Thesis/Special Project 1 PDF

THESIS/SPECIAL PROJECT 1 Dr. Olga J. Domingo 82  Table of Contents Module 7: Preparing the Research Methodology Introduction 84 Learning Outcomes 84 Lesson 1. Research...

THESIS/SPECIAL PROJECT 1 Dr. Olga J. Domingo 82  Table of Contents Module 7: Preparing the Research Methodology Introduction 84 Learning Outcomes 84 Lesson 1. Research Design 85 Lesson 2. Research Locale 97 Lesson 3. Population of the Study/Sampling 97 Assessment Task 7-1 100 Assessment Task 7-2 100 Summary 101 References 101 Module 8: Preparing the Research Methodology Introduction 103 Learning Outcomes 103 Lesson 4. Research Instrument/s 104 Lesson 5. Data Gathering Procedure 104 Lesson 6. Treatment of Data 105 Lesson 7. References 106 Assessment Task 8-1 109 Assessment Task 8-2 109 Summary 110 References 110 Module 9: Presentation of Proposal Introduction 111 Learning Outcomes 111 Lesson 1. Preparation for Proposal Defense 112 Lesson 2. The Panelists and the Thesis Adviser 112 Lesson 3. Presentation of the Proposal 113 Lesson 4. Powerpoint Presentation 114 Assessment Task 9-1 115 Assessment Task 9-2 115 Summary 115 Reference 116 LIST OF FIGURES No. Title Page 1 Independent and Dependent Variables 89 MODULE 7 83  Preparing the Research Methodology Introduction Welcome to the last part of the workbook of the Thesis/Special Project 1 for the final period. This part of the workbook describes the research design, the research locale, as well as the population of the study. This research proposal is generally written in the future tense. Changes in the tense of the verb from the future to the past tense is done after conducting the study. Chapter III (Research Methodology) should begin with a short introductory paragraph citing the contents of the chapter. We will deal on these topics in this module. So let’s now proceed! Learning Outcomes At the end of this module, the learner should be able to: 1. Describe selected research designs appropriate to communication research; 2. Discuss the research locale; and 3. Describe the population of the study or sampling design. 84 Lesson 1. Research Design Generally, research design is the plan, structure, and strategy of the investigation (Kidder, 1981). The plan is the overall scheme that you will follow in conducting the research. The structure is the more specific outline of how you are going to operationalize the variables. The strategy is a description of the details such as methods to be employed in collecting and analyzing data. Put together the plan, structure, and strategy imply how the research objectives will be tackled (Librero et al., 2007). It should be noted that the researcher should carefully choose the appropriate research design of the study by carefully examining the research problem, the given hypotheses, and the purpose of the whole study (Salmorin, 2006). As cited from the article “Research Design: Definition, Characteristics and Types (n.d.), proper research design sets your study up for success. Successful research studies provide insights that are accurate and unbiased. You’ll need to create a survey that meets all of the main characteristics of a design. There are four key characteristics: 1. Neutrality: When you set up your study, you may have to make assumptions about the data you expect to collect. The results projected in the research should be free from bias and neutral. Understand opinions about the final evaluated scores and conclusions from multiple individuals and consider those who agree with the derived results. 2. Reliability: With regularly conducted research, the researcher involved expects similar results every time. Your design should indicate how to form research questions to ensure the standard of results. You’ll only be able to reach the expected results if your design is reliable. 3. Validity: There are multiple measuring tools available. However, the only correct measuring tools are those which help a researcher in gauging results according to the 85  objective of the research. The questionnaire developed from this design will then be valid. 4. Generalization: The outcome of your design should apply to a population and not just a restricted sample. A generalized design implies that your survey can be conducted on any part of a population with similar accuracy. The above factors affect the way respondents answer the research questions and so all the above characteristics should be balanced in a good design. A researcher must have a clear understanding of the various types of research design to select which model to implement for a study. Like research itself, the design of your study can be broadly classified into quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative: A quantitative study, on the other hand, begins with a theory or hypothesis to be investigated. Numerical data are gathered and analyzed to determine whether the hypothesis can be supported, and whether explanation may be provided by way of generalization or prediction (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Quantitative research is for cases where statistical conclusions to collect actionable insights are essential. Numbers provide a better perspective to make critical business decisions. Quantitative research methods are necessary for the growth of any organization. Insights drawn from hard numerical data and analysis prove to be highly effective when making decisions related to the future of the business (Research Design: Definition, Characteristics and Types, n.d.). There are