EAPP- SHS

Quarter 2 – Module 4: Determines the objectives and structures of various kinds of reports
Quarter 2 Module 5: Designs, Tests and Revises Survey Questionnaires
Quarter 2 – Module 6: CONDUCTS SURVEYS, EXPERIMENTS OR OBSERVATIONS

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Regional Director: Gilbert T. Sadsad

Assistant Regional Director: Jessie L. Amin
I. INTRODUCTION TO THE LESSON

Congratulations, learner! You are now nearing the last part of the quarter and I am glad you
are doing great!
Previously, you are in a serious process in working and understanding the basic principles of
writing a position paper. By this time, you will be introduced to the next topic with greater focus on
determining the objectives as well as the different structures of various kinds of report. In this
module, you will be walked through the general introduction to writing reports, outlining the different
structures in order for you to be guided on how to produce a clear and well-structured report anchored
on research and analysis of a particular data and of issues.

II. OBJECTIVE
Determines the objectives and structures of various kinds of reports.

III. VOCABULARY LIST

▪ Scholar - ​a specialist in a particular branch of study, especially the humanities; a

distinguished academic.

▪ Essay​ - a short piece of writing on a particular subject.

▪ Hard sciences ​- ​any of the natural or physical sciences, as chemistry, biology, physics, or

astronomy, in which aspects of the universe are investigated by means of hypotheses and
experiments.

GENERAL DIRECTIONS​: Read the instructions for every activity. Write your answers on your
ANSWER SHEETS.

IV. PRE-TEST
Instructions​: On the first column, list the things you already know about various kinds of reports,
their structures and specific application. Then, on the second column, you need to list
down the things you want to know about reports. Lastly, on the third column, list the
things that you have learned (after you have gone through the different learning activities)
about various kinds of reports, their structures and specific application.

What I know about various What I want to know about What I learned about
kinds of reports, their various kinds of reports, various kinds of reports,
structures and specific their structures and their structures and
application specific application specific application

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V. LEARNING CONCEPTS
In this section, you will be understanding the basic principles of writing report in detail,
including what information it contains, how that information is formatted and organized. You may
begin by understanding the meaning of the word, report.

Many scholars have defined ​report as any informational work

made with an intention to relay information or recounting certain events
in a presentable manner. These are often conveyed in writing, speech,
television, or film. Moreover, considering report as an administrative
necessity, hence, most official form of information or work are
completed via report. Note that report is always written in a sequential
manner in order of occurrence.
A key feature of report is that it is formally structured in sections. Hence, the use of
​ nlike an essay
sections makes it easy for the reader to jump straight to the information they need. U
which is written in a single narrative style from start to finish, each section of a report has its own
purpose and will need to be written in an appropriate style to suit – for example, the methods and
results sections are mainly descriptive, whereas the discussion section needs to be analytical.
Reports communicate information which has been compiled as a result of research and
analysis of data and of issues. Please note however that reports can cover a wide range of topics, but
usually focus on transmitting information with a clear purpose, to a specific audience. It this sense,
you can come up with your own definition of report as, “a systematic, articulate, and orderly
presentation of research work in a written form”.
Good reports are documents that are accurate, objective and complete. They should also be
well-written, clearly structured and expressed in a way that holds the reader's attention and meets their
expectations. Remember, that you may be required to write several different types of reports so it
would be better for you to understand them well. So, here are the most common types of reports that
you need to understand, it is well that you get to familiarize the different types of reports so you know
particularly when and how to use them in the near future that your teacher or your college professor
would require you to write one.

[1]TECHNICAL AND BUSINESS disciplines with an applied focus such as Engineering,

Information Technology, Commerce, Accounting and Finance, will set report writing assignments that

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simulate the process of report writing in industry. Assignments are set in the form of a problem or a
case study. The students research the problem, and present the results of the research in a report
format.

Technical writing is form of writing technical communication or

documentation in science and technology or applied science that helps
people understand a product or service. The main purpose of technical
writing is to inform and to trigger the person into action such as purchasing a product or
service. Its purpose may also be to instruct, persuade, but never to entertain. The content is
factual and straightforward. It is expressed in formal, standard or academic language. The
write-up uses a specialized vocabulary and follows a set of rules and conventions. It is also
organized in a sequential or systematic pattern. Often, it is detail-oriented and require advance
knowledge in the specific field. The tone of technical writing output is objective and its
audience is specific uses language to evoke either an emotional or intellectual response from
the audience or reader. Examples of technical writing are end user documentation like user
manuals that accompany cellular phones, personal computers.
[2]FIELD REPORTS are common in disciplines such as Law,
Industrial Relations, Psychology, Nursing, History and Education. These types
of reports require the student to analyse his or her observations of phenomena
or events in the real world in light of theories studied in the course.
The purpose of a field report in the social sciences is to describe the observation of people,
places, and/or events and to analyze that observation data in order to identify and categorize common
themes in relation to the research problem underpinning the study. The content represents the
researcher's interpretation of meaning found in data that has been gathered during one or more
observational events.
Field reports are assigned with the intention of improving your
understanding of key theoretical concepts by applying methods of
careful and structured observation of, and reflection about, people,
places, or phenomena existing in their natural settings. Field reports facilitate the
development of data collection techniques and observation skills and they help you to understand how
theory applies to real world situations. Field reports are also an opportunity to obtain evidence through
methods of observing professional practice that contribute to or challenge existing theories.
We are all observers of people, their interactions, places, and events; however, your
responsibility when writing a field report is to conduct research based on data generated by the act of
designing a specific study, deliberate observation, synthesis of key findings, and interpretation of their
meaning.

