GRADE: 11 SEMESTER: FIRST SEMESTER

SUBJECT TITLE: PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1 NO. OF HOURS/SEM.: 90 hours/semester

Reading and Writing
PREREQUISITE: English for Academic and
Professional Purposes

Common Subject Description: This course develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills
through qualitative research.

QUALITIVE RESEARCH

MODULE

IN

PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1
UNIT 1

Prepared by: SANDREX S. ALBINO, LPT, JD

 CURRICUM GUIDE

CONTENT PERFORMANCE LEARNING

CONTENT STANDARD STANDARD COMPETENCIES

The learner demonstrates The learner is able to: The learner:

understanding of:

1. the importance of use appropriate kinds 1. shares research

research in daily life of research in making experiences and knowledge
2. the characteristics, decisions
processes, and ethics of 2. explains the importance of
research research in daily life
3. quantitative and
qualitative research 3. describes characteristics,
4. the kinds of research processes, and ethics of
Nature of Inquiry across the fields research
and Research
4. differentiates quantitative
from qualitative research
5. provide examples of
research in areas of
interest (arts, humanities,
sports, science, business,
agriculture and fisheries,
information and
communication technology,
and social inquiry)
The learner demonstrates The learner is able to: The learner:
understanding of:
decide on suitable 1. describes characteristics,
1. the value of qualitative strengths, weaknesses,
Qualitative research; its kinds, qualitative research in
Research and Its characteristics, uses, different areas of and kinds of qualitative
Importance in strengths, and weaknesses interest. research
Daily Life 2. the importance of 2. illustrates the
qualitative research importance of
across fields of inquiry qualitative research
across fields
The learner demonstrates The learner is able to: The learner:
understanding of:

1. the range of research 1. formulate clearly 1. designs a research

topics in the area of statement of project related to daily
Identifying the inquiry research problem life
Inquiry and 2. the value of research in 2. writes a research title
Stating the the area of interest
Problem 3. the specificity and 3. describes the
feasibility of the justifications/reasons for
problem posed conducting the research
4. states research questions
 5. indicates scope and
delimitation of research

6. cites benefits and

beneficiaries of research
7. presents written
statement of the
problem
The learner demonstrates The learner is able to: The learner:
understanding of:

1. the criteria in selecting, 1. select, cite, and 1. selects relevant

citing, and synthesizing synthesize literature
related literature properly related 2. cites related literature
2. ethical standards in literature using standard style
Learning from writing related 2. use sources (APA, MLA or Chicago
Others and literature according to Manual of Style)
Reviewing the ethical standards 3. synthesizes information
Literature 3. present written from relevant literature
review of related 4. writes coherent review
literature of literature
5. follows ethical standards
in writing related
literature
6. presents written review
of literature
The learner demonstrates The learner is able to: The learner:
understanding of:

1. qualitative research 1. describe 1. chooses appropriate

designs qualitative qualitative research
2. the description of research designs, design
Understanding sample sample, and data 2. describes sampling
Data and Ways To 3. data collection and collection and procedure and sample
Systematically analysis procedures analysis 3. plans data collection and
Collect Data such as survey, procedures analysis procedures
interview, and 2. apply
observation imaginatively 4. presents written
4. the application of art/design research methodology
creative design principles to 5. utilizes materials and
principles for execution create artwork techniques to produce
creative work
 UNIT 1: NATURE OF INQUIRY AND RESEARCH

WHAT THIS UNIT ALL ABOUT?

Research is a process to discover new knowledge. In the Code of Federal Regulations (45
CFR 46.102(d)) pertaining to the protection of human subjects research is defined as:
“A systematic investigation (i.e., the gathering and analysis of information) designed to develop
or contribute to generalizable knowledge.” The National Academy of Sciences states that the
object of research is to “extend human knowledge of the physical, biological, or social world
beyond what is already known.” Research is different than other forms of discovering knowledge
(like reading a book) because it uses a systematic process called the Scientific Method.
The Scientific Method consists of observing the world around you and creating
a hypothesis about relationships in the world. A hypothesis is an informed and educated
prediction or explanation about something. Part of the research process involves testing
the hypothesis, and then examining the results of these tests as they relate to both the hypothesis
and the world around you. When a researcher forms a hypothesis, this acts like a map through
the research study. It tells the researcher which factors are important to study and how they
might be related to each other or caused by a manipulation that the researcher introduces (e.g. a
program, treatment or change in the environment). With this map, the researcher can interpret the
information he/she collects and can make sound conclusions about the results.
Research can be done with human beings, animals, plants, other organisms and inorganic
matter. When research is done with human beings and animals, it must follow specific rules
about the treatment of humans and animals that have been created by the U.S. Federal
Government. This ensures that humans and animals are treated with dignity and respect, and that
the research causes minimal harm.
No matter what topic is being studied, the value of the research depends on how well it is
designed and done. Therefore, one of the most important considerations in doing good research
is to follow the design or plan that is developed by an experienced researcher who is called
the Principal Investigator (PI). The PI is in charge of all aspects of the research and creates what
is called a protocol (the research plan) that all people doing the research must follow. By doing
so, the PI and the public can be sure that the results of the research are real and useful to other
scientists.
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO LEARN?

After studying this unit, you are expected to be able to:

 share research experiences and knowledge;

 explains the importance of research in daily life;
 describes characteristics, processes, and ethics of research;

 differentiates quantitative from qualitative research; and

 provide examples of research in areas of interest (arts, humanities, sports,

science, business, agriculture and fisheries, information and
communication technology, and social inquiry).

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO LEARN?

This icon signals a pre-test that you need to answer to determine how
much you about the topic. At every pre-test, you will find a question to
answer. Write your answers in the blank provided for or as instructed in
the pre-test. If you cannot answer a question may leave it blank. But see
to it that you go back to check after you have studied or read the text.

You will find this icon before some chunks of text in the following pages.
It tells you to carefully study the concepts, principles, or processes
discussed in the text. It also tells you that there is a question to answer or
an idea to think about it.

This icon introduces a list of important ideas to remember. Read it

carefully and keep it in mind.
From the good habit of reviewing the text and how much time, effort,
interest and patience you invest in your learning will determine how sure
you are in having good scores in the checkpoint. Your attitude will help
you learn more and effectively that makes you a better learner.

You will find this icon at the end of every lesson. It signals a self-test to
determine how well you have achieved the objectives set in the unit.
Study the lesson well and you will perform quite well in the self-test. This
will be submitted to your teacher after you answering the self-test. Write
legibly and always follow instructions properly.

This icon tells you of an assignment you have to perform. The quality of
your output from this assignment will show the extent to which you can
apply what have you learned from the lesson. Submit this also to your
teacher at the date specified.
 Are you now set to perform the activity, answer the questions, and read the
texts? If so, then you may get your ball pen and notebook as I will request you to answer the questions
included herein.

Good luck, enjoy reading and doing the activity. God bless.

LESSON 1: QUALIITATIVE RESEARCH – CHARACTERISTICS,

PROCESSES and ETHICS

PRE-TEST QUESTIONS:

Answer the questions below. Follow instructions properly.

I. TRUE or FALSE. Write QUANTITATIVE after the item when the sentence is true
while QUALITATIVE if the statement is false.

1. In quantitative research, researchers know in advance what they are looking for.
_______________
2. Quantitative research can be easily misinterpreted because it provides numerical
data. _______________
3. Quantitative research puts emphasis on proof, rather than discovery.
_______________
4. Normative research is conducted by researcher whose aim would be to find out
the direction and/or relationship between different variables or group of
respondents under study. _________________
5. Qualitative research requires a large number of respondents. It assumes that the
larger the sample is, the more statistically accurate the findings are.
___________________
6. Evaluation describes the status of a phenomenon at a particular time. It describes
without value judgment a situation that prevents. ____________________
7. Correlational is conducted by researchers whose aim would be to find out the
direction and/or relationship between different variables or groups of respondents
under study. _____________________
8. Methodological is the implementation of a variety of methodologies that forms a
critical part of achieving the goal of developing a scaled-matched approach,
where data from different disciplines can be integrated. ___________________
9. One characteristics of quantitative research is that its method can be repeated to
verify findings in another setting, thus, reinforcing validity findings.
_____________________
10. In quantitative experiments itfilters out external factors, if properly designed, and
so the results gained can be seen, as real and unbiased.
 II. Put a tick (/) if it describes the characteristics of a Qualitative Research.

1. The very purpose of this type of research is to understand and interpret

social interactions.
2. The data is usually gathered using structured research instruments.
3. Group studies come in smaller and not randomly selected.
4. Variables are studied as a whole and not as mere variables..
5. The types of data collected come in words, images and/or objects.
6. Data are in the form of numbers and statistics, often arranged in tables,
charts, figures, or other non-textual forms.
7. Emphasis is on discovery rather than proof.
8. Data collected are in the forms of open-ended responses, interview,
participant observation, field notes, case study, and reflections.
9. Identifies patterns, features, and themes in data analysis
10. Researchers and their biases may be known to participants in the study,
and participant characteristics may be known to the researcher.

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

I. Nature of Inquiry
 Inquiry is defined as “a seeking for truth, information, or knowledge”. The information is
sought through questioning. The process of inquiry begins with gathering information
and data through applying the various human senses.
 Unfortunately, traditional educational system has discouraged the natural process of
inquiry. Students become more inhibited in asking questions and are not challenged
either to answer high-level questions. The students are asked to listen and repeat expected
answers.
 The exploratory nature of inquiry allows individuals particularly students to grapple with
different ways of looking at ideas and issues to think creatively about problems that do
not possess simple answer.
 The arrival of new information in our lives, means much. Research is not a single
activity. It is multiple and adaptable (https.//newcollege.asu.edu/writing-
program/guide/elements-of-enquiry).

II. Experience and Knowledge

 Experience is a familiar and a well-used source of knowledge. By going through personal
experiences, you can find many answers to questions that you may have. It has been said
that experience is the best teacher.
 One may be limited in terms of experiences as a source of knowledge. Events may
happen in the same way but may have different effects on individuals.
 For things though that are difficult or impossible to know by personal experiences, you
may turn to an authority. In research, knowledge is sought from other people who had
experienced what the problem is or some other sources of expertise.
  Authority is a quick and easy source of knowledge but it has also its shortcoming that you
must consider. First, authorities can go wrong. It can happen that people claim to be
experts in a field but may not have the knowledge to prove it. Second, you may find that
authorities disagree among themselves on issues, indicating that their authoritative
statements are often more personal opinion than fact (Walker, 2010 as cited in Carey,
Naval & Prieto, 2017).