three basic research designs commonly used and these are the following (Experimental research – Definition, types of designs and advantages, 2021): 1. Experimental Design 86  It is a research conducted with a scientific approach using two sets of variables. The first set acts as a constant, which you use to measure the differences of the second set. Quantitative research methods, for example, are experimental. Any research conducted under scientifically acceptable conditions uses experimental methods. The success of experimental studies hinges on researchers confirming the change of a variable is based solely on the manipulation of the constant variable. According to Castillo (2002), the cause and effect relationship of a treatment on a variable is determined. You can conduct experimental research in the following situations: Time is a vital factor in establishing a relationship between cause and effect. Invariable behavior between cause and effect. You wish to understand the importance of the cause and effect. Types of experimental research design The classic experimental design definition is, “The methods used to collect data in experimental studies.” There are three primary types of experimental design: Pre-experimental research design Classical or True experimental research design Quasi-experimental research design The way you classify research subjects, based on conditions or groups, determines the type of design. 1. Pre-experimental research design: A group, or various groups, are kept under observation after implementing factors of cause and effect. You’ll conduct this research to understand whether further investigation is necessary for these particular groups. You can break down pre-experimental research further in three types: 87  One-shot Case Study Research Design One-group Pretest-posttest Research Design Static-group Comparison 2. Classical or True experimental research design: True experimental research relies on statistical analysis to prove or disprove a hypothesis, making it the most accurate form of research. Of the types of experimental design, only true design can establish a cause-effect relationship within a group. In a true experiment, three factors need to be satisfied: There is a Control Group, which won’t be subject to changes, and an Experimental Group, which will experience the changed variables. A variable which can be manipulated by the researcher Random distribution This experimental research method commonly occurs in the physical sciences. 3. Quasi-experimental research design: The word “Quasi” indicates similarity. A quasi- experimental design is similar to experimental, but it is not the same. The difference between the two is the assignment of a control group. The quasi-experimental design tries to approximated the conditions of the true experimental design in a setting which does not allow control or manipulation of all relevant variables (Andres, 1986, p.16). In this research, an independent variable is manipulated, but the participants of a group are not randomly assigned. Quasi-research is used in field settings where random assignment is either irrelevant or not required. Advantages of experimental research (Experimental research – Definition, types of designs and advantages, 2021) It’s vital to test new ideas or theories. Why put time, effort, and funding into something that may not work? 88 Experimental research allows you to test your idea in a controlled environment before taking it to market. Figure 1 provides us the advantages of an experimental research: Figure 1. Advantages of an Experimental Research (Source: https://www.questionpro.com/blog/experimental-research/) 89 Whether you want to know how the public will react to a new product or if a certain food increases the chance of disease, experimental research is the best place to start. Since most of the communication experiments occur outside setting (field experiment) created by the researcher for the purpose of the study, the greatest weakness of the laboratory experiment is its artificiality. Communication processes that occur in a laboratory setting might not necessarily occur in more natural settings. 2. Descriptive Research design – it is a research design wherein events are recorded, described, interpreted, analyzed, and compared (Castillo, 2002). Its objective is to describe systematically a situation, condition or area of interest factually and accurately. Descriptive designs include observation, surveys and interviews, standardized tests, and case studies. Under descriptive method, correlational research is commonly employed. In correlational research, the aim is to describe a strength of relationship between two or more events for characteristics (Santrock, 2005). 