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 Module 3 is a combination of communication in the academe—preliminary research
paper writing skills and literary analysis. This chapter follows the Hook–Book–Look–Took
format to guide the learner for a better understanding of the lessons.

Objectives/Aims:

At the end of this Module, the students are expected to present communication skills
through public speaking and written work.

Learning Expectations:

At the end of this chapter, you are expected to:

1. explain the techniques, principles and ethics in academic writing;

2. use emergent technologies in writing a research paper; and
3. write academic papers using appropriate tone, format, conventions and reference
styles.

Teaching Goals:

At the end of this module, the teacher is expected to:

1. discuss the techniques, principles and ethics in writing a research paper using varied
learning platforms such as Google Meet, Google classroom, Zoom, Messenger and
emailing;
2. provide online interactions and authentic activities to create a culture of thinking and
learning;
3. do on-the-spot activities to challenge the students’ intellectual and artistic capabilities
and prescriptive homework to further reinforce the knowledge learned; and
4. require students to submit all academic paper requirements.

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 MODULE 3
Communication in the Academe

Lesson 8
Pre-writing a Research Paper

Research plays an important role in the academe. Through detailed research, students
develop critical thinking expertise, as well as effective analytical, research and communication
skills. Creswell (2007) defined research as a “systematic study or investigation of something for
the purpose of answering questions posed by the researcher.”
Most students consider research course as a battleground where they struggle hard to
survive but with meaningful activities, they might find research work enjoyable.

1. Look at the picture shown by your teacher.

2. Write down three questions that you would like to ask about the picture.

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Brainstorming

1. Choose a person that you wish to interview and explain why.

2. Write three questions that you would like to ask about the person.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

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Deciding on a Research Topic

Choosing a topic is among the most challenging aspects in writing

a research paper. There are some important areas to consider when
finding the right research paper topic.
1. The process of writing a
research paper is tedious but if you choose a topic you are passionate about, it will
make arduous task a lot easier.
2. A topic with several sources will give you access to the level
of information you need to support your claim.
3. A topic that you already have some personal experience
with will make the whole process much easier to complete your paper within a
reasonable period of time.

Limiting the Research Topic

Some students choose topics that are too general which become challenging to address.
This is why you need to narrow down your topic.
Example narrowed topic:
Topic: Information Technology
Limited Topic: The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics

There are various ways of narrowing the topic to help you find an area to
focus on.

1. Clustering is a technique that uses circles to represent major ideas and lines to
demonstrate connection with possible sub-topics.

JAZZ POP

Music KOREAN

opera 2000s
Possible topic: Korean Pop Music in Recent Decades

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 2. Laddering is a technique that uses a step-by-step arrangement of ideas from general
to specific or vice versa.

General: University Colleges

College of Nursing
Graduates of the College of Nursing
Exodus to Foreign Lands

Possible Topic: The Exodus of Nursing Graduates to Foreign Lands

The instructions are written in the TEST file that will be

given by your teacher.

Writing a Thesis Statement

A.
What can you say about the movie trailer?

___________________________________________________________________
________
___________________________________________________________________

Once you’ve sufficiently narrowed your topic, turn it into a strong thesis statement. Thesis
statement summarizes the central idea of the paper. A thesis statement is like a trailer of a great
film. A good trailer gives the highlights which encourages you to watch more. Thus, a good thesis
statement will give readers the important points of your paper and will make them want to read
more. Here are some reminders for writing a strong thesis statement:
1. Are you going to analyze, explain,
make a claim or narrate?

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 2. It must represent the topic that you intend to
write about.

Example: Topic: The Role of Herbal Medicine in Health Care

Thesis Statement: The Department of Health should promote herbal
medicine at the barangay level to achieve the goal of “health for all”.

Consider the example above. It is a thought-provoking claim. The reader will wonder
how you will encourage the people to use herbs as an alternative medicine.

Rearrange the pool of words to make a thesis statement.

Formulating Research Questions

After crafting your thesis statement and deciding on the research type that suits
your purpose, brainstorm for possible questions. Research questions are questions that
you set out to answer in your paper. Format your questions to fit your purpose and
style.

Checklist. Your thesis is GOOD to GO if your answer to all these questions is YES.

• Is the question clear and specific?

