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PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1

QUANTITATIVE REASEARCH & QUALITATIVE RESEARCH TYPES OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

A. Phenomenology
To come up with a good research, a good research design is needed. The type of research would depend on the
purpose of writing the research. It can be qualitative or qualitative. This refers to the descriptive study of how individuals experience a phenomenon. The fundamental question
in phenomenology is: what is the meaning, structure, and essence of the lived experiences of this phenomenon by a
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH – is concerned with non-statistical methods of inquiry and analysis of social person or persons? Conducting in-depth interviews is a common method for gaining access to individual’s life-
phenomena. It draws on an inductive process in which themes and categories emerge through an analysis of data worlds. Phenomenological researchers often seek for commonalities across individuals, rather than focusing on
collected by such techniques as interviews, observations, videotapes, and case studies. Samples are usually small what is unique about individuals.
and are often purposively selected.
Examples:
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH – is typically generated before the study and statistical techniques are used to
1. What is the essence of people’s experiences when they find out their loved one has terminal cancer?
analyze the data collected.
2. What coping mechanisms do patients employ before a major surgery?
3. What is the essence of student’s experiences on uncaring teachers?
Both Qualitative and quantitative research is designed to build knowledge; they can be used as complementary
strategies, usually referred to as mixed methods.
B. Ethnography
THE VALUE OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
This is the discovery and description of the culture of a group of people, and originates in the discipline of
In contrast to quantitative data, Qualitative data does not simply count things, but is a way of recording people’s anthropology. Therefore, the concept of culture, which shared beliefs, values, practices, language, norms, rituals,
attitudes, feelings and behaviors in greater depth. and material things that group members use to understand their world, is of central importance.
The basic question is:
Qualitative Data Analysis is:  What are the cultural characteristics of this group of people or of this cultural scene?
 Often based on grounded theory practices
 Answers the “why?” questions The final ethnography (i.e., the report) should provide a rich and holistic description of the culture of the
 Pays greater attention to individual cases group under study.

Qualitative research methods allow for much more detailed investigation of issues – answering questions of C. Case Study
meaning, who is affected (by the issue), why, what factors are involved, do individuals react, or respond differently
from each other. This is the detailed account and analysis of one or more cases.
The foundational question in case study research is:
In health practice for example, more and more recognition is being given to the individual in the process, not just  What are the characteristics of this single case or of these comparison cases?
the observable effect of “treatment” upon a “patient”, particularly in studies that involve health practices.
A case is a bounded system (e.g., a person, a group, an activity, a process). Because the roots of case study
Qualitative methods such as semi-structured interviews, case studies, and narrative can ultimately reveal more are interdisciplinary, many different concepts and theories can be used to describe and explain the case.
about the effectiveness (or otherwise) of a form of therapy on an individual.
Multiple methods of data collection are often used in case study research like interviews, observation,
Research projects using qualitative measures have smaller sample sizes that quantitative studies. This is in itself documents, and questionnaires. The case study final report should provide a rich (vivid and detailed) and holistic
leads to a different approach when it comes to utilizing the data collected. (describes the whole and its parts) description of the case and its context.

The core of qualitative analysis is interpretation. The larger sampling available to quantitative research methods Case studies are in-depth investigations of a single person, group, event, or community. Research may also
enables findings to generalized from the research sample to the population at large. continue for an extended period of time so processes and developments can be studied as they happen.

Qualitative research seeks to deal with human experience, and as such, is more concerned with transferability as a The case study method often involves simply observing what happens to, or reconstructing the case history’ of
way of validating findings. a single participant or group of individuals (such as a school class or a specific social group).

Qualitative research can enable one to tackle sensitive issues, to appreciate the wider context of people’s Among the sources of data the psychologist is likely to turn to when carrying out a case study are observations
experiences and make connections across different areas of participant’s lives. of a person’s daily routine, unstructured interviews with the participant herself (and with people who know her),
diaries, personal notes (e.g. letters, photographs, notes), or official document (e.g. case notes, clinical notes,
appraisal reports). Most of this information is likely to be qualitative (i.e. verbal description rather than
measurement) but the psychologist might collect numerical data as well.

