PREFACE

Students are overwhelmed with the myriad of learning tasks and other academic

processes to complete their chosen field of endeavors. One of these challenging tasks is

undertaking research. Students’ experiences in research can be greatly enriched by

attaining experiences early.

Research experience allows undergraduate students to better understand

published works, learn to balance collaborative and individual work and determine an

area of interest. Through exposure to research as undergraduates, many students

discover their passion for research and continue on to graduate studies and faculty

positions.

By engaging in research, students find it easier to understand the rationale

underlying other’s research. Undergraduate research can provide students with ongoing

source of one-on-one mentorship that is otherwise unheard of in the undergraduate

curriculum.

In the undergraduate level, research is often performed by teams. Students must

learn to extend a collaborative effort with others. Gaining firsthand experience in

teamwork should be promoted in the undergraduate education.

This research course is an endeavor to equip the students with the skills and

competencies to undertake investigative work and solve problems with the scientific

processes. The students are expected to complete a research proposal as a measure of

their understanding and application of the research concepts.

 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author extends her utmost thanksgiving to the administration of JHCSC

System spearheaded by the very supportive President Dr. Mary Jocelyn V. Battung for

the motivation and encouragement to passionately work towards their professional

advancement;

Likewise, sincerest thanks to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Lina T.

Codilla, for her professional support to all faculty members;

To Dr. Felix Doño for the continued support and Dr. Nanette D. Bilbao for the

valuable suggestions to enrich this module;

To the Almighty God, for the continued shower of wisdom and enlightenment.
 Learning Contents:
1. What is Research?
2. Characteristics of a Good Research
3. Steps in Writing the Research Paper
4. Preliminaries

Learning Outcomes:
1. Define research;
2. Express how one characterizes a good research;
3. Elaborate the steps in writing the research paper; and
4. Describe the contents of the preliminaries.

Introduction

Individuals have continually searched for novel knowledge and applications of

concepts they have learned in the real-life situations. Their quests for updated and

scientific explanations of things have brought a lot of changes which make their life

easier, comfortable and exciting. Research is the key to their quests for advancements.

They apply scientific methods and procedures in forging evidences and the formulations

of technological advancements.
 The education students are thus trained to undertake researches, especially in the

field of Physical Education. This first course in research aims to provide the students

with the knowledge of the general concepts and methods of research especially designed

for Physical and Health Education. This puts premium on the students’ actual

experiences in the research process from the conceptualization of the problem to

gathering of related literature and the methodology.

The students are expected to prepare a research proposal at the end of the course

as they apply scientific and evidence-based practices in teaching and learning.

 Pre-Test

Direction: Write True if the statement is correct and False for incorrect statement.
Indicate your answers on the space provided.

_____ 1. Research is the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources
in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.

_____ 2. The research problem is an area of concern when there is a gap in knowledge
that requires a solution; defined by what you do not know or understood about your
practical problem.

_____ 3. The main question and objective are the two research question forms.

_____ 4. The central question is a specific question that ask for an exploration of the
specific phenomena or concept in a study.

_____ 5. The null and directional hypotheses are the only forms of hypotheses.

_____ 6. The research design is part of Chapter 1 of a research paper.

_____ 7. The background of the study includes the objectives of the study, the problem
which is stated clearly both in general and specific terms.

_____ 8. The definition of terms describes only the operational definition of the terms
used in the study.

_____ 9. The theoretical framework underpins the present study with a cognitive
structure that the study intends to verify or support.

_____ 10. The scope and delimitation of the study stresses the importance of the study
by emphasizing the specific sectors of society that would benefit from the present study.
systematic work - there is a procedure, methods
methods - scientific method
scientific - follows from identifying problem, formulating educated guess, testing the
hypothesis and deriving a conclusions
What is Research?

Wikipedia defined research as the “creative and systematic work undertaken to

increase the stock of knowledge.” It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of

information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an

expansion on past work in the field. Research projects can be used to develop further

knowledge on a topic, or for education. To test the validity of instruments, procedures,

or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research

The Meriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines research as the “studious inquiry

or examination; especially: investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and

interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or

practical applications of such new or revised theories or laws.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research

Research implies that students should do a careful analysis of the problems or to

do detailed study of specific problems, by making use of special scientific methods.

The main purpose of the research is to get deep into the topic so that something

helpful can churn out, which can be helpful for everybody and used in that particular

niche sector. Working on a research project will obviously be a challenging and

rewarding experience, provided you put the best of your expertise and skill in it.

For research, certain steps have to follow like first observation, the background

research then preparing of hypothesis, eventually conducting a simple experiment,

observation and gathering information or data to answer the problems posted.

Characteristics of a Good Research

How then do we characterize a good research problem?

A good research is characterized by the following:

1. Empirical. Research is based on direct experience or observation by the researcher.

It requires a clear articulation of a goal.

2. Logical. Research is based on valid procedures and principles.

scientific procedures
3. Cyclical. Research is a cyclical process because it starts with a problem and ends
with a problem. It originates with a question or problem and ends with a problem.
It can be difficult then to determine where to start and when to stop.

4. Analytical. Research utilizes proven analytical procedures in gathering the data,

whether historical, descriptive, experimental and case study.

5. Critical. Research exhibits careful and precise judgment. It accepts certain critical
assumptions.

6. Methodical. Research is conducted in a methodical manner without bias using

systematic method and procedures. It follows a specific plan or procedure and
requires collection and interpretation of data.

