MABALACAT CITY COLLEGE

INSTITUTE OF ARTS, SCIENCES, and TEACHER EDUCATION

Name: Dumo, Nuhr Jean C.

COURSE CODE: PCK 103
COURSE TITLE: Building and Enhancing New Literacies Across the Curriculum

Module 2
Research Problem and Objectives

Pre-Assessment
1.What are the good topics for research?

 Writing a research paper is among the most challenging aspects of student life. During the
latter part of high school and throughout college, you will be required to write several of
these types of papers. For some classes, there will be a list of topics to choose from others
allow students to choose their own research paper topics, but they may ask for a certain
style. Some examples
Argumentative Research Papers
Persuasive Research Papers
Education Research Papers
Analytical Research Papers
Informative Research Papers

2.What is the best topic for students?

 You’ll most likely be writing a lot of research papers while in college, so it is important to
master the skill of finding the right research paper topics. Unfortunately, not all the topics
you are interested in may be that easy to write about. It becomes even more difficult if
there is not enough research material about the topic you’ve chosen.
 Education Research Paper Topics:
o Attention deficit disorder
o Charter schools
o College admission policies
o College athletes
o College tuition planning
o Distance education
o Diploma mills
o Education and funding
o Grade inflation
o Greek letter societies
o Hazing
o Home schooling

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 o Intelligence tests
o Learning disabilities

Assigned Writing
1.Discuss the 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. In some social science
disciplines the research problem is typically posed in the form of a question. A
research problem does not state how to do something, offer a vague or broad
proposition, or present a value question. Or simply, it is a question that a
researcher wants to answer or a problem that a researcher wants to solve.

2.Explain the characteristics of a research problem.

 Research title should be according to the rules of titling. There are different
rules of titling, a researcher must aware before writing a research title.
 Research topic must be very clear and easy to understand. It should not distract
people.
 If a topic is well define is the only way to successful research. The topic should
not create doubt and double impression.
 Any research is a difficult task to achieve and research needs to do a great
effort. Selection of research topic is the first step to success.
 Research title should be according to the rules of titling. There are different
rules of titling, a researcher must aware before writing a research title.
 While selecting a research topic current importance of a researcher should also
be considered. Topic should not be obsolete and it should have great
importance in the current day.

3.Name the sources of the research problem.

 Personal or professional experience. Everyday personal or professional experience may
lead us to identify a problem for which we would like a solution. Alternatively, we may
encounter a question or questions that we would like to try and answer.
 Theory. Theories are ideas about how things relate to each other. Theories may be general,
commonly held beliefs or more technical ideas.
 Literature and the media. There are many sources of literature, such as books, journal
articles, and newspapers. When searching and reading literature it is possible to encounter
gaps in information and knowledge, and problems for which there is currently no solution.
These may provide a good basis for research. We are also flooded with information
presented by the media, such as television, which again might give rise to research ideas.

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4.Explain the criteria of a good research problem.
 Data availability. If the research title needs collection of information before finalizing the
title, it is important to ensure that these are materials available and in the relevant format.
 Relevance. It is important to always choose a topic that suits one’s interest and profession.
It is necessary to ensure that one’s study adds to the existing body of knowledge. Of
course, this will help to sustain interest throughout the research period.
 Ethics. In formulating the research problem, one should consider some ethical issues as
well. Sometimes, during the research period, the study population might be adversely
affected by some questions. It is always good to identify ethics-related issues during the
research problem formulation itself.
 Research ability of the problem: The problem should be researchable, amenable for finding
answers to the questions involved in it through the scientific method.
 Novelty of the problem: The problem must have novelty. There is no use of wasting one’s
time and energy on a problem already studied thoroughly by others.
 Importance and urgency: Problems requiring investigation are unlimited, but available
research efforts are very much limited.
 Facilities: Research requires certain facilities such, as well equipped library facility, suitable
and competent guidance, data analysis facility, etc. Hence the availability of the facilities
relevant to the problem must be considered. Problems for research, their relative
importance and significance should be considered.
 Feasibility: A problem may be a new one and also important, but if research on it is not
feasible, it cannot be selected.
 Usefulness and social relevance: Above all, the study of the problem should make a
significant contribution to the concerned body of knowledge or to the solution of some
significant practical problem. It should be socially relevant.
 Research personnel: Research undertaken by professors and by research organizations
require the services of investigators and research officers. But in developing countries,
research has not yet become a prospective profession. Hence talented persons are not
attracted to research projects.

5.Describe the research objectives.

 In general, research objectives describe what we expect to achieve by a project. Research
objectives are usually expressed in lay terms and are directed as much to the client as to
the researcher. Research objectives may be linked with a hypothesis or used as a
statement of purpose in a study that does not have a hypothesis. Even if the nature of the
research has not been clear to the layperson from the hypotheses, s/he should be able to
understand the research from the objectives. A statement of research objectives can serve
to guide the activities of research. Consider the following examples.

Objective: To describe what factors farmers take into account in making such decisions as
whether to adopt a new technology or what crops to grow.
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 Objective: To develop a budget for reducing pollution by a particular enterprise.
Objective: To describe the habitat of the giant panda in China.
In the above examples the intent of the research is largely descriptive.