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D. Grounded Theory Where are we going to source all these three to five topics? It was mentioned in the previous sections that ours is an
This is the development of inductive, “bottoms-up,” theory that is “grounded” directly in the empirical imperfect world, that there is so much to be improved. Therefore, we can get sources of all these topics from where
data. The foundational question is: we are.
 What theory or explanation emerges from an analysis of the data collected about this phenomenon?
A. Problem Situations
It is usually used to generate theory. Grounded theory can also be used to test or elaborate upon In school, you would hear classmates complain about teachers' teaching strategies, and how they deal
previously grounded theories, as long as the approach continues to be one of constantly grounding any changes in with their students, complaints about their failing grades, their love life, their limited allowances, school facilities
the new data. and equipment, their families, social networking practices, computer gaming, social issues, unemployed
graduates, graduates not finding the right job, bullying. Career opportunities, classmates getting sick, medicinal
Four important characteristics of a grounded theory are: plants, waste management, and many more.
1. Fit. Does the theory correspond to real-world data?
2. Understanding. Is the theory clear and understandable? At home, there are also problems that you dwell on, relationships, money matters, infidelity,
3. Generality. Is the theory abstract enough to move beyond the specifics in the original research study? unemployment, neighbors, bills, health-related concerns, absentee parents and more. You can move to the larger
4. Control. Can the theory be applied to produce real world results? community and look into problems on politics, prices of commodities, and other concerns.

Data collection and analysis continue throughout the study. When collecting and analyzing, the researcher needs For sure, if given the opportunity, you would help in any way you can to ease people out of these
theoretical sensitivity (i.e., being sensitive about what data are important in developing the grounded theory). problems. You can already start by doing a research on any of these experienced problems, the recommendations
you offer at the end of this research may eventually affect solutions which can be more helpful than we ever
Data analysis often follows three steps: imagined. These are already your sources of a topic or topics for research.
1. Open Coding (i.e., reading transcripts line-by-line and identifying and coding the concepts found in the
data). B. Consider your passions or interest
2. Axial Coding (i.e., organizing the concepts and making them more abstract). What are you passionate about or interested about? Where would you like to make a difference? You are
3. Selective Coding (i.e., focusing on the main ideas, developing the story, and finalizing the grounded going to spend a lot of time doing a qualitative study. Choosing a topic you care about will keep you interested and
theory). could result in you making a difference where it matters to you.

The grounded theory process is “complete” when theoretical saturation occurs (i.e., when no new concepts are C. Consider the settings available to you
emerging from the data and the theory is well validated). The final report should include a detailed and clear
description of the grounded theory. In what places do you have convenient and regular access? What places will you be able to get
permission from participants?
E. Biographical Study
A biographical study is considered an exhaustive account of a life experience, it is the collection and analysis of If you want to answer a research question by observing people, where can you go where you will not be
an intensive account of a whole life or portion of a life, usually by an in-depth, unstructured interview. noticed? If you want to interview people, where can you go where you can easily approach people without
disruption and within the regulations of the setting? Your topic is only as good as the setting. The title should
The account may be reinforced by semi- structured interviewing or personal documents. Rather than concentrating describe what you are studying and to what effect.
upon a ‘snapshot’ of an individual’s present situation, the biographical approach emphasizes the placement of the
individual within a center of social connections, historical events, and life experiences (the life history). D. Consider Your Subjects

