies and support truths:
Scientists also deal with research to test the validity and reliability of their claims or those of other scientists. Their integrity and competence depend on the quality of their research. Nevertheless, not everything scientists come up with gets accepted. Scientific work is typically peer-reviewed before being published. This means that when an individual publishes research, it is fact-checked and investigated for common biases, statistical errors, and methodological issues by others in the field before being shared with the scientific community at large.
Fact-checking to determine the truth is integral to the process of research.
5. It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities:
Research helps people nurture their potential and achieve goals by taking advantage of various opportunities. This can mean securing employment, being awarded scholarships or grants, securing project funding, initiating a business collaboration, finding budget travel opportunities, or securing other little wins. For those looking for a job or seeking greener pastures, research is necessary. With thorough research, an individual can increase their chances of finding employment.
6. It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information:
Research entails both reading and writing. These two literacy functions help maintain critical thinking and comprehension. Without these skills, research is far more difficult. Reading opens the mind to a vast reservoir of knowledge, while writing helps us express our own perspectives and transform our thoughts into more concrete ideas in a way others can understand. Apart from reading and writing, listening and speaking are also integral to conducting research. These things facilitate our critical thinking process and can help us gather information and formulate research topics.
7. It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind:
The acts of searching for information and thinking critically serve as food for the brain, allowing our inherent creativity and logic to remain active. Keeping the mind active may also help prevent certain mental illnesses like Alzheimer’s. Several studies have shown that mentally stimulating activities like doing research can contribute to brain health.
Q3. Discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
Incapability of being dealt through empirical method: An empirical method cannot be applied in case of social science research as repeated experiment is not possible, for example, the problem of unbiased sampling, selection of data etc. In developing countries, this is caused by factors such as limited capacity for social science research and lack of incentives for researchers in the field.
Poor national research systems: There is a serious shortage of senior African social scientists to lead social-related research in Africa. This is despite the existence of many African social science graduates, and decades of Northern funded research programmes intended to develop local capacity. Explanations for inadequate social science research capacity primarily related to under-development and global economic inequalities. Although primarily due to macro-economic factors, limited research capacity in sub-Saharan Africa might be ameliorated by modifying the process by which much research is conducted.
Difficulty in the Verification of the Inferences: In social science research, the events of social sciences are non repetitive and the social scientists are ill-equipped with their tools to verify inferences. This is due to lack of basic infrastructure in developing countries thereby affecting the authenticity of inferences for social science research.
Shortage of funds: Funding on social science research is low in developing countries. However, the level of funding provides a good proxy for the level of commitment or prioritisation given to a particular issue. While the need for research relevant to social science is low in developing countries because the social sciences have always been secondary to sciences which more directly serve federal goals (which are, to make a long story short, global military supremacy, especially as regards nuclear weapons, aeronautics, and space research).
Problems in Interpreting Relationship between Cause and effect: In social science research, we generally find interdependent relationship between cause and effect. The cause and effect are one and the same, for example, in underdeveloped countries, the economic development cannot be accelerated due to lack of technical know how and capital cannot be obtained due to underdevelopment of the country.
NAME: AGUBUZO SOMTOCHUKWU THELMA
REG NO: 2018/242444
DEPARTMENT: ECONOMICS
QUESTION: As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research. Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
Research can find answers to things that are unknown, filling gaps in knowledge and changing the way that professionals work in building the society to become a better place.
Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of research:
Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
The importance of research are:
•It plays an important role in discovering new treatments, and making sure that we use existing treatments in the best possible ways. Prevent the development or recurrence of disease and reduce the number of people who become ill.
•It’s a Tool for Building Knowledge and Facilitating Learning
research equips people with knowledge about the world and skills to help them survive and improve their lives. Research is an essential component in generating knowledge
• Research expands your knowledge base
The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
Several issues have clogged on the wheels of social research in developing countries,thereby, slowing the pace of its growth or keeping it stagnated. It has been observed that the proper environment for research is not yet available in these regions. A conducive environment is needed for growth and utilization of research. Some of the issues that disturb social research are:
• Absence of a clear cut philosophy of national development: The foundation to achieving harmony between the demands/expectations of a state and the response/obligation of its citizens, is enshrined in clear cut philosophies that are engraved in the minds of the citizens through conscious teachings. If research in Nigeria becomes an inalienable philosophy for its development, citizens would concertedly act to achieving development via the production and reproduction of ideas, innovations and new technologies. It is in the presence of such philosophies that the instability of government would no longer be a challenged since everyone must have to tailor his/her actions to the demands of the stated philosophies. In nations where this is present, people out of even involuntary compulsion tend to see themselves living in such ideals. A consistent, coherent and comprehensive philosophy of national
development is essential for concerted research effort.
• Poor attention given to the development of Human Capacity: Human resource is a major precedent for development whose importance cannot be overemphasized. It goes beyond population to the quality of the population evident in what is brought to the table by these humans for development to happen. In developing countries like Nigeria, the poor attention given to the development of human capacity in all ramifications is worrisome and has affected the quality of social research both on the part of the researchers and their respondents. An enlightened and astute researcher might not get the best of results from a respondent who lacks fundamental features of being properly educated.
•Funding: Funding has been a major issue for most ventures all over the world, owing to scarce resources. Nonetheless, nations have resorted to getting priorities right to circumvent the ills of poor funding on productivity. This is evident in the fact that areas that are capable of yielding more resources are prioritized in their budgets. One of such areas is education and research which have been proven to be major precursors and requisites for development to happen. In the Nigeria’s case, these areas have long been affected which tells on its development. Lack of adequate funds for a people-centred research
like that of the social research has clogged the wheels of advancement for such developmental germane venture. The overbearing preference given to the pure and physical sciences over the social sciences has also affected the funding of social research. The Nigerian government and related institutions could spend so much on space science, meteorological studies,geological mining and other relatives.
Ignatius chisom immaculate
2018/243793
Economics
Eco 391
ANSWERS;
Thepurpose of research is to further ynderstand the world and to learn how this konwkedge can be appliedto better everyday life. It is an integral part of problem solving.
Although research may take many forms,there are three main purposes of research
1.) Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined.
2.) Descriptive: descriptive researchexpands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’ but not on the ‘why’.
3.) Explanatory: it is also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact i.e to identify calls and effect relationships.
Reasons why research is important. No matter what career field you are in or how high up you are, there is always more to learn. The same applies to your personal life. Research unlocks the unknowns, lets you explore the world from different perspectives and fuels a deeper understanding. The importance of research are as follows;
1.) Research expands your knowledge base.
2.) Research gives you the latest information.
3.) Research helps you know what you are up against.
4.) Research builds your credibility.
5.) Research helps you narrow your scope.
6.) Research teaches you better discernment.
7.) Research introduces you to new ideas.
8.) Research helps with problem-solving.
9.) Research helps you reach people.
10.) Research encourages curiosity.
Name: Adegbola Seun Samuel
Reg No: 2018/241869
Department: Economics
Course: ECO 391
ASSIGNMENT
During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”.It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research. Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
ANSWER
The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study. Understanding that research is important might seem like a no-brainer, but many people avoid it like the plague. Yet, for those who like to learn, whether they are members of a research institution or not, conducting research is not just important—it’s imperative.
1. It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
2. It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
3. It helps us succeed in business.
4. It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
5. It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
6. It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
7. It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind.
10 Reasons Why Research is Important
No matter what career field you’re in or how high up you are, there’s always more to learn. The same applies to your personal life. No matter how many experiences you have or how diverse your social circle, there are things you don’t know. Research unlocks the unknowns, lets you explore the world from different perspectives, and fuels a deeper understanding. In some areas, research is an essential part of success. In others, it may not be absolutely necessary, but it has many benefits. Here are ten reasons why research is important:
#1. Research expands your knowledge base
The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
#2. Research gives you the latest information
Research encourages you to find the most recent information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.
#3. Research helps you know what you’re up against
In business, you’ll have competition. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to helps you formulate your plans and strategies. You can figure out what sets you apart. In other types of research, like medicine, your research might identify diseases, classify symptoms, and come up with ways to tackle them. Even if your “enemy” isn’t an actual person or competitor, there’s always some kind of antagonist force or problem that research can help you deal with.
#4. Research builds your credibility
People will take what you have to say more seriously when they can tell you’re informed. Doing research gives you a solid foundation on which you can build your ideas and opinions. You can speak with confidence about what you know is accurate. When you’ve done the research, it’s much harder for someone to poke holes in what you’re saying. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
#5. Research helps you narrow your scope
When you’re circling a topic for the first time, you might not be exactly sure where to start. Most of the time, the amount of work ahead of you is overwhelming. Whether you’re writing a paper or formulating a business plan, it’s important to narrow the scope at some point. Research helps you identify the most unique and/or important themes. You can choose the themes that fit best with the project and its goals.
#6. Research teaches you better discernment
Doing a lot of research helps you sift through low-quality and high-quality information. The more research you do on a topic, the better you’ll get at discerning what’s accurate and what’s not. You’ll also get better at discerning the gray areas where information may be technically correct but used to draw questionable conclusions.
#7. Research introduces you to new ideas
You may already have opinions and ideas about a topic when you start researching. The more you research, the more viewpoints you’ll come across. This encourages you to entertain new ideas and perhaps take a closer look at yours. You might change your mind about something or, at least, figure out how to position your ideas as the best ones.
#8. Research helps with problem-solving
Whether it’s a personal or professional problem, it helps to look outside yourself for help. Depending on what the issue is, your research can focus on what others have done before. You might just need more information, so you can make an informed plan of attack and an informed decision. When you know you’ve collected good information, you’ll feel much more confident in your solution.
#9. Research helps you reach people
Research is used to help raise awareness of issues like climate change, racial discrimination, gender inequality, and more. Without hard facts, it’s very difficult to prove that climate change is getting worse or that gender inequality isn’t progressing as quickly as it should. The public needs to know what the facts are, so they have a clear idea of what “getting worse” or “not progressing” actually means. Research also entails going beyond the raw data and sharing real-life stories that have a more personal impact on people.
#10. Research encourages curiosity
Having curiosity and a love of learning take you far in life. Research opens you up to different opinions and new ideas. It also builds discerning and analytical skills. The research process rewards curiosity. When you’re committed to learning, you’re always in a place of growth. Curiosity is also good for your health. Studies show curiosity is associated with higher levels of positivity, better satisfaction with life, and lower anxiety.
The problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
• Complexity of Social Data: It is a well-known that social science studies the human behavior which depends on several factors such a physical, social, temperamental, psychological, geographical, biological socio-cultural etc. Because of these factors a researcher is generally confused. It is therefore said that because of this complexity of social fata human beings cannot be put to scientific test.
• Problems of Concepts: In social science research, one has to face number of problems among which of a) abstraction, and b) faulty reasoning, plays major role in formulating and defining the concepts and law. Abstraction is both the central strength and one of the weaknesses of economics, for example full-employment or perfect competition and pure competition. Faulty reasoning leads to wrong conclusion, for example classical theory of employment was based on a faulty reasoning that wage cut will increase employment was based on a faulty reasoning that wage cut will increase employment opportunities, however later on J.M.Keynes proved the faulty reasoning of this classical theory and presented alternative theory.
• Problems in Interpreting Relationship between Cause and effect: In social science research, we generally find interdependent relationship between cause and effect. The cause and effect are one and the same, for example, in underdeveloped countries, the economic development cannot be accelerated due to lack of technical know how and capital cannot be obtained due to underdevelopment of the country.
• Dynamic Nature of Social Phenomena: Man is a social animal and the human societies undergo constant change. What is true today may be not useful tomorrow. The techniques used in past may prove useless for present and future studies. On account of this dynamic nature of social phenomena our task of analyzing data becomes very much complicated and the inferences drawn may be misleading.
• Problem of maintaining objectivity: The problem of impartiality is in part a problem of objectivity. It is generally argued that the social scientists are less objective than natural scientist because their own interest affected by the findings of their studies, hence leading to prejudice and bias.
• Unpredictability: Predictability is one of the most important characteristics of science. In case of physical science, high degree of predictability is possible but it is not so in case of social data. But this statement is also partially true; the social scientist can roughly estimate the behavior of the group.
• Difficulty in the Verification of the Inferences: In social science research, the events of social sciences are non repetitive and the social scientists are ill-equipped with their tools to verify inferences.
• Difficulty in the Use of Experimental Method: In case of social science research, its product being a human being cannot be put to laboratory test. Even if it is done, their responses wouldn’t be natural but subject to the awareness of the artificial condition. Thus the social scientist has to watch them in wide world.
• Incapability of being dealt through empirical method: An empirical method cannot be applied in case of social science research as repeated experiment is not possible, for example, the problem of unbiased sampling, selection of data etc.
• Problems of inter-disciplinary research: Social science being, inter-disciplinary one related with, Economics, Political Science and Sociology, we cannot draw water-tight compartments for each other social sciences.
NAME: UKAEJIOFO KENECHUKWU VICTOR
REG NO: 2018/250521
DEPARTMENT: ECONOMICS
COURSE CODE: ECO 391
As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
Answer:
It is a great honor to be given an opportunity as an adviser to Mr. President on research matters, to speak on the purposes /importance of research as well as the problems of conducting research in social sciences.
I want to start by corroborating the argument put forward by the director of research that; Research is a creative and systematic work undertaken by a researcher to increase the stock of knowledge. Without giving much cockamamie stories, I would like to place an incursion on the topic which seems conglomerate, However, the purpose/importance of research in general could be stated as follows:
Purpose of research
1. Research expands your knowledge base:The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
2. Data obtained through research enables us to understand existing phenomenon. Understanding existing phenomenon deals with a comprehensive search on what exist. For an instance, how are the economic systems of capitalism and socialism operated in various countries, how does the government tackle issues of poverty etc.
3. It enable researchers to established the existence and extent of relationship between variables.
4. Researchers helps to provide answers to an unknown problems. The society is dynamic and hence is confronted with a myriad of new problems from time to time.
5. Research provides the basis for acceptance or rejection of hypothesis or tentative claims made through deductive reasoning.
6. Research builds credibility: Research provides a strong basis for you to construct your thoughts and beliefs on. You may talk confidently about something you know to be correct. When you’ve done your homework, it’s far more difficult for someone to find flaws in what you’re saying. Your study should concentrate on the most reliable sources. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
7. It is used to prove theories: Just like our brain development needs research, theoretical proofs need research, too. To understand the importance of research, we should realize that our life revolves around theories, and if we remove research from the equation, we can see that our lives are nothing but a mess. Moreover, we research a point of view where we do not have to keep things to ourselves, and instead, we do it to inform humankind about what change our theory might bring. The primary purpose of all the research has kept us connected.
It is a well known fact that research is in it’s continual stage in Developing countries and there are several barriers and hindrances militating against Social Science research. It includes
1) Lack of Training: This is a big problem faced by researchers in least developed countries (LDCs). There is paucity of research workers available in these countries. Many of the researchers’ work does not make use of the required research techniques and this results in publication of a research work which is lacking in sound research methodology. Finally, researchers in LDCs engage in copy and paste job without contributing any new idea to existing knowledge.
2) Inadequate funding or grants is another challenge of conducting research in Developing nations.
3) Limited number of public and private sector record leading to shortage of data for study i.e poor record keeping.
4) Lack of cooperation and support from the public institutions and private establishments which makes data collection difficult.
5) High level of ignorance on the part of the masses.
6) Inadequate infrastructures like good roads, schools, hospitals, good telecommunication and information devices, electricity etc.
7) cultural practices can also be a constraints or obstruction to conducting research.
8) In developing countries, the greatest challenge in conducting research is that people perceive research as a mere academic exercise. For instance, in Nigeria, various research have been conducted by Economist researchers and their findings and recommendations to move the nation forward were not put into work.
Obeleze Christiantus Ifeanyi
2018/242407
Economics
obelezechristiantus@gmail.com
The purpose of research includes:
The purpose of research is therefore to find out what is known, what is not and what we can develop further. In this way, scientists can develop new theories, ideas and products that shape our society and our everyday lives.
The purpose of research is to further understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life. It is an integral part of problem solving.
Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of research:
Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
Important of Research
1. Research expands your knowledge base
The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
2. Research gives you the latest information
Research encourages you to find the most recent information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.
3. Research helps you know what you’re up against
In business, you’ll have competition. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to helps you formulate your plans and strategies. You can figure out what sets you apart. In other types of research, like medicine, your research might identify diseases, classify symptoms, and come up with ways to tackle them. Even if your “enemy” isn’t an actual person or competitor, there’s always some kind of antagonist force or problem that research can help you deal with.
4. Research builds your credibility
People will take what you have to say more seriously when they can tell you’re informed. Doing research gives you a solid foundation on which you can build your ideas and opinions. You can speak with confidence about what you know is accurate. When you’ve done the research, it’s much harder for someone to poke holes in what you’re saying. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
5. Research helps you narrow your scope
When you’re circling a topic for the first time, you might not be exactly sure where to start. Most of the time, the amount of work ahead of you is overwhelming. Whether you’re writing a paper or formulating a business plan, it’s important to narrow the scope at some point. Research helps you identify the most unique and/or important themes. You can choose the themes that fit best with the project and its goals.
Discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
a. Problem of maintaining objectivity: The problem of impartiality is in part a problem of objectivity. It is generally argued that the social scientists are less objective than natural scientist because their own interest affected by the findings of their studies, hence leading to prejudice and bias.
b. Unpredictability: Predictability is one of the most important characteristics of science. In case of physical science, high degree of predictability is possible but it is not so in case of social data. But this statement is also partially true; the social scientist can roughly estimate the behavior of the group.
c. Difficulty in the Verification of the Inferences: In social science research, the events of social sciences are non repetitive and the social scientists are ill-equipped with their tools to verify inferences.
d. Difficulty in the Use of Experimental Method: In case of social science research, its product being a human being cannot be put to laboratory test. Even if it is done, their responses wouldn’t be natural but subject to the awareness of the artificial condition. Thus the social scientist has to watch them in wide world.
e. Incapability of being dealt through empirical method: An empirical method cannot be applied in case of social science research as repeated experiment is not possible, for example, the problem of unbiased sampling, selection of data etc.
f. Problems of inter-disciplinary research: Social science being, inter-disciplinary one related with, Economics, Political Science and Sociology, we cannot draw water-tight compartments for each other social sciences.
Name-Eze Joy Ozioma
Reg no-2018/242430
Economics department
Simply put, research is the process of discovering new knowledge. This knowledge can be either the development of new concepts or the advancement of existing knowledge and theories, leading to a new understanding that was not previously known
Research purposes
1. Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
2. Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
3. Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
* Information gathering and/or. Exploratory: e.g., discovering, uncovering, exploring. Descriptive: e.g., gathering info, describing, summarizing.
* Theory testing. Explanatory: e.g., testing and understanding causal relations. Predictive: e.g., predicting what might happen in various
* Scenarios
Performing clinical research in the developing countries has multiple barriers including: lack of planning, lack of moral and financial incentives, and shortage of time available for research; underdeveloped health informatics structure;
Lack of Training: It is a big problem faced by researchers in developing countries. There is scarcity of qualified research workers. Many research workers take a step in the dark not understanding research techniques. The majority of the work, which goes in the name of research is not methodologically sound. Research to a lot of investigators is mainly a cut and paste job with no insight shed on the collated materials. The impact is obvious, viz., the research results, frequently, don’t reveal the reality. Therefore, an organized study of research methodology is definitely an immediate requirement. Prior to undertaking research projects, investigators must be well equipped with all the methodological aspects. As such, efforts need to be made to provide short term intensive courses for achieving this requirement.
Lack of confidence: The business houses are usually unwilling to provide the necessary information to researchers because of fear of misuse of information.
Repetition: Research studies overlapping one another are carried out in many cases for want of adequate information.
Lack of Interaction: You will find inadequate interaction between the university research department, on one side and business establishments, government departments and research institutions, on the other.
Illiteracy: This has affected the appreciation of the value of research findings by the vast majority of the people (social workers and business executive)
Name: Anike chilota Dominica
Reg no: 2018/243070
Course:Eco 391 ( development economics)
Dept: combined social science
Combo: economic and political science
Answer
am pleased to present to you, the purpose of research and the importance of research.
According to the Director of Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.
Importants and purpose of research
1. It is a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning_ knowledge is commonly described as a factual proposition in the mind of an individual it essentially refers to facts based on objective in sights and study findings processed by human brain.
2.it is a means to understand issues and increase public awareness_oprah Winfrey would have not achieved remarkable success as a TV host and new anchor if she didn’t do research about certain topics she spends disproportionate amount of time gathering information.
3. it helps us succeed in business_ research benefits business.many successful companies such as those producing consumer goods or mass market items invest in research and development of R&D
4.it is a means to find Gauge and seize opportunity_ research helps people nurture their potential and achieve goals by taking advantage of various opportunities.this can meaning securing employment, scholarship or grants etc.
5.it promote love of reading, writing, analyzing and sharing information_ research entails both reading and writing.these two literacy functions helps maintain critical thinking and comprehension without these skills, research is far more difficult.
challenges or problem in conducting research in LDC’S
1 lack of standardization_ in research process for distance Education research.there are logistical issues surrounding the research process that need to be addressed.
2.incentivizing participate: many distance education researchers face obstacles of finding enough faculty and student participates to warrant a sound, evidence based research project.
3.Reliance on self_ reported data_ as with only research endeavor including opinions and behaviors of human reliance on self-reported data
4.research is team based ,but there is an absence of culture that is, research within the area of distance education often requires a group effort to be conducted effectively
5.Accessing , individual level data _ with sensitive and confidential information institutions prefer to provide aggregate level data
REG NO: 2018/249273
DEPARTMENT: ECONOMICS
COURSE: ECO 391(RESEARCH METHODS IN ECONOMICS I)
1):During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”.It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
Firstly, research is the creation of new knowledge and/or the use of existing knowledge in a new and creative way so as to generate new concepts, methodologies and understandings. … This definition of research encompasses pure and strategic basic research, applied research and experimental development. Research has to do with a lot of investigation and careful planning, there are certain purpose and importance of research which helps to boost a successful result.
The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study.
There are main purpose of research and they are:
The purpose of research is to further understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life. It is an integral part of problem solving.
Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of research:
Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
Importance of Research.
It plays an important role in discovering new treatments, and making sure that we use existing treatments in the best possible ways. Research can find answers to things that are unknown, filling gaps in knowledge and changing the way that healthcare professionals work.
1):. It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
2): It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
3): It helps us succeed in business.
4): It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
5): It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
6): It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
7):It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind.
