BRAINSTORM: OH MY GAD: THE IMPORTANCE OF GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT (GAD)

Gender and Development (GAD)

Gender and Development (GAD) refers to the development perspective and process
that is participatory and empowering, equitable, sustainable, free from violence,
respectful of human rights, supportive of self-determination and actualization of human
potentials. It seeks to achieve gender equality as a fundamental value that should be
reflected in development choices and contends that women are active agents of
development, not just passive recipients of development (pitahc.gov.ph).

Gender is not the same as sex. Sex refers to the biological characteristics of men and
women. In contrast, gender refers to socially defined roles and behaviors for men and
women. When we expect men and women to act in a certain way, just because they
are male and female, then we follow gender norms. Different cultures can have
different gender norms or different ways they expect men and women to behave. For
example, some cultures expect women to stay at home and do household chores,
while men should go out to work. These norms are also called gender roles, which are
specific roles men and women are expected to perform within society or even within
the family (youthdoit.org)

Gender stereotypes refer to clichés which a man or woman is supposed to do or be

like:

Women are nurses, not doctors.

Men are doctors, not nurses.

Women are supposed to cook and do house work.

Men are supposed to have a job.

Women are caring and friendly.

Men are tough and messy.

Women are followers.

Men are leaders.

Women should look pretty.

Men should be good in sports.

GAD focuses primarily on two major frameworks- Gender Roles and Social Relations
Analysis. Gender role is about on social construction of identities within the household, it
also reveals the expectations from ‘maleness and femaleness’ in their relative access to
resources. Social relations analysis exposes the social dimensions of hierarchical power
relations imbedded in social institutions; also it’s determining influence on the relative
position of men and women in society. In an attempt to create gender equality,
(denoting women having same opportunities as men, including ability to participate in
the public sphere) GAD policies aim to redefine traditional gender role expectations.

Gender roles are not natural to men or women, rather, they are learned and imposed
by social values. Everything that a man can do, a woman can do too, and vice versa!

BRAINSTORM: DEFINITION, CONCEPT, CHARACTERISTICS, AND IMPORTANCE OF

RESEARCH

What is Research?

The word research is a combination of the prefix “re” (do again) and the root
word “search” (to seek, explore, and investigate). Research is the acquisition of new
knowledge
through a purposive, organized and designed program of activities. It seeks to find the
answers to the problems and generate new information for a better understanding of
the
concepts under study.

It is said that it can be categorize into two depending on the aims of a researcher. The
first one is basic research which is conducted solely to come up with a new knowledge
or to have a fuller understanding of a particular subject for its own sake. While the
second one is applied research, which is done to find an application of the knowledge,
whether it
be old or new.

Over the years, many experts have given their own definitions of the word research. A
different perspective on the subject have been adopted that resulted in the following
definitions:
• The research follows a step-by-step process of investigation that uses a standardized
approach in answering questions or solving problems (Polit and Beck, 2004).• Research
plays an important role in tertiary education. Though there are many problems
confronted by higher education, developments are realized through research. After all,
its main purpose is to answer a question or to solve an issue (Palispis, 2004).

• Research is the continuous undertaking of making KNOWN the UNKNOWN (Sanchez,

2002). It entails an investigation of new facts leading to the discovery of new ideas,
methods, or improvements. It is an attempt to widen one’s outlook on life. It always
proceeds from the known to the unknown. Thus, the end of the research is to arrive at a
new truth.

• Research is an investigation following ordered steps leading to a discovery of new

information or concepts (Sanchez, 1999).

• Research is a very careful investigation of something that purports the contribution of

additional or new knowledge and wisdom (Bassey, as Cited by Coleman and
Briggs, 2002).

• Research is a tested approach of thinking and employing validated instruments and

steps in order to obtain a more adequate solution to a problem that is otherwise
impossible to address under ordinary means (Crawford, as cited by Alcantara and
Espina, 1995).

• Research is a process of systematic inquiry that entails collection of data;

documentation of critical information; and analysis and interpretation of that
data/information, in accordance with suitable methodologies set by specific
professional fields and academic disciplines (Hampshire College, 2020).

• Research is a careful consideration of the study regarding a particular concern or

problem using scientific methods (QuestionPro Survey Software, 2021).

CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH
Aside from knowing and understanding the definition of research given by the experts
in the said field, it is also vital to determine its characteristics. The following are the
common characteristics of research:

• The research should be systematic. There is a system to follow in conducting research

as there is a system for formulating each of its parts. There is a big system (macro)
and under it are small systems (micro). In research writing, what is referred to as
the “system” is composed of the chapters and their elements. The macrosystem is
composed of chapters that are organized in a logical and scientific manner. On the
other hand, the microsystem consists of the detailed contents of each chapter.

• The research should be objective. Research involves the objective process of

analyzing phenomena of importance to any profession or to different fields or
disciplines (Nieswiadomy, 2005). A researcher should objectively look at the basis on
which the work is founded. He or she must never produce results out of nowhere, the
results of the research should be validated. These results must never be based on
biases. It is very important for the researcher to clarify indicators and boundaries within
which the research is confined because these factors could affect objectivity.

• The research should be feasible. Any problem of extraordinary nature that directly or
indirectly affects any profession is a feasible problem to study. In settings like the
community, school, or workplace, unusual phenomena may happen and can turn into
potential problems.

• The research should be empirical. There should be supporting pieces of evidence and
accompanying details for every variable used in the study. References and citations of
facts and information that the researcher has gathered in his or her paper must be
included. Plagiarism constitutes claiming another person’s idea or intellectual property
as one’s own.

• The research should be clear. The choice of variables used in the study should be
explained by the researcher. This can be done by enriching the review of literature or
by discussing the different theories on which the selection variables are based.

Additional material:

IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH

Research is as important as any field of study. Its significance cuts across all disciplines-
engineering, architecture, medicine, arts and sciences, education, management,
tourism, among others. It also benefits all strata of society-people with diverse jobs,
different income rates, varying financial status, or distinct social and political
capabilities.

The following are the importance of research:

 Research provides a scientific basis for any practice or methodology in

any field or discipline. This is important since an entire system or operation and all
stakeholders of an institution or organization are at stake. Without scientific basis,
someone may be affected or may suffer. For instance, in the field of medicine, a
new drug must first be tested to determine its efficacy in curing sickness before it
can actually be prescribed.

 Research is undertaken for the continuous development and further

productivity in any field. Any system that will be utilized in any organization must
first be tried to determine its value and it must be better than the previous system
used. Simply, research is the result of advancing knowledge from the past.
  Research helps develop tools for assessing effectiveness of any practice
and operation such as psychological tests, intelligence quotient tests,
psychological assessments, among others. This importance of research is
observed behavioral science, physical science, and others as well.

 Research provides solution to problems concerning almost all issues

encountered in different areas of work. Some issues include the tardiness of
employees, incentives given to the staff, and even implementation of a “clean
and green” program in school. This also applies to higher level problems.

 Research impacts decision-making. It is a common mistake for people to

make decisions without solid information to back them up. It requires time, effort,
and sometimes money to gather the evidence needed for making a sound
decision. For example, for a teacher to change his or her teaching methodology
for the first-period and last-period classes, he or she must conduct a study
considering the time element, enthusiasm to teach, academic standing of the
students, instructional aides used, and several other factors.

 Research develops and evaluates alternative approaches to the

educational aspects of any discipline. This enables the students to gain broad
knowledge and specialized skills for safe practice. Example, research can help
determine whether lecture is a better method than experiment in teaching
science.

 Research aims to advance the personal and professional qualifications of

a practitioner.

BRAINSTORM: QUANTITATIVE VS QUALITATIVE

Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods

There are two broad categories of research methodology: qualitative research

and quantitative research. The research method determines the approach the
researcher takes in identifying relevant data for the research, and collecting and
analyzing the information gathered in the research. Choosing either a quantitative or
qualitative approach will affect the components of the research. For instance, a
researcher may choose to undertake a scientific research. If he or she takes a
qualitative approach, the goal of the study will be to discuss and analyze the
underlying concepts and theories related to the research topic. If the researcher
chooses a quantitative approach, he or she will use statistical data to provide an
explanation of the phenomenon.
Quantitative Research

Polit and Beck (2004) define quantitative research as "the traditional positivist
scientific method which refers to a general set of orderly, disciplined procedures to
acquire information." In their book, Nursing Research Principles and Methods, they
explain that the research method utilizes deductive reasoning to generate predictions
that are tested in the real world. It is systematic since the researcher progresses logically
through a series of steps, according to a prespecified plan of action.

