Inquiries, Investigations and Immersions
Identifying the Problem and Asking the Question
Objectives of the Session
At the end of the session, the participants should be able to:
Discuss the importance of the curriculum guide
Explain how to use the curriculum guide in planning for
instruction
Explore Grade 12 Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion
Curriculum guide and instructional materials
Give sample learning activities for the learning competencies
of Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion
What is research?
Research is
A study/investigation
A scientific investigation
Is a study on investigation which is done systematically,
empirically, scientifically, and logically for the purpose of
achieving knowledge and helping solve situational problems.
Characteristics of a Research Process
Systematic - well defined designs, an orderly procedure
Empirical – measurable and observable things or
phenomenon that you can put in print on the bases of your
senses.
Scientific – can be tested
Logical – justifiable and acceptable by reason
Purpose of Research
1. Discover new knowledge
2. Help solve situational problems
System Framework of research
Input
Skills and abilities necessary in conducting Research/Scientific
Investigation
Output
(Theories/Principles) Pure/Basic research (Idealistic) Solutions
to problems (Social Responsibility
System Framework of research
Aims at developing a person to be:
Social, Political, Economic ,Educational, Technological,
Physical
Critical Researcher- has the “3rd eyes”, seeks the truth from
what he reads, does not take them hook-line and sinker, does
not jump into conclusions. Treat opinions as opinions
Brainstorming for Research Topics
1.Scheduling
2.Team teaching
3.Evaluation of learning, reporting to parents
4.Student regulation
5.Learning styles
6.Peer Tutoring
7. Field trips
8. School facilities
9. Extracurricular programs
10. Uses of ICT in Instruction
11. Stress management
12. Guidance counselling programs
I. Brainstorming for Research Topics
STEP 1: Topic Identification Key Questions:
a. What do I know about the topic?
b. What should I know about the topic?
c. What do previous studies say about my chosen topic?
II.
Specific Consideration in Choosing a Problem
Workability
Is it within the limit and range of your resource and time
constraints? Will you have access to the number of samples
required? Is there reason to believe that you can come up with
the answers to the problem? Is the required methodology
manageable and understandable?
Critical Mass
Is the problem sufficient in magnitude and scope (are there
enough variables and potential results)? Interest Are you
interested in the problem? Does it relate to your career
interest?
Theoretical Value
Does the problem fill a gap in the literature? Will it contribute
to the advancement in your field? Does it improve the “state of
the art”?
Practical Values
Will the solution to the problem improve practice? Are
practitioners likely to be interested in the results? Will the
findings aid the managers in making sound decisions? Will the
system be changed by the outcome?
Background of the Problem
It is the presentation of the concept of the study in a very
effective manner.
1. It must include an assumption of significance.
2. It must be a loaded statement that would drive an impact to
emote interest from the reader.
3. It must be simple, clear, specific and related to the topic.
This introductory page acquaints the reader with the problem
to be dealt with. This orientation is best accomplished by
providing rationale or background.
The background intends to draw a clearer picture of what you
want to say. It describes clearly, colorfully and vividly the
problem situation which serves as the rationale of the study
It presents in details the problem situation based on what you.
See and Observe Hear Read
Happenings Lectures/ Newspaper
Speeches
Events Radio and TV Journal
Broadcasting
Phenomenon Conversations Books
Personal Interviews Reports and
Experience monographs
1. Background of the Problem
The purpose of the background is to highlight the need for the
study by presenting what is happening at present and what
ought to be using the data that the researcher has gathered.
It identifies the area in which the problem is to be found, and
points out that the problem had not been fully studied.
2. Conceptual Framework
This deals with the key concepts and related literature
underlying the framework that guides the study. The purpose
of this is:
1. To expand the context and background of the study
2. To help further define the problem
3. To provide an empirical basis for the subsequent
development/formulation of hypothesis.
The initial step is to identify the key variables of the study. This
refers to the independent, dependent and moderator variables
to be investigated.
The second step is to look for the definitions of the variables.
For the dependent variables the following should be done:
1. Define the variable (universal definition)
2. Describe its characteristics and indicators
3. Discuss its importance (how it affects other variables) and
how it is affected by other variables (independent variables)
For the independent variable, define and describe its
characteristics and indicators. Discuss its effect on the
dependent variable on the basis of the review of related
literature and studies. The same should be done for the
moderator variables.
The discussion should point out how the previous studies
relate to the present investigation by highlighting their
similarities and differences. More importantly, it must include
some relevant theories and concepts that help in the
development of the present study.
Organizing the literature review section by subheadings makes
it easier for the researcher to follow. To be meaningful, this
subheadings should reflect the variables and their relationship.
We should remember that the purpose of literature review is to
provide a basis for the formulation of hypothesis.
The conceptual framework is summarized or synthesized into a
logical network of relationship of the key concepts or variables
involved in the study. This is further simplified by presenting a
research paradigm or hypothetical illustration of the
relationship of variables and their corresponding indicators.
