It surrounds

us on a daily basis

Research as a natural process

Guesses (hypothesis)

Rejection of the possibilities for various reasons

Development of new hypothesis

The basic components of research in the real world

Behavior not clearly

understood

A possible explanation is

considered the one which best explains

the behavior. (Hypothesis based on

observed facts)

Behavior observed and found (special for some reason)

To test the hypothesis more data need to be collected about the behavior

Possible explanations

for the unusual behavior

Previous knowledge

Past events

The other hypothesis

are rejected

Research questions

Different Perspectives

Different Procedures

Observation

Questioning

Experimentation

ElicitationInternally

Mind experiments (Einstein)

Reason

Logic

Research

Unconsciously

Consciously

Externally

Internally

Scientific Research and Common Sense

Common Sense

Intuition

IntrospectionLimited value unless used appropriately

New ideas should confirm what we already know or believe

Scientific Research is conducted systematically

Common sense conclusions are reached on the basis of superstition, superficial responses to problems, and unexamined beliefs.

Science builds theories by systematically testing an interrelated body of hypothesis.

Common sense conclusions are often based on superficial evidence which supports something which someone wants to believe.

Theories and hypothesis which are used in research are formulated so that they can be tasted by the researcher and others who wish to replicate the research. Hypothesis must be falsifiable.

Scientific Research seeks to describe, identify, and control relationships among phenomena in order to study them

Research seeks to identify relationships and reach conclusions about them after ruling out alternative explanations.

Four types of knowledge found in second language research

Knowledge as authority: It comes from a source which is accepted at face value. The source of this kind of knowledge is often forgotten and it achieves the same status as knowledge arrived at thorough careful research.

Empirical knowledge: We arrive at knowing something through the process of observation/or experimentation. Empirical knowledge is obtained by interacting with the real world, observing phenomena, and drawing conclusions from experience.

A priori knowledge: We arrive at this type of knowledge by starting whit a set of axioms about some phenomenon and then developing our knowledge of it by using reason and logic working within the system defined by the axioms.

Knowledge as belief: When we know something on the basis of belief, it may mean we want to believe something to be truth but have never submitted it to an empirical test.