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH ACROSS THE DIFFERENT FIELDS OF INQUIRY In order to study people, you have to gain their permission after thoroughly advising them of such things
as who you are, how you will keep their responses confidential, and what happens if they want to quit.
Researchers in social sciences and humanities such as anthropology, sociology, philosophy, psychology,
criminology, business administration, political science, communications, education, and history as well as many Now, on how to write the title, let us take this sample title:
areas in the health sciences like nursing and occupational therapy have a common belief in the desirability of
trying to understand human action through systematic study and analysis. Some researchers use quantitative
research approaches, others opt for qualitative research methods, and some use a combination of both. A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE BEHAVIOR OF STUDENTS WITH ABSENTEE
PARENTS
IDENTIFYING THE INQUIRY AND STATING THE PROBLEM
LESSON 1: Writing the Title for Qualitative Research From this title, the reader can find out a lot about the research before reading the actual proposal or
actual research report.
To write your title, you must start with a topic. You may start by writing three topics of your choice. You might
resent this, but soon you will realize that there is wisdom to this practice. There is actually no such a thing as a 1. What are we looking at? behavior of students with absentee parents
single best idea. It is easier to jot down three ideas or even five, instead of selecting one single topic. In the process 2. Who are the subjects? students with absentee parents
of discussing these topics with your teacher, he/she may learn about your interests and discovers other topics and 3. It is going to be a qualitative study, and we know which will be used, phenomenology.
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together, you may come up with one researchable topic, which may be similar, slightly different, or totally different
from the three topics you presented but still within your line of interest and/or expertise.
4. We will just be using a small sample. Trends, issues, objectives, and contribution to theory and practice should be the main content of your introduction
5. Data collection will involve obtaining information from the participants in some way - interviews, observation, (de Guzman, 2013). The first two would be made clearer through related literature and studies and the last two
open-ended questionnaires, etc. from your own perspective.
6. Data analysis will not be statistical, but the title does not give us a clue as to how the data will be analyzed.
Trends may be presented through studies and statistics related to the topic from the international, national, and to
Another example: the local setting.

Issues may be presented with related literature on actual situations involving statistics and legal provisions. Legal
A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE LEVELS OF PAIN EXPERIENCED BY
provisions may be taken from the international to the local setting. The last paragraph of the introduction may be
CHILDREN AGED 3-5 YEARS UNDERGOING AN INTRAVENOUS INJECTION IN THE devoted to a short discussion on why you decided to conduct the study based on the trends and issues and the
PRESENCE OF THEIR MOTHERS possible outcome contribution of the study linking it to the problem at hand.

1. What are we looking at? Levels of pain At the end of the day, after discussing all these four, you should have convinced your reader that your study should
2. Who are the subjects? Children aged 3-5 have really been conducted as you have proven a research gap in that particular area. Needless to say, there are
3. It is going to be a qualitative study, and we know which will be used, phenomenology. some topics which might not need to be researched anymore as there is no more research gap.
4. We will just be using a small sample.
5. Data collection will involve obtaining information from the participants in some way - interviews, observation, Below is a sample introduction from Maniego (2010).
open-ended questionnaires, etc.
6. Data analysis will not be statistical, but the title does not give us a clue as to how the data will be analyzed.
Tourism on an international and domestic level acts as a huge factor in economic growth and
alleviation of poverty. It is the most effective economic contributor to developing countries as considered
by many observers. The demand created by consumers, using the tourism product, creates millions of jobs
At this stage, you will not have the final title of your finished research yet. That will depend upon your worldwide (Tamondong, 2010).
results. However, you do need to have a working title, and this working title out of necessity will encapsulate your
proposed research. In the Philippines, tourism industry is also seen as one of the most promising industries and an
alternative solution to the problems of unemployment and underemployment. The prevalence of festivals
Before attempting to write your research proposal about the phenomenon of interest to you, you need to like the Sinulog Festival in Cebu, the Mango Festival in Zambales, the Panagbenga Festival in Baguio, the
have spent some time thinking about, reading about, theorizing on, rethinking, and discussing your ideas with Sibit-sibit Festival in Olongapo City, Kite Flying Festival in Lipa City, Pahiyas Festival in Quezon, the
colleagues and experts in the field or in your area of interest. Carabao Festival in Pulilan, Bulacan, the Fertility Dance Festival in Obando, Bulacan, Bangus Festival in
Pangasinan, the Lantern Festival in Pampanga, Tsinelas Festival in Liliw, Laguna, and Musikahan Festival
More Sample Titles: in Davao, and many more, are just but attempts of different provinces to invite and attract more tourists to
 A CASE STUDY OF THE SELF-CONFIDENCE LEVELS OF CHILDREN these places to generate more income for the people and therefore more government revenues.
TRANSFERRING TO A NEW SCHOOL
 A GROUNDED THEORY STUDY ON THE SPENDING PRACTICES OF PARENTS The Commission on Higher Education Memorandum Order (CMO) 32, s. 2006 emphasized that
WITH CHILDREN ATTENDING COLLEGE tourism is the world's largest industry, generating in 2003 over USD 514 Billion in receipts from 697
million tourists and employing hundreds of million people worldwide. Almost 760 million travelled across
 A GROUNDED THEORY ON THE EATING HABITS OF PATIENTS WITH TYPE II
borders in 2004; several times more travelled domestically. The probability of one being able to visit
DIABETES foreign lands in his lifetime has never been higher.