Problems of Conducting Social Science Research In Developing Countries.
Performing clinical research in the developing countries has multiple barriers including: lack of planning, lack of moral and financial incentives, and shortage of time available for research; underdeveloped health informatics structure; and lack of available funding.
1. Lack of Proper Research Ethics
2. Ineffective Research Methodology
3. Ineffective Education System
4. Ineffective Library System
5. Poor Infrastructural Management
6. Low Accessibility of Data and Information
7. Insecurity
8. Lack of Funds for Research
9. Poor Technological Advancement
10. Political Uncertainty
1. Lack of Proper Research Ethics
In academia, research is placed on the highest pedestal. Owing to this value placed on research, specific ethical guidelines must be observed with good sense when carrying out research of any kind.
When we talk about ethics in research, we mean the usage of basic ethical guidelines to a wide range of issues involving research such as scientific research. Many researchers in Nigeria ignore the appropriate ethical applications, methods and usage when carrying out their study to guarantee credibility.
2. Ineffective Research Methodology
A lot of academics in Nigeria consider research methodology to be the just a systematic technique of carrying out a study; however, the truth is that methodology encompasses all the guidelines, strategies and principles a researcher should follow when carrying out his research.
Methodology aids in the identification of the system to be adopted by the researcher for thorough study. In Nigeria, however, many researchers adopt the wrong methods for their research works which inadvertently affects the result that will be gotten.
Name: Ifeoma Feechi Favour
Reg. Number: 2018/242455
Department: Economics.
QUESTION.
During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the centre argued that ” Research is ” creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”. It involves the collection, organisation, and analysis of information to increase the understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures or experiments. Research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.
As the special adviser to Mr President on Research matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyze the problems of conducting social science research in developing countries.
What will you tell your audience?
ANSWER.
The purpose of research is literally seen as the sole reason, aim, and intention for carrying out research.
The purpose of research include:
1. To develop new theories, ideas and products that can shape our society and our everyday lives.
2. To find out what is known, what is not known and what we can develop further.
3. To better understand the world and learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life.
4. To bridge the gap left by previous research.
5. To predict and formulate policies to tackle similar problems. It is an integral part of problem solving mechanics.
6. To understand existing phenomenon.
7. To solve problems both known and unknown.
THE IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH.
1. Research plays an important role in helping to discover new problem solving methods.
2. It is a tool for building knowledge.
3. It is a tool for facilitating learning.
4. Research is also a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
5. Research helps to teach better discernment.
6. Research introduces us to new ideas.
7. Research helps us to be able to differentiate between myths and facts. It helps us to disagree with lies and support the truth.
B
Problems of conducting social science research in developing countries include:
1. Inadequate Record Keeping: Most developing countries do not keep accurate record of basic information like health records, population data, GDP rate, etc. And this is a barrier to conducting social science research in that area.
2. Poor Infrastructural Facilities: The fact that research cannot be conducted in an area with poor facilities is a major problem for developing countries. Poor infrastructural facilities do not facilitate efficient and effective research.
3. Illiteracy: Majority of the developing countries population do not believe that research is done to solve problems, they believe it is just a mere academic exercise.
4. Lack of Funding: The government and private citizens do not provide fund for research. This discourages social science research in developing countries.
5. Lack of support from government and private sectors.
NAME: UGWUOKE VICTOR CHINWEOKWU
REG NO: 2017/249587
DEPARTMENT: ECONOMICS
COURSE CODE: ECO 391
EMAIL: UGWUOKEVICTOR95@GMAIL.COM
As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
ANSWER
Why Research Is Important
The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study. This article discusses the significance of research and the many reasons why it is important for everyone—not just students and scientists.
Understanding that research is important might seem like a no-brainer, but many people avoid it like the plague. Yet, for those who like to learn, whether they are members of a research institution or not, conducting research is not just important—it’s imperative.
Why Research Is Necessary and Valuable in Our Daily Lives
It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
It helps us succeed in business.
It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind.
Conducting research doesn’t just arm us with knowledge—it helps teach us how to think.
Reasons why Research is Important can Further be Discussed below;
(1. ) Research expands your knowledge base
The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
(2. ) Research gives you the latest information
Research encourages you to find the most recent information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.
(3. ) Research helps you know what you’re up against
In business, you’ll have competition. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to helps you formulate your plans and strategies. You can figure out what sets you apart. In other types of research, like medicine, your research might identify diseases, classify symptoms, and come up with ways to tackle them. Even if your “enemy” isn’t an actual person or competitor, there’s always some kind of antagonist force or problem that research can help you deal with.
(4.) Research builds your credibility
People will take what you have to say more seriously when they can tell you’re informed. Doing research gives you a solid foundation on which you can build your ideas and opinions. You can speak with confidence about what you know is accurate. When you’ve done the research, it’s much harder for someone to poke holes in what you’re saying. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
(5. )Research helps you narrow your scope
When you’re circling a topic for the first time, you might not be exactly sure where to start. Most of the time, the amount of work ahead of you is overwhelming. Whether you’re writing a paper or formulating a business plan, it’s important to narrow the scope at some point. Research helps you identify the most unique and/or important themes. You can choose the themes that fit best with the project and its goals.
(6.) Research teaches you better discernment
Doing a lot of research helps you sift through low-quality and high-quality information. The more research you do on a topic, the better you’ll get at discerning what’s accurate and what’s not. You’ll also get better at discerning the gray areas where information may be technically correct but used to draw questionable conclusions.
(7.) Research introduces you to new ideas
You may already have opinions and ideas about a topic when you start researching. The more you research, the more viewpoints you’ll come across. This encourages you to entertain new ideas and perhaps take a closer look at yours. You might change your mind about something or, at least, figure out how to position your ideas as the best ones.
(8. ) Research helps with problem-solving
Whether it’s a personal or professional problem, it helps to look outside yourself for help. Depending on what the issue is, your research can focus on what others have done before. You might just need more information, so you can make an informed plan of attack and an informed decision. When you know you’ve collected good information, you’ll feel much more confident in your solution.
(9.) Research helps you reach people
Research is used to help raise awareness of issues like climate change, racial discrimination, gender inequality, and more. Without hard facts, it’s very difficult to prove that climate change is getting worse or that gender inequality isn’t progressing as quickly as it should. The public needs to know what the facts are, so they have a clear idea of what “getting worse” or “not progressing” actually means. Research also entails going beyond the raw data and sharing real-life stories that have a more personal impact on people.
(10.) Research encourages curiosity
Having curiosity and a love of learning take you far in life. Research opens you up to different opinions and new ideas. It also builds discerning and analytical skills. The research process rewards curiosity. When you’re committed to learning, you’re always in a place of growth. Curiosity is also good for your health. Studies show curiosity is associated with higher levels of positivity, better satisfaction with life, and lower anxiety.
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
Answer
1. It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
2. It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
3. It helps us succeed in business.
4. It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
5. It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
6. It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
7. It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind.
PROBLEMS OF CONDUCTING SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Answer
* Not having a definite deadline: Deadlines are stressful. But not having a deadline can be troublesome during the Ph.D. journey. Deadlines help you get closer to your goals. Many times, Universities fail to implement a due date to submit the research paper, leading to confusion and improper time management among the scholars.
* A quantity of literature: It can be difficult to deal with the quantity of literature that one might have accessed. The literature review is iterative. This involves managing the literature, accessing data that supports the framework of the research, identifying keywords and alternative keywords, as well as constantly looking for new sources.
* Implementing quality of writing within the literature review: A literature review has to go beyond being a series of references and citations. You need to interpret the literature and be able to position it within the context of your study. This requires careful and measured interpretation and writing in which you synthesize and bring together the materials that you have read.
* Insufficient data: Insufficiency of data is a potential problem. Most of the business establishments are of the opinion that researchers may misuse the data provided by them. This affects the purpose of research studies for which that particular data may be of utmost importance.
* Lack of confidence: Lack of confidence is one of the most common problems among researchers. Researchers with low self-esteem feel less motivated thereby affecting the quality of the work.
* Concern that your focus is either still too broad or too narrow: This concern is inevitable. Be prepared to adapt your research as you look through the literature. This might require you to either increase its focus or narrow down so that the research is manageable. A broad focus for research might be narrowed down by adding an appropriate context or by looking for another variable within the research question or by focusing upon a theoretical viewpoint.
* Library management: Library management and functioning is not satisfactory in many Universities; A lot of time and energy is spent on tracing appropriate books, journals, reports etc. Also, many of the libraries are not able to get copies of new reports and other publications on time.
* Research demands immediate action on the part of the concerned authorities or personnel at national levels, so as to transform these challenges into major opportunities.
* .Lack of Scientific Training: The research methodology is not systematic. Many researchers undertake research work without having actual knowledge of the research methods. Even the guides do not have a thorough knowledge of the various methodologies. Before undertaking research projects, researchers should be well equipped with all the methodological aspects.
* Lack of Interaction: You will find inadequate interaction between the university research department, on one side and business establishments, government departments and research institutions.
* .Shortage of Resources: For performing a quality research sufficient funds are not provided. This discourages research of all types. Governments, institutions/organizations don’t appreciate the contributions of research findings to economic development and for that reason do not offer adequate amounts for research of all types.
Name: uweh ifeanyi Shedrack
Reg no: 2018/241857
Department: economics
Email: uwehifeanyi@gmail.com by
Online Discussion Quiz 2—Purpose/ Importance of Research and Challenges of Conducting Research in LDCs
As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Answer:
Purpose of research are simply the objectives, that a researcher in undertaking a research exercise, seeks to fulfill. The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study.
Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of research:
Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
Characteristics of Research:What does Research Involve?
Research often follows a systematic approach known as a Scientific Method, which is carried out using an hourglass model.
A research project first starts with a problem statement, or rather, the research purpose for engaging in the study. This can take the form of the ‘scope of the study’ or ‘aims and objectives’ of your research topic.Subsequently, a literature review is carried out and a hypothesis is formed. The researcher then creates a research methodology and collects the data.The data is then analysed using various statistical methods and the null hypothesis is either accepted or rejected.In both cases, the study and its conclusion are officially written up as a report or research paper, and the researcher may also recommend lines of further questioning. The report or research paper is then shared with the wider research community, and the cycle begins all over again.
Selecting the Right Methodology:After you have chosen a topic, you will need procedure for conducting your research. It is important for you to formulate a research question to adopt the best methodology. Then you can now allow your answers to guide you, be clear with your studies and honest about your abilities, give time to the planning process.
Arranging a Research Team: Once you selected your topic and methodology, the next thing you will need is a research team to support your study. Research is never conducted in a space. You must look out for useful feedback and be certain about your needs.
Looking for a Study Participants:
Once you have your team together, you then look for participants to help conduct your study. You must be bold to reach out and avoid wastage of time and resources.
Name: Anike chilota Dominica
Reg no: 2018/243070
Course:Eco 391 ( development economics)
Dept: combined social science
Combo: economic and political science
Answer
Importants and purpose of research
1. It is a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning_ knowledge is commonly described as a factual proposition in the mind of an individual it essentially refers to facts based on objective in sights and study findings processed by human brain.
2.it is a means to understand issues and increase public awareness_oprah Winfrey would have not achieved remarkable success as a TV host and new anchor if she didn’t do research about certain topics she spends disproportionate amount of time gathering information.
3. it helps us succeed in business_ research benefits business.many successful companies such as those producing consumer goods or mass market items invest in research and development of R&D
4.it is a means to find Gauge and seize opportunity_ research helps people nurture their potential and achieve goals by taking advantage of various opportunities.this can meaning securing employment, scholarship or grants etc.
5.it promote love of reading, writing, analyzing and sharing information_ research entails both reading and writing.these two literacy functions helps maintain critical thinking and comprehension without these skills, research is far more difficult.
challenges or problem in conducting research in LDC’S
1 lack of standardization_ in research process for distance Education research.there are logistical issues surrounding the research process that need to be addressed.
2.incentivizing participate: many distance education researchers face obstacles of finding enough faculty and student participates to warrant a sound, evidence based research project.
3.Reliance on self_ reported data_ as with only research endeavor including opinions and behaviors of human reliance on self-reported data
4.research is team based ,but there is an absence of culture that is, research within the area of distance education often requires a group effort to be conducted effectively
5.Accessing , individual level data _ with sensitive and confidential information institutions prefer to provide aggregate level data
NAME: E-PATRICK FEBOSAH MARY
REG NO: 2018/242214
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
Research gives the fundamental to about all administration strategies in our economic framework. Research gives the premise to almost all administration approaches in our economic framework. Research has its uncommon centrality in taking care of different operational and arranging issues of business and industry.
Resarch is important for businesses because it provides powerful knowledge and insights, leads to improvements to existing processes where efficiency can be increased and costs reduced. It also allows businesses to develop new products and services to allow it to survive and thrive in competitive markets.
Research is done with the aim of gathering more information on a particular subject/topic. However, in the process of conducting the research, researchers encounter numerous challenges and today; we will be taking a look at the top ten challenges and their possible solutions.
LACK OF PROPER RESEARCH ETHICS
In academia, research is placed on the highest pedestal. Owing to this value placed on research, specific ethical guidelines must be observed with good sense when carrying out research of any kind.
When we talk about ethics in research, we mean the usage of basic ethical guidelines to a wide range of issues involving research such as scientific research. Many researchers in Nigeria ignore the appropriate ethical applications, methods and usage when carrying out their study to guarantee
LACK OF FUNDS
The lack of funds and time is perhaps the second on the list of challenges facing researchers in Nigeria. To use research facilities that are well equipped in Nigeria, one must be prepared to spend a lot. From the purchase of research equipment, transportation, books, etc., one would spend a lot. In addition to this, the lack of time is another problem facing research in Nigeria. Many researchers in Nigeria are either juggling between two or three jobs, so they only have little time to spare for adequate research. For example, you might have seen a lawyer, who is also a lecturer.
Purpose of Research
The purpose of research is to discover answers to questions through the application of scientific procedures. The main aim of research is to find out the truth which is hidden and which has not been discovered as yet. Though each research study has its own specific purpose, we may think of research objectives as falling into a number of following broad groupings:
1. To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into it (studies with this object in view are termed as exploratory or formulative research studies)
2. To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular individual, situation or a group (studies with this object in view are known as descriptive research studies);
3. To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with which it is associated with something else (studies with this object in view are known as diagnostic research studies);
5. To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables (such studies are known as hypothesis-testing research studies)
Here are some problems encountered when conducting Social science research in Developing Countries
1. Lack of Public and Private Sector Records
2. Lack of cooperation from Public and Private
3. Lack of infrastructural facilities
4. Lack of findings for research
5. Illetracy
6. Perception of Research as an academic exercise in Developing Countries
My answers will be
1. PURPOSE AND IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
One of the main goals of research is to find new and better ways of doing things in order to better our ways of life. In the process of advancing what is known and finding new things, it directly or indirectly leads to the betterment of living which is literally the core purpose of research.
The core purpose of research, there are 3 main purpose of research
1. To Explain: Research seeks to clinically explain some areas of study which may have not really been properly defined. It is the very first step in research making. It aims at getting a better understanding of the very nature of the problem which has not yet been clearly defined.
2. To Describe: this step, further goes on to expand knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by carefully take note of its characteristics and features.
3. Explanatory: This step seeks to determine the interaction between variables by identifying the cause and effect relationships amongst them.
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
Every research we tend to carry out, in one way or the other has its benefits on not just the researcher alone but the general benefits of the consumers. The various importance of research are as follows:
1. Research expands our knowledge: The main reason why research is performed is to learn new things or learn more from what we have already known. The stages of research opens one up for new opportunities for learning and growth.
2. Research provides us with latest information: Research clearly provides us with the newest information on our areas of study or research. It’s gives an updated pieces of information on the areas of our finding which helps in providing us with fresh knowledge.
3. Research builds ones credibility: As a researcher who is well informed seems to gain great audience from people. Its helps to build up ideas and opinions as well as gives you a solid foundation on the field of discourse. Its also calls for great attention when you stand to speak on a subject.
4. Research narrows your scope:
#5. Research helps you narrow your scope
When you’re circling a topic for the first time, you might not be exactly sure where to start. Most of the time, the amount of work ahead of you is overwhelming. Whether you’re writing a paper or formulating a business plan, it’s important to narrow the scope at some point. Research helps you identify the most unique and/or important themes. You can choose the themes that fit best with the project and its goals.
2. PROBLEMS OF RESEARCH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES:
Performing research in most developing countries is embodied with one form of barrier or the other. Ranging from the lack of adequate planning to the lack of moral and financial incentives to the shortage of time available for research and so on. Specifically, the main problems are as follows:
1. Lack of Training: This is a very obvious and prevalent issue in most developing countries. For instance in most developing countries like Africa, most especially in Nigeria there is the absence of proper training and guidelines for some persons who in one way or the other finds themselves in the research world. The lack of rightful tools for teaching research and its methods, adds to the already said. This thereby leads to a problem in carrying out research.
2. Lack of access to information: The business houses are usually unwilling to provide the necessary information to researchers because of fear of misuse of information.
Repetition: Research studies overlapping one another are carried out in many cases for want of adequate information.
3. Illiteracy: Regardless of the fact that there exists lack of proper training amongst some persons who undergo research, there are some person who may not have or have little knowledge on what research is and its methods. These set of persons tend to carry out what they feel research is. This is also a problem to research because it provides other researchers with invalid information and facts.
4. Shortage of Resources: In carrying out quality research sufficient funds are not provided. This discourages research of all types. Governments, institutions/organizations don’t appreciate the contributions of research findings to economic development and for that reason do not offer adequate amounts for research of all types.
5. Absence of Coordination: There seem to exists lack of coordination among various organizations responsible for performing research.
IGWE MOSES OZIOMA
2018/246562
ECONOMICS DEPT
Answer:
NO. 1. THE PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
The purpose of research is therefore to find out what is known, what is not and what we can develop further. In this way, scientists can develop new theories, ideas and products that shape our society and our everyday lives.
The purpose of research is to further understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life. It is an integral part of problem solving.
Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of research:
1. Exploratory:
Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
2. Descriptive:
Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
3. Explanatory:
Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
II. Importance of research are :
No matter what career field you’re in or how high up you are, there’s always more to learn. The same applies to your personal life. No matter how many experiences you have or how diverse your social circle, there are things you don’t know. Research unlocks the unknowns, lets you explore the world from different perspectives, and fuels a deeper understanding. In some areas, research is an essential part of success. In others, it may not be absolutely necessary, but it has many benefits. Here are the reasons why research is important:
1. Research expands your knowledge base
The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
2. Research gives you the latest information
Research encourages you to find the most recent information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.
3. Research helps you know what you’re up against
In business, you’ll have competition. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to helps you formulate your plans and strategies. You can figure out what sets you apart. In other types of research, like medicine, your research might identify diseases, classify symptoms, and come up with ways to tackle them. Even if your “enemy” isn’t an actual person or competitor, there’s always some kind of antagonist force or problem that research can help you deal with.
4. Research builds your credibility
People will take what you have to say more seriously when they can tell you’re informed. Doing research gives you a solid foundation on which you can build your ideas and opinions. You can speak with confidence about what you know is accurate. When you’ve done the research, it’s much harder for someone to poke holes in what you’re saying. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
5. Research helps you narrow your scope
When you’re circling a topic for the first time, you might not be exactly sure where to start. Most of the time, the amount of work ahead of you is overwhelming. Whether you’re writing a paper or formulating a business plan, it’s important to narrow the scope at some point. Research helps you identify the most unique and/or important themes. You can choose the themes that fit best with the project and its goals.
6. Research teaches you better discernment
Doing a lot of research helps you sift through low-quality and high-quality information. The more research you do on a topic, the better you’ll get at discerning what’s accurate and what’s not. You’ll also get better at discerning the gray areas where information may be technically correct but used to draw questionable conclusions.
NO. 2 problems of social science research in the developing countries are :
1. Absence of a clear cut philosophy of national development: The foundation to achieving harmony between the demands/expectations of a state and the response/obligation of its citizens, is enshrined in clear cut philosophies that are engraved in the minds of the citizens through conscious teachings. If research in Nigeria becomes an inalienable philosophy for its development, citizens would concertedly
act to achieving development via the production and reproduction of ideas, innovations and new
technologies. It is in the presence of such philosophies that the instability of government would no longer be a challenged since everyone must have to tailor his/her actions to the demands of the stated philosophies. In nations where this is present, people out of even involuntary compulsion tend to see themselves living in such ideals. A consistent, coherent and comprehensive philosophy of national
development is essential for concerted research effort (Jimoh 1998).
2. Poor attention given to the development of Human Capacity: Human resource is a major precedent for development whose importance cannot be overemphasized. It goes beyond population to the quality of the population evident in what is brought to the table by these humans for development to happen. In Nigeria, the poor attention given to the development of human capacity in all ramifications is worrisome and has affected the quality of social research both on the part of the researchers and their respondents. An enlightened and astute researcher might not get the best of results from a respondent who lacks fundamental features of being properly educated. A social science researcher who does not have the penchant for research owing to lack of motivations and a research enabled environ might also not get
the best of results no matter how enlightened his/her respondents might be. All of these boils down to the absence of quality attention offered to the development of human capacity, most importantly at institutional levels. Even a clear cut philosophy of national development would not survive in an environment of mediocrity, in as much as they are interdependent. The foregoing was captured in Kamba (2008) who stated that expected outcomes of a functional research and development initiatives entail equipping the people with the needed capacity with which they need to carry out their economic activities with appreciable degree of proficiency leading to the attainment of maximum output. They further inferred that these capacities encompass enhancing the people with the skills and competences needed to effectively harness and utilize the potentials found in one’s environment. In conclusion, they maintained that Nigeria’s case today is evidence of the fact that it is a nation highly populated with whole lot of potentials but with inadequate competences needed to translate these potentials into socio-economic transformations for the nation.
3. Initiatives in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects, using the six geo-political zones of Nigeria, a significant large percentage of the respondents concurred to the fact that a nation’s level of development is a function of its research initiatives and development structure which is navigated by the works of quality tertiary institutions. Hence, social research in Nigeria would become only as good as the quality
of tertiary institutions within the nation.
