Main Parts of the Research Paper (Basic Research)

I. Chapter 1: The Problem and Its Background

 Introduction
In the introduction, you are attempting to inform the reader about the rationale behind the work
and to justify why your work is essential in the field. It works on the principle of introducing the topic of
the paper and setting it in a broader context, gradually narrowing the topic down to a research problem,
thesis, and hypothesis. A good introduction explains how you mean to solve the research problem, and
creates ‘leads’ to make the reader want to delve further into your work.

 Theoretical Framework/Conceptual Paradigm

A conceptual paradigm is a diagram that visually represents and interprets the underlying principles and
concepts of research. It is a visual representation of variables that interrelate with one another as
perceived by the researcher before an actual empirical investigation is done to prove relationships.

Theories are formulated to explain, predict, and understand phenomena and, in many cases, to challenge
and extend existing knowledge within the limits of critical bounding assumptions. The theoretical
framework is the structure that can hold or support a theory of a research study. The theoretical
framework introduces and describes the theory that explains why the research problem under study exists.

 Statement of the Problem

A statement of the problem is used in research work as a claim that outlines the problem
addressed by a study. The statement of the problem briefly addresses the question: What is the problem
that the research will address?

 Scope and Delimitations

The Scope of study in the thesis or research paper contains the explanation of what information or
subject is being analyzed. It is followed by an explanation of the limitation of the research. Research is
usually limited in scope by sample size, time, and geographic area. While the delimitation of study is the
description of the scope of the study, It will explain why definite aspects of a subject were chosen and
why others were excluded. It also mentions the research method used as well as the certain theories that
applied to the data.
e.g The researchers limited their study to the literary comprehension of the fourth-year pilot
students of Camp Vicente Lim National High School in reading literary fiction during the academic year
2012-2013. It focused on literary comprehension, particularly on the student’s knowledge of the basic
elements of a literary text which includes the characters, settings, plot, theme, and point of view. In
relation to this, the study also sought the students’ level of interpretation and the problems encountered in
interpreting literary texts. The study was also limited to the relationship of the students’ literary
comprehension to the problems encountered in analyzing literary texts.

 Significance of the Study

This section, often referred to as the "rationale" is crucial, because it is one place in which the
researcher tries to convince an audience that the research is worth doing. It should establish why the
audience should want to read on. It could also persuade someone of why he or she would want to
support, or fund, a research project. One way to do this is by describing how the results may be used.

 Definition of Terms
This glossary is intended to assist you in understanding commonly used terms and concepts when
reading, interpreting, and evaluating scholarly research. Also included are general words and phrases
defined within the context of how they apply to research within the context of the study.

II. Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature and Studies

 Related Literature
"In writing the literature review, the purpose is to convey to the reader what knowledge and ideas
have been established on a topic, and what their strengths and weaknesses are. The literature review must
be defined by a guiding concept (e.g. your research objective, the problem or issue you are discussing, or
your argumentative thesis). It is not just a descriptive list of the material available, or a set of summaries".

 Related Studies
A literature review is an evaluative report of information found in the literature/studies related to
your selected area of study. The review should describe, summarize, evaluate and clarify this literature. It
should give a theoretical base for the research and help you (the author) determine the nature of your
research. A literature review is more than the search for information, and goes beyond being a descriptive
annotated bibliography. All works included in the review must be read, evaluated and analyzed.
Relationships between the literature must also be identified and articulated, in relation to your field of
research or chose topic.

 Synthesis
A synthesis is a written discussion that draws on one or more sources. It follows that your ability
to write syntheses depends on your ability to infer relationships among sources - essays, articles, fiction,
and also non-written sources, such as lectures, interviews, observations. This process is nothing new for
you, since you infer relationships all the time - say, between something you've read in the newspaper and
something you've seen for yourself, or between the teaching styles of your favorite and least favorite
instructors. In fact, if you've written research papers, you've already written syntheses. In an academic
synthesis, you make explicit the relationships that you have inferred among separate sources.

III. Chapter 3: Methodology

 Research Method
A particular way of studying something in order to discover new information about it or understand it
better

 IV-DV/RESEARCH DESIGN
Graphic representation of the entire process that the researchers will follow
Independent variable – dependent variable. It examines relationships between variables. It is therefore
crucial to determine the factors that lead to effective as well as ineffective team processes and to better
specify how, why, and when they contribute.

 Research Locale
It is the setting or the place where the research study is conducted.

 Population and Sampling

It refers to the total population and on how the respondents are chosen.

 Participants of the Study

It is also called a human subject or an experiment, trial, or study participant or subject, is a person
who participates in human subject research by being the target of observation by researchers.

 Data gathering Procedure

It is the process of gathering and measuring information on variables of interest, in an established
systematic fashion that enables one to answer stated research questions, test hypotheses, and evaluate
outcomes.

 Instrumentation (for quantitative study only)

It is the generic term that researchers use for a measurement device (survey, test, questionnaire,
etc.). To help distinguish between instrument and instrumentation, consider that the instrument is the
device and instrumentation is the course of action (the process of developing, testing, and using the
device).
  Validation of Instrument
It is a process of confirming that an existing programme of study or a newly designed one can
continue or commence operation.

 Ethical Consideration
It refers to the description on how the process of the study is done.

 Statistical Treatment of Data

It refers to the statistical treatment that will be used in the research. The researchers will just
simply tell and give a short explanation about it.

IV. Chapter 4: Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data

This chapter comprises the presentation, analysis and interpretation of data wherein the tabulated
data gathered is systematically and logically organized either in paragraph, graph or in chart form. After
each data presentation, an interpretation is immediately written to further explain the reason/s behind it.

V. Chapter 5: Summary, and Conclusion

This portion summarizes the result of data analysis from Chapter 4. The best thing is to review the stated
problem and tie up with the result of your data analysis. It focuses on the answers to the problem
(including the outcome of the hypotheses whether it is rejected or accepted if there is any).

 Summary
A summary is the capsulation of all the findings that the researchers gathered and discovered.

 Conclusion
A conclusion is drawn from the summary of findings. The main goal is geared toward improvement or
development.

 Recommendation
Recommendations should directly respond to key findings arrived at through data collection and
analysis. A process of prioritization is essential to narrowing down findings, and once this is done,
recommendations should be developed that align with the most important findings.

Other Important Part/s: References

This includes all materials used and reviewed by the researcher, such as books, magazines,
periodicals, journals, thesis or dissertation (published or unpublished). Monographs, speeches and
modules, web page or internet, etc.
Note: Follow the APA Style format 6th edition in citing your sources.