Chapter II

IDENTIFYING THE
INQUIRY AND STATING
THE PROBLEM
Range of Topics in the Area of Inquiry
8 Possible AOI
 Mathematics
 Natural and Human Sciences
 History
 The arts
 Ethics
 Religious knowledge systems
 Indigeneous knowledge system
 Choosing an area and topic for research
a. Identify ba research area based on your
interest and need.
b. Some knowledge and/or experience in
the area of studu.
c. Norrow the area sufficiently so that it is
not too broad nor too narrow.
d. Identify an area in which you get help
easily like supervisors, redaing
materials,people in authority.
Basic criteria in choosing your topic
1. Interest in the topic
2. Availability of your data
3. Ability to handle- skill,ability,level
4. Relevance of the topic- must
answer the need of the time and
place
Do ex pp 65-66
Hope your research will not end
to this....
• CHAPTER I. THE PROBLEM
Background of the Study
Statement of the Problem
Theoretical Framework
Conceptual Framework
Scope and Delimitation of the Study
Significance of the Study
Definition of Terms
CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND
STUDIES
CHAPTER III. METHODOLOGY  
Research Design
Locale of the Study
Population and Sampling Procedure
Research Instruments
Data Gathering Procedure
Statistical Treatment
•  
CHAPTER IV. PRESENTATION,ANALYSIS,
AND INTERPRETATION 0F DATA
 CHAPTER V. SUMMARY, FINDINGS,
CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary
Findings
Conclusion
Recommendations
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDICES
 Developing the Research Title
• Compared to a major road sign in research
• Conveys the central idea
• Reflects the critical points ;the
variables,designand the scope of your study
• Must be brief 10-15 words
• Avoid phrases like “An Approach:, “A Study..”
• Can be crafted in declarative or interrogative
statement
• Can be a two part title Ex Reading
Castaneda: A Prologue to the Social
Sciences
 Characteristics of Effective
Research Titles
1. Provide the necessary information
2. Choose the appropriate wording
3. Be mindful of the length
4. Observe proper grammar and
capitalization.all nouns, verbs,adjectives
and adverbs are capitalized
5. Cite properly if the title include a quote as
part of the title
 The Introduction and the
Background of the Study
• The primary purpose of introduction is to
give the readers an overview of what th
entire study is all about
• Aims to introduce the research topic and
problems that the study is trying to address
• Should persuade the reader that the study
is important and interesting
• If well written can catches the attention and
interest of the reader
 The Background of the Study
• Provide the context and explain the
circumstances that led to the study
• Discuss briefly the specific problem or situation
conflicts or ideas,gaps in knowledge,literature
or theories that caugt the researcher’s attention
• Answers “Why are you studying the particular
research topic?”
• Often begins with a description or overview of a
situation or idea of interest ;can be a real world
problem or situation
• Can also be an initial idea that you would
like to develop
• Can involve a controversy or conflict or
idea you like to resolve
• Can also be a theory, research finding or
claim that you would like to investigateor
challenge
• The discussion of the situation are followed
by a brief mention of selected literature
related to the situation or idea
• Followed by a short discussion of what is
missing in the gaps,aspects or issue that
other researchers did not cover in their
studies
Characteristics of a Good background of the
Study
1.Concise or short
2.Clearly written
3.Persuasive or convincing
• CONCISE- not too long;avoid including too
many citations can be confusing or even
intimidating
• CLEARLY WRITTEN-use simple easy to
understand words with a minimum of
complicated technical terminologies or
jargon.;avoid long winded complicated
discussions and go straight to the point
• PERSUASIVE-convince readers that it is
interesting,important and worth reading;use
creative writing and narrative hooks; avoid
making the study appear overly complicated
 Statement of Research Problem
Guidelines on some features of good problem
1. Clarity
2. Specificity-focused,should not be answerable with
simple yes or no
3. Well-defined scope-set limits of the problem;gives
boundaries and extent
4. Measuerability-variables are identified to be
observed and measured;defines which data ypou
need to collect and methods to use
5. Manageable-must be within your ability to tackle
 Guidelines in the Formulation of General
Problem and the Specific Problem
1. The problems be it general or specific should be
formulated first before conducting the reserach.
