CSEC SEMINAR

ON
SOCIAL STUDIES PAPER 3/2
PRESENTER: Errol Riley
Date: October 30, 2018
Time :9.am. To 2:00 p.m.
 Conclusion Identify
Problem
8
1
Discussion
of Findings Formulate
Research
7 Question

Research 2
Interpretation of Process
Data
Literature
6 Review

3
Data Data
Analysis Collection

5 4
There are TWO fundamental reasons why RESEARCH is conducted

1. To acquire information about something that you do

not know
e.g. to find solutions to problems

-to extend knowledge

-to provide explanation of unknown phenomena

-to help improve knowledge and the ability to handle situations

2.To gather evidence

e.g. .to verify and test existing facts
-to extend information in various fields of knowledge
Pure Research : is undertaken to increase our
understanding of the world around us.
It is focused on generating new ideas, theories or
principles

Applied Research is geared to finding solutions to

practical problems and to advance the human
conditions
Should Pollution standards be eliminated in the
cement industry in Jamaica?

Are male middle-aged bus drivers more likely to

develop poor circulation problems than female
middle-aged bus drivers
 THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
The RESEARCH PROBLEM is the topic you would like to investigate, to study, to address
It is a statement of an area of concern, something that needs improvement , or an issue
to be investigated or solved
This statement presents the PROBLEM in a neutral way
It does not say how to do something or offer any kind of view on how to solve the
problem

Identification of a Research Problem

There are many issues in our communities, school, homes that needs actions and
solutions or policies to guide them
e.g. social inequality, poverty , teenage pregnancy, crime poverty, unemployment, etc

THERE ARE THREE BSAIC AREAS OR SOURCES FROM WHICH A RESEARCH PROBLEM IS
DERIVED
1. Your own interest
2. A modern or contemporary interest
3. The existence of different views in any area which invite investigation
• Common issues
• Pollution
• The impact of dancehall music on society
• The effects of crime on society
• Natural and human disasters
• Environmental pollution
• ARE THESE SUITABLE TOPICS FOR DOING A
RESEARCH FOR A SBA OF THIS NATURE?
• Narrow the following topic to manageability
• E.G Environment Pollution:
• An investigation into the effects of the environment on the residents of
Macka Tree District
• An investigation into how improper garbage disposal affects the residents
of Macka Tree District

• An investigation into the effects of the environment on the

community of Macka Tree (incomplete)
• Examine to what extent do poor farming practices affect
the community of Macka Tree-Problem Statement
• The improper farming techniques is responsible for the
poor state of the surroundings -Hypothesis
N.B. THE PROBLEM STATEMENT IS LIKE YOUR GENERAL
OBJECTIVE: It indicates what the researcher expects to achieve
by the study in general terms

1. To investigate the impact of crime on the community of

Macka Tree

2. To investigate the extent to which farming practices in the

community caters to the preservation of the environment

They describe the VARIABLES which are to be measured by the

study.

They are LOGICALLY connected to the GENERAL

OBJECTIVE/PROBLEM STATEMENT
• NB.
• From the general objective you generate L
• SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES. or RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

• Guide the research- keep it on track or focus

• Stated in question form
• Indicate relationship between TWO or more variables
• The RESEARCHER should be able to collect data on the
selected topic
• The research questions should be CLEARLY stated
• They organize the study into clearly defined parts

• NARROWS THE FOCUS OF THE STUDY AND PREVENTS THE

RESEARCHER FROM COLLECTING IRRELEVANT DATA

• E.G PROBLEM STATEMENT 1.(ABOVE)

1. To investigate the impact of crime on the community of Macka Tree
2. To identify the main factors that contributes to crime in the
community
3. To identify the contributors to the crime problem in the community
4. To determine strategies that can reduce the crime problem facing the
community

2. To investigate if farming practices in the community caters to the

preservation of the environment

To determine the farming practices which affects the environmental

To determine , how knowledgeable farmers are of proper farming practices
To ascertain ,if farmers are willing to adopt farming techniques which
impact less

N.B. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES CAN BE EXPRESSED A S RESEARCH QUESTIONS

• Hypothesis: is a statement which predicts a CAUSE
and EFFECT relationship between TWO or MORE
variables.
• An educated guess of a phenomenon or condition
• A TENTATIVE statement of a solution to a problem
• A TENTATIVE point of view

• e.g. There is a strong relationship between eating

fry food and gaining weight
• Dancehall music influence teenagers to behave
negatively
• VARIABLES
• Variable is defined as anything that has a
quantity or quality .

• Dependent variable –variable researcher is

interested in.
• An INDEPENDENT variable is a variable believed
to affect the dependent variable
• X Confounding variables are defined as
interference caused by another variable
• LETS IDENTIFY VARIABLES
• NB. A INDEPENDENT VARIABLE is constant and
unaffected by the other variables, while the
• DEPENDENT VARIABLE IS DEPENDENT ON
OTHER FACTORS- EXPECTED TO CHANGE BASED
ON MANIPULATION OF THE INDEPENDENT
VARIABLE
• An investigation into how dancehall artistes influence the
language of young teenagers, at Goodwill district,
• Language of teenagers could cause a change in dancehall
artistes
• An investigation into the impact of lateness on students
academic performance at Good Heart High
• Methods of Enquiry –used to collect data for
analysis

• TWO MAJOR METHODS :

• -quantitative – numerical, statistical
• -qualitative-mainly observation, interpretation
data presented in narrative or descriptive form
• THREE MOST COMMON QUALITATIVE
METHODS
• -Focus group, in-depth interview, participants
observation.
• THREE MOS COMMON QUANTITATIVE
METHODS
-survey/questionnaire, observation schedule/
checklist, document analysis
• Advantages and disadvantages of the
outlined methods

• DISCUSS DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT –STRUCTURE OF A

QUESTIONNAIRE
• INTRO , DEMOGRAPHIC DATA FORMAT

• INTRO-TITLE, SCH CLASS COURSE

• PURPOSE
• CONFIDENTIALITY
• LENGTH OF QUESTIONNAIRE

• RATINGS SCALE, FOCUS GROUP, INDEPTH INTERVIEW,

PARTICIPANTS AND NON PARTICIPANTS OBSERVATION
• PRIMARY AND SECONDARY DATA COLLECTION

• SAMPLING-Probabilty and non-probability sampling

• Probability-6 types
• -simple random sampling, systematic random
sampling, stratified random sampling, cluster
sampling,, multistage sampling, multiphase sampling
• SAMPLE SELECTION-How?
• Target population, sample frame, sample technique,
bias etc
• NON-PROBABILITY SAMPLING-
• -convenience sampling, purposive sampling, quota
sampling, snowball sampling

• Technique which some member of the population

have no chance of being selected.
• selection is based on availability, convenience(grab
sampling, accidental, opportunity sampling)
respondents are , or personal judgment
• Nearby, availability