7. Replicability. The research design and procedures are replicated or repeated to

enable the researcher to arrive at valid and conclusive results.

High quality research requires:

• Highly ethical standards to be applied

• All limitations be documented
• Data be adequately analyzed and explained
• All findings be presented unambiguously and all conclusions be justified by
sufficient evidence.

Brown (1989) identified the standards of good research as follows:

1. Commitment to a theoretical attitude – aim is for objectivity, researcher puts aside

personal beliefs and judgments and records what is observed with the goal of learning
the truth. Truth claim is only true or valid if it is “objectively valid.”
2. Research should contribute important knowledge to the profession – research should
have a purpose that is meaningful, not just to get the degree or for personal status.
Should not be trivial but instead should have an important contribution.

3. Reflects recognition of guiding interest – serves to provide value to the profession

through understanding. This knowledge helps to explain the purpose of the research
and to determine how the research should be performed.

4. Researcher is knowledgeable about the subject area and other related research –
ensures that the researcher understands the subject area and has a deeper
understanding of the topic which allows for greater understanding and ability to
interpret and critically analyze data.

5. Needs clear understanding of symbol systems and open to questioning and revisions
– symbols are subjective and the researcher must understand the varying knowledge
and interpretations of the people they are researching. A good research is able to
withstand questioning and criticisms.

6. Conclusions have rational logic and are supported by evidence – conclusions are
drawn by the research conducted and there is data to support the claims of the
researcher.

7. Respond to challenge – good research stands up to questioning and criticisms of

others. A researcher should be able to defend their research and their conclusions.

8. Researcher is socially responsible and observes ethical norms – researchers are

expected to meet ethical standards of the society as they pertain to their subjects,
colleagues, employers and society as a whole.

Basic Steps in Writing a Research Paper

The following are the basic steps in writing a research paper. Depending on your
familiarity with the topic and the challenges you encounter along the way, you may need
to rearrange these steps.

1. Identify and develop your topic.

• Select a topic within the parameters set by the assignment.
• Select a topic of personal interest to you and learn more about it.
• Select a topic for which you can find a manageable amount of information.
• Be original.
 2. Do a preliminary search for information. This is to be done to determine if there
is enough resources of information that are related to the topic you would like to
pursue. Look for keywords from library references, journals, lecture notes,
textbooks and readings.

3. Locate materials. Check for materials from books. Print or write down the citation
information (author, title, etc), location (call number and collection. You can use
the Alephcatalog which indexes the library’s audio-visual holdings. Use the
library’s electronic periodical databases to find magazines and newspaper articles.

4. Evaluate your sources. Refer to CARS Checklist for Information Quality for tips
on evaluating the authority and quality of the information you have located.

5. Make notes.

6. Cite the sources properly. Give credit where credit is due; cite your sources.
Failure to cite the sources is plagiarism.

7. Proofread.

Preliminaries

The preliminaries of the research paper include the following:

1. Title page – indicates the title of the research paper. It also indicates if the research
paper is a requirement for any course whether undergraduate level or graduate
level. In the title page, the names of the authors or researchers are also reflected.

2. Approval sheet – shows that the research is approved by the panel of examiners
as well as the research adviser.

3. Acknowledgment – stipulates the individuals to which the researchers are

indebted with. This also expresses the appreciation and gratefulness of the
researchers to individuals with significant contributions to the fulfillment and
completion of their research.

4. Dedication – indicates how the researcher dedicate their work

5. Abstract – this portion summarizes, usually in one paragraph of 300 words or less,
the major aspects of the entire paper in a prescribed sequence that includes: the
overall purpose of the study and the research problems investigated; the basic
design of the study; major findings or trends found as a result of the analysis; and
brief summary of the interpretations and conclusions.
 6. Table of Contents – shows the arranged components with the page numbers of the
research

7. List of Tables – enumerates the tabular presentations in an ordered manner

according to specific problems of the research.

8. List of Figures – enumerates the figures or schematic presentations with the

corresponding page number used in the research paper.

Group Tasks and Differentiation

Activity 1.

1. Why is doing research important? Explain your answers by citing examples. 5

marks.

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

2. Why is it important for you to learn to conduct research scientifically? 5 marks

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________
Activity 2

How do you show the steps in writing a research paper through visual
presentation? Show your answer by drawing a schematic presentation or concept map.
Use the rubric on the following page. 8 marks
Rubric

Attributes 1 2 3 4 Total
(Not (Below (Meets (Exceeds
acceptable expectations) expectations) expectations)

Appropriate Incorrect Some Correct So clear and

symbol of notation notations notations complete
representation incorrect or
misused

Flow of Unclear or Incomplete Clear and So simple and

process poorly or not well complete clear. The
presented designed designed design is
understandable
to all intended
readers.

Total

Go Online:

https://www.nhcc.edu/student-resources/library/doinglibraryresearch/basic-steps-

in-the-research-process

https://rummardeduc500.weebly.com/qualities-of-good-research.html

https://rummardeduc500.weebly.com/qualities-of-good-research.html

https://www.slideshare.net/AnkitBist/characteristics-and-criteria-of-good-research
(2011).
http://analyst0091.blogspot.com/2011/05/chapter-1-meaning-and-characteristics.html

http://analyst0091.blogspot.com/2011/05/chapter-1-meaning-and-characteristics.html
(2011)

https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/abstract#:~:text=An%20abstract%20summariz
es%2C%20usually%20in,as%20a%20result%20of%20your