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 When writing a field report you need to:
● Systematically observe and accurately record the varying aspects of a situation. Always
approach your field study with a detailed protocol about what you will observe, where you
should conduct your observations, and the method by which you will collect and record your
data.
● Continuously analyze your observations. Always look for the meaning underlying the actions
you observe. Ask yourself: What's going on here? What does this observed activity mean? What
else does this relate to? Note that this is an on-going process of reflection and analysis taking
place for the duration of your field research.
● Keep the report’s aims in mind while you are observing. Recording what you observe should
not be done randomly or haphazardly; you must be focused and pay attention to details. Enter
the observation site [i.e., "field"] with a clear plan about what you are intending to observe and
record in relation to the research problem while, at the same time, being prepared to adapt to
changing circumstances as they may arise.
● Consciously observe, record, and analyze what you hear and see in the context of a theoretical
framework. This is what separates data gatherings from reporting. The theoretical framework
guiding your field research should determine what, when, and how you observe and act as the
foundation from which you interpret your findings in relation to the underlying assumptions
embedded in the theoretical framework.

Techniques to record your observations:

Although there is no limit to the type of data gathering techniques you can use,
these are the most frequently used methods:
Note taking
This is the most common and easiest method of recording your observations. Tips for
taking notes include: organizing some shorthand symbols beforehand so that recording basic or
repeated actions does not impede your ability to observe, using many small paragraphs, which
reflect changes in activities, who is talking, etc., and, leaving space on the page so you can write
down additional thoughts and ideas about what’s being observed, any theoretical insights, and notes
to yourself that are set aside for further investigation.
Photography
With the advent of smart phones, an almost unlimited number of high quality photographs can be
taken of the objects, events, and people observed during a field study. Photographs can help capture
an important moment in time as well as document details about the space where your observation
takes place. Taking a photograph can save you time in documenting the details of a space that would
otherwise require extensive note taking.

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Video & Audio Recordings
Video or audio recording your observations has the positive effect of giving you an
unfiltered record of the observation event. It also facilitates repeated analysis of your
observations. This can be particularly helpful as you gather additional information or insights
during your research.

Illustrations
This does not refer to an artistic endeavor but, rather, refers to the possible need, for example, to
draw a map of the observation setting or illustrating objects in relation to people's behavior.
Please note that techniques of deliberate observation and data gathering are not innate
skills; they are skills that must be learned and practiced in order to achieve
proficiency.
[3]SCIENTIFIC REPORTS are another kind of report.
They are common in all the Sciences and Social Sciences.
These reports use a standard scientific report format
describing methods, results and conclusions to report upon
an empirical investigation. The purpose of a science report is
to
clearly communicate your key message about why your scientific findings are meaningful. In order to
do this, you need to explain why you are testing a hypothesis, what methodology you used, what you
found, and why your findings are meaningful. This requires a clear link between your introduction
and your analysis/discussion.
The scope and style of reports varies widely. It depends on three key factors: the
report's ​intended audience​, the ​report's purpose and the type of
information/subject to be communicated​.

There are a number of different assignments that may require you to write a report. Selecting
a format for the report may be somewhat difficult; however, using the correct format will make the
report structurally sound and help present information in a more relevant way. The type of report
format being used will depend on the content and context of the report. Reports are a common
academic genre in schools and universities. Although the exact nature will vary according to the
discipline you are studying, the general structure is broadly similar for all disciplines.

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 Now, one good example of report that you should know which is commonly used in the field
of hard sciences is referred as ​Research Report​. Here’s why.
Writing report is highly scary to neophytes in the field of research. This
feeling of intimidation in preparing a research report is widespread. Overcoming this
fear entails practice and application of
certain techniques. There are different parts of research reports and it takes time to familiarize oneself
with the requirement of each part. Hence it necessitates frequent exposure to and practice on the
techniques of research report writing. The different parts of the research report include the following:
1.Introductory Phase
2. Review of Literature
3. Research Methodology
4. Body of the Report
5. Conclusion
6. Recommendation
Introductory Phase

Introduction is as important as the main parts of a research report. It contextualizes and sets the
tone and direction of research writing. It is like a road map that guides you in your research journey.
According to Reidman (2001), it answers the following questions:

● What was I was studying?

● What did we know about this topic before we study?
● And, how does this study advance new knowledge or new ways of understanding?

Hence, this section indicates not just the context but the significance of research. Moreover, the
introduction encapsulates background information about the topic as it provides discussion on the
purpose of the study, research problem with hypothesis and research questions and briefly touches on
the methods to be applied in investigating the research problem, and outcomes of the study. It also
covers discussion on how paper is organized.
As suggested by Silverman (2006), research report starts with four elements including: title;
abstract; list of contents, and introduction. Below is a brief description of each element.
Research Title
A research title has to get the attention of the readers. In other words, it must be “catchy.” Being
catchy does not mean sacrificing the main message or idea of your report. Hence, according to
Silverman (2006, 339) choose “a title that catches the reader’s attention while properly informing
them about the main focus on your research.” Siverman (2006, 206) ​is suggesting a “two-part title”
containing a stimulating title applying a present participle signifying action and a subtitle which is
more descriptive.
Example:
Stimulating title​: Have you ever experience being bullied?

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 Descriptive title: A study on the perception of the victims of bullying
in the primary schools
Research Abstract
A research abstract is a vital component of a report as it provides the readers with a snap view
of what you will expect from it. The abstract gives a synopsis of the objectives and results of the
report to be described in detailed from in the body of the report. Silverman (2006) identified what an
abstract should contain:
1. research problem
2. significance and value of the problem
3. data and methods utilized
4. main findings
5. implication in the light of other research

A research abstract has a word limit. The most common word limit is 100. This is a
challenging part of writing a report because it is difficult to write the many things that you want to
impart in just a few words.
List of Contents
A list of contents is a useful component of a report as it guides the readers to find their way
through the different parts of the report. Hence, the consistency of the page numbers with the parts of
the report is vital. Inconsistent page numbering would result to the reader’s confusion.
Introduction
The introduction acquaints the readers with the what, why and how of the report. According
to Murcott (1997, p. 1) as cited in Silverman (2006), answering the questions below would lead you to
the development of the introduction:
1. What is the research all about?
2. Why have you chosen this topic rather than the other topics?
3. Why are you interested in this topic?
4. How will you undertake the research?
5. What kind of research approach will you utilize?
6. What are your research questions or problems?

