Getting Started on a Research

Famila Gerni F. Villamor

Teacher, HS Department

Know your Interest

– From what we have experienced– From what we have read– From what we enjoyed doing– From what caught our attention

Sources of Research Problems

– Social Issues (topics can be from social and political arena)

– Existing Theories ( Research aims to develop and test theories

– Folklores (beliefs can be right or wrong)

– Brainstorming ( a key in finding new techniques and new questions that the researchers are very curious of)

– Consultation with experts (experts can help give more knowledge on what they have experienced in the past)

– Exposure to field situations (These can help he researchers get a variety of experiences in the field

– Personal and Practical experiences (day to day experiences)

– Critical Appraisal of Literature (may come from books and articles which may ‘s trigger the researcher’s curiosity)

– Questions seeking answers (may refer to area of concern to improve or eliminate difficulties

Factors to Consider in Selecting a Research Topic– Personal Factors

These are factors that are related to our experiences, professional qualifications, and expertise; motivation, intellectual curiosity, and perceptiveness of the researcher; time element and hazards

– External Factors

This includes uniqueness or novelty, importance or value of the research, critical mass (availability of data and materials), department or unit where the research is to be undertaken, and ethical considerations

Points to Remember in Selecting a Research Topica. Not only to choose a workable and feasible research concern but also to consider

the nature of data that is required of the research

b. To have the means of data collection

c. To consider your technical skills, capability, and limitations

d. To consider your interest and support systems

e. Not to get spell bound and fascinated with the allure and attraction of a topic without considering the possible consequences that the researcher will bring about

f. To study the angles as possible. It will be difficult to turn back when so much effort, time, and resources have already been expanded

Characteristics of a good research problem– Significant - Justifiable – Original - clear &

unambiguous– Feasible - Interesting– Researchable - SMART– Current - innovative

Research title

– Gives weight and reputation to the research paper

– Should include the highlights of your paper

Elements of a Research Title

– Aim/ purpose– Topic/subject mater– Place or Locale– Period– Population or respondents

Background of the Study

– Gives the readers important information about the research being conducted.

– Presents the rationale, setting, bases, need for the study, and the overall benefits that can be derived from the study

Background of the Study

– Gives the reason why the researchers choose to study a particular study

– It describes the setting or the place where the research will be taking place

– It presents the bases that may support or negate the claims of the researcher

– It gives justification for the need for the research study

– It explains the over-all benefits that may be derived from the study

–What are the psychological and emotional problems experienced by left behind children of Overseas Filipino Worker parents?

–What are the psychological and emotional effects of parental absenteeism on the adolescents left behind by Overseas Filipino Worker parents?

Problems Met by Science and Mathematics Teachers in Public High

Schools in NCR for the School Year 2005-2006 to School Year 2010-2011

Types of Research Questions

A. Factor-Isolating Questions.

- Purpose of these questions is to categorize or name factors and situations

Ex.

1. What is the effectivity level of…?

2. What concentration could yield the most effective…?

B. Factor- relating questions

- Aim to establish relationships between the factors that have been identified.

ex.

1. What relationship exists between variable A and variable B?

2. What is the significant difference between the two factors A and B in terms of efficiency?

C. Situation-relating Questions

- Aim to see the changes that might happen to one variable when the other variable changes.

Ex.

1. What is the effect of the changes in concentration of variable A to variable B?

2. Is there significant difference between the effects of substances A, B, and C to variable X?

D. Situation- producing questions

- Lead to promote explicit course of action or conditions under which a goal could be accomplished

ex.

1. What treatment could be possibly applicable to cure X disease?

2. How can Method A be effective in solving Problem X?

Hypotheses

– ‘educated guess’– Provides a temporary answer to a research

problem– Guides the researcher to plan for the research

design needed in answering the research questions posed by the researcher

Types of Hypothesis

a. Null Hypothesis- Suggests a negative relation between variables- Negates the existence of a characteristic or

negates a difference in effect of the variables

b. Alternative Hypothesis- Suggests a positive relation between

variables- Suggests the existence of a characteristic or

suggests a difference in the effect of the variables

Ex.

Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

– Discusses the different principles from where your study is anchored on

– Gives the reader an overview of what you think is the current situation is and how your research would be able to bridge the gap from ‘what is current’ to ‘what it should be’. (Conceptual Framework)

– Presents a number of concepts or ideas from where you have based your study from. (Theoretical Framework)

– Presented in a graphical representation (research paradigm)

Assumptions

– Serves as basis for data– Are set in order for us to have a baseline from

where we are going to base our data analysis– Assumes the ideal situation so that we can

differentiate the ideal from the non-ideal one

Significance of the Study

– Explains how the study will be beneficial to the society.

– Written in narrative form– Enumerates how the research is

advantageous to the different stakeholder of the society

Scope and Delimitations

– Presents the variables or subjects of the study, the extent to which the research will be covering, the possible factors or nuances that will be given focus on the course of the study, the possible challenge that the researcher might encounter, and the other things that might be related to the topic but are beyond the control of the researcher

Scope

–Covers the explanation as to up to what extent the researcher would want to ‘explore’ or interpret in his research

Limitations or Delimitations

Limitations

- Conditions beyond the control of the researcher that may cause restrictions that will make the conclusions to be generalizable only to conditions set by the researcher

Delimitations

- Conditions which the researcher purposely controlled. Limits that are beyond the concern of the study

Definition of terms

In constructing this section, it is better to start with a simple introductory paragraph followed by the alphabetical list of terms which you are going to define together and side by side wit its corresponding definition