• Does this question require research analysis?
• Can I easily find related materials to support my claim?
• Can I answer the question within the allotted time for the paper?

Examples of Research Questions:

Topic:

1. What is the current status of herbal medicine in the Philippines?

2. What are the different herbal medicines that help boost immune system?
3. How can medicinal plants boost the immune system?

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 &

1.

Designing the Research

Research design forms the structure and method of answering your questions. You have
to choose the most appropriate method which is applicable to your purpose.

Romero and Romero (2000) discussed the two basic research designs based on the way
information is collected, synthesized and analyzed as follows:

1. Qualitative research involves collecting and analyzing non-numerical data to

understand concepts, opinions or experiences.

There are four types of qualitative research design that are most commonly
used.
A. Phenomenology is an approach that focuses on the commonality of a lived
experience within a particular group. The fundamental goal of the approach is
to arrive at a description of the nature of the particular phenomenon.

B. Ethnography gathers observations, interviews and documentary data to

produce detailed and comprehensive accounts of different social phenomena.

C. Grounded Theory involves the construction of theories through methodical

gathering and analysis of data.

D. Case Study is a record of research providing detailed consideration to the

development of a particular person, group, or situation over a period of time.

2. Quantitative Research is the process of collecting and analyzing numerical

data. It can be used to find patterns and averages, make predictions, test causal
relationships and generalize results to wider populations.

There are four types of quantitative research design that are most commonly
used.

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 A. Survey Research is the process of conducting research using surveys. The data
collected from surveys is statistically analyzed to draw meaningful research
conclusions.

B. Correlational seeks to understand what kind of relationships naturally

occurring variables have with one another. It seeks to figure out if two or more
variables are related.

C. Causal Comparative identifies a cause-effect relationship between two or

more groups (independent variable with a dependent variable).

D. Experimental is a study that strictly adheres to a scientific research design. It

includes hypothesis that can be manipulated and variables that can be
measured and compared.

Organizing Research Outline

According to Calderon and Gonzales (1993),

to determine what to write, outline the scope of your paper. An outline is a blue
print or plan for your research paper. It is an organized list of related ideas that you will
include in your discussion.

These are the guidelines in making an outline:

1. Use Roman numerals to label the main points.

2. Use capital letters to label the minor points.

3. Use Arabic numerals to label chief subdivisions of details.

4. Use small letters to label subdivisions of details.

5. Indent, capitalize, and punctuate exactly as shown in the model.

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 Basic Form of Outline
Title
Introduction
Body
I. Main Point
II. Main Point
A. Subpoint of II
B. Subpoint of II
1. Sub detail of B
2. Sub detail of B
C. Subpoint of II
1. Sub detail of C
2. Sub detail of C
a. Sub detail of 2
b. Sub detail of 2
III. Main Point
Conclusion
References
Figure 8: Contents of an outline

Title: The Role of Herbal Medicine in Health Care

Thesis Statement: Herbal medicine must be promoted at the barangay level to
achieve the goal of “health for all”.
Introduction (3-4 sentences)
I. Herbal Medicine in the Philippines
A. History
1. Beliefs
2. Facts
B. Herbal Medicines
1. Ginger
2. Oregano
II. Uses of Herbal Medicines BODY
A. Boost Immune System
B. Treat Heart Disease
C. Maintain Overall Health
III. Revival of Herbal Medicine
A. Conducting Seminars
B. Distribution of Pamphlets
Conclusion (1-3 paragraphs depending on the length)
References

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 Look at the ideas inside the box. Organize the items based on the thesis statement and
write them in an outline form.

Thesis statement: My school had three problem areas that need immediate action.

buildings formed cliques leaky ceilings

poor comprehension ill-equipped gym teachers
much strict unwilling to help after class students

Finalizing the Research Documentation

As you collect data to answer your questions for your paper, make sure to
properly acknowledge all the sources you mentioned in your discussion. There are different
formats and processes when citing research sources. The format of the documentation must be
based on your purpose and topic.

Romero and Romero (2000) differentiated the two main styles of documentation, namely
MLA and APA.

1. MLA ( Modern Language Association) is commonly used for citing sources

within the language arts, cultural studies, and other humanities disciplines. It follows the
author-page method of in-text citation.

