Inquiries, Investigation and

Immersion
Quarter 1 – Module 2:
Identifying the Problem and
Asking the Question

What I Know

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As an initial activity, you will be assessed on your prior knowledge about finding the answers to
the research questions. This is to find out what are the things you need to learn more about the
subject matter.

Multiple Choice.

1. a. Background of the Study

2. b. Conceptual Framework
3. c. Research Hypothesis
4. b. Create a Flow chart
5. a. Marshall and Rossman
6. a. Operational Definition
7. a. Conceptual Definition
8. c. Scope and delimitation of the study
9. a. Significance of the study
10. b. Theoretical and Conceptual Framework
11. d. Maria June Mandela
12. d. Independent Variable and Dependent Variable
13. a. Significance of the study
14. d. All of the above
15. c. Glossary of Research Terms

What’s In

In the preceding lesson, you learned the significance of research across fields of inquiry. A
thorough research can be conducted in any field of knowledge. The areas and disciplines that
are classified into different areas of sciences will assist you to understand where you really fit.
These will guide you into the next learning of designing and writing a research project and a
research title.

What’s New
After you have carefully written your previous activities and
perhaps ran it through your associates through a many of times. While there are many elements
for your readers is the background of the study. The background of your study will provide
context to the information discussed throughout the research process. The background
information of your study may include both important and relevant studies.

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Furthermore, the background of the study will deliberate your statement of the problem,
rationale, and research questions. It links the introduction to your research study and
guarantees a logical flow of ideas. Thus, it helps readers understand and comprehend your
reasons and explanations for conducting the study.

Problem statements or background of the study have three elements:

➢ The problem itself, stated clearly and with enough contextual detail to establish why it is
important;
➢ The method of solving the problem, often stated as a claim or a working thesis;
➢ The purpose, statement of objectives and scope of document the writer is preparing.

What is It

Research Problem
A research problem is a statement about an area of concern, a condition to be
improved, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in scholarly
literature, in theory, or in practice that points to the need for meaningful understanding
and deliberate investigation. It is typically posed in the form of a question.

Sample Background of the study:

GRADE 11 STUDENTS’ LEVEL OF AWARENESS ON THE 3R’S METHOD IN UTILIZING
NON-BIODEGRADABLE WASTE IN LA SALLE UNIVERSITY
In today’s generation, a lot of problems have been emerging in our society and the most
common problem that humans are facing right now is the environmental concerns, specifically
the solid waste which includes the biodegradable and non- biodegradable. Waste can be defined
to be as those materials that are no longer needed at some point. Biodegradable wastes are
those that can be easily decomposed while non-biodegradable wastes are those that cannot be
broken and decomposed in which these will remain stable indefinitely. Moreover, non-
biodegradable wastes bring problems to our environment

What’s More
You just learned the concepts on background of the Problem.
You were tasked to save the titles you’ve made as your research topic. You will use these on
the next activities to create your research problem.

Among the titles of the previous lesson you have created, which of those you
think should be addressed. Kindly, explain further on this matter.

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Write the above research topics you have created and identify at least three
research problem for each and explain why you choose them.
Propose Research Title:

Background of the Problem:

Reasons:

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 Lesson

2 Conceptual Framework

What’s In

In the previous lesson, you’ve learned on how to choose research topics and formulate
Background of the problem or the statement of the problem, following the different elements in
writing a statement of the problem helps you to create a god topic for your research.

What Is It

Researchers create and generate theoretical and conceptual

frameworks that comprise a philosophical and methodological model to help and aid to design
their work.

A Conceptual Framework is an analytical tool with several variations and contexts that can be
applied in different categories of work where an overall picture is needed to come up with the
desired goal. It is necessary to make conceptual and theoretical distinctions and organize ideas.
Strong and resilient conceptual frameworks capture and apprehend something real and do this
in a way that is easy to remember and apply.

