BASIC QUESTIONS about RESEARCH PROBLEMS

5 questions to help clarify research problem:

1) Is the problem interesting? It is better on something that interests you.
2) Is the problem new? Choose a problem that is relatively new and has not been fully studied.
3) Will the study add to the knowledge? You must be convinced that by doing the study, you will contribute new
knowledge.
4) Is the problem feasible? Choose problems that you can manage, those that can be feasibly taken.

SECTIONS of the RESEARCH PAPER

The major sections of the INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER:

1.1 Description of the structure/ rationale of study
a) Briefly discuss the historical development of events regarding the specific topic
b) Describe your basic assumptions that led to study the topic
c) Justify why you think there is still a need to further the study
d) Briefly describe how you intend to go about conducting the study

*Other special notes for INTRODUCTION:

 The introduction begins with a broader perspective of the problem and becomes narrow as the Introduction
proceeds.
 The introduction narrows the focus of the study and provides a brief rationale for why a study is worth pursuing.
 Generally, the introductory section of Chapter I consists of about 3 to 6 pages, but may vary considerably
depending on the nature of the study.

1.2 Objectives: this section should describe what the investigator (researcher) hopes to accomplish with the research.
After reading this section, the reader should be:
a) Clear about the questions to be asked.
b) The kind of answers expected
c) The nature of the information to be provided by the proposed research.

Objectives are set of statements for the contribution of the study. They indicate about the generalizability of
The research. The objectives point ways how the research would contribute to the theory or knowledge of the general
and specific phenomenon. They also describe the value of the specific applications of knowledge to be gained and
potential importance of the applications.

a) Specific and achievable in the order of importance

b) Forms the basis for judging the proposal
c) Shows how one intends to solve or contribute to the solution of a problem.
d) It must fit into the problem statement.

Example:
 Explore an alternative technique…
 Develop a technique to encourage involvement…
 Find out causes of and the possible solutions…
 Provide useful, in-depth information as feedback…

1.3 Statement of the problem: this is among the most critical parts of the research proposal because it provides focus
and direction for the remainder of the study (and subsequent report).

Generally, there is no one ‘correct” or “best way” to write the problem statement. However, the following examples
illustrate commonly used formats that are acceptable:
1) This study will compare, contrast, investigate, describe, determine, examine, develop, clarify, or evaluate the
issue being studied.
2) The purpose of the study will determine the variable that will explain the difference between males and females
and identify those variables that differ significantly between the two genders.
3) This study is designed to investigate graduate students’ perceptions regarding the difficulty of coursework at
USD and determine which courses are more difficult than others.

Presentation:
a) Statement of the problem/ problem statement
b) Emphasis on the existence of the problem
c) Describing gaps existing in the body of knowledge
d) Relationships between two or more variables
*The problem should express a relation between two or more variables.
*It can be stated clearly and unambiguously in question form.

Rules in defining the Research Problem:

a) Be sure that the topic you choose is neither too vague nor too broad in scope.
b) To make the problem clearer and more understandable, state it as a question which will require a definite
answer.
 c) Carefully state the limits of the problem, eliminating all aspects and factors which will not be considered.
d) Define any special term that must be used in the statement of the problem.

1.4 Scope and delimitation

Limitations: are factors, usually beyond the researcher’s control, that may affect the results of the study or how the
results are interpreted. They must not be considered as alibis or excuses; they are simply factors or conditions that
help the reader get a truer sense of what the results mean and how widely they can be generalized.

Example:
Due to the length of the study, a significant number of respondents available in the preliminary testing maybe
unavailable or unwilling to participate in the final stage of testing.

Delimitations: are factors that affect the study over which the research generally does have some degree of control.
Delimitations describe the scope of the study or establish parameters or limits of the study. Frequently, these are:
1) Setting limits on the sample size
2) Extent of the geographic region from which data are collected.
3) Response formats include in data-collecting instruments
4) Timeframe for the study

Example:
To ensure manageability of the collected data, survey instruments used only multiple-choice items and did not include
open-ended response items.

