RESEARCH GUIDELINE

Dr. Nieto Latorre Vitto EdD,LPT, RPm, RPsy

Short Bond Paper 8 ½ X 11”

Chapter Number: Arabic not Roman numeral
Chapter Title: All caps, center head
Introductory paragraph required for all chapters except ch1
Margin: left, 1 ½” right, up, down 1” [in anticipation of binding]
Font size: Arial 12 or Times Roman 13

Chapter 1 – INTRODUCTION, center head

Background of the Study, sidehead

Limit to five paragraphs only
First paragraph must show the theme, the variables you will be tackling. Must
also show the worrisome issues about them supported by statistics to attract
attention of researchers/readers
Second paragraph is the global issues about your topic of interest. What is
happening in the world about those variables?
Third paragraph is the national issues about your topic of interest. What is
happening in the Philippines about the variables you have identified?
Fourth paragraph is the regional/local issues about the variables. Are the
variables you identified also happening in the region?
Fifth paragraph is your action to the first paragraph. Your motivation for doing
the research

Review of Related Literature, sidehead

Write an overview of what topics are contained in this section.
Merge those topics that go together as a theme. Give it an original title not a copy
pasted one. Be more original and imaginative. Prioritize citing of themes
according to their significance. Place them in the paragraph head
Consult APA format for the in-text referencing. All cited authors must appear in
the References

Theoretical Framework, sidehead

Select at least three most relevant theories
First paragraph, enumerate all the theories where your study is anchored to.
Discuss each separately in the ensuing paragraphs. Each paragraph must state
the theorist and possible date of inception, the tenets and their relevance to
your study

Conceptual Framework, sidehead

Not all tenets of the theory are relevant to your study and you need to include
some of your own ideas to complete the picture. That is your paradigm. At a
glance, readers will know how the variables are inter-related and how you
manipulate them.
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You can mark this as Fig. __. Write a name for this figure and as a practice it
is place below the paradigm

Statement of the Problem, sidehead

Occasionally referred to as SOP.
It is written with a general objective or the end-goal of the study and is followed
by specific objectives or corollary questions.
When sub-problems are written in interrogative form, it is aptly called SOP, when
In declarative form Objectives of the Study
SOP for neophytes, begins with socio-demographic profile then other questions
arranged logically or sequentially.

Hypotheses, sidehead
In SOP where you ask for relationship or differences, it is necessary to state
hypotheses in order to cue whether to accept or reject statistical results.

Significance of the Study, sidehead

Identify the sectors in order of priority. The first is understood to be benefitting the
most and the last will be for the future researchers.
Describe how the sectors will benefit in 3-5 sentences

Definition of Terms, sidehead

Only terms not discussed in the Background of the Study or in the RRL should be
included. Those in the title is a must
Operational definition is done in your own words and how it is supposed to be
understood within the context of your research
Conceptual definition means you adopt the definition of a certain author. In-text
reference is necessary
Arrange the terms alphabetically. Place them in the paragraph head.

Scope and Delimitation, sidehead

Simply answer the following questions sequentially in one paragraph:
What are the variables or factors being tackled? Who and how many
respondents are involved? Where was the study done? When was the
gathering of data started and finished?
Another limitation will be encountered in Chapter 4 – Discussion.

Chapter 2 – METHOD, center head

This chapter is previously titled Research Methods or Methodology
Write an introductory paragraph of what are contained in this chapter. Simply
enumerate all the sideheads

Research Design, sidehead

State whether you are pursuing a quantitative, qualitative or a mixed methods
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The chapter is titled Method [without ‘s’], hence it is also requiring you to identify
the specific method you used in the gathering of data
You can also cite an author who is recommending the appropriate use of a
certain method

Research Locale, sidehead

This refers to the place where you conducted your research.
It is your home base in terms of on-line research. Discuss various places where
respondents/participants come from under another sidehead
You can use map to elucidate the location. For materials that have probability of
international publication, use an inset of Philippine map and an enlarged
regional map juxtaposed to each other. Use arrow or circle to highlight.
Avoid map with detailed names of places
Describe briefly the geography and the popular name used to refer to the place

Respondents/Participants/Subjects, sidehead
Take note of the slashes or bars.
In quantitative research, it is more appropriate to use respondents, participants
for qualitative and subjects for experimental and quasi-experimental
research.
You can be specific if you already knew the demographics.

