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Week 5 - Chapter 1
Week 5 - Chapter 1
Week 5 - Chapter 1
3. Some aspects which can help you write the purpose statement:
- Utilize cues or key words such as “purpose,” “intent” or “objective”
to direct the attention of your reader to the purpose statement.
Write the statement as a separate paragraph to highlight it. In
addition, take note of the verb you are using. If you are at a
proposal writing stage, use the present tense or the future tense.
However, after conducting your research, you then have to
change the verb to past tense.
- Try to focus on a single idea or concept. Capture what you to look
into in your research in a sentence.
- Use action words.
- Briefly mention the qualitative/quantitative approach which you
intend to use in the study.
- State the participants of the study.
- Describe concisely the scope of your study.
Statement of the Problem
• Once you have identified your research problem, you need to
write it down and communicate it. This is called the statement of
the problem. The statement of the problem is also known as the
research puzzle or the problematique. It is a formal articulation
of the specific topic which you intend to address through
research. In writing this section, you need to problematize your
topic and explicitly identify the specific situation, problem, or
issue.
• The statement of the problem is usually found in the introduction
chapter of a research paper or article. This is an initial
discussion of the particular situation, problem, or issue that will
be studied. At this stage, the appropriate method of research
may or may not yet be apparent.
Research Question
• After stating the research problem, the next step is formulating your research
question. Unlike the general nature of a research topic, the research question is
a specific inquiry . A food research question gives your reader a good idea of
what your research is about. A well-articulated research question provides clear
direction, while a poorly constructed one lacks direction and confuses you and
the reader.
• Your research question is the core of your study. First, research questions guide
the literature search. They help in narrowing down the scope and focus of the
literature review. Second, research questions guide you on what research
design to us,( e.g., qualitative vs. quantitative). Third, research questions guides
the researcher about what data to collect and from whom. Fourth, research
questions are important in analyzing and presenting the data. Fifth, research
questions limit the scope of the study and prevent the research from going off in
different directions. And lastly, research questions provide a clear sense of what
the research is about and what it wishes to achieve.
Common Types of Research Questions in Quantitative
Research
There are at least three types of questions in
quantitative research, each serving a particular
purpose and characteristics. These are:
(a) descriptive research questions
(b) comparative research questions
(c) relational research questions.
A. Descriptive research questions seek to objectively describe particular
characteristics or attributes of a person , groups, institution or
phenomenon.
B. Comparative research questions compare two or more characteristics
or attributes of two or more persons, groups, institutions, or
phenomenon. This may involve comparing the similarities or differences
between variables, or determining which has a greater or lesser value.
C. Relational research questions seek to understand the relationship
between two or more aspects or characteristics of one or more persons,
groups institution, or phenomenon. In quantitative research, these
aspects must be measurable or quantifiable and are often expressed as
variables. The relationship being investigated can be simple
association, interaction, or causation.
See the process summary in figure 2.2
Identify a broad topic area that you are
interested in studying
(1) The central question is a general question which deals with the key
phenomenon or issue being studied. In qualitative research, oftentimes, the
researcher wishes to understand the phenomenon in its entirely, including its
complexities, and intricacies. You wish to paint a complete picture of the
phenomenon . Try to develop the central question that deals with these
broader issues, perspectives, or meanings, in order to open up your
investigation. Limit this to just one or two.
(2) The sub questions, on the other hand, might be several. They are related to
the central question and would your main question into manageable parts.
Sometimes these can be asked to research participants themselves.
Guide in Developing Research Question
These basic questions can be broken down to several specific inquiries such as:
What are the implications of conducting this research?
How does the study connect to other knowledge?
Why is the study important to our understanding of the world?
What are the uses of my findings to existing literature, my audience and
the public?
5. In writing the section for the significance of the study, Creswell (2014) suggests
ways how to effectively convey the importance of the study foe select audiences.
First, enumerate three or four reasons why your particular study adds to the
scholarly literature in your field. Second, provide three to four reasons about how
your study will help improve practice. Lastly, another three to four reasons detailing
why it will improve your field.