3. Historical Research – a research design wherein past events are studied and related to the present or in the future time (Castillo, 2002). Its purpose is to reconstruct the past objectively and accurately (Salmorin, 2006). Qualitative: Qualitative methodology, also known as naturalistic inquiry, is designed to search for understanding of themes, patterns, or causal explanations through the lived experience of the study participants. It presents explanations based on the perspective of an insider. Qualitative methodology does not use hypotheses or assumptions, though these may be generated by the findings (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Qualitative research determines relationships between collected data and observations based on mathematical calculations. Theories related to a naturally existing phenomenon can be proved or disproved using statistical methods. Researchers rely on qualitative research 90 methods that conclude “why” a particular theory exists along with “what” respondents have to say about it (Research Design: Definition, Characteristics and Types, n.d.). Our experience is that people who are reticent to embrace quantitative data are initially attracted to qualitative data because they perceive it to be somehow easier to gather and analyze. Each of us has conducted both quantitative and qualitative research, and we can assure you that qualitative data are at least as challenging as quantitative data, maybe even more so. Certainly, qualitative data can often be gathered with lower “startup” costs than quantitative data—a notepad and tape recorder will usually be sufficient. However, the construction of qualitative data texts tends to be a more labor-intensive undertaking than the collection of quantitative data (Research Design: Definition, Characteristics and Types, n.d.). Qualitative research, like quantitative research, is evaluated for its trustworthiness. But the specific criteria by which trustworthiness is demonstrated are not the same as those applied to the conduct of quantitative research. You may recall that the trustworthiness of quantitative research is assessed by applying the criteria of internal validity, measurement reliability, measurement validity, and external validity (Research Design: Definition, Characteristics and Types, n.d.). According to Baxter and Babbie (2004), criteria for evaluating qualitative studies are the following: CREDIBILITY Researchers who align with the interpretive tradition are interested in reason explanations, or understanding, instead of causal or functional explanations. Thus, to qualitative researchers, the criterion of internal validity isn’t very helpful in figuring out whether a qualitative study is trustworthy. Instead, they ask whether a given study is credible. Credibility basically asks whether the study’s conclusions “ring true” for the people studied. Qualitative researchers hope that the “natives,” the people studied, will react something like this to the study’s findings: “Yeah, that’s right, but I hadn’t thought of it that way.” 91 DEPENDABILITY To qualitative researchers, the criterion of measurement reliability employed by quantitative researchers presupposes a single, objective reality: There must be something tangible and stable “out there” to function as a benchmark for the notion of replication, or repeatability, to make any sense. Because researchers who adopt interpretive and critical paradigms believe in multiple realities and believe that those realities are always under construction by social actors, and thus changeable, the concept of measurement reliability isn’t a useful criterion by which to evaluate the trustworthiness of qualitative research. To qualitative researchers, observed instability may be attributed to shifts in reality (as actors construct it or as researchers gain better insights into it). Instead of judging observations by their consistency, qualitative researchers evaluate whether the observations are dependable. To demonstrate that his or her interpretations are dependable, a qualitative researcher must make it possible for an external check to be conducted on the process by which the study was done. This external check should make the researcher’s process trackable—an outsider must be able to see how a researcher went from point A to point B to point C in his or her interpretive process. Often, this means that the researcher’s observations will not be stable. After all, if the researcher is learning more about a given field setting or social group, his or her analysis should be changing over time toward increased understanding. And with increased sensitivity to the group or setting under study comes an increased ability to detect changes in that social world as it constantly evolves and adapts. Thus, dependable qualitative research is based on trackable research, not the consistency of the researcher’s observations. CONFIRMABILITY Instead of evaluating measurement validity, qualitative researchers talk in terms of confirmability. To interpretivists, the concept of measurement validity presupposes a single, objective reality that can be measured. The criterion of measurement validity is thus not very useful to qualitative researchers who believe in multiple, subjective realities. Instead, qualitative researchers judge whether the researcher’s conclusions are the result of the phenomenon under study rather than the biases of the researcher. Qualitative observations must be confirmable. Data must be traceable to their sources. In addition, the logic used by the researcher in moving from the particular data to the conclusions drawn from those data must be systematic, coherent, and explicit. You may find the distinction between dependability 92 and confirmability somewhat confusing. Dependability tracks the researcher’s flow of understanding to ensure that changes across time make sense. Confirmability traces a researcher’s conclusions back to his or her data to ensure that they are well reasoned. TRANSFERABILITY Qualitative researchers do not find the criterion of external validity to be very useful. The interpretive research tradition tends to favor idiographic over nomothetic research. That is, qualitative researchers seek in-depth understanding of a single setting or social group rather than