CHAPTER THREE – THE RESEARCH PROCESS: THE SCIENTIFIC

APPROACH
4. Refining research topics
THE RESEARCH PROCESS: THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH  Discuss with fellow researchers
Conceptualizing a Research Study  Discuss with stakeholders
 Assess what is most critical to learn
Conceptualization is the process of refining the important concepts  Assess research sources available
and terms in the thesis/dissertation by giving them conceptual or theoretical 5. Questions to ask yourself
definitions (de Belen, 2015). Conceptualization involves bringing together  Is this a good idea?
several considerations to identify a good research idea. Components of this
 Who cares?
process include, 1) conducting a thorough search of the peer-reviewed
 Can it be addressed using appropriate research methods?
literature; 2) finding a research mentor and other collaborators; 3)
 Will it stimulate interest by others and the sponsors?
considering methodology and study design; and 4) assessing feasibility
(Jain, Lindley & Rosen, 2013).  Is it feasible/practical/doable?
 Is it fundable?
Research Topics Research is a systematic process. The first step in
research is identifying a topic. Research topic broadly defines the area of Introduction to the Research Problem, Purpose, Questions and Hypothesis
research. They are not the same as the title of the research study. And 1. A research problem is considered a professional situation in need of
there is need of further work to become feasible research studies. improvement, change or a solution. Houser (2012) considered research
Conceptualizing research topic according to Moyer, (2011) would include: problem to be the “why?”.
1. Finding your focus 2. The research purpose is the goal or interest of the study. The purpose
 Which aspects of your discipline interest you most? statement also investigates how variables (qualities, properties,
 What have you observed that you have questions about? characteristics) are studied in a setting and population (Housers, 2012).
 What articles have you read that have raised questions in your Polit and Beck (2012) support that a problem statement represents and
mind? indicates a situation to be studied.
2. What are the gaps in the literature?
3. Research questions are specific questions that researcher wants to
 By topic (what is not being looked at?)
know the intent of the study. According to Polit and Beck (2012), research
 Methods (what is not being done?) questions direct the data to be collected for the study.
 Populations (who is not being studied?)
 Comparisons (who is not being compared?) 4. A hypothesis is a statement that makes a specific prediction between
3. Where to start? one or two variables in a population then tested.
 Read CONCEPT MAPPING
 Detailed literature searches
To organize ideas in a structured approach to help researchers clarify the
 Discuss subject area with peers
key research issues and help them operationalize the programs on
 Listen and ask questions
interventions on the outcome measures. Katsumotoh, 2005 (cited in de One of the preliminary steps to completing a thesis/dissertation is the
Belen. 2015) concept mapping is a general method with which you clarify background study. The background study includes (1) a review of the area
and describe people’s ideas about some topic in a graphical form. being researched, (2) current information surrounding the issue, (3)
previous studies on the issue, (4) relevant history on the issue, and (5)
WRITING THE RESEARCH TITLE
effectively set forth the history and background to on the problem. (The
 Here are basic questions asked about the research title. University of Sydney, n.d.)
 Does the title describe what the study is all about? The purpose of a background study is to help you to prove the
 Does the title contain high specificity level? relevance of your research question and to further develop your thesis.
 Is the title academically phrased and in not verbose?
 Is the title within the twelve (12) substantive word requirement of B. Why do a Background Study?
the American Psychological Association (APA)? In addition to gaining general knowledge about your topic area, your
WRITING AN INTRODUCTION goals are to determine the current state of knowledge and to become
familiar with current research. Gravetter and Forzano (2006) pointed out
 An introduction answers the following questions. that once you have a general idea for a research study, the next step is to
 What is the problem? go to the library to gather background that you have identified. Once you
 Why is it a problem? have done this, your task is simply to extend the current research one more
 How it should be solved? step.
 Why it should be solved? C. How do your write a background study?
 What is the purpose of the study?
1. Conduct primary research at the beginning stages of formulating a thesis
STATING THE PROBLEM when many issues are unclear.
The problem statement is the researcher’s guide during the research 2. Read the information and develop a research question of thesis
process. It is the verbalization and articulation as well as the analysis of the statement that will guide your research.
“question” in which researcher wants the research to answer. The problem
statement is divided into the major or main problem and the minor sub- 3. Write a thesis statement or research question.
problems. The major or main problems is verbalization of the specific 4. Complete your research using your thesis statement and research
“question” which the researcher wants to answer. question as your guide.
WHAT IS A STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM? 5. Create five separate sections that cover the key issues, major findings
A statement of the problem is a concise description of the issues that need and controversies surrounding your thesis as well as sections that provide
to be addressed by the researcher. an evaluation and conclusion.

WRITING THE BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 6. Conclude by identifying and further study what needs to be done in the
area or provide possible solutions to the issue that haven’t been
A. What is the purpose of a background study? considered before.
7. Revise and edit your background study. change, or no relationship. In general, the null hypothesis says that nothing
happened.
FORMULATING THE HYPOTHESIS
In a study comparing two treatments, the null hypothesis states that
WHAT IS A HYPOTHESIS
there is a difference between the treatments.
A hypothesis is a tentative statement about the relationship
One characteristic of a good hypothesis is that it must make a
between two or more variables. A hypothesis is a specific, testable
positive statement about the existence of a relationship or the existence of
prediction about what you expect to happen in your study, (Black &
a treatment effect.
Champions, 1976, cited in Kumar, 1996).
Read the Sample Below
A hypothesis must be empirically grounded and lead to the main
contributor of the investigation. A research hypothesis is the statement you This study aims to determine the effects of students devised games-
created when you speculate up on the outcome of a structure, as the simulation on mathematic achievements and degree of motivation among
ultimate aim of any experiment. It is a statement that predicts the nursing students. Specifically, the researcher sought answer to the
relationship between the independent (casual) and dependent (outcome) following questions:
variables.
1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of
A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon.
1.1 Age
Hypothesis consists of independent and dependent variables. The
dependent variables is the outcome you are interested in studying-the- 1.2 Gender
effect. The independent variable is the variable that is producing a change
in the dependent variable-the-cause. A hypothesis is not a final answer, but 1.3 Pre-achievement level
rather a proposal to be tested and evaluated. 2. What are the levels of mathematical motivations of two groups of
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS respondents based on their pre-test and post-test scores?

1. Logical - A good hypothesis is usually founded on established theories 3. Is there a significant difference in the students’ mathematical motivations
or developed from the results of previous research. Specifically, a good between the control and experimental groups as measured by their pre-test
hypothesis should be two logical conclusions of a logical argument. and post-test scores.
2. Testable - A good hypothesis must be testable. Must be possible to Ho1: There is no significant difference in the students’ mathematical
observe and measure all of the variables involved. motivation between the control and experimental groups as measured by
3. Refutable - A testable hypothesis must be refutable. It must be their pre-test and post test scores.
possible to obtain research results that are contrary to the prediction.
4. How significantly different are the math academic achievements of the
THE NULL HYPOTHESIS two groups (control and experimental) of students based on their pre-
The null hypothesis is a statement about the population or test and post-test results?
populations being examined that always states that there is no effect, no
Ho2: There is no significant difference in the mathematics achievement test
of the two groups (control and experimental) of students based on their
pre-test and post test results.