Identifying the Inquiry and Stating the Problem

Research Topic

Serves as an important basis for formulating the research questions, identifying literatures that should be reviewed, narrowing down appropriate theories and frameworks, and planning data collection and analysis.

Considerations in Selecting a Research Topic

1. Time and duration for the conduct of the study

2. Money or financial requirement

3. Expertise / capacity of the researcher

4. Audience / participants

5. Availability of literatures

6. Accessibility to materials

In choosing a topic consider the following questions…

•        Is the idea unique/new? Will it contribute to the body of knowledge? (novelty)

•        Who will be my respondents? Are they accessible to me? (participants/sample)

•        Can I use both qualitative and quantitative methods in this study? (applicability)

•        Will it cost us a lot of resources? (cost-efficiency)

•        Can I finish the tasks within the time allotment? (duration)

•        Is there a solution that I can provide?  (output)

GUIDELINES IN WRITING A RESEARCH TITLE

1. Be simple, concise, brief and direct.

2. Think of your title as a product brand. Should not be misleading, informative, and memorable.

3. Limit word count to 12 to 15 except for conjunctions, articles, linking verbs, etc.

4. Do not use negative or concluding words like effectiveness, advantages, impacts, etc.

5. Avoid use of abbreviations, initialism, and acronyms.

6. Avoid use of highfalutin words, jargons, ambiguous, and technical terms.

Formats

1. One-part titles

•        Based on main idea

Relationship of Caffeine Intake of SHS Students in their Academic Performance

•        Based on Intended Output and Methods Used

Development of an Intelligent Autonomous Coffee Maker using Intelligent Control Methodologies

2. Two-part titles

•        Additional Context:

Lessons from Running a Coffee Farm Business: Factors Influencing Coffee Farmers’ Decision to Engage in the Coffee Industry

•        Temporal scope of research:

A Comparison: Coffee Consumption of Gen Z and Millennial Groups

•        Main approach used:

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Motivational Reasons behind Consumer Choice in Branded Coffee Shops

•        Methodology used:

A Correlational Study: Performance of Coffee Production Among Young and Seasoned Coffee Farmers in Batangas Province

Reminders:

•        Drafted titles for topic proposal are working titles.

•        Consider the time allotment, financial capability, experiences and capabilities of the researchers.

•        Consider the methods, data analysis to be used.

•        Consider the literatures to back up the findings.

GUIDELINES IN WRITING RESEARCH INTRODUCTION

Tips in Introduction Writing

•        Narrow down big concepts into chunks of smaller ideas.

•        Observe coherence and logical presentation of ideas.

•        Use templates in organizing the introduction.

•        List down questions to facilitate ease in writing.

•        Create an outline that will serve as basis for writing.

Introduction Structure

•        Hook

•        A catchy phrase or statement that will get the audience attention. It could be a research data, news report, remarks from known personalities or experts, and quotation.

Example:

Filipino students ranked low in PISA for mathematics and science, with 353 points and 357 points, respectively, against the 489 OECD….

•        Identified Problem/Need

•        Relate the opening statement to the identified problem or need in your study.

•        Show connection by citing your personal experience or own observation.

•        Take note: Opinionated statements should be avoided.

•        Example:

•        Despite the efforts of the teachers and schools to improve mathematics and science instruction, students were observed to be heavily influenced by…

•        Data / Supporting Literatures

•        Show salient findings from other authors concerning the problems that they have identified in their study.

•        Must present this part using CONTINENTAL APPROACH, to show that the problem is not just locally experienced.

•        In using this approach, literatures are organized based on the original of the study (Research conducted globally (UN, UNESCO, etc), within continents (North America, Asia, Africa), across continental regions (East Asia, South East Asia), national (country-wide research), and local (study conducted in your school, barangay, city)

•        Do not copy everything. You may use multiple or cross-citation in the discussion.

•        Example:

•        Actually, UNESCO (2020) found evidence that online technologies negatively affect the schooling of the generation of students today. In Asia, Tsui and Chao (2021) noticed an increase in the screentime exposure of students which reduces their reviewing and reading time.

•        In fact, in Netherlands, Brown (2019) found a link between student’s addiction to technology and their attitude in learning. Meanwhile, among the problems observed by authors in the Philippines include poor implementation of tech-use policies and rules at home (Adajar et al 2017), ease-of-access to mobile devices (Castillo and Mariano, 2019), toleration of teachers (Mendoza, 2020).

•        However, a study done in Bauan Technical High School by Agena et al (2020) indicated that students are able to focus in their academic engagement given that no cellphone policies are being enforced in the institution. 

•        Research Gap

•        It indicates area of research that are intended for exploration or improvement. This could be the identified limitations by the authors, given the complexity of their research. Some had it presented as part of their recommendations.

•        Also, it may involve underexplored areas that have scope for further research.

Example:

Even if numerous studies have been conducted showing the relevance of their topics to the present research, none of the authors have identified the root cause that lead to the persistence of this problem. It could be that…

•        Rationale

•        Present the intention of the researcher.

•        Highlight how this study will help you in your future career or present specialization in school.

•        Explain the underlying reasons that prompted you to conduct the study.

•        Summarize the presentation of the necessity (why is the study needed), novelty (how or in what way is this one unique), practicality (is the study practical to do in this time?, beneficiality (who will benefit in this study?), usability (after this, what will be the direction of your research? do you simply plan to stack your manuscripts on the shelves?).

•        Use the following prompts in writing the rationale:

•        The researchers, as would-be teachers, were triggered by the fact that…

•        The proponents were prompted to conduct this study to…

•        The researchers believe…

•        The study intends to… The intention of the study

•        The present research aims to…

•        This study explores (you may use explain, describe, investigate, delve into)

•        The researchers attempt to…

Reminders

•        Use third person pronouns (the researchers, proponents, authors)

•        Observe recency of the dates of the literatures to be included (past 10 years publication)

•        Avoid opinionated statements.

