3rd QUARTER

Technical Writing

RESEARCH PAPER / ACTION RESEARCH

 Research papers can take two forms: factual, objective surveys of all the literature available on a topic, or
interpretive analyses of selected evidence arrayed to support the writer's viewpoint and ideas.
 An interpretive paper, though primarily concerned with the writer's own ideas and interpretations, cannot ignore
contrary evidence. Writers of such papers must be thorough and fair even though they must take a position on their
material."
 The English word research derives from the French chercher, to search, and from the Latin cicare, to circle around,
explore.
 A research paper is an entirely new work that you create by consulting several sources to answer a research
question. The paper is a synthesis of your interpretation and evaluation of the information you discover, with
complete documentation of where these discoveries came from. It is not a summary of an article or book or a
collection of summaries of articles or books.
 Attempt is an important word in relation to research. Some research questions lead to a final, definitive answer
 Your role in writing a research paper will depend on whether you are called upon mainly to report, to interpret, or to
analyze sources.
 In reporting, you survey, organize, and present the available evidence about a topic
 In interpreting, you examine a range of views on a topic in order to draw your own conclusions (for instance, the
ethical dilemmas in using humans as experimental subjects), or you search in varied sources for facts and opinions
relevant to your thesis
 In analysing, you isolate an unsolved problem or unanswered question (for instance, the failure of an economics
theory to explain a change in the economy or the significance of a repeated image in the work of a poet), and then
you attempt to reach a solution or answer through critical evaluation (or analysis) of relevant scholarly sources or of
texts such as literary works or historical documents.
 The distinctive feature of the research paper assignment is that it requires you to find and use information in library
books and periodicals and to acknowledge your sources properly
 Knowledge is not always something conveyed by experts in books and articles to novice writers who merely copy
the ideas of the experts onto the pages of their research papers. In truth, you will want to generate new ideas about
the issues and defend your position with the weight of your argument, as well as with the strength of your evidence.
You will want to cite the sources that support your ideas, not cite the sources just because they relate to your
subject.
 A research paper differs from a report . . . in one major way: you are expected to evaluate or interpret or in some
other way add to and participate in the information you gather and write about. In a research paper, you are
expected to develop a point of view toward your material, take a stand, express some original thought.

RESEARCH TOPICS
 it is always a good practice to select a topic that truly interests you before you begin gathering sources
 If you are interested in your topic, learning about it will be more pleasurable and you will write with greater passion
 As you begin learning and writing about your topic, you should revise or amend your research question or thesis
statement to better match the information that you are interpreting, analyzing, and expressing
 Let your interest guide you. If you’re not having fun learning and writing about your topic, perhaps you should pick
one that interests you more.
 Don’t be afraid to alter and revise your thesis or research question to better match your interests or to align with your research

RESEARCH PROBLEM
 research problem is the fuel that drives the scientific process, and is the foundation of any research method and
experimental design, from true experiment to case study.
 is one of the first statements made in any research paper and, as well as defining the research area, should include
a quick synopsis of how the hypothesis was arrived at.
 Operationalization is then used to give some indication of the exact definitions of the variables, and the type
of scientific measurements used.
  This will lead to the proposal of a viable hypothesis. As an aside, when scientists are putting forward proposals for
research funds, the quality of their research problem often makes the difference between success and failure.
 Defining a research problem is crucial in defining the quality of the answers, and determines the exact research
method used. A quantitative experimental design uses deductive reasoning to arrive at a estable hypothesis.
Qualitative research designs use inductive reasoning to propose a research statement. Formulating the research
problem begins during the first steps of the scientific process. This is called the conceptual definition, and is an
overall view of the problem. A science report will generally begin with an overview of the previous research and
real-world observations. The researcher will then state how this led to defining a research problem.

