Chapter 1: Research problem and Title - PDF

The Research Problem and the Research Title A research problem refers to a statement that promptly suggests for conducting an investigation. Moreover, a research problem to be designed must deal with some concerns in a particular field that may need an improvement or a solution. As cited fr...

The Research Problem and the Research Title A research problem refers to a statement that promptly suggests for conducting an investigation. Moreover, a research problem to be designed must deal with some concerns in a particular field that may need an improvement or a solution. As cited from Sacred Heart University Library (2020), four (4) varied sources can be considered. These are as follows: Theory Practitioners Personal Experience Relevant Literature 1. Theory. Existing social philosophies and generalizations which the researcher is familiar with may be of a great help to design a research problem. The researcher may observe if there is a gap between theory and practice. Difference between what is said by the elders and what the youngsters see and observe may be a potential source of a problem. 2. Practitioners. Consultation with the people who have direct experiences in a field of interest may provide the researcher an idea of what relevant problem he/she may investigate. Practitioners such as teachers, social workers, health care providers, etc. are considered to be a good source of problem since they are directly experiencing difficulties and challenges which are needed to be addressed. 3. Personal experience. Daily experiences can provide the researcher an idea of what problem that needs a solution. Observation on what is happening in the community may allow him/her to see the common concerns of people or institutions which may be subjected for investigation. 4. Relevant literature. An extensive and thorough review of literature and studies relevant to the problem interest of the researcher may enable him/her to come up with a potential study. Through reviewing other available researches, the researcher may be able to determine gaps in knowledge and to subject them for replication. Thus, a good research problem will be ensured. RESEARCH TITLE A research title prefaces the study by providing a summary of the main idea and is usually short and concise. Writing it may seem to be a simple task but it actually requires more consideration on the part of the researcher. RESEARCH TITLE A research title should have the following characteristics: 1. It should summarize the main idea of the paper. 2. It should be a concise statement of the main topic. 3. It should include the major variables of the research study. 4. It should be self-explanatory. 5. It should describe or imply the participants of the study. 1. External Criteria Novelty Availability of Subjects Support of the Academic Community Availability and adequacy of facilities and equipment. a. Novelty. The research problem must carry “newness.” With this, its practical value would be easily perceived. b. Availability of subjects. A research problem, when is subjected to a further investigation, requires data from the target subjects. Hence, the researcher must ensure that there will be available participants who are capable of providing data needed for the study. c. Support of the academic community. The academic community, which consists of administrators, teachers, staff, students, and parents, should be considered by the researcher in what particular problem will be investigated. Each member plays a vital role in the conduct of the study. Hence, the research problem should be clearly perceived as beneficial once it is subjected for investigation. In addition, securing permission among the said members must be done before conducting the actual data collection procedure. d. Availability and adequacy of facilities and equipment. Necessary common devices such as computers and telephones which will be used in undertaking a study should be considered. Likewise, other needed materials required by the research problem should be checked if they are available and sufficient.  2. Internal Criteria Qualifications of the researcher Motivation and interest of the researcher Time factor Costs and returns Hazards and handicaps a. Qualifications of the researcher. These pertain to the expertise of the researcher to the problem. It is important to the researcher that he/she has enough knowledge and training when the research problem is subjected to further investigation so as to ensure the success of the undertaking. b. Motivation and interest of the researcher. The research problem which is in the interest of the researcher may give him/her satisfaction and enjoyment. Hence, completion of the research tasks will be efficiently attained. c. Time factor A research problem, when is subjected to a study, should suggest to be time-efficient. With this, the undertaking will be possibly accomplished in a given time frame. d. Costs and returns. It is also important that the researcher should consider a research problem which suggests to be cost-efficient. When it is subjected to a study, it must not be a sort of an expensive undertaking. e. Hazards and handicaps. This means that a research problem should not put the researcher in danger. The proposed study should be safe not only to the participants but moreover to the researcher himself/herself. Physical and mental health of the researcher must always be considered. Examples of Qualitative Research Title 1. The ‘Need to Transcend’: A Phenomenological Study on the Lived Experiences of Millennial Teachers (Lacdo-O et al., 2018) Examples of Qualitative Research Title 2. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s Political Speeches: A Critical Discourse Analysis (Remorosa, 2018) Examples of Qualitative Research Title 1. The ‘Need to Transcend’: A Phenomenological Study on the Lived Experiences of Millennial Teachers (Lacdo-O et al., 2018) Examples of Qualitative Research Title Less Mastered Competencies of Senior High School Students in Bukidnon during School Year 2020-2021  Characteristics of a Research Title 1. It should be limited only to substantive words with high consideration to the key variables such as the phenomenon under investigation, the participants, and the setting of the study.  Characteristics of a Research Title 2. It should use words that can create a positive impression among the readers. Avoid using abbreviations as well as some word constructions such as: “method,” “result,” and “investigation.”  