CHAPTER 2, LESSON

1: DESIGNING A
RESEARCH USEFUL
IN DAILY LIFE
1
NATURE OF
QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH PROBLEM
Lesson 1.1

2
 NATURE OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
PROBLEM

Life is not always a bed of roses. It is made up

of both negative and positive aspects of life.
Experiencing something negative or making
you fail to aver or affirm the existence of a
thing you expected to see or happen is a
natural occurrence in life.
3
 NATURE OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
PROBLEM

This situation in life, where you find difficulty in

knowing or finding answers or solutions to
questions causing you worries or perplexities
is called a problem.
4
 NATURE OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
PROBLEM

Sparked by your curiosity or interest, you get

to ponder on a problem needing answers. You
resort to thinking of what to solve, to whom to
ask, where to go, and how to do all the things
you want to happen to find the answer to the
problem. Behaving this way, you are then
confronted with a research problem. 5
 NATURE OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
PROBLEM

A research problem is something that

nurtures in your mind a difficulty or uncertainty,
enough to push you to do an empirical
investigation whereby you search for answers
to a problem by collecting and analysing data
or information through which you can find the
right answer or solution. 6
 NATURE OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
PROBLEM

Requiring you to adopt an empirical attitude

toward your problem in a way that you depend
on your sensory experience, conduct
experimentation, or perform a scientific
method in arriving at the truth about something
makes your problem a researchable
problem. 7
CHAPTER 2, LESSON
2: WRITING A
RESEARCH TITLE
1
RESEARCH TITLE
Lesson 2.1

9
 WHAT IS A RESEARCH
TITLE?

▰ A research title, or research project is a product

of real-world observations, dilemmas, wide
readings, selective viewing (TV programs,
films, documentaries, videos, etc.) meaningful
interactions with significant others, and deep
reflection.
10
 WHAT IS A RESEARCH
TITLE?

▰ When you finally decide on a research topic,

make sure that your research topic and your
research questions match. Too broad topics will
lead you nowhere. In order to narrow down
broad topics to specific ones, the purpose or
intent of the study must be clear.
11
2
BROAD AND SPECIFIC
TOPICS
Lesson 2.2

12
BROAD AND SPECIFIC
TOPICS

Broad Specific
Broad topics Specific topics are
should always be researchable.
narrowed down.
BROAD AND SPECIFIC TOPICS: EXAMPLES

Broad Specific
▰Blended ▰A Correlation Study on the
Learning Use of Blended Learning in
in English Freshman English Classes
Classes and Student Achievement
BROAD AND SPECIFIC TOPICS: EXAMPLES

Broad Specific
▰Presidential ▰Campaign Events and
Election Materials and their Impact
Results on Presidential Election
Results
BROAD AND SPECIFIC TOPICS: EXAMPLES

Broad Specific
▰Agri- ▰The Impact of Agri-
business business in the Economy
BROAD AND SPECIFIC TOPICS: EXAMPLES

Broad Specific
▰Social ▰The Cause-Effect
Networking Relationships of Social
Networking and Online
Selling
BROAD AND SPECIFIC TOPICS: EXAMPLES

Broad Specific
▰Vegetarianism ▰Effects of
Vegetarianism on
Physical Health
3
TECHNIQUES IN
NARROWING DOWN A
TOPIC INTO A
RESEARCH QUESTION
Lesson 2.3
19
 HOW TO NARROW
DOWN?
1. Examine the Literature: Published articles are an
excellent source of ideas for research questions.
They are usually at an appropriate level of
specificity and suggest research questions that
focus on the following:
▰ Replicate a previous research project exactly or
with slight variations. 20
 HOW TO NARROW
DOWN?

▰ Explore unexpected findings discovered in

previous research.
▰ Follow suggestions that an author gives for
future research at the end of an article.
▰ Extend an existing explanation or theory to a
new topic or setting.
21
 HOW TO NARROW
DOWN?

▰ Challenge findings or attempt to refute a

relationship.
▰ Specify the intervening process and consider
linking relations.
22
 HOW TO NARROW
DOWN?
2. 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. 23
 HOW TO NARROW
DOWN?
3. Apply to a specific context.
▰ Focus the topic on a specific historical period or
time period. Narrow down topic to a specific
society or geographical unit.
▰ Consider which subgroups or categories of
people/units are involved and whether there are
differences from them. 24
 HOW TO NARROW
DOWN?

