UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA (UNISA)
College of Education
⋄
ASSIGNMENT 01
Semester 1 – 2026
⋄
Module Code: RCE2601
Module Name: Research and Critical Reasoning
Assignment No.: 01
Due Date: 4 May 2026
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for Research and Critical Reasoning
at the University of South Africa.
,UNISA | RCE2601 Research and Critical Reasoning – Assignment 1
Question 1: Foundations of Research
Understanding what research is, how it is characterised, and how its questions are formed
lays the groundwork for any serious academic or professional inquiry. This section addresses
these foundational ideas with reference to established scholarship in research methodology
(Creswell, 2009; Leedy and Ormrod, 2014).
1.1 Definition of Research
Research is the deliberate, systematic process of investigating a problem or question in order
to produce new knowledge, deepen existing understanding, or offer workable solutions. It
goes beyond casual curiosity. A researcher does not simply collect opinions or repeat what is
already known; instead, they follow a structured process of inquiry that includes identifying a
clear problem, reviewing what others have found before, gathering original data, and drawing
conclusions that others can scrutinise and, where appropriate, replicate.
What distinguishes research from everyday information-gathering is its discipline. Every de-
cision made, from choosing participants to selecting an analysis method, must be deliberate
and justified. This means research is guided by explicit questions or objectives, uses es-
tablished methods for collecting and interpreting evidence, and produces findings that are
transparent enough for others to evaluate (Creswell, 2009). In a South African classroom
context, a teacher who wants to know why Grade 9 learners consistently underperform in
mathematics is not doing research simply by asking colleagues. Research would require
them to define the problem precisely, collect data from the learners themselves, analyse that
data systematically, and arrive at findings that go beyond personal opinion.
Put plainly, research is disciplined, transparent inquiry aimed at answering questions through
evidence rather than assumption.
1.2 Two Characteristics of Good Research
Good research shares several defining qualities. Two of the most fundamental are validity
and objectivity.
Validity means that the research genuinely measures or investigates what it claims to. A
study is valid when its conclusions are directly supported by the evidence collected and when
the instruments used (such as questionnaires or observation schedules) actually assess the
Page 1 of 17
, UNISA | RCE2601 Research and Critical Reasoning – Assignment 1
concept being studied. Leedy and Ormrod (2014) stress that validity is not a single property
but applies both to the instruments used and to the conclusions drawn. A mathematics test
that includes reading-heavy questions may unintentionally measure reading ability rather than
mathematical reasoning, making it invalid for its stated purpose.
Objectivity requires that a researcher’s personal beliefs, preferences, or prior expectations
do not distort the collection, analysis, or reporting of data (Creswell, 2009). Objective re-
searchers put procedures in place to minimise bias, report findings as the data show them
(even when results surprise or disappoint), and make their methodology transparent so that
others may reproduce or critique the work. A researcher investigating the effectiveness of
a teaching method they personally developed must be especially vigilant about objectivity;
without it, the findings will tell us more about the researcher’s enthusiasm than about the
method’s actual impact.
Implementation Insight
In South African education research, both validity and objectivity are tested by the
complexity of the country’s multilingual, socially diverse classrooms. An instrument
designed in English and validated in urban schools may be neither valid nor objective
when applied in rural, mother-tongue contexts. Researchers must always contextualise
their tools.
1.3 Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research
Qualitative and quantitative research represent two distinct philosophies for how knowledge
can be generated and what counts as evidence (Creswell, 2009).
Quantitative research works with numbers and statistical relationships. It typically begins
with a hypothesis, collects structured data (usually through surveys, tests, or experiments),
and uses statistical analysis to confirm or refute the hypothesis. The emphasis is on measur-
ing variables, establishing patterns, and producing findings that can be generalised across
large populations. As Bryman (2001, p. 20) puts it, quantitative research places emphasis on
numbers and figures in the collection and analysis of data, with the researcher maintaining a
position of control over the inquiry process.