Review of Literature
The Review of Related Literature (RRL) provides study background and environment. The
intention of the RRL is to locate the study in its area of discipline and reveal its relevance and
significance in the environment. The RRL would indicate if your topic is building on previous
researchers or if it is a new area of inquiry. The RRL should make one realize that a study is worth
pursuing or not.

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 According to Silverman (2006), RRL is not a “litany” of all studies done related to
the topic. It is also not an inventory of the accomplishments of other authors on the same topic nor it
is a map of projects similar to the area of study. Rather, it is an environmental or disciplinal context
that leads one to locate one’s study. Hence, Silverman (2008) recommends the following points:
● Focus only on studies that are vital and relevant in defining your research problem.
● Organize what you say in the form of an argument rather than a simple description of other
studies.

Research Methodology
In research, the research process is as important as the research content. Thus, a
research report must also contain a description of the research strategy. The readers will be interested
in finding how you arrived at a particular study result. Siverman (2008) pointed out that the readers
would be interested to know the following:
1. Research topic
2. Case (s) you have studied
3. Research methods you have chosen to use
4. How you have analyzed the data
This part of the research report is sensitive hence must be dealt with caution. In order for you
to answer questions such as: Is your methodology appropriate for the research problem? How did you
reach that conclusion? Silverman suggested that to be able to answer methodological questions, you
have to be familiar with and knowledgeable about the following:
● Data you have studied
● How you obtained those data
● What claims you are making about the data
● Methods you have used to gather the data
● Why you have chosen this methods
● How you have analyzed your data
Writing Your Data
The most essential part of the report is writing about the data collected through your research.
There are two important areas of consideration in the writing up of the data, namely, data analysis,
and data presentation.
In the data analysis, there is no right or wrong way. Creswell (1994, 153) only requires the
researcher to:

1. “be comfortable with developing categories and making comparisons and contrast”
2. “be open to possibilities and see contrary or alternative explanations for the findings”

To assist the researcher in the data analysis, attention must be given to (a)
sorting information into categories, (b) formatting the information into a story or picture, (c) actual
data analysis and write up.

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Writing the Conclusion
How do you characterize conclusions? Conclusion are inferences, deductions, abstraction,
implications, interpretations, general statements, and/or generalizations based on findings. An
example of which is: “All the teachers were qualified to teach in the high school but the majority of
them were not qualified to teach science. ” (Khemer, 2009).
A good conclusion answers the specific questions identified at the introductory phase of the
research. For example, if the question identified is, “How adequate are the needs and the facilities for
teaching science? And then the findings reveal that the facilities are less than the needs of the
students, the answer and the conclusion should be: The facilities for the teaching of science are
inadequate. (Khreme, 2009).
Writing The Recommendation
The research recommendation is a part of the paper where you make suggestions
about some resolutions as a response to the research problem. It must be consistent part of the
conclusion. It proposes specific solutions connected with the findings and must be supported by
relevant data and specific data from the findings.

Below are some tips from Teljlingen (2011) on how to write recommendations:
● “You should not recommend anything that you have not previously discussed
in the discussion. The rule ‘no new material’ in your conclusion is also
applicable to your ‘Recommendations.’”
● “Recommendations are not the same as conclusions. Consider
recommendations go one step further than conclusions as (s) ‘something’; (b)
‘someone; and (c) ‘needs to do.’’”
● There may be different levels within your set recommendations: for (a)
academic (​i.e., research is needed into…), (b) for policy-makers (​e,g., data
protection act needs to change to accommodate…); for (c) practitioners (​i.e.,
managers in local government need to consider the mental well-being of their
staff); or recommendation for (d) training/education.

Often reports are structured in a way that reflects the information finding process
and the writing up of the findings: that is, summary of the contents, introduction or background,
methods, results, discussion, conclusion and/or recommendations. The inclusion of recommendations
is one reason why reports are a common form of writing in industry, as the informed
recommendations are useful for decision making.

Remember that in writing Laboratory Reports, no student should copy

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 data from anyone who is not his or her lab partner. You may discuss
the experiment with your lab partner and other classmates, but the lab report that
you turn in must be your own work. Lab reports are subject to all the rules governing academic
honesty. Photocopies of any parts of the lab report are not permissible.

VI. PRACTICE TASKS

If you are reading this now, it means that you have advanced yourself from the basics of
writing report. This part of the module focuses on different activities that would help strengthen your
understanding about the topic. Your answers from the activities will be rated based from the below
listed rubrics.
Exemplary
CRITERIA Beginning [1] Developing [2] Accomplished [3] Score
[4]
The table was The table was The table was The table was
incompletely incompletely completely
somewhat filled
filled with data filled with data filled with
with accurate data
Completeness reflecting reflecting accurate data
reflecting the
beginning toward mastery reflecting
mastery level of
level of level of highest level of
performance
performance performance performance
The table was The table was The table was The table was
incompletely incompletely completely
somewhat filled
filled with filled with filled with
with accurate
Knowledge information information accurate
information
reflecting reflecting information
reflecting the
beginning toward mastery reflecting
mastery level of
level of level of performance highest level of
performance performance performance
The table was The table was The table was The table was
completely completely completely filled completely
filled with filled with with accurate filled with
accurate accurate information accurate
information information following correct information
following following grammatical following
Grammar correct correct structure reflecting correct
grammatical grammatical the mastery level of grammatical
structure structure performance structure
reflecting reflecting reflecting
beginning toward mastery highest level of
level of level of performance
performance performance