III. What is “Research”?

 It is the systematic investigation and study of materials and sources to establish facts and
reach new conclusions.
 It is a scientific investigation of phenomena which includes collection, presentation,
analysis and interpretation of facts.
 Research is an act of studying something carefully and extensively in order to attain deep
knowledge. When done on a larger scale, it contributes to the welfare of humanity. It can
be creative, exploring or just reassuring in nature.
 In various spheres of human life, research has come up with developing appropriate
solutions to improve the individual’s quality of life. Although it may take in different
settings and may use different methods, scientific research is universally a systematic and
objective search for reliable knowledge (Walker, 2010 as cited in Carey, Naval & Prieto,
2017).

Work on these:
1. What is research? What is inquiry?
2. Is conducting research important in our daily life? Cite specific instances to support
your answer. Present it using a graphic organizer.

Importance of
Research
in Our Daily Life
 WHAT IS RESEARCH

 It is the systematic investigation and study of materials and sources to establish facts and
reach new conclusions.
 It is a scientific investigation of phenomena which includes collection, presentation,
analysis and interpretation of facts.
 Research is an act of studying something carefully and extensively in order to attain deep
knowledge. When done on a larger scale, it contributes to the welfare of humanity. It can
be creative, exploring or just reassuring in nature.
 In various spheres of human life, research has come up with developing appropriate
solutions to improve the individual’s quality of life. Although it may take in different
settings and may use different methods, scientific research is universally a systematic and
objective search for reliable knowledge (Walker, 2010 as cited in Carey, Naval & Prieto,
2017).

Why do Research?
 Research is a great way to network and meet new people. Undergraduate research allows
you to grow and uncover the opportunities for later career. Undergraduate research is
conducted in all disciplines and encompasses a broad range of activities from learning
about research to discovering new knowledge and creating new words. It is about solving
problems and answering questions in all disciplines.
 When you embark in research, you will need learning experiences composed of a
knowledge component described as the representation of facts, principles, concepts,
procedure and/or theories in a certain subject, characterized by learning, remembering
and/or reproducing and a task performance or skills development component
(nsuworls.nova.edu/tqu/vol7/iss2/3/).

Importance of Research in Daily Life

I. The Role of Research

 Our everyday life has always been punctuated by exciting adventures, challenging
situations and surprising discoveries. When confronted with doubts and problems, you
turn to finding out what could be possible answers and solutions to them. This is where
you embark on the process called “research”.
 Research leads an expansion of knowledge and discoveries.
 Research is a systematic process of collecting and analyzing data or information in order
to increase understanding of a phenomenon.
 Research is important in providing a solid foundation for the:
o Discovery and creation of knowledge, theory-building
o Testing, confirmation, revision, and refutation of knowledge as theory
o Advance a discipline or field
o Advancements and improvements in various aspects of life
o Promotion and tenure of individuals
 Why conduct research? Justify your answer.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

RESEARCH ACROSS THE FIELDS

 Research is closely connected with development. The results/findings of studies also

affect society and the lives of each one of us. Research is very vital to our everyday
decision making. The research you do and evidence you gather will be useful for future
endeavors. It hones basic life skills and makes learning a lifelong endeavor.
 Research fills in the need to love reading, writing, analyzing, and sharing valuable
information.

Research and Other Fields/Areas

 Research leads to an expansion of knowledge and discoveries of new medical treatment
and cures.
 Research efforts have also led to break through in agriculture such as the introduction of
highly-yield and drought-resistant varieties.
 Projections of effects of global warming have likewise been determined through research.
 Through research findings, psychologists are able to explain the individual’s behaviors
including how people think and act in certain ways. This helps to determine disorders and
their impact on the person and society which can lead to developing or discovering
appropriate treatments to improve the individual’s quality of life.
 In business, market research enables companies to make forecasts and formulate the
needed strategies to ensure their growth and survival.
 Business properties conduct surveys and feasibility studies to find out the needs of the
community.
 In academic institutions, research may be done independently or as a part of a group. It
can be a useful learning process, challenging students and teachers to work together and
grow intellectually as they conduct their study.
 Economic research refers to matters concerning the environment and which may lead to
improved techniques to ensure sustainable food production.
 Social research leads to an increased knowledge of people and their interactions with one
another, which could be relevant to policy makers
 Environmental research focuses on improved techniques to ensure sustainable food
production
 Cultural research leads to increased understanding of cultural values or social approaches
 Health research contributes to a better understanding of the causes of medical conditions.
Characteristics, Processes and Ethics of Research

I. Characteristics of Research
 Empirical – Research is based on observations and experimentation of theories.
 Systematic – Research follows orderly and sequential procedures, based on valid
procedures and principles.
 Controlled – In research, all variables, except those that are tested/experimented on, are
kept constant.
 Employs hypothesis – The hypothesis guides the investigation process. Research refers to
a search for facts, answers to questions and solutions to problems.
 Analytical – There is a critical analysis of all data used so that there is no error in the
researcher’s interpretations.
 Objective – The term refers to the research as unbiased and logical.
 Original work – Requires effort to get at the researcher’s own investigation and produce
the data needed to complete the study.

II. Other Characteristics of Qualitative Research

 Concern for context and meaning – Qualitative research is bounded by a particular
context which the research aims to study. Since it is context-bound, the human
experience takes its meaning from social, historical, political and cultural influences.
 Naturally occurring settings – Qualitative research studies behavior as it happened
naturally in school, classroom, community or an organization. It is based on the premise
that setting affects the findings.
 Humans as Instruments – The researcher is the primary instrument for gathering and for
analyzing data. S/he responds to the need for capturing the complexity if human
experience, as well as in adapting and responding to the environment. Only a human
being can do the field work methods such as the interview, observation and documentary
analysis.
 Descriptive Data – data used in qualitative studies are in the form of words or picture or
other visuals rather than numbers and statistics.
 Emergent Design – In qualitative research, the design cannot be finalized at the onset
because the researcher continues to adjust his/her methods and ways of proceeding as the
study progresses. It is also difficult to predict what may happen during the actual
interactions between the researcher and the participants.

III. Types of Research

 Library Research – done primarily in the library where answers to specific questions or
problems are available.
 Field Research – done in the natural setting such as barangay, school, or factory.
 Laboratory Research – conducted in an artificial or controlled condition by doing the
study in a thoroughly specified and equipped area.

IV. Ethics and Research

 “Ethics” refers to the norms for conduct that distinguish between acceptable and
unacceptable behavior (Resmik, 2015 as cited in Carey, Naval, & Prieto, 2017).
 “Ethics” is a method, procedure or perspective for deciding how to act and for analyzing
complex problems and issues.
 To be ethical, a research project needs to be designed to create valid outcomes if it is
believed to be pursuing truth (i.e. reliability and validity).
  Researchers have the duty to ensure that they do not have deliberately mislead
participants as to the nature of the research.
 Researchers have the duty to avoid causing both physical and psychological difficulties to
participants and to socio-political environments in which and with which they work.
 In both virtual and physical worlds, researchers are ethically bound to maintain the
privacy of participants including confidentiality for any information they give and
anonymity for their identity (Baez, 2002 as cited in Carey, Naval, & Prieto, 2017).
 Research ethics involves the application of fundamental ethical principles to a variety of
topics involving research.

V. Some Ethical Principles

 Enumerated below are words and phrases that correspond to principles on which actions
exhibited while doing research are anchored on.
o Honesty 8. Responsible publication
o Objectivity 9. Respect for colleagues
o Integrity 10. Social responsibility
o Carefulness 11. Non-discrimination
o Openness 12. Competence
o Respect for intellectual property 13. Legality
o Confidentiality
 For a passionate researcher, there is a risk of being tempted to consider unethical research
practice in order to try to obtain and /or certain some of the data.

VI. Ethical Considerations in Qualitative Research

 The researcher is expected to act professionally, maintaining respect towards them. the
issues of anonymity and confidentiality are to be observed. In field notes particularly,
when conducting a sensitive research, false names or code numbers are used to keep track
of what information came from whom without their identities.
 The researcher is expected to give back to the subjects/participants of the research and to
show appreciation for their commitment of time, effort and cooperation. These acts may
be to provide a written report, present findings in an assembly, give assistance or advice
on other research projects at their workplace and others.
 The researcher writes a letter and seeks to be allowed to conduct a study. If changes
happen in the course of the investigation, s/he needs to get an approval for the
continuance of the study.

VII. The Research Process

1. Define research problem
2. Review the literature
3. Formulate hypothesis
4. Design research
5. Collect data
6. Analyze data
7. Interpret and report
 Find time to do these:

1. Definition of Plagiarism” by Martin, Ohmann, and Wheatley.

2. Write a one-page reflection paper on plagiarism in the Philippines. Be guided by
the following questions:
a. How does the general public view plagiarism?
b. Do you believe that we are a nation of copycats?

KEEP THIS IN MIND.

Differences Between Quantitative and Qualitative Research

(Johnson, B. & Christensen, L. (2008) and Lichtman, M. (2006) as cited in Carey, T. , Naval, V. , & Prieto, N. (2017))

Criteria Qualitative Research Quantitative Research

Purpose To understand and interpret To test hypotheses, look at
social interactions cause and effect, and make
conclusions
Group Studies Smaller and not randomly Larger and randomly selected
selected
Variables Study of the whole, not Specific variables studied
variables
Type of Data Collected Words, images, or objects Numbers and statistics
Form of Data Collected Qualitative data such as open- Quantitative data based in
ended responses, interview, precise measurements using
participant observations, field structured and validated data-
notes, and reflections collection instruments
Type of Data Analysis Identify patterns, features and Identify statistical
themes relationships
Objectivity and Subjectivity Subjectivity is expected Objectivity is critical
Role of Researcher Researchers and their biases Researcher and their biases
may be known to participants not known to participants in
in the study, and participant the study and participant
characteristics may be known characteristics are deliberately
to the researcher hidden from the researcher
Results Particular or specialized Generalizable findings that
findings that is less can be applied to other
generalizable populations
Scientific Method Exploratory or bottom-up: Confirmatory or top-down: the
generation of new hypothesis researcher tests the hypothesis
and theory from the data and theory with the data
collected
View of Human Behavior Dynamic, situational, social, Regular and predictable
and personal
Most Common Research Explore, discover, and Describe, explain, and predict
Objectives construct
Focus Wide-angle lens, examines the Narrow-angle lens, tests
breadth and depth of specific hypotheses
phenomena
Nature of Observation Study behavior in a natural Study behavior under
environment controlled conditions; isolate
causal effects
Nature of Reality Multiple realities; subjective Single reality; objective
Final Report Narrative report with Statistical report with
contextual description and correlations, comparisons of
direct quotations from means, and statistical
research participants significance of findings

 Over time, a new methodology came to the field resulting in the “mixed methods” which
combine both quantitative and qualitative methods in the same study. It is believed that
this combined method provides a more complete explanation of the research findings
than using one method alone.

MIND CHALLENGE. Answer the following questions, follow directions given.

