PRACTICAL

RESEARCH 1
MODULE 3: I D E N T I F Y I N G T H E I N Q U I R Y A N D S TAT I N G T H E P R O B L E M

LESSON 1: THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE

RESEARCH
Lesson Objectives
• 1. design a research project related to the daily
life
• 2. write a research title
What is a Research Title?
• 1. The most important element that defines the research problem.
• 2. It is usually read first and the most read part of the research.
• 3. It contains the least words enough to describe the contents and the
purpose of your research paper.
• 4. It can be revised any and many times as the research develops and
reach its final phase. It becomes final on its final defense before the
panel of judges
What’s in a Title?
• Elements of a Research Title
• The research title does not need to be entertaining but informative. A
part of a research title has the following information:
• 1. The subject matter or topic to be investigated. (“What?”)
• 2. The place or locale where the research is to be conducted.
(“Where?”)
• 3. The population like the respondents’ interviewees. (“Who”?)
• 4. The time period of the study during which the data are to be
collected. (“When”?)
Example
• Subject matter: The teaching of English
• Place or locale: in the high schools of Province A
• Time period: during the school year 1989-1990
• Population: as perceived by teachers and
students
Example
• Subject matter: The effects of the use of cell phones on the academic
performance
• Population: senior high school students
• Place or locale: at Department of Education
• Time period: during the first semester, school year 2018-2019
Rules in Choosing a Research Topic
• 1. Interest in the subject matter. Interest in a
subject drives you to research, investigate, or
inquire about it with full motivation, enthusiasm,
and energy
Rules in Choosing a Research Topic
• 2. Availability of information. Information will
serve as evidence to support your claims about
your subject matter from varied forms of
literature like books, journals, and newspapers,
among others, is a part and parcel of any
research work.
Rules in Choosing a Research Topic
• What to include in the investigation of the available
materials?
• a. Update and authority of the materials.
• b. Copyright dates of the materials? Are they new or
old?
• c. Expert or qualification of the writers of reading
materials about your topic
Rules in Choosing a Research Topic
• 3. Timeliness and relevance of the topic. How
relevant is the topic? a. It yields results that are
useful in society b. Related to the present.
(Except for pure or historical research)
Rules in Choosing a Research Topic
• 4. Limitations on the subject. Connect your
choice with course requirements. You need to
decide on one topic to finish your course.
Rules in Choosing a Research Topic
• 5. Personal resources. Do an assessment on your
research abilities in terms of your financial standing,
health condition, mental capacity, needed facilities,
and time schedule to enable you to complete your
research. You have to raise an amount of money
needed to spend on questionnaire printing and
interview trips.
Research Topics to be avoided
• 1. Controversial topics. It
depends more on the
writer’s opinion leading
to biases. Facts cannot
support this topic.
Research Topics to be avoided
• 2. Highly technical subjects. Not advisable for
beginners as these topics require an advanced study,
technical knowledge, and skills.
Research Topics to be avoided
• 3. Hard-to-investigate subjects. This happens if
there are no available reading materials about it
and if such materials are not up-to-date.
Research Topics to be avoided
• 4. Too broad subjects. It prevents you from to
focus on the subject matter of the paper. Narrow
down or limit the subject to eliminate the
problem.
Research Topics to be avoided

• 5. Too narrow subjects. Subjects that are so

limited where an extensive searching is
necessary
Research Topics to be avoided
• 6. Vague subjects. Titles beginning with
indefinite adjectives such as several, many,
some, etc., as in “Some Remarkable Traits of a
Filipino” or “Several People’s Comments on the
RH Law,” are vague enough to decrease the
readers’ interests and curiosity
Sources of Research Topics
• 1. Mass media communication – press (newspapers,
ads, TV, radio, films, etc.)
• 2. Books, Internet, peer-reviewed journals,
government publications
• 3. Professional periodicals like College English
Language Teaching Forum, English Forum, the
Economist, Academia, Business Circle, Law Review,
etc.
Sources of Research Topics
• 4. General periodicals such as Readers’ Digest,
Women’s Magazine, Panorama Magazine, Time
Magazine, World Mission Magazine, etc.
• 5. Previous reading assignments in your other
subjects
• 6. Work experience – clues to a researchable topic
from full-time or part-time jobs, OJT (on-the-job
training) experience, fieldwork, etc.
Narrowing Down a Topic
Distinguishing Among Topic, Research Problem, Purpose, and Research Question