Quantitative researchers gather empirical evidence that is within the realm of the
senses. The method used in the analysis of data is usually statistical in nature. Thus, the
resulting information from the study is usually quantitative or measurable. Furthermore,
another criterion used in assessing the data in this kind of study is its capability to
generalize the effect of the results to the individuals outside of the study participants.

However, a quantitative research has its disadvantages as well. Quantitative research

is considered to be limiting when it comes to studying the complex and diverse minds of
human beings. This is because quantitative research can only explain a small fraction of
the human experience. In quantitative research, these human complexities are usually
controlled or removed entirely instead of being analyzed. The inflexible and narrow
vision of quantitative research tends to present the human experience in a restricted
manner.

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research is defined as the “naturalistic method of inquiry of research

which deals with the issue of human complexity by exploring it directly". (Polit and Beck,
2008) Unlike quantitative research, qualitative research puts an emphasis on human
complexity and man's ability to decide and create his or her own experience. This type
of research utilizes naturalistic methods of inquiry as the research places great emphasis
on the analysis of the experiences of the individual. This type of research attempts to
explain the human experience with its dynamic, holistic, and individualistic aspects
through the perspective of the individual himself. This type makes use of qualitative
materials that are narrative and subjective.

Qualitative research focuses on gaining insights and understanding about an

individual's perception and interpretation of events. This type of research collects data
through methods such as interviews and participative observation. The task of the
researcher is to determine the patterns and themes in the acquired data rather than
focusing on the testing of hypotheses. A qualitative study researcher is not limited by
existing theories but is rather open-minded to new ideas and points of views. Lastly, the
researcher does not have to be concerned with numbers and complicated statistical
analyses.

However, a major limitation of this model is its reductionist nature. Qualitative

research tends to reduce human experience to just the few concepts under
investigation, which are defined in advance by the researcher rather than the
experience of the respondents. Another limitation of qualitative research involves the
subjective nature of naturalistic inquiry, which sometimes causes concerns about the
nature of the conclusion of the study.

Characteristics of Qualitative Research

Kania (2008) presents the following key distinguishing characteristics of qualitative

research:

1. Qualitative research is conducted a systematic and rigorous way. However, it is

more flexible than quantitative research.

2. It usually follows an iterative process, which means that data collection and
analysis occur simultaneously. Data already collected are updated by the
ongoing data collection.

3. It focuses on gathering information from people who can provide the richest
insights into the phenomenon or interest. As a result, small samples are commonly
used in qualitative research. Study participants are usually selected in a
purposive manner, using only those for whom the topic under study is relevant.

4. Collection of data is continuous until saturation, or when it reaches the point

where no new information is revealed with respect to the key themes emerging
from the data.

5. Qualitative data collection examines everyday life in its natural context or in an

uncontrolled naturalistic setting.

The Value of Qualitative Research

Qualitative data provides context and meaning. If an organization wants to assess

the behavior of their clients, they can easily collect and analyze information about top-
selling items, buying trends in various geographic locations, and overall sales figures by
month. This will give a sense of the who, what, when, and where of the study.
Qualitative research can complete the picture by delving into the why and the how. If
quantitative research represents the skeleton, the qualitative research represents the
flesh. It can explore narrowly-defined issues in greater depth, explaining the setting in
which behavior can take place. It gives the complete picture of the issue being
studied.

The value of qualitative study comes from its focus on the lived experience of the
participants, which enabled development of a greater understanding concerning the
outcomes that are important, relevant, and meaningful to the people involved.

Common Types of Qualitative Research

The following are the various types of qualitative research based on the different fields
of inquiry (Meria, S.B., et al, 2002):
1. Experimental-It is the most conclusive of scientific methods. Because the researcher
actually establishes different treatments and then studies their effects, results from this
type
of research are likely to lead to the most clear-cut interpretation.
2. Phenomenological study- This type of research seeks to find the essence or structure
of an experience by explaining how complex meanings are built out of simple units of
inner
experience. It examines human experiences (lived experiences) through the
descriptions provided by subjects or respondents. The goal of study is to describe the
meaning that experiences hold for each subject. Some of the areas of concern for
these studies are humanness, self determination , uniqueness, wholeness, and
individualism.