I. NON-STOP WRITING. In 10 mins., write your concise learning about the following.
1. What is qualitative research?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. What are the characteristics of quantitative research that make it different from
qualitative research?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

TYPES AND EXAMPLES OF RESEARCH IN DIFFERENT AREAS/FIELDS

 Applied Research – is designed to solve problems of the modern world, rather than to
acquire knowledge for knowledge’s sake; its goal is to improve human condition
(https.//en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Research_Methods/Types Research). It is used to find
solutions to every day problems, current illnesses and develop technologies.
 Basic Research (Fundamental or Pure Research) – is driven by a scientist’s curiosity or
interest in scientific question. The main motivation is to extend man’s knowledge, not to
create or invent things, this research is designed to add to an organized body of scientific
knowledge ad does not necessarily produce results or practical value.

 Correlational Research – refers to the systematic investigation or statistical study of

relationships among two or more variables, without necessarily determining cause and
effect. It seeks to establish a relation or association between two or more variables that do
not readily lend themselves to experimental manipulation.

 Descriptive or Statistical Research – refers to research that provides an accurate portrayal

of a class or a particular individual situation or group. It deals with everything that can be
counted and measured and which has an impact on people or communities.

 Ethnographic Research – refers to the investigation of a culture through an in-depth study

of the members of the culture; it involves the systematic collection, description and
analysis of the data for development of theories of cultural behavior. It attempts to
understand what is happening naturally in the setting and to interpret the data gathered so
implications could be formed from those data.

 Experimental Research – is an objective, systematic, controlled investigation, for the

purpose of predicting and controlling phenomena and examining probability and
causality among selected variables. It best establishes cause-effect relationship. This type
of research studies the effects of the variables on each other.
 Exploratory Research – is a type conducted for a problem that has not been clearly
defined.

 Historical Research – involves analysis of events that occurred in the remote or recent
past. It can show patterns that occurred in the past and over time which can help to see
where we came from and what kind of solutions we have used in the past.

 Phenomenological research – an inductive descriptive research developed from

phenomenological philosophy. Its aim is to describe an experience as it is actually lived
by the person. It is concerned with the study of experience from the perspective of the
individual. The researcher in this type of research attempts to understand one or more
individuals’ experiences of a phenomenon by one or more individual.

 Action Research – involves the application of the steps of the scientific method in the
classroom problems. This type of research is done on a very limited scope. The
population to be studied is not so big. This type of research is helpful to beginning
researchers.

 Content Analysis – is applied to written or visual materials such as textbooks, newspaper,

web pages, for the purpose of identifying specified characteristics of the materials.
ASSIGNMENT: RESEARCH WORK. Research 15 different titles of research in a research
reports and classify them to any of the types we have discussed. Choose only qualitative research
titles. Follow the format below.

RESEARCH TITLE TYPE

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
 LESSON 2: IMPORTANCE OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH ACROSS VARIOUS
FIELDS

Answer the questions below. Follow instructions properly.

I. MATCHING TYPE. Match item in COLUMN A with those of COLUMN B by

placing the letter of the correct answers in the space provided in column A from among
the choices I column B. Identify what discipline the given research title is related.

COLUMN A COLUMN B

1. Where does country music come from?

2. The Roles of Prehistoric Visual A. Ethnographic Research

Communications in the development of
Language B. Phenomenological research
3. The Role of Women at the Beginning of
20th Century. C. Historical Research
4. The Influence of COVID19 Pandemic in
the Development of New Normal D. Applied Research
Protocols in Education.
5. School Policies on the Reduction of E. Content Analysis
Violence in Sports
6. Advantages and Disadvantages of VAT F. Experimental Research
in Online Selling.
7. Preventive Medicine and Healthy Living G. Action Research
for Senior Citizen during Quarantine
Periods. H. Basic Research (Fundamental or
8. Home Economics as a Field of Study
and Its Benefits Pure Research)
9. Development of Online Education in
Disadvantage and Remote Areas I. Exploratory Research
10. The Significance of Plato’s Philosophy
of Mathematics

II. ESSAY.Discuss briefly, what is ask below.

1. How quantitative research related or important to different field of discipline?

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.
 IMPORTANCE of QUALITATIVE and QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH across FIELDS

I. In Education
 Ethnographic studies of learning and knowledge in education ask the question what
counts as knowledge and learning in classrooms to teachers and students (e.g. how
teaching styles match the learning styles of students)
 Ethnographic practices are ways that people in a site act and react to each other to pursue
an agendum (e.g. research agenda, educational agenda, social, cultural, and instructional
change agenda). An example would be how students react to the evaluation of their
academic performance.

II. In Technical Communication

 Qualitative methodologies determine the effective use of technology in the workplace to
entire smooth flow of communication.
 Focus groups are used to probe deeper research results in order to describe or illustrate
current practices in Technical Communication which can take the forms of e-mail, fax
messaging, video and voice conferencing, intranet and extranet, jargons, and graphics.

III. In Psychology
 Psychology has been strongly shaped by the behavioral and cognitive traditions, within
which psychology should seek to understand and determine an observable, objective
psychological reality (e.g. psychologists seek to understand why some students lack
motivation to go to school and why some students resort to bullying, and the likes)

IV. In Advertising
 The character of qualitative research makes it and its associated methods extremely
useful for uncovering complex consumer insights that can lead to a successful
advertising.
 Morrision et al. (n.d.) as cited in Carey, Naval, & Prieto (2017) say that great advertising
comes along from an understanding of consumer’s wants and needs. And in order to
understand those wants and needs, the consumer needs to be consulted and integrated at
virtually every step of the research process.

V. In Social Work
 Many people, through their personal memory of traumatic events, give meaning to what
has happened to them, they are faced with questions regarding their identity and relation
with others, and the world.
 On one hand, they have a need to recollect and process those memories; on the other
hand, they feel a need to distance themselves and forget or detach from the pain and
threat involved in such memories (Shaw 7 Holland, 2014 as cited in Carey, Naval, & Prieto (2017).
 Examples include the disaster victims of the Mt. Pinatubo eruption, families of drug
addicts who got killed during drug bust operations, or informal settlers whose houses or
shanties were demolished by authorities.

VI. In Marketing
 Influenced by social research, marketing researchers embedded projective devices within
the approach of in-depth interview. They created devices such as matching people,
animals, cars, pictorial symbols, and soliciting dreams.
  Glick and Belk did the first qualitative study in 1962 for the Coca-Cola Company on why
people drink soft drinks, as well as first study for AT & T on the meaning of the
telephone.
 Wriggley Company did a research on what baseball meant to Cuban fans.
 A study for FTD, the flower delivery system, analyzed the poignancy of flowers in
representing the life cycle, symbolizing its beauty, fragility, and the inevitability of death.

VII. In International Business

 Much exploratory research has been done to fulfill ASEAN Economic Community’s
(AEC) goal if having only one currency, as in the European Union’s euro
(http:..en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association of Southeast Asian Nations_Roadmap for
Asean_fianncial_integration as cited in Carey, Naval and Prieto (2017))
 Business all over the world use other methods like participant observation, content
analysis, focus group, narrative interview, and “hidden” methods such as archival
research (Marschan, Pekkari, & Welch, 2004 Carey, Naval, & Prieto, 2017)

VIII. In Economics
 Quantitative research can predict population growth or plot the fluctuations of a country’s
gross national product, but qualitative research will focus on the everyday struggle of
large poor families to get out of poverty

IX. In Health Sciences

 Quantitative research may be able to tell how many people in the world suffer from
HIV/AIDS, cancer, or other debilitating diseases, but only qualitative research can
capture their pain and suffering, how they cope up, or how they try to keep on living

POST_TEST.This serves as your summative test. Answer the questions below

following the instruction given in each test.

I. ESSAY. Briefly explain what is asked below.

A. How important quantitative research across fields? Cite at least five fields and explain
how this two research designs are interconnected with a specific/particular field?
________________________________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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 ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.

II. CONCEPT MAP. Complete the concept map presented below. You add figures so long
as you will use your creativity using the figures given. Present the importance of
qualitative research to different fields. Maximize the space below.

QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH
 LESSON 3: IDENTIFYING THE INQUIRY AND STATING THE PROBLEM

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO LEARN?

After studying this unit, you are expected to be able to:

 decide on a research topic;

 write a research title;
 justify reasons for conducting qualitative research; and

 state research questions;

DECIDING ON A RESEARCH TOPIC / WRITING A RESEARCH TITLE

I. How to choose your research topic?

 Looking for a research topic is similar to shopping. You may use both the market of the
library or the several electronic sources available in the internet. Follow the
recommendations below:

1. Select a topic that you have a high degree of interests based on your curiosity or
your past experiences.
2. Besides choosing a topic based on interest, consider the needs of other people,
your community and society as a whole. (e.g. traffic congestion, drug addiction,
dismal public services)
3. Consider a topic that may be familiar but could be better investigate and you are
interested to know more about.
4. Choose a topic within one’s level of experience and expertise.
5. Consider the elements of time, location, and money.

(Source: Practical Research 1 by Prieto, N., Naval, V. and Carey, T. (2017))

II. Research Topics and their Sources

 Research topics are as varied and numerous as the realities and complexities of daily life,
on a personal, institutional national or global level.

1. Pressing Issues on an individual, organizational or societal level or success

stories.
2. Wide reading/Critical Film Viewing - Varied reading materials can crystalize a
topics of interest for research. Films can spark off a research inquiry or a problem
3. Social Networking - As netizens voice out their observations and opinions, even
condemnation of the current happenings, they could be spark off a new inquiry on
possible research interest.
4. Replication - Theses and dissertations are good source of topic. A theory used in a
previous study can still be further investigated.
 5. Lectures, Talks and Seminars - These are breeding grounds of ideas. Many
researchers will claim that their research topics were offshoots of ideas heard in
seminars and the like.
6. Gray Areas - These are points of interest but very little is known about them.

III. How to convert your chosen topic into an interesting title?

 The title is without a doubt the part of a paper that is read the most, and it is usually read
first. It is, therefore, the most important element that defines the research study. With this
in mind, avoid the following when creating a title:
1. If the title is too long, this usually indicates there are too many unnecessary
words. Avoid language, such as, "A Study to Investigate the...," or "A Review of
the...." These phrases are obvious and generally unnecessary.
2. On the other hand, a title which is too short often uses words which are too broad
and it does not tell the reader what is being studied. For example, a paper with the
title, "African Politics" is so non-specific it could be the title of a book and could
literally examine anything associated with politics in Africa. A good title should
provide information about the focus of your research study.
3. In academic writing, catchy phrases or non-specific language may be used if it's
within the context of the study [e.g., "Fair and Impartial Jury-Catch as Catch
Can"]. However, in most cases, you should avoid including words or phrases that
do not help the reader understand the purpose of your paper.
4. Unlike everywhere else in a college-level social sciences research paper [except
when using direct quotes in the text], titles do not have to adhere to rigid
grammatical or stylistic standards. For example, it could be appropriate to begin a
title with a coordinating conjunction [i.e., and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet] if it makes
sense to do so and does not detract from the purpose of the study [e.g., "Yet
Another Look at Mutual Fund Tournaments"] or beginning the title with
an inflected form of a verb such as those ending in -ing [e.g., "Assessing the
Political Landscape: Structure, Cognition, and Power in Organizations"].