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 Audience Purpose Subject

Technical Report
Field Report

Scientific Report

VII. POST-TEST
A. TRUE OR FALSE
Instructions: ​Carefully read through the following statement/s. Write the word TRUE if the statement
is correct, otherwise, write FALSE.
__________1. Report is written in a single narrative style from start to finish, each section of a
report has its own purpose and will need to be written in an appropriate style to
suit.
__________2. The purpose of a scientific report is to clearly communicate your key message about
why your scientific findings are meaningful.
__________3. Laboratory reports are assigned with the intention of improving your understanding
of key theoretical concepts by applying methods of careful and structured
observation of and reflection about, people, places, or phenomena existing in their
natural settings.
__________4. ​Technical writing is a form of writing technical communication or documentation in
science and technology or applied science that helps people understand a product
or service.
__________5. ​The main purpose of technical writing is to inform and to trigger the person into
action such as purchasing a product or service. Its purpose may also be instruct
persuade, but never to entertain.
__________6. The research abstract provides study background and environment. The intention of
the research abstract is to locate the study in its area of discipline and reveal its
relevance and significance in the environment.
__________7. A research abstract is a vital component of a report as it provides the readers with a
snap view of what you will expect from it.
__________8. Field reports facilitate the development of data collection techniques and observation
skills and they help you to understand how theory applies to real world
situations.
__________9. Field reports use a standard scientific report format describing methods, results and
conclusions to report upon an empirical investigation.
__________10. Field reports require the student to analyze his or her observations of phenomena or
events in the real world in light of theories studied in the course.

VIII. ASSIGNMENT

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 Below is an example of report lifted from
https://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/lsu/content/2_AssessmentTasks/assess_tuts/reports_LL/report.pdf​.
Go over the link and read through the said report and answer the given questions.

● Based from the different types of report discussed in this module, identify and
briefly explain using your own words as to what particular type of report is the
given example?
● Identify the key factors on the given sample report in terms of
a. intended audience,
b. the report's purpose and;
c. the type of information/subject to be communicated.

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13
 I. Introduction
One of the ways to gather data is through a questionnaire. However, as a researcher, you
must know the right questions that you will use to get the information you need. Designing a
questionnaire is quite challenging but fun. Do not give up if your first attempt needs revision.
Remember, practice makes perfect. Keep pushing!

II. Objective:
Designs, tests and revises survey questionnaires

III. Vocabulary List:

Before you begin, here are some words that you will encounter in the module:

Questionnaire​ – a written document containing questions and other types of items designed
to solicit information appropriate to analysis.

Survey Research​ - the collection of information from a sample of

individuals through their responses to questions or statements

Respondent​ – a person who provides data in a survey research.

GENERAL DIRECTIONS​: Read the instructions for every activity. Write your answers on
your ​ANSWER SHEETS.

IV. Pre-Test
At this point, you are going to check how much you know so far about designing, revising
and testing a questionnaire.

Directions: ​Write ​T​ if the statement is True and ​F​ if it is False.

1. A questionnaire is the same as a survey.

2. When a staff handed you a piece of paper that asks you to choose a smiley to express how
you feel about their service is an example of a survey question.
3. A questionnaire should be anchored on the research problem.
4. In designing a questionnaire, a researcher can always include all the questions that come
into his/her mind.
5. Likert-Scale questionnaire items are best used to measure the feeling or opinion.
6. It is always good to appeal to the emotions of the respondents in creating questions.
7. Arrangement of questions does not matter as long as it will provide the information
needed from the respondents.
8. Always use multiple choice type of questions or close-ended questions to be able to
gather data easily.
9. A questionnaire can be compared to a newly sewn dress that needs to be fitted before
finally giving to a customer.
10. Testing and revising a questionnaire can be ignored as long as the design of the
questionnaire hits the targeted research problem and the required data.

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 V. Learning Concepts

In the previous lessons, you have learned that there are various kinds of reports
depending on the objective of the researcher. In each kind of report, there are instruments used
to gather data. One of the ways to gather data through a survey is by using a survey
questionnaire.

Have you experienced entering a restaurant or a café and you were asked to answer a
series of questions about your experience at that place or their service? There are some places
where all you need is to choose the type of smiley that speaks of how you feel after your
experience at their place. These are examples of simple survey questionnaires.

A ​questionnaire is a structured series of questions designed to collect

primary data from respondents. A well-designed questionnaire motivates
respondents to provide accurate and complete information which is very
helpful in attaining the survey’s objective. (QuickMBA.com, n.d.)

DESIGNING A QUESTIONNAIRE
Here are the suggested steps on how to develop a questionnaire:
(Adapted from QuickMBA.com)

Now that you know how to design the questionnaire, are you ready to form your questions?

QUESTION WORDING BASIC

(Adapted from Filiberto, D. (2013) with some notes from Baxter, L. and Babbie, E. (2003))

1. Write short and simple questions

Respondents are often unwilling to study an item in order to understand it. Assume that
respondents will answer the questionnaire quickly. Therefore, provide clear, short items that
will not be misinterpreted.

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 Example:

Given the current trend of more hits, more home runs, longer games in general, and
more injuries in baseball today, do you think that steroid use should continue to be
banned even though it is not enforced?

*Problem: Long questions can be confusing

Better question:
Steroid use has both positive and negative effects on baseball. Do you think that
steroid use should be banned?"

2. Avoid leading questions,​ wording that influences respondents to consider a subject in a

weighted manner, or injects a preference or opinion.

Example:

Do you hate the president of the Philippines?”

Why is this leading? Because the question itself includes an opinion word.

Who do you think of when you hear COVID -19?

a. China b. Pres. Duterte c. Chinese d. Lockdown
Why is this leading? Because it forces the respondent to answer one of these choices,
even if none of them comes to mind.
What makes our product better than our competitors’ products?

3. Appropriately Open-Ended and Closed-Ended Questions

Use ​open-ended questions​ when responses need to be elaborated by the respondents

for exhaustive and comprehensive data gathering. They’re more suited to exploratory research
that looks to describe a subject based on trends and patterns.

Closed-Ended questions​ are popular because they provide greater uniformity or

responses and are easily processed compared to open-ended questions. However,
closed-ended questions the response categories should be ​exhaustive​ and ​mutually exclusive.​
In other words, all possible options should be provided.