generalized laws of explanation. Given their idiographic focus, qualitative researchers do not seek generalized claims. Qualitative researchers substitute the criterion of transferability for external validity. The obligation of the qualitative researcher is to provide a detailed description of the setting or group under study—what some researchers call a “thick description” (Geertz, 1973). If the researcher has successfully provided a thick description, then readers can judge for themselves whether and how the researcher’s analysis is relevant to them. To meet the criterion of external validity, it is the quantitative researcher’s obligation to demonstrate that findings are generalizable. By contrast, to meet the criterion of transferability, a qualitative researcher needs to provide sufficient details so that a reader can make the decision about whether to apply the findings elsewhere to a different context or group. As cited by Raimo Streefkerk (2021) there are differences between quantitative and qualitative research. Quantitative and qualitative research use different research methods to collect and analyze data, and they allow you to answer different kinds of research questions. Quantitative research Qualitative Research Focuses on testing theories and Focuses on exploring ideas and formulating a hypotheses theory or hypothesis 93  Quantitative research Qualitative Research Analyzed through math and statistical Analyzed by summarizing, categorizing and analysis interpreting Mainly expressed in numbers, graphs and Mainly expressed in words tables Requires many respondents Requires few respondents Closed (multiple choice) questions Open-ended questions Key terms: testing, measurement, Key terms: understanding, context, objectivity, replicability complexity, subjectivity Data collection methods Quantitative and qualitative data can be collected using various methods. It is important to use a data collection method that will help answer your research question(s). Many data collection methods can be either qualitative or quantitative. For example, in surveys, observations or case studies, your data can be represented as numbers (e.g. using rating scales or counting frequencies) or as words (e.g. with open-ended questions or descriptions of what you observe). However, some methods are more commonly used in one type or the other. 94 Quantitative data collection methods Surveys: List of closed or multiple choice questions that is distributed to a sample (online, in person, or over the phone). Experiments: Situation in which variables are controlled and manipulated to establish cause-and-effect relationships. Observations: Observing subjects in a natural environment where variables can’t be controlled. Qualitative data collection methods Interviews: Asking open-ended questions verbally to respondents. Focus groups: Discussion among a group of people about a topic to gather opinions that can be used for further research. Ethnography: Participating in a community or organization for an extended period of time to closely observe culture and behavior. Literature review: Survey of published works by other authors. When to use qualitative vs. quantitative research A rule of thumb for deciding whether to use qualitative or quantitative data is: Use quantitative research if you want to confirm or test something (a theory or hypothesis) Use qualitative research if you want to understand something (concepts, thoughts, experiences) Mixed Methods (Creswell and Creswell, 2018) For most research topics you can choose a qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods approach. Which type you choose depends on, among other things, whether you’re taking an inductive vs. deductive research approach; your research question(s); whether you’re doing experimental, correlational, or descriptive research; and practical considerations such as time, money, availability of data, and access to respondents. 95  Use of multiple sources of data and/or methods of data collection is called triangulation. It is important to use triangulation as a way of strengthening the credibility and trustworthiness of the study. Describe the different strategies or procedures in which you will collect data. Triangulation compares the findings from various sources to look for similarities in observations in more than one data source and thus lends credibility to the findings (Ary et al., 2006; Gay et al., 2012). Sources of data may include: Interviews of participants, which are usually recorded and transcribed. Plan for a quiet place, sufficient time, and needed recording equipment. A focus group, which is a group interview involving all of the participants. Focus group participants are invited to make sense of the data collected from interviews and share their insights. The researcher gains additional understanding by asking questions of the group and noting the responses and interactions. Documents the participants have created, and which are related to the purpose of the study. Triangulation enhances the credibility and trustworthiness of a study. Different strategies or procedures for data collection are used to establish or confirm whether the data collected in one way confirms data collected in a different way. If the findings from multiple sources agree, triangulation of data has occurred, and the accuracy and credibility of findings are enhanced. Triangulation is a technique of value in the design of both qualitative and quantitative studies. Lesson 2. Research Locale (Creswell and Creswell, 2018) Describe the general location and demographic characteristics of the site you chose for your study. Do not identify the specific geographic location or name of the site without permission. Provide the background needed for why you have chosen a specific location. 