Qualitative research, by contrast, explores meaning, experience, and context. It seeks to
understand the why and how behind human behaviour rather than the how many. Data are
typically collected through interviews, observations, focus groups, or document analysis, and
Page 2 of 17
College of Education
⋄
ASSIGNMENT 01
Semester 1 – 2026
⋄
Module Code: RCE2601
Module Name: Research and Critical Reasoning
Assignment No.: 01
Due Date: 4 May 2026
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for Research and Critical Reasoning
at the University of South Africa.
,UNISA | RCE2601 Research and Critical Reasoning – Assignment 1
Question 1: Foundations of Research
Understanding what research is, how it is characterised, and how its questions are formed
lays the groundwork for any serious academic or professional inquiry. This section addresses
these foundational ideas with reference to established scholarship in research methodology
(Creswell, 2009; Leedy and Ormrod, 2014).
1.1 Definition of Research
Research is the deliberate, systematic process of investigating a problem or question in order
to produce new knowledge, deepen existing understanding, or offer workable solutions. It
goes beyond casual curiosity. A researcher does not simply collect opinions or repeat what is
already known; instead, they follow a structured process of inquiry that includes identifying a
clear problem, reviewing what others have found before, gathering original data, and drawing
conclusions that others can scrutinise and, where appropriate, replicate.
What distinguishes research from everyday information-gathering is its discipline. Every de-
cision made, from choosing participants to selecting an analysis method, must be deliberate
and justified. This means research is guided by explicit questions or objectives, uses es-
tablished methods for collecting and interpreting evidence, and produces findings that are
transparent enough for others to evaluate (Creswell, 2009). In a South African classroom
context, a teacher who wants to know why Grade 9 learners consistently underperform in
mathematics is not doing research simply by asking colleagues. Research would require
them to define the problem precisely, collect data from the learners themselves, analyse that
data systematically, and arrive at findings that go beyond personal opinion.
Put plainly, research is disciplined, transparent inquiry aimed at answering questions through
evidence rather than assumption.
1.2 Two Characteristics of Good Research
Good research shares several defining qualities. Two of the most fundamental are validity
and objectivity.
Validity means that the research genuinely measures or investigates what it claims to. A
study is valid when its conclusions are directly supported by the evidence collected and when
the instruments used (such as questionnaires or observation schedules) actually assess the
Page 1 of 17
, UNISA | RCE2601 Research and Critical Reasoning – Assignment 1
concept being studied. Leedy and Ormrod (2014) stress that validity is not a single property
but applies both to the instruments used and to the conclusions drawn. A mathematics test
that includes reading-heavy questions may unintentionally measure reading ability rather than
mathematical reasoning, making it invalid for its stated purpose.
Objectivity requires that a researcher’s personal beliefs, preferences, or prior expectations
do not distort the collection, analysis, or reporting of data (Creswell, 2009). Objective re-
searchers put procedures in place to minimise bias, report findings as the data show them
(even when results surprise or disappoint), and make their methodology transparent so that
others may reproduce or critique the work. A researcher investigating the effectiveness of
a teaching method they personally developed must be especially vigilant about objectivity;
without it, the findings will tell us more about the researcher’s enthusiasm than about the
method’s actual impact.
Implementation Insight
In South African education research, both validity and objectivity are tested by the
complexity of the country’s multilingual, socially diverse classrooms. An instrument
designed in English and validated in urban schools may be neither valid nor objective
when applied in rural, mother-tongue contexts. Researchers must always contextualise
their tools.
1.3 Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research
Qualitative and quantitative research represent two distinct philosophies for how knowledge
can be generated and what counts as evidence (Creswell, 2009).
Quantitative research works with numbers and statistical relationships. It typically begins
with a hypothesis, collects structured data (usually through surveys, tests, or experiments),
and uses statistical analysis to confirm or refute the hypothesis. The emphasis is on measur-
ing variables, establishing patterns, and producing findings that can be generalised across
large populations. As Bryman (2001, p. 20) puts it, quantitative research places emphasis on
numbers and figures in the collection and analysis of data, with the researcher maintaining a
position of control over the inquiry process.
Qualitative research, by contrast, explores meaning, experience, and context. It seeks to
understand the why and how behind human behaviour rather than the how many. Data are
typically collected through interviews, observations, focus groups, or document analysis, and
Page 2 of 17