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 Examples of MLA style:

Works Cited

Book Bumanlag, Joy. The Purposive Communication. Manila: Rex

Book Store, 2019.

Ismael, Alan A. “Communication: Why is It Important?”

Journal Speaker Journal, vol. 4, no. 6, 1999, pp. 607-612.

Moner, Alexa S. “Communication for all.” Today’s

Journal,
Online Source vol. 5, no. 8, 2018, p. 600, https://www.medley.
com/reference

2. APA (American Psychological Association) is commonly used for citing sources

within the field of behavioral and social sciences. It follows the author-year
method of in-text citation.

Example of APA style:

References

Book Bumanlag, J. (2019). The Purposive Communication.

Manila: Rex Book Store.

Ismael, A. (1999). Communication: Why is it important?

Journal Speaker Journal, 4(6), 607-612.

Moner, S. (2018). Communication for all. Today’s Online

Sources Journal, 5(8), 600. Retrieved September 5, 2020
from https://www.medley.com/reference

Parenthetical citations are sources immediately placed right after the idea
used in the discussion of your paper. It is also known as in-text citation.

Reminders: When MLA style is used, it follows the author-page method of

parenthetical citation and present tense for reportage. However, when APA is used, it
follows the author-year method of parenthetical citation and past tense for reportage.

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 Example: Parenthetical Citation ( MLA)

Another method of obtaining data and information is the use of the

questionnaire. Bumanlag (77) defines questionnaire as a list of prepared questions which
is distributed to the respondents for the purpose of eliciting their views, perceptions,
opinions or attitudes.

Example: Parenthetical Citation (APA)

Another method of obtaining data and information is the use of the questionnaire.
Bumanlag (2019) defined questionnaire as a list of prepared questions which is distributed
to the respondents for the purpose of eliciting their views, perceptions, opinions or
attitudes.

or

Another method of obtaining data and information is the use of the questionnaire.
A questionnaire as a list of prepared questions which is distributed to the respondents for
the purpose of eliciting their views, perceptions, opinions or attitudes (Bumanlag, 2019).

1. Choose your research style based on the scope of your paper.

2. Make an outline of your paper.

3. Submit/send it to your teacher on ____________________.

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 Lesson 9
LITERARY ANALYSIS

Tothol is a Meranaw word which means story. Meranaws are known for their stories
from the world’s longest epic, Darangen. Some of the known Meranaw characters are
Paramata Bantogen, Raja Solaiman, Arkata Lawanen and Paramata Gandingan.
Like other stories, the Meranaw tothol is also reflective of the Meranaw people and
their culture. It is from these stories that others learn and understand the Meranaw culture.
What about you? WhatLiterature is likeShare
is your culture? a mirror. It is reflective
one photo in your of how people
Google Stream from
or
different parts of the world live.
Facebook page that tells a story about your culture. Write the story as a short caption of the
photo.
Literature as defined by scholars is referred to written works with
high aesthetic appeal. Examples of literature are the popular stories like
the “Arabian Nights”, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, the magnificent
stories of the Meranaw Darangen and many more. Through this written literature, different stories
about man and his culture became known to others. Interesting moral lessons, cross cultural
understanding, peace among different cultures and appreciation of the different types of people
are unlocked to literary audience.
A short story is one of the very popular forms of written literature. It can be presented as
fiction and non-fiction. Short stories are written briefly with few characters and it usually moves
in one setting. Short story writers like Edgar Allan Poe, identifies certain elements to complete a
piece. These elements are:
PLOT. This refers to the arrangement of ideas and/or incidents that make up a
story’s plot.

CONFLICT. This deals with the opposition of different forces in the story. It can be an
opposition between the protagonist and other characters in the story.

CHARACTERS. These are spirits of a story. These actors may come in the form of a person
or an animal. Two important characters in the story are the protagonist or
the character, to which the story revolves, and the antagonist or the
character that opposes the protagonist.

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 SETTING. The refers to the time and place in which the story unfolds, which is also
known as the setting of the story.

POINT OF VIEW. This is the relationship of the narrator or storyteller to the story. It is the
theme or the central idea of the story. This is usually stated in a single
statement.

SYMBOL. It refers to an object that represents an idea greater than itself.