4. Funding: Funding has been a major issue for most ventures all over the world, owing to scarce
resources. Nonetheless, nations have resorted to getting priorities right to circumvent the ills of poor funding on productivity. This is evident in the fact that areas that are capable of yielding more resources are prioritized in their budgets. One of such areas is education and research which have been proven to be major precursors and requisites for development to happen. In the Nigeria’s case, these areas have long been affected which tells on its development. Lack of adequate funds for a people-centred research
like that of the social research has clogged the wheels of advancement for such developmental germane venture. The overbearing preference given to the pure and physical sciences over the social sciences has also affected the funding of social research. The Nigerian government and related institutions could spend so much on space science, meteorological studies, geological mining and other relatives
Name: Offor chukwuebuka Donaldson
Reg no :2018/246940
Course code: Eco 391
Department: Economics department
Assignment
As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research
Solution1
The purpose of research is to enhance society by advancing knowledge through the development of scientific theories, concepts and ideas. A research purpose is met through forming hypotheses, collecting data, analysing results, forming conclusions, implementing findings into real-life applications and forming new research questions.
Understanding that research is important might seem like a no-brainer, but many people avoid it like the plague. Yet, for those who like to learn, whether they are members of a research institution or not, conducting research is not just important—it’s imperative
We have 5 purpose of research
1:Information gathering and exploratory: e.g., discovering, uncovering, exploring
2:Descriptive: e.g., gathering info, describing, summarizing
3: Theory testing
4:Explanatory: e.g., testing and understanding causal relations
5:Predictive: e.g., predicting what might happen in various scenarios
What is the importance of research
#1. Research expands your knowledge base
The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
#2. Research gives you the latest information
Research encourages you to find the most recent information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.
#3. Research helps you know what you’re up against
In business, you’ll have competition. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to helps you formulate your plans and strategies. You can figure out what sets you apart. In other types of research, like medicine, your research might identify diseases, classify symptoms, and come up with ways to tackle them. Even if your “enemy” isn’t an actual person or competitor, there’s always some kind of antagonist force or problem that research can help you deal with.
#4. Research builds your credibility
People will take what you have to say more seriously when they can tell you’re informed. Doing research gives you a solid foundation on which you can build your ideas and opinions. You can speak with confidence about what you know is accurate. When you’ve done the research, it’s much harder for someone to poke holes in what you’re saying. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
#5. Research helps you narrow your scope
When you’re circling a topic for the first time, you might not be exactly sure where to start. Most of the time, the amount of work ahead of you is overwhelming. Whether you’re writing a paper or formulating a business plan, it’s important to narrow the scope at some point.
Question 2
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
Solution
1. The problem of research accessibility
Academia is gradually moving towards open science and open access by signing open data mandates and making data sharing mandatory. However, there are many big publishers that operate their journals on subscription-based models. Paying for paywalled research is becoming difficult for researchers as well as institutions, particularly in the developing countries, due to the ever-increasing subscription fees. Many of the Vox survey respondents were critical of this as it affects the way scientific research is disseminated. Moreover, subscription-based publishing model is probably the single most important factor responsible for the foundation of Sci-Hub, a website that provides unauthorized access to almost all paywalled research papers. The only way of avoiding such consequences is developing methods to make access to research easier for the science community
2. Poor study design in published papers
Poorly designed studies have become a major concern for academia. One of the primary reasons behind this problem is that statistical flaws in published research often go undetected. Since breakthrough results are valued the most, researchers feel compelled to hype their results in order to get published. Moreover, they tend to focus on particular patterns in data and manipulate their study designs to make the results more attractive for the journals. Instances of “p-hacking” in which researchers report only those hypotheses that end in statistically significant results are also on a rise. In particular, biomedical studies have come under the spotlight for misusing p-values. Thus, a huge chunk of published results are scientifically insignificant, which also means a routine waste of money and resources.
3. Lack of replication studies
The inability to reproduce and replicate results is a major problem plaguing research. Recently, Nature published the results of a survey that attempted to understand researchers’ views on reproducibility and reported that a majority of participants believed the “crisis of reproducibility” is real. Inherent problems in studies also hinder replication, such as inadequate data and complicated study design. However, major stakeholders of science are in general skeptical about pursuing replication studies. Most journals prefer publishing original and groundbreaking results because replication studies lack novelty. Researchers and funding bodies are reluctant to invest their resources in replication studies on similar grounds. This is a major loss to academia since results of most experiments are never validated and tested.
4. Problems with peer review
Although peer review is often considered the backbone of scientific publishing, it is not without problems. Peer reviewers help in weeding out bad research and ensuring that a manuscript does not have any obvious flaws. However, because it is not an incentivized task, reviewers have been known to delay their work or provide unhelpful reviews. Moreover, authors regularly report facing reviewer bullying wherein reviewers force authors to conduct additional experiments, cite certain papers, make unnecessary changes, and so on. Most journals opt for single-blind peer review, which leaves room for biases and professional jealousy to creep in. Apart from this, the excessive dependence on the peer review system has led authors, editors, and third-party services to take advantage of it leading to peer review scams. As a result, the peer review system in its present form is questioned by many academics.
5. Lack of adequate and accurate science communication
It is a well-known fact that a wide communication gap exists between the scientific and the non-scientific community. This has resulted in miscommunication of science, divided opinions about scientific matters, and lack of informed decision-making among the public. Researchers are partly responsible for this because they lack time or sometimes the inclination to engage with the public about their research work. Therefore, the public is largely dependent on the media, which is often blamed for misconstruing scientific facts. The competitive nature of academic research is also responsible for poor communication of research. In an attempt to grab attention, sometimes researchers, universities, and even journals mislead the public by hyping the results or promoting only positive results. However, the science community should take the responsibility of projecting an accurate picture of science to the public since so that they can become cognizant of scientific issues and have a say in the way their tax money is invested in research.
NAME: ABONYI AMAKA MARY
REG NO: 2018/241874
DEPARTMENT: ECONOMICS
Purpose of conducting research
The main purpose of conducting research is gathering and interpreting of information to answer question which involves finding out what is known, what is not and what we can develop further. In this way, social scientists can develop new theories, ideas and products that shape our society and our everyday lives. The purpose of research is to further understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life.
Research is important because it helps us to have a detailed analysis of everything. When you have a proper in-depth analysis of any topic, the result comes out to be fruitful and also the knowledge is enhanced. Other importance of research include;
Research enable us understand existing phenomenon
To provide answers to economic problems
To make predictions and formulate policies
To helps us to accept or reject hypothesis
To enrich the frontiers of knowledge
Problems of conducting social science research in developing countries.
In developing countries researchers face challenges in choosing a research topic, statement etc. In addition, researchers are faced with challenges associated with growth, infrastructural deficiencies, financial crunches, etc. Some of these problems include;
Lack of communication with the supervisor: It is important to have guidance on a research project. Poor communication gets on the way of the progress of the research. It is important to communicate with the supervisor to clarify the doubts regarding the research topic, to know what the supervisor expects from you and to learn more about your research topic.
Time management: Spending time in learning the skills and practical implementation consumes a lot of time.
Insufficient data: Lack of sufficient data most times frustrates researchers. This affects the purpose of research studies for which that particular data may be of utmost importance.
Lack of confidence: Lack of confidence is one of the most common problems among researchers. Researchers with low self-esteem feel less motivated thereby affecting the quality of the work.
Lack of electricity Lack of public and private sector records
Lack of cooperation from public and private sector institutions
Lack of infrastructural aids
Lack of funding and data collection
Illiteracy
Name: Onyeabo Michael Chukwuebuka
Reg No: 2018/248280
Department: Economics
As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyze the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
Purpose of research
1. Solutions to problems: For me, the basic ‘purpose of conduction research is to find the solution to a problem. This ‘is to say that there is no research without a problem.
2. Information gathering: Research is conducted to gather information about a certain phenomenon. This information helps to better understand, prove, or disprove the phenomenon.
3. Theory testing: Research is conducted to either accept or reject hypotheses about a theory.
Important of research
1. Research enables us to provide answers to problems
2. When others can see you’re well-informed, they’ll take your words more seriously. Research provides you with a strong basis on which to construct your ideas and beliefs.
3. When you begin researching a topic, you may already have opinions and beliefs about it. The more you research, the more points of view you’ll encounter. This pushes you to consider fresh views and possibly examine your own more closely. This is to say that research broadens our knowledge base.
4. It helps us to formulate theories in other to enrich the frontier of knowledge.
5. It enable us to make prediction and formulate policies.
Problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries
1. One of the major problem of conducting social science research in developing countries is the inability to access data. Sometimes both public and Private institutions refuse to release data needed for research.
2. Reliability and validity of the collected data.
3. In case of conducting survey, there is a poor response from the respondents to the required survey due to other factors like limited knowledge’s on the subject matter addressed and etc.
4. Some people in developing countries perceive research as a mere academic exercise.
5. Also there’s problem with funding In developing countries making social science research difficult.
1. PURPOSE AND IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
One of the main goals of research is to find new and better ways of doing things in order to better our ways of life. In the process of advancing what is known and finding new things, it directly or indirectly leads to the betterment of living which is literally the core purpose of research.
The core purpose of research, there are 3 main purpose of research
1. To Explain: Research seeks to clinically explain some areas of study which may have not really been properly defined. It is the very first step in research making. It aims at getting a better understanding of the very nature of the problem which has not yet been clearly defined.
2. To Describe: this step, further goes on to expand knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by carefully take note of its characteristics and features.
3. Explanatory: This step seeks to determine the interaction between variables by identifying the cause and effect relationships amongst them.
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
Every research we tend to carry out, in one way or the other has its benefits on not just the researcher alone but the general benefits of the consumers. The various importance of research are as follows:
1. Research expands our knowledge: The main reason why research is performed is to learn new things or learn more from what we have already known. The stages of research opens one up for new opportunities for learning and growth.
2. Research provides us with latest information: Research clearly provides us with the newest information on our areas of study or research. It’s gives an updated pieces of information on the areas of our finding which helps in providing us with fresh knowledge.
3. Research builds ones credibility: As a researcher who is well informed seems to gain great audience from people. Its helps to build up ideas and opinions as well as gives you a solid foundation on the field of discourse. Its also calls for great attention when you stand to speak on a subject.
4. Research narrows your scope:
#5. Research helps you narrow your scope
When you’re circling a topic for the first time, you might not be exactly sure where to start. Most of the time, the amount of work ahead of you is overwhelming. Whether you’re writing a paper or formulating a business plan, it’s important to narrow the scope at some point. Research helps you identify the most unique and/or important themes. You can choose the themes that fit best with the project and its goals.
2. PROBLEMS OF RESEARCH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES:
Performing research in most developing countries is embodied with one form of barrier or the other. Ranging from the lack of adequate planning to the lack of moral and financial incentives to the shortage of time available for research and so on. Specifically, the main problems are as follows:
1. Lack of Training: This is a very obvious and prevalent issue in most developing countries. For instance in most developing countries like Africa, most especially in Nigeria there is the absence of proper training and guidelines for some persons who in one way or the other finds themselves in the research world. The lack of rightful tools for teaching research and its methods, adds to the already said. This thereby leads to a problem in carrying out research.
2. Lack of access to information: The business houses are usually unwilling to provide the necessary information to researchers because of fear of misuse of information.
Repetition: Research studies overlapping one another are carried out in many cases for want of adequate information.
3. Illiteracy: Regardless of the fact that there exists lack of proper training amongst some persons who undergo research, there are some person who may not have or have little knowledge on what research is and its methods. These set of persons tend to carry out what they feel research is. This is also a problem to research because it provides other researchers with invalid information and facts.
4. Shortage of Resources: In carrying out quality research sufficient funds are not provided. This discourages research of all types. Governments, institutions/organizations don’t appreciate the contributions of research findings to economic development and for that reason do not offer adequate amounts for research of all types.
5. Absence of Coordination: There seem to exists lack of coordination among various organizations responsible for performing research.
Nwogwugwu Chisom Jennifer.
2018/245129.
Economics department.
Eco 391 Assignment.
Purpose/ Importance of Research.
Answer:
• Research as we all know is a systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. Research is a process of systematic inquiry that entails collection of data; documentation of critical information; and analysis and interpretation of that data/information, in accordance with suitable methodologies set by specific professional fields and academic disciplines.
THE PURPOSE/IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH.
The purpose of research is to enhance society by advancing knowledge through the development of scientific theories, concepts and ideas. A research purpose is met through forming hypotheses, collecting data, analysing results, forming conclusions, implementing findings into real-life applications and forming new research questions.
Research involves systematic investigation of phenomena, the purpose of which could be for:
• Information gathering and/or
• Exploratory: e.g., discovering, uncovering, exploring
• Descriptive: e.g., gathering info, describing, summarizing
• Theory testing
• Explanatory: e.g., testing and understanding causal relations
• Predictive: e.g., predicting what might happen in various scenarios.
NAME: OKAFOR CHUKWUMA PHILIP
REG NUMBER: 2018/246611
Assignment
1. purpose and importance of research
2. Problems of conducting social science research in developing countries
Answer
1. Research is defined as humanactivity based on intellectual application in the investigation of matter. The primary purpose for applied research is discovering, interpreting, and the
development of methods and systems for the advancement of human knowledge on a wide variety of scientific matters of our world and the universe. From weather forecasts to the discovery of antibiotics, researchers are constantly trying to find new ways to understand the world and how things work – with the ultimate goal of improving our lives.
The purpose of research is therefore to find out what is known, what is not and what we can develop further. In this way, scientists can develop new theories, ideas and products that shape our society and our everyday lives.
The purpose of research is to further understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life. It is an integral part of problem solving.
2.
• Poor infrastructures on ground
• Political instabilities.
• Difficulties in getting fundings.
NAME: CHUKWU PRECIOUS ADA
REG NO: 2018/244278
DEPT: ECONOMICS EDUCATION
COURSE CODE: ECO 391
EMAIL: Chukwuprecious09@gmail.com
QUESTION: Purpose/Importance of Research and Challenges of Conducting Research in LDCs)
Research is the systematic investigation, study or enquiry of existing knowledge, materials and information in order to establish facts, verify existing facts and reach new conclusions. It is simply the creation of new knowledge and verification of existing knowledge
No matter what career field you’re in or how high up you are, there’s always more to learn. The same applies to your personal life. No matter how many experiences you have or how diverse your social circle, there are things you don’t know. Research unlocks the unknowns, lets you explore the world from different perspectives, and fuels a deeper understanding. In some areas, research is an essential part of success. In others, it may not be absolutely necessary, but it has many benefits.
Here are reasons why research is important:
1. Research expands your knowledge base
The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
2. Research gives you the latest information
Research encourages you to find the most recent information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.
3. Research helps you know what you’re up against
In business, you’ll have competition. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to helps you formulate your plans and strategies. You can figure out what sets you apart. In other types of research, like medicine, your research might identify diseases, classify symptoms, and come up with ways to tackle them. Even if your “enemy” isn’t an actual person or competitor, there’s always some kind of antagonist force or problem that research can help you deal with.
4. Research builds your credibility
People will take what you have to say more seriously when they can tell you’re informed. Doing research gives you a solid foundation on which you can build your ideas and opinions. You can speak with confidence about what you know is accurate. When you’ve done the research, it’s much harder for someone to poke holes in what you’re saying. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
5. Research helps you narrow your scope
When you’re circling a topic for the first time, you might not be exactly sure where to start. Most of the time, the amount of work ahead of you is overwhelming. Whether you’re writing a paper or formulating a business plan, it’s important to narrow the scope at some point. Research helps you identify the most unique and/or important themes. You can choose the themes that fit best with the project and its goals.
6. Research teaches you better discernment
Doing a lot of research helps you sift through low-quality and high-quality information. The more research you do on a topic, the better you’ll get at discerning what’s accurate and what’s not. You’ll also get better at discerning the gray areas where information may be technically correct but used to draw questionable conclusions.
7. Research introduces you to new ideas
You may already have opinions and ideas about a topic when you start researching. The more you research, the more viewpoints you’ll come across. This encourages you to entertain new ideas and perhaps take a closer look at yours. You might change your mind about something or, at least, figure out how to position your ideas as the best ones.
8. Research helps with problem-solving
Whether it’s a personal or professional problem, it helps to look outside yourself for help. Depending on what the issue is, your research can focus on what others have done before. You might just need more information, so you can make an informed plan of attack and an informed decision. When you know you’ve collected good information, you’ll feel much more confident in your solution.
9. Research helps you reach people
Research is used to help raise awareness of issues like climate change, racial discrimination, gender inequality, and more. Without hard facts, it’s very difficult to prove that climate change is getting worse or that gender inequality isn’t progressing as quickly as it should. The public needs to know what the facts are, so they have a clear idea of what “getting worse” or “not progressing” actually means. Research also entails going beyond the raw data and sharing real-life stories that have a more personal impact on people.
10. Research encourages curiosity
Having curiosity and a love of learning take you far in life. Research opens you up to different opinions and new ideas. It also builds discerning and analytical skills. The research process rewards curiosity. When you’re committed to learning, you’re always in a place of growth. Curiosity is also good for your health. Studies show curiosity is associated with higher levels of positivity, better satisfaction with life, and lower anxiety.
CHALLENGES OF CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
Research requires several ingredients; some difficult to manage, while others are difficult to arrange. It is done by a single individual, but requires the acceptance/approval of several others; guides, supervisors, defense committee members, interviewees, focus group members, etc.
In developing nations, research is in its incessant stage. Researchers face challenges in choosing a research topic, statement etc. In addition, researchers are faced with challenges associated with growth, infrastructural deficiencies, financial crunches, etc. Here’s a list of top 10 challenges that we found intimidating for budding researchers:
Lack of Scientific Training: The research methodology is not systematic. Many researchers undertake research work without having actual knowledge of the research methods. Even the guides do not have a thorough knowledge of the various methodologies. Before undertaking research projects, researchers should be well equipped with all the methodological aspects.
Lack of communication with the supervisor: A university professor is a busy person. It is important to have guidance on a research project. Poor communication gets on the way of the progress of the research. It is important to communicate with the supervisor to clarify the doubts regarding the research topic, to know what the supervisor expects from you and to learn more about your research topic.
Time management: Spending ample time in learning the skills and practical implementation consumes a lot of time. In such a scenario, taking out time for intense research and to draft a top-notch research paper becomes impossible.
Not having a definite deadline: Deadlines are stressful. But not having a deadline can be troublesome during the Ph.D. journey. Deadlines help you get closer to your goals. Many times, Universities fail to implement a due date to submit the research paper, leading to confusion and improper time management among the scholars.
A quantity of literature: It can be difficult to deal with the quantity of literature that one might have accessed. The literature review is iterative. This involves managing the literature, accessing data that supports the framework of the research, identifying keywords and alternative keywords, as well as constantly looking for new sources.
Implementing quality of writing within the literature review: A literature review has to go beyond being a series of references and citations. You need to interpret the literature and be able to position it within the context of your study. This requires careful and measured interpretation and writing in which you synthesize and bring together the materials that you have read.
Insufficient data: Insufficiency of data is a potential problem. Most of the business establishments are of the opinion that researchers may misuse the data provided by them. This affects the purpose of research studies for which that particular data may be of utmost importance.
Lack of confidence: Lack of confidence is one of the most common problems among researchers. Researchers with low self-esteem feel less motivated thereby affecting the quality of the work.
Concern that your focus is either still too broad or too narrow: This concern is inevitable. Be prepared to adapt your research as you look through the literature. This might require you to either increase its focus or narrow down so that the research is manageable. A broad focus for research might be narrowed down by adding an appropriate context or by looking for another variable within the research question or by focusing upon a theoretical viewpoint.
Library management: Library management and functioning is not satisfactory in many Universities; A lot of time and energy is spent on tracing appropriate books, journals, reports etc. Also, many of the libraries are not able to get copies of new reports and other publications on time.
Research demands immediate action on the part pf the concerned authorities or personnel at national levels, so as to transform these challenges into major opportunities.
NAME:ONWE, IRENE EBERE
REG NO: 2018/242201
EMAIL: Irene.onwe.242201@unn.edu.ng
DEPT: EDUCATION AND ECONOMICS
COURSE: RESEARCH METHODS IN ECONOMICS (ECO 391)
Most research is usually done to broaden knowledge in the physical, biological, and social worlds. This can range from learning why certain materials behave the way they do, to asking why certain people are more resilient than others when faced with the same challenges. The purpose of research is to enhance society by advancing knowledge through the development of scientific theories, concepts and ideas. A research purpose is met through forming hypotheses, collecting data, analysing results, forming conclusions, implementing findings into real-life applications and forming new research questions. The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study.
The purpose of research is to inform action. Thus, your study should seek to contextualize its findings within the larger body of research. Research must always be of high quality in order to produce knowledge that is applicable outside of the research setting. Furthermore, the results of your study may have implications for policy and future project implementation.
Research involves systematic investigation of phenomena, the purpose of which could be for:
1. Information gathering and/or
2. Exploratory: e.g., discovering, uncovering, exploring
3. Descriptive: e.g., gathering info, describing, summarizing
4.Theory testing
5.Explanatory: e.g., testing and understanding causal relations
6.Predictive: e.g., predicting what might happen in various scenarios
One purpose of research is for exploration, in order to know more about a topic that provides little information in general. Exploratory research may be used to explore more specific questions about an overall topic such as bullying, the data collected during this type of research may be used for future comparisons. Descriptive research describes the problem or issue at hand but does not explain the why or how. Descriptive research describes what is observed about a particular issue, statistics are an example of descriptive research. Explanatory research addresses why things happen, why certain crimes are committed in one area of the comparison to another, or why one state has a higher auto-theft rate than another state. Explanatory research explores cause and effect and gives an explanation for why things happen. Applied research is conducted when there is a need for facts or information regarding a policy or implications. Evaluation and policy/problem analysis are the two main types of applied research. Evaluation compares the results to the goal, whereas policy/problem analysis seeks to address future issues or implications of alternative decisions.
As the special adviser to Mr President I will say the importance of research are as follows;
It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
It helps us succeed in business.
It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind.
2. The problems of conducting social science research in developing countries include the following;
In my personal opinion, the common problem which may be faced in social sciences are:
1) difficulty in collection the suitable simple size
2) poor response from the respondents to the required survey due to other factors like limited knowledge’s on the subject matter addressed and etc.
3) finding the suitable research method to conduct or carry out the intended study
4) interpretation of the data’ field with regard to the conceptual framework
5) limited knowledge or background on the needed software to run the data or conducting the data analysis.
The most important problem facing the researcher in social sciences such as economics is data, and how to deal with it, I mean the ability of the researcher to use statistical and Econometric standard methods in dealing with these data to reach the truth and the appropriate solution. The overall problem is largely one of resources and
their allocation, coupled with a much smaller base of educated people in developing countries than usually found in the developed countries. Increasing the educated population is a slow business which will take a couple of generations or more, in many cases. It is therefore necessary to make the best use of the scientific manpower that there is available in the short term. Keeping in contact with the mainstream of ideas and developments is a major problem for social scientists in most developing countries.