 It is important that you describe the limitations of the study.

 It discusses the weaknesses of the study in terms of methodology and generalizability.
 Limits on the size of the sample, locale of the research and other factors.

Example:
“due to the exploratory nature of the study, the findings will remain inconclusive until more rigorous tests shall
be made on the technique. As in the case of case study research design, the study is limited in its
representativeness and generalizability due to the small sample and rudimentary analytical procedures.
However, its strength lies in its internal validity.”

Special notes: (lifted from: gallaudet.edu: PARTS of a FORMAL RESEARCH PROPOSAL)

1) A description of methods to be used will of necessity employ future tense, because the work at this stage has not
yet been done.
2) Similarly, the purpose of the study should be explained in the present tense in the proposal and in the past tense
at the study’s completion.
3) The title of the proposal, and later, of the completed research paper should be a succinct summary of the topic and
generally should not exceed 15 words. Unnecessary words, such as “A Study of…, “should always be avoided. The
title should include key terms that readily identify the scope and nature of the study and should be typed using all
capital letters.
REVIEW of RELATED LITERATURE
1) Must provide a historical background of the topic to be studied. This includes any relevant material to the content
of the study. It should present a clear background of the study.
2) Must adequately present all relevant materials that are available, showing the difficulty of the problem, research
design, procedures, instruments and analyses employed by the studies being reviewed. It should also present
appropriate integration or syntheses of the materials.
3) The literature review should help in the development of the theoretical framework. This may be done with a velar
statement of assumptions.
4) The review of related literature must present a summary in relation to the model or framework being considered
in the study. In other words, what is distinct about the review?

5 Basic Purposes:
It is about 65% of the entire research.
1) The literature review expands the introductory chapter; the very fundamental consideration is the question: what
is the issue?
2) The literature helps to further define the research problem. Frequently, you may realize that the literature review
has partially answered your research problem.
3) It provides the theoretical basis for the research question.
4) The literature review helps the researcher in the interpretation of the results of findings.
5) The literature review helps the researcher outline the implications of the study.

This chapter may contain:

1) Theories and models relevant to the problem,
2) A historical overview of the problem,
3) Current trends related to the problem,
4) Significant research data published about the problem.

Other Notes:
 The first section of this chapter generally indicates how the chapter is organized and explains the subsections that
comprise the chapter. For example:

Chapter 2 provides an extensive review of the literature and research related to principal selection. The
chapter will be divided into sections that include (a) history of the principalship, (2) importance of the principal, (3)
current selection practices, and (4) recommended selection practices.

 As Chapter 2 may be lengthy, it is essential to divide the chapter into as many sections and subsections as needed
to logically organize the information presented.
 As Chapter 2 presents information and conclusions drawn by other researchers, citations should be used extensively
throughout the chapter. Although you are presenting information from other researchers and writers, AVOID
OVERUSE of DIREC QUOTATIONS for this usually results to lack of transitions and flows and reading difficulty.
 Chapter 2 is NOT the place for the researcher to interject any personal ideas or theories.
 Direct quotations, indirect quotations or paraphrasing, as well as any information attributable to other researchers
and individuals require citations. Use the format recommended by APA.

Chapter 2 contains between between 15 and 30 pages, although it may be short as 10 pages or as long as 50 pages or
more. Generally, Chapter 2 ends with a short summary of the information presented in the chapter. Several paragraphs
that highlight the most pertinent information from the review of literature are usually sufficient.
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY

Important notes:
a) Concept paper and proposals: future tense
b) Final report: past tense

For QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:

The methodology chapter is perhaps the part of the qualitative thesis that is most unlike its equivalent in a quantitative
study. Students doing quantitative research have an established conventional ‘model’ to work to, which comprises these
possible elements:
1) Overview of the experiment/ design
2) Population/ sample
3) Location
4) Restrictions/ limiting conditions
5) Sampling technique
6) Procedures
7) Materials
8) Variables
9) Statistical treatment

