
Data-Driven Research Fundamentals
Development Academy of the Philippines

Course Overview
Research is oftentimes necessary to expand knowledge of specific topics or areas, or to improve understanding of and solve business or management problems. This course provides foundational understanding and essential knowledge about research, including research process, language, and ethics. Focusing on data-driven research, this course uses a case-study method to tackle topics such as research design, sampling, data collection, data preparation, qualitative and quantitative analyses, and reporting.
Note to SPARTA scholars: Upon enrollment, you will have 6 months to finish a SPARTA course. Failure to complete the course in 6 months and/or inactivity for 3 months will result in course access revocation.
What You Will Learn
Upon completion of this course, the learners are expected to:
- gain knowledge in essentials of research methods, including research process, designs, approaches and ethics;
- understand the proper use of different data collection and data analysis approaches;
- be able to critically analyze and process data that will be used in answering the research questions; and
- effectively present and communicate research outcomes and recommendations.
Course Instructor

Regine Tejada
Subject Matter Expert
Course Content
Week 1: Overview of Research and Problem Statement Identification
13 Videos | 4 Activities
13 Videos
- Welcome to the course!
- Introduction to Research in Data Science and Analytics
- Define Science, Scientific Method, and Research
- Formulating Research Question or a Problem Statement
- Different Types of Research Question
- Characteristics and Tips in Defining a Problem (2 videos)
- Criteria for Selecting a Problem
- Limitations, Delimitations, and Assumptions (2 videos)
- Variables
- Hypothesis
- Summary
4 Activities
- Decoding: Anagram
- Mind Check: Word Cloud
- Mind Check: Flowing Grid
- Quiz: Research and Problem Statement
Week 2: Literature Review
5 Videos | 3 Activities
5 Videos
- What is Literature Review?
- Steps on how to do a Literature Review
- Conducting a Comprehensive Review of Literature
- How to avoid plagiarism?
- Summary
3 Activities
- Decoding Literature Review: Word Cloud
- Exercise: Drag and Drop
- Quiz: Literature Review
Week 3: Research Design
15 Videos | 4 Activities
15 Videos
- What is Time Series Design?
- Approaches in Analyzing Time-Series Data
- What is Panel Design?
- Properties of a Good Research Design
- What is Sampling?
- The Probability Sampling Method
- Example of Simple Random Sampling
- Example of Stratified Random Sampling
- Example of a Cluster Random Sampling
- Systematic Sampling
- Determining the Sample Size for a Quantitative Research (3 videos)
- Summary
4 Activities
- Decoding Research Design: Whack-a-Mole
- Mind Check: Group classifications
- Exercise: Anagram
- Essay: Problem statement
Week 4: Qualitative Research
15 Videos | 3 Activities
15 Videos
- What is Qualitative Research?
- Ethnographic Research Design
- Phenomenological Research Design
- Grounded Theory Research Design (2 videos)
- Action Research Design (2 videos)
- Case Study Design (3 videos)
- Concluding Qualitative Research Designs
- What is qualitative data analysis?
- Steps in Qualitative Data Analysis (2 videos)
- Summary
3 Activities
- Decoding Research: Brainstorming
- Let's Try: Anagram
- Exercise: Drag and Drop
- Quiz: Qualitative Research
Week 5: Conclusions and Ethics
5 Videos | 3 Activities
5 Videos
- The Essence of Findings, Conclusions, Recommendations and Implications of your Study
- Ethical Research Guidelines (3 videos)
- Summary
3 Activities
- Exercise: Word Grid
- Mind Check: Flowing Grid
- Quiz: Conclusions and Ethics
Week 6: Capstone
2 Videos | 1 Activity
2 Videos
- Research Paper
- Key Takeaways
1 Activity
- Capstone: Research Paper