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Liceo de Cagayan University

9000 Cagayan de Oro City

School of Graduate Studies

INTRODUCTION Descriptive research is a kind of research which is concerned with the classification or description of events and does not answer the questions about e.g., how, why and when the characteristics are formed, which is done under the analytic research. Descriptive research applies statistical calculations such as the averages, standard deviations, mean, mode, probability, etc. which are used to obtain information concerning the current status of the occurrence, circumstance or fact that is observable by the senses and to describe what exists with respect to variables or conditions in a situation. The methods involved range from the survey, which describes the status quo, the correlation study which investigates the relationship between variables, to developmental studies which are concerned with existing status and interrelationships of phenomena and changes that take place as a function of time.

Descriptive research is very important because this will heighten our critical and analytical thinking skills. Before we can undertake descriptive research, we have first to conduct studies, based on the following steps:

1. Statement of the problem 2. Identification of information needed to solve the problem 3. Selection or development of instruments for gathering the information 4. Identification of target population and determination of sampling procedure 5. Design of procedure for information collection 6. Collection of information 7. Analysis of information 8. Generalizations and/or prediction.
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DEVELOPMENTAL STUDIES Descriptive research which is actually called statistical research, describes the surveyed data or variables based on statistical tools like standard deviation, mean, averages, probability, correlation values, z values, normal curves, frequencies and other statistical calculations. It does not answer the questions like how, when and why the characteristics occurred. I am presently teaching at the Mindanao University of Science and Technology, in which in every grading semester, we are instructed to reflect the passing average of the students, and this can be done by a survey study, which is the first requirement in the conduct of a descriptive research. I have to conduct first a study of the term examination results of the students and compute their standard deviation which will then determine the passing grade of the students.

Although the data description is factual, accurate and systematic, the research cannot describe a situation. Thus descriptive research cannot be used to create a causal relationship, where one variable affects another. In other words, descriptive research can be said to have a low internal validity.

In descriptive research, the following methods are used to attain its purpose and they are as follows: 1. Survey studies School surveys used to gather data concerned with internal or external characteristics of a school syste. Job analysis used to gather information to be used in structuring a training program for a particular job. Documentary analysis- closely akin to historical research, deals with documenting present situation. Public opinion surveys-used to enhance the decision making process by government officials. Community surveys- used to gather data concerned with internal or external characteristics of a community.
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2. Interrelationship studies Case studies - probes in depth into an individual situation or personality with the intent of diagnosing a particular condition and recommending corrective measures. Causal comparative studies - compares the likeness and difference among phenomena to determine certain factors or circumstances tend to accompany certain events, conditions or process. Correlation studiesdetermine the extent of the relationship between two or more variables.

3. Developmental studies Growth studies - maybe either longitudinal or crosssectional. The longitudinal technique is the most

satisfactory for studying human development. The crosssectional technique is more commonly used because it is less expensive. Trend studies - used to make predictions from social trends, economic conditions, technological advance, etc. to future status. Model or system development - creative development of a model or system (paradigm) based on a thorough determination of the present situation or system and the goals sought. Developmental studies are concerned with the existing status and interrelationship of phenomena and changes that take place as a function of time. Developmental studies consist of growth and trend studies. There two kinds of growth studies and they are the cross-sectional and the longitudinal research. Cross-sectional is actually census of population and is conducted to make observations of all of the population at a single point of time. The single point of time being referred to here is the time the census is
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conducted by the enumerators. Cross-sectional research is moderately expensive to undertake than the longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is conducted to make a series of observations more than once on members of the study population.

Trend studies are used to make predictions from social trends, economic condition and technological advances to future status.

These two types of developmental studies which are the growth and trend studies are deemed appropriate to be used when we are dealing with evaluation, which is to calculate or set down the numerical value of a variable or variables. The National Statistics Office is conducting every five (5) years, the census of population to determine the growth of the population. The NSO is also conducting economic growth forecasts like GDP (Growth Domestic Product) and NDP (National Domestic Product) and labor forecasts which will be the basis of making decisions by the government in planning the construction of different infrastructures and the allocation of budget for social services for the people. After the conduct of the census of population, the population growth could be established, the government would also make trend studies to determine the poverty level and economic growth, then, correlation studies are conducted to determine the extent of relationships between these variables. One plan of the government is to reduce the population growth in order that it could cope up with its social services budget in connection with the increase in population. This is the reason why the RH (Reproductive Health) Bill was endorsed by the government as urgent bill and finally approved by Congress.

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