Research Hypothesis (for quantitative research)
Hypothesis – is a conjectural statement of the relation between
two or more variables. It is a tentative or temporary answer to
a research problem.
It has the following characteristics:
1. It should conjecture upon a relationship between two or
more variables.
2. It should be stated clearly and unambiguously in a
declarative statement.
3. It should be testable; that is it should be possible to restate
it in an operational form which can be evaluated based on
data.
Example:
I.Q. and achievement test are positively related.
There are two approaches for developing hypothesis:
Deduction – starts from generalization or theory by logical
deduction.
Induction – starts from observation, opinions to
generalizations.
Statement of the Problem
The advantages of stating the statement of the problem are:
1. It provides the reader with an immediate basis from which to
interpret subsequent statements
2. It makes it possible to quickly determine the purpose of the
study. The reader will not have to search for the introduction
and background to discover the problem being examined.
A problem statement must have the following characteristics:
1. It should ask about a relationship between two or more
variables.
2. It should be stated clearly, unambiguously and usually in
question form.
3. It should be possible to collect data to answer the question
asked.
4. It should not represent a moral or ethical position.
One or two sentences will normally suffice to state the
problem. Often the statement begins as follows: The purpose
of this study is to examine the relationship between...(state the
variables, locale and time as the case maybe).
Specifically, it seeks answers to the following questions:
1. What is the relation between I.Q. and achievement?
2. Is there a relationship between economic background and
dropout rate?
Definition of Terms
The definition is based on the observable characteristics of that
which is being defined.
What is important is the nature of these observations u
There are 3 approaches or types of constructing definitions.
These are arbitrarily labelled as A, B, and C by Bruce W.
Tuckman.
A type A definition can be constructed in terms of the
operations that must be performed to cause the phenomenon
or state being defined to occur.
An intelligent child can be defined operationally as the child
produced by the marriage of above average, intelligent
couples.
A type B definition can be constructed in terms of how the
particular object or thing defined operates, that is what it does
or what constitute its dynamic properties.
Thus an intelligent student can be operationally defined as a
person who gets high grades in school or a person who
demonstrates capability for solving complicated mathematical
problems.
A type C definition can be constructed in terms of what the
object or phenomenon being defined looks like that is what
constitutes its static properties. Thus, an intelligent student
can be defined for instance as a person who has a good
memory, large vocabulary, good reasoning ability, good
mathematical skills, etc.
Importance of the Study
It is at this point that the researcher described who will benefit
and what benefits can be derived from the findings of the
study. The writer, under this section, tries to sell its importance
to the panel or to the funding agency.
Scope and limitations of the Study
This tells the specific boundaries of the study by describing the
place or venue of the study, the population,
subjects/respondents, time frame, the variables and their
indicators.
Any weakness of the study such as failure to use a more
precise data gathering or measuring instrument or failure to
execute an important procedure due to certain circumstances
beyond the researcher’s control form part of the study’s
limitations.
A literature review is a review of something that has already
been written
Why do a Literature Review?
A literature review can be a precursor in the introduction of a
research paper A literature review is a critical and in depth
evaluation of previous research. It is a summary and synopsis
of a particular area of research, allowing anybody reading the
paper to establish why you are pursuing this particular
research project.
Finding related research articles typically requires competence
on the internet.
Search through databases that have indexed information on
thousands of research articles that have been conducted.
Tips for Searching for Resources on the Internet
List the major or key variables/concepts in the study
List synonyms for each variable
Outline the major points to be made in the literature review
Do not limit your search to only studies that examine all of
the same variables as your study.
Put key phrases in quotation marks
When searching online, use the limit function to reduce
searches that have too many results.
Limit your use of Google
Do not cite wikipedia as a source. Like Google, anybody can
edit articles on wikipedia. Therefore, wikipedia should never be
used as a source for an academic paper.
Use the resources you have to find additional resources.
Boolean logic is the way to put terms together in a search
by using AND, OR, NOT
Using AND
When you use AND you will be looking for articles containing
two or more words within each article.
For example, employee AND motivation would retrieve
articles with both words in the article.
Use AND when you are searching for concepts and want to be
more specific in your search (to narrow it down).
Using OR
When you use OR you will be looking for articles containing
either one word or the other word.
For Example, employee OR personnel OR staff. You would
use OR for similar concepts and alternative words or
synonyms (to broaden out your search).
Using NOT
When you use NOT you will be looking for one term but not
the other.
For example, you might search for broadband NOT wireless.
You would use NOT to exclude irrelevant results (to narrow
down your search).
Writing styles – opening sentence
Good opening style
Early work by Thomas (1996) shows that …
Another study on the topic by Brown (2000) asserts that …
The latest research (Smith, 2003) show …
Opening style to avoid
Thomas (1996) said …
Brown said (2000) …
Smith (2003) wrote ….