96 Lesson 3. Population of the Study/Sampling (Creswell and Creswell, 2018) Describe the target population and the sample of the population about whom you will gather data. Explain how you will select the sample from the larger group. Selection may be random or purposeful, depending on the purpose of the study and practicality. Subjects or respondents are the sources of your data. Most research uses people as subjects or respondents. Their characteristics, development, opinions, attitudes, knowledge, performance, and the like are used to answer your research question. In order to choose appropriate subjects or respondents, you need to decide what our population of interest is. In research, population has a specialized meaning. Theoretically, a population is the group from which your subjects or respondents are drawn. Therefore, it is also the group that your subjects or respondents represent. When discussing your research findings, you must be careful not to generalize your conclusions beyond this group. A sample is the small group that you observe and the population is the larger group about which your generalization is made. The process which involves taking part of the population, making observation on this representative group, and then generalizing the findings to the bigger population is called sampling. Also, the term sampling refers to a strategy which enables you to pick a subgroup from a larger group and then use this subgroup as a basis for making judgements about the larger group. Oftentimes, sampling in research is unavoidable since the time, money, and effort involved do not allow you to study all possible members of a population. But as long as the sample used is a representative portion of a population, that is, you are able to generalize with confidence and describe the population from which was taken, the findings and conclusions obtained from your sample is valid. 97  Regardless of the specific technique used in selecting a sample, the steps in sampling include: identification of the population, determination of the required sample, and selection of the sample. To determine the sample size of the population, a formula of Slovin (1960) is given below: n= N 1+Ne2 Where: n= sample size N= population size e = desired margin of error (not more than 5%) Example: N= 4602 e= 3% Using the formula: n= 4602 1 + 4602 (.03)2 = 4602 1 + 4602 (.0009) = 4602 1 + 4.1418 = 4602 5.1418 = 895.0173 (rounded to 900 for convenience) 98 The teachers are grouped into three categories according to the areas of specialization they are handling so we use stratified sampling. Sample proportion (%) = n/N = 900/4602 =.1955 (rounded off to.20 or 20%) Exercise: Answer this: Techers Handling Number % Sample = (N x %) Grammar and 2328 20 composition Literature 1412 20 Foreign Language 862 20 Total 4602 The total sample is _________. 99  Assessment Task 7-1 As an individual: 1. Using the Slovin’s formula, compute the sample size a. Where: N = 3,400 e = 5% b. Where N = 5,000 e = 5% 2. Enumerate and define each of the different kinds of sampling techniques. Assessment Task 7-2 As a group: Write your research design, locale of the study, and population of the study/sampling design. 100  Summary Chapter III (Research Methodology) needs a short introductory paragraph citing the contents of the chapter. It consists of the first part: research design, the research locale, as well as the population of the study. It is in the future tense since this is part of the research proposal. References Articles Experimental research – Definition, types of designs and advantages (2021). https://www.questionpro.com/blog/experimental-research/. Research Design: Definition, Characteristics and Types (2021). https://www.questionpro.com/blog/research-design/. Streefkerk, R. (2021). Quantitative vs Qualitative Research. https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/qualitative-quantitative-research/. Books Salmorin, Merle E. (2006). Methods of research. Mindshapers Co. Inc. Sarno, Emerlita M. (2010). Tips and Techniques in Writing Research. Rex Book Store. Ebook Creswell, J.W. & Creswell J. D. (2018). Research design qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches 5th ed. Sage. Baxter, L. A. and Babbie, E. (2004). The basics of communication research. Holly J. Allen. 101 Module Librero, Felix, et al. (2007).. UP Open University: Los Baños, Laguna. DevC 204: Communication Research and Evaluation 102  MODULE 8 Preparing the Research Methodology Introduction In this module, there is a need to describe and explicitly explain the adoption, construction, validation, and administration of research instruments in gathering data. Furthermore, data gathering procedure and statistical treatment of data will also be discussed. This is the second part of Chapter III -- Research Methodology (Salmorin, 2006). Learning Outcomes At the end of this module, the learner should be able to: 1. Discuss the content of instrument/s to be employed; 2. Explain the steps taken in data gathering procedure; and 3. Apply appropriate statistical tools for the study. 