LESSON 2: WRITING THE JUSTIFICATION FOR CONDUCTING THE RESEARCH The tourism industry is a vast system consisting of several sectors with airlines, hotels, resorts,
This learning activity challenges you to write a justification to the research topic emphasizing the trends, issues, travel agencies and tour operators constituting the greater bulk. The myriad of smaller entities that thrive
objectives, and contributions of the study to theory and practice. and wane with tourism’s upswings and downturns include souvenir shops, restaurants, bars, and the like.
The industry also goes beyond its business realm; it covers government and non- government
THE INTRODUCTION organizations as well as educational institutions. Tourism generates both positive and negative impacts on
the culture, economy, and environment of generating and receiving countries. It can uplift country’s living
The justification for conducting the research should be integrated in the introduction or background of the study. standards, instill greater pride in one’s identity, and make people more aware of their cultural and natural
heritage.
Contrary to the usual practice when writing any literary piece, the introduction may be written after everything has
been done, or to be written last. This will give you the chance to have fully grasped the whole study and thus, this is Alongside this development, BS Tourism and BS in Hotel and Restaurant management became
the time where you have seen the trends and issues related to the study after doing a review of related literature and one of the most sought-after courses in college, which in turn resulted to all post-secondary schools and
studies, thus you have now internalized your objectives and are now fully aware of the possible contributions of the colleges offering tourism-related short-term and degree programs. Thus, the industry is not short of highly
study to theory and to practice. However, even at the beginning of the planning stage for your research, you should qualified workers to look after the needs of its clientele.
WESTERN AKLAN ACADEMY, INC. PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1

already have put into writing a short justification for conducting the study.