• RESEARC • PURPOSE RESEARC

• TOPIC H STATEME H
broad subject PROBLE NT QUESTIO
matter M the major intent N
addressed by or objective of
a general narrows the
the study. the study used to purpose into
educational
address
To uncover thethe
/explore
• What are the
specific challenges
questions
issue, concern, in learning Gen Math
that the researcher
problem
challenges that SHS that the participants
or controversy would have likefaced?
answered
addressed in learners in Gen Math
• orWhat
addressed in the
strategies have the
went through and how learners study
research that adopted to cope
they successfully coped with the academic
General narrows
What are the the
lived
with these challenges so challenges in learning
Mathematics experiences of SHS
topic? that other learners general mathematics in
22

students enrolled in senior high school?

experiencing the same
general mathematics • What does it mean for
would learn from them the particpsnts to pass
General Mathematics?
Selected Guidelines in the
Formulation of a Research Title
• 1. The title must contain the following:
• A. the subject matter of a research problem
• B. the setting or local of the study
• C. The respondents or participants involved in the study
• D. the time or period when the study was conducted (if
the title becomes too long because of these elements, the
time frame or period maybe omitted except in evaluation
studies)
Selected Guidelines in the
Formulation of a Research Title
• 2. The title must be broad enough to include all aspects of the study
but should be brief and concise as possible.
• 3. The use of terms “Analysis of”, ‘A Study of”, “An Investigation of”
and the like should be avoided. All these are understood to have been
done in a research.
• 4. If the title contains more than one line, it should be written in an
inverted pyramid.
• 5. When typed or encoded un the title page, all words in the title
should be in capital letters
Selected Guidelines in the
Formulation of a Research Title
• 6. If possible, the title should not be longer than 15
substantive words.
• 7. Avoid a long, detailed title that gives too much information
(quantitative research)
• 8. to shorten the title, delete the terms “Assessment” or
“evaluation” if these are already emphasized in the text.
 Characteristics of A Good Title
• 1. A title should give readers information about the
contents of the research and is preferable to one
that is vague or general
• 2. Titles do not need to be sturdy or dull, but they
should generally give readers some idea at the
outset of what the research paper will contain.
• 3. Choose a title that is a phrase rather than a
complete sentence.
 Characteristics of A Good Title
• 4. Select a straightforward title over other kinds for
quantitative researches. In qualitative research, you
may opt to be a bit more creative in formulating your
title.
• 5. Use no punctuation at the end of a title.
• 6. Do not underline the title of research or enclose it
in quotation marks; instead, use a word processing
program or printer t hat permits italics. Use them in
place of underlining.
• Higher Order Thinking Skills In Reading of Freshmen in University of
Northern Philippines
• Pinay Single Mom: Paghanga O Pagkutya? A multi-Case Study on the
Lives and Experiences of the Solo Parents in Zamboanga City
• Abakada O Aba kita…: A Multi-Case Study on Child Labor in the
Selected Towns of the Province of Laguna
• Magkapatid na Parang Aso’t pusa: Magkakasundo Pa Kaya? A Multi-
case Study on Siblings with Rivalry in San Jose, Mindoro Occidental
• Establishment of Jackfruit Tea Processing Plant in Barangay Bantayan,
Tabaco, Albay
• Level of Acceptability of Worksheets for Film Clippings by the
Teachers of English in University of Antique, Academic Year 2015-
2016
 Sample Titles
• Living Adjustments of Tacloban City residents at the
Aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda)
• Awareness on Traffic rules and Regulations of Tricycle
Operators and Drivers Association in Brgy. Culiat, Quezon
City, Calendar Year 2015
• Health Practices of Bachelor of Secondary Education Major
in Music, Arts, Physical education and Health (MAPEH) at
University of Rizal System Pililla and Angono Academic Year
2015-2016
• Level of Acceptability of the tracing guide for children with
Cerebral Palsy by the Special Education Teachers in the
Division of Pampanga, School Year 2015-2016
Sample Titles
• Kakaba-kaba Ka Ba? Procurators Affecting the
Self confidence of Students during Class
Sessions
• Sa Yaman, Hayahay, Kapos sa Patnubay:
Exploring the Lives of Students with OFW
Parents
• Ihi Lang ang Pahinga: Student Awareness on
the Hazards and Risks of Online Gaming
• Click to Social: Discovering the Realm of Using
Social Media Platforms in Socialization
Sample Title:
• At the Threshold of Twilight: Death Preparation
Practices of Senior Citizens in Urban and Rural
Settings
• JACK OF ALL TRADES, MASTER OF NONE:
CONSEQUENCES OF MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES
IN THE COPING MECHANISMS OF ACADEMIC
TRACK STUDENTS IN EXTRACURRICULAR
ACTIVITIES