103 Lesson 4. Research Instruments Instruments include tests, questionnaires, interview guidelines and/or schedules, etc. Apparatuses, devices, and laboratory equipment to be used or were used should be described (Salmorin, 2006). In this section also, the variables covered by the instrument are briefly enumerated with a presentation, if necessary, of the scaling to be used. Their definitions may be included in the Definitions of Terms in Chapter I or stated here. For researcher-made instruments, the process of validation should be narrated. How it was validated and who helped in the validation process should be narrated here (Salmorin, 2006). Describe any research instruments you will use such as tests or inventories. If the instrument is already established, report on its reliability and validity. Should you need to make up your own test instrument, describe how you will address the issues of reliability and validity. For example, an instrument you design should be piloted with people similar to your sample population to see whether results are what you might expect. Findings from the piloted instrument will help to build data on reliability and validity of the instrument. In addition, have others who are experts in your area of investigation examine the test instrument, and invite their input (Creswell and Creswell, 2018). Lesson 5. Data Gathering Procedure The steps to be taken in gathering the data should be methodically and logically presented in this section. The researchers must narrate, step-by-step, how the research questionnaire will be distributed among the respondents. The narration must begin with the task of asking formal permission to conduct the study in the selected research locale. The targeted date (not necessarily specific) of administering the questionnaires and its retrieval for 104 tabulation and analysis should be stated. Future tenses of the verbs should be used in narrating the data gathering procedure in a research proposal (Salmorin, 2006). Some sources of data are historical in nature, and may be obtained through databases or student records. Describe where you will get the information and the protocol you will follow for permission to access the data (Creswell and Creswell, 2018). Lesson 6. Treatment of the Data (Salmorin, 2006) The last part of this chapter usually describes the statistical treatment of data. This kind of statistical treatment depends upon the nature of the problem, especially the specific problems, and the nature of the data gathered. The explicit hypotheses particularly determine the kind of statistics to be used. Statistics is a branch of mathematics that has many functions, among them is the giving of an accurate description of data that leads one to make accurate statements and/or conclusions. It is by statistical analysis that a scientific hypothesis is tested. For instance, through a test of inference, one can determine if two variables are significantly or not significantly related or correlated. The statistical tool(s) to be used to answer the research questions is/are defined and/or explained. This corresponding formula is/are also presented with the symbols properly identified as to its equivalent meanings. For the statistical treatment of data, the researcher should use reference books on research and statistics, peruse the different methodologies used in other studies similar in purpose to his own study, and consult his adviser and statistician regarding the appropriate statistical test for the type of data of his study. 105  Carefully describe the treatment you or others will administer to the sample population. The treatment should be described in sufficient detail to provide guidance for others to replicate the study. Documents essential to the treatment, such as lesson plans or reading materials, should be included in an appendix (Creswell and Creswell, 2018). Lesson 7. References (APA, 2021) Information About American Psychological Association (APA) Who created it? The American Psychological Association (APA) is an organization created for individuals in the psychology field. With close to 118,000 members, they provide educational opportunities, funding, guidance, and research information for everything psychology-related. They also have numerous high-quality databases, peer-reviewed journals, and books that revolve around mental health. The American Psychological Association is also credited with creating their own specific citation and reference style. Today, this format is used by individuals not only in the psychology field, but many other subject areas as well. Education, economics, business, and social sciences also use APA style quite frequently. This guide covers general information about the style, but is not affiliated with the American Psychological Association. Why was this style created? This format was first developed in 1929 to form a standardized way for researchers in science fields to document their sources. Prior to the inception of these standards and guidelines, individuals were recognizing the work of other authors by including bits and pieces of information in random order. There wasn’t a set way to format citations and references. You can probably imagine how difficult it was to understand the sources that were used for research projects! Having a standard format for citing sources allows readers to glance at a citation or APA reference and easily locate the title, author, year published, and other critical pieces of information needed to understand a source. 