The theoretical and conceptual frameworks provide evidence of academic standards and
procedures that validates the authenticity of the study. They also proposed an explanation and
clarification of why the study is relevant and how the researcher expects to fill the gap in the
literature.

How to create a Conceptual Framework

A conceptual framework is a bit like a recipe or a blueprint. It provides an outline of how you
plan to conduct the research of your thesis, but it goes further than that by also positioning your
work within the larger field of research.

➢ Conduct a Literature Review

Before you can have your research, you need to understand and comprehend what
research has already been conducted on your topic of interest and curiosity. Conducting
a literature review can help you to refine your central argument or hypothesis. You must
also conduct and gather the literature review to be able to place and organize your work
within the larger and greater area of study in your conceptual framework. Your
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 framework should present the relevant research ad show how your work will help to
advance the field.

➢ Create a Flow Chart

Conceptual frameworks are frequently visual and allow those reading the framework to
understand the course of your research. You can present this in whatever way makes the
most sense for your work, which can include a flow chart, mind gap or diagram. In every
component of your research, you should showcase the variables that influence it.

➢ Write a Narrative
Conceptual frameworks don’t have to include a diagram or graphic. You can always
present the same information and evidence by writing a narrative. Your narrative should
recap the variables influencing your research and explore how they may change the
hypothesis. The narrative should also explain and enlighten the basic methodology for
your research. If you include a diagram in your conceptual framework, a narrative
should also be included explaining these details for those who prefer more in-depth
information. Bolded headers to separate the sections of your narrative and to create a
visual order of information.

➢ Return and Revise

As you begin your research, you may discover that certain elements of your conceptual
framework are no longer needed. You will discover new variables, or you may identify
that your hypothesis is incorrect. You may discover additional research that challenges
your theory and ideas. You should return to your framework and revise it if necessary.

SAMPLE SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM:

Fig. 1 Schematic Diagram showing the perimeter of the study

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 What’s In

In the preceding lesson, you learned the significance of research across fields of inquiry. A
thorough research can be conducted in any field of knowledge. The areas and disciplines that
are classified into different areas of sciences will assist you to understand where you really fit.
These will guide you into the next learning of designing and writing a research project and a
research title.

What Is It
Research Hypothesis is vital to all research endeavors, whether
qualitative or quantitative, exploratory or explanatory.

In developing a testable research hypothesis, it takes skill, however, along with careful attention
to how the proposed research method treats the development and testing of hypotheses.

The hypothesis in your study, you are predicting the relationship between two variables.

Following are some hints for the formulation of your hypothesis.

➢ Be certain to read on the subject matter to explain with it before making a final decision
➢ As noted, a research hypothesis is more than just a topic. It has two elements (variables)
that are in relation to each other. Your hypothesis is what you propose to “prove” by your
research. As an outcome of your research, you will arrive at a conclusion, a theory, or
understanding that will be useful or applicable beyond the research itself.
➢ Avoid judgmental and critical words in your hypothesis.
➢ Your hypothesis must involve an issue or question that cannot be answered exclusively
by the discipline of law.
➢ Be certain that each term if your hypothesis is clearly understood and defined, do not
deal in generalities or assume that the reader knows the meaning of the technical term.
➢ Specify, if appropriate, whether you will be dealing with state or federal law or both on a
comparative basis if appropriate. ➢ Know that your hypothesis may change over time
as your research progresses.

You must obtain the teacher’s approval of your hypothesis, as well as any modifications to your
hypothesis, before proceeding with any work on the topic.

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You will be expressing your hypothesis in 3 ways:

➢ As a one-sentence hypothesis.
➢ As a research question.
➢ As a title for your paper. Your hypothesis will be part of your research proposal.

Sample on Research Hypothesis:

Example:
Question:

Does taking aspirin everyday reduce the chance of having a heart attack?

Null Hypothesis: Taking aspirin daily does not affect heart

attack risk.