Research Instrument, sidehead

First paragraph must outright identify the instrument/s and state whether they are
researcher-made or standardized.
Subsequent paragraph must briefly describe each instrument in terms of use,
scoring, and interpretation. Include its psychometric properties
If researcher-made, discuss the development and validation of the instrument

Research Procedures, sidehead

Start from the step where your instrument is ready for use, usually with asking
permission from authority or directly from the respondents.
Informed consent is part of this phase and likewise the scheduling of next activity
Several authors claimed that this portion can be numbered to show the steps.
The tabulation and collation of data will probably be the jump off to the next stage

Statistical Treatment/Data Analysis

State the statistical tool and where it is applied
Data analysis is the apt term use when analyzing any of the five major
approaches in qualitative research
Employ descriptive, parametric, and non-parametric statistics.
When in doubt, consult a professional statistician. Just make sure the tools are
familiar to you and you know how to interpret the resulting data.
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Ethical Considerations, sidehead

Previously, only qualitative researches are required to state the ethics employed
and lately even quantitative researches followed suit.
Consult the Psychological Association of the Philippines [PAP] guidelines on
research

Chapter 3 – RESULTS, center head

This chapter is now simply titled Results sans ‘and Discussion’ because the
Discussion is treated separately in the next chapter
Write an introductory paragraph
Introduce the results by following the sequence the problems introduced in
Chapter 1
The Sidehead can be termed Problem #1, Problem #2 or a short paraphrase of
the problem
Make your own interpretation of the Results. You either Agree or Refute but
leave Discussion for the next chapter.
Tables and Figures can still be accommodated in this section because in the next
chapter, purely discussion will be entertained.

Chapter 4 – DISCUSSION, center head

Write an introductory paragraph
Go back to Chapter 3 and take note of things that need to discuss.
Always anchor your discussion on the RRL. Do in-text referencing as often as
possible.
Focus on the extreme scores. Explain why you resulted to such a very high or
very low scores.

Chapter 5 [Name of Program]

Write an introductory paragraph
This chapter is reserved for intervention program used in the pre- and post-
design. This is the appropriate place and not in the Appendix. Afterall, the
intervention program is supposedly part of the instrument (Chapter 2)
When a study is required to offer a novel program, Chapter 5 is the place where
you can place it without distracting the flow of presentation.

Chapter 5/6 – SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS,

center head
Write an introductory paragraph
Summary of research design, locale, respondents, instruments and end-up with
the whole SOP/Objectives of the Study
Findings per SOP
Conclusion in one sentence per SOP/Finding
Recommend only those findings that need action. Don’t include any that has not
been part of the research
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If there is a very important finding that was not included in the SOP, think/decide
to problematize it [include it]

REFERENCES, center head

You don’t have to categorize. Simply arrange alphabetically
Consult APA handout when in doubt of the format
Include all authors of an article or a book. Their full name must be stated. The
use of ‘et al’ is not supposed to be found here.

APPENDICES, center head

Sequencing is governed by the policy of first mentioned in the Text, first to
appear in the Appendix . Use letter alphabet, upper case.
If the same appended matter has several forms, use letter alphabet dash 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, etc.

Curriculum Vitae, center head

No prescribed format
This must be passed during the proposal so the panelist will get acquainted
with the student/candidate. Not all students have been luckily under the
panelist/professor in at least one his/her teaching loads
The panelist must ensure that the student/candidate has the capability to
undertake the selected topic.

Abstract (preliminary page)

Maximum of 300 words
The easiest way to have an abstract is to follow the Summary of Chapter 5, the
Conclusion and Recommendations
Must include Keywords

DR. NIETO LATORRE VITTO EdD, LPT, RPm, RPsy

AB Psychology
Bachelor of Elementary Education, ECE
Master of Arts in Psychology
Master of Education, Education of Handicapped Children
Doctor of Education, Educational Management

December 10, 2018