The considerable known challenges are development of conceptualisations, problem of maintaining objectivity, difficulty in the verification of the inferences, unpredictability and problem of universalisation. Some major problems (other than the listed ones) in social science research are:
1. Evolving a sound methodology for collection of field data
2. Interpretations of field data in relation to a conceptual and theoretical framework
3. Reliability and validity of the collected data
4. The background of the fieldworker(s) or researcher(s) (trained/untrained), etc.
5. Target group unwillingness to participate either in the form of interaction or answering questions
6. Time management
7. Quantification of qualitative data
8. preparing the final repot/thesis/dissertation,
Name: Folarin Gift Funmilayo
Reg No: 2018/241234
Dept; Education/Economics
Course code: Eco 391
Course Title: Research Methods 1
1.
a) Examination shows you better wisdom
Doing a great deal of exploration assists you with filtering through inferior quality and top notch data. The more examination you do on a subject, the better you’ll get at knowing what’s exact and so forth. You’ll likewise improve at knowing the hazy situations where data might be actually right yet used to make sketchy inferences.
b) Exploration acquaints you with novel thoughts
You may as of now have assessments and thoughts regarding a subject when you begin exploring. The more you research, the more perspectives you’ll run over. This urges you to engage groundbreaking thoughts and maybe investigate yours. You may adjust your perspective on something or, at any rate, sort out some way to situate your thoughts as the best ones.
c) Exploration assists with critical thinking
Regardless of whether it’s an individual or expert issue, it assists with looking external yourself for help. Contingent upon what the issue is, your exploration can zero in on what others have done previously. You may very well need more data, so you can make an educated arrangement regarding assault and an educated choice. At the point when you realize you’ve gathered great data, you’ll feel substantially more sure about your answer.
d) Exploration assists you with contacting individuals
Exploration is utilized to assist with bringing issues to light of issues like environmental change, racial separation, sex disparity, and the sky is the limit from there. Without hard realities, it’s truly challenging to demonstrate that environmental change is deteriorating or that sex disparity isn’t advancing as fast as it ought to. The public has to know what the realities are, so they have a reasonable thought of what “deteriorating” or “not advancing” really implies. Exploration additionally involves going past the crude information and sharing genuine stories that actually affect individuals.
e) Examination empowers interest
Having interest and an adoration for learning take you far throughout everyday life. Examination frees you up to various assessments and novel thoughts. It likewise constructs knowing and insightful abilities. The examination cycle rewards interest. At the point when you’re focused on learning, you’re generally in a position of development. Interest is likewise useful for your well being. Studies show interest is related with more elevated levels of energy, better fulfillment with life, and lower uneasiness.
2.
Introduction
Sociology research has for quite some time been worried about moral issues. Sociology researches complex issues which include social, legitimate, monetary, and political wonders (Freed‐Taylor, 1994). This intricacy implies that sociology research should worry about “moral uprightness” to guarantee that examination interaction and discoveries are “reliable” and legitimate (Biber, 2005). Examination including human subjects (or ‘members’, in the flow wording) is needed to recognize moral issues by acquiring endorsement from the foundation’s Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) before initiation. College approaches on research morals express that all exploration including human subjects should follow the 2007 National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research1. This strategy applies to all scientists, including worldwide PhD understudies selected at colleges in created nations however doing investigate in non-industrial nations (regularly their own nation of beginning). There has been concern, nonetheless, that the moral standards made in created nations probably won’t be all around suitable to worldwide PhD understudies from agricultural nations. In non-industrial nations, where social orders are frequently pluralistic, social foundation and security become significant issues for social specialists in directing hands on work. This situation can prompt the analysts thinking that it is hard to get letters of consent from the neighborhood specialists, and may prompt deferrals in leading examination.
Moral ISSUES IN SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: Helpful OR SYMBOLIC
As a rule, it appears to be that a worldwide PhD understudy might experience issues in applying for the necessary moral conduct endorsement to gather information (by meeting or poll) because of the way that there is are contrasts in the climate for directing exploration among created and agricultural nations. This worry emerges especially corresponding to investigate subjects identifying with delicate issues of culture or security in agricultural nations. This issue might influence the fulfillment of examination projects by global PhD understudies. This paper will inspect the basic issues of moral social examination in non-industrial nations, in light of a scientist’s involvement with directing hands on work in West Papua, Indonesia. The Nature of Ethics as Fundamental Basis for Social Sciences Research Moral issues are turning into a critical component in friendly exploration. It is necessary for a social scientist directing examination including people to apply for moral leeway. The moral standards set out in the National Statement express that all exploration including human subjects ought to be led as per the accompanying : individuals should be regarded, benefits should be amplified and hurts limited, hurt will not be done, and subjects in examinations should be dealt with similarly (SBREC Flinders University, 2007). Plainly, moral conduct in sociology examination ought to be expected of all specialists, including worldwide understudies leading exploration at colleges in created nations like Australia. In Australia, the execution of moral norms ought to be founded on the 2007 National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research The standard of intentional cooperation necessitates that individuals not be pressured into partaking in research. The most common way of social affair data from respondents requires educated assent, which implies that forthcoming exploration members should be completely educated with regards to the methods and dangers implied in research and should give their agree to take part. Moreover, moral norms additionally necessitate that analysts not put members in a conceivably destructive circumstance. Mischief can be either physical or mental and may allude to hurt brought about by the real lead of 2
Moral ISSUES IN SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: Helpful OR SYMBOLIC
Research (like mental misery) or damage emerging from the distribution of examination results. Hence, Australia’s moral norms put significant accentuation on ensuring the protection of exploration members. Practically all exploration ensures the member’s privacy. This implies they are guaranteed recognizing data won’t be made accessible to any individual who isn’t straightforwardly associated with the investigation.
The successful organization of these moral principles implies that there should be a system which guarantees scientists will think about all significant moral issues, including ensuring respondents’ security, when detailing research plan. To address such requirements, most foundations and associations have set up at least one Human Research Ethics Committees (HREC), a board that surveys research proposition as for moral ramifications, and chooses whether extra moves should be made to guarantee the security and privileges of members. Practically speaking, the Ethics Committee at various colleges has considered its to be as including assisting with ensuring both the association and the scientist against expected prosecution as for inability to address significant moral contemplations for the benefit of members. The Ethics Committee comprises of individuals from a few distinctive disciplinary foundations and is officially free of college and government impact. Morals Committee individuals ought to be independent and should have no conceivable irreconcilable situation concerning the recommendations they are judging. To guarantee integrity, the board of trustees is routinely observed and is responsible for its choices.
Discussion of Ethical Issues in Social Research
A few troublesome issues have emerged in the utilization of moral standards to social examination. The main issue is related with clandestine examination. It is as yet problematic whether it is moral for sociology research researchers to clandestine examination. As per Biber (2005, p.91), secret exploration is proper where it is important to accomplish a superior comprehension of certain social marvels. An illustration of this sort of exploration is the examination of the public activity of street pharmacists and medication clients. As called attention to by Williams (1996), it 3
Moral ISSUES IN SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: Helpful OR SYMBOLIC
It is difficult to request educated assent from individuals regarding such networks, since they would prefer not to be explored. It has additionally been contended that the actual demonstration of looking for educated assent from some exploration member can prompt an adjustment of the demeanor of the examination member towards offering data to the analysts. Different specialists, nonetheless, have contended against the undercover exploration, expressing that it is pointless in friendly examination. Homan (1991) contends, besides, that incognito examination might have an adverse consequence for the scientists. He accepts that as long as the respondents ‘trust’ the scientist, there is no compelling reason to lead secret examination. Homan claims that undercover examination is probably going to attack the protection of the respondent to an unsuitable degree and he contends that utilizing clandestine exploration makes sociology research the same as news coverage. A subsequent issue identifies with the job of scientist as participant‐observer. The principle worry here is that the analyst ought to be unbiased to keep up with their point of ‘objectivity’ in their examination project (Gans, 1982). In research experience where the scientist additionally goes about as a member, the individual in question should ordinarily create and keep up with cozy associations with other local area individuals. A few ethnographers have contended that a nearer connection between the scientists and members of this sort can prompt struggle and trickery (Biber 2005, p.93). Analysts might think that it is hard to make target decisions in their examination in case they are actually associated with their respondents.
A third issue concerns the idea of moral guideline. With colleges setting up Ethics Committees to audit research proposition through a course of moral survey, and with scholastics constrained to get for research awards (Biber, 2005), specialists have raised worries that expanded moral audit is encompassing their capacity to settle on their own choices about moral issues identifying with their particular ventures. Moral guideline has delivered an equation based way to deal with research morals, in which specialists might feel obliged to mark the right boxes, as opposed to thoroughly consider moral standards themselves. There is likewise an issue that essential moral standards might prompt unique and clashing remedies. (Social Research Association, 2003, p.12). Haggerty (2004) communicates 4
Moral ISSUES IN SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: Helpful OR SYMBOLIC
Her point by utilizing term ‘morals creep’ to portray the adjustment of sociology research that has occurred ‘for the sake of morals. A further issue identifies with ‘weak gatherings’. In most moral freedom measures, the sociology research class “weak gathering” alludes to youngsters and youngsters, individuals with psychological well-being issues and individuals with learning handicaps. In thinking about applications for morals leeway, Ethics Committees request uncommon thought to be given to ‘weak gatherings’, since they experience issues in giving introductory and proceeded with educated agree to lead research. This worry has prompted an emphasis on more confounded systems to secure the interests of such gatherings.
References
1. https://theimportantsite.com/10-reasons-why-research-is-important/
2. http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/distributions/summations/e72syn.htm 1
MOLOKWU CHIAMAKA GOODNESS
2018/242393
ECONOMICS
PURPOSES OF RESEARCH
Research is the process of discovering new knowledge. This knowledge can be either the development of new concepts or the advancement of existing knowledge and theories, leading to a new understanding that was not previously known. Its purposes includes;
1. Information gathering or
a. Exploratory: for example, discovering, uncovering, exploring
b. Descriptive: for example, gathering info, describing, summarizing
2. Theory testing
a. Explanatory: For example, testing and understanding causal relations.
b. Predictive: for example, predicting what might happen in various scenarios.
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
1. Research expands your knowledge base
The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
2. Research gives you the latest information
Research encourages you to find the most recent information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.
3. Research helps you know what you’re up against
In business, you’ll have competition. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to helps you formulate your plans and strategies. You can figure out what sets you apart. In other types of research, like medicine, your research might identify diseases, classify symptoms, and come up with ways to tackle them. Even if your “enemy” isn’t an actual person or competitor, there’s always some kind of antagonist force or problem that research can help you deal with.
4. Research builds your credibility
People will take what you have to say more seriously when they can tell you’re informed. Doing research gives you a solid foundation on which you can build your ideas and opinions. You can speak with confidence about what you know is accurate. When you’ve done the research, it’s much harder for someone to poke holes in what you’re saying. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
5. Research helps you narrow your scope
When you’re circling a topic for the first time, you might not be exactly sure where to start. Most of the time, the amount of work ahead of you is overwhelming. Whether you’re writing a paper or formulating a business plan, it’s important to narrow the scope at some point. Research helps you identify the most unique and/or important themes. You can choose the themes that fit best with the project and its goals.
PROBLEMS OF RESEARCH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
1. Lack of Training: It is a big problem faced by researchers in developing countries. There is scarcity of qualified research workers. Many research workers take a step in the dark not understanding research techniques. The majority of the work, which goes in the name of research is not methodologically sound. Research to a lot of investigators is mainly a cut and paste job with no insight shed on the collated materials. The impact is obvious, viz., the research results, frequently, don’t reveal the reality. Therefore, an organized study of research methodology is definitely an immediate requirement. Prior to undertaking research projects, investigators must be well equipped with all the methodological aspects. As such, efforts need to be made to provide short term intensive courses for achieving this requirement.
2. Lack of confidence: The business houses are usually unwilling to provide the necessary information to researchers because of fear of misuse of information.
3. Repetition: Research studies overlapping one another are carried out in many cases for want of adequate information.
4. Lack of Interaction: You will find inadequate interaction between the university research department, on one side and business establishments, government departments and research institutions, on the other.
5. Illiteracy: This has affected the appreciation of the value of research findings by the vast majority of the people; social workers and business executive.
6. Lack of Code of Conduct: There doesn’t exist a code of conduct for researchers and inter-University and inter-departmental rivalries are also quite common.
Name: Uche Constance chidera
Course reg: 2018/250689
Course code: Eco 391
Course title: Research Method In Economics 1
Assignment questions:
1. What are the purposes of research?
2. What is the importance of research?
3. What are the challenges in carrying out research?
In acceptance of what the director have said, permit me to say that research would not be existing if there is no need to wanting to know, which leads us into searching again and again. Research,as rightly defined by Burns (1997:2) as a systematic investigation to find answers to a problem, for which the information so gathered must be accurate,sound and reliable to solving a problem. If for any reason bias enters the research process, the value of the data is considerably reduced.
The purposes of research
Based on the above stated,we cannot carry out a research on an issue without having a purpose for why we want to carry out such research. Therefore,the three main purpose of research includes:
1. Exploratory research: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This kind of research helps us to carry out more deeper research later on.
2. Descriptive research: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by detailing in full based on its characteristics and population. Descriptive research deals more on the question of ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
3. Explanatory research: Explanatory research, also known as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
Other purposes includes the following:
4. For managers, the purpose of research is to fulfill their need for knowledge of the organization, which include the market, the economy, or another area of uncertainty.
5. However, research should be an aid to managerial judgement, not a substitute for it. There is more to management than research.
6. Research is to develop and evaluate concepts and theories. Basic- or pure-research attempts to expand the limits of knowledge.
Importance of research
1. Research helps in driving progress through inventions.
2. Research empowers us with accurate knowledge. Alot of the world have benefitted from the findings of research, we gain in-depth knowledge of things around us.
3. Research increases the quality of life in our society by creating advanced technology
4. As a student, research allows us to consider more ideas than the original one you may have been assigned.
5. Basic research is conducted to verify the acceptability of a given theory or to know more about a certain concept.
Challenges of research
A manager faced with two or more possible courses of action faces the initial decision of whether or not research should be conducted. The determination of the need for research centers on (1) time constraints, (2) the availability of data, (3) the nature of the decision that must be made, and (4) the value goof the business research information in relation to its costs.
Time constraints
Systematically conducting research takes time. For instance,some random decision that may require immediate response, there will be no time for research. As a consequence, decisions are sometimes made without adequate information or thorough understanding of the situation. Although not ideal, sometimes the urgency of a situation precludes the use of research.
Availability of data
When there is an absence of adequate information, however, research must be considered. Researchers must ask themselves, “Will the research provide the information needed to answer the basic questions about this decision?” If the data cannot be made available, research cannot be conducted. For example, prior to 1980 the people’s republic of China had never conducted a population census. Organizations engaged in international business often find that data about business activity or population characteristics, found in abundance when investigating the United States, are nonexistent or sparse when the geographic area of interest is an underdeveloped country. Further, if a potential source of data exists, researchers will want to know how much it costs to obtain those data.
Nature of the decision
The value of research will depend on the nature of the decision to be made. A routine tactical decision that does not require a substantial investment may not seem to warrant a substantial expenses for research. For example, a computer software company must update its operator’s instruction manual when minor product modifications are made. The cost of determining the proper wording for the updated manual is likely to be too high for such a minor decision. The nature of such a decision is not totally independent from the next issue to be considered: the benefits versus the costs of the research. However, in general the more strategically or tactically important the decision, the more likely that research will be conducted.
Benefits versus costs
Some of the benefits of research have already been discussed. Of course, conducting research activities to obtain these benefits requires an expenditure; thus there are both costs and benefits in conducting research. In any decision-making situation, Researchers must identify alternative courses of action, then weigh the value of each alternative against its cost. It is useful to think of any research as an lucrative alternative. When deciding whether to make a decision without research or to postpone the decision in order to conduct research,researchers should ask: (1) Will the payoff or rate of return be worth the investment? (2) Will the information gained by this research improve the quality of the decision to an extent sufficient to warrant the money spent on it? And (3) Is the proposed research expenses the best use of the available funds?
For example, TV Cable Week was not test-marketed before its launch. While the magazine had articles and stories about television personalities and events, its main feature was a channel-by-channel program listing showing the exact programs that a particular subscriber could receive. To produce a “custom” magazine for each individual cable television system in the country required developing a costly computer system. Because development required a substantial expenditure, one that could not be scaled down for research, the conducting of research was judged to be an improper investment. The value of the research information was not positive, because the cost of the information exceeded its benefits. Unfortunately, pricing and distribution problems became so compelling after the magazine was launched that it was a business failure. Nevertheless, the publication’s managers, without the luxury of hindsight, made a reasonable decision not to conduct research. They analyzed the cost of the information (i.e. the cost of business research) relative to the potential benefits.
Gwom Paul Jacob
2018/243820
ECONOMICS
Eco 391
Assignment
(Purpose/Importance of Research and Challenges of Conducting Research in LDCs)Why Is Research Important?
The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study. Why Research Is Necessary and Valuable in Our Daily Lives
1. It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
2. It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
3. It helps us succeed in business.
4. It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
5. It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
6. It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
7. It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind.
What is the challenges of conducting research in LDCS ?The various proposed actions for reducing carbon dependency and ecological scarcity discussed in the previous two chapters pose a number of difficulties for low- and middle-income economies. This chapter reviews the main constraints.
Developing economies in particular face a number of important challenges in their efforts to move quickly to a low-carbon economic growth path, such as a lack of finance, a technology and skills gap, and uncertainty over a future global carbon market.
Access to financing is a major constraint if developing countries are expected to invest in clean and low-carbon energy alternatives. The large-scale adoption of low-carbon and clean energy technologies by rapidly developing low- and middle-income economies will be necessary over the coming decades in order to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy security. This will require, in turn, a massive injection of capital investment.
In developing nations, research is in its incessant stage. Researchers face challenges in choosing a research topic, statement etc. In addition, researchers are faced with challenges associated with growth, infrastructural deficiencies, financial crunches, etc. Some of the challenges includes the following:
1. Lack of Scientific Training: The research methodology is not systematic. Many researchers undertake research work without having actual knowledge of the research methods. Even the guides do not have a thorough knowledge of the various methodologies. Before undertaking research projects, researchers should be well equipped with all the methodological aspects.
2. Lack of communication with the supervisor: A university professor is a busy person. It is important to have guidance on a research project. Poor communication gets on the way of the progress of the research. It is important to communicate with the supervisor to clarify the doubts regarding the research topic, to know what the supervisor expects from you and to learn more about your research topic.
3. Time management: Spending ample time in learning the skills and practical implementation consumes a lot of time. In such a scenario, taking out time for intense research and to draft a top-notch research paper becomes impossible.
4.Not having a definite deadline: Deadlines are stressful. But not having a deadline can be troublesome during the Ph.D. journey. Deadlines help you get closer to your goals. Many times, Universities fail to implement a due date to submit the research paper, leading to confusion and improper time management among the scholars.
5.A quantity of literature: It can be difficult to deal with the quantity of literature that one might have accessed. The literature review is iterative. This involves managing the literature, accessing data that supports the framework of the research, identifying keywords and alternative keywords, as well as constantly looking for new sources.
6. Implementing quality of writing within the literature review: A literature review has to go beyond being a series of references and citations. You need to interpret the literature and be able to position it within the context of your study. This requires careful and measured interpretation and writing in which you synthesize and bring together the materials that you have read.
7. Insufficient data: Insufficiency of data is a potential problem. Most of the business establishments are of the opinion that researchers may misuse the data provided by them. This affects the purpose of research studies for which that particular data may be of utmost importance.
8.Lack of confidence: Lack of confidence is one of the most common problems among researchers. Researchers with low self-esteem feel less motivated thereby affecting the quality of the work.
9. Concern that your focus is either still too broad or too narrow: This concern is inevitable. Be prepared to adapt your research as you look through the literature. This might require you to either increase its focus or narrow down so that the research is manageable. A broad focus for research might be narrowed down by adding an appropriate context or by looking for another variable within the research question or by focusing upon a theoretical viewpoint.
10. Library management: Library management and functioning is not satisfactory in many Universities; A lot of time and energy is spent on tracing appropriate books, journals, reports etc. Also, many of the libraries are not able to get copies of new reports and other publications on time.
Research demands immediate action on the part pf the concerned authorities or personnel at national levels, so as to transform these challenges into major opportunities.
Name: EYA Samson Nnaemeka
Reg: 2018/249599
Deprt: economics dept
Answers –
What I understand as purpose of research:
The purpose of research is therefore to find out what is known, what is not and what we can develop further. In this way, scientists can develop new theories, ideas and products that shape our society and our everyday lives.
The purpose of research is to further understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life. It is an integral part of problem solving.
Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of research:
WHAT IS RESEARCH?
Research is defined as the creation of new knowledge and/or the use of existing knowledge in a new and creative way so as to generate new concepts, methodologies and understandings. This could include synthesis and analysis of previous research to the extent that it leads to new and creative outcomes.
PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study.
1. It’s a Means to Understand Issues and Increase Public Awareness
Using Research to Understand Current Issues
Television shows and movies—both fictional and nonfictional—ooze with research. For instance, Oprah Winfrey would have not achieved remarkable success as a news anchor and television show host had she eschewed doing her own research about certain topics and public figures. According to entrepreneur and lifestyle coach Paul C. Brunson, in his interview with emotional intelligence expert and author Justin Bariso (2017):
“Oprah spends a disproportionate amount of her time gathering information from communities of people outside of her core (different age groups, social classes, ethnicities, education levels, careers, etc.) and then she shares that information within her community.”
This kind of effort shows the necessary role of research in helping others and raising social consciousness.
2
Using Research to Understand People
Many film and TV actors also take time to interview individuals to better understand their roles. Actors have worked with detectives, boxers, scientists, business owners, criminals, and teachers, among others to gain an inside understanding of what it’s like to have a certain identity. Others even go through immersion so they can begin to understand their characters’ issues better. This might look like living in jail or in a drug rehabilitation center for a while, gaining or losing a significant amount of weight, or learning to captain a sailboat. Many read literature, biographies, or journals to have a better view or context of the story they’ve been hired to tell.
