PRACTICAL RESEARCH 2

A QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

This module uses PRACTICAL RESEARCH 2 FOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

by Amadeo Pangilinan Cristobal, Jr., Ed. D.

All rights reserved to the author. No copyright infringement intended.

Chapter 3: Research Title
OBJECTIVES

At the end of this chapter, the students will be able to:

1. discuss the guidelines in formulating a research title; and

2. formulate the title of a quantitative research.

OPENING ACTIVITY

A. Analyze the following research titles and determine their common

characteristics. From your analysis, determine the common elements of a

good research title and steps in formulating it.

Research Titles:

1. Level of Difficulty and the Practical Research Outputs among Senior High

Schools in Selected Private Schools

2. Correlates of the Financial Literacy Profile and Work Performance among

Elementary Teachers (David, 2014)

3. Attributes of Test Papers and Level of Performance of Students: Basis for

the Formulation of the Guidelines on Test Paper Construction (Cristobal,

2014)

4. The Level of Performance of Instructors: Basis for the Formulation of

Academic Intervention Program (Cristobal, 2014)

5. Clinical Supervision and the Level of Performance of Elementary Teachers

(Lisud, 2014)
B. Recall your research title in your Practical Research 1. Do the same

analysis and explain what does it have in common among the previous

research titles.

INVESTIGATION

The Research Title

Generally, the title should:

1. summarize the main idea of the paper;

2. be a concise statement of the main topic;

3. include major variable/s;

4. show the relationship of the main variables of the study;

5. include the main task of the researcher about the major variables under

study; and

6. mention the participants (in a general manner) and the setting. Thus,

instead of writing “Grade 5 pupils of Dr. Cristobal Elementary School, write

elementary pupils” or “selected elementary schools” because the specific

characteristic will be indicated in another part or element of the research

paper.

The researcher must be reminded of the following:

1. In formulating the title, the researcher should avoid using words that

serve no useful purposes and can mislead indexers. The words methods,

results, investigations, and study appear redundant when used in the

thesis title.

2. In many cases, the general problem or even the specific questions that

the researcher intends to answer, when rewritten in a statement form, can

serve as the title.

3. The title must have 10 to 15 words.

Examples of Thesis Title

1. Frequency of Tardiness and Level of Support of Parents Among High

School Students in Selected Public Schools

2. Testing the Efficient Market Hypothesis on the Philippine Peso-Dollar Rates

(Villanueva, 2006)

3. Effects of Peer Pressure on the Habit-forming Behavior of Honor Students

4. Evaluation of the Services of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas: Basis for

Service Enhancement (Garcia, 2008)

5. Homework, Reading Ability, and Exercises in Accounting: Their Influences

on Outcomes in Bookkeeping

6. Work Values and Job Satisfaction Level of Employees (Corpuz, 2010)

7. Effectiveness of Information, Education and Communication in the

Awareness of Breastfeeding Among Nursing Mothers (Panganiban, 2007)

8. Acculturation Level and Postpartum Depression in Hispanic Mothers

(Tatano, Beck, et. Al, 2005)

9. The Effects of Diagnosis and Non-compliance Attributions on Therapeutic

Alliance Processes in Adult Acute Psychiatric Settings (Forsyth, 2007)

10. Pragmatism Rules: The Intervention and Prevention Strategies used by

Psychiatric Nurses Working with Non-suicidal Self-harming Individuals

(O’Donovan, 2007)

11. Building Life Skills for Children with Cystic Fibrosis and Effectiveness of

the Intervention (Christian, Becky, 2005)

12. Psychometric Testing of the Blurred 15, the Bakas Caregiving Outcomes

Scale (Baks, Tamilyn, et al., 2005)

Sources of Research Problems

Research problems may exist in various settings such as schools,

houses, restaurants, clinics or any place in the community. They are

commonly found in areas where there is/are:

1. a feeling of discomfort like during recitation or in making projects;

2. perceived difficulties in the management and leadership of the class

president or the adviser;

3. a gap between theory and practice;

4. a daily experience of a person that requires further inquiry especially if

improvements are desired;

5. a procedure that requires further inquiry especially if improvements are

desired;

6. a pattern or trend. Examples: Classmates failing in a lesson in algebra;

increasing tardiness in English class; or misbehavior during PEHM classes.