Example:
Why do you play sports?
1. Enjoyment 2. Health 3. Friends 4. Other-----

4. Questions must be non-threatening and attempt to evoke the truth.

Example:

Who do you think consume more cigarettes: you or your friends?

When a respondent is concerned about the consequences of answering a question in a particular

manner, there is a good possibility that the answer will not be truthful.

5. Question Clarity

Avoid ambiguities and vague words (e.g. usual, regular, normal)

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6. Don’t use double-barrelled questions

Ask one question at a time. Avoid asking 2 questions, imposing unwarranted assumptions,
or hidden contingencies. Whenever you use ‘and’ on a question or a statement, check if it is
double-barrelled​.
Example:

Do you find the classes you took during your first semester in SHS more demanding and
interesting than your JHS classes?
Yes No

* How would someone respond if they felt their SHS classes were more demanding but also
more boring than their JHS classes? Or less demanding but more interesting? Because the
question combines “demanding” and “interesting,” there is no way to respond yes to one
criterion but no to the other.

Do you find the classes you took during your first semester in SHS more

What are your usual hours of work?”

Problem: Does respondent have usual hours of work?
Better Question:
What are your usual hours of work, or do you not have usual hours?

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 Remember: ​Each question should have a specific purpose or should not be included in the
questionnaire.

TYPE OF QUESTIONS AND ITS USAGE

1. Open-Ended

Best Used for:

o Breaking the ice in an interview o When respondent’s own words are
important o When the researcher does not know all the possible answers

Example:

What changes do you recommend for the school to do in order to help students perform better?

Example:

Please circle the way you feel about the following:

1 = Disagree 5 = Agree

b. Multiple Choice ​Best

Used for:

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Which of the following best describes your current civil status?

Single
Married
Widowed
Divorced
● When there are finite number of options Example:

So you now have your questions and you know which questions to use, let’s arrange your questions!

ORDERING THE QUESTIONS

(Adapted from Contemporary Communication Research by Smith, M.J., 1988)

1. Adapt a general organizational pattern that complements a survey’s research objectives.

Two general patterns: o Funnel pattern – begins with broad questions followed by
progressively narrower or more specific ones

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 o Inverted pattern – narrowly focused questions are followed by more general ones.

2. Topically related questions should be grouped together.

A researcher should group together questions pertinent to a single topic then move
to another topic. It is easier for the answer questions this way.

3. Easy-to-answer questions should be placed first. ​Easy questions serve as motivation.

4. Questions should be ordered to avoid establishing a response bias.

*Response Bias – a tendency of a respondent to answer all closed-questions the same way
regardless of content.

Example: A respondent check “Somewhat agree” to all criteria.

TESTING AND REVISING THE QUESTIONNAIRE

You need to check if the questionnaire fits the respondents and your target information. No
matter how carefully you design a questionnaire, there is always the POSSIBILITY of error. You are
always certain to make some mistake. The surest protection against such error is to ​PRE-TEST ​the
questionnaire in full or in part. (Baxter, L. & Babbie, E., 2003)
That is the last part of designing your questionnaire before finally administering and
distributing it to your respondents. There are no fixed steps on how to test your questionnaire but
here are some general guidelines that might be helpful. Keep in mind that you are aiming for the
questionnaire to be as effective as it can be.

Some Practical Tips on Testing a Questionnaire: ​(Adapted from tools4dev.org)

1. Find 5 to 10 people from your target group

2. Ask them to complete the survey while thinking out loud.

*take note of their opinions and feedback

20
 ✔ The format of a questionnaire is as important as the wording and ordering. Be sure that
it is spread out and uncluttered.
✔ Physical aspects such as page layout, font type and size, questions spacing, and the type
of paper should be considered. Always check on these.

Congratulations! Your questionnaire is ready to go!

VI. Practice Task 1

Directions: ​Here is an example of a Survey Questionnaire. Analyze the content and answer
the questions that follow. (Taken from Practical Research 2 for Senior High School: Quantitative)

Title: Students Satisfaction on Student Services in a Private Secondary School

Dear Student,

21
 Thank you for being a respondent for this survey. Please help us improve our services by
completing this survey.
1. What is your overall satisfaction rating with our school services?

_______________ To pursue college education

_______________ To be employed after graduation
_______________ To enhance my self-esteem
_______________ To become a useful citizen
_______________To be socially and intellectually mature
Questions:

1. What is the purpose of the survey questionnaire above?

2. What type of questions were used in the questionnaire?
3. In question no 4, is the given options enough? Why or why not?
4. If you were to use a questionnaire with the same given survey topic, would you consider
using this questionnaire? Why or why not?
VII. Practice Task 2
Directions: ​Here are some survey questions from a questionnaire. Examine them closely and
identify whether they are acceptable or not. Write ​A for acceptable. For any non-acceptable
question, revise the question to make it acceptable.

Example: (for non-acceptable)

Question: Was the school facility not unclean?

22
 Revision: How would you rate the cleanliness of the school facility?

4. Colleague
5. Others, please specify ______________________

10. Does Research contribute to your stress/anxiety level?

1 2 3 4
Not at all Absolutely

VIII. Post Test

Directions: ​Make up several (5 to 10) questionnaire items that measures the people’s feelings
regarding the action of the government towards COVID 19 pandemic.
Note: Each question that you make will be scored from 1 to 5 based on the rubric given below.
This means you have a chance to get a maximum of 50 points if all the questions you made get 5
points.

23
 Rubrics for Rating the Questionnaire Items
*each developed question (questionnaire item) will be rated based on the criteria given.

The question is clear and precise, collectively allowing for detailed,

unambiguous and meaningful answers. The question is interpreted in the
4 same way by respondents.

The question sometimes is clear and precise, collectively allowing for

meaningful answers. Questions are interpreted in the same way by
respondents.
3
The question is quite difficult to understand, biased and/or leading words
are present, contains minor grammatical error. Question is
interpreted in different way by respondents
2
The question is difficult to understand not precise and ambiguous. It
1 contains major grammatical error. Question is interpreted in different way
by respondents

Assignment/Additional Activities

Find a questionnaire in a magazine or newspaper or from the internet. Critique at least five
of the questions for their strengths and weaknesses.