3. Ethnographic study- This study involves the collection and analysis of data about
cultural group or minorities. The researcher immerses with the people and become a
part of their
culture. He/She becomes involved in the everyday activities of the subjects , and
gets to emphasize with the cultural groups experiencing issues and problems in their
everyday lives. The researches talks with the “key informant” who provides with the
important information for the study. Thus, study is primarily done to develop cultural
theories.
4. Historical Study-It is the systematic collection and evaluation of data to describe,
explain, and thereby understand actions or events that occurred sometime in the past.

Purpose:
a. To make people aware of what has happened in the past so they may learn from
past failures and successes.
b. To learn how things were done in the past to see if they might be applicable to
present day problems and concerns.
c. To assist in prediction.
d. To test hypothesis concerning relationships or trends.
e. To understand present educational practices and policies more fully.
5. Action Research-Action Research is conducted by one or more individuals or groups
for the purpose of solving a problem or obtaining information in order to inform local
practice.
Those involved in action research generally want to solve some kind of day-to-day
immediate problem, such as how to decrease absenteeism or incidents of vandalism
among the student body, motivate apathetic students, figure out ways to use
technology to improve the teaching of mathematics, or increase funding.
6. Narrative Analysis- The main source of data for this type of research are the life
accounts of individuals based on the their personal experiences. The purpose if the
study is tot extract
meaningful context from these experiences.

The common types of narrative analysis are as follows:

 a. Psychological- This involves analyzing the story in terms of internal thoughts and
motivation. It also analyses the written text or spoken words for its component parts of
patterns.

b. Biological – This takes the individuals’ society and factors like gender and class into
account.

c. Discourse analysis- This studies the approach in which language is used in the
texts and context.

7. Critical Qualitative- This type of research seeks to bring about change and empower
individuals by describing and critiquing the social, cultural, and psychological
perspectives
on present -day contexts . As such, it ultimately challenges the current norm,
especially on power distributions, building upon the initial appraisal of the said present
day perspectives.

Strengths of Qualitative Research

Anderson (2010), in her article “Presenting and Evaluating Qualitative Research” lists the
following strengths of a qualitative research:

1. The study requires a few cases or participants. Data collected are based on the
participants' own categories of meaning.

2. It is useful for describing complex phenomena.

3. Issues can be examined in detail and in depth.

4. Interviews are not restricted to specific questions and can be guided or

redirected by the researcher in real time.

5. Subtleties and complexities about the research subjects or topic are often missed
by more positivistic inquiries.

6. It provides individual case information.

7. Cross-case comparisons and analysis can be conducted.

8. It provides understanding and description of people's personal experiences of

phenomena.

9. It can describe in detail the phenomena as they are situated and embedded in
local contexts.

10. The researcher usually identifies contextual and setting factors as they relate to
the phenomenon of interest.

11. The researcher can study dynamic processes (i.e., documenting sequential
patterns and change).
 12. The researcher can use the primarily qualitative method of grounded theory to
inductively generate a tentative but explanatory theory about a phenomenon.

13. It can determine how participants interpret constructs (e.g., self-esteem and IQ).

14. Data are usually collected in naturalistic settings in qualitative research.

15. Qualitative approaches are especially responsive to local situations, conditions,

and stakeholders' needs.

16. Qualitative data in the words and categories of participants lend themselves to
exploring how and why particular phenomena occur.

17. You can use an important case to vividly demonstrate a phenomenon to the
readers.

18. It can determine idiographic causation (i.e., determination of causes of a

particular event).

Weaknesses of Qualitative Research

Anderson (2010) also enumerates the following weaknesses of qualitative research:

1. The knowledge produced might not be applicable to other people or other

settings (i.e., findings might be unique to the relatively few people included in the
research study).

2. Inflexibility is more difficult to maintain, assess, and demonstrate.

3. It is sometimes not as well understood and accepted as quantitative research

within the scientific community.

4. The researcher's presence during data gathering, which is often unavoidable in

qualitative research, can affect the subjects' responses.

5. Issues of anonymity and confidentiality can present problems when presenting

findings.

6. It is difficult to make quantitative predictions.

7. It is more difficult to test hypotheses and theories with large participant pools.

8. It might have lower credibility with some administrators and commissioners of

programs.

9. It generally takes more time to collect the data compared to quantitative

research.