What’s More

Writing Exercise: Make your Research Hypothesis

Directions: Go back on the sample given. Based on the topic that you’ve chosen, write a
statement on the Research Hypothesis on your chosen topic.

Question:

Research Hypothesis:

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 Lesson

4 Statement of the Problem

What’s In

In the prior lesson, you’ve learned on how to make a research hypothesis that is indispensable
in making a research project. In addition, before formulating your research hypothesis, read
about the topic that is interesting to you since a research hypothesis is a statement of
expectation or prediction that will be tested by research itself.

What Is It
Writing a Statement of the Problem
After identifying a research problem, the next step is to write a problem
statement. It has to be concise and concrete. Writing a problem statement can help the
researcher put the topic in context and have a deeper understanding of its significance.
A problem statement may be written in several paragraphs or in several sentences
incorporated in the introduction.
Problem statement should address the relevance of the research: why is it
important to resolve the problem. The problem statement need not lay world-changing
impact. What is important is that the problem statement should lay how you intend to
address the problem. Your goal should not be to find a conclusive solution, but to seek
out the reasons behind the problem and propose more effective approaches to
understanding it. You may start with the following phrases:

a) The aim of this study is to determine…

b) This project aims to explore…
c) I aim to investigate…

Research studies generally include the succeeding interconnected portions.

Purpose of the Statement of the Problem:
➢ To describe the substantive focus of the research study
➢ To frame it as
➢ A larger theoretical policy
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 ➢ A practical problem and thereby, develop its significance
➢ To pose initial research questions
➢ To forecast the literature to be discussed in the second section and ➢ To discuss the
limitations of the study.

Specific Title of the Study:

Narcissism in Teenagers: Root Causes, Manifestations and Interventions
The different parts of the problem statement will be written as follows:

Introduction
Taking selfies or a video of oneself has become a social phenomenon that has been
brought about by the use of modern gadgets, particularly the mobile phone- adolescents take
pictures or videos of themselves, their possessions, their latest happenings or gigs, their friends,
their food-anything, anyone they take a fancy on, anywhere, anytime. A good number of people
say that this social phenomenon has evolved into narcissism. There is, to date, a dearth of
research on this topic.

Statement of the Problem

Major Problem: This study aims to investigate the root causes of narcissism, as well as its
manifestations and possible forms of intervention.

Specific Problems: Specifically, it seeks to answer the following questions:

➢ What are the underlying causes of narcissism?

➢ How has technology contributed to narcissistic behavior?
➢ What are the manifestations of narcissistic behavior in adolescents?
➢ What forms of intervention can be done to address this behavior of adolescents?
➢ How can the following help in developing healthy self-esteem, positive outlooks and
attitudes in adolescents?

Parents
Curriculum Planners
Administrators
Teachers
Guidance Counsellors
Peers,

What’s More

Writing Exercise: Make your Statement of the Problem

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Directions: Go back on the sample given. On the topic that you have chosen, write a specific
statement or inquiry showing the following:

Statement of the Problem:

Lesson

5 Importance of the Study

What’s In

In the former lesson, you’ve learned on how to create a statement of the problem that is
essential in making a research project. Moreover, a good research problem should address an
existing gap in knowledge in the field and lead to further research.

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 What Is It
This portion discusses how to write this section and provides an
example to illustrate the different techniques.

In an actual fact, the section on the significance of the study provides information to the reader
on how the study will contribute. It must be exactly stated, however, what the study will
contribute and who will benefit from it.