24
25
 I. Introduction​:

You have explored the nature and purpose of designing a questionnaire, and now you
are ready to explore methods of data collection. There are varieties of methods of data
collection including observations, experiments, surveys, and others. The most common
methods used are experiments, observations, and surveys. The purpose of this lesson is for
you to explore methods of data collection, how they work in practice, the purpose of each,
when their use is appropriate, and what they can offer to your research. According to Gena
Showalter – “Giving up is the only sure to fail.” So let’s keep fighting.

II. Objective​:

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

● Conduct surveys, experiments, or observations

III. Vocabulary List​:

Let’s enrich your vocabulary with these terms that you will encounter throughout this
lesson.

Survey – measure characteristics of interest about a population using selected sample without
making connections between the data.

Observation – researchers determine whether an existing condition called a factor is related

to a characteristic of interest

Data​ – information gathered from the respondents/participants

Experiment – researchers create a condition by applying a treatment and seeing if it has any
effect on characteristics of interest.

Population – a group of individuals, institutions, objects and so forth with common

characteristics that are the interest of a researcher.

Biased Questions​ – the wording may lead the respondent to think a certain way.

Control Group – is the group that does not get the treatment or is not given special
instructions to follow.

Treatment Group – is the group that gets the treatment or is given special instructions to
follow.
Skewed Data ​- it is when a curve appears distorted in a statistical distribution.

GENERAL DIRECTIONS​: Read the instructions for every activity. Write your answers on your
ANSWER SHEETS.

IV. Pre-Test​:

​Multiple Choice : Write the letter of your choice.

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 1. Which of the following is a true observation?
a. It takes less time than interviews
b. It is often not possible to determine exactly why people behave as they do
c. Covert observation raises fewer ethical concerns than overt.
d. All of the above.
2. When conducting an interview, asking questions such as: “What else? Or ‘Could you
expand on that?’ are all forms of:
a. Structured responses
b. Category questions
c. Protocols
d. Probes
3. Interviewing is the favored approach EXCEPT when:
a. There is a need for highly personalized data
b. It is important to ask supplementary questions
c. High numbers of respondents are needed
d. Respondents have difficulty with written language
4. What type of survey question encourages an answer phrased in the respondent’s own
words?
a. Scan-Ended
b. Close-Ended
c. Talk-Ended
d. Open-Ended
5. Interview questions should:
a. Lead the respondent
b. Probe sensitive issues
c. Be delivered in a neutral tone
d. Test the respondents’ power of memory

V. Learning Concepts​:

Today, you are going to learn the three different ways on how to conduct surveys,
experiments, or observations.

The ​first method you have is a ​SURVEY​. In doing a survey, the researcher must understand
the right mode of inquiry for establishing an inference whether in a large group of people or from a
small number of people in a group. The very aim of conducting a survey is to present and explain the
actual experiences of a certain population.

Conducting survey is done in three (3) steps: 1) by email; 2) telephone; 3) personal interview.
The method of data collection can be from observation to content analysis and this can be used in the
survey.

The challenges limitations of a survey are seen according to the following criteria: 1)
appropriateness of the method; 2) accuracy of what to observe; 3) generalizability of findings; 4)
administrative constrains; 5) ethical and political difficulties.

An example of a survey is the open-ended questions. This is placed in a box form and will
permit your respondents to provide a unique answer. This kind of approach is able to provide the
respondents the freedom to say what they feel about a topic, which provided you with an exploratory
data that may unleash important issues, opportunities, issues, or quotes. ​(Buensuceso, Dacanay,
Manalo, and San Gabriel, 2016, p101)

27
 Let’s consider this example:
You want to know what proportion of your English class likes rock music. You have three
different ways to conduct a study and you need to look at the key features of each different method,
the pros and cons and decide which method is best.

You already know that a survey means that you are going to select people. And in this case
those people would be in the English class because that is your population and then you will ask them
questions or multiple questions depending on what you‘re looking for. In this example, you would
randomly select people and you could ask, for example “Do you like rock music?”

So the positive side of this method is that it’s very time efficient. It’s very quick to just
come up with a question, ask someone a question and get their answer then record it. This is also nice
because you get the right to the point in your question, you’re designing the question to get the exact
information you’re looking for so it focuses on the desired response.

The negative side of the survey is it’s very likely you could get biased responses and
remember biased responses caused us to get skewed data and the reason you could get a biased
response is because when you ask someone a question the wording is very important. The wording of
the question or the way someone interprets your question can cause you to have biased responses. So
you have to careful with how you will ask and formulate your question/s.

So for example, if you ask someone, “Do you like rock music?” You might be biased
towards saying YES or NO depending on how they feel about rock music; whereas, maybe if you had
them rank different kinds of music and gave them different options that would give you a better idea
on how they really feel about this type of music.

So you have to be careful when conducting a survey. Make sure the wording of your
question is not going to cause someone to answer in a different way.

The ​second method you have is ​OBSERVATION​. According to ​Buensuceso, Dacanay,

Manalo, and San Gabriel (2016)​, Observation may take place in natural settings and involve the
researcher taking lengthy and descriptive notes of what is happening.

It is argued that there are limits to the situations that can be observed in their ‘natural’ settings
and that the presence of the researcher may lead to problems with validity.

Limitations with observation include:

a. Change in people’s behavior when they know they are being observed.
b. A ‘snap shot’ view of a whole situation
c. Think Big Brother…
d. The researcher may miss something while they are watching and taking notes
e. The researcher may make judgments, make value statements or misunderstand what has been
observed

Strength of observation

a. Can offer a flavor for what is happening

b. Can give an insight into the bigger picture
c. Can demonstrate sub-groups
d. Can be used to assist in the design of the rest of the research
e. Sometimes, the researcher becomes or needs to become a participant observer, where he/she
is taking part in the situation in order to be accepted and further understand the workings of
the social phenomenon

28
 Observation can sometimes obtain more reliable information about certain things – for
example, how people actually behave. It can also serve as a technique for verifying or nullifying
information provided in face to face encounters. People or environment can be observed. When
environment is researched, it can provide valuable background information that may inform other
aspects of the research.