2. The major problem of the study can be stated by
briefly pointing out the objectives, the subject and
the coverage
3. Specify the sub-problems of the main problems.
4. State the sub-problems in interrogative form.
5. Include all possible components under the sub-
problems of the study
. Each specific questions should be clear
and equivocal,meaning it must have only
one meaning.
7. You should have advance info on the
instrucment to be used for data gathering.
8. Answer to the specific questions should
contribute to the dev of the whole research
study.
Activity 1
Search the internet and look for at a
research/study in your field of interest or
major. Note down the ff:
1. Title of the study
2. Researchers name
3. Year the study was conducted
4. Main Problem
5. Sub-problems
 Research Question
• Gives the reader a good idea of what the
research is all about
• Provides clear direction
• Guide the literature research
• Helps in narrowing down the scope and focus
of the literature review
• Guide the reseracher on what design, data to
be collected
• Important in analyzing and presenting the data
• Limit the scope of the study
 Types of research questions
DESCRIPTIVE- seek to objectively describe
particular characteristics or attributes
 How many calories does the average
Filipino consume per day?
 What are the factors that influence Filipino
college students to strive for academic
honors?
 What qualities does the Filipino youth
electorate look for in a presidential
candidate?
COMPARATIVE-compare two or more
characteristics or attributes ;similarities or
differences between variables
 Does the recent initiative of certain elem
public schools to give free lunch to its
students have an inpact on the students
academic performance?
 Do the SK election processses historically
favor candidates who come from
traditionnaly political families?
RELATIONAL-seek to understand the relationship
between two or more aspects or characteristics;
often expressed as variables;can be a simple
association,interaction or causation
 Does a Filipino’s socioeconomic class affect
affect the likelihood of supporting the death
penalty?
 What is the relationship between study time and
exam scores among SHS students?
 Is there a relationship between a locally-elected
politician’s ability to bring development and their
family’s political history?
Process in Developing Research
Questions
1. Identify a broad area that you are
interested in studying.
2. Select a specific research problem you
want to investigate undert the topic area.
3. Narrow down the research problem and
capture it in a single main research
question.
4. Break down the main research question
into sub-questions.
• Should clarify what information needs to
be gathered
• Empirical-observed using the 5 senses
• Complex and not terminal. Should be
answered by thorough,systematic
research
• Should be relevant-inquire about issues
and topics that are up-todate
• Practical-realistically answered using
available time skill and resources
 The Conceptual Framework
• The blueprint of research
• A conceptual framework is based on
theoretical framework
• It will serve as the basis for the formulation
of the research hypothesis
• It is the central theme,the focus and main
thrust of the study
• Can be a narrative or in a
diagram/paradigm
• Can explain in detail the variables to be used
or observed in the research and present the
assumed connection relation or association
between and among independentt and
dependent variables
• Can be in one visual presentation but it can
be broken doen into several figures for
elaboration of the main parts
• Used to support a theoretical framework
which presents in visual and textual ,ode all
the theories used or proposed in the study
• The discipline and field of study together
with the nature of the research study shall
determine whether or not a conceptual
framework is required or necessary
 The Theoretical Framework
• Provides a framework or a structure of the
study
• Helps formulate the hypothesis to be
tested
• Links the theory, conceptual definitions
adopted and the relevant literature
• Shows connection of the different
elements
Advantages of Theoretical Framework
1. The theory comes with the essential
components present,assumptions are
already clarified,key concepts are defined
and the relationships had been
established.
2. Well-established theories have typically
been used and tested extensively in other
studies before, hence, it is backed by
extensive set of literature
 Methods of presenting
Conceptual Framework
1.IPO Format
Paradigm for Science Teaching in High
School
2. Independent Variavlr (IV) and Dependent
Variable (DV) relationship
 Example of a Conceptual framework
Title: Improving Critical thinking Through
Systematic functional Grammar
Systematic Functional Grammar or SFG is a
modern language theory which states that
man’s critical thinking increases whenever he
uses language for these reasons: first, for
ideational function for knowledge
acquisition;second, for interpersonal function
or creating human relationships and third, for
textual functions for strategic and coherent
expression of ideas.
