This topic is for grade 12 students, this is a major subject.

1. Characteristics of Research

2. Involves the gathering of new data new sources or 1st hand
information.
Directed towards the solution of problem.
Characterized by carefully designed procedures applying rigorous
analysis.
Emphasizes the development of generalizations, principles,
hypothesis and theories that may be helpful in predicting future
occurences.
Requires expertise

3. Demands accurate observation and description of what is
being studied.
Strives to be logical, applying every possible test to
validate the procedures being employed.
Characterized by patient and unhurried activities.
Requires innovate approaches and determination to
succeed.
Carefully and accurately recorded and reported.

5. CHARACTERISTICS OF
RESEARCH
CERTAIN TERMS ARE COMMONLY USED IN RESEARCH AND THE SUCCESS OF ANY RESEARCH DEPENDS
ON THESE TERMS. THESE TERMS DETERMINE WHETHER A RESEARCH IS SCIENTIFICALLY AND ETHICALLY
CORRECT. THEY ARE CALLED THE CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH. THESE CHARACTERISTICS HAVE BEEN
EXPLAINED HERE IN SIMPLEST TERMS TO UNDERSTAND AND TO IMPLEMENT. THE REAL
UNDERSTANDING OF THESE CHARACTERISTICS IS ONLY POSSIBLE WHEN YOU PRACTICALLY CONDUCT A
RESEARCH.

6. RELIABILITY
• Reliability is a measure of repeatability or replicability. It is the repeatability of any
research, research instrument, tool or procedure. Today there are instruments that
can estimate the reliability of any research instrument. If any research yields
similar results each time it is undertaken with similar population and with similar
procedures, it is called to be a reliable research. Suppose a research is conducted
on the “effects of single parenting on the class performance of elementary school
age children”. If the results conclude that it causes low grades in class, these
results should have to be reliable for another sample taken from a similar
population. Reliability adds to the consistency and predictability of research

7. VALIDITY
• Validity is the strength with which we can make research conclusions, assumptions or
propositions true or false. It determines the applicability of the research. Validity of the
the research instrument can be defined as the suitability of the research instrument to
the research problem or how accurately the instrument measures the problem. Some
researchers say that validity and reliability are co-related, but the validity is much more
more important than reliability. Without validity, research goes in the wrong direction.
To keep the research on-track define your concepts in the best possible manner so
that no error occur during the measurement.
• There are two types of validity in research: internal validity, and external validity. The
The researcher needs to make sure that the research has a strong internal as well as
external validity.

8. ACCURACY
• Accuracy means that each process in the research has been undertaken
accurately. It is also the degree to which each research process, instrument, and
tool is related to each other. Accuracy also measures whether research tools have
been selected in best possible manner and research procedures suits the research
problem or not. For example if a research has to be conducted on the
transgender people, several data collection tools can be used depending on the
research problems but if you find that population less cooperative the best way is
to observe them rather than submitting questionnaire because in questionnaire
either they will give biased responses or they will not return the questionnaires at
all. So choosing the best data collection tool improves the accuracy of research

9. CREDIBILITY
• Credibility comes with the use of the best source of information and best
procedures in research. If you are using second-hand information in your research
due to any reason your research might complete in less time but its credibility will
be at stake because secondary data has been manipulated by human beings and
is therefore not very valid to use in research. A certain percentage of secondary
data can be used if the primary source is not available but basing a research
completely on secondary data when primary data can be gathered is least
credible. When researcher gives accurate references in the research the credibility
of the research increases but fake references also decrease the credibility of the
research.

10. GENERALIZABILITY
• Generalizability is the extent to which a research findings can be applied to larger
population. When a researcher conducts a study he/she chooses a target population
and from this population he takes a small sample to conduct the research. This sample
is representative of the whole population so the findings should also be
representative of the whole population. If research findings can be applied to any
sample from the population and the same results are obtained, the results of the
research are said to be generalizable.
• External validity improves research generalizability as well. So a research that has
strong external validity has strong generalizability too. In quantitative research it is
easier to achieve that. In qualitative research generalizability is more concerned to
a smaller group to which the results are applicable.

11. EMPIRICAL
• Empirical nature of research means that the research has been conducted
following rigorous scientific methods and procedures. Each step in the research
has been tested for accuracy and is based on real life experiences. Quantitative
research is easier to prove scientifically than qualitative research. In qualitative
research biases and prejudice are easy to occur. There are tools that can improve
the trustworthiness of qualitative research.The qualitative researcher should
know how to control biases and subjectivity that can make a research less
scientific.

12. SYSTEMATIC
• Every research follows an approach or paradigm of research but regardless of any
paradigm the research should have one main approach, i-e, systematic approach
to research. This systematic approach helps the researcher understand the steps
to be taken and in what order to take each step. There are set of procedures that
have been tested over a period of time and are thus suitable to use in research.
Each research, therefore, should follow a procedure.

13. CONTROLLED
• In real life experience there are many factors that affect an outcome and a single
event is often a result of several factors. When similar event is tested in research, due
to the broader nature of factors that effect that event, some factors are taken as
controlled factors while others are tested for a possible effect. The controlled factors
or variables should have to be controlled rigorously.
• In pure sciences, it is very easy to control such elements because experiments are
conducted in the laboratory but in social sciences it becomes difficult to control these
factors because of the nature of research. In social science the experiments and
observations are done in real life settings. To control external factors that might effect
the research is difficult in social science research. However there are tools that can
help the researcher in achieving some control over how the research goes on.