•        Use proper in-text citations (although this topic is to be discussed on the fifth week)

GUIDELINES IN DEVELOPING RESEARCH QUESTIONS

•      Note that a qualitative research question revolves on the “why and how” aspects of the topic that does not require any statistical tools.

•      It does not require large population, and the methodology classifies data into patterns and significant statements to conclude results.

•      Data can be derived in many forms, such as text, image, sounds, etc.

•      The most crucial requirement for the success of a qualitative research is an in-depth understanding of the subject. 

Key Considerations

•        Start with focus question words – “How, What, or Why”.

•        Keep the research focused on a single concept or phenomena.

•        Avoid using the words such as “impact” or “effect” and directional phrases.

•        Think ahead if the questions will result to open-ended inquiry

Sample

•        (How or What) is the (“story of” research; “meaning of” phenomenon; “theory that explains”; “culture sharing pattern”; or “issue in the case of” your research) of (main research topic) for (participants) at (research site).

Source: https://www.proprofssurvey.com/blog/qualitative-research-questions/

Research Question Prompts

•        What is the nature of…?

•        What are the lived experiences of…?

•        What is it like being…?

•        How does…?

•        What does it mean to be…?

•        What factors influence…?

•        How would you describe…?

•        What factors do you think influenced your success…?

•        How would you characterize…?

•        What is the status of…?

•        What are the concerns of…?

•        What are the issues encountered by…?

•        What are the challenges met by…?

•        What are the barriers…?

•        How do these barriers affect…?

•        What are the coping strategies?

•        What are the strategies used by…in…?

•        How do … adjust with…?

•        What are the practices of…?

•        Can be specified to political, economic, social practices.

•        What are the management practices…?

•        Can be specified to financial, human resource, organizational management.

•        What are the supports needed by…?

•        What are the initiatives of…?

•        What are the perceived benefits of…?

•        What are the physiochemical properties of… (proponents may interview an expert who can explain this)

•        How may the development/production of … be qualitatively described?

•        How may the traditional method of … be described?

•        What are the processes involved in…?

•        What are the manual practices in…?

•        What are the issues encountered by… in the manual processing of …?

WRITING THE SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

Guidelines in Writing the Scope and Limitations

Scope

•        It states the general aims, defines where and when the study was conducted and who the subjects where. It therefore presents the coverage of the study.

•        The coverage is in terms of general purpose, population or sample, time or duration, subject matters and topics discussed, and area or locality.

Limitations

•        Also known as the bounds, are influences that the researcher cannot control.

•        They are the shortcomings, conditions, or influences that cannot be controlled by the researcher that place restrictions on your methodology and conclusions.

•        Characteristics of design or methodology that influenced the interpretation of the findings from your research

•        This may include constraints on generalizability, applications to practice, and utility of findings.

•        It points out strengths and weaknesses of the research.

•        It may include the following methodological limitations like research design, sample size, lack of available data, instrument, time constraints, limited literatures, access, duration, cultural and other type of bias, variables, and fluency in language.

Delimitations

•        This section allows the researchers explain why certain aspects of a subject were chosen and why others were purposely excluded.

•        These are definitions you set as the boundaries of your own, so delimitations are in your control.

•        These are set so that your goals do not become impossibly large to complete.

•        Examples of delimitations include research questions, variables, theoretical objectives that you have adopted, research instruments, and population chosen as targets to study.

Example:

This phenomenological research covers the description of the modular distance learning experiences of Senior High School students from Bauan Technical Integrated High School for the school year 2021 – 2022. The aspects looked into were the challenges, issues, and coping strategies of the students in MDL.

Given the qualitative nature of this research, the use of Focused Group Discussion (FGD) is one of its limitations. It will only involved ten Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics students. It is therefore delimited to the use of survey questionnaire and observation. Students from other track and strand will not be included in this study.

You may use the following key phrases in writing this section such as:

·        “The coverage of this study …”

·        “The researcher limited this research to …”

·        “The study covers the …”

·        “The study does not cover the …”

·        “This study is focused on …”

·        “This study is limited to …”

STATING THE BENEFITS AND BENEFICIARIES OF THE STUDY

Guidelines in Writing the Significance of the Study

This section usually requires the researcher to describe the implication of his or her research to several audiences to assert its importance and potential benefits to be gained from reading and using the study (Creswell, 2014, 119).

There are several question that you may reflect on when writings this portion. These include the following. 

·        Who may possibly benefit from your research?

·        What crucial information can you bring?

·        What knowledge might they be interested in that they could get from your research?

·        What possible impact can your research have on the existing body of knowledge about the topic?

·        What practical implications does your research have?

·        Will your research bring forth recommendations to policy and decision-making?

·        Will your research have impact on practice?

Useful Prompts

•        Researchers may find the findings useful as…

•        This study will encourage them to…

•        It will also serve as basis in the study of…

•        This study will contribute to…

•        The study will provide…

•        This study can help boost the…

•        Through this study, students will become aware of…

•        The results of this study will provide some insights and information on how they…

References:

 Amorado, R.V., and Talili, I.N. (2017). Qualitative research a practical approach. Malabon City: Mutya Publishing House.

 Henson, R.M., and Soriano, R.F. (2016). Practical research 1 qualitative research world of reality dissections. Malabon City: Mutya Publishing House.

 Clemente, R.F., Julaton, AB. E., Orleans, A.V. (2016). Science in today’s world for senior high school research in daily life 1. Quezon City: Sibs Publishing House, Inc.