For QUALITATIVE RESEARCH:

1) Participants
 Target population and the sample that you will use for generalizing about the target population
 Demographic information such as: age, gender and ethnicity of your sample.
 Procedures for selecting the sample should be outlined, including:
 Justification for the sampling method (called as the sampling procedures):
a) Purposeful sampling: selecting cases that are information-rich with respect to the purposes
of the study
b) Opportunistic sampling: use of findings from one case to inform the researcher’s selection
of the next case
c) Volunteers in sampling: when not all participants agree to participate, then the research is
left with “volunteer” participants (biased sample)

*NOTES: Permissions that are needed:

a) Gain permission from Institutional Review Board (IRB)
b) Gain permission from administrators at the research site: such as the gatekeepers (individuals at
the site who provide site access, help researcher locate people and identify places to study)
c) Qualitative permissions: the researcher has personal contact with the participants through in-depth
interviewing and prolonged observing. Qualitative studies are personal in nature and are not
centered on variables or measures. Qualitative researchers use video cameras or audio recorders
to record in-depth interviews for transcription

2) Procedure
The Procedures section is based directly on the research question. Specifically, this is the “how-to” section of the
study and will introduce the design of the research and how the data will be collected based on the questions of
interest. Another researcher should be able to replicate the study by reading the Procedures section without needing
to ask any questions.

3) Strategies of inquiry
 Identify the specific strategy of inquiry to be used.
5 qualitative research designs/ tradition:
a) Biography/ Oral life history: understanding a person in their context
b) Ethnography: primary qualitative research technique, need to understand “others” who are different
from us at a collective level- ethnic group, for example. How do we understand and relate to others,
need for research on why are some people different form other people, get to the bottom of differences.
c) Grounded theory: understanding causation of a belief or behavior
d) Case study: in-depth understanding of a single case
e) Phenomenology: understanding a unique aspect of human phenomena

 Provide some background information about the strategy

 Discuss the intended outcome from this type of strategy
 Discuss the source of this strategy
 Identify how the use of this strategy will shape the type of questions asked, the form of data collection,
the steps and data analysis and the final narrative

4) Data collection procedures

This section should include discussion about participants and the site:
 The setting
 The actors (who will be interviewed)
 The events (what will the actors will be observed or interviewed doing)
  The process (the evolving nature of events undertaken by the actors within the setting)

Indicate the type or types of data to be collected (e.g. observational, interviews, documents, audio and visual
material).

Qualitative data collection methods: interviews (individual or focus groups), participant observations, open-
ended surveys, content analysis

Interviews: one-on-one, phone, email, focus group. General open-ended questions are asked to allow the
participant to: a) create options for responding, b) voice their experiences and perspectives. Information is
recorded, then transcribed for analysis.

Planning to interview:
a) Developing questions
b) Piloting the interview questions
c) Planning the interview
d) Recording the interview

Focus Groups:
a) A small group interview
b) Focus groups are useful when:
 Participants might be more willing to discuss the topic in front of peers
 Participants’ answers can inform others (i.e. participants can feed off one another, or group ideas
might be generated that would not be available in one-one-one interviews)
 Time constraints or accessibility are issues for the researcher
c) Types: traditional (or face-to-face) focus groups, online or synchronous focus groups, asynchronous focus
groups
d) Considerations:
 Researcher acts as facilitator or moderator
 Level of moderation depends on participants
 Difficult to record and moderate; tape recording is generally necessary and a separate note taker
(who is neither the researcher nor a participant) is recommended
 Ethical considerations with regard to confidentiality

Observations:
Allow you as the researcher to immerse yourself into a social setting, enabling you to learn firsthand how:
 The actions of participants are compatible with their words
 Patterns of behaviors exist
 Expected and unexpected experiences occur
 Trust, relationships and obligations with others are developed.
 Participant observation ranges across a continuum from mostly observing to mostly participating
 Open-ended Surveys:
 Surveys with open-ended questions give participants the opportunity to express their opnions and give
detailed answers
 They are different from closed-ended questions, which give you a set response choice
 A combination of closed and open questions can be used (e.g., asking a closed-ended question, followed
by an open-ended question, to allow the participant to explain his or her choice).