Techniques for collecting data through observation:

Written descriptions

- The researcher makes written descriptions of the people, situations or environment

- Limitations include
● Researcher might miss out on an observation as they are taking notes
● The researcher may be focused on a particular event or situation
● There is room for subjective interpretation of what is happening

Video recording

- Allows the researcher to also record notes

- Limitations may include
● People acting unnaturally towards the camera or others avoiding the camera
● The camera may not always see everything

Photographs and artifacts

- Useful when there is a need to collect observable information or phenomena such as

buildings, neighborhoods, dress, and appearance
- Artifacts include objects of significance – memorabilia, instruments, tools and others.

Documentation

Any and all kinds of documentation may be used to provide information – a local paper,
information on a notice board, administrative policies and procedures.

As you can see, observation tells you that you are probably going to observe people.

Let’s consider again the same example given.

You want to know what proportion of your English class likes rock music.
In this method, you would randomly select people and you would just observe their behavior
and it depends on what your study is about. In this scenario, you want to know people who like rock
music. So for example, you could play rock music for everybody in the class and you could just
observe how they react to the music and if they have a response or if they are dancing or singing and
that would be a way to have an observational study.

The positive side of this is that, in this situation you can acquire more details and it’s different
from just saying “Do you like rock music?” and getting a Yes or No answer. If you’re observing how
someone responds to you playing rock music you’re going to get more data, you’re going to record
specifically how they react.

The negative side of this method is that it is time-consuming and it can be difficult to observe
somebody for a longer period of time. So with rock music, it is not that hard to just play rock music
and see how someone reacts but depending on what your study is all about, you might need to be
spending more time observing them to get the information you need.

29
 So, this method takes more time and it is not also perfect because you don’t have a control
group. Those are the group of people that you are giving different kind of music and seeing how they
respond to that.

The ​third method is ​EXPERIMENT​. According to ​Murdock (2020)​, in this method, you
will randomly select people and you need to split them into groups and they will now your control
group. So for example, if you were doing an experiment about medication, and you wanted to see if a
medication was helping somebody. You would have your participants in two different groups and you
would get different treatments. One group would get the medication you’re interested in finding out if
it works and then the other group would maybe get a different medication that they are going to take
but they don’t know that it actually doesn’t do anything. So that would tell us if there’s any bias in the
experiment towards somebody thinking they’d feel better just because they’re taking medication. So
that’s one example of how a control group would work.

Let’s consider again the same example given.

You want to know what proportion of your English class likes rock music.

In this situation with rock music, your control group could be having a group that listen to a
different genre of music so that way you would be observing one group listening to rock and one
group listening to something else and you could actually compare. It would show you if people are
responding a certain way just because you are giving them a certain treatment versus how do they
actually feel about rock music.

So the positive side of this is that the control group reduces bias whereas in the survey
and observational study, you didn’t have a control group. It also allows you to determine if there’s a
cause and an effect happening. So it will really just give you a much deeper understanding of how
people are behaving based on your treatment to them, especially to the example medication, you can
really determine if the medication is helping people or not.

The negative side of this method is, it is time consuming because you’re going have two
different groups. It is a little bit harder to keep track of who’s in which group, how are you treating
each group, and also this method always have to be concerned with ethics meaning you are not going
to persuade them to behave in certain way or treating them in a way that is not okay.

In this situation, you can do any of these methods but you have to be aware of the ways you
can get bias especially in a survey, you can get a lot of bias responses and an observational study if
you don’t have a control group. So, an experiment is the best way to get a least amount of bias.

VI. Practice Task 1(Answers may vary)

Directions: Prepare a ​sample interview questions using the format stated below. Sample title is
provided for you. ​You may opt to provide another title of your own. ​Construct five (5) questions.

Your output will be rated based on a rubric.

RUBRIC

CRITERIA
RATE Relevance to Clarity and
Originality
Theme/Topic Preciseness
90-100
80-90
70-80
60-70

30
 INTERVIEW GUIDE

Name: ___________________ (optional) Date: _________________________

Residence: _______________________

A Home away from Home: Success Stories of College Students in Barangay Manambrag
(​change the name of place​)

Question # 1
●
Question # 2
●
Question # 3
●

Practice Task 2 (Answers may vary)

Directions​: Note some ​observations done about a research focusing on superstitions and
beliefs involving wedding.

Observation Guide

When 2 become 1: Wedding Beliefs, Rituals and Superstitions in Barangay Agojo

(​change the name of place​)

Wedding Beliefs, Rituals Wedding Beliefs, Rituals Wedding Beliefs, Rituals

and Superstitions and Superstitions and Superstitions
(Before) (During) (After)

VII. Post Test​ ​(Answers may vary)

Directions​: Make a similar survey form to be used in the field. Use it in the sample research
topic provided for you as your guide.
Your output will be rated based on a rubric.

31
 The Grouper Fishers of Barangay Bislig
(Research Topic)

Survey Questionnaire:

● How many grouper fishers are actively involved in fishing?

● How much is the average income of every grouper fisher for the month?
● What are the expenses incurred by every grouper fisher?
● What are some other improvements in the lives of grouper fishers?

RUBRIC

CRITERIA
RATE Relevance to Clarity and
Originality
Theme/Topic Preciseness
90-100
80-90
70-80
60-70

VIII. Assignments/Additional Activities

Directions: Prepare a qualitative research tool to be used in a particular research topic.

