RESEARCH FORM and STYLE

The thesis/ dissertation/ research shall follow the latest edition of the American Psychological Association
(APA) format and style in specific parts of the study as appended with the outline of contents provided hereunder.

The Bookman Old-Style, font size 12 shall be used in the manuscript.

Thesis/ Dissertation/ Research Proposal
The thesis/ dissertation/ research proposal shall contain the following parts:
INTRODUCTION/ PRELIMINARIES
1. Title Page
This page contains the title of the study, name of the school, degree, name of the student, and month and
year of completion. The title should be brief (10-12 words) excluding articles, clear, catchy and specific. It
should reflect the main objective or purpose of the study. The title of the study should be typed in an
inverted pyramid (Appendix A).
2. Approval Sheet
This page contains the title of the study, the recommendation of the adviser for approval and acceptance for
oral examination, approval and acceptance to undertake the study, and the names and signatures of the
members of the panel of examiners, including the professor of research/ thesis/ dissertation proposal
(Appendix B).
3. Acknowledgement 
This part contains the researcher’s appreciation/ gratitude to the person who became part of the research
undertaking. It should observe the given sequence, written in paragraph form and using the third person
prounoun:
a. The Creator/ God Almighty;
b. Madam Margarita Cecilda Bulaquena –Rillera, MBA, President of the Baguio Central University;
c. Dean of the Graduate School;
d. Adviser;
e. Panel of Examiners;
f. All those from the university whom the researcher wishes to express gratitude;
g. All those from outside of the university (i.e. SDS, Company Head, Head of Office, etc);
At the end of the acknowledgement, the initials of the researcher should be indicated (i.e. MFGM)
4. Dedication
Freestyle and personal
5. Table of contents
The table of contents of the Proposal contains the list of the parts of the dissertation/ thesis/ research
proposal with their corresponding page numbers (Appendix C)
6. List of Figures and List of Tables
This section contains the Figure(s)/ Table(s) that are used in the study must be indicated here including the
figure of the paradigm. The labeling of Tables and figures should be in prescribed format as presented in the
appendices (Appendix D).
PARTS OF THE THESIS/ DISSERTATION/ RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Chapter 1 THE PROBLEM
     Background of the Study
This portion gives a situationer of the study from the macro to the micro level. It should clearly identify and
define the issues that the study is attempting to address.
It depicts the problem in terms of global, national, regional and local events or situations that indicate that
the problem do exist and it requires critical investigation.
 This part also addresses each problem using the different literatures reviewed thematically organized
according to the logical construction of the problem.
Clinch each portion by shoeing how literary citations are related to the problem being investigated.
At the end of this portion, identify the beneficiaries or stakeholders who will be benefited by the findings of
the study and a description of the corresponding that each of the beneficiaries or stakeholders would derive from
the study.
     Theoretical/ Philosophical/ Conceptual Framework
(for those in PhD, cite relevant philosophies from which the study was anchored on; to include philosophical
thoughts)
     This section of the chapter provides the theoretical/ philosophical/ conceptual foundation of the study. Identify
and describe the theories/ philosophies that account for the problem under investigation.
     This part also presents the glossary/ definition of terms/ concepts that must be understood by the reader. It
contains the logical presentation of broad concepts or principles from which specific concepts of the study are
formed. A concept or principle that supports the reason for conducting the study. All important terms must be
defined, relevance must be cited and corroborated in paragraph form.
     Research Paradigm
     From the theoretical/ philosophical/ conceptual framework, identify and describe the variables in the study and
depict how these variables will be used or interrelate in the form of a paradigm. The paradigm of the study must be
in accordance with the study being undertaken.
i.e. Input→Process→Output
Independent Variables→Dependent Variables
↑
Moderator/ Intervening Variable

     Statement of the Problem

     The introductory sentence states the general problem that would be the subject of the research undertaking in
one paragraph. State the main problem in declarative form. In writing the general problem, you may use the major
elements of the title of the study, locale and population, variables, period covered, and the setting of the study.

     Hypotheses/ Assumptions
     State the research hypothesis for each problem or the assumptions that serve as the basis for critical investigation
based on the statement of the problem and following the chronological order as presented.
a.Hypothesis (es)
a.1 State a hypothesis (if applicable) for each problem. State it clearly to show the expected relationships or
differences between variables. 
a.2 A hypothesis is merely a proposition that is presented or put forward by a researcher to explain a natural
phenomenon.
a.3 A hypothesis may not be applicable depending on the nature of the research.
b. Assumption/s – this is any statement that is believed to be true in each of the specific problems identified. A
benchmark based on the data categorization is used.