10. Data analysis is often time-consuming.

11. The results are more easily influenced by the researcher's personal biases and
idiosyncrasies.
BRAINSTORM: ETHICS IN QUALITATIVE

Importance of Ethics

Resnik (2007) in his article “What is Ethics in Research & Why is it important?", provided
the importance of ethics in research. These are as follows:

1. Ethics promotes pursuit of knowledge, truth, and credibility

2. Many of the ethical norms ensure that researchers are held accountable to the
public.

3. Adherence to ethical principles helps public build support for research.

Ethical Codes and Policies for Research

1. Honesty. Data should never be fabricated, falsified, or misinterpreted.

2. Objectivity. Biases should be avoided in the experimental design, data analysis,

interpretation, expert testimony, and the other aspects of research.

3. Integrity. Consistency of thought and action is the foundation of the credibility of any
research work. Promises and agreements should be kept and all actions should be
made with a sincere purpose.

4. Care. Careless errors and negligence should be avoided.

5. Openness. The researcher should be open to criticisms and new ideas. Research
data, results, ideas, and resources should also be shared with the public.

6. Respect for intellectual property. Proper acknowledgement should be given to all

authors cited and sources used in your research. Patents and copyrights should be
recognized. Any unpublished data, methods, or results should not be used without
permission. Credit should be given to where it is due.

7. Confidentiality. Confidential communication or documents should be protected.

8. Responsible publication. The study should be done with the purpose of advancing
research and scholarship.

9. Responsible mentoring. All peers should be treated fairly.

10. Respect for colleagues. The research should seek to educate, mentor, and advise
students.

11. Social responsibility. Social good should be promoted and social harm should be
avoided.

12. Non-discrimination. All those eligible to participate in research should be allowed to

do so.

13. Competence. Professional competence and expertise should be maintained and

improved with the research.
14. Legality. A researcher should know and obey relevant laws, and institutional and
government policies.

15. Human subject protection. Harm and risks to human lives should be
minimized. Human dignity, privacy, and autonomy should be among the primary
considerations of the research.

Rights of Research Participants

1. Voluntary participation. Any person should not be coerced to participate in any

research undertaking.

2. Informed consent. Prospective research participants must fully informed about the
procedures and risks involved in the research. Their consent to participate must be
secured.

3. Risk of harm. Participants should be protected from physical, financial,

or psychological harm. The principle of non-maleficence states that is the researcher’s
duty to avoid, prevent, or minimize harm to the participants of the study.

4. Confidentiality. Participants must be assured that their identity and other personal
information will not be made available to anyone who is not directly involved in the
study.

5. Anonymity. The participants must remain anonymous throughout the study even to
the researchers themselves.

Ethical Standards in Research Writing

The following reminders must be taken into consideration for ethical research writing
(Logan University, 2016):
1. Findings should be reported with complete honesty.
2. Intentional misinterpretation, misinformation, and misleading claims must be avoided.
3. Appropriate credit should be given when using other people’s work.
4. Plagiarism should be avoided by fully acknowledging all content belonging to others.

Plagiarism and Intellectual Property

Plagiarism is an act of using another person’s ideas, words, processes, and results
without giving due credit.

The following are considered act of Plagiarism:

a. Claiming authorship of a work done by another person
b. Copying an entire written work or a portion of it-including words, sentences, and
ideas without acknowledging the author.
c. Failing to put quotation marks to distinguish a quotation taken directly from source.
d. Giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation.

e. Merely changing the words but retaining the sentence structure so that the selection
or quotes still bears a resemblance to the original source.
f. Using so many words and ideas from the original source that it makes up a large
portion of your work, even if you acknowledge the original author.

Plagiarism should not be tolerated as the unauthorized use of original ideas and works
constitutes a violation of intellectual property rights. In academic research, plagiarism
and its related acts constitute academic dishonesty and may be cause for the
invalidation of a research study and other sanctions on the offender.

"Intellectual property refers to the creations of the mind: inventions; literary and artistic
works, and symbols, names, images used in the commerce." (WIPO, 2004)

Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines or Republic Act 8293

"Published works" means works, which, with the consent of the authors, are made
available to the public by wire or wireless means in such a way that members of the
public may access these works from a place and time individually chosen by them:
Provided, that availability of such copies has been such, as to satisfy the reasonable
requirements of the public, having regard to the nature of the work...