Scope
▫ The scope is where you clearly set what your study covers,
its time period, location, subjects, context, and its specific
objectives, without any pretense that your study covers
anything beyond what is indicted. It answers the phrase,”
The coverage of this study is…”or” This study addresses..”
and other similar phrases.
Limitations
▫ Despite our best efforts, research outputs often have a set
of limitations. This could be due to methodological
challenges, a lack of available literature (for especially novel
studies), and others. In the limitations section of your paper,
your clearly sate the limitations your encountered during
your research process and how much you think these
aspects detract from your research paper and your overall
purpose. Think of the limitations as a humble
acknowledgment of your current capabilities, rather than
have your adviser, clients, and fellow researchers criticize
you for not acknowledging critical gaps.
▫ While writing the limitations of your study, be aware of the following factors:
→ Research design- By far, this is the most common limitation of many quantitative
studies. These can range from the limitations of your key terms, definitions, sample
group, your methodology, and your research design. Some of the strengths and
weaknesses of quantitative research are enumerated in chapter 1, while other
methodological limitations are discussed in the subsequent chapters. Keep these in
mind when formulating you study.
→ Ontological position- As much as we try to achieve objectivity in the field of
quantitative study, it is possible that you are constrained by your inherent
worldviews.
→ Resources- Lack of money, time, or resources may significantly hinder how
generalizable your study is beyond what is covered by your scope. As a new
researcher, you are likely constrained by access to data, monetary resources, and
the deadline that your adviser sets for your research paper. In quantitative studies,
you may get around this by using authoritative literature and premade, extensive,
and cross-temporal datasets that are accessible to you through previous research,
research organizations, and government databases.
Purpose of the Research Title
▫ The research title conveys the central idea behind your research. A
good research title reflects the critical points of your research: the
variables (what you are trying to look at), your chosen research design
(how you look at your variables), and the scope of your study (what is
covered by your study). Using the example of Filipino youth voting
preference, you may want to consider this alternative: “A Quasi-
experimental Analysis of the Factors that Influence the Filipino Youth’s
Voting Preference.”
Characteristics of effective research titles
To aid you in writing your research title, remember the following
characteristics of effective titles, adapted from USC Libraries(2016)
1. Provide the necessary information. Indicate the subject of the study.
Identify the key variables and suggest the relationship of the key
variables while reflecting the major hypothesis of your study. Remember
to include the scope of your study by mentioning the setting.
2. Choose the appropriate wording. To stimulate the reader’s interest, it is
recommended that you play with words when crafting a research title.
However, be cautions. Refrain from using abbreviations and/or jargon,
unless these terms are commonly known.
3. Cite properly. When including a quote as part of the title, the source of
the quote is cited, indicated by an asterisk or a footnote beside the
word/s or phase.
4. Be mindful of the length. Limit your research title to 10 to 15
substantive words. If possible, avoid using redundant phrasing such
as “A study of…,” An analysis of…”or similar constructions, unless
citing the research design or methodology adopted.
5. Observe proper grammar and capitalization. Capitalize the first
words in your title, including the first word of your title. All nouns,
pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs that appear between the
first and last words of the title are also capitalized. Do not end your
title with punctuation if not necessary.
Purpose of the Hypotheses in Quantitative Research
O On the other hand, the alternative hypothesis predicts the opposite of the
null hypothesis. It usually states that there is a relationship between the
variables . The specific nature and direction of the expected relationship is
determined by you based on your theory, model, or prior observation. The
alternative hypothesis usually assumes that there will be an observed real
effect in the relationship you are trying to prove, however with some amount
of chance variation. The alternative hypothesis is denoted . Hence, it is
usually the actual hypothesis you test see if the expected relationship is
supported by the data.
Basic Elements of a Hypothesis
▫ From what has been discussed, we can conclude that there appears to be three
levels in the definition process. First, we transform an abstract idea into a
concrete concept by giving it a conceptual definition, either through our own
imperative or by operation definition to allow empirical observation. Lastly, we
select and utilize available indicators to collect data and empirically test our
hypothesis (Johnson and Reynolds 2012). As a guide, we have provided a few
examples.