Chapter 2 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

     Research Design
     This section of this chapter will:
a. Identify the design of the study and the method/s used and justify why this is the most appropriate method for the
research. The design is an overall framework for collecting data.
b. The function of the research design is to ensure that the data and information gathered, evaluated and
interpreted enables the researcher to effectively address the research problems logically and as unambiguously as
possible.

     Locale and Population of the Study

     This section should:
a. Identify where the study will be conducted (location)
b. Identify the respondents of the study and their number
c. Identify the sampling method to be used
d. Describe the sampling procedure to be used
e. Include the scope and delimitation of the study where the researcher describes the nature and coverage of the
study.

    Data Gathering Instrument(s)

     This section of this chapter will:
a. Describe the instrument(s) used to collect information needed in the study and how the instrument(s) was /were
constructed
b. Describe the parts of the instrument(s) and the legends used (if any)

    Reliability and Validity of the Research Instrument

     Discuss how the reliability and validity of the instrument was determined.
     Reliability refers to the consistency of the instrument. It answers whether the instrument consistently measure
what it is intended to measure. Reliability testing should be conducted outside of the area of proposed respondents.
Reliability should be pre-set. There are four general reliability tests:
a. Inter-Rater/ Observer Reliability: the degree which different raters/ observers are consistent in their
answers, judgements or estimates.
b. Test- Retest Reliability: the consistency of a measure evaluated over time
c. Parallel- Forms Reliability: is a measure of reliability obtained by administering different versions of an
assessment tool (both versions must contain items that probe the same construct, skill, knowledge base,
etc.) to the same group of individuals.
d. Internal Consistency Reliability: defines the consistency of the results delivered in a test, ensuring that the
various items measuring the different constructs deliver consistent scores. (Split- half Reliability Test, Kuder-
Richardson Reliability Test, Cronbach Alpha)
However, for standardized instruments used “in toto”, conduct of reliability and validity testing is no longer
required, but observe proper citation of source/s.

Validity describes the extent to which the instrument measures the concept it is supposed to measure. For
the validity of the instrument, it must be subjected for evaluation by at least three experts in the field.
Accepted level of validity must be three to five. If students fail to submit evaluation form, no permit to float
questionnaire will be issued.

    Data Gathering Procedure(s)

     This portion of the chapter should comprehensively discuss or describe the process how the data will be
gathered. i.e. survey, interview

    Treatment of the Data

a.This portion identifies the appropriate method of quantification and measurement relative to each
problem.
b.Describes the statistical procedure(s) used to treat the data, test the hypothesis(es) or answer the
objective(s)  of the study. The institution allows the use of software for the treatment of data.
c.Data categorization, benchmarks are identified.
    Ethical Considerations
     This is one of the most important parts of research. The researcher needs to address the ethical
considerations aspect of the research. He/ She must take into account the following:
a.Voluntary participation of the respondents- participants have the right to withdraw from the study if they
want to.
b.Informed Consent- the researcher must provide sufficient information about the purpose of the research
and the importance of the participation of the respondents in the success of the study. Full consent should
be obtained from the participants prior to the conduct of the study without the exercise of any pressure.
c.Privacy or anonymity of Respondents- the protection of the privacy of the participants should be ensured.
d.The use of offensive, discriminatory, or other unacceptable language should be avoided in the formulation
of the questionnaire, interview guide, focus group questions.
e.Acknowledge References- the works of other authors used in any part of the research must be
acknowledged with the use of the APA referencing system.
f.Objectivity - the highest level of objectivity should always be observed in the discussion and analyses
throughout the research

     REFERENCES
     1.List of all references cited in the text or used in the study should be alphabetically arranged and double
spaced. The suggested format in citing references is the American Psychological Association (APA) Style 6 th

Edition. Cited references must be the latest edition, except when no other references are available, i.e.
theories/philosophies/literature/executive orders/speeches, etc. that are still applicable to the present.

a. How to cite a book in APA format:

   Author, A. (Year of Publication). Title of work. Location: Publisher
N.B: When citing a book in APA, keep in mind the following:
-Capitalize the first letter of the first word of the title and any subtitles, as well as the first letter of any
proper nouns. 
-The full title of the book, including any subtitles, should be stated and italicized.