4. 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?
25
4
CHOOSING A RESEARCH
TOPIC FOR A RESEARCH
STUDY
Lesson 2.4
26
 IN CHOOSING A TOPIC.

Layder (2013) stresses out that in choosing a

research topic, it is important to select a topic that
interests and motivates you. It should be doable
with the resources at your disposal and within the
time frame. Needless to say, the research topic
should be focused and well-defined.
27
 IN CHOOSING A TOPIC.

Deciding on a topic also entails about being clear

which ones to avoid, especially if you have little
experience as a researcher. Although topics close
to your personal experiences may be appropriate
for small-scale projects, you must not allow
personal views, ideas, opinions, and prejudices
cloud your thinking. 28
 IN CHOOSING A TOPIC.

Research projects must be as objective as possible,

that is, freed from your personal biases or
preferences as a researcher. Lastly, you should
avoid research topics that involve your making
moral judgments about certain kinds of behavior.
29
CHAPTER 2, LESSON
3: DESCRIBING
BACKGROUND OF
THE STUDY
 DESCRIBING THE
BACKGROUND

The background of the study is basically an

overview of the research study and explains you,
as researcher, are doing the study. The background
of the study locates or situates your study in the
context of specific fields.
31
 DESCRIBING THE
BACKGROUND
It provides information that is important or essential to
understand the main body of research investigation, which
could be an offshoot of any of the following:
▰ Historical Developments
▰ Cultural Developments
▰ Academic Developments
▰ Scientific Findings
▰ Debates or Arguments and a Host of Others 32
 DESCRIBING THE
BACKGROUND

These developments could give rise to your

research questions. The background of the study
locates or situates your study in the context of a
specific field.

33
 DESCRIBING THE
BACKGROUND
Your linking up your research study to recent
developments, as well as your mentioning whether
certain issues relevant to your field of
investigation had been addressed in any form,
followed by research questions you intend to seek
answers for, can make your reader deduce the
originality of your study. 34
CHAPTER 2, LESSON
4: STATING
RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
 THE RESEARCH
QUESTION
▰ Layder (2013) says that social research is
literally a search for the best explanation of the
problem around which evidence or data is
focused.
▰ It is good to emphasize at this point that social
research problems are not the same thing as
topics or areas of interests. 36
 THE RESEARCH
QUESTION

▰ They are not the equivalent of the so-called

social problems like poverty, unemployment,
social inequality, and so on.
▰ Research problems address issues about social
organizations, social processes, and social
behaviors.
37
 TYPES OF RESEARCH
QUESTIONS

1. Problem Questions- are general and explanatory

and have a crucial influence on the form and
content of topic questions.
2. Topic Questions- are specific and descriptive
38
RESEARCH QUESTIONS VS. QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH PROBLEM

Several reasons prod you to define or finalize a

research problem or a research topic. But this
does not mean that after spending time thinking
about a research problem, immediately, you
plunge into carrying out an investigation or
collecting and analysing data.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS VS. QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH PROBLEM

Thinking of a research problem or a topic to

research on is a beginning act in research
Another initial research act is asking a set of
specific questions or identifying sub-problems
about your research problem.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS VS. QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH PROBLEM

These specific or sub-questions, called

Research Questions, to specify the scope and
the method in collecting and analysing data,
give you the right direction in your research. In
addition, they are questions to give further
definition or explanation of the research problem
by stressing the fact
RESEARCH QUESTIONS VS. QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH PROBLEM

that they elicit answers to clarify or solve the

research problem, which is the main problem of
the research. Here are examples of statements
to show the relationship between a quantitative
research problem and research questions.
(Thomas 2013; Layder 2013)
RESEARCH PROBLEM

Interrogative statement: What percentage

of Manila private universities consider use
of grammar textbooks as the most
effective way to help college students
attain communicative competence?
RESEARCH PROBLEM