7. a literature review. An article read in the library or from the Internet can

be a source of an interesting issue, new terminology, or possible conflicts.

Even findings of research studies can give rise to another problem.

Replication study is allowed when parts of a previous study are to be

enhanced or elements will be added like other variables, new locale,

different study participants, or even recently-devised tools.

These instances can give students an idea that something is researchable:

1. Solutions are available but not yet tested and not known by the

practitioner.

2. No solutions are available to answer the gap or the problem assessed.

3. Answers, solutions, or results are seemingly not tested or are factually

contradictory.
4. A phenomenon exists which requires explanation.

5. There are several possible and plausible explanations for the existence of

an undesirable condition.

Considerations in Formulating Research Problems

Like in any undertaking, selecting the best topic among numerous

alternatives is problematic. There is a need to define the bases or criteria in

formulating a research problem to come up with the ideal one. Barrientos-

Tan (1997) identifies different criteria for choosing a research problem:

A. External Criteria

1. Novelty

The topic must not have been used by many researchers; the newness

of a topic and its variables will inspire a researcher or other fellow

researchers.

2. Availability of subjects

Since this is practical research, it is suggested that you think of study

participants who are within your reach (i.e., your classmates, teachers,

neighbors). These people could easily be approached and their cooperation

could easily be gained.

3. Administrative support

It refers to the aid or assistance that can be solicited from the school

or extended by the community.

4. Availability and adequacy of facilities and equipment

Devices such as computers, telephones, Wi-Fi, etc. used in

undertaking the research mist be considered.

5. Ethical considerations

Ensure that all activities to be undertaken are acceptable and are done

in accordance with what is legal and morally right.

B. Internal Criteria

1. Experience, training and professional qualifications

Constitute the researcher’s knowledge, expertise, and experience in

order for him/her to cope with the research demands.

2. Motivation, interest, intellectual curiosity, and perceptiveness of

the researcher

These are essential attitudes that bring anticipated satisfaction or

enjoyment in the completion of research tasks.

3. Time factor

It considers that fact that studies must be pursued in a given time

frame.

4. Costs and returns

These factors matter in choosing research problem. Research is an

expensive undertaking. The amount of funding necessary depends on the

size of the sample, the place where the research is to be conducted, the

research design, and the treatment of data.

5. Hazards, penalties, and handicaps

These are determined by the researcher’s physical and intellectual

capacity and moral judgment.

This exercise can be applied to come up with the variables of the study/

1. Think of an issue or concern you are confronted with.

Example: Difficulty of Transportation

2. After identifying the issue by concern, think of other concepts (e.g.,

causes or results) related to the issue concern.

3. Finally, select the concepts that influence or are influenced by the issue or

concern. You can use the internal and external criteria at this juncture.

Examples: Parental Concern and Academic Issues

4. Consequentially, you can temporarily use this title for your problem:

Parental Concern, Difficulty of Transportation, and Academic Issues among

High School Students.

Name: _____________________ Section: ____________ Date: _________

ACTIVITY 3

Proposed Problems

A. Enumerate possible problems (think of those that can be measured

quantitatively) you may encounter in these various settings.

1. Personal (family and social) Life

a.

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b.

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c.

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2. School

a.

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b.

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c.

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3. Community

a.

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b.

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c.

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4. Government

a.

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b.

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c.

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B. From the enumerated possible research problems, identify at least three

researchable problems using the internal and external criteria, explain why

you have chosen these research problems.

a.

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_____________________________________________________________

b.

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c.

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