b.Citing an e-book from an e-reader

     E-book is short for “electronic book.” It is a digital version of a book that can be read on a computer, e-
reader (Kindle,Nook,etc.) or other electronic device.
 Author,A. (Year of Publication).Title of work (E-reader version).Retrieved from http://xxxx or DOI:xxx

c. Citing a book found in a database

Author,A.(Year of Publication). Title of work. Retrieved from http://xxxx or DOI:xxx

d.Journal article with DOI

Herbst-Damm, K.L. & Kulik, J.A.(2005).Volunteer support, marital status, and the survival times of terminally
ill patients. Health Psychology,24,225-229.Doi:10.1037/0278-6133.24.2.225

e.Journal article with DOI, more than seven authors

Gilbertm D.G., McClernon, J.F., Rabinovich,N.E., Sugai, C.Plath, L.C. Asgaard,G., …Bortos,N.(2004). Effects of
quitting smoking on EEG activation and attention last for more than 31 days and are more severe with
stress,dependence, DRD2 A1 allele, and depressive traits. Nicotine and Tobacco Research,6,249-
267.doi:10.1080/1462220041

f.Newspaper Article
Schwartz,J. (1993,September 30). Obesity affects economic,social status. The Washington Post, pp.A1,A4.
N.B.:When citing an on-line book or e-book in APA, keep in mind:
A DOI (digital object identifier)is an assigned number that helps link content to its location on the Internet. It
is therefore important, if one is provided, to use it when creating citation. All DOI numbers begin with a 10
and are separated by a slash.
g.Official Legislations and Other Readings
DO No.11,s.2018 Guidelines on the Preparation and Checking of School Forms
DO No.30, s.2018 Preventive Drug Education Program Policy for Curriculum and Instruction
CMO No.104,s.2017 Revised Guidelines for Student Internship Program in the Philippines (SIPP) for All
Programs
Republic Act 7722 An Act Creating the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
Republic Act. No. 9155 An Act Instituting a Frame of Governance for the Basic Education, Establishing
Authority and Accountability, Renaming the Department of Education, Culture and Sports as the Department
of Education, and for Other Purposes

     APPENDICES (contains among others)

A     Data Gathering Instrument
B     Time Table Using the Gantt Chart
C     Other Documents Relevant to the Study  

THESIS/DISSERTATION/RESEARCH
The sequence and content of the THESIS/DISSERTATION/RESEARCH are the following:

INTRODUCTION/ PRELIMINARIES
1 Title Page
     This page contains the title of the study, name of the school, degree requirement, name of the student,
and month and year of completion, The title should be brief (10-12 words), clear, catchy and specific. It
should reflect the main objective or purpose of the study. The title of the study should be types in an
inverted pyramid.

2 Approval Sheet
     This page contains the title of the study, the recommendation of the adviser for approval and acceptance
for oral examination, the names and signatures of the members of the panel of examiners including adviser,
and the researcher’s comprehensive grade and date taken.

3 Abstract
     This page contains an overview of the research report, main objective of the study, locale and population,
method used, salient findings, and the conclusions derived from the study. The specific problems of the
study must not be stated in the abstract. It must be composed of 150 to 250 words. Keywords are also found
after the abstract. Keywords are salient words repeatedly used in the study which are not found in the title
which should consist of at least six words.
     It should be confined within a single paragraph. Unlike in other paragraphs in the paper, the first line of
the abstract should not be indented and should be double spaced.
     The list of keywords should follow after the abstract paragraph, and the word Keywords should be
italicized, indented five spaces from the left margin, and followed by a colon. There is no period at the end of
the list of keywords

4 Acknowledgement
     This section contains the researcher’s appreciation/ gratitude to the persons who in one way or another
became a part of the success of the research.It should follow this sequence to be written in paragraph form
using the third person pronoun:
-It should follow this sequence:
a.The Creator/God Almighty
b.Madam Margarita Cecilda Bulaquena Rillera, MBA, President of the Baguio Central University
c.Dean of the Graduate School/College
e.Adviser
f.Panel of Examiners
g.All those from the university the researcher wishes to thank
h.All those from the outside of the university

5 Dedication- freestyle and personal

6 Table of Contents
     It contains the list of the parts of the dissertation/thesis/research proposal with their corresponding page
numbers

7 List of Tables
     It contains the list of all tables presented in the study starting from number 1 up to the last table, the
corresponding title or heading and the page number.

8 Figure/s (List of Figures)

     Figures may have been used in the Theoretical/Philosophical/Conceptual Framework of the Study must be
indicated here including the figure of the paradigm

     General guidelines on Tables and Figures

-Number all tables and figures with Arabic numerals in the order they are mentioned in the text, regardless
of whether a more detailed discussion of the table of figure occurs later in the paper.
-Do not use suffix letters to number tables and figures (ex.1a, 1b, 1c); that is label them as Table 1, Table 2, and
Tbale 3, Figure 1, Figure 2, and Figure 3. 