In her 2017 article about Daniel Day-Lewis, Lynn Hirschberg described how the award-winning actor prepared for his role as dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock in Paul Thomas Anderson’s film, Phantom Thread. She wrote:
“To become Woodcock, Day-Lewis, who is 60, watched archival footage of fashion shows from the 1940s and ’50s, studied the lives of designers, and most important, learned to sew. He consulted with Cassie Davies-Strodder, then curator of fashion and textiles at the Victoria and Albert Museum, in London. And for many months he apprenticed under Marc Happel, who is head of the costume department at the New York City Ballet, watching intently and then helping to reconstruct the famous Marc Chagall costumes for a production of Firebird. At the end of the ballet season, Day-Lewis decided he needed to build a couture piece from scratch.”
People both within and outside of the entertainment industry have, on occasion, belittled what actors do or even the profession of acting itself. However, professional thespians like Daniel Day-Lewis exert a great deal of effort to make their characters believable. The dedication they pour into studying their roles involves a tremendous amount of research.
3.Using Research to Create Realistic Fiction and Stories:
A number of films, theater plays, broadcast dramas, and online videos present stories based on real-life events and problems. A serious writer or content producer sees how vital research is in substantiating the context of the stories they are telling to entertain and educate audiences through different media platforms.
As Terry Freedman opined in “The Importance of Research for ICT Teachers” (2011): “Research can shed light on issues we didn’t even know existed, and can raise questions we hadn’t realised even needed asking.” Thus, almost all writers of both imaginary tales and non-fictive accounts do research, as doing so helps them create good stories and achieve credibility.
Good business is built on sound research.
Good business is built on sound research.
4. It Helps Us Succeed in Business
The Importance of Research and Development (R&D);
Research benefits business. Many successful companies, such as those producing consumer goods or mass-market items, invest in research and development, or R and D. Different industries that involve science and engineering processes (like agriculture, food and beverage, manufacturing, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, computer software, semiconductor, information and communication technology, construction, robotics, aerospace, aviation, and energy) have high R and D expenses because it is critical to the creation and improvement of their products and services.
R and D can also help secure an advantage over competitors. Finding out how to make things happen more efficiently and differentiate a business’s offerings from those of its competitors can raise a company’s market value.
In addition, R and D is essential to supporting a country’s economy. For instance, the United Kingdom’s Department of Business Innovation and Skills, or BIS (now known as the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy), used to publish an annual R and D Scoreboard. The report served “. . . as a benchmarking tool for companies, investors and policymakers” for 20 years. However, due to the UK government’s austerity measures, it has not been produced since 2010.
5. Market Research and Targeted Marketing
Research can also help a company maintain a positive commercial image, retain existing customers, and attract new customers through targeted marketing. Marketing is a type of communication, and for that communication to be effective, businesses need to understand their customers.
This usually happens through market research, which can involve examining psychological studies about consumption, hosting focus groups, beta testing products with a select group of customers, sending satisfaction surveys to existing customers, and researching the business’s main competitors, among other strategies. The most successful businesses, large and small, base their product design, service offerings, and marketing communications on insights gleaned from thorough research processes.
6. It Provides Nourishment and Exercise for the Mind
Curiosity may kill the cat, but it also fuels the mind to seek answers. An article by Todd Johnson for College Admission Partners (n.d.) notes how scientific research in particular “helps students develop critical reasoning skills . . . helpful for any field of higher education . . .” The acts of searching for information and thinking critically serve as food for the brain, allowing our inherent creativity and logic to remain active. Keeping the mind active may also help prevent certain mental illnesses like Alzheimer’s.
7.Critical Thinking and Mental Health
Several studies have shown that mentally stimulating activities like doing research can contribute to brain health. In “Educating the Brain to Avoid Dementia: Can Mental Exercise Prevent Alzheimer Disease?” Margaret Gatz (2005) enumerated research findings that support such a position. However, she also noted that there may be other factors involved in averting dementia and relates issues. One of these is intelligence. A study involving 11-year-old pupils in Scotland in 2000, for instance, pointed to intelligence quotient (IQ) scores as “predictive of future dementia risk”. Gatz opined that clinical trials are needed and that “conclusions must be based on large samples, followed over a long period of time.” She further posited:
“. . . we have little evidence that mental practice will help prevent the development of dementia. We have better evidence that good brain health is multiply determined, that brain development early in life matters, and that genetic influences are of great importance in accounting for individual differences in cognitive reserve and in explaining who develops Alzheimer disease and who does not . . .
For older adults, health practices that could influence the brain include sound nutrition, sufficient sleep, stress management, treatment of mood or anxiety disorders, good vascular health, physical exercise, and avoidance of head trauma. But there is no convincing evidence that memory practice and other cognitively stimulating activities are sufficient to prevent Alzheimer disease; it is not just a case of “use it or lose it.”
CHALLENGES IN CONDUCTING RESEARCH
Performing clinical research in the developing countries has multiple barriers including:
* lack of planning
* lack of moral and financial incentives, and shortage of time available for research;
*underdeveloped health informatics structure; and lack of available funding.
*Growing Pressure for Positive Results
Science is a competitive field. Scientists have intense pressure to produce meaningful results. As a result, fewer and fewer papers are being published that show “negative results”—i.e. that their hypothesis was false. In 1990, “negative results” accounted for 30% of published papers—that number has fallen to a mere 14%.
Another problem is that scientists are under pressure to publish new, groundbreaking research, rather than performing studies to replicate results from previous research. Journals are exclusive and want to publish striking results that present a “major advance.” Replicating studies, however, is extremely important. It’s a key part of confirming findings and eliminating scientific fraud.
*Sloppy Lab Work
Labs can often be messy and chaotic. In far too many cases, samples and chemicals are mislabeled and even forgotten. The Wall Street Journal took a hard look at this issue after a cancer researcher had his work on head-and-neck cancer retracted from the journal Oral Oncology due to the fact that the cells he was studying were actually cervical cancer cells. The WSJ highlights the extent of the problem: “Cancer experts seeking to solve the problem have found that a fifth to a third or more of cancer cell lines tested were mistakenly identified—with researchers unwittingly studying the wrong cancers, slowing progress toward new treatments and wasting precious time and money.”
The problem is incredibly widespread: “Cell repositories in the U.S., U.K., Germany and Japan have estimated that 18% to 36% of cancer cell lines are incorrectly identified.”
While the National Institutes of Health and the scientific community are slowly trying to weed out these problems by increasing scrutiny on papers submitted using cell lines and setting up a central repository of cell lines, cell contamination remains a major problem in scientific research.
Sloppy lab conditions can also lead to another major problem: mycoplasma infestations. Mycoplasma is a bacteria that can spread rapidly throughout lab cultures, compromising scientists’ potential findings. The problem is also widespread. A recent article in Nature covered the problem and interviewed researchers who “found that more than one-tenth of gene-expression studies, many published in leading journals, show evidence of Mycoplasma contamination.”
*Fraudulent Findings
Alarmingly, the pressure to produce prestigious research has led a number of scientists to simply fake results or plagiarize from other researchers. In the last year, articles have been retracted from prestigious journals in which authors:
“Knowingly and intentionally falsifying” results in a study of cancerous tumors,
Duplication or “self-plagiarism” in a study of liver cancer,
“Large sections of text duplicated from previously published articles” in a study of gastrointestinal cancer.
Unfortunately, this is just a small sample of the many instances of fraud every year. A recent study found that fraud is the reason for 43% of all journal retractions.
Scientific fraud can have huge implications. Remember the study that linked vaccinations and autism? Even though it was retracted after researchers said it was based on doctored information about children’s medical records, the myth of the vaccine/autism link is pervasive and continues to be repeated.
*Reliance on Self-Reported Data
A number of frequently cited studies, particularly studies of nutrition, rely on the information that study participants self-report. This makes it difficult to fully trust a study’s findings–self-reported data is notoriously unreliable.
Just how reliable is self-reported data? Consider that consumers consistently give the food on Southwest Airlines high marks…despite the fact that the airline doesn’t serve meals.
During a recent session hosted by the American Society for Nutrition, Dr. David Allison took a highly critical look at self-reported data, highlighting a recent paper “that looked at energy intake of respondents in NHANES from 1971-2012, finding that 67.3% of women and 58.7% of men were not physiologically plausible – i.e. the number of calories is ‘incompatible with life.’”
Name: Roland Ifeanyi Godwin
Reg No: 2018/241822
Department: Economics
Course Code: Eco 361
Course title: Development Economics 1
1. During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”.It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
As indicated by the Director of Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, “Exploration is “inventive and methodical work attempted to expand the supply of information”. It includes the assortment, association, and investigation of data to build comprehension of a subject or issue. An examination task might be an extension on past work in the field. To test the legitimacy of instruments, systems, or investigations, exploration might imitate components of earlier ventures or the undertaking overall.
Regardless profession field you’re in or how high up you are, there’s something else to learn. The equivalent applies to your own life. Regardless of the number of encounters you have or how assorted your group of friends, there are things you don’t have the foggiest idea. Exploration opens the questions, allows you to investigate the world according to alternate points of view, and energizes a more profound agreement. In certain spaces, research is a fundamental piece of progress. In others, it may not be totally fundamental, yet it has many advantages. Here are ten reasons why examination is significant:
a) Examination grows your insight base
The most clear motivation to do investigate is that you’ll find out additional. There’s something else to find out with regards to a point, regardless of whether you are as of now knowledgeable in it. In case you’re not, research permits you to expand on any close to home experience you have with the subject. The course of examination opens up new freedoms for learning and development.
b) Examination gives you the most recent data
Examination urges you to track down the latest data accessible. In specific fields, particularly logical ones, there’s in every case new data and disclosures being made. Remaining refreshed keeps you from falling behind and giving information that is erroneous or doesn’t paint the entire picture. With the most recent information, you’ll be better prepared to discuss a subject and expand on thoughts.
c)Examination helps you realize what you’re facing
In business, you’ll have contest. Investigating your rivals and what they’re up to assists you with defining your arrangements and procedures. You can sort out what separates you. In different kinds of exploration, similar to medication, your examination may recognize sicknesses, characterize side effects, and concoct approaches to handle them. Regardless of whether your “foe” is anything but a genuine individual or contender, there’s in every case some sort of bad guy power or issue that exploration can assist you with managing.
d) Exploration constructs your validity
Individuals will approach what you need to say more in a serious way when they can tell you’re educated. Helping research gives you out establishment on which you can assemble your thoughts and sentiments. You can talk with certainty concerning what you know is precise. At the point when you’ve done the examination, it’s a lot harder for somebody to punch holes in the thing you’re saying. Your examination ought to be centered around the best sources. In the event that your “research” comprises of suppositions from non-specialists, you will not be truly dependable. At the point when your exploration is acceptable, however, individuals are bound to focus.
e) Exploration assists you with narrowing your extension
At the point when you’re orbiting a theme interestingly, you probably won’t be actually certain where to begin. More often than not, the measure of work in front of you is overpowering. Regardless of whether you’re composing a paper or planning a marketable strategy, thin the extension sooner or later. Exploration assists you with recognizing the most special or potentially significant subjects. You can pick the topics that fit best with the task and its objectives.
2.
Since World War II there has been extraordinary movement worried about preparing and creating research —
especially farming examination — limit in most agricultural nations, under numerous public, bi-parallel and
UN Agency and different projects. Albeit here and there the two governments and people are critical when
they perceive that it is so hard to make a big deal about an impression on the issues, this ought not visually impaired us to the reality that an incredible arrangement has been accomplished. The pool of prepared
researchers in agricultural nations is exceptionally more noteworthy than it was a quarter century prior.
In any case, an exceptionally enormous hole among attractiveness and accomplishment plainly exists, and the inquiry is the thing that should be possible to close it?
a) Human Resources
The general issue is to a great extent one of assets and their allotment, combined with a lot more modest base of taught individuals in non-industrial nations than normally found in the created nations. Expanding the
taught populace is a sluggish business which will take a two or three ages or more, as a rule. It is consequently important to utilize the logical labor that there is accessible temporarily. These days with the further developed offices which exist in most nations, undergrad preparing is best done in the country, as opposed to in a created country, which can prompt issues of re-digestion on get back. At the alumni level numerous nations don’t have
satisfactory preparing and examination programs and preparing abroad is fundamental. In any event, when graduate level guidance exists, the more extensive experience acquired from a time of study in another nation is practically required schooling of a researcher, regardless of whether from creating or created nations. Governments can be strikingly
* Mi Vose is Project Manager of the IAEA/UN Development Program project at the Centro de Energia Nuclear na
Agricultura (CENA), Piracicaba, Sab Paulo, Brazil. Mr Cervellini, once in the past Director of CENA, is currently a counsel to the Comissab Nacional de Energia Nuclear, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This article is reproduced from the assortment of Papers Committed to Professor Johannes Moustgaard distributed by the Illustrious Danish Agricultural Society, Copenhagen, Denmark (1981). foolish here: they pay huge amounts of cash for their nationals to get advanced education abroad, and then, at that point neglect to give them satisfactorily paid work or on the other hand offices when they get back. The absence of sufficient status, as reflected by moderately low compensations what’s more, insufficient profession structure is a significant obstruction to the appropriate headway of science in many creating nations — and some created ones as well! The marvel of abroad alumni understudies attempting to stay in their nation of preparing is notable in every single created country. The solitary long haul arrangement is to further develop status and offices in the nation of origin. As an overall standard it appears to be probable that an approach of sending abroad for graduate investigation just those researchers who as of now have occupations and a set up obligation to an establishment and a vocation at home, is one method of accomplishing both a more prominent extent restoring themselves in the nation of origin, and may likewise guarantee concentrates generally in line with public necessities.
b)Exploration needs and subsidizing
Researchers ought to understand that in some measure a portion of the obligation regarding accomplishing general government support also, explicit subsidizing lays on them. They can’t anticipate support just to come to them as of right. Individuals from government and higher government workers are for the most part nonscientists. furthermore, it is essential for researchers to go out and clarify the meaning of their work and what they desire to accomplish, with the goal of developing a environment of help.The explanation that the legislatures of many non-industrial nations don’t uphold logical exploration more excitedly than they do,
is on the grounds that they see research as a sack into which cash is poured and nothing of clear worth comes
out. It is unavoidable, likely alluring, that most exploration non-industrial nations will be applied or mission oriented. Applied examination need not actually be prohibitive – there is consistently space for unique and fundamental methodologies.
References
1. https://theimportantsite.com/10-reasons-why-research-is-important/
2. https://connect.springerpub.com › content › book › chapter
Name: Roland Ifeanyi Godwin
Reg No: 2018/241822
Department: Economics
Course Code: Eco 391
Course title: Research Methods 1
1. During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”.It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
As indicated by the Director of Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, “Exploration is “inventive and methodical work attempted to expand the supply of information”. It includes the assortment, association, and investigation of data to build comprehension of a subject or issue. An examination task might be an extension on past work in the field. To test the legitimacy of instruments, systems, or investigations, exploration might imitate components of earlier ventures or the undertaking overall.
Regardless profession field you’re in or how high up you are, there’s something else to learn. The equivalent applies to your own life. Regardless of the number of encounters you have or how assorted your group of friends, there are things you don’t have the foggiest idea. Exploration opens the questions, allows you to investigate the world according to alternate points of view, and energizes a more profound agreement. In certain spaces, research is a fundamental piece of progress. In others, it may not be totally fundamental, yet it has many advantages. Here are ten reasons why examination is significant:
a) Examination grows your insight base
The most clear motivation to do investigate is that you’ll find out additional. There’s something else to find out with regards to a point, regardless of whether you are as of now knowledgeable in it. In case you’re not, research permits you to expand on any close to home experience you have with the subject. The course of examination opens up new freedoms for learning and development.
b) Examination gives you the most recent data
Examination urges you to track down the latest data accessible. In specific fields, particularly logical ones, there’s in every case new data and disclosures being made. Remaining refreshed keeps you from falling behind and giving information that is erroneous or doesn’t paint the entire picture. With the most recent information, you’ll be better prepared to discuss a subject and expand on thoughts.
c)Examination helps you realize what you’re facing
In business, you’ll have contest. Investigating your rivals and what they’re up to assists you with defining your arrangements and procedures. You can sort out what separates you. In different kinds of exploration, similar to medication, your examination may recognize sicknesses, characterize side effects, and concoct approaches to handle them. Regardless of whether your “foe” is anything but a genuine individual or contender, there’s in every case some sort of bad guy power or issue that exploration can assist you with managing.
d) Exploration constructs your validity
Individuals will approach what you need to say more in a serious way when they can tell you’re educated. Helping research gives you out establishment on which you can assemble your thoughts and sentiments. You can talk with certainty concerning what you know is precise. At the point when you’ve done the examination, it’s a lot harder for somebody to punch holes in the thing you’re saying. Your examination ought to be centered around the best sources. In the event that your “research” comprises of suppositions from non-specialists, you will not be truly dependable. At the point when your exploration is acceptable, however, individuals are bound to focus.
e) Exploration assists you with narrowing your extension
At the point when you’re orbiting a theme interestingly, you probably won’t be actually certain where to begin. More often than not, the measure of work in front of you is overpowering. Regardless of whether you’re composing a paper or planning a marketable strategy, thin the extension sooner or later. Exploration assists you with recognizing the most special or potentially significant subjects. You can pick the topics that fit best with the task and its objectives.
2.
Since World War II there has been extraordinary movement worried about preparing and creating research —
especially farming examination — limit in most agricultural nations, under numerous public, bi-parallel and
UN Agency and different projects. Albeit here and there the two governments and people are critical when
they perceive that it is so hard to make a big deal about an impression on the issues, this ought not visually impaired us to the reality that an incredible arrangement has been accomplished. The pool of prepared
researchers in agricultural nations is exceptionally more noteworthy than it was a quarter century prior.
In any case, an exceptionally enormous hole among attractiveness and accomplishment plainly exists, and the inquiry is the thing that should be possible to close it?
a) Human Resources
The general issue is to a great extent one of assets and their allotment, combined with a lot more modest base of taught individuals in non-industrial nations than normally found in the created nations. Expanding the
taught populace is a sluggish business which will take a two or three ages or more, as a rule. It is consequently important to utilize the logical labor that there is accessible temporarily. These days with the further developed offices which exist in most nations, undergrad preparing is best done in the country, as opposed to in a created country, which can prompt issues of re-digestion on get back. At the alumni level numerous nations don’t have
satisfactory preparing and examination programs and preparing abroad is fundamental. In any event, when graduate level guidance exists, the more extensive experience acquired from a time of study in another nation is practically required schooling of a researcher, regardless of whether from creating or created nations. Governments can be strikingly
* Mi Vose is Project Manager of the IAEA/UN Development Program project at the Centro de Energia Nuclear na
Agricultura (CENA), Piracicaba, Sab Paulo, Brazil. Mr Cervellini, once in the past Director of CENA, is currently a counsel to the Comissab Nacional de Energia Nuclear, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This article is reproduced from the assortment of Papers Committed to Professor Johannes Moustgaard distributed by the Illustrious Danish Agricultural Society, Copenhagen, Denmark (1981). foolish here: they pay huge amounts of cash for their nationals to get advanced education abroad, and then, at that point neglect to give them satisfactorily paid work or on the other hand offices when they get back. The absence of sufficient status, as reflected by moderately low compensations what’s more, insufficient profession structure is a significant obstruction to the appropriate headway of science in many creating nations — and some created ones as well! The marvel of abroad alumni understudies attempting to stay in their nation of preparing is notable in every single created country. The solitary long haul arrangement is to further develop status and offices in the nation of origin. As an overall standard it appears to be probable that an approach of sending abroad for graduate investigation just those researchers who as of now have occupations and a set up obligation to an establishment and a vocation at home, is one method of accomplishing both a more prominent extent restoring themselves in the nation of origin, and may likewise guarantee concentrates generally in line with public necessities.
b)Exploration needs and subsidizing
Researchers ought to understand that in some measure a portion of the obligation regarding accomplishing general government support also, explicit subsidizing lays on them. They can’t anticipate support just to come to them as of right. Individuals from government and higher government workers are for the most part nonscientists. furthermore, it is essential for researchers to go out and clarify the meaning of their work and what they desire to accomplish, with the goal of developing a environment of help.The explanation that the legislatures of many non-industrial nations don’t uphold logical exploration more excitedly than they do,
is on the grounds that they see research as a sack into which cash is poured and nothing of clear worth comes
out. It is unavoidable, likely alluring, that most exploration non-industrial nations will be applied or mission oriented. Applied examination need not actually be prohibitive – there is consistently space for unique and fundamental methodologies.
References
1. https://theimportantsite.com/10-reasons-why-research-is-important/
2. https://connect.springerpub.com › content › book › chapter
Name: Ugwu Chikaodinaka Augustina
Reg no: 2018/246451
Course: Eco 391
Dept: Economics
Question 1
Purpose of Research
There are three main purpose of research,which are;
-Exploration
-Description
-Explanation
1.Exploration involves familiarizing a researcher with a topic. Exploration satisfies the researcher’s curiosity and desire for improved understanding. Exploration tests the feasibility of undertaking a more extensive study. Exploration helps develop the methods that will be used in a study.
2.Description involves describing situations and events through scientific observation. Scientific descriptions are typically more accurate and precise than causal ones. For example, the U. S. Census uses descriptive social research in its examination of characteristics of the U. S. population.
3.Explanation involves answering the questions of what, where, when, and how. Explanatory studies answer questions of why. For example, an explanatory analysis of the 2002 General Social Survey (GSS) data indicates that 38 percent of men and 30 percent of women said marijuana should be legalized, while 55 percent of liberals and 27 percent of conservatives said the same. Given these statistics, you could start to develop an explanation for attitudes toward marijuana legalization. In addition, further study of gender and political orientation could lead to a deeper explanation of this issue.
Question 2
Importance of Research
1.It’s a Tool for Building Knowledge and Facilitating Learning:
Research is required not just for students and academics but for all professionals and nonprofessionals alike. It is also important for budding and veteran writers, both offline and online.
For nonprofessionals who value learning, doing research equips them with knowledge about the world and skills to help them survive and improve their lives. Among professionals and scribes, on the other hand, finding an interesting topic to discuss and/or to write about should go beyond personal experience. Determining either what the general public may want to know or what researchers want others to realize or to think about can serve as a reason to do research. Thus, research is an essential component in generating knowledge, and vice-versa.
2.It’s a Means to Understand Issues and Increase Public Awareness:
Television shows and movies both fictional and nonfictional ooze with research. For instance, Oprah Winfrey would have not achieved remarkable success as a news anchor and television show host had she eschewed doing her own research about certain topics and public figures. According to entrepreneur and lifestyle coach Paul C. Brunson, in his interview with emotional intelligence expert and author Justin Bariso (2017):
This kind of effort shows the necessary role of research in helping others and raising social consciousness.