Documents:
 Public and private records
 Good sources for text data
 Obtain permission before using documents
 Optically scan documents when possible

5) Instruments
If established instruments are utilized, this section will detail each data-collection instrument. Relevant information
each instrument should be included (as well as the source or developers of the instrument and any other salient
information).

6) Data analysis
Data analyses should be based on the research questions and the research design selected for the study.
Specify the procedures for reducing and coding the data.

For qualitative studies, the procedures to be followed for the analyses must also be addressed.
a) The researcher collects data (a text file, such as field notes, transcriptions, optically scanned material)
b) The researcher prepares data for analysis (transcribes field notes)
c) The researcher reads through the data (obtains general sense of material)
d) The researcher codes the data (locates text segments and assigns a code to label them):
 Codes the text for description to be used in the research report
 Codes the text for themes to be used in the research report

Note:
The third-person voice was used, because this is a realist design, no personal ideas were included in the report;
rather, the facts are presented through the actual words of the participants. Objective data from the interviews and
observations were sequentially coded and objectively reported (including the use of personal quotes)

7) Limitations (for Quantitative and Qualitative)

a) Sufficient access to the site for data collection:
 Sufficient time for data collection
 Limit initial collection to one or two observations or interviews
 Time is needed to establish a substantial
b) Observational role
c) Building rapport with participants
d) Obtaining permission to use documents and audio-visual materials
e) Ethical issues
 Anonymity of participants
 Convey true purpose of study without deception
CHAPTERS 4 & 5 of the THESIS

CHAPTER 4

 Chapter 4 is titled based on the research tradition used:

Qualitative chapter is titled Findings
Quantitative chapter is titled Results

 Writing Chapter 4
a) Remind your reader of the purpose of the study.
b) Report descriptive analysis of demographics

 This report depends on whether the study is quantitative or qualitative:

1) Quantitative report uses frequencies and percentages
2) Qualitative report uses text and detailed descriptions.

Quantitative Qualitative
 Sample size  Sample size
 Frequency & percentages of  Age range of participants
demographic variable:  Gender
 Males/ females  Characteristics of sample:
 Age groups  Details about organization/
 Other variables: years of institution/ class being studied
experience groups, answers to  Details about participants as is
yes/ no questions, reported relevant to the topic being
educational qualification. studied

 Present the text-bae analysis first then use tables to summarize.

 Quantitative descriptive analysis should contain frequencies and percentages.
 Qualitative descriptive analysis may contain frequencies only.

c) Quantitative-Factor Analysis
 Tell how the factors were extracted
 Outline the criteria and justification used to determine what factors are retained.
 Report the given names of the new scales developed.

d) Qualitative-Presentation Findings
 Restate briefly the methods of data collection.
 Restate the research questions.
 Explain how the findings will be presented.

e) Qualitative- Findings
 Presentation of findings may be flexible. They may be organized by:
1) Research questions
2) Themes
3) Chapters: one theme or research question per chapter
4) Participants: parents, teachers, students, principals
5) Data source: interviews, observation, documents

f) Presenting Quantitative Results

 Organize by: research questions, hypotheses
 Use: Statistical language and notations: mention name of the statistic test and what it is used for.
Include appropriate statistical values (coefficients, p values, standard deviations, means, etc.)
 Use: tables, figures, graphs, charts
 Report: results of analysis, interpretation and action.

Example: No statistically significant relationship was found between Age and Overall Attitudes,
indicating that the relationship which existed between the two variables was due to chance. The
null hypothesis was therefore accepted.
 Use tables to summarize multiple correlations, t-tests, ANOVAs, regression analyses.
 Describe in detail the major themes found.
 In describing each theme, the participant’s voices should be heard; quotations must be included
to support the analysis and interpretation.
 Assign pseudonyms or code the participants for ease of reference: Student 1, or Teacher A, or
Principal
  Summary: the summary may differ between research traditions.