B. Parts of the Thesis/Dissertation/Research

Chapter 1 THE PROBLEM

     This chapter contains the following – refer to the descriptions in the proposal
  Background of the Study
  Theoretical/Philosophical/Conceptual     Framework
  Paradigm of the Study
  Statement of the Problem
  Hypotheses/Assumptions

Chapter 2 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

     This chapter contains the following- refer to the descriptions in the proposal:
  Research Design
  Locale and Population of the Study
  Data Gathering Instrument
  Reliability and Validity of the Instrument
  Data Gathering Procedure
  Treatment of Data
   Ethical Considerations

Chapter 3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

   This chapter presents the findings of the study in e thematic and logical manner following the chronology
in the statement of the problem. The findings of the study may be presented in tabular forms, graphs, or
diagrams. Explain extensively the meaning of the data presented in the tables or graphs. Draw the reader’s
attention to the key points of the table/figure but do not repeat the details. Emphasize or highlight the
significant results of the study. Relate/corroborate the findings with previous studies or literatures reviewed
and to the theoretical or conceptual framework of the study and discuss its implications. In the discussion,
follow the discussion, corroboration and implication (DCI) format.
     At the end of the chapter, discuss the answer to the general/main problem.
Chapter 4 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
     Conclusions are formulated based on the findings of the study. The conclusion is intended to help the
reader understand why the research should matter to them after they have finished reading the paper. A
conclusion is not merely a summary of the main topics covered or a re-statement of the research problem,
but a synthesis of key points. Further, avoid repetition of the findings of the study. The conclusion should be
parallel to the specific problems.

    Recommendations- Based the recommendations on the conclusions of the study. Recommendations

should be specific, practical, doable, and parallel to the conclusions mentioned which the researcher
himself/herself can implement. There could be additional recommendations for further study that is not
covered by the study.

     REFERENCES
1.List of all references cited in the text or used in the study should be alphabetically arranged. The suggested
format in citing references is the American Psychological Association (APA) Style 6 Edition. Cited references
th

must be the latest edition, except when no other references are available.

APA CITATION GUIDE

General Guidelines
 In-text references should immediately                    follow:   
The title, word, or phrase to which they are     directly relevant, rather than appearing at the end of long
clauses or sentences. In-text references should always precede punctuation marks. Below are examples of
using in-text citation:

Author’s name in parentheses:

One study found that the most important element in comprehending non-native speech is familiarity with
the topic (Lopez & Donaal, 2018).

Author’s name part of narrative:

Lopez and Donaal (2018) found that the most important element in comprehending non-native speech is
familiarity with the topic.

Group as Author:
First Citation: (American Psychological Association [APA], 2015)
Subsequent citation: (APA, 2015)

Multiple works: (separate each work with semi-colons)

Research shows that listening to a particular accent improves  comprehension of accented sppech in
general(Lopez & Donaal,2018; Trajano,2014).

Direct quote: (include page number)

One study found that “the listener’s familiarity with the topic of discourse greatly facilitates the
interpretation of the entire message” (Mejia, Dela Pena, & Bisquera, 2014, p.85)

Mejia & Dela Pena (2018) found that “the listener’s familiarity with the topic of discourse greatly facilitates
the interpretation of the entire message” (p.85)

Note: For direct quotations of more than 40 words, display the quote as an indented block of text without
quotation marks and include the authors’ names, year, and page number in parenthesis at the end of the
quote. When the sentence begins with a numeral, the numeral must be written in words. When numerals are
within the paragraph, numeral must be written in words. When numerals are within the paragraph, numerals
from one to ten must be in words, for numerals above ten, they must be written in numerals. For example:
 This suggests that familiarity with nonnative speech in general as topic familiarity, may indeed have
some effect. That is, prior experience with nonnative speech, such as that gained by listening to the reading,
facilities comprehension. (Bisquera & Trajano, 2016, p.77) 
Forty respondents suggest that….
The researcher involved 40 respondents, however, only nine participated

     APPENDICES (contains among others)

A. Letter from Dean
B. Indorsement Letter from the SDS/ Head of Office/ Agency
C. Letter of the Respondents
D. Questionnaire/ Structured Interview Questionnaire
E. Computation for Reliability
F. Sample Computation for T-Test/ ANOVA
G. Output of the Study

Curriculum Vitae (see Appendix G)

Procedures and guidelines governing oral defense of thesis/  Dissertation Proposal

The thesis/ dissertation is the final output of the graduate school student enrolled in Thesis/
Dissertation Writing. 

BCU Research Manual