Declarative statement: The main objective

of this study is to find out the percentage of
Manila private universities considering the
use of grammar textbooks as the most
effective way to help college students
attain communicative competence.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Interrogative statement:
1. What is an English grammar textbook?
Declarative statement:
Likewise, this study aims at finding answers
to the following specific objectives:
1. To define a grammar textbook
RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Interrogative statement:
2. What is communicative competence?
Declarative statement:
2. To explain the meaning of
communicative competence
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Interrogative statement:
3. What components of the grammar textbook
work for communicative competence
development?
Declarative statement:
3. To identify the components of the grammar
textbook that work for communicative
competence development
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Interrogative statement:
4. How many Manila private universities
require the use of grammar textbooks?
Declarative statement:
4. To determine the number of Manila
private universities requiring the use of
grammar textbooks
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Interrogative statement:
5. How many Manila private universities use
grammar textbooks as references only?
Declarative statement:
5. To determine the number of Manila
private universities using grammar
textbooks as references only
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Interrogative statement:
6. To what extent do Manila private universities find
grammar textbooks effective in helping college
students attain communicative competence?
Declarative statement:
6. To determine the extent of Manila private
universities considering grammar textbooks as the
means by which they can help the college students
attain communicative competence
CHAPTER 2, LESSON
5: INDICATING
SCOPE AND
DELIMITATION
 SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

▰ The scope and delimitation of the study sets

parameters and boundaries of the problem
inquiry and narrows down the scope of
inquiry.
52
 SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

▰ The scope is the domain of your research-

what is in the domain, and what is not. There
is a need to make as clear as possible what
you will be studying and what factors are
within the accepted range of your study.
53
CHAPTER 2, LESSON
6: CITING BENEFITS
OF THE RESEARCH
STUDY
 BENEFICIARIES AND
BENEFITS

▰ Essentially, this part of the research study

informs the reader on how the study will
contribute to the well-being of a person or
a progress of a group or society in general.
55
 BENEFICIARIES AND
BENEFITS
Example: In addressing social problems like
epidemics, (e.g. Zika Virus), in a research study,
the findings can benefit the victims themselves
primarily, policy makers like the Department of
Health, Department of Social Welfare and
Development, practitioners, leaders, both local and
national governments, as well as NGOs. 56
 BENEFICIARIES AND
BENEFITS
When you mull over who or what will benefit
from your study, focus on your problem which will
guide you in identifying the specific contribution
of your study. The challenge of this section of the
problem statement is to situate the study as
addressing a particular, important, or even pressing
problem. 57
 BENEFICIARIES AND
BENEFITS

▰ Defining the problem shapes the research

study’s significance (Marshall and
Rossman, 1995).

58
 BENEFICIARIES AND
BENEFITS
▰ For example, a research study can focus on
Philhealth Plans for PWDs. Framing the said
research as a policy study requires that the problem
be situated in national health policies. Your
challenge as a researcher is to describe how the
results of your study will contribute to the well-
being of both the PWDs and the establishments they
are connected with, or are helping them. 59
 BENEFICIARIES AND
BENEFITS

▰ Quantitative studies investigating impact of

certain projects, activities, or programs can
best showcase benefits and beneficiaries of
the study.
60
CHAPTER 2, LESSON
7: PRESENTING THE
WRITTEN
STATEMENT OF THE
PROBLEM
 THE WRITTEN STATEMENT

▰ It has been learned that the problem

statement has the following parts: a title,
the background of research or
introduction, the research questions, the
scope and delimitation of the study, and
its beneficiaries and benefits. 62
 THE INTRODUCTION

▰ The Introduction- states briefly the

background of the study and identifies the
rationale of the research problem.

63
 THE INTRODUCTION

▰ It begins with a general statement of the

problem, then focuses on a specific issue,
framing said problem within the existing
literature, pointing out deficiencies in the
literature and targeting the study for the
evidence of proof. 64
 THE STATEMENT OF THE
PROBLEM

▰ The Statement of the Problem- states

clearly the purpose or interest of the study.
It poses specific questions about the
research problem.
65
 THE SCOPE AND
DELIMITATION

▰ The Scope and Delimitation- sets the

boundaries and parameters of the study,
narrows the scope of the inquiry and
clarifies the terms or defines terms used.
66
 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
STUDY

▰ The significance of the study shows the

benefits of the study in addressing to
special problems, improving economic and
health conditions, or even finding solutions
to problems encountered in daily life.
67
 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
STUDY

▰ Also in shedding light on problems of

human behavior, in refining existing
knowledge for specific audiences, such as
researchers, leaders, practitioners, policy
makers, among others.
68