Guidelines for Writing a Literary Analysis

A literary analysis is a write up presenting a deeper understanding of a written

literary work. It requires a thorough evaluation of the different elements presented in
the story. For example, the characters of the story are not only criticized based on their
physical description but are also evaluated based on how they think and move in the
story.
HOW TO ANALYZE LITERARY PIECES:
1. Connect the title to the literary piece’s central theme.
2. Check and define the words that are unfamiliar to you. CLUE: use dictionary!
3. Identify all the different elements present in the story and discuss how they are
presented in the literary piece.
4. Prove your interpretation by textual evidence. Find a pattern of examples such as
identifying the paragraph or lines where the details appear in the literature to
support your idea. You may find this pattern in the discussion and presentation
of the literary elements.
5. Write the Literary Analysis using the following parts:
⚫ The introduction brings immediate focus to the subject of the essay. A
quotation, a provocative question, a brief anecdote, a startling statement,
or a combination of these can be used. Also, present the thesis and the
motive of the essay.

⚫ The central idea of a literary analysis is developed in the body of the essay.
This contains an explanation of the ideas and evidence from the text that
supports those ideas.
⚫ The conclusion gives the essay a sense of completeness. Restate the thesis
in different words, summarize the main points and make a relevant
comment about the literary work.

6. Sources that are borrowed should be documented using any documentation style.
Most literary pieces use the MLA style documentation.

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 That’s it FOLKS!
Do an individual research or read and share any folktale of your culture and do a literary
analysis of the characters presented in the story by answering the following questions in essay form.
1. What is the title of story?
2. Who is the protagonist in the story? Describe his/her character.
3. Who is the antagonist in the story? Describe his/her character.
4. What is the conflict between the two characters?
5. What is the theme of the story? How did the characters contribute to the theme of the
story?
6. Is there any character in the story that you like? What are his/her character traits that
you like the most?

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 Lesson 10
POLITICAL ANALYSIS

President Duterte has been the leading man of the country for five years. Within
those years, we have witnessed how he addressed the different problems faced by the
country. Some critics are satisfied and are appreciative of the president’s effort while some
seem to show dissatisfaction and express negative sentiments and frustrations.
As one of the constituents of this country, what is your stand on the President’s
effort in addressing the country’s problem on the rising cases of Covid-19 patients? Are you
satisfied or not? Please list down five arguments or reasons to support your stand?

As you weigh your judgement on the way President Duterte is addressing our
problem regarding the covid-19 crisis in the country, you have unconsciously engaged
yourself in a political analysis. It is an approach made by an individual through a thorough
investigation and examination of the different political issues.
Political science writing is a written expression which covers political science
issues addressing various local and international events and policies. Political science
analysis questions and investigates all spheres of politics from different standpoints. It
uses both

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Guidelines for Writing a Political Analysis

Political analysis is both a descriptive writing and an opinion-based writing. It

requires a rigorous and systematic examination and evaluation of political issues. It either
aims to make a careful argument for a position that reasonably deals with
counterarguments and evidence or it works to test a scientifically derived claim or
hypothesis.
How to Write a Political Analysis:
1. Read and understand a broad knowledge on local and international politics.
2. Research on the different issues related to your issue of interest.
3. Write the analysis using the following parts.
• The introduction expresses your motive and presents the thesis. The
thesis should represent your standpoint. It should be arguable and
falsifiable.
• The body presents evidences from different sources (i.e, newspapers,
opinions from other authors, textual data, etc.)
• The conclusion restates the thesis in different words, summarizes the
main points and makes a relevant comment on the implications of your
argument.
4. Construct sentences that are in formal tone and well-structured.
5. Any secondary sources must be documented. Typically, MLA style
documentation is used.

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 REFERENCES

Calderon, J. & Gonzales, E. (1993). Methods of research and thesis writing. Metro Manila: 24K
Printing Co., Inc.

Creswell, J. (2007). Qualitative inquiry and research design. New York: Meredith Publishing
Company, Inc.

Romero, A. & Romero, R. (2000). Developmental reading. Quezon City: Rex Printing Company,
Inc.

Romulo, M. (2018). Methods of research. Manila: National Book Store.

Research topic. (2020). Retrieved September 22, 2020 from https://owl.purdue.edu.

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