 The following parameters can be used to help you formulate a suitable research paper
title:
1. The purpose of the research
2. The narrative tone of the paper [typically defined by the type of the research]
3. The methods used

 The initial aim of a title is to capture the reader’s attention and to highlight to the research
problem under investigation.

III. Create a Working Title

 Typically, the final title you submit to your professor is created after the research is
complete so that the title accurately captures what has been done. The working title
should be developed early in the research process because it can help anchor the focus of
the study in much the same way the research problem does. Referring back to the
working title can help you reorient yourself back to the main purpose of the study if you
find yourself drifting off on a tangent while writing.
 Five Steps to a Great Title
posted by Chelsea Lee at 11:33:40am in How0to-ShareThis on July 15, 2010
Retrieved from http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2010/07/five-steps-to-a-great-title.html

You’ve burned through the midnight oil. You’ve written the last word, double-,
nay, triple-checked the reference list, and as the sun clambers over the windowsill you
face the last remaining question: What to call this work of staggering genius? You are
tempted to play the facetious card and call your paper “A Study of the Effects of Red
Bull on a Person's Ability to Form Coherent Sentences,” but the long-term implications
of such a title for your academic success give you pause. What else, then, shall suffice?

The title of your paper is incredibly important. A paper’s title not only sets
readers’ expectations for what the paper will be about but may also determine whether it
gets read at all—or with how much trepidation versus excitement it is greeted.

Below are five general principles that, if followed, will produce a great title:

1. A great title summarizes the main idea of the paper. Your title should
identify the key issues under investigation as well as how they relate to each
other. The title “The Effects of Transformed Letters on Reading Speed”
achieves this goal, whereas the title “Transformed Letters and Reading Speed”
identifies the elements but misses the relationship.

2. A great title has a length of 12 words or fewer. If your attempts to create a

summarizing title have produced a five-line manifesto, try to pare it down to
the essentials. Keep in mind that 12 words is a guideline, not a hard ceiling.

3. A great title includes only words that contribute meaning. Phrases such as
“A Study of,” “An Experimental Investigation of,” or “The Results of” are
like empty calories (not unlike most of what’s in that Red Bull...). Make your
title easier to digest by cutting the fat. “The Results of a Study of The Effects
of Heavy Metal Music on Plant Growth” can slim down to “The Effects of
Heavy Metal Music on Plant Growth” or even the jazzier “How Heavy Metal
Music Stimulates Plant Growth.”

4. A great title gives away the ending. If your title is in the form of a yes–no
question, try rephrasing it so that the question is answered or the answer at
least alluded to. This primes the reader for deeper comprehension. If Philip K.
Dick had written for an academic audience, you might be perusing Androids
Dream of Electric Sheep: Empathy in Nonhuman Species before bed tonight.
(Click the image of the book cover at the right to read about his actual book,
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.)

5. A great title says it with style. Academic writing must be precise, but it
needn’t be fusty. Consider these titles of real published psychology articles:
“The Unicorn, the Normal Curve, and Other Improbable Creatures” (Micceri,
 1989, Psychological Bulletin) and “Pride, Prejudice, and Ambivalence:
Toward a Unified Theory of Race and Ethnicity” (Markus, 2008, American
Psychologist). These titles pique readers’ interest while also conveying
essential information about the content of the article.

IV. The Final Title

 Effective titles in academic research papers can have several characteristics.

1. Indicate accurately the subject and scope of the study,
2. Rarely use abbreviations or acronyms unless they are commonly known,
3. Use words that create a positive impression and stimulate reader interest,
4. Use current nomenclature from the field of study,
5. Identify key variables, both dependent and independent,
6. Reveal how the paper will be organized,
7. Suggest a relationship between variables which supports the major hypothesis,
8. Is limited to 5 to 15 substantive words,
9. Does not include redundant phrasing, such as, "A Study of," "An Analysis of" or
similar constructions,
10. Takes the form of a question or declarative statement,
11. If you use a quote as part of the title, the source of the quote is cited [usually
using an asterisk and footnote],
12. Use correct grammar and capitalization with all first words and last words
capitalized, including the first word of a subtitle. All nouns, pronouns, verbs,
adjectives, and adverbs that appear between the first and last words of the title are
also capitalized, and
13. Rarely uses an exclamation mark at the end of the title.

V. Other Online Source (for home reading)

 http://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/title

REFERENCES:

Marquez-Fong, S. and Tigno, C. 2016. Practical Research 1. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
Prieto, N., Naval, V., and Carey T. 201. Practical Research 1. Quezon City: Vibal Group Inc.
Kubicek, 2005. “Inquiry-based learning”. In Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology.
Accessed September 26, 2014. www.ericdigest.org

Neil, J. 2007. “Quantitative versus qualitative research”. In Quantitative versus Qualitative

Research; Key Points in Classic Debate. Accessed September 30, 2014.
www.wilderdom.com/research/QualitativeVersusQualitativeResearch.html
Snape, D. and Spencer, A. 2013. Qualitative research practice: A single guide for social
science students. Retrieve from
http://196.29.172.66:8080/jspui/bitstream/123456789/1231/1/122.pdf
 Cainta Catholic College
Cainta, Rizal

GRADE: 11 SEMESTER: FIRST SEMESTER

SUBJECT TITLE: PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1 NO. OF HOURS/SEM.: 90 hours/semester
Reading and Writing
PREREQUISITE: English for Academic and
Professional Purposes

Common Subject Description: This course develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills
through qualitative research.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

MODULE

IN

PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1
UNIT 1II

Prepared by: SANDREX S. ALBINO

 CURRICUM GUIDE

CONTENT PERFORMANCE LEARNING

CONTENT STANDARD STANDARD COMPETENCIES

The learner demonstrates The learner is able to: The learner:

understanding of: 6. shares research
use appropriate kinds experiences and knowledge
5. the importance of
research in daily life of research in making
7. explains the importance of
6. the characteristics, decisions
research in daily life
processes, and ethics of
research 8. describes characteristics,
7. quantitative and processes, and ethics of
qualitative research research
Nature of Inquiry 8. the kinds of research
and Research across the fields 9. differentiates quantitative
from qualitative research
10. provide examples of
research in areas of
interest (arts, humanities,
sports, science, business,
agriculture and fisheries,
information and
communication technology,
and social inquiry)
The learner demonstrates The learner is able to: The learner:
understanding of:
decide on suitable 3. describes characteristics,
3. the value of qualitative strengths, weaknesses,
Qualitative research; its kinds, qualitative research in
Research and Its characteristics, uses, different areas of and kinds of qualitative
Importance in strengths, and weaknesses interest. research
Daily Life 4. the importance of 4. illustrates the
qualitative research importance of
across fields of inquiry qualitative research
across fields
The learner demonstrates The learner is able to: The learner:
understanding of: 2. formulate clearly 8. designs a research
statement of project related to daily
4. the range of research research problem life
topics in the area of 9. writes a research title
inquiry 10. describes the
Identifying the 5. the value of research in justifications/reasons for
Inquiry and the area of interest conducting the research
Stating the 6. the specificity and 11. states research questions
Problem feasibility of the
problem posed 12. indicates scope and
delimitation of research

13. cites benefits and

beneficiaries of research
 14. presents written
statement of the
problem
The learner demonstrates The learner is able to: The learner:
understanding of: 7. selects relevant
4. select, cite, and literature
3. the criteria in selecting, synthesize 8. cites related literature
citing, and synthesizing properly related using standard style
related literature literature (APA, MLA or Chicago
4. ethical standards in 5. use sources Manual of Style)
Learning from
writing related according to 9. synthesizes information
Others and
literature ethical standards from relevant literature
Reviewing the
Literature 6. present written 10. writes coherent review
review of related of literature
literature 11. follows ethical standards
in writing related
literature
12. presents written review
of literature
The learner demonstrates The learner is able to: The learner:
understanding of:

5. qualitative research 3. describe 3. chooses appropriate

designs qualitative qualitative research
6. the description of research designs, design
Understanding sample sample, and data 4. describes sampling
Data and Ways To 7. data collection and collection and procedure and sample
Systematically analysis procedures analysis 6. plans data collection and
Collect Data such as survey, procedures analysis procedures
interview, and 4. apply
observation imaginatively 7. presents written
8. the application of art/design research methodology
creative design principles to 8. utilizes materials and
principles for execution create artwork techniques to produce
creative work

UNIT II: IDENTIFYING THE INQUIRY AND STATING THE PROBLEM

DECIDING ON A RESEARCH TOPIC AND

WRITING A RESEARCH TITLE

I. Choosing Your Research Topic (Marquez-Fong, S and Tigno, C. (2016))

 Looking for a research topic is similar to shopping. You may use both the market of the
library or the several electronic sources available in the internet. Follow the
recommendations below:

 Select a topic that you have a high degree of interests based on your curiosity or
your past experiences.
  Besides choosing a topic based on interest, consider the needs of other people,
your community and society as a whole. (e.g. traffic congestion, drug addiction,
dismal public services)
 Consider a topic that may be familiar but could be better investigate and you are
interested to know more about.
 Choose a topic within one’s level of experience and expertise.
 Consider the elements of time, location, and money.

II. Research Topics and their Sources (Prieto, N., Naval, V. and Carey, T. (2017))
 Research topics are as varied and numerous as the realities and complexities of daily life,
on a personal, institutional national or global level.

 Pressing Issues on an individual, organizational or societal level or success

stories.
 Individual Level: problem of low self-esteem
 Organizational Level: apathy of the majority of students towards Student
Council elections, success stories of groups or
organizations in business, and livelihood programs
and entrepreneurship
 Societal Level: narcissism among millennials, the deteriorating art of
conversation, and the Pokemon search craze
 Wide reading/Critical Film Viewing
 Varied reading materials can crystallize a topic of interest for research.
 Films can spark off a research inquiry or a problem
 Social Networking
 As netizens voice out their observations and opinions, even condemnation
of the current happenings, they could be spark off a new inquiry on
possible research interest.
 Replication
 Theses and dissertations are good source of topic. A theory used in
previous study can still be further investigated.
 The thesis page showing “Recommendations for Further Study” is a must
to read as a critical literature review.
 Lectures, Talks and Seminars
 These are breeding grounds of ideas. Many researchers will claim that
their research topics were offshoots of ideas heard in seminars and the
like.
 Gray Areas
 These are points of interest but very little is known about them.
III. Narrowing Down of Broad Topics to Specific Topics

Broad Topic Specific Topic

Lack of self-confidence Lack of Self-confidence in Adolescents: Root
Causes, Manifestations, and Intervention
Smoking Hazards Health Hazards of Direct and Indirect
Smoking: Prevention and Cure
Marketable Popular Garment Brand Marketability of A Popular Garment Brand: A
Case Study
Human Immunodificiency Virus (HIV) HIV: Causes, Prevention, Treatment, and Care
Source: Marquez-Fong, S and Tigno, C. (2016)

Further Narrowed
Broad Topic Narrowed Down Overly Specific
Down
Coffee Addiction
Coffee Addiction
Coffee Addiction Among Filipino
Among Filipino
Coffee Addiction Among Teenagers Teenagers in
Teenagers (by
(by subject) Quezon City (by
nationality)
city/location)
Single Parenthood
Single Parenthood Single Parenthood
Among Male High
Single Parenthood Among Men (by Among Male
School Students (by
sex) Students (by status)
educational level)
Bullying Among
Bullying Among Grade School Girls
Bullying Among Grade School Girls in Exclusive
Bullying
Girls (by sex) (by educational Catholic School (by
level) type of educational
upbringing)
Source: Prieto, N., Naval, V. and Carey, T. (2017)

NOTE: Avoid overnarrowing your topic. Unless you are researching a specific important
individual for a biography, qualitative research topics, especially in the social
sciences and humanities, that are too narrowly defined may not be significant to
pursue and would not contribute to our understanding of humanity.