Characteristics of a Research Title 3. It should be in the form of a phrase with correct use of capitalization, that is, the first letter appeared in the title as well as the first letter of each noun word should be capitalized. Characteristics of a Research Title 4. It should be concise by adequately implying the participants and the coverage of the study. Rationale of the Study Rationale of the study It is one of the major components in the introductory part of your research paper. According to Merriam-Webster, a rationale is: 1 : an explanation of controlling principles of opinion, belief, practice, or phenomena 2 : an underlying reason : basis According to Merriam-Webster, a rationale is: 1 : an explanation of controlling principles of opinion, belief, practice, or phenomena 2 : an underlying reason : basis In the context of research writing, a rationale pertains to the reasons why the study must be conducted. Consider the following questions: Is there a need to conduct a study about your chosen research topic? Does it pose a significant research problem? Does it matter to your academic discipline? Consider the following questions: Is there a need to conduct a study about your chosen research topic? Does it pose a significant research problem? Does it matter to your academic discipline? How to Write the Rationale of the Study? The rationale of the study must contain the following components: 1. Existing Literature - a background on what researches have already been done about the given subject. 2. Relevance to Local/Global Context - situational interconnectedness of individuals or things in varying perspectives. 3. Critical Background/Contextual Information - circumstances forming a background of an event, idea or subject, that enables the readers to understand the nature of the problem. 4. Research Gap - problems, issues or questions that have not been addressed or are yet to be understood. 5. Proof of Urgency - an urgent need to solve the existing problem. 6. Research Goal/Objective - the purpose why there is a need for the proposed study to be conducted.  Here are some questions to be considered in presenting justifications:  Why is this research important? What real life or everyday problem, issue, or question does the research relate to? Can people relate to the problem in local or global context? What benefit does the research promise?  What does the researcher hope to find out? What was wrong or incomplete about prior efforts already conducted? Does the research extend understanding of the phenomena being investigated?  Does it elaborate or fill in the gaps in the present knowledge? What is the research ultimately trying to achieve? The Statement of the Problem Writing the Problem Statement in a Qualitative Research In formulating the problem statement in a research paper, there are two types of problems which should be considered. These are the general problem and the specific problems. General problem pertains to the opening paragraph that gives specific details on other essential elements which are the purpose, major variables, participants, setting, and time coverage of the study. The said elements serve as a guide in order to properly formulate the general problem. Cristobal and Cristobal (2017) from their book Practical Research 1 for Senior High School presented guidelines in the writing of the general problem. These are as follows: 1. The general problem should clearly state the main task/s of the researcher. 2. The general problem should present the major variable/s related to the phenomenon to be investigated. 3. The general problem should identify the participants of the study. 4. The general problem should state the research setting as well as the time period of the study. 5. The general problem may indicate the intended output of the study such as an intervention program, module, policies, etc. 3. The general problem should identify the participants of the study. 4. The general problem should state the research setting as well as the time period of the study. 5. The general problem may indicate the intended output of the study such as an intervention program, module, policies, etc. After formulating the general problem of a study, enumeration of its specific problems should follow. Unlike the general problem which is stated in a declarative form, the specific problems are stated as questions. These formulated questions, moreover, should all be anchored on the general problem. With this, the researcher will be guided on how he/she will seek an answer to the problem. In addition, the researcher must also know that a specific question to be formulated must be a researchable question, that is, it should begin with words such as “what” and “how.” In this case, the researcher may be able to solicit responses which can ensure detailed data necessary to the study. Non-researchable questions, as in, those which are answerable by “yes” or “no” should be avoided. Non-Researchable Questions: 1. Do the participants use social media platforms for their communication purposes? 2. Are the participants using emojis in their online communication? 3. Can the participants understand the meaning of emojis used in conversations? 4. Will the emojis be used for a language content learning presentation strategy? Researchable Questions: 1. What are the most frequently used emojis by the participants in the corpus? 2. What are the pragmatic functions of emojis in the corpus? 3. How do multiple emojis affect the meaning of the discourse? 4. What learning content presentation strategy can be proposed based on the results of the study? Scope and Delimitation Scope and Delimitation is a specific part that summarizes the method, design, techniques, locale, instruments, population, process in analyzing the data, and the like. When we talk about the scope of research, it commonly refers to the depth your research area or parameters. This includes restriction of the target population, research local, specified duration, design, procedure, and instrument used. 1. Population –According to Majid (2018), this stands for the entire pool from which the sample is drawn. Consider these examples: a. Schools operating in Bataan (Private and Public) b. Senior High School Students of a School c. Grade 10 Students in a School Division d. Tricycle Drivers operating in a Barangay e. All Working Students in a grade level 2. Research Locale – It refers to the particular location where the study is conducted. Consider these examples: Elias A. Salvador National High School Schools Division of Quezon Binagbag Integrated High School Polytechnic University of the Philippines (Unisan) Barangay Silangang Calutan Agdangan, Quezon