PRACTICAL RESEARCH REVIEWER

Identifying a Research Topic

Research Process:

Sources of Topics for Research

(Ary, Jacobs, Sorensen & Walker, 2014; Mcmillan & Schumacher, 2010)

• EXPERIENCES
• THEORIES
• LITERATURE
• CONTRADICTORY FINDINGS

Researcher’s observations, interests, and experiences

• own experiences can be a fertile source of research topic

• topic that a researcher is interested in problems arising from daily life situations
 • ideas that have social significance

Examples
• improving math computation skills
• reading difficulties
• students’ academic performance (study habits & unlimited surfing provided by
telecom companies)
• convert waste materials into something useful
• effect of garbage segregation to the beautification of schools or health condition
of the student.
Deductions from theories

• interactive relationship between theory and research

• purposes of research are for theory testing and generation
• theory dictates what data is to be collected
• research findings provide challenge to accepted theory

Examples
• Uses and Gratification Theory by Elihu Katz and colleagues (1970) to discuss how
people use different media to satisfy their specific wants and needs (Guadayo et
al., 2022)
• Social Presence Theory by Williams and Christie Short (1976) to understand how
people interact in online learning environments (Acedillo et al, 2022)
Related Literature

• empirical research can be good sources of research problems

• Replication confirms the findings of earlier studies, extend the validity of
research findings to a different locus or participants using different methods,
determine trends or changes over time and develop more effective or efficient
interventions (Mcmillan & Schumacher, 2010)
Clarification of contradictory findings

• conflicting results across previous research through the tabular reconnaissance

during RRL
• new studies can be designed to resolve the discrepancies in order to explain the
reasons behind these contradictions (Mcmillan & Schumacher, 2010)

Examples
• Some studies found that admission tests positively predict students’ academic
performance, while other studies found that admission tests do not actually
predict students’ academic performance.
• A study on the results of a certain fertilizer on a plant may improve its growth,
while another study may indicate no effect or even negative effect on the plant.

Guidelines in the Selection of a Research Topic

Acceptability- how researchers view the topic in relation to the field of study

Applicability- usefulness of research output to a wider group of people and has

implications to theory, research and practice

Similarities and differences in the findings of the previous research may be compared,
so as to identify conflicting findings and unexplored areas in research (de Guzman, 2015).

Characteristics of Research

Specific • goal, variables, and locale

Measurable • quantifiable data and results
Attainable • reasonable and realistic
Relevant • appropriate to the current time, period of circumstances
Time bound • within specific period of time

Research Problem

• Area of concern about relations among variables or characteristics of the

phenomenon which a researcher needs to undertake (Birion et al., 2005 as cited in
Faltado et al., 2016)
 Research Title Students’ Motivation in Distance Learning
Topic Distance learning
Problem Lack of students in distance classes
Purpose To study why students do not attend distance education classes at
Statement a community college
Research Does the use of interactive web pages help to increase students’
Question interest in distance education?
Hypothesis The use of interactive web pages will increase students’ interest in
distance education

How to Write Research Title

Guidelines in Writing a Research Title (Faltado et al., 2016)

1. The title must contain the following elements:

a. the research problem;

b. the setting or locale of the study;

c. the respondents or participants involved;

d. the time or period when the study was conducted (maybe omitted except in evaluation
studies)

2. Must be brief and concise as possible.

3. If the title contains more than one line, it should be written in an inverted pyramid.
4. If possible, the title should not be longer than 15 substantive words depending on
the kind of study.

5. To shorten the title, omit the terms “assessment” or “evaluation” , “study of” , “an
investigation of” if these are already emphasized in the text.

EXAMPLES
A Quasi-Experimental Study on the Learning Satisfaction of Grade 12 Liceo del Verbo
Divino Students based on their Learning Modality
Online or Modular? A Comparative Analysis of Grade 12 Students’ Learning Satisfaction
between Online and Modular Modalities in Liceo del Divino
Education in the New Normal: Learning Satisfaction of Grade 12 Students of Liceo del
Verbo Divino

Concept Paper

• putting thoughts and ideas into paper for consideration for research
• thought – mental process keeps on going in the mind unabated
• idea – plan or process that occurs in the mind to complete a work

Functions of Concept Paper

• “prelude” to the research

• explains the problem, aims, and importance of the research study
• includes manner of implementation or how the study will be carried out

Parts of a Concept Paper

• Title
• Background of the Study
• Statement of the Problem
• Preliminary Literature Review
• Methodology
• Timeline
• References
 Working Title

• summarizes what the paper is about

• should be as brief as possible

Background of the Study

• state understanding of the research topic under study

• indicate some research has been carried out on the area of interest, however,
there still exist a gap that needs to fill
• summarize conclusive evidence and relevance to the study area

Background of the Study

THESIS STATEMENT

CLAIM/CONVICTION express what the writer wants to prove

ISSUE highlight what the writer wants to address/tackle
POSITION state what should be done about the issue
OBJECTIVE reflect what the writer want to accomplish
 Statement of Problem

• Problem – area of concern

• Objective – purpose of conducting the study “who dies if the concept is not
implemented?”
• Research Questions – specific inquiry which the research seeks to provide a
response to

Preliminary Literature Review

• search and evaluation of the available literature in chosen topic area

• cite related studies and theories and their respective authors properly
 Methodology

• how of the concept paper

• define the intention of the design of research to be conducted, target
population, and type of data to be collected

Timeline

• indicate the allocation of time for undertaking the research