 You can narrow down your research topics by asking basic Wh-questions (who, what,
where, when) related to your topics.
o “Who” questions limit the subject or people involved in your topic
o “When” questions limit the geographical scope of your study
o “When” questions define the time frame of your topic
o “What” questions limit various categories that relate to your subjects. location,
and time frame (e.g. age, sex, gender, civil status, nationality, educational level)

 Other Topics of Interest

o Issues like poverty, informal settling in congested cities, the traffic issues, the
transportation problem, human rights
 o Gender inequality or transgenders, sensitive issues like families or individuals
trapped in sibling rivalry, infidelity of spouse, financial crises brought about by
unemployment among others
o Online selling or online business from varied marketing aspects like what sells
online and what does not; consumer psychology or buyer behavior
o online games: perceived positive and negative effects on gamers
o behavioral problems like extreme shyness, being a loner or sociophobia

IV. Writing the Research Title (http://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/title (2018))

 The title summarizes the main idea or ideas of your study.
 A good title contains the fewest possible words needed to adequately describe the content
and/or purpose of your research paper.

o Importance of Choosing a Good Title

 The title is the part of a paper that is read the most, and it is usually read first. It is,
therefore, the most important element that defines the research study. With this in
mind, avoid the following when creating a title:
 If the title is too long, this usually indicates there are too many unnecessary words.
Avoid language, such as "A Study to Investigate the...," or "A Review of the...." These
phrases are obvious and generally unnecessary unless they are necessary to covey the
scope, intent, or type of a study.

 On the other hand, a title which is too short often uses words which are too broad and
it does not tell the reader what is being studied. For example, a paper with the title,
"African Politics" is so non-specific; it could be the title of a book and could literally
examine anything associated with politics in Africa. A good title should provide
information about the focus of your research study.

 In academic writing, catchy phrases or non-specific language may be used if it's within
the context of the study (e.g., "Fair and Impartial Jury--Catch as Catch Can").
However, in most cases, you should avoid including words or phrases that do not help
the reader understand the purpose of your paper.

 Unlike everywhere else in a college-level social sciences research paper (except when
using direct quotes in the text), titles do not have to adhere to rigid grammatical or
stylistic standards. For example, it could be appropriate to begin a title with a
coordinating conjunction (i.e., and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet) if it makes sense to do so
and does not detract from the purpose of the study (e.g., "Yet Another Look at Mutual
Fund Tournaments") or beginning the title with an inflected form of a verb such as
those ending in -ing (e.g., "Assessing the Political Landscape: Structure, Cognition,
and Power in Organizations").

 Structure and Writing Style

o The following parameters can be used to help you formulate a suitable
research paper title:
 The purpose of the research
 The scope of the research
 The narrative tone of the paper [typically defined by the type of the
research]
  The methods used to study the problem
 The initial aim of a title is to capture the reader’s attention and to highlight
the research problem under investigation.

 Create a Working Title

o Typically, the final title you submit to your professor is created after the
research is complete so that the title accurately captures what has been
done. The working title should be developed early in the research process
because it can help anchor the focus of the study in much the same way
the research problem does. Referring back to the working title can help
you reorient yourself back to the main purpose of the study if you find
yourself drifting off on a tangent while writing.

 The Final Title

 Effective titles in academic research papers have several characteristics
that reflect general principles.
 Indicate accurately the subject and scope of the study
 Rarely use abbreviations or acronyms unless they are commonly
known
 Use words that create a positive impression and stimulate reader
interest
 Use current nomenclature from the field of study
 Identify key variables, both dependent and independent
 Reveal how the paper will be organized
 Suggest a relationship between variables which supports the major
hypothesis
 Is limited to 5 to 15 substantive words
 Does not include redundant phrasing, such as, "A Study of," "An
Analysis of" or similar constructions
 Takes the form of a question or declarative statement
 If you use a quote as part of the title, the source of the quote is
cited (usually using an asterisk and footnote)
 Use correct grammar and capitalization with all first words and last
words capitalized, including the first word of a subtitle. All nouns,
pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs that appear between the
first and last words of the title are also capitalized
 Rarely uses an exclamation mark at the end of the title

 Examples of Research Titles for Qualitative Research (Prieto, N., Naval, V. and
Carey, T. (2017))
 Experiences of Reaction and Coping of Filipino Fathers and Mothers:
During and After a Natural Disaster
 The Lived Experiences of Trauma and Post-traumatic Growth of Women
with History of Social Abuse
 Employee Commitment to Environmental Stewardship as a Component of
Corporate Social Responsibility
 The Meaning Behind the Journey Towards Acceptance: An Interpretative
Phenomenological Analysis of Accounts of Parents of Transgender
Women
  I Am Your Father: A Qualitative Study on the Perspective of a Father with
a Homosexual Son
 The Face of Cigarette Advertising: The Constitutionality of the Tobacco
Advertisement Ban
 Your Life Design: A Qualitative Study on the Contributions of Feng Shui
to Life Satisfaction
 A PWD’s Battle: A Qualitative Study on the Reactions and Experiences of
Persons with Disabilities
 Understanding Teacher Leadership in Elementary Schools in China

V. Justification and Reasons for Conducting Qualitative Research

(Prieto, N., Naval, V. and Carey, T. (2017))
 Conducting qualitative research is justified because it can help solve or shed light
on problems or issues encountered day to day by individuals, organizations,
communities, industries, and business

DO THIS!
A. In a 500-word essay, answer the following guide questions:
1. What interests you the most?
2. Which societal concerns are related to your interests?
3. What inquiries would you like to post to help solve/alleviate societal concern?
4. How do you think you can solve these societal concerns?

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B. In line with their personal interests, you are to come up with three relevant topics to be
the possible subjects of their proposal.
TOPIC 1:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
TOPIC 2:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
TOPIC 3:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
C. Come up with a research title for each topic personally chosen.
Research Title from TOPIC 1:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Research Title from TOPIC 2:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Research Title from TOPIC 3:

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

I. What are Research Objectives?

  A research objective is a clear, concise, declarative statement which provides direction to
investigate the variables.
 Generally, research objective focus on the ways to measure the variables, such as to
identify or describe them.
 Sometimes, objectives are directed towards identifying the relationship or difference of
two variables.
 Research objectives are the results sought by the researcher at the end of the research
process i.e. what the researcher will be able to achieve at the end of the research study.
 The objectives of a research project summarize what is to be achieved by the study.
 Objectives should be closely related to the statement of the problem.
 Research objectives is a concrete statement describing what the research is trying to
achieve, It should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bounded.
 Research objective should be Relevant, Feasible, logical, observable, unequivocal and
measurable.

II. Formulating the Research Objectives?

 In formulating your research objectives, follow the steps:
1. Formulate your general objectives.
2. Transform the objectives into an infinitive clause. An infinitive clause begins with
the infinitive form of a verb (to+verb)
3. From the general objectives, derive at least two or three specific objectives.
 The formulation of the research objectives will help the researcher to:
1. clearly define objectives where the researchers can focus
2. avoid the collection of data that are irrelevant to the problem to be solved.
3. organize the study in clearly defined parts or phrases.
4. facilitate the development of research methodology and will help to orient the
collection, analysis, interpretation and utilization of data.

(Source: https://websrv1.ctu.edu.vn/guidelines/scientific/thesis/part1/1.4%20research%20objectives.html )

 Some infinitives that you can use in formulating research objectives are:
to present to compare to analyze
to demonstrate to establish to interpret
to clarify to describe to assess
to determine to narrate to evaluate
to discuss to explain to identify
 DO THIS!

DIRECTIONS: Devise three possible research objectives if you were taking on the research
as an academic research exercise. Your answer should be fully justified with reference to the
text. It is important to stress that there is not one right answer but some are justifiably
better solutions than others. Use separate sheets of paper for your answer.
Springfield University
Title: Setting Research Objectives

Springfield University is one of over 150 universities in the UK. Well established, it has some
12,000 students on average per annum, both full and part time, studying a wide range of
courses such as medicine, biology, business studies, finance, history, law, creative writing,
etc. However, it was built in the 1940s and its infrastructure is beginning to become very
tired, often many facilities are broken or in need of repair and not up to what a student
would expect, especially given a change in government policy and rise in tuition fees across
the sector in 2008. The learning technology and catering facilities are also dated, both key
aspects in students’ learning environment. Many Undergraduate students with UCAS offers
who have achieved their grades are simply choosing to go elsewhere. Springfield is located
in a region that has many other Universities within travelling distance and it is therefore
not surprising that student intakes are gradually declining.

The Business School is at stake here and it is thought moving the whole of this department
off campus will not only provide room for other departments on campus but also enhance
the Business Schools’ branding with its own separate marketing entity. Many other
Business Schools in the UK have moved off campus to their own satellite campus over the
past decade. Moreover, the academics, some of many years’ service, are less than
enthusiastic about the move as they feel it would take them and their students away from
the heart of campus life. The new campus where the Business School would be housed
would embrace the latest in technology, teaching facilities, learning resources and, above
all, be attractively located in the City center. However, there are disadvantages, not least
the lack of staff car parking facilities and a paucity of teaching staff office space. The
biggest threat to the vision at least according to the University Executive, is the ‘mindset’ of
the staff, which, in their view, would need ratcheting up a fair few notches to embrace the
philosophy of the new building as an ‘up market, quality’ establishment. In addition to
being away from central campus, one of the many things staff will need to embrace is
shared office space. This, and other new innovations, will be a steep learning curve for
many staff.
The University has decided to initiate research to examine how they should prepare itself
for the change, position itself as a newly branded Business School in the market place and
the appropriate accompanying staff behavior.