In the case of the first example, the research will end the study by being able to specify
factors which emerged in household decisions.
In the second, the result will be the specification of a pollution reduction budget.
In the third, creating a picture of the habitat of the giant panda in China.
These observations might prompt researchers to formulate hypotheses which could be
tested in another piece of research. So long as the aim of the research is exploratory, to
describe what is, rather than to test an explanation for what is, a research objective will
provide an adequate guide to the research.

6.Explain the statement of the problem/objectives.

 A statement of the problem is used in research work as a claim that outlines the
problem addressed by a study. The statement of the problem briefly addresses the
question: What is the problem that the research will address? Writing a statement of the
problem should help you clearly identify the purpose of the research project you will
propose. A statement of research objectives can serve to guide the activities of research.
The ultimate goal of a statement of the problem is to transform a generalized
problem into a targeted, well-defined problem; one that can be resolved through focused
research and careful decision-making.

7.Discuss the types of hypotheses.

 A research hypothesis is a hypothesis that is used to test the relationship between two or
more variable. The hypothesis is an assumption that is made on the basis of some
evidence.
 Simple Hypothesis. It shows a relationship between one dependent variable and a single
independent variable.
 Complex Hypothesis. It shows the relationship between two or more dependent variables
and two or more independent variables.
 Directional Hypothesis. It shows how a researcher is intellectual and committed to a
particular outcome. The relationship between the variables can also predict its nature.
 Non-directional Hypothesis. It is used when there is no theory involved. It is a statement
that a relationship exists between two variables, without predicting the exact nature
(direction) of the relationship.
 Null Hypothesis. It provides the statement which is contrary to the hypothesis. It’s a
negative statement, and there is no relationship between independent and dependent
variables.

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  Associative and Causal Hypothesis. Associative hypothesis occurs When there is a change
in one variable resulting in a change in the other variable. Whereas, Causal hypothesis
proposes a cause and effect interaction between two or more variables.

8.Differentiate theoretical framework from the conceptual framework.

 The two terms are most of the time used without specifically knowing which one is to be
used when. Theoretical framework represents context of studies which are based on
particular theories - testing them or explaining them - or models based studies in
psychology. Whereas conceptual framework is comparatively broad term representing
context of the concept that the study is based on - explaining how and in what sense these
terms have been used in this particular study.

9.Describe an assumption.
 Assumptions in a thesis are things that your readers will generally accept as either true or
plausible, such as the assumption of honest responses from study participants.
Assumptions in your study are things that are somewhat out of your control, but if they
disappear your study would become irrelevant. These are the things we take for granted
in the study, statements by the researcher that certain elements of the research are
understood to be true. While assumed, they should still be explicitly stated in the body of
the dissertation.

10.Discuss the significance of the study.

 The purpose of research is to inform action. Thus, your study should seek to contextualize
its findings within the larger body of research. Research must always be of high quality in
order to produce knowledge that is applicable outside of the research setting.
Furthermore, the results of your study may have implications for policy and future project
implementation. Significance of study is one of the important sections in your thesis
because it explain the importance of the study as well as it potential benefits to the society
or environment. It describe why the study is worth performing.

11.Describe the scope and limitations of the study.

 Scope and limitations are two terms that address the details of a research project. The
term scope refers to the problem or issue that the researcher wants to study with the
project. Limitations is the term used for constraints that impact the researcher’s ability to
effectively study the scope of the project. One of the first tasks you need to do when
completing research is to identify the scope of the project. When identifying the scope,
you need to address not only the problem or issue that you want to study but the
population that you want to examine. This means that you will have to define what the
study is going to cover and what it is focusing on.

12.Discuss the ways on how the definitions of terms are made.

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  Even though we use the same words, those words can have quite distinctly different
meanings because of our cultural differences. These are some ways in how the definition
of terms are made.
 Definition by example. Perhaps the easiest way to define, and frequently the most helpful,
is to give an example of how the term is used.
 Definition by synonym. Difficult or abstract terms can be made understandable by simply
throwing other words at them.
 Dictionary or formal definition. This is the default. Use this only as a beginning to help you
see what terms might be used to define a concept. To simply go only to Webster's for your
definition is to give an over-simplified explanation to a complex term.
 Historical or Etymological definition. This uses the history or root of a word to further
explain a word. How a word has been used through history can also be instructive.

References

http://studylecturenotes.com/selection-of-research-problem/
https://www.editage.com/insights/how-do-i-present-scope-of-my-study
https://www.soas.ac.uk/cedep-demos/000_P506_RM_3736-Demo/unit1/page_19.htm
https://www.editage.com/insights/the-basics-of-writing-a-statement-of-the-problem-
for-your-research-proposal
https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_are_the_differences_between_conceptual_fr
amework_and_theoretical_framework
https://thesisnotes.com/tag/significance-of-the-study/
https://www.soas.ac.uk/cedep-demos/000_P506_RM_3736-Demo/unit1/page_26.htm