106 The evolution of this style APA style is currently in its 7th edition. In previous versions of APA format, researchers and scholars were required to include the date that an electronic resource was accessed. In addition, names of databases were included, and only the name of the city was included in the publication information. Now, it is no longer required to include the date of access as well as the name of the database in an APA citation or reference. The full location, including the city AND state (or the city and country if it’s an international publisher) is included instead. In 2013, the APA released a revised manual just for electronic resources. This was released due to the increase in the amount of technological advances and resources. Citations & References The appearance of citations & references The format for citations varies, but most use this general format: Author’s Last name, First initial. (Date published). Title. Retrieved from URL Researchers and scholars must look up the proper format for the source that they’re attempting to cite. Books have a certain format, websites have a different format, periodicals have a different format, and so on. Scroll down to find the proper format for the source you’re citing or referencing. If you would like help citing your sources, CitationMachine.com has a citation generator that will help make the APA citation process much easier for you. In-text citation APA example: According to a study done by Kent and Giles (2017), student teachers who use technology in their lessons tend to continue using technology tools throughout their teaching careers. The full references, or citations, for these sources can be found on the last part of a research project, titled the “References.” 107 Parenthetical citations are citations to original sources that appear in the text of your paper. This allows the reader to see immediately where your information comes from, and it saves you the trouble of having to make footnotes or endnotes. Example: "No two countries that both had McDonald's had fought a war against each other since each got its McDonald's" (Friedman, p. 195). Reminder: Make sure that any reference written in the research paper is also the same reference written in the References which is found on the last portion of your research paper. Example: You have Rodriguez (2010) in the Background of the Study which should also appear in the References. The same way that any sources listed in the References should be found in any parts of your research paper. 108  Assessment Task 8-1 1. As an individual, enumerate and describe the different statistical tools commonly used in research studies. Assessment Task 8-2 1. As a group, make the second part of the Chapter III -research instrument/s, data gathering procedure, and treatment of data. Summary Instruments include tests, questionnaires, interview guidelines and/or schedules, etc. as well as apparatuses, devices, and laboratory equipment to which the present proposed study is related or has some bearing or similarity. For researcher-made instruments, the process of validation should be narrated. How it was validated and who helped in the validation process should be narrated here. Also, the statistical tool(s) to be used to answer 109 the research questions is/are defined and/or explained. Data gathering procedure includes the steps to be taken methodically and logically. It is a narration. References Article American Psychological Association (2021). About APA. https://www.apa.org/about Book Salmorin, Merle E. (2006). Methods of research. Mindshapers Co. Inc. 110  Module 9 Presentation of Proposal Introduction The research proposal is the blueprint of the planned research. Any research work requires advanced preparation and an over-all direction to have a good start in the investigation. It is a step-by-step plan for conducting a scientific inquiry. The research proposal is an overview of what the researcher intends to do to solve the research problem(s). Allowing the researcher(s) to defend the research proposal before a thesis committee of panelists will be very fruitful since a proposal defense will help the researcher(s) to evaluate and thereby, improve and further polish the research work early on. The panelists’ criticisms and suggestions during the proposal defense will provide helpful insights to the researchers especially those who have no prior research experience. Research is an exercise in critical thinking and a good researcher must be the first one to criticize his own work in a constructive way. Learning Outcomes At the end of this module, the learner should be able to: 1. Discuss the importance of an oral defense; 2. Explain the roles of the panelists and adviser; 3. Discuss the preparations to be made by the researchers for the oral defense. 111 Lesson 1. Preparation for Proposal Defense (Salmorin, 2006) The research paper, as soon as it is completed, is submitted to a panel of examiners who will examine its contents and mechanics to see to it that it has satisfactorily met the criteria of a good research work. The research work, before it is admitted as an academic accomplishment, should first stand the rigors of questioning by critical-minded experts. Research writing is not only about critical thinking on the part of the researchers but openness as well to other people’s expert points of views. Defense or oral examination of the thesis is an event all researchers must prepare for, thoroughly. It is the culmination of all the hardships encountered in pursuit of good knowledge. It is something that must be hurled by those who have chosen to accomplish something worthwhile in the face of