 Conceptual vs Theoretical Framework
Conceptual Theoretical
Shows the basic Evidence-based
structure of the research truths,conceps,
and the relationships of speculations and
variables assumptions

Broad outline plan to Gives a better view of

carry out the research not only the main
on the basis of problem but also the
theories,principles or other components;gives
generalization the basis or foundation
of the research
ACTIVITY 2: Decide whether each set of words
make up a conceptual or a theoretical framework
1. Relationships of variables
2. Language has a social basis.
3. Einstein’s ideas on nuclear energy
4. Conducting pre-test and post-test
5. Analysis of rhetorical patterns
6. Reading as a psycholinguistic game
7. Universe formation through explosion
8. Seeing a link bet the science book and CHED syllabus
9. Testing the effects of ebola virus on rats
10.Syllabus as the blueprint of the course
 The Research Hypothesis
• An educated guess based from prior
knowledge, experiences and observations
• Characteristics of a good hypothesis
1. SIMPLE-direct to the point; must not have
a double meaning;should only show
relationship between one IV and one DV;
where there are multiple IV and DV, it
should be separated into 2 0r more simple
hypothesis
2.SPECIFIC-use concise operational
definitions;based from the specific
questions
3. TESTABLE-0can be proven right or
wrong depending on the outcome of
the experiment
 Types of Hypothesis
1. NULL (Ho)- states that there is no
association or significant differences
between the results of two conditions being
tested; the formal basis of testing statistical
significance; no difference or equality
Ex. There is no significant difference
between the effects of animal manure and
urea on the height of the plant,color of the
leaves and the yield produced by the plant.
2. ALTERNATIVE (Ha) states the nature of
the connection between or among the
variables that the reseracher expects. It
shows that there is a significant difference
between the results of the 2 conditions
being tested; it is the hypothesis of
inequality or difference
Ex. There is a significant difference between
the effects of animal manure and urea on
the height of the plant,color of the leaves
and the yield produced by the plant.
3. CAUSE and EFFECT- states that a if a
certain condition (cause) is true, then a
supporting observation (effect)occurs.
Ex. If there is a difference between the effect
of animal manure and urea, then the
growth of the plant will differ significantly in
terms of height of plant, colors of the
leaves and the yield produced by the plant
One and Two-tailed Hypothesis
One-tailed or one –sided hypothesis specifies
the direction of the association between the
IV and the DV Ex. Planys treated with
animal manure fertilizer will have a higher
percentage of yield;represents a positive
effect or association and the other is
negative effect
Two-tailed hypothesis states only that an
association exists;it does not specify the
direction; use when the sample size is large
Ex. Pp 113-115
 The Significance of the Study
• Tells your reader why the study is
valuable,what it contributes and why the reader
should devote time reading it
• May be in the opening paragraphs or at the end
of the introductory part
• Identifies whoa re the audience of the study
• 3 basic questions we need to consider:
Why the study important?
What are its contributions to the discipline?
To whom will it be important?
• To whom will it be important
implications of the study?
connection to other knowledge?
importance to our understanding of the
world?
uses of the findings to existing
literature,audience and the public?
 Scope and Limitations of the Study
• Describes the coverage of your study and your
research topic, the possible limitations of your
study and how your study is constrained by
particular factors that you encountered in the
research process
Scope-set the direction of your study;
coverage,time period,location,subjects,context
and objectives
-”The coverage of this study...” This study
addresses...”
Limitations-may be due to methodological
chalenges,lack of available literature etc
Be aware of the ff factors:
a. Research design-key terms,sample
groups,methodology design
b. Ontological position-constrained by
inherent worldviews even if we try to be
objective
c. Resources-lack of money, time
resources,acess to data,deadline
Ex 1. This study covers the habits of college students
during the weekneds and compared them with their
grades.From the responses gathered within the
survey,we can deduce how different weekend
activities affects the student’s academics.
Ex 2 This study covers 320 sophomore students from
DLSU-Manila on the activities they do every Friday
and Sunday.This addresses the knowledge gap
about whether self-reported weekend activities
affect the time Lasallian students spent studying
and their average CGPA over the course of a
school year.
 Definition of Terms
• Used to avoid confusion and
misunderstanding
• One concept can be interpreted in different
ways
• 2 methods of defining terms
a. Conceptual definition-based from
dictionary,theory or any aauthority
b. Operational- define as it is used in the
study