Research Title: ​“Mea Culpa: Story of Trial and Forgiveness of a Drug Surrenderee”

32
 References

Mendoza, D. et al (2016). Applied Research: An Introduction to Qualitative Research

Methods and Report Writing. PHOENIX PUBLISHING HOUSE.
Prieto, N. et al (2017). Practical Research 2 for Senior High School. Quezon City: LORIMAR
PUBLISHING, Inc.
Biglete, Amelia. “Lecture on Models of Research”. Lecture, De La Salle University
Manila, 2016.

Creswell, J.W. (2009). ​Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approach,

chapter 9, qualitative procedures

Olson, Karin, Michael Coughlan, and Frances Ryan, ed. ​Handbook of Qualitative
Health Research for Evidence-Based Practice.​ New York: Springer, 2016.

Wolcott, H.F. (2001) ​Writing Up Qualitative Research,​ Newbury Park, CA: Sage

Murdock, Emily, (May 23, 2020). Surveys, Experiments, and Observational Studies.
Retrieved from ​www.youtube.com

Baxter, L and Babbie, E. (2003).The Basics of Communication Research. Boston, MA:

Wadsworth Cengage Learning
Bullen, P. (n.d.). How To Pretest And Pilot A Survey Questionnaire.
http://www.tools4dev.org/resources/how-to-pretest-and-pilot-a-survey-questionnaire/
Filiberto, D. (2013). Survey Question and Questionnaire Design Slideshare 022113 Dmf.
https://www.slideshare.net/DavidFiliberto/survey-question-and-questionnaire-design​slideshar
e-022113-dmf
https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/k-w-l-charts
https://opentextbc.ca/researchmethods/chapter/writing-a-research-report-in-american-psychol
ogical-association-apa-style/#:~:text=An%20APA%2Dstyle%20empirical%20research%20re
port%20consists%20of%20several%20standard,results%2C%20discussion%2C%20and%20r
eferences.
https://www.eapfoundation.com/writing/reports/structure/
http://www.gronet.org/reports/Structure-of-Reports-Learnhigher.pdf
https://www.eapfoundation.com/writing/reports/structure/
https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/fieldreport
https://www.anu.edu.au/students/academic-skills/writing-assessment/report-writing/science-re
ports
https://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/lsu/content/2_AssessmentTasks/assess_tuts/reports_LL/repor
t.pdf
https://www.google.com/search?q=report&rlz=1C1CHBD_enPH875PH875&source=lnms&t
bm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiwneKLwNLqAhWywosBHVuRA7YQ_AUoAXoECBIQA
w#imgrc=sgR6Nb_YenwMlM
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.innovatia.net%2Fblog%2Fth
e-future-of-technical-writing-from-books-to-topic-based-authoring%2F&psig=AOvVaw2pV
URiFrkSV1Cb-msIhngG&ust=1595014985923000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjR
xqFwoTCODe1Ja60uoCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAJ
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oneworldoneocean.com%2Fv
ideo-media&psig=AOvVaw3c_KCAeFWIUVMHIEvFovn4&ust=1595016440674000&sourc
e=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCIC4m4PA0uoCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD
https://syudy.sagepub.com/grayresearchbusiness2/student-resources/mul
tiple-choice-quizzes
Answer Key for Module 4
Practice Tasks 1-3

33
 For practice tasks 1-3, the below listed rubrics will be used to assess the students’ responses.
Exemplary
CRITERIA Beginning [1] Developing [2] Accomplished [3]
[4] Score
The table was The table was The table was
The table was
incompletely incompletely completely filled
somewhat filled with
Completeness filled with data filled with data with accurate
accurate data reflecting
reflecting reflecting toward data reflecting
the mastery level of
beginning level mastery level of highest level of
performance
of performance performance performance
The table was The table was The table was
incompletely incompletely The table was completely filled
filled with filled with somewhat filled with with accurate
Knowledge information information accurate information information
reflecting reflecting toward reflecting the mastery reflecting highest
beginning level mastery level of level of performance level of
of performance performance performance
The table was The table was The table was The table was
completely filled completely filled completely filled with completely filled
with accurate with accurate accurate information with accurate
information information following correct information
following following correct grammatical structure following correct
Grammar correct grammatical reflecting the mastery grammatical
grammatical structure level of performance structure
structure reflecting toward reflecting highest
reflecting mastery level of level of
beginning level performance performance
of performance

Post-Test
Key to Correction
1. FALSE/ Essay
2. TRUE/ Scientific Report
3. FALSE/ Field Report
4. TRUE/ Technical Writing
5. TRUE/
6. FALSE/ Review of Related Literature [RRL]
7. TRUE/
8. TRUE/ Field Report
9. FALSE/ Scientific Report
10. TRUE/ Field Reports

Answer Key for Module 5

Pre-Test
1. F 6. F
2. T 7. F
3. T 8. F
4. F 9. T
5. T 10. F
Practice Task 1:

1. To determine the students’ satisfaction on students’ services in a private secondary school

34
 2. Likert-Scale, Rating Scale, Open-Ended question
3. There should be an option for ‘others, please specify’ so that the respondent can provide an answer
that is not included in the options to be ranked.
4. Yes, because the questionnaire items include the students’ services that students/respondents need to
give their opinion about.

Practice Task 2:

1. Leading question.
Revision: How would you rate this product?
2. There is an assumption the respondent enjoys drinking milk tea. Revision: How would you
rate the taste of the milk tea?
3. This is a double-barreled question. Preparedness and rescue mission should be rated
separately.
Revision: How would you rate the preparedness of the rescue team? How would you
rate the conduct of the rescue mission?
4. There is an overlap in the options given. An iPad is also a tablet. Revision: *Remove
iPad from the options
5. Unbalanced options
Revision: How satisfied are you with our service today?
a. Very Satisfied b. Satisfied c. Neutral d. Dissatisfied e. Very
Dissatisfied
6. Acceptable 7. Acceptable 8. Acceptable 9. Acceptable
10. Acceptable

Post Test: (Answers vary)

Answer Key for Module 6

35
Pre-Test:
1. D
2. D
3. D
4. D
5. A
*For the rest of the activities, the answers vary.

36