3.It Helps Us Succeed in Business:
Research benefits business. Many successful companies, such as those producing consumer goods or mass-market items, invest in research and development, or R and D. Different industries that involve science and engineering processes (like agriculture, food and beverage, manufacturing, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, computer software, semiconductor, information and communication technology, construction, robotics, aerospace, aviation, and energy) have high R and D expenses because it is critical to the creation and improvement of their products and services.
4.It Allows Us to Disprove Lies and support truth:
Have you ever experienced the feeling that your partner is having an affair behind your back? Some people would overlook this and say that it’s better not to know; others though would take discreet action, hiring a private detective to find out for sure. What does research have to do with this situation? A lot. Doing research to reveal lies or truths involving personal affairs can contribute to either making a relationship work or breaking away from a dysfunctional one. For the monogamous lot, doing research to disprove or prove infidelity is one way to find out the truth.
5.It Is a Means to Find, Gauge, and Seize Opportunities:
Research helps people nurture their potential and achieve goals by taking advantage of various opportunities. This can mean securing employment, being awarded scholarships or grants, securing project funding, initiating a business collaboration, finding budget travel opportunities, or securing other little wins.
Question 3
Discuss and analyze the problems of social science research in developing countries
1.Complexity of Social Data: It is a well-known that social science studies the human behavior which depends on several factors such a physical, social, temperamental, psychological, geographical, biological socio-cultural etc. Because of these factors a researcher is generally confused. It is therefore said that because of this complexity of social fata human beings cannot be put to scientific test.
2.Problems of Concepts: In social science research, one has to face number of problems among which of a) abstraction, and b) faulty reasoning, plays major role in formulating and defining the concepts and law. Abstraction is both the central strength and one of the weaknesses of economics, for example full-employment or perfect competition and pure competition. Faulty reasoning leads to wrong conclusion, for example classical theory of employment was based on a faulty reasoning that wage cut will increase employment was based on a faulty reasoning that wage cut will increase employment opportunities, however later on J.M.Keynes proved the faulty reasoning of this classical theory and presented alternative theory.
3.Problems in Interpreting Relationship between Cause and effect: In social science research, we generally find interdependent relationship between cause and effect. The cause and effect are one and the same, for example, in underdeveloped countries, the economic development cannot be accelerated due to lack of technical know how and capital cannot be obtained due to underdevelopment of the country.
4.Dynamic Nature of Social Phenomena: Man is a social animal and the human societies undergo constant change. What is true today may be not useful tomorrow. The techniques used in past may prove useless for present and future studies. On account of this dynamic nature of social phenomena our task of analyzing data becomes very much complicated and the inferences drawn may be misleading.
5.Problem of maintaining objectivity: The problem of impartiality is in part a problem of objectivity. It is generally argued that the social scientists are less objective than natural scientist because their own interest affected by the findings of their studies, hence leading to prejudice and bias.
Name: Nwajuagu Divine Ndubuisi
Reg no: 2018/248278
Email: nwajuagudivine22@gmail.com
As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
The purpose of a research simply put are the objectives a researcher aims to achieve by conducting a research. The laid down aims, the reasons why a researcher decided to conduct a research is the purpose of a research. They may include; To understand existing subject matter better.
To provide more answers to unknown problems.
To make predictions on how to tackle similar problems.
To formulate new theories to enrich the frontiers of knowledge.
To bridge gaps left by previous research works.
The importance of research include:
It helps in finding explanations to unexplained occurrence, event or phenomenon
It helps in creating generally applicable new knowledge.
It helps in expansion and verification of existing knowledge.
It helps in development of theories that can be used for forecasting and policy purpose.
It helps in problem diagnosis and analysis.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries. What will you tell your audience?
* Lack of training: In developing countries, most researchers are not properly trained. They are not equipped with the full knowledge of how to condudct research. This results in most research works being poorly done and the result of the research nor being accurate.
* Lack of funding: In developing countries researchers are not properly funded to carry out their research. This may be due to the government nor seeing research as an important thing, or them not holding it in high regard. This results in researchers being discouraged or research works not properly done.
* Illiteracy: The disadvantages of illiteracy in this world are widely known and research works also suffer from it. Many people due to illiteracy refuse to cooperate with researchers when they are conducting their researches. This leads to the researchers not having proper data to conduct their research.
Name :ilonze chimeremma perpetua
Reg no:2018/242311
Assignment
1. Purpose of research are :
a. Information gathering
– Exploratory : e.g. ,Discovery, uncovering, Exploring
– Descriptive : e.g., Gathering info, describing, Summarizing.
b. Theory testing
– Explanatory : e.g., Testing and understanding casual relations
– Predictive : e.g., Predicting what might happen in various scenarios
2.- Research is a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
– It helps us to succeed in business.
– It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
– It is a means to find, guage and seize opportunities.
– Research is an invaluable tool for building on crucial knowledge.
3.a. Using India as a case of study;
Research Output: Variable
The wide spectrum of organizations engaged in academic and policy research in the social sciences with different organizational forms, different research mandates, links to policy objectives, and different sources of funding, make it difficult to compare these organizations. There have been different attempts to assess research output in the country based on bibliometric studies. Gupta et al. [2009] report that India ranks 13th among the top 26 productive countries with 1% global publication share with an average annual publication rate of 10.9% during 1996 to 2007.
b. Research quality : difficult to assess
Assessment of quality of social science research in India is complicated. A bibliometric study conducted by Gupta, Dhawan and Singh [2009] led to the identification of 19 ‘high productivity institutions’. However, a quantitative analysis of research output is not an accurate predictor of the quality of research that is carried out by these institutes. Further, a bibliometric analysis is not an adequate measure as most of the journals for instance in India are not registered in the international citation databases. Although Scopus covers around 15,000 journals, its coverage of social science journals from India is limited to 15. Similarly, the coverage of the social Science Citation Index [SSCI] Published by Thomson Reuters is not as comprehensive as that from North America and Western Europe. This is a particular problem as many Indian academics make a conscious decision to publish in Indian Journals to reach an Indian audience, often driven by the subject matter of their research.
c. Constraints : Largely structural
One of the fundamental shortcomings of social science research in India is the Lack of Proper institutional support and funding. Driven largely by the huge volume of undergraduate enrolment in the social sciences, as mentioned earlier in the report, less than 20% of Indian Universities combine teaching and research with most universities emphasizing teaching over research. This limits the scope of research opportunities within universities.
– The Problem of Language was Highlighted by most of the resource persons consulted for this report. The medium of instruction up to the undergraduate level in most provincial colleges is a regional language while most postgraduate education and almost all advanced research [with the exception of language studies] uses English as a language of communication. With the Critical vocabulary of disciplinary and interdisciplinary research conducted primilarly in English, a large majority of students find it difficult to make the transition. Much of the primary research itself is conducted in local dialects and languages used in the field. Unlike the natural sciences, Social science research, especially in those disciplines where description and the written essay are primary, this necessarily means that lack of facility with the English language acts as a fetter.
Name:Kalu Divine Oluchi
Reg No: 2018/249490
Course code: ECO 391
*During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”.It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
Exploration involves familiarizing a researcher with a topic. Exploration satisfies the researcher’s curiosity and desire for improved understanding. Exploration tests the feasibility of undertaking a more extensive study. Exploration helps develop the methods that will be used in a study.
Description involves describing situations and events through scientific observation. Scientific descriptions are typically more accurate and precise than causal ones. For example, the U. S. Census uses descriptive social research in its examination of characteristics of the U. S. population.
Explanation involves answering the questions of what, where, when, and how. Explanatory studies answer questions of why. For example, an explanatory analysis of the 2002 General Social Survey (GSS) data indicates that 38 percent of men and 30 percent of women said marijuana should be legalized, while 55 percent of liberals and 27 percent of conservatives said the same. Given these statistics, you could start to develop an explanation for attitudes toward marijuana legalization. In addition, further study of gender and political orientation could lead to a deeper explanation of this issue.
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
1. It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
2. It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
3. It helps us succeed in business.
4. It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
5. It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
6. It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
**Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
Lack of Training: It is a big problem faced by researchers in developing countries. There is scarcity of qualified research workers. Many research workers take a step in the dark not understanding research techniques. The majority of the work, which goes in the name of research is not methodologically sound. Research to a lot of investigators is mainly a cut and paste job with no insight shed on the collated materials. The impact is obvious, viz., the research results, frequently, don’t reveal the reality. Therefore, an organized study of research methodology is definitely an immediate requirement. Prior to undertaking research projects, investigators must be well equipped with all the methodological aspects. As such, efforts need to be made to provide short term intensive courses for achieving this requirement.
Lack of confidence: The business houses are usually unwilling to provide the necessary information to researchers because of fear of misuse of information.
Repetition: Research studies overlapping one another are carried out in many cases for want of adequate information.
Lack of Interaction: You will find inadequate interaction between the university research department, on one side and business establishments, government departments and research institutions, on the other.
Illiteracy: This has affected the appreciation of the value of research findings by the vast majority of the people (social workers and business executive)
Lack of Code of Conduct: There doesn’t exist a code of conduct for researchers and inter-University and inter-departmental rivalries are also quite common.
Shortage of Resources: For performing a quality research sufficient funds are not provided. This discourages research of all types. Governments, institutions/organizations don’t appreciate the contributions of research findings to economic development and for that reason do not offer adequate amounts for research of all types.
Absence of Coordination: There exists lack of coordination among various organizations responsible for performing research.
Problem of Conceptualization: Many a time problems of conceptualization and problems concerning the procedure for data collection and related things crop up leading to frittering of resources.
Scanty Information Base: This narrows down the volume and quality of literature accessible to a researcher. Put simply, not much research findings have been collected from where a researcher can take help.
Name: Umeh Chinaza Lucy
Reg number:2018/246901
Dept:Social science (Education/Economics)
Course code:Eco 391
Course title: Research methods in economics 1
Email:umehlucy37@gmail.com
Assignment
Online Discussion Quiz 2—Purpose/Importance of Research and Challenges of Conducting Research in LDCs
What is Research?
Simply put, research is the process of discovering new knowledge. This knowledge can be either the development of new concepts or the advancement of existing knowledge and theories, leading to a new understanding that was not previously known.
OR
Research is a systematic investigation (i.e. the gathering and analysis of information) designed to develop or contribute to generalisable knowledge.
Research can be carried out by anyone and in any field, most research is usually done to broaden knowledge in the physical, biological, and social worlds. This can range from learning why certain materials behave the way they do, to asking why certain people are more resilient than others when faced with the same challenges.
What are the Purpose of Research?
main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study. This article discusses the significance of research and the many reasons why it is important for everyone not just students and scientists. It is also used to enhance society by advancing knowledge through the development of scientific theories, concepts and ideas.
From weather forecasts to the discovery of antibiotics, researchers are constantly trying to find new ways to understand the world and how things work with the ultimate goal of improving our lives. The purpose of research is therefore to find out what is known, what is not and what we can develop further. In this way, scientists can develop new theories, ideas and products that shape our society and our everyday lives.
-The purpose of research is to further understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life. It is an integral part of problem solving.
-The purpose of research is to enhance society by advancing knowledge through the development of scientific theories, concepts and ideas. A research purpose is met through forming hypotheses, collecting data, analysing results, forming conclusions, implementing findings into real-life applications and forming new research questions.
-The purpose of research is to further understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life. It is an integral part of problem solving.
Research is essential to find out which treatments work better for patients. It plays an important role in discovering new treatments, and making sure that we use existing treatments in the best possible ways. Research can find answers to things that are unknown, filling gaps in knowledge and changing the way that healthcare professionals work.
Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of research:
Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
There are 8 core characteristics that all research projects should have. These are:
Empirical :based on proven scientific methods derived from real-life observations and experiments.
Logical :follows sequential procedures based on valid principles.
Cyclic : research begins with a question and ends with a question, i.e. research should lead to a new line of questioning.
Controlled : vigorous measures put into place to keep all variables constant, except those under investigation.
Hypothesis-based :the research design generates data that sufficiently meets the research objectives and can prove or disprove the hypothesis. It makes the research study repeatable and gives credibility to the results.
Analytical : data is generated, recorded and analysed using proven techniques to ensure high accuracy and repeatability while minimising potential errors and anomalies.
Objective : sound judgement is used by the researcher to ensure that the research findings are valid.
Statistical treatment : statistical treatment is used to transform the available data into something more meaningful from which knowledge can be gained.
Inconclusion,A research purpose is met through forming hypotheses, collecting data, analysing results, forming conclusions, implementing findings into real-life applications and forming new research questions.
Importance of Research
Uderstanding that research is important might seem like a no-brainer, but many people avoid it like the plague. Yet, for those who like to learn, whether they are members of a research institution or not, conducting research is not just important .it’s imperative and it’s importance are:
1. It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
2. It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
3. It helps us succeed in business.
4. It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
5. It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
6. It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
7. It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind.
8. It plays an important role in discovering new treatments, and making sure that we use existing treatments in the best possible ways. Research can find answers to things that are unknown, filling gaps in knowledge and changing the way that healthcare professionals work.
9. It helps to Diagnose diseases and health problems
10.It Prevent the development or recurrence of disease and reduce the number of people who become ill.
11. It helps treat illness to improve survival rates or increase the number of people who are cured.
12. It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
13. It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
14. It helps us succeed in business.
15. It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.not only is research an invaluable tool for building on crucial knowledge, it’s also the most reliable way we can begin to understand the complexities of various issues; to maintain our integrity as we disprove lies and uphold important truths, to serve as the seed for analysing convoluted sets of data.
16. It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
17. It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
18. It helps us succeed in business.
19. It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
20. It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
21. It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
22. It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind.
discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
The first issue relates to the role of researcher as participant observer. The main concern here is that the researcher should be neutral in order to maintain their aim of ‘objectivity’ in their research project (Gans, 1982). In research experience where the researcher also acts as a participant, he or she must normally develop and maintain close relationships with other community members. Some ethnographers have argued that a closer relationship between the researchers and participants of this kind can lead to conflict and deception (Biber 2005, p.93). Researchers may find it difficult to make objective judgments in their research if they are personally connected with their respondents.
-A third issue concerns the nature of ethical regulation. With universities setting up Ethics Committees to review research proposals through a process of ethical review, and with academics under pressure to obtain for research grants (Biber, 2005), researchers have raised concerns that increased ethical review is circumscribing their ability to make their own decisions about ethical issues relating to their specific projects. Ethical regulation has produced a formulaic approach to research ethics, in which researchers may feel constrained to tick the right boxes, rather than to think through ethical principles themselves. There is also a problem that basic ethical principles may lead to different and conflicting prescriptions.
-In developing countries, where societies are often pluralistic, cultural background and security become important issues for social researchers in conducting fieldwork. This state of affairs can lead to the researchers finding it difficult to get letters of permission from the local authorities, and may lead to delays in conducting research.
-The final issue relates to informed consent. Increased bureaucratisation of social science research resulting from the broad changes taking place in research governance and regulation means that social researchers increasingly have to have their research projects assessed by Ethics Committees. One of the results of this increased bureaucratisation has been the expectation that researchers will proved that they have obtained informed consent by providing forms signed by research participants. The main reasons that Ethics Committees insist on informed consent are i) to ensure that participants understand what participation will involve and that they know their rights in relation to participation and issues of confidentiality and anonymity, ii) to protect researchers from later accusations by study participants. Some social researchers argue that the use of informed consent is not appropriate in all types of research (for instance in research involving public figures). This concern is that respect for confidentiality and anonymity may contribute to secrecy in matters of public interest. The objections to signed consent forms have been raised particularly by researchers working in the area of criminology.
Name; ONWUJIUBA OBIANUJU NNENNA
DEPARTMENT: ECONOMICS/POLITICAL SCIENCE (CSS)
REG NO: 2018/247080
ASSIGNMENT
What are the purposes and importance of research?
There are many purposes why people conduct a research and some of these purposes are:
1. Information gathering:one of the main purposes of conducting a research is to discover, uncover and explore data and Information that one didn’t know about.
2. Theory testing: this can come in two forms which are:
I. Explanatory: this is testing and understanding causal relations.
II. Predictions: that is the act of predicting what might happen in different scenarios based on the data collected during the research.
3. The purpose of research is therefore to find out what is known, what is not and what we can develop further.When you perform research, you are essentially trying to solve a mystery—you want to know how something works or why something happened. In other words, you want to answer a question that you (and other people) have about the world. This is one of the most basic reasons for performing research.
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
1. It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth
2. It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
3. It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
4. It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
5. It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
6. Research helps you narrow your scope
When you’re circling a topic for the first time, you might not be exactly sure where to start. Most of the time, the amount of work ahead of you is overwhelming. Whether you’re writing a paper or formulating a business plan, it’s important to narrow the scope at some point. Research helps you identify the most unique and/or important themes
7. Research introduces you to new ideas
You may already have opinions and ideas about a topic when you start researching. The more you research, the more viewpoints you’ll come across. This encourages you to entertain new ideas and perhaps take a closer look at yours
CHALLENGES OF CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN LDC’s
Lack of Training: It is a big problem faced by researchers in developing countries. There is scarcity of qualified research workers. Many research workers take a step in the dark not understanding research techniques. The majority of the work, which goes in the name of research is not methodologically sound.
Repetition: Research studies overlapping one another are carried out in many cases for want of adequate information.
Illiteracy: This has affected the appreciation of the value of research findings by the vast majority of the people
Lack of Code of Conduct: There doesn’t exist a code of conduct for researchers and inter-University and inter-departmental rivalries are also quite common.
Shortage of Resources: For performing a quality research sufficient funds are not provided. This discourages research of all types. Governments, institutions/organizations don’t appreciate the contributions of research findings to economic development and for that reason do not offer adequate amounts for research of all types.
Problem of Conceptualization: Many a time problems of conceptualization and problems concerning the procedure for data collection and related things crop up leading to frittering of resources.
Scanty Information Base: This narrows down the volume and quality of literature accessible to a researcher. Put simply, not much research findings have been collected from where a researcher can take help.
Name: Umeh Chinaza Lucy
Reg number:2018/246901
Dept:Social science (Education/Economics)
Course code:Eco 391
Course title: Research methods in economics 1
Email:umehlucy37@gmail.com
Assignment
Online Discussion Quiz 2—Purpose/Importance of Research and Challenges of Conducting Research in LDCs
What is Research?
Simply put, research is the process of discovering new knowledge. This knowledge can be either the development of new concepts or the advancement of existing knowledge and theories, leading to a new understanding that was not previously known.
OR
Research is a systematic investigation (i.e. the gathering and analysis of information) designed to develop or contribute to generalisable knowledge.
Research can be carried out by anyone and in any field, most research is usually done to broaden knowledge in the physical, biological, and social worlds. This can range from learning why certain materials behave the way they do, to asking why certain people are more resilient than others when faced with the same challenges.
What are the Purpose of Research?
main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study. This article discusses the significance of research and the many reasons why it is important for everyone not just students and scientists. It is also used to enhance society by advancing knowledge through the development of scientific theories, concepts and ideas.
From weather forecasts to the discovery of antibiotics, researchers are constantly trying to find new ways to understand the world and how things work with the ultimate goal of improving our lives. The purpose of research is therefore to find out what is known, what is not and what we can develop further. In this way, scientists can develop new theories, ideas and products that shape our society and our everyday lives.
-The purpose of research is to further understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life. It is an integral part of problem solving.
-The purpose of research is to enhance society by advancing knowledge through the development of scientific theories, concepts and ideas. A research purpose is met through forming hypotheses, collecting data, analysing results, forming conclusions, implementing findings into real-life applications and forming new research questions.
-The purpose of research is to further understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life. It is an integral part of problem solving.
Research is essential to find out which treatments work better for patients. It plays an important role in discovering new treatments, and making sure that we use existing treatments in the best possible ways. Research can find answers to things that are unknown, filling gaps in knowledge and changing the way that healthcare professionals work.
Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of research:
Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
There are 8 core characteristics that all research projects should have. These are:
Empirical :based on proven scientific methods derived from real-life observations and experiments.
Logical :follows sequential procedures based on valid principles.
Cyclic : research begins with a question and ends with a question, i.e. research should lead to a new line of questioning.
Controlled : vigorous measures put into place to keep all variables constant, except those under investigation.
Hypothesis-based :the research design generates data that sufficiently meets the research objectives and can prove or disprove the hypothesis. It makes the research study repeatable and gives credibility to the results.
Analytical : data is generated, recorded and analysed using proven techniques to ensure high accuracy and repeatability while minimising potential errors and anomalies.
Objective : sound judgement is used by the researcher to ensure that the research findings are valid.
Statistical treatment : statistical treatment is used to transform the available data into something more meaningful from which knowledge can be gained.
Inconclusion,A research purpose is met through forming hypotheses, collecting data, analysing results, forming conclusions, implementing findings into real-life applications and forming new research questions.
Importance of Research
Uderstanding that research is important might seem like a no-brainer, but many people avoid it like the plague. Yet, for those who like to learn, whether they are members of a research institution or not, conducting research is not just important .it’s imperative and it’s importance are:
1. It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
2. It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
3. It helps us succeed in business.
4. It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
5. It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
6. It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
7. It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind.
8. It plays an important role in discovering new treatments, and making sure that we use existing treatments in the best possible ways. Research can find answers to things that are unknown, filling gaps in knowledge and changing the way that healthcare professionals work.
9. It helps to Diagnose diseases and health problems
10.It Prevent the development or recurrence of disease and reduce the number of people who become ill.
11. It helps treat illness to improve survival rates or increase the number of people who are cured.
12. It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
13. It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
14. It helps us succeed in business.
15. It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.not only is research an invaluable tool for building on crucial knowledge, it’s also the most reliable way we can begin to understand the complexities of various issues; to maintain our integrity as we disprove lies and uphold important truths, to serve as the seed for analysing convoluted sets of data.
16. It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
17. It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
18. It helps us succeed in business.
19. It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
20. It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
21. It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
22. It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind.
discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
The first issue relates to the role of researcher as participant observer. The main concern here is that the researcher should be neutral in order to maintain their aim of ‘objectivity’ in their research project (Gans, 1982). In research experience where the researcher also acts as a participant, he or she must normally develop and maintain close relationships with other community members. Some ethnographers have argued that a closer relationship between the researchers and participants of this kind can lead to conflict and deception (Biber 2005, p.93). Researchers may find it difficult to make objective judgments in their research if they are personally connected with their respondents.