III. Developing A Good Research Question

 Researchers should begin by identifying a broader subject of interest that lends itself to
investigation. For example, a researcher may be interested in childhood obesity.
 The next step is to do preliminary research on the general topic to find out what research
has already been done and what literature already exists. How much research has been
done on childhood obesity? What types of studies? Is there a unique area that yet to be
investigated or is there a particular question that may be worth replicating? The following

PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

 video may be helpful in learning how to choose appropriate keywords and search online
databases---http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mPapN3XpDo
 Then begin to narrow the topic by asking open-ended "how" and "why" questions. For
example, a researcher may want to consider the factors that are contributing to childhood
obesity or the success rate of intervention programs. Create a list of potential questions for
consideration and choose one that interests you and provides an opportunity for
exploration.
 Finally, evaluate the question by using the following list of guidelines:
 Is the research question one that is of interest to the researcher and potentially to
others? Is it a new issue or problem that needs to be solved or is it attempting to
shed light on previously researched topic.
 Is the research question researchable? Consider the available time frame and the
required resources. Is the methodology to conduct the research feasible?
 Is the research question measureable and will the process produce data that can be
supported or contradicted?
 Is the research question too broad or too narrow?

IV. Examples of Research Questions:

 Considering the information above, the following provides examples of flawed research
questions as well as questions that are well-designed:

Too narrow: What is the childhood obsesity rate Less narrow: How does the education level of the
in Pheonix, AZ? parents impact childhood obesity rates in Pheonix,
AZ?

This is too narrow because it can be answered with This question demonstrates the correct amount of
a simple statistic. Questions that can be answered specificity and the results would provide the
with a "yes" or a "no" should also typically be opportunity for an argument to be formed.
avoided.
Unfocused and too broad: What are the effects More focused: How does childhood obesity
of childhood obesity in the United States? correlate with academic performance in elementary
school children?

This question is so broad that research This question has a very clear focus for which data
methodology would be very difficult and the can be collected, analyzed, and discussed.
question is too broad to be discussed in a typical
research paper.
Too objective: How much time do young children More Subjective: What is the relationship
spend doing physical activity per day? between physical activity levels and childhood
obesity?

This question may allow the researcher to collect This is a more subjective question that may lead to
data but does not lend itself to collecting data that the formation of an argument based on the results
can be used to create a valid argument because the and analysis of the data.
data is just factual information.
Too simple: How are school systems addressing More Complex: What are the effects of
childhood obesity? intervention programs in the elementary schools on
the rate of childhood obesity among 3rd - 6th grade
students?
37
This information can be obtained without the need This question is more complex and requires both
to collect unique data. The question could be investigation and evaluation which will lead the
answered with a simple online search and does not research to form an argument that may be
provide an opportunity for analysis. discussed.

 A research question is the fundamental core of a research project, study, or review of

literature. It focuses the study, determines the methodology, and guides all stages of
inquiry, analysis, and reporting.

 The research question begins with a research problem, an issue someone would like to
know more about or a situation that needs to be changed or addressed, such as:
 Areas of concern
 Conditions that could be improved
 Difficulties that need to be eliminated
 Questions seeking answers

 Questions should in some way:

 be worth investigating
 contribute knowledge & value to the field
 improve educational practice
 improve the human condition

 Characteristics of a good research question:

 The question is feasible.
 The question is clear.
 The question is significant.
 The question is ethical.

STATING RESEARCH QUESTIONS

I. Stating Research Questions

 The research questions formulated give focus to the research, as well, as guides the
decisions made by the researcher.
 A research question is the fundamental core of a research project, study, or review of
literature. It focuses the study, determines the methodology, and guides all stages of
inquiry, analysis, and reporting.
 In a qualitative research, questions must be able to answer the “whys” and the “hows”,
more than the “where”, the “when”, and about “what” of the phenomenon.
o Beginning with “How” or “Why” automatically suggests a somewhat broad
investigation and substantive discussion, thus helping the researcher avoid phrasing
his/her topic too narrowly.
o Example: Why is contraception a divisive issue among Filipinos? (instead of Why
are some Filipinos against contraception?)
o Example: What is the effect of drug addiction to the youth of today in the
Philippines? (instead of What percentage of drug users is prosecuted in the
Philippines?)
38
 o Some simple construction that may help in the formulation of the research
question:
 How do _________ differ from _________?
 How do __________ perceive…?
 How do __________ respond…?
 Why are __________ causing________?
 Questions should in some way:
 be worth investigating
 contribute knowledge & value to the field
 improve educational practice
 improve the human condition
 Characteristics of a good research question:
 The question is feasible.
 The question is clear.
 The question is significant.
 The question is ethical.

II. Typical Research Questions

 Neumann (2007) as cited in Prieto, Naval, and Carey (2017) advanced the following as
typical research questions for qualitative researchers:
o How did the social situation originate?
o How was the condition/situation maintained over time?
o What are the processes by which the condition/situation changes, develops, or
operates?

III. Techniques for Narrowing Down a Topic into a Research Question

 Neumann (2007) as cited in Prieto, Naval, and Carey (2017) presented techniques to
narrow down a topic into a research question:
o Examine the literature - Published articles are an excellent source of ideas for
research questions. They are usually at an appropriate level on specificity and
suggest research questions that focus on the following:
 Replicate a previous research project exactly or with slight variation.
 Explore unexpected findings discovered in previous research.
 Follow suggestions an author gives for future research at the end of an
article.
 Extend an existing explanation or theory to a new topic or setting.
 Challenge findings or attempt to refute relationship.
 Specify the intervening process and consider linking relations.

o Talk over ideas with others

 Ask people who are knowledgeable about the topic for questions about it
that they have thought of.
 Seek out those who hold opinions that differ from yours on the topic and
discuss possible research questions with them.

o Relate the topic to a specific context.

 Focus the topic on a specific historical period or time period.
 Narrow the topic to a specific society or geographic unit.
 Consider which subgroups or categories of people/units are involved and
whether there are differences among them.

39
 o Define the aim or desired outcome of the study
 Will the research question be for an exploratory, explanatory, or descriptive
study?
 Will the study involve applied or basic research?

IV. Purpose of Statement of the Problem

 Marshall and Rossman (1995) cited in Prieto, Naval, and Carey (2017) explained clearly
the purposes of the problem statement or inquiry:
o to describe the substantive focus of the research study
o to frame it as
 larger theoretical policy
 a practical problem and thereby, develop its significance
o to pose initial research questions
o to forecast the literature to be discussed I the second section
o to discuss the limitations of the study

V. Examples of Research Questions from Actual Qualitative Studies

Sample #1:
o What reactions do Filipino fathers and mothers experience during and after a
natural disaster?
o How do they cope with the experience of a natural disaster?
o How do the experiences of Filipino fathers and mothers differ in terms of coping
and reaction?

Sample #2:

[Title] Narcissism in Teenagers: root Causes, Manifestations, and Interventions

Introduction
Taking selfies or taking video of oneself has become a social phenomenon that has been
brought about by the use of modern gadgets, particularly the mobile phone---adolescents take
pictures or videos of themselves, their possession, their latest happenings or gigs, their friends,
their food---anything they take a fancy on, anywhere, anytime. A good number of people say that
this social phenomenon has evolved into narcissism. There is, to date, a dearth of research on this
topic.

Statement of the Problem

[Major Problem] This study aims to investigate the root causes of narcissism, as well as its
manifestations and possible forms of intervention.

[Specific Problem] Specifically, it seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What are the underlying causes of narcissism?
2. How has technology contributed to narcissistic behavior?
3. What are the manifestations of narcissistic behavior in adolescents?
4. What forms of intervention can be done to address this behavior of
adolescents?
40
 5. How can the following help in developing healthy self-esteem,
positive outlook and attitudes in adolescents?
A. parents
B. curriculum planners
C. administrators
D. teachers
E. guidance counselors
F. peers

DO THIS!
Refer to RESEARCH QUESTION WORKSHEET

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF RESEARCH

I. Scope and Delimitation of the Study Defined

(https://www.dissertationwriting.biz/dissertation-writing-tips/sample-scope-and-delimitation-of-the-study/)

 The Scope and the Delimitation of the Study sets the boundaries and parameters of the
problem inquiry and narrows down the scope of the inquiry.
 The scope of study in the thesis or research paper contains the explanation of what
information or subject is being analyzed.
 It is followed by an explanation of the limitation of the research.
 Research is usually limited in scope by sample size, time and geographic area, while the
delimitation of study is the description of the scope of study.
 It will explain why definite aspects of a subject were chosen and why others were
excluded.
 It also mention the research method used as well as the certain theories that applied to the
data.
 Although it is a distinctive feature of youth to try to embrace everything, your research still
has to be feasible and as definitive as possible. So be ready that sometimes you will need
to narrow down the topic of your study no matter how unimaginative and lame it may
seem. You should set some firm boundaries and inform the reader about the coverage of
your research. Focusing on the certain parts will also help you to choose a
proper methodology and to formulate your dissertation statement. The best way to narrow
down the topic is to think of its characteristics and to pick one of them.

II. The Scope of the Study

 The scope is the domain of your research---what is in the domain, and what is not. You
need to make as clear as possible what you will be studying and what factors are within the
accepted range of your study.
o For example: If you are studying the ill effects of bullying on school children, the
scope could include both the face-to-face bullying and cyber-
bullying in Grades 6 to 8.

41
III. Distinction Between Limitation and Delimitation
 Limitation is associated with qualitative study as related to validity and reliability.
 Experts agree that because qualitative researches occur in natural setting, it is extremely
difficult to replicate studies. When you select certain methodologies and designs for
example, on phenomenology, you will encounter limitations over which you may have
little control.
 On the other hand, delimitation refers to boundaries of the research study, arising from the
researcher’s decisions of what to exclude.
o Examples of Delimitation of Research:
1. This study only included Grade 6, 7 and 8 students who experienced
bullying.
2. This study covers only those families in barangay San Jose, Pasig City,
benefited by the Government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program

3. This study includes only those English Freshman classes that use both
Blended Learning and Standard ways of language teaching.
4. This research investigation covers only Land-Bank sponsored
livelihood projects in Barangay San Juan, Apalit, Pampanga

IV. Writing the Scope and Delimitation

 Indicate the principal variables, locale, timeframe and justification.
a. To whom you research is directed to?
b. What is the subject matter of the study?
c. Where will the study take place?
 Indicate the timeframe. State the time coverage of the study.
 Don’t forget the limitation. What is the limitation of your study?
a. What is the incapability of your research?
b. Is it beneficial to all? or to a certain person/institution only?

V. Examples of Scope and Delimitation from Actual Studies

Sample #1:

Workplace Ergonomics: Perceptions on Employees’Stress Levels and Safety

(Lao, 2014)

The focus of this study is on the workplace ergonomics in the corporate office setting. The
study would focus on the relationship of workplace ergonomics and its effects in employees’
stress level and safety. Moreover, the study would look into the current behavior and approach on
workplace ergonomics that Philippine corporations employ in their work environment. This study
on workplace ergonomics does not encompass benefits received by employees outside of the said
subject matter. In addition, this study does not aim to measure productivity level of its
respondents.