Sample Significance of the study:

Significance of the Study

The researcher believed that the result of this study will help the following assess the 4Ps
program and its effect to the performance of the pupils.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development. The researcher believes that the result of
this study will be of great importance to the department since they are the ones monitoring the
4Ps program. May this study serve as the basis in the modification of the conditions in giving
cash grants

The Administrators. The result of the study would be the basis of constructing and implementing
new and innovative teaching aids to help teachers fully supervise and assess the pupils to
achieve their full potentials, since children are financially supported in their studies by the
government.
The Teachers. The result of this study may help the teacher in constructing and developing new
teaching strategies to help the students in their performance and be mindful that even if
students are provided and supported by the government, they still need equal guidance to
perform well in school. The factors affecting the performance of the students may also help the
teacher as their basis in making daily lessons.

The Parents. The result of this study will inform the parents that their guidance is a big impact
on the performance of the students in school.

The Students. May the result of this research help the student in understanding that coming to
school daily may be a guarantee that they will also have good academic performance. And may
the result give them the overview of how the government is supporting their studies and that
they must do their part by studying well.

What’s More

Writing Exercise: Writing a statement on the Significance

or the
Importance of the Study

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Directions: On the topic you’ve chosen, write a specific statement regarding the Significance or
the Importance of the study.

Significance of the Study:

What’s In

In the previous lesson, you’ve learned on how to create a statement of the problem that is
essential in making a research project. Moreover, a good research problem should address an
existing gap in knowledge in the field and lead to further research.

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 What is It
As mentioned in other topics, to broad topics will lead the
research nowhere.

The scope and delimitation of the study set borders and limitations of the problem inquiry and
narrow down the scope of the inquiry.

The purpose of the delimitation of the study is to delimit by geographic location, age, sex,
population traits, population size, or other similar aspects. Delimitation makes study more
manageable and feasible. Part of it sets the constraints or weaknesses of a study which are
beyond the control of the researcher.

Examples of Delimitation of Research

➢ This study covers only those families in Barangay San Jose, Pasig City, benefited by the
government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.
➢ This study includes only those English freshman classes that use both Blended Learning
and standard ways of Language teaching.

What’s More

Writing Exercise: On the Scope and Limitation of the Study

Directions: Go back in the sample given. On the topic that you’ve chosen, write a specific
statement showing the Scope and Limitation of your study.

Scope and Limitation:

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 Lesson

7 Definition of Terms

What’s In

In the former lesson, you’ve learned on how to formulate a scope and delimitation of a research
study that is vital in making a research project. Moreover, a scope and delimitation of a research
project is the scope on how in-depth your study is to explore the research parameters in which
it will operate in relation to the population and the timeframe of your study.

What Is It
Glossary of Research Terms- this glossary is intended to assist
you in understanding commonly used terms and concepts when reading, interpreting, and
evaluating scholarly research in the social sciences.
➢

Types and Functions

➢

➢ Conceptual Definition
o Refers to the dictionary meaning.

➢ Operational Definition
o The meaning of the concept or terms as used in a particular study.
➢

Sample Operational Definition of Terms

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 Conceptual Definition Operational Definition

Academic Performance CCT or Conditional Cash Transfer

It is the product of education- the degree This is a program that transfers cash, largely to
to which a student, a teacher or deprived families, on the circumstance that
organization has attained their those families make prespecified funds in the
educational goals. It is dignified by the human assets of their kids.
final grade earned in the course.

What’s More

Writing Exercise: Defining a Term

Directions: On the topic chosen, write a specific statement using the different Types and
Functions of the Definition of Terms.

Conceptual Definition:

Operational Definition:

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 What I Have Learned

Based on the lesson, I have realized that

What I Can Do

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Directions: Provide the necessary information as asked in the 1 st Column. Use a separate sheet of
paper in answering the activity.

Question/Instruction Answer
What is your proposed topic for study?

Write your statement of the problem.

Formulate your hypothesis based on your
statement of the problem

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 Assessment

Multiple Choice. In a separate sheet of paper write the letter of the best answer.