PURPOSE STATEMENT
 The purpose statement tells your reader what the primary goal of the research is. In addition to stating the objective
of the research, the purpose statement informs the reader of: the method of research, population under
investigation, the setting, and inclides the phenomena or variables being studied.
 It explains “what” the study will accomplish. It concisely creates direction, scope,and the means of data collection.
 It is formulated in a way that assures the reader that the objectives and goals can be obtained, and once there are
accomplished, the problem will be solved.
 It is usually 1-3 paragraphs.
 Purpose Statement is a sentence that you write, which states, in some detail, what you want t learn about in your
action/research paper.
 The Purpose statement announces the purpose, scope and direction of the paper. It tells the reader what to expect
in a paper and what the specific focus will be.
 It will guide you as you work so that you will read and take notes only on what’s needed for your paper.
 It is a declarative sentence which summarizes the specific topic and goals of a paper. It is typically included in the
introduction to give the reader an accurate, concrete understanding what the document will cover and what he/she
can gain from reading it.
 Purpose Statement should be: specific and precise, concise, clear and goal-oriented.
 Common introductory ohrase for purpose statements include:
 “The purpose of this paer/letter/document is to …”
 “In this paper, I will describe/exlain/review/etc. the …”
 “My reason for writing is to…”
 “This paper will discuss the …”
 “The purpose of this paper is twofold: to _____ and _____”
 The Purpose statement announces the purpose, scope and direction of the paper. It tells the reader what to expect
in a paper and what the specific focus will be.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
 The Purpose statement announces the purpose, scope and direction of the paper. It tells the reader what to expect
in a paper and what the specific focus will be.
 To develop a strong research question from your ideas, you should ask yourself
these things:
1. Do I know the field and its literature well?
2. What are the important research questions in my field?
3. What areas need further exploration?
4. Could my study fill a gap? Lead to greater understanding?
5. Has a great deal of research already been conducted in this topic area?
6. Has this study been done before? If so, is there room for improvement?
7. Is the timing right for this question to be answered? Is it a hot topic, or is it becoming
obsolete?
8. Would funding sources be interested?
9. If you are proposing a service program, is the target community interested?
10. Most importantly, will my study have a significant impact on the field?

 A strong research idea should pass the “so what” test. Think about the potential impact of the research you are
proposing. What is the benefit of answering your research question? Who will it help (and how)?
 A research focus should be narrow, not broad-based.
 It would be better to begin with a more focused question
 A well-thought-out and focused research question leads directly into your hypotheses.
 Hypotheses are more specific predictions about the nature and direction of the relationship between two variables.
 Provide a rationale for your hypotheses—where did they come from, and why are they strong?
 Provide alternative possibilities for the hypotheses that could be tested—why did you choose the ones you did over
others?
 If you have good hypotheses, they will lead into your Specific Aims. Specific aims are the steps you are going to
take to test your hypotheses and what you want to accomplish in the course of the grant period.
 Your objectives are measurable and highly focused;
 Each hypothesis is matched with a specific aim.
 The aims are feasible, given the time and money you are requesting in the grant.
 Long-Term Goals:
o Why are you doing this research?
o What are the long-term implications?
o What will happen after the grant?
o What other avenues are open to explore?
o What is the ultimate application or use of the research?
 These questions all relate to the long-term goal of your research, which should be an important undercurrent of the
proposal. Again, they should be a logical extension of the research question, hypotheses, and specific aims.
 Once you've thought through the key elements of your research questions, hypotheses, specific aims, and research
design, you have the ingredients for a concept paper. This is an important tool to help you to organize your
thoughts, as well as to promote, disseminate, or get feedback on your ideas.
 A research question is the fundamental core of a research project, study, or review of literature. It focuses the
study, determines the methodology, and guides all stages of inquiry, analysis, and reporting.
 You can expand your question by introducing additional variables or characteristics. We call these connecting,
mediating, or moderating variables.
o Demographics (gender/age/ethnicity/religious preference)
o Geographic location
o Parent’s educational level
o Role of parent
o Student’s /parent’s political affiliation
 A Few Good Wording Tips
1. When a relationship is expected among a certain type of subject, reference the population.
2. Make RQs and Hs as specific and succinct as possible.
3. Avoid words or terms that do not add to the meaning of RQs and Hs.
4. Stick to what will be studied, not implications or your value judgments.
5. Name the variables in the order in which they occur or will be measured.
6. Avoid the words significant or significance.
7. Avoid using the word “prove.”
8. Avoid using two different terms to refer to the same variable.