However, low wages, poor conditions, and negligible promotion prospects become consistent5 The benefit of going to school gives an individual a higher chance of becoming successful in the6
across the tourism sector in both rich and poor countries, including the Philippines, as reported by Pacific future but considering the school they’re going to study at is a big decision to make. Many things must be
Daily News in its May 8, 2010 issue. In some sectors of the industry, there is a high turnover of staff but considered in choosing the right school, tuition fee, faculty efficiency, school environment, etc.
this often goes hand-in-glove with low wages, long hours, no professional development, and no promotion
opportunities. The concern for job security, over-dependence on tips and service charge, long hours, and Establishing a school for the benefit of the students is a good thing but to maintain a reputation of a
unpaid overtime become unswerving across numerous destinations in the tourism industry because of such school, the number of populations of every program enrolled in an institution and to be responsive to the
curtailments. These were confirmed by the research gathered by the International Travel and Tourism needs of its clientele is definitely a challenging task for every management of a school. Students differ
Research Team (ITTRT) led by the Tourism Concern and from interviews and published data. from each other, not only in terms of personal characteristics but also in life status. Students who are less
fortunate choose a school with low pay but a high matriculation of a school is not always a factor on
The Subic Bay Freeport Zone, having been gifted with pristine beaches, beautiful mountains, minimal number of students enrolled in a school. The number of students enrolled in a school sometimes
and a vast land area for hotels, restaurants, and other rest and recreation establishments, looks at the also depends on the program that a school is offering. Some clientele looks on its competitiveness to other
tourism industry as one of its lucrative sources of income. This has been expressed in the Subic Bay schools offering the same program and sometimes it’s not always about the school but also the person
Metropolitan Authority’s Mission Statement -it will be developed into a self-sustaining hub for commerce behind its program or its faculty members.
and investments, finance, infrastructures, maritime and transshipment activities, and tourism destination in
the Asia Pacific. (SBMA Department of Tourism Infosheet). School is an institution built to respond to the needs of every country with growing economy, it is
where learners gain there foundation in preparation to the country’s demands for professionals who can
Subicnews (2008) reports that the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is clearly on the work, develop and lead people professionally, that is why it is important for every management,
move to capture a larger share of the growing outbound tourist market worldwide with its aggressive administration, immediate supervisors and faculty members to give its clientele the best education that
tourism promotion program and the continuous development of tourism facilities in this free port. In fact, every students deserves and at the same time, to establish a reputation and good business to be responsive
the SBMA Tourism Department reported of the increase of the number of tourists from 1,009,609 last to the needs of our country.
2008 to 2,225,540 as of November, 2009. This created jobs to more or less 13000 individuals in both the
SBMA Department of Tourism and private locators who have ventured into the tourism business at the Every student deserves a quality education and it is the duty and moral obligation of every institution
Subic Bay Freeport Zone. or school to give the quality education that every student deserves to prepare them in the career that they
have chosen.
Findings of a Tracer Study of 2000-2005 graduates of Technical-Vocational Schools in the City
of Olongapo and the Province of Zambales showed that the Subic Bay Freeport Zone did not provide long- 2. Revise the above introduction based on your comments and suggestions. Have it computerized,
term employment to the said graduates, as many would have their contracts expired before the end of six double-spaced, printed, and paste it in the space provided below.
months (TESDA, 2006). Other reasons cited were low salary rates. This is found to be true for a majority
of the workers even in the tourism industry, many of which are just dependent on tips to compensate for
the low salary.
LESSON 3: STATING THE QUALITATIVE RESEARCH PROBLEM
As of the present, there has been no study yet conducted which focused mainly on the status of
the tourism industry workers. It is in this context that the proponent of the study decided to determine the There are two parts of the research problem, the general statement and the specific research questions or sub-
status, problems, and prospects of tourism industry workers at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, in the hope questions.
that through this study, decision makers relative to the industry may have a sound basis for coming up
with programs and projects that eventually will lead to the upliftment of the quality of life of the tourism To make your general statement easier, you may follow this pattern:
industry workers.
WHAT TO DO: What do You Think of my Introduction? The purpose of this [type of study-can either be phenomenological, grounded theory, ethnographic, case, etc.] study
1. Critique this introduction and make your suggestions for possible improvement. is to (understand, describe, develop, discover) [what: indicate the central phenomenon of the study] of [who or what:
indicate the participants] involving [what or who: (a general definition of the central concept] from [when] to
[purpose].
Topic: Reasons for College Students in Transferring to Other Schools
Example: The purpose of this ethnographic study is to describe the training of Aeta teachers from Castillejos,
The school is a place for learning. It is where the foundation of every professionals started.
Zambales for the past ten years to provide insights into the formulation of a teacher education model for indigenous
Some say that going to school is just a waste of time or merely an additional burden on the part of some
people.
individual who thinks that learning or going to school is just a hindrance in earning money in the future
where you can have a job to earn income without going to school. It makes sense in some way or another,
To put it simply:
but the question now is, can they go to what they call success in life without learning from school or
finishing a degree in school? Learning already exist even during the early days of mankind, some people
Type of study: Ethnographic study
during those days thought how to make a living through basic knowledge of survival. Time past and
What: The training
learning evolves from generation to generation until it become a huge impact in becoming a successful
Who: Aeta teachers
career person. The future of every learners or students as we call nowadays depends on the institution that
When: Past 10 years
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they are enrolled at and for the institutions part, its success depends on the number of enrollees or Purpose: Provide insights into the formulation of a teacher education model for indigenous peoples.
students.