The participants of this study would be limited to large corporations whose employees
engage in repetitive tasks. The companies involved in this study limit to multinational companies
within the country. The data from the study would come from existing literature, interviews, and
surveys from company employees. Furthermore, the data results from this study would only be
quantified from the instruments stipulated by the researchers.

42
Sample #2:

Experiences of Reaction and Coping of Filipino Fathers and Mothers:

During and After A Natural Disaster
(Casal, I.J., Chingkoe, J.C., Gonzales, K.J., & Tan, M.V., 2015)

The study covers individual experiences and coping of Filipino fathers and mothers. It will
focus only on individuals who were affected by natural disasters, specifically those who were
affected by floods due to typhoons. The researcher focused only on two specific typhoons: Ondoy
and Habagat, because they believed that these typhoons had the most significant impact on
people’s lives. The severity of the impact of these typhoons was so tragic that the research
participants were able to instinctively recall information and their experiences that happened
during those events.

This research focused n the perspective of fathers and mothers. Another limitation of this
research was the area covered wherein the researchers focused only on Filipino participants who
resided in the National Capital Region (NCR) during and after the typhoon struck.

DO THIS!
Refer to RESEARCH QUESTION WORKSHEET

A. Study examples of a well-written Scope and Delimitation and Significance of the Study
from actual qualitative studies inside the colored boxes.
B. List down the similarities among them using the graphic organizer provided below. Use
separate sheets of papers got your answers.

Study #1 Study #2 Study #1 Study #2

Study #3 Study #3

Scope and Delimitation Significance of the Study

43
STUDY # 1
SCOPE and DELIMITATION

The general intent of this study is to know the self care practices of middle adolescents in college
department of St. Mary’s College of Baliuag with the focus on students health and wellness
promotion and illness prevention
This study will mainly identify and assess different factors that affect the present hygienic
measures of the middle adolescents students. Also , this study yearn to identify on how can the
researchers develop and assist the middle adolescents students to be self reliant and governance
in identifying , dealing and intervening with the different health issues related to hygienic
measures that the middle adolescents students is currently facing and the problem that may come
into future.
This study will be conducted with limited amount of financial resources and time framework.

Title: Self-care Practices of Middle Adolescents in the

College Department of a Catholic School in Baliuag
STUDY # 2

The main focus of this project was the design of an efficient Energy Recovery System of
Seawater Reverse Osmosis Plant. The system will be using pressure technology by
application of pressure exchanger as an energy recovery device. Pressure exchanger
transfer pressure from a high pressure stream to slow pressure stream in a ceramic
motor. The proposed system is limited only in reducing high power consumption of the
high pressure pump. The project can be used in all existing Seawater Reverse Osmosis
Plant in the Philippines. Some calculations, assumptions, and selections were made as a
consideration of a proper and realistic design.
Title: Efficient Energy Recovery System of Seawater
Reverse Osmosis Plant
STUDY # 3

This study is focused on the assessment practices of English teachers in teacher

education program of CCC. In order to obtain reliable results, a questionnaire-checklist
was developed which ascertained to fit the existing culture of Catholic educational
institution in terms of assessment practices.
Variables referring to assessment practices were arrived at setting of purpose/targets,
sound design, effective communication, and student involvement.
On the other hand, the students-respondents first semester grades in their subjects
belonging to English as one of the General Education Courses like English Plus, Philippine
literature in English, Speech and Oral Communications, World literature, and the like,
were gathered through our College Registrar.
In order to validate the responses of the subjects, triangulation was done to all the
respondents. After which, transcripts of the interview were analyze.

Title: Teaching and Assessment Practices of English Teachers

and their Effects on the Academic Performance of
Education Students

44
STUDY # 1
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The results of the study will be of great benefit to the following:

College of Nursing Dean. Data given will provide the dean with information on how the
number of duty hours in a week affects the student’s academic and RLE performance. The
results will enable the dean to improve the scheduling of RLE and different academic subjects.
Data gathered will help the dean initiate collaboration among faculty and chairpersons to help
plan the advancement of nursing education in relation to the new curriculum.
Clinical Instructors. The results of the study will help the clinical instructors evaluate the
quality of care rendered by the nursing students, academic performance, attitude and skills
acquired in relation to the number of hours given in a week. Results would also develop the
clinical instructor’s teaching-learning and evaluating strategies in enhancing knowledge, skills
and attitude to the students in the time frame given.
Students. This study will provide information regarding which time arrangement is effective:
8-hr of clinical internship from the 5-hr clinical internship with additional academic classes.
This study will evaluate the academic performance, the student nurse’s attitude and
approach, the skills learned in the clinical area and the quality of care rendered in the given
time frame. Data gathered will also help the students improve both academic and clinical
performance.
Velez College. This study will improve the school in the development of nursing education.
This study will foster new ways of enhancing knowledge, skills and attitude, thus preparing
globally-competitive nurses in the future. This study will also help in the advancement of
school management, clinical leadership and teaching-evaluation approach.

Title: Number of Clinical Internship Hours: A Determinant of

Student’s Effectiveness and Skill Acquisition in the Hospital
Area for Velez College Students

45
STUDY # 2

The study focused on explaining the effect of mentoring program on the Adversity
Quotient® of the freshmen students at FAITH. Moreover, the results of the study will be
beneficial to the following:
Respondents. The respondents will have an awareness on the importance of the mentoring
program and its role on the improvement of their Adversity Quotient®.
Teachers/Mentors. The result of the study will help the teachers/mentors provide
encouragement to think of ideas that will give proper guidance to the students/mentees.
This may also increase their competency.
Guidance Staff. The result of the study may provide on assessment of the mentoring
program whether it is effective or not. This may also encourage the guidance staff to think
of other activities that will make the students/mentees as well as their teachers/mentors
enjoy the program.
Parents. The result of the study will help the parents of the respondents feel secured
because there are programs in the institution like the mentoring program that will help
their children cope and adjust with the adversities of college life.
Future Researchers. The findings of the study will serve as a reference material and a guide
for future researchers who wish to conduct the same experimental study or any study
related to mentoring program and Adversity Quotient®

Title: Effects of Mentoring Program on Adversity Quotient

of Selected Freshmen College Students of First Asia Institute
of Technology and Humanities
STUDY # 3

This study is very important as it entails assessment in the classroom on the part of the
subjects in the school where they belong. In so doing, various sectors and stakeholders
would benefit in varied ways, thus:
Administrators would claim that they function as educational leaders but most of all,
the need to determine the assessment practices of English teachers is of paramount
importance for the success of teacher education program.
Curriculum Planners would be challenged to include seminars and conferences on
assessment practices for teachers because it is the key to determine the learning gained in
the classroom.
Teachers should make varied assessment devices for lessons inculcating in the minds of
the young the importance of testing their skills and putting into practice the obligation laid
to them as educators.
Students would be enlightened of the tasks waiting ahead of them which could be
learned theoretically and practiced later on in their lives.

Title: Teaching and Assessment Practices of English Teachers

and their Effects on the Academic Performance of
Education Students

46
 UNIT III: LEARNING FROM OTHERS AND REVIEWING THE LITERATURE

A literature review surveys scholarly articles, books and other sources relevant to a particular
issue, area of research, or theory, and by so doing, providing a description, summary, and critical
evaluation of these works. Literature reviews are designed to provide an overview of sources you
have explored while researching a particular topic and to demonstrate to your readers how your
research fits into the larger field of study.

Importance of a Good Literature Review

A literature review may consist of simple a summary of key sources, but it usually has an
organizational pattern and combines both summary and synthesis, often within specific conceptual
categories. A summary is a recap of the important information of the source, but a synthesis is a
re-organization, or a reshuffling, of that information in a way that informs how you are planning to
investigate a research problem. The analytical features of a literature review might:

 give a new interpretation of old material or combine new with old interpretations,
 trace the intellectual progression of the field, including major debates,
 depending on the situation, evaluate the sources and advise the reader on the most
pertinent or relevant, or
 usually in the conclusion of a literature review, identify where gaps exist in how a
problem has been researched to date.

The purpose of a literature review is to:

 Place each work in the context of its contribution to the understanding of the
research problem being studied,
 Describe the relationship of each work to the others under consideration,
 Identify new ways to interpret, and shed light on any gaps in previous research,
 Resolve conflicts amongst seemingly contradictory previous studies,
 Identify areas of prior scholarship to prevent duplication of effort,
 Point the way in fulfilling a need for additional research, and
 Locate your own research within the context of existing literature.

Types of Literature Reviews

As Kennedy (2007) notes*, it is important to think of knowledge in a given field as consisting of

three layers. First, there are the primary studies that researchers conduct and publish. Second are
the reviews of those studies that summarize and offer new interpretations built from and often
extending beyond the original studies. Third, there are the perceptions, conclusions, opinion, and
interpretations that are shared informally that become part of the lore of field. In composing a
literature review, it is important to note that it is often this third layer of knowledge that is cited as
"true" even though it often has only a loose relationship to the primary studies and secondar y
literature reviews.

Given this, while literature reviews are designed to provide an overview and synthesis of pertinent
sources you have explored, there are several approaches to how they can be done, depending upon

47
the type of analysis underpinning your study. Listed below are definitions of types of literature
reviews:

Argumentative Review
This form examines literature selectively in order to support or refute an argument, deeply
imbedded assumption, or philosophical problem already established in the literature. The purpose
is to develop a body of literature that establishes a contrarian viewpoint. Given the value-laden
nature of some social science research [e.g., educational reform; immigration control],
argumentative approaches to analyzing the literature can be a legitimate and important form of
discourse. However, note that they can also introduce problems of bias when they are used to to
make summary claims of the sort found in systematic reviews.

Integrative Review
Considered a form of research that reviews, critiques, and synthesizes representative literature on a
topic in an integrated way such that new frameworks and perspectives on the topic are generated.
The body of literature includes all studies that address related or identical hypotheses. A well-done
integrative review meets the same standards as primary research in regard to clarity, rigor, and
replication.

Historical Review
Few things rest in isolation from historical precedent. Historical reviews are focused on examining
research throughout a period of time, often starting with the first time an issue, concept, theory,
phenomena emerged in the literature, then tracing its evolution within the scholarship of a
discipline. The purpose is to place research in a historical context to show familiarity with state-
of-the-art developments and to identify the likely directions for future research.

Methodological Review
A review does not always focus on what someone said [content], but how they said it [method of
analysis]. This approach provides a framework of understanding at different levels (i.e. those of
theory, substantive fields, research approaches and data collection and analysis techniques),
enables researchers to draw on a wide variety of knowledge ranging from the conceptual level to
practical documents for use in fieldwork in the areas of ontological and epistemological
consideration, quantitative and qualitative integration, sampling, interviewing, data collection and
data analysis, and helps highlight many ethical issues which we should be aware of and consider
as we go through our study.