so many difficulties and obstacles. For those who have truly or genuinely worked hard to conduct a research in a scientific way, defending their work is the ultimate challenge they will eagerly anticipate. Lesson 2. The Panelists and the Thesis Adviser (Salmorin, 2006) Commonly known as thesis panelists, they are chosen for the task by virtue of their academic degrees (at least masteral degree holders in their field of specialization). Research expertise and scholarly orientation. They are the ones who will decide whether a particular research paper is worthy of being considered as a scholarly and scientific work. It is also their task to help the researchers to improve their work through the panelists’ criticisms and suggestions. The thesis adviser is an essential partner in the research work. Working as a mentor and direct supervisor of the research group, the adviser provides both content and technical guidance as well as inspiration and motivation for the research group to work closely as a team in a cohesive and productive manner. The adviser serves as a “coach” to produce 112 discipline and teamwork among the group members. Researchers will do well to listen to and consult their adviser regularly. Rapport, constant communication and mutual respect, and commitment to excellence characterize a good adviser -advisee relationship. Lesson 3. Presentation of the Proposal (Salmorin, 2006) The oral defense is composed of two parts, the group’s thesis presentation to the panelists and the second part is the oral examination by the panelists. To start the group’s oral presentation, the thesis adviser will first introduce the researchers’ thesis title, read the names of the researchers and their statistician for proper introduction to the panelists. The presentation is started with an opening prayer to be led by one of the researchers. The oral examination is the portion, after the group presentation, when the panelists will ask questions, make inquiries, make suggestions, and correct the paper to upgrade its standard. The adviser should take down the suggestions and recommendations. The last speaker of the group should be the one to inform the panelists that the group presentation is over and that the group is now ready to listen to their suggestions and recommendations. The oral examination should be audio and/or videotaped by the researchers (after getting permission from the panelists) as this will help in the revision process since there might be some suggestions that the researchers may not be able to recall later or may have forgotten to note down during the oral examination. The researchers should be ready with the necessary materials for the presentation. Copies of the research papers should be given to the panelists at least a week before the actual defense. At least one back-up powerpoint presentation must be made available in case of emergency. They should also bring their own individual copies of the research paper for the big moment so they can easily follow the panelists’ suggestions and if possible note down the suggestions at the right pages. 113  It is very important that a mock defense is arranged with the adviser. The group should practice to speak clearly and answer questions from the panelists to have a good oral presentation of their work. Proper voice modulation, diction and pronunciation will help in the articulation of their paper. After the oral examination, the group must wait outside the examination room to be informed if they passed or failed the oral defense. Revision of the paper must be done immediately after the defense in coordination with their adviser and statistician. Finally, deadlines for the submission of the revised manuscript and the submission of the hardbound or softcopies of final copies should be strictly adhered to by the researchers. English is the official language for the oral defense. Researchers will be given 15 minutes presentation, 35 minutes Q&A, 10 minutes deliberation by the panelists, for a total of 60 minutes or 1 hour. Lesson 4. Powerpoint Presentation (Salmorin, 2006) 1. Make the powerpoint presentation simple but visually clear. 2. Make sure the font size used throughout is readable from the audience level. Remember that a research work is a scholarly, scientific work and must be presented in a formal manner. 3. See to it that the font and the color of the background are compatible with each other. 4. Do not put the entire paragraph in the slide. Text (word or phrase) must be in bullet form only. Make each slide precise/brief. 114  Assessment Task 9 -1 As individual: 1. Make a graphic organizer of the things to prepare before, during, and after the oral defense. Assessment Task 9 -2 1. As a group, make your research proposal complete. Check the guidelines for evaluating a proposal. Summary The research paper, as soon as it is completed, is submitted to a panel of examiners who will examine its contents and mechanics to see to it that it has satisfactorily met the criteria of a good research work. The panelists, thesis adviser, and statistician are the people who could 115 assist the researchers. A powerpoint presentation will be prepared by the researchers for the oral defense or oral examination (Salmorin, 2006). Reference Book Salmorin, Merle E. (2006). Methods of research. Mindshapers Co. Inc. - END OF MODULE FOR THE FINAL PERIOD - EXAMINATION FOR FINAL PERIOD IS ON _____________________. PLEASE SEE YOUR SPECIFIC SCHEDULE FOR THIS COURSE. DO NOT FORGET TO TAKE THE EXAM AS SCHEDULED. 116