a. Begin the research questions with the words what or how to convey an open and emerging design. 7The LESSON 4: WRITING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 8
word “why” often implies that the researcher is trying to explain why something occurs, and this suggests
a cause-and-effect type of thinking associated with quantitative research.
Research has only one main objective and that is the upliftment of the quality of life. Thus, before you
continue sitting down to write your research proposal, you have to be convinced that this study of yours would lead
b. Focus on a single phenomenon or concept. As a study develops over time, factors will emerge that may
to the ultimate goal of improving people’s lives, not just to comply with a requirement.
influence this single phenomenon, but begin a study with a single focus to explore in great detail.
To be able to do this, you may identify the groups who would eventually benefit from your study,
c. Use exploratory verbs that convey the language of emerging design. These verbs tell the reader that the
starting from the most direct beneficiaries to the ones who would be indirectly benefitted by it. The study on the job
study will discover (e.g., grounded theory), seek to understand (e.g., ethnography), explore a process
satisfaction and job performance would probably directly benefit the employees, their clients, the HR Managers,
(e.g., case study), describe the experiences (e.g., phenomenology), report the stories (e.g., narrative
and indirectly, the Department of Labor and Employment, the community, the society as a whole.
research). Use these more exploratory verbs that are non-directional rather than directional words that
suggest quantitative research, such as “affect,” “influence,” “impact,” “determine,” “cause,” and
After identifying the beneficiaries of the study, discuss the specific benefit that they would get from it:
“relate.”
that is, by discussing how the study would help in solving existing problems of these identified groups leading
towards an upliftment of their situation.
d. Expect the research questions to evolve and change during the study in a manner consistent with the
assumptions of an emerging design. Often in qualitative studies, the questions are under continual review
and reformulation (as in a grounded theory study). This approach may be problematic for individuals Be careful not to make the study as something like a magic wand, that after conducting the study, it has
accustomed to quantitative designs, in which the research questions remain fixed throughout the study. already worked changes even without interventions from concerned individuals, groups or institutions through their
programs, projects and activities
e. Use open-ended questions without reference to the literature or theory unless otherwise indicated by a
qualitative strategy of inquiry. Here is an example of a discussion on the significance of the study from Rafanan (2012):

f. Specify the participants and the research site for the study, if the information has not yet been given. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the on-going Scholarship Program of the Municipality of
Castillejos with the hope that findings would prove useful to the following:
The following are examples of qualitative research questions drawn from several types of
strategies. The policymakers may review the existing Scholarship Ordinance and consider certain amendments
which are necessary for the improvement of the Scholarship Program.
Title:
The implementers may consider the findings of this study in strengthening the implementation of the
A Phenomenological Study of the Levels of Pain Experienced by Children Aged 3-5 Years Undergoing an
program.
Intravenous Injection in the Presence of Their Mothers
The scholars were given an opportunity to raise their sentiments regarding the program and further benefit
General Statement:
in the improved implementation of the program.
The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the levels of pain experienced by children 3-5 years
undergoing intravenous injection in the presence of their mothers.
Public Officials in general may find that evaluation of public programs is necessary in public
administration and can be used as a powerful tool for them to know if the program is delivering the intended
Sub-question:
impact.
How do the children describe their levels of pain while undergoing intravenous injection in the presence of their
mother?
And lastly the future public administration students may find this useful for any program evaluation
research.
Another sub-question may be:
How do the children compare the levels of pain they experienced while undergoing intravenous injection while their
mother was with them and their mother was not around?

Or LESSON 5: WRITING THE SCOPE AND DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