1. The part of your study that will provide context to the information discussed throughout
the research process.
a. Background of the Study
b. Scope and delimitation of the study
c. Operational Definition
d. Significance of the study
2. An analytical tool with several variations and contexts.
a. Scope and delimitation of the study
b. Conceptual Framework
c. Significance of the study
d. Operational Definition
3. The part of your states what the researcher expects to find- it is the tentative answer to
the research question that guides the entire study.
a. Research Significance
b. Research Truth
c. Research Hypothesis
d. Research Operation Definition
4. In making your conceptual framework which is not included in the steps stated below.
a. Conduct a Literature c. Write a Narrative
b. Create a Flow chart d. Do not return and revise
5. Who are the individuals whom they explain clearly the purposes of the problem
statement or inquiry?
a. Marshall and Rossman
b. Marshall Leu and Rose Man
c. F.J. Espania and R. E. Fernandez
d. None of the above
6. It is considered as dictionary terminologies?
a. Operational Definition
b. Conceptual Definition
c. Operational-Conceptual Definition
d. All of the above
7. It is the meaning of the concept or terms as used in a particular study.
a. Conceptual Definition
b. Conceptual Definition-Operational
c. Operational Definition
d. All of the above
8. The part of your study that sets boundaries and parameters of the problem inquiry and
narrows down the scope of the inquiry.
a. Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

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 b. Background of the Study
c. Scope and delimitation of the study
d. Scope and delimitation of the study
9. It will provide information to the reader on how the study will contribute.
a. Significance of the study
b. Scope and delimitation of the study
c. Operational Definition
d. Significance of the study
10. The portion of your study that will provide evidence of academic standards and
procedure.
a. Theory Framework
b. Theoretical and Conceptual Framework
c. Concept Framework
d. None of the above
11. According to her a conceptual framework is a bit like a recipe or a blueprint.
a. Maria Marie Florenda
b. Maria Magic
c. Maria Magher
d. Maria June Mandela
12. A part of research that is necessary in the theoretical and conceptual framework.
a. Dependable Variable
b. Independent Variable
c. Dependent Variable
d. Independent Variable and Dependent Variable
13. The section of the study that provides information to the reader on how the study will
contribute.
a. Significance of the study
b. Scope and delimitation of the study
c. Operational Definition
d. Glossary of terminology
14. The Theoretical and Conceptual Framework provides.
a. Substantiation c. Confirmation
b. Evidence d. All of the above
15. The part of your study is intended to assist you in understanding commonly used terms
and concepts when reading, interpreting, and evaluating scholarly research in the social
sciences.
a. Background of the Study
b. Scope and delimitation of the study
c. Glossary of Research Terms
d. Significance of the Study
dditional Activities
A. Library Visit and Internet Exploration ➢ Go to a
library or do research in the internet. ➢ Read at least
two research ➢ Make a report on each research.
➢ End your library visit with the Actual learnings that you have during your library
visit and internet exploration and make the following to practice what you’ve
learned in this module.

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➢ Background of the study
➢ Conceptual Framework
➢ Research Hypothesis
➢ Statement of the problem
➢ Significance of the study
➢ Scope and Delimitation of the study
➢ Definitio of terms

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References
Crewell, JW. Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design. Choosing Among Five Traditions. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage Publication, 1997.

Cronbach, L.J., and P.E. Meehl. Construct Validity in Psychological Test. Psychological Bulletin,
1995.

Field, Maurice H. Statistics for Research Projects, 1997.

Gaultney, Jane F., and Hannah D. Peach. How To Do Research. Sage Publication, Inc. 2016

Punch, KF. Introduction to Social Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches. Sage
Publication, 2013

V, Michael, and Kimberly A. De Perez. Rethinking Observation Handbook of Qualitative Research.

Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication, 2000.

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For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Department of Education - Bureau of Learning Resources (DepEd-BLR)

Ground Floor, Bonifacio Bldg., DepEd Complex Meralco

Avenue, Pasig City, Philippines 1600

Telefax: (632) 8634-1072; 8634-1054; 8631-4985

Email Address: [email protected] * [email protected]

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