Systematic Review
This form consists of an overview of existing evidence pertinent to a clearly formulated research
question, which uses pre-specified and standardized methods to identify and critically appraise
relevant research, and to collect, report, and analyse data from the studies that are included in the
review. Typically it focuses on a very specific empirical question, often posed in a cause-and-
effect form, such as "To what extent does A contribute to B?"

Theoretical Review
The purpose of this form is to concretely examine the corpus of theory that has accumulated in
regard to an issue, concept, theory, phenomena. The theoretical literature review help establish
what theories already exist, the relationships between them, to what degree the existing theories
have been investigated, and to develop new hypotheses to be tested. Often this form is used to help
establish a lack of appropriate theories or reveal that current theories are inadequate for explaining
new or emerging research problems. The unit of analysis can focus on a theoretical concept or a
whole theory or framework.
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Structure and Writing Style

I. Thinking About Your Literature Review

The structure of a literature review should include the following:

 An overview of the subject, issue or theory under consideration, along with the
objectives of the literature review,
 Division of works under review into themes or categories (e.g. works that support of a
particular position, those against, and those offering alternative approaches entirely),
 An explanation of how each work is similar to and how it varies from the others,
 Conclusions as to which pieces are best considered in their argument, are most
convincing of their opinions, and make the greatest contribution to the understanding
and development of their area of research

The critical evaluation of each work should consider:

 Provenance -- what are the author's credentials? Are the author's arguments supported
by evidence (e.g. primary historical material, case studies, narratives, statistics, recent
scientific findings)?
 Objectivity -- is the author's perspective even-handed or prejudicial? Is contrary data
considered or is certain pertinent information ignored to prove the author's point?
 Persuasiveness -- which of the author's theses are most/least convincing?
 Value -- are the author's arguments and conclusions convincing? Does the work
ultimately contribute in any significant way to an understanding of the subject?

II. The Development of the Literature Review

Four stages:

1. Problem formulation -- which topic or field is being examined and what are its
component issues?
2. Literature search -- finding materials relevant to the subject being explored.
3. Data evaluation -- determining which literature makes a significant contribution to the
understanding of the topic.
4. Analysis and interpretation -- discussing the findings and conclusions of pertinent
literature.

Consider the following issues before writing the literature review:

Clarify
If your assignment is not very specific about what form your literature review should take, seek
clarification from your professor by asking these questions:
1. Roughly how many sources should I include?
2. What types of sources should I review (books, journal articles, websites)?
3. Should I summarize, synthesize, or critique your sources by discussing a common
theme or issue?
4. Should I evaluate the sources?
5. Should I provide subheadings and other background information, such as definitions
and/or a history?

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Find Models
Use the exercise of reviewing the literature to examine how authors in your discipline or area of
interest have composed their literature reviews. Read them to get a sense of the types of themes
you might want to look for in your own research or ways to organize your final review. The
bibliography or reference section of sources you've already read are also excellent entry points
into your own research.

Narrow the Topic

The narrower your topic, the easier it will be to limit the number of sources you need to read in
order to obtain a good survey of relevant resources. Your professor will probably not expect you
to read everything that's available about the topic, but you'll make your job easier if you first limit
scope of the research problem. A good strategy is to begin by searching the HOMER catalog for
books about the topic and review their contents for chapters that focus on more specific issues.
You can also review the subject indexes of books to find references to specific issues that can
serve as the focus of your research. For example, a book surveying the history of the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict may include a chapter on the role Egypt has played in mediating the conflict.

Consider Whether Your Sources are Current

Some disciplines require that you use information that is as current as possible. This is very
common in the sciences where research conducted only two years ago could be obsolete.
However, when writing a review in the social sciences, a survey of the history of the literature
may be what is needed because what is important is how perspectives have changed over the years
or within a certain time period. Try sorting through some other current bibliographies or literature
reviews in the field to get a sense of what your discipline expects. You can also use this method to
consider what is consider by scholars to be a "hot topic" and what is not.

III. Ways to Organize Your Literature Review

Chronological of Events
If your review follows the chronological method, you could write about the materials according to
when they were published. This approach should only be followed if a clear path of research
building on previous research can be identified and that these trends follow a clear chronological
order of development. For example, a literature review that focuses on continuing research about
the emergence of German economic power after the fall of the Soviet Union.

By Publication
Order your sources by publication chronology, then, only if the order demonstrates a more
important trend. For instance, you could order a review of literature on environmental studies of
brown fields if the progression of revealed a change in the soil collection practices of the
researchers who wrote and/or conducted the studies.

Thematic (“conceptual categories”)

Thematic reviews of literature are organized around a topic or issue, rather than the progression of
time. However, progression of time may still be an important factor in a thematic review. For
example, a review of the Internet’s impact on American presidential politics could focus on the
development of online political satire. While the study focuses on one topic, the Internet’s impact
on American presidential politics, it will still be organized chronologically reflecting technological
developments in media. The only difference here between a "chronological" and a "thematic"
approach is what is emphasized the most: the role of the Internet in presidential politics. Note
however that more authentic thematic reviews tend to break away from chronological order. A
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review organized in this manner would shift between time periods within each section according
to the point made.

Methodological
A methodological approach focuses on the methods utilized by the researcher. For the Interbnet in
American presidential politics project, one methodological approach would be to look at cultural
differences between the portrayal of American presidents on American, British, and French
websites. Or the review might focus on the fundraising impact of the Internet on a particular
political party. A methodological scope will influence either the types of documents in the review
or the way in which these documents are discussed.

Other Sections of Your Literature Review

Once you've decided on the organizational method for your literature review, the sections you
need to include in the paper should be easy to figure out because they arise from your
organizational strategy. In other words, a chronological review would have subsections for each
vital time period; a thematic review would have subtopics based upon factors that relate to the
theme or issue. However, sometimes you may need to add additional sections that are necessary
for your study, but do not fit in the organizational strategy of the body. What other sections you
include in the body is up to you but include only what is necessary for the reader to locate your
study within the larger scholarship framework.

Here are examples of other sections you may need to include depending on the type of review you
write:
 Current Situation: information necessary to understand the topic or focus of the literature
review.
 History: the chronological progression of the field, the literature, or an idea that is
necessary to understand the literature review, if the body of the literature review is not
already a chronology.
 Selection Methods: the criteria you used to select (and perhaps exclude) sources in your
literature review. For instance, you might explain that your review includes only peer-
reviewed articles and journals.
 Standards: the way in which you present your information.
 Questions for Further Research: What questions about the field has the review sparked?
How will you further your research as a result of the review?

IV. Writing Your Literature Review

Once you've settled on how to organize your literature review, you're ready to write each section.
When writing your review, keep in mind these issues.

Use Evidence
A literature review in this sense is just like any other academic research paper. Your interpretation
of the available sources must be backed up with evidence to show that what you are saying is
valid.

Be Selective
Select only the most important points in each source to highlight in the review. The type of
information you choose to mention should relate directly to the research problem, whether it is
thematic, methodological, or chronological.
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Use Quotes Sparingly
Some short quotes are okay if you want to emphasize a point, or if what the author said just cannot
be rewritten in your own words. Sometimes you may need to quote certain terms that were coined
by the author, not common knowledge, or taken directly from the study. Do not use extensive
quotes as a substitute your own summary and interpretation of the literature.

Summarize and Synthesize

Remember to summarize and synthesize your sources within each paragraph as well as throughout
the review. Recapitulate important features of a research study, but then synthesize it by
rephrasing the study's significance and relating it to their own work.

Keep Your Own Voice

While the literature review presents others' ideas, your voice (the writer's) should remain front and
center. For example, weave references to other sources into what you are writing but maintain
your own voice by starting and ending the paragraph with your own ideas and wording.

Use Caution When Paraphrasing

When paraphrasing a source that is not your own, be sure to represent the author's information or
opinions accurately and in your own words. Even when paraphrasing an author’s work, you still
must provide a citation to that work.

V. Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most common mistakes made in reviewing social science research literature are that the
researcher:
- does not clearly relate the findings of the literature review to the research problem;
- does not take sufficient time to define and identify the most relevent sources to use in the
literature review related to the research problem;
- relies exclusively on secondary analytical sources rather than including primary research
studies or data;
- uncritically accepts another researcher's findings and interpretations as valid, rather than
examining critically all aspects of the research design and analysis;
- does not describe the search procedures that were used in the literature review;
- reports isolated statistical results rather than sythesizing them in chi-squared or meta-
analytic methods; and,
- only includes research that validates assumptions and does not consider contrary findings
and alternative interpretations found in the literature.

DO THIS!
A. A. Directions: Fill out the following graphic organizer of your personal interests. Give at
least three (3). Then, come up with two topics for each area of interest which you think are
still unexplored and/or underexplored.

Interests Possible topics

1. a.
b.
2. a.
b.
3. a.
b.
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 B. Directions: Check on variety, different scholarly sources for each of the topics you have
listed in Exercise A. Look for relevant related literature that support, opposes, explains
further and/or simply give very significant information about the topic you are going to
investigate. Be sure to write your sources in APA format to validate

Reference Type
Reference List Information with In-
Possible topics (book/periodicals/
(APA Format) text citation
internet etc.)
e.g. Hill, M. (2013). Learning The ultimate purpose of
Interest/Topic #1 to be assessment capable assessment for learning
teachers. Invited according to Hill (2013)
Teaching and Assessment is to create self-
presentation for the
Practices regulated learners who
book Faculty of Education, The can leave school able
University of Auckland. and confident to
Auckland, 22 February. continue learning
throughout their lives.
Smith, L.F. (November Piagetian-based
2011). Developing educational programs
Periodical assessment-capable accept his firm belief
(Journal) teachers. Public seminar, that premature teaching
University of Otago could be worse than no
College of Education, teaching at all, because
Dunedin, New Zealand. it leads to superficial
acceptance of adult
formulas rather than
true cognitive
understanding (Smith,
2011).

NOTE: Refer to the attached APA 7th Edition Style Guide for Reference List and In-text citation.

REFERENCES:

Marquez-Fong, S. and Tigno, C. 2016. Practical Research 1. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.

Prieto, N., Naval, V., and Carey T. 201. Practical Research 1. Quezon City: Vibal Group Inc.

Kubicek, 2005. “Inquiry-based learning”. In Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology.

Accessed September 26, 2014. www.ericdigest.org

Neil, J. 2007. “Quantitative versus qualitative research”. In Quantitative versus Qualitative

Research; Key Points in Classic Debate. Accessed September 30, 2014.
www.wilderdom.com/research/QualitativeVersusQualitativeResearch.html

Snape, D. and Spencer, A. 2013. Qualitative research practice: A single guide for social
science students. Retrieve from
http://196.29.172.66:8080/jspui/bitstream/123456789/1231/1/122.pdf

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