-A third issue concerns the nature of ethical regulation. With universities setting up Ethics Committees to review research proposals through a process of ethical review, and with academics under pressure to obtain for research grants (Biber, 2005), researchers have raised concerns that increased ethical review is circumscribing their ability to make their own decisions about ethical issues relating to their specific projects. Ethical regulation has produced a formulaic approach to research ethics, in which researchers may feel constrained to tick the right boxes, rather than to think through ethical principles themselves. There is also a problem that basic ethical principles may lead to different and conflicting prescriptions.
-In developing countries, where societies are often pluralistic, cultural background and security become important issues for social researchers in conducting fieldwork. This state of affairs can lead to the researchers finding it difficult to get letters of permission from the local authorities, and may lead to delays in conducting research.
-The final issue relates to informed consent. Increased bureaucratisation of social science research resulting from the broad changes taking place in research governance and regulation means that social researchers increasingly have to have their research projects assessed by Ethics Committees. One of the results of this increased bureaucratisation has been the expectation that researchers will proved that they have obtained informed consent by providing forms signed by research participants. The main reasons that Ethics Committees insist on informed consent are i) to ensure that participants understand what participation will involve and that they know their rights in relation to participation and issues of confidentiality and anonymity, ii) to protect researchers from later accusations by study participants. Some social researchers argue that the use of informed consent is not appropriate in all types of research (for instance in research involving public figures). This concern isthat respect for confidentiality and anonymity may contribute to secrecy in matters of public interest. The objections to signed consent forms have been raised particularly by researchers working in the area of criminology.
NAME: ONAH OGOCHUKWU JULIET
REG NO: 2018/248266
DEPT: ECONOMICS/SOCIOLOGY (COMBINED SOCIAL SCIENCES)
SECOND ASSIGNMENT ON ECO 391:
As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters I would say
The purpose of research
There are two main purpose of research, which are;
Information gathering and theory testing
• Information Gathering : Information Gathering is the act of gathering different kinds of information about something or someone. Examples of information gathering are, surveys, interviews, tests, observation etc.
• Theory-testing: This is the process of ascertaining whether the empirical evidence in a case or in a sample of cases either supports or does not support a given theory. Example, hypothesis testing.
The importance of research
#1. Research expands your knowledge base
The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
#2. Research gives you the latest information
Research encourages you to find the most recent information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.
#3. Research helps you know what you’re up against
In business, you’ll have competition. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to helps you formulate your plans and strategies. You can figure out what sets you apart. In other types of research, like medicine, your research might identify diseases, classify symptoms, and come up with ways to tackle them. Even if your “enemy” isn’t an actual person or competitor, there’s always some kind of antagonist force or problem that research can help you deal with.
#4. Research introduces you to new ideas
You may already have opinions and ideas about a topic when you start researching. The more you research, the more viewpoints you’ll come across. This encourages you to entertain new ideas and perhaps take a closer look at yours. You might change your mind about something or, at least, figure out how to position your ideas as the best ones.
#5. Research helps with problem-solving
Whether it’s a personal or professional problem, it helps to look outside yourself for help. Depending on what the issue is, your research can focus on what others have done before. You might just need more information, so you can make an informed plan of attack and an informed decision. When you know you’ve collected good information, you’ll feel much more confident in your solution.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
Some of the problem of conducting social science research in developing countries are
1. Poor attention in development of Human Capacity: Most universities don’t necessary take it serious to develop human capacity in the sense that they don’t provide the necessary things needed for the research. Mostly, it’s all about coming to class and teaching without letting the students practice what they are supposed to know by practicing. Although some lecturers do try their best in as much as how low they are paid.
2. Lack of qualified tertiary teachers: Some universities in developing countries may choose to employ some first class graduates that just finished from the department without minding if the person is actually qualified to handle that in spite of the person’s result for example, a graduate may be first class without knowing how to teach or rather impact knowledge.
NAME: OKONKWO CHISOM JUDITH
REG NO:2018/243044
DEPT:CSS. ECONOMICS/SOCIOLOGY
LEVEL:300LEVEL
COURSE CODE:ECO 391
ASSIGNMENT :
What I understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
PURPOSES OF RESEARCH.
Exploratory: As the name suggests, researchers conduct exploratory studies to explore a group of questions. The answers and analytics may not offer a conclusion to the perceived problem. It is undertaken to handle new problem areas that haven’t been explored before. This exploratory process lays the foundation for more conclusive data collection and analysis.
Descriptive: It focuses on expanding knowledge on current issues through a process of data collection. Descriptive research describe the behavior of a sample population. Only one variable is required to conduct the study. The three primary purposes of descriptive studies are describing, explaining, and validating the findings. For example, a study conducted to know if top-level management leaders in the 21st century possess the moral right to receive a considerable sum of money from the company profit.
Explanatory: Causal or explanatory research is conducted to understand the impact of specific changes in existing standard procedures. Running experiments is the most popular form. For example, a study that is conducted to understand the effect of rebranding on customer loyalty.
Research methods are broadly classified as Qualitative and Quantitative.
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
1. Research expands your knowledge base
The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
2. Research gives you the latest information
Research encourages you to find the most recent information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.
3. Research builds your credibility
People will take what you have to say more seriously when they can tell you’re informed. Doing research gives you a solid foundation on which you can build your ideas and opinions. You can speak with confidence about what you know is accurate. When you’ve done the research, it’s much harder for someone to poke holes in what you’re saying. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
4. Encourages Curiosity
A love for learning new things can last a lifetime if you have sources to fuel it. Even the most basic research opens up new possibilities and develops analytical skills. It is reward to the curiosity burning away inside any human being. When you have committed yourself to gaining knowledge it constantly helps you to grow.
5. Prepares you to Deal with the Future
If you are a business studies student, you can discover how to form plans and strategies once you are employed in the field. You can figure out your goals for ahead. In areas like medicine, research helps you identify diseases, symptoms and reveals new ways to eradicate them. Hence you can prepare for the real world by knowing more about the challenges you have to face.
PROBLEMS OF CONDUCTING SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
1.Shortage of Resources: For performing a quality research sufficient funds are not provided. This discourages research of all types. Governments, institutions/organizations don’t appreciate the contributions of research findings to economic development and for that reason do not offer adequate amounts for research of all types.
2.Absence of Coordination: There exists lack of coordination among various organizations responsible for performing research.
Problem of Conceptualization: Many a time problems of conceptualization and problems concerning the procedure for data collection and related things crop up leading to frittering of resources.
3.Scanty Information Base: This narrows down the volume and quality of literature accessible to a researcher. Put simply, not much research findings have been collected from where a researcher can take help.
4.Illiteracy: This has affected the appreciation of the value of research findings by the vast majority of the people (social workers and business executive)
5.Lack of Code of Conduct: There doesn’t exist a code of conduct for researchers and inter-University and inter-departmental rivalries are also quite common.
NAME: OGBONNA LOVETH NNEDINSO
DEPARTMENT: CSS (ECONOMICS/POLITICAL SCIENCE)
REG. NO: 2018/248354
ASSIGNMENT
What are the purposes/importance of research and the challenges of research in LDCs.
ANSWER
The purpose of research is to enhance society by advancing knowledge through the development of scientific theories, concepts and ideas.
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
1. Research expands your knowledge base: Research helps us to learn more about a topic.
2. Research gives you the latest information: Research encourages you to find the most recent information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made.
3. Research helps you know what you’re up against: In business, you’ll have competition. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to helps you formulate your plans and strategies.
4. People will take what you have to say more seriously when they can tell you’re informed. Doing research gives you a solid foundation on which you can build your ideas and opinions. You can speak with confidence about what you know is accurate. When you’ve done the research, it’s much harder for someone to poke holes in what you’re saying. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
5. Doing a lot of research helps you sift through low-quality and high-quality information. The more research you do on a topic, the better you’ll get at discerning what’s accurate and what’s not.
6. Research introduces you to new ideas: You may already have opinions and ideas about a topic when you start researching. The more you research, the more viewpoints you’ll come across. This encourages you to entertain new ideas and perhaps take a closer look at yours. You might change your mind about something or, at least, figure out how to position your ideas as the best ones.
7. Research helps with problem-solving: Whether it’s a personal or professional problem, it helps to look outside yourself for help. Depending on what the issue is, your research can focus on what others have done before.
8. Research helps you reach people: Research is used to help raise awareness of issues like climate change, racial discrimination, gender inequality, and more. Without hard facts, it’s very difficult to prove that climate change is getting worse or that gender inequality isn’t progressing as quickly as it should.
9. Research encourages curiosity: Having curiosity and a love of learning take you far in life. Research opens you up to different opinions and new ideas. It also builds discerning and analytical skills. The research process rewards curiosity. When you’re committed to learning, you’re always in a place of growth.
CHALLENGES IF RESEARCH IN LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
1. Lack of Scientific Training
2.Lack of communication with the supervisor: A university professor is a busy person. It is important to have guidance on a research project. Poor communication gets on the way of the progress of the research.
3.Time management
4.Not having a definite deadline: Deadlines are stressful. But not having a deadline can be troublesome during the Ph.D. journey. Deadlines help you get closer to your goals. Many times, Universities fail to implement a due date to submit the research paper, leading to confusion and improper time management among the scholars.
5.A quantity of literature: It can be difficult to deal with the quantity of literature that one might have accessed. The literature review is iterative.
6. Implementing quality of writing within the literature review: A literature review has to go beyond being a series of references and citations. You need to interpret the literature and be able to position it within the context of your study.
7. Insufficient data: Insufficiency of data is a potential problem. Most of the business establishments are of the opinion that researchers may misuse the data provided by them and so don’t always give out their data.
8. Lack of confidence: Researchers with low self-esteem feel less motivated thereby affecting the quality of the work.
9. Concern that your focus is either still too broad or too narrow: This concern is inevitable. Be prepared to adapt your research as you look through the literature.
10. Library management: Library management and functioning is not satisfactory in many Universities; A lot of time and energy is spent on tracing appropriate books, journals, reports etc. Also, many of the libraries are not able to get copies of new reports and other publications on time.
Ubechu Agatha Chidinma
2018/242441
Economics
dinmagatha@gmail.com
QUESTION: Purpose/importance of research and challenges of conducting research in LDCs.
Although research can take many forms, there are three main purposes of research:
Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
Importance of research:
1. It’s a Tool for Building Knowledge and Facilitating Learning
Research is required not just for students and academics but for all professionals and nonprofessionals alike. It is also important for budding and veteran writers, both offline and online.
2. It’s a Means to Understand Issues and Increase Public Awareness
Using Research to Understand Current Issues
Television shows and movies—both fictional and nonfictional—ooze with research. For instance, Oprah Winfrey would have not achieved remarkable success as a news anchor and television show host had she eschewed doing her own research about certain topics and public figures.
3. It Helps Us Succeed in Business
The Importance of Research and Development (R&D)
Research benefits business. Many successful companies, such as those producing consumer goods or mass-market items, invest in research and development, or R and D.
4. It Allows Us to Disprove Lies and Support Truths
Background Research and Private Investigations
Have you ever experienced the feeling that your partner is having an affair behind your back? Some people would overlook this and say that it’s better not to know; others though would take discreet action, hiring a private detective to find out for sure.
5. It Is a Means to Find, Gauge, and Seize Opportunities
Research helps people nurture their potential and achieve goals by taking advantage of various opportunities. This can mean securing employment, being awarded scholarships or grants, securing project funding, initiating a business collaboration, finding budget travel opportunities, or securing other little wins.
Lack of Scientific Training: The research methodology is not systematic. Many researchers undertake research work without having actual knowledge of the research methods. Even the guides do not have a thorough knowledge of the various methodologies. Before undertaking research projects, researchers should be well equipped with all the methodological aspects.
Lack of communication with the supervisor: A university professor is a busy person. It is important to have guidance on a research project. Poor communication gets on the way of the progress of the research. It is important to communicate with the supervisor to clarify the doubts regarding the research topic, to know what the supervisor expects from you and to learn more about your research topic.
Time management: Spending ample time in learning the skills and practical implementation consumes a lot of time. In such a scenario, taking out time for intense research and to draft a top-notch research paper becomes impossible.
Not having a definite deadline: Deadlines are stressful. But not having a deadline can be troublesome during the Ph.D. journey. Deadlines help you get closer to your goals. Many times, Universities fail to implement a due date to submit the research paper, leading to confusion and improper time management among the scholars.
A quantity of literature: It can be difficult to deal with the quantity of literature that one might have accessed. The literature review is iterative. This involves managing the literature, accessing data that supports the framework of the research, identifying keywords and alternative keywords, as well as constantly looking for new sources.
Implementing quality of writing within the literature review: A literature review has to go beyond being a series of references and citations. You need to interpret the literature and be able to position it within the context of your study. This requires careful and measured interpretation and writing in which you synthesize and bring together the materials that you have read.
Insufficient data: Insufficiency of data is a potential problem. Most of the business establishments are of the opinion that researchers may misuse the data provided by them. This affects the purpose of research studies for which that particular data may be of utmost importance.
Lack of confidence: Lack of confidence is one of the most common problems among researchers. Researchers with low self-esteem feel less motivated thereby affecting the quality of the work.
Concern that your focus is either still too broad or too narrow: This concern is inevitable. Be prepared to adapt your research as you look through the literature. This might require you to either increase its focus or narrow down so that the research is manageable. A broad focus for research might be narrowed down by adding an appropriate context or by looking for another variable within the research question or by focusing upon a theoretical viewpoint.
Library management: Library management and functioning is not satisfactory in many Universities; A lot of time and energy is spent on tracing appropriate books, journals, reports etc. Also, many of the libraries are not able to get copies of new reports and other publications on time.
NAME: E-PATRICK DALOSAH
REG NUMBER: 2018/242457
DEPARTMENT:ECONOMICS
LEVEL:300
COURSE CODE: ECO 361
Answer
No matter what career field you’re in or how high up you are, there’s always more to learn. The same applies to your personal life. No matter how many experiences you have or how diverse your social circle, there are things you don’t know. Research unlocks the unknowns, lets you explore the world from different perspectives, and fuels a deeper understanding. In some areas, research is an essential part of success. In others, it may not be absolutely necessary, but it has many benefits. Here are ten reasons why research is important:
#1. Research expands your knowledge base
The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
#2. Research gives you the latest information
Research encourages you to find the most recent information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.
#3. Research helps you know what you’re up against
In business, you’ll have competition. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to helps you formulate your plans and strategies. You can figure out what sets you apart. In other types of research, like medicine, your research might identify diseases, classify symptoms, and come up with ways to tackle them. Even if your “enemy” isn’t an actual person or competitor, there’s always some kind of antagonist force or problem that research can help you deal with.
#4. Research builds your credibility
People will take what you have to say more seriously when they can tell you’re informed. Doing research gives you a solid foundation on which you can build your ideas and opinions. You can speak with confidence about what you know is accurate. When you’ve done the research, it’s much harder for someone to poke holes in what you’re saying. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
#5. Research helps you narrow your scope
When you’re circling a topic for the first time, you might not be exactly sure where to start. Most of the time, the amount of work ahead of you is overwhelming. Whether you’re writing a paper or formulating a business plan, it’s important to narrow the scope at some point. Research helps you identify the most unique and/or important themes. You can choose the themes that fit best with the project and its goals.
NAME: EZEAMENYI CHINONSO IFESOROCHUKWU
REG: 2018/251370
DEPT: EDUCATION/ECONOMICS
EMAIL ADDRESS: nonsofavour732@gmail.com
1: The main purpose of research are :
The purpose of research is to find out what is known, what is not and what we can develop further. In this way, scientist can develop new theories, ideas and products that shape our society and our everyday lives.
The purpose of research therefore is to further understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life. It is an important part of problem solving.
2: The importance of research are:
I:Research promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
ii: Research allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
iii: it is a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
iv: it is a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
v: Research helps with problem solving.
Vi: Research encourages curiosity.
vii: Research helps one to narrow their scope.
3: The problems of conducting research in developing countries are:
I: poor national research system.
ii: lack of educated/trained researchers.
iii: shortage of research funding.
iv: shortage of time available for research.
v: lack of moral and financial incentives.
vi: lack of stable policies.
Name: Onah Amarachi Jane
Reg no:2018/246265
Dept: Economics
Purposes of Research
.i.Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
ii.Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
iii.Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
Importance of Research
a. Research expands your knowledge base
The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
b. Research gives you the latest information
Research encourages you to find the most recent information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.
c.Research helps you know what you’re up against
In business, you’ll have competition. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to helps you formulate your plans and strategies. You can figure out what sets you apart. In other types of research, like medicine, your research might identify diseases, classify symptoms, and come up with ways to tackle them. Even if your “enemy” isn’t an actual person or competitor, there’s always some kind of antagonist force or problem that research can help you deal with.
d.Research teaches you better discernment
Doing a lot of research helps you sift through low-quality and high-quality information. The more research you do on a topic, the better you’ll get at discerning what’s accurate and what’s not. You’ll also get better at discerning the gray areas where information may be technically correct but used to draw questionable conclusions.
e. Research introduces you to new ideas
You may already have opinions and ideas about a topic when you start researching. The more you research, the more viewpoints you’ll come across. This encourages you to entertain new ideas and perhaps take a closer look at yours. You might change your mind about something or, at least, figure out how to position your ideas as the best ones.
f. Research helps with problem-solving
Whether it’s a personal or professional problem, it helps to look outside yourself for help. Depending on what the issue is, your research can focus on what others have done before. You might just need more information, so you can make an informed plan of attack and an informed decision. When you know you’ve collected good information, you’ll feel much more confident in your solution.
Challenges of Research
i.INEFFECTIVE EDUCATION SYSTEM
In other to tackle the problems of research in Nigeria and find possible solutions, researchers must be well trained. How do you train your people to be professional without a functional education system? “Import Knowledge”.
Nigeria needs a total makeover in her education sector from basic up to tertiary level. The truth is that our education system is badly broken and barely functional; and it is not necessarily about the education structure, the education systems or the philosophies but our education system is completely ineffective because of the way we teach our future researchers.
ii.INEFFECTIVE LIBRARY SYSTEM
A system with a badly broken education system is likely to also have a badly broken library system. School-owned libraries in Nigeria usually offer limited research materials and membership restrictions; public libraries are usually scanty; the best libraries in Nigeria are usually private-owned libraries and also the most valuable libraries.The understocked libraries in Nigeria is another major problem of research in Nigeria. Libraries around Nigeria should be stocked with copies of old and new acts, rules, reports, and other academic, economic and government publications.
iii.INSECURITY
Security generally is a problem in Nigeria. The improvised availability of published data from academic institutes, government agencies and other corporate agencies operating in Nigeria is a huge problem of research in Nigeria.
.iv.LACK OF FUNDS FOR RESEARCH
Time and Money are the two most valuable factors in life and the only two factors you can invest. Another problem of research in Nigeria is the lack of money and time.
Research facilities are not cheap to set up these days; neither is the cost of research equipment needed to conduct these research and then the need to properly manage these research facilities and apparatus effectively.
Time also is a limiting factor of research in Nigeria because most professionals in Nigeria are either joggling two jobs or too occupied in one job to give time to research. For instance a university lecturer who is also a clinical psychologist.
v.POOR TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT
Most of Nigeria researchers are generally old school (pen and paper) and this is a major problem of research in Nigeria because most of these journals, reports and data needed to conduct research are stored in a retrievable technological data base like a secured server by government agencies or corporate organisations operating in Nigeria.
A researcher with a limited technological skill would probably spend all his time surfing through useful data on a technological data base without fully knowing the usefulness of such data because of a restricted technological skills or knowledge.
In other to effective tackle this problem of research in Nigeria, technological skill should be imbibed school curricula to efficiently prepare the researcher.
Name: Ajah Favour chinyere
Reg No: 2018/241836
Department: Economics
Course code: 391
Course title: Research methods in Economics 1
Email: favourajah91@gmail.com
Good day Mr president and my Audience, I will first talk on the PURPOSE of RESEARCH.
1.The purpose of research is to enhance society by advancing knowledge through the development of scientific theories, concepts and ideas. A research purpose is met through forming hypotheses, collecting data, analysing results, forming conclusions, implementing findings into real-life applications and forming new research questions.
The purpose of research is therefore to find out what is known, what is not and what we can develop further. In this way, scientists can develop new theories, ideas and products that shape our society and our lives.
The purpose of research is to further understand the world and to learn how this knowledge can be applied to better everyday life.
Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself.
Why is Research important?
I would say that Research plays an important role in discovering new treatments, and making sure that we use existing treatments in the best possible ways. Research can find answers to things that are unknown, filling gaps in knowledge and changing the way that healthcare professionals work.
Research is what propels humanity forward. It’s fueled by curiosity: we get curious, ask questions, and immerse ourselves in discovering everything there is to know. Learning is thriving. Without curiosity and research, progress would slow to a halt, and our lives as we know them would be completely different.
To get more knowledge concerning a topic,problem,or situation,research is really important.it makes one understand better.
2. Difficulty in the Use of Experimental Method: In case of social science research, its product being a human being cannot be put to laboratory test. Even if it is done, their responses wouldn’t be natural but subject to the awareness of the artificial condition. Thus the social scientist has to watch them in wide world.
The common problem which may be faced in social sciences are: 1) difficulty in collection the suitable simple size, 2) poor response from the respondents to the required survey due to other factors like limited knowledge’s on the subject matter addressed and etc.,
Nweke Chelsea Kenechi
2018/243075
Combined social sciences ( Economics and Psychology)
Eco 391
During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”.It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
According to Albertson Georgia, “research is to see what everyone has seen but to think what nobody has thought”
Purpose of research includes:
To indict further knowledge about a phenomenon:
One basic purpose of research is to understand a phenomenon better and further. A researcher may decide to carry out a research for the sole purpose of understanding that phenomenon, concept or topic further. Conducting research gives the research opportunity to better understand the research concept.
To explain certain phenomena:
Another purpose why a research might be conducted is in order to explain a phenomenon, concept, or situation. For example, research were carried out to explain the situation of unemployment(what causes it an all), inflation, depression, and factors that might influence it presence in the economy.
To increase the knowledge of the public on a phenomenon(s):
When we conduct research, we get new information about the research topic. So by conducting a research, we are able to dig deeper to collect information that will then be notified/ updated to the public to further increase their knowledge. For example, the case of covid 19 virus, research were initially carried out to give the causes and ways of prevention to the general public thereby increasing knowledge.