Quantitative Qualitative
 Summarize based on:  Restate briefly the major themes
 Sample size which are uncovered.
 Statistical procedures used  Summarize using a table:
 Major result from each  Research questions with major
research question/ hypothesis and sub-themes
 Any other analyses of interest  Participants with themes
performed  Data source with themes

Ensure that:
1) Your results or findings match your research questions in Chapter 1
2) The analyses you conducted matched what you had stated in Chapter 3
3) Avoid citations

Quantitative Outline Qualitative Outline

i. Demographic analysis i. Demographic analysis
ii. Factor analysis ii. Factor analysis
iii. Hypothesis 1/ Research Question 1 iii. Hypothesis 1/ Research Question 1
iv. Hypothesis 2/ Research Question 2 iv. Hypothesis 2/ Research Question 2
v. Hypothesis 3/ Research Question 3 v. Hypothesis 3/ Research Question 3
vi. Other Analyses vi. Other Analyses
vii. Summary vii. Summary

Remaining schedule:
1) Submission of Chapter 4: March 17, 2017
2) Submission of Chapter 5: March 20, 2017
 3) Paper presentation: March 22-23, 2017

CHAPTER 5: What to Write?

A. WRITING the SUMMARY

 Your summary may include the following:
a) Objectives of the study
b) Statement of the problem
c) Respondents
d) Sampling procedures
e) Method/s of research employed
f) Statistical treatment/s applied or hypothesis tested, if there is any
g) Results

All of these parts mentioned are already included in Chapters 1-4. So, the challenge is on how to
briefly write and present it.

*TIPS: go direct to the point in highlighting the main points. There is no need to thoroughly explain
the details. AVOID COPYING and PASTING WHAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE PREVIOUS
CHAPTERS!

Write sentences in simple past and use always the passive voice construction rather than the
active voice. Also, be familiar with semantic markers. These are used in order not to repeat the same
words or phrases such as additionally, also, further, in addition to, moreover, contrary to,
with regard to, as regards, however, finally, during the past ____, from 1996 to 2006,
after 10 years, as shown in, as presented in, consequently, nevertheless, in fact, on the
other hand, subsequently and nonetheless.

 Use the following guide questions to check that you have not missed anything in writing the summary:
a) What is the objective of the study?
b) Who/ what is the focus of the study?
c) Where and when was the investigation conducted?
d) What method of research was used?
e) How were the research data gathered?
f) How were the respondents chosen?
g) What statistical tools were applied to treat the gathered data?
h) Based on the data presented and analyzed, what findings can you summarize?

 Finally, organize the summary of the results of your study according to the way the questions are
sequenced in the statement of the problem.

B. WRITING the CONCLUSIONS

 Once you have written the summary, draw out a conclusion from each finding or result. It can be done
per question or you may arrange the questions per topic or sub-topic, if there is any.
 But if your research is quantitative in nature, answer directly the research question and tell if the
hypothesis is rejected or accepted based on the findings.
 As to grammar, make sure that the present tense of the verb is used because it consists of general
statement of the theory or the principle newly derived from the present study.

C. WRITING the RECOMMENDATIONS

 The recommendations must contain practical suggestions that will improve the situation or solve
the problem investigated in the study.
 First, it must be logical, specific, attainable and relevant.
 Second, it should be addressed to persons, organizations, or agencies directly concerned with
the issues or to those who can immediately implement the recommended solutions.
 Third, present another topic which is very relevant to the present study that can be further
investigated by future researchers.
 But, NEVER recommend anything that is not part of your study or not being mentioned in your findings.
 After organizing your thoughts as to what would be the contents of your recommendations, write it
using the imperative mood of the verb. Imperative mood is to express a request or a command. So,
the tense is also simple present tense.