How does the presence of their mothers ease the pain experienced by children aged 3-5 undergoing intravenous
Determining the Scope and Delimitations of the Study
injection?
Whatever topic you might have chosen, there is the tendency for you to go unending with all the different
areas and variables relative to it. This is likewise true in terms of the respondents, the locale and the data gathering
Objectives of the Study stage. If this happens, it might no longer be within your capability to manage it, not within your time and financial
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resources or it might no longer be within the objectives you have set at the beginning of the study, thereby ending
Sometimes, a research proposal will detail objectives. with an unfinished research.
 Objectives are another way of detailing the purpose of a study.
 They are set by the researcher to explain in detail what the study is expected to achieve
9 10
Thus, defining the scope and delimitations of the study becomes important. If at the beginning of the study, If however you would like to expand your definition of age to mean mental age as required in the study,
it is already clear that your respondents are the regular employees who have been working at the agency for at least then, you have to define age operationally.
three years, are presently connected with the agency, and who have been assigned to at least three provinces in
Central Luzon, then all those who do not meet the above description should not be part of the study. As you progress in writing your research, you might be using terms which might again be given a different
meaning from the usual as you used it in your study, from the introduction to the analysis and the interpretation of
Likewise, if it is clear that only selected variables are included, then no other variables are supposed to be data. These should also be given a proper place in the definition or terms.
part of the study even if these were included in parallel studies. You might have avoided other variables for reasons
of practicality, interest, or relativity to the study at hand. Terms used by authors you cited but not actually used in your study may not be defined. If quoting
definitions from the dictionary as may sometimes be needed, avoid the circular definitions, such as “freedom is the
The role that these variables have in relation to the topic should be included in the discussion. For state of being free, that is, using the root word of the term to define it. You will not be clarifying the meaning of the
example, you should also mention that it will be determined if the variables will affect the work productivity, or if terms in that manner.
these are motivating factors in their job performance.
In writing your definitions, make sure that the terms defined are arranged in alphabetical
Below is a sample of a scope and delimitations of the study from Abasta and Freal (2013). order and that the definitions are presented in complete sentence, with a format similar to what
are presented below:
The study covered the financial lifestyle management of employees at Central Luzon College of
Science and Technology, Olongapo City for the period covering February 18 to March 11, 2013. Changes in Company Activities. These pertain to the possible organizational changes that the company
will undergo for the next five years such as internal growth, vertical integration, horizontal expansion,
The study investigated on the financial data of the employees’ family which include the monthly company diversification, combination strategies, and retrenchment. These also include turnaround,
salary and income, assets, capital assets and liabilities. It includes details of their monthly expenditures divestment, and liquidation (Sy, 2013).
such as their household expenditures, living/personal expenditures, transportation expenditures, children
and dependents expenditures, recreation and entertainment expenditures and government taxes paid for the Adjustment. This is used interchangeably with marital adjustment which is the degree to which a couple
month. gets along with each other or have a good working relationship and are able to satisfy each other’s needs
over the marital life course. It is an ongoing process (Balolong, 2010).
The study also included questions in relation to their spending and saving practices and the details of their
borrowings. Gender Roles. This refers to the beliefs about how the other person should behave in relation to his/her
partner, like whether a woman should serve the man or is she given more liberties (Balolong, 2010).
LESSON 6: FORMING ALL OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS
Relationship With In-laws. This is one area being considered in determining the adjustment strategies
Defining the Terms Used in the Study of the respondents where their relationship with the relatives of their non- Filipino partners and the
relationship with the relatives of the Filipino women partners is being considered (Balolong, 2010).
It is important to include definition of terms in your research in order to understand the key terms being
used in the study. These terms should be clearly defined according to how they are used in the study for easy Local Government Units. This refers to an administrative and political government subsidiary to the
understanding of the problem and avoid ambiguous meaning to terms which can be otherwise interpreted in national government which could itself consist of sub-units as in the case of the Municipality of
different ways. This is what we refer to as operational definition. Castillejos. It has the legal authority to levy taxes, legislate, and execute programs for the citizens
(Rafanan, 2012).
There are cases when you have to define terms based on actual concepts, that is, based on what has been
accepted as the definition as used by experts in the area. This is what we refer to as the conceptual definition. This Poverty Line/Threshold. This refers to the minimum monthly income required or the expenditure
is also accepted provided you acknowledge the author from whom you borrowed the definition, then proceed to necessary to satisfy the food threshold of a family (Maniego, 2010).
define the terms operationally by applying the conceptual definition to the study and to finally arrive at an
operational definition of the term.

Make sure to define common terms that may have special meaning or used differently. To identify terms to
be defined, start from the title. All terms in the title that may be given a double meaning or a meaning different from
how you intended it to be used in your study should be operationally defined.

From the title, proceed to the general statement and the sub-questions and look for the variables.
Variables which are used with a different meaning from the traditional or accepted meanings should be defined
WESTERN AKLAN ACADEMY, INC. PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1

while those variables with meanings similar to accepted or traditional definitions may no longer be included in the
definition of terms. Example is if you are referring to gender as male and female or age as the chronological age.

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