Importance of research
Research brings about innovation thereby making life easier:
An important importance of research is the fact that it gives us chances to explore and innovate. For example, the person who invented the airplane did some research even though they weren’t solid and was able to come up with the great innovation of airplane which made transportation easier and include the standard of living. And in turn, other researchers/ Inventors, used his work to come up with even better model of airplane making life more easier.
It helps to create solutions to problems:
One major importance of research is the actuality that it helps to solve problems. As fact has , research is a detailed search that gives us better understanding of a problem enough for us researchers to come up with solutions to solve such problems, be it a new found problem, or an already existing one.
It helps verify the accuracy of an existing theory:
Because of it systematic nature, research is able to check if existing theories are actually accurate.
Name : Ezenwa chibuzo franklin
Reg no: 2018/242324
Dept: economics /education
Email. Chibuzofranklin20@gmail
Eco 391:economic research
An assignment :you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
The main purposes of research are to inform action, gather evidence for theories, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field of study. This article discusses the significance of research and the many reasons why it is important for everyone—not just students and scientists.
It’s a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
It’s a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
It helps us succeed in business.
It allows us to disprove lies and support truths.
It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
It promotes a love of and confidence in reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable information.
It provides nourishment and exercise for the mind.
Exploratory: Exploratory research is the first research to be conducted around a problem that has not yet been clearly defined. Exploration research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of the exact nature of the problem and not to provide a conclusive answer to the problem itself. This enables us to conduct more in-depth research later on.
Descriptive: Descriptive research expands knowledge of a research problem or phenomenon by describing it according to its characteristics and population. Descriptive research focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘what’, but not on the ‘why’.
Explanatory: Explanatory research, also referred to as casual research, is conducted to determine how variables interact, i.e. to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Explanatory research deals with the ‘why’ of research questions and is therefore often based on experiments.
Research expands your knowledge base
The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
Research gives you the latest information
Research encourages you to find the most recent information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.
Research helps you know what you’re up against
In business, you’ll have competition. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to helps you formulate your plans and strategies. You can figure out what sets you apart. In other types of research, like medicine, your research might identify diseases, classify symptoms, and come up with ways to tackle them. Even if your “enemy” isn’t an actual person or competitor, there’s always some kind of antagonist force or problem that research can help you deal with.
Research builds your credibility
People will take what you have to say more seriously when they can tell you’re informed. Doing research gives you a solid foundation on which you can build your ideas and opinions. You can speak with confidence about what you know is accurate. When you’ve done the research, it’s much harder for someone to poke holes in what you’re saying. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
Research helps you narrow your scope
When you’re circling a topic for the first time, you might not be exactly sure where to start. Most of the time, the amount of work ahead of you is overwhelming. Whether you’re writing a paper or formulating a business plan, it’s important to narrow the scope at some point. Research helps you identify the most unique and/or important themes. You can choose the themes that fit best with the project and its goals.
economy pharmacy
NAME: Eze Nnenna Anthoniatta
REG NO:2018/248095
DEPARTMENT: Economics
COURSE: Eco391 Development Economics
Email: ezennenna08@gmail.com
QUESTION 1:What do I understand as the purpose of research ?
ANSWER:
Most people would mistake the purpose of research with that of importance. Some would say their are no difference at all but are their really?……Research has been one of the bedrocks of Economics and centres around it and therefore has it’s simple but complex purposes which are listed as; Exploration, description and explanation.
• Exploration is when a researcher is familiarized with a topic. It satisfies the researcher’s curiosity and desire for improved understanding. Exploration tests the feasibility of undertaking a more extensive study and as well helps develop the methods that will be used in a study.
• Description means describing situations of events through scientific observation. Scientific descriptions are typically more accurate and precise than causal ones. For example, the Nigerian Census uses descriptive social research in its examination of characteristics of the Nigerian population.
• Explanation involves answering the questions of” what, where, when, and how”. It answers questions of why. For example, an explanatory analysis of the 2002 General Social Survey (GSS) data indicates that 38 percent of men and 30 percent of women said marijuana should be legalized, while 55 percent of liberals and 27 percent of conservatives said the same. Given these statistics, you could start to develop an explanation for attitudes toward marijuana legalization.
QUESTION 2: what are the importance of research.
ANSWER:
As I said before, importance and purpose of research are often interwoven but has no cause for alerm because unlike the enlisted description of research, importance are more detailed and though I am sure that everyone has their own enlistment of importance of research,I for one have my own way of stating it’s importance.
That is to say that Research;
• improves the chances of achieving specific objectives.
• It helps to build a bridge that recovers the gap in communication.
• Research is also a process of investigating different points of view, which helps to know a subject by reading up on it, reflecting, playing with the ideas, choosing the areas of interest.
• I say it helps to increase knowledge as well as help researcher to know more about something that interests him/her. Removes the cobwebs of ignorance and doubt in our minds.
• finally, research help protect the public; so that they can begin to understand what the problem is, how it works, and what it can do for them.
QUESTION 3: clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
ANSWER:
• Human resources
The overall problem is largely one of resources and their allocation, coupled with a much smaller base of educated people in developing countries than usually found in the developed countries. Increasing the educated population is a slow business which will take a couple of generations or more, in many cases. It is therefore necessary to make the best use of the scientific manpower that there is available in the short term. Nowadays with the improved facilities which exist in most countries, undergraduate training is best carried out in the country, rather than in a developed country, which can lead to problems of re-assimilation on return home. At the graduate level many countries do not have adequate training and research programmes and training abroad is essential. Even when graduate level instruction exists, the broader experience gained from a period of study in another country is almost required education of a scientist, whether from developing or developed countries.
• Research facilities
Scientific research is not cheap these days. At one time the most expensive item in a research programme was the salary of the research worker involved, nowadays the cost of equipment and its maintenance are ever increasing factors. Moreover, science is no longer neatly compartmented — every branch is interdependent with a number of other disciplines. Today, too, biological and agricultural research is more dependent on physical methods of analysis, isotope and radiation techniques, etc., and a modern research station requires a whole range of sophisticated equipment. Probably many developing countries might have made more progress in scientific research if they had concentrated their effort. Rich, developed countries can afford the luxury of many research institutes and centres, but the situation in developing countries is different because the demand for resources far exceeds the funds available and concentration of equipment is not only desirable but has become virtually a necessity in some areas of activity.
• Importation problems
In most developing countries the difficulties and cost of importing scientific equipment and spare parts is a principal limiting factor to scientific research but seldom recognized by governments. Obtaining permission for the necessary foreign exchange can be both difficult and time consuming. Almost all developing countries have balance of payment problems, especially since the great increase in the price of oil, and governments’ basic reasons for tight foreign exchange control are fully understood. They wish to reduce imports and to encourage local manufacture. The fact is that there are very few developing countries that can either technically or economically produce sophisticated scientific equipment in the foreseeable future. In any case, to attempt to produce highly specialized costly-to-develop equipment represents a diversion of national effort which might be better utilized in other areas. Chemicals, especially biochemicals, and radioisotopes are also items which can be obtained from only a limited number of countries and their importation is vital.
• Communication
Finally, Keeping in contact with the mainstream of ideas and developments is a major problem for scientists in most developing countries, if a high level of scientific attainment is aspired to. Particularly South of the Equator, there is both a geographical and communication problem relative to the well-established scientific centres of the Northern Hemisphere. Frequent contact for intellectual stimulation, as well as for keeping up-to-date is thus very important, and for this the short scientific visit or study tour has proved to be extremely valuable.
In performing a research, there are aims, goals or objectives which the researcher holds in mind. These aims are referred to as the purpose of a research. However, one could say that the purpose of a research are the solutions or answers a researcher hopes to get from performing a research. These purposes or aims include:
*To create understanding of existing theories or phenomenon.
*To provide solutions or answers to previously asked questions.
*To formulate policies to help answer questions
*To formulate theories aimed at enriching those who seek knowledge on the same research work.
*To bridge gaps left by previous researchers or research work.
From the above listed, one could easily state the importance of a conducting a research, and they include:
* The main importance of conducting a research project is to give answers to already asked questions.
* A research helps in the development of theories for policy formulation purposes.
* It also helps in verifying existing knowledge.
Now they problems of conducting Social science research are outlined below:
*Inadequate Funding:
This problem is seen both from the government and private organizations.
* Problems of Illiteracy:
Most people view research as an academic exercise, thus they see no need in conducting one.
*Low or poor infrastructural base
* The problems of time management.
*Lack of support from both public and private sectors.
Name: Nwoko Nnamdi Netochukwu
Reg. No: 2018/245660
Dept: Economics
nnamdinetochukwu@gmail.com
Three of the most common purposes of research are exploration, description and explanation.
Research is important for the following reasons:
1. Research on local issues help to develop alternative solutions.
2. Research is useful to the industrial sector for creating innovative multipurpose products at cheaper cost.
3. It helps to create public awareness on critical issues in society.
4. Helps individuals, firms and government to take informed action.
5. Social science research provides accurate and timely information on the needs, attitudes and motivations of a population
6. It plays a vital social role, assisting our government and businesses to develop services, policies, and products that are responsive to an identified need.
Problems of conducting Social Science Research in developing countries include but are not limited to:
1. Neo-colonialism: The mentality of dependency created by colonialism for the black population still features in the activities of the blacks, thereby adversely influencing social research in developing countries. Many scholars depend on foreign scholarships, grants and aids to sponsor their research projects since it is poorly funded. Over-reliance on foreign aid would only reduce the relevance of research activities. For instance, research undertaken to preserve cultural heritage but funded by developed countries may not be carried out wide-eyed.
2. Under-Funding of the Research sector: Funding has been a major issue for most ventures all over the world, owing to scarce resources. One of such areas is education and research which have been proven to be major prequisites for development to happen. In the developing countries, these areas have long been affected which tells on its development. If anything, social science research is disregarded and seen as irrelevant compared to the pure sciences. Okunamiri, Okoli and Okunamiri (2008) in their study, asserted that a nation’s pace of development is determined by its
level of research funding.
3. Lack of technological advancement: The technology and know-how needed to advance research and aid its completion in record time is absent in developing countries. The little technology available is prioritized to the pure sciences.
4. Cultural bias: There are certain cultural and ethical prejudice common to developing countries that becloud a neutral, uncompromised research.
Mbaso Raluchi
2018/242437
mbasoraluchi@gmail.com
During a paper presentation at the Centre for Economic Research and Scientific Analysis, the Director of the Centre argued that “Research is “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.Importance/Purpose of research”. As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
Research has been argued as “creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.
Hence, we can say the main purposes of research is to communicate knowledge, confirm the truths behind theories, and contribute to the advancement in the general understanding or awareness in a field. However, conducting a research is essential and extremely important. The purposes of conducting a research includes;
#1. Research increases your knowledge base
The major reason to carry out a research is to learn more. There’s always more to learn about a subject, even if you are reasonably prudent. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
#2. Research gives you the most recent information
Research motivates you to find the latest information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.
#3. Research helps you to understand and manoeuvre your competitors. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to help you to organize your set of intended actions. You can figure out what sets you apart. In other types of research, like medicine, your research might identify diseases, classify symptoms, and come up with ways to tackle them. Even if what you’re up against isn’t an actual person or competitor, there’s always some kind of antagonist force or problem that research can help you deal with.
#4. Research builds your credibility
People will take what you have to say more seriously when they can tell you’re informed. Doing research gives you a solid foundation on which you can build your ideas and opinions. You can speak with confidence about what you know is accurate. When you’ve done the research, it’s much harder for someone to poke holes in what you’re saying. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
#5. Research helps you narrow your scope
When you’re circling a topic for the first time, you might not be exactly sure where to start. Most of the time, the amount of work ahead of you is overwhelming. Whether you’re writing a paper or formulating a business plan, it’s important to narrow the scope at some point. Research helps you identify the most unique and/or important themes. You can choose the themes that fit best with the project and its goals. It helps to you not divert away from the topic you actually want to know more about this is because research follows a procedure.
#6. Research teaches you better discernment
Doing a lot of research helps you sift through low-quality and high-quality information. The more research you do on a topic, the better you’ll get at discerning what’s accurate and what’s not. You’ll also get better at discerning the gray areas where information may be technically correct but used to draw questionable conclusions. This generally means that reserch helps us to make better decisions.
#7. Research introduces you to previously unknown ideas.
The extent of exposure you could experience due to research cannot be overemphasized. You may already have opinions and ideas about a topic when you start researching. The more you research, the more viewpoints you’ll come across. This encourages you to entertain new ideas and perhaps take a closer look at yours. You might change your mind about something or, at least, figure out how to position your ideas as the best ones.
#8. Research helps with providing solutions to difficulties.
Whether it’s a personal or professional difficulty, it helps to look outside yourself for help. Depending on what the issue is, your research can focus on what others have done before. You might just need more information, so you can make an informed plan of attack and an informed choice. When you know you’ve collected good information, you’ll feel much more confident in your solution.
#9. Research induces communication
Research is used to help raise awareness of issues like climate change, racial discrimination, gender inequality, and more. Without hard facts, it’s very difficult to prove that climate change is getting worse or that gender inequality isn’t progressing as quickly as it should. The public needs to know what the facts are, so they have a clear idea of what “getting worse” or “not progressing” actually means. Research also entails going beyond the raw data and sharing real-life stories that have a more personal impact on people.
#10. Research fosters inquisitiveness.
Wanting to know and a love of learning would take you far in life. Research opens you up to different opinions and new ideas. It also builds discerning and analytical skills. The research process rewards curiosity. When you’re committed to learning, you’re always in a place of growth. Curiosity is also good for your health. Studies show curiosity is associated with higher levels of positivity, better satisfaction with life, and lower anxiety.
Again, you are also required to clinically discuss and analyse the problems of Conducting Social Science Research in Developing Countries.
What will you tell your audience?
There are various problems which affect the conducting of a proper social science research in developing countries, which includes;
The lack of a scientific training in the implementation of research is a great impediment for researchers in our country. There is paucity of competent researchers. Many researcher stake a leap in the dark without knowing research methods. Most of the work, which goes in the name of research is not methodologically sound. Research to many researchers and even to their guides, is mostly a scissor and paste job without any insight shed on the collated materials. The consequence is obvious, vi., the research results, quite often, do not reflect the reality or realities. Thus, a systematic study of research methodology is an urgent necessity. Before undertaking research projects, researchers should be well equipped with all the methodological aspects. As such, efforts should be made to provide shortcutting courses for meeting this requirement.
Research studies extending over another are undertaken quite often for want of adequate information. This results in duplication and fritters away resources. This problem can be solved by proper compilation and revision, at regular intervals, of a list of subjects on which and the places where the research is going on. Due attention should be given toward identification of research problems in various disciplines of applied science which are of immediate concern to the industries.
The management and functioning of libraries is not satisfactory at many places and much of the time and energy of researchers are spent in tracing out the books, journals, reports, etc.,rather than in tracing out relevant material from them.There is also the problem that many of our libraries are not able to get copies of old and new Acts/Rules, reports and other government publications in time. Thus, efforts should be made for the regular and speedy supply of all governmental publications to reach our libraries.
The availability of published data from various government and other agencies doing this job in developing countries are ill-timed. Researcher also faces the problem on account of the fact that the published data vary quite significantly because of differences in coverage by the concerning agencies.
Research laboratories in developing countries lack not only modern equipment, but may even lack functional equipment. While the high cost of modern equipment presents an obstacle in the way to acquire these equipment in developing countries, timely and professional servicing of mostly outdated equipment seems to be an impossible task. In this regards, awaiting a spare part from a foreign manufacturer or source may take months, which comes at the expense of research progress. Absence of skilled technicians is another dilemma that is frequently encountered in developing countries.
Some research projects require kits, isotopes and/or fine chemicals; costly supplies that may not always be available locally. Although it may sometimes be possible to schedule one’s research to accommodate lengthy purchasing and shipping procedures as well as possible custom delays, short half-lives of some isotopes and instability of other products at ambient temperature make them absolutely out of reach of researchers in developing countries. This may very likely limit the scope and direction, and possibly success of certain research projects.
As computers have become an integral part of any research laboratory in the developed countries, and as advances in computer technology makes it a necessity to upgrade existing computers every few years, it becomes difficult to see modern computers in laboratories in developing countries. The same applies to specialized software programs necessary for some research projects. Another dimension to the technology gap scientists in developing countries suffer from is the lack of availability of high-speed internet, assuming that dependable internet services are available at all. It is now paramount to have electronic access to databases, journals and books, to keep up with the latest developments in research around the world. Unreliable internet services obviously hinders one’s ability to keep up with such developments. Most scientists in the developing countries with whom I communicate do not have email addresses affiliated with their place of work; they simply have public domain emails, sometimes with unprofessional users’ names. This confers a sense of a lack of professionalism in their communications with the outside world.Many researchers in developing countries also face the difficulty of adequate and timely secretarial assistance.
It is also important to note the fact that scientists in developing countries work in crowded and debilitated, facilities lacking essential amenities, such as clean bathrooms and breakrooms, as well as air-conditioned space. Indeed, sometimes they may totally lack office space and supplies. This is in a stark contrast to what one would usually find at sites where scientific research is performed in developed countries (academic, industrial, private or governmental), where clean bathrooms, fully staffed cafeterias and adequate office supplies are the norm. This is in addition to a comfortable ambient temperature, summer and winter, necessary for a productive research environment.
Name:* Chinekezie Oluchi Faustina
*Reg no:* 2018/249787
*Email:* faustylucky@gmail.com
*Course:* Eco 391
*Dept:* Economics Major
ASSIGNMENT
(1)The purpose of research.
The purpose of research simply means the aims and goals of research, the reasons why research is carried out. It includes:
(1)The purpose of research is to understand an existing phenomenon.
(2)we carry out research in order to provide answers to a problems.
(3) Research enables us to make prediction and formulate policies to Economics problems.
(4)It also help to formulate theory.
(5) Research help us to accept or reject hypothesis.
Social research can serve a variety of purposes. Three of the most influential and common purposes of research are exploration, description and explanation.
Exploration involves familiarizing a researcher with a topic. Exploration wsatisfies the researcher’s curiosity and desire for improved understanding. Exploration tests the feasibility of undertaking a more extensive study. Exploration helps develop the methods that will be used in a study.
Discriptive involves describing situations and events through scientific observation. Scientific descriptions are typically more accurate and precise than causal ones. For example, the U. S. Census uses descriptive social research in its examination of characteristics of the U. S. population.
Explanation involves answering the questions of what, where, when, and how. Explanatory studies answer questions of why.
(2)The importance of research.
1. Research expands your knowledge base.
The most obvious reason to do research is that you’ll learn more. There’s always more to learn about a topic, even if you are already well-versed in it. If you aren’t, research allows you to build on any personal experience you have with the subject. The process of research opens up new opportunities for learning and growth.
2. Research gives you the latest information
Research encourages you to find the most recent information available. In certain fields, especially scientific ones, there’s always new information and discoveries being made. Staying updated prevents you from falling behind and giving info that’s inaccurate or doesn’t paint the whole picture. With the latest info, you’ll be better equipped to talk about a subject and build on ideas.
3. Research helps you know what you’re up against
In business, you’ll have competition. Researching your competitors and what they’re up to helps you formulate your plans and strategies. You can figure out what sets you apart. In other types of research, like medicine, your research might identify diseases, classify symptoms, and come up with ways to tackle them. Even if your “enemy” isn’t an actual person or competitor, there’s always some kind of antagonist force or problem that research can help you deal with.
4. Research builds your credibility
People will take what you have to say more seriously when they can tell you’re informed. Doing research gives you a solid foundation on which you can build your ideas and opinions. You can speak with confidence about what you know is accurate. When you’ve done the research, it’s much harder for someone to poke holes in what you’re saying. Your research should be focused on the best sources. If your “research” consists of opinions from non-experts, you won’t be very credible. When your research is good, though, people are more likely to pay attention.
5. Research helps you narrow your scope
When you’re circling a topic for the first time, you might not be exactly sure where to start. Most of the time, the amount of work ahead of you is overwhelming. Whether you’re writing a paper or formulating a business plan, it’s important to narrow the scope at some point. Research helps you identify the most unique and/or important themes. You can choose the themes that fit best with the project and its goals.
(3) Clinically discuss and analyse the problems of conducting social research in developing countries.
1. Lack of confidence: The business houses are usually unwilling to provide the necessary information to researchers because of fear of misuse of information.
2. Repetition: Research studies overlapping one another are carried out in many cases for want of adequate information.
3. Lack of Interaction: You will find inadequate interaction between the university research department, on one side and business establishments, government departments and research institutions, on the other.
4. Illiteracy: This has affected the appreciation of the value of research findings by the vast majority of the people (social workers and business executive)
5. Lack of Code of Conduct: There doesn’t exist a code of conduct for researchers and inter-University and inter-departmental rivalries are also quite common.
6. Shortage of Resources: For performing a quality research sufficient funds are not provided. This discourages research of all types. Governments, institutions/organizations don’t appreciate the contributions of research findings to economic development and for that reason do not offer adequate amounts for research of all types.
7. Absence of Coordination: There exists lack of coordination among various organizations responsible for performing research.
8. Problem of Conceptualization: Many a time problems of conceptualization and problems concerning the procedure for data collection and related things crop up leading to frittering of resources.
9. Scanty Information Base: This narrows down the volume and quality of literature accessible to a researcher. Put simply, not much research findings have been collected from where a researcher can take help.
The above points discuss the main challenges or problems faced by researchers in developing countries which need immediate attention.
Name ; Urama Isaac Anenechukwu
Reg no ; 2018/243823
Department ; Economics
Email : zik.edu.ng@gmail.com
course ; Eco 391(research methods in Economics )
Quize 2
QUESTION:
As the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Research Matters who was also invited to grace the occasion, you are required to address the audience and tell them what you understand as the purpose of research and the importance of research.
ANSWER:
PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
Purpose of research are simply the objectives, that a researcher in undertaking a research exercise, seeks to fulfill. It may also be seen as the solution a researcher hopes to obtain from undertaking a research venture or activity, the purposes of research are numerous but I will mention few and explain few of them since they are self explanatory
Purpose of research includes the following:
(1). Research helps us to understand current or existing phenomena.
(2). Research helps us to provide solution s to unknown problems
(3). Research helps us to make predictions and formulate policies to tackle similar problems
(4). Research also helps us to formulate new theories to enrich the frontiers of knowledge
(5). Research helps us to bridge gaps left by previous research works
(6). Research serves as a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning.
(7). Research serves as a means to understand issues and increase public awareness.
(8). Research helps us succeed in business.
(9). Resear