IDENTIFYING THE

I N Q U I RY A N D Prepared by:
S TAT I N G   T H E
Ruby Esmeralda A. Tilang
PROBLEM
WHAT IS A RE SE ARCH TIT LE?
1. The most important element that defines the research problem.
2. It is usually read first and the most read part of the research.
3. It contains the least words enough to describe the contents and
the purpose of your research paper.
4. It can be revised any and many times as the research develops
and reach its final phase. It becomes final on its final defense
before the panel of judges.
ELEMENTS OF A RESEARCH TITLE
The research title does not need to be entertaining but
informative.

A part of a research title has the following information:

1. The subject matter or topic to be investigated. (“What?”)
2. The place or locale where the research is to be conducted.
(“Where?”)
3. The population like the respondents’ interviewees. (“Who”?)
4. The time period of the study during which the data are to be
collected.(“When”?)
Example:

Subject matter: The teaching of English

Place or locale: in the high schools of Province A
Time period: during the school year 1989-1990
Population: as perceived by teachers and students

Subject matter: The effects of the use of cell phones on the

academic performance
Population to senior high school students
Place or locale: at Department of Education
Time period: during the first semester,
school year 2018-2019
Rules in Choosing a Research Topic

1. Interest in the subject matter.

Interest in a subject drives you to research, investigate, or
inquire about it with full motivation, enthusiasm, and energy.

2. Availability of information.
Information will serve as evidence to support your claims about
your subject matter from varied forms of literature like books,
journals, and newspapers, among others, is a part and parcel of
any research work.
What to include in the investigation of the
available materials?

a. Update and authority of the materials.

b. Copyright dates of the materials? Are they new or
old?
c. Expert or qualification of the writers of reading
materials about your topic
3. Timeliness and relevance of the topic.

How relevant is the topic?

a. It yields results that are useful in society
b. Related to the present. (Except for pure or
historical research)
4. Limitations on the subject.

Connect your choice with course requirements.

You need to decide on one topic to finish your
course.
5. Personal resources.
Do an assessment on your research abilities in terms of your financial
standing, health condition, mental capacity, needed facilities, and time
schedule to enable you to complete your research.

You have to raise an amount of money needed to spend on

questionnaire printing and interview trips.
Research Topics to be avoided

1. Controversial topics.
It depends more on the writer’s opinion leading to
biases. Facts cannot support this topic.

2. Highly technical subjects.

Not advisable for beginners as these topics require
an advanced study, technical knowledge, and skills.
Research Topics to be avoided

3. Hard-to-investigate subjects.
Happens if there are no available reading materials
about it and if such materials are not up-to-date.
4. Too broad subjects.
It prevents you from to focus on the subject matter
of the paper. Narrow down or limit the subject to
eliminate the problem.
Research Topics to be avoided

5. Too narrow subjects

Subjects that are so limited where an extensive searching is
necessary.

6. Vague /vāɡ/ subjects.

Titles beginning with indefinite adjectives such as several, many,
some, etc., as in “Some Remarkable Traits of a Filipino” or “Several
People’s Comments on the RH Law,” are vague enough to decrease
the readers’ interests and curiosity.

Choosing topics like these will prevent you from having a clear
focus on your paper.
Sources of Research Topics

1. Mass media communication – press (newspapers, ads,

TV, radio, films, etc.)

2. Books, Internet, peer-reviewed journals, government

publications

3. Professional periodicals like College English Language

Teaching Forum, English Forum, the Economist,
Academia, Business Circle, Law Review, etc.
Sources of Research Topics

4. General periodicals such as Readers’ Digest,

Women’s Magazine, Panorama Magazine, Time
Magazine, World Mission Magazine, etc.
5. Previous reading assignments in your other
subjects
6. Work experience – clues to a researchable topic
from full-time or part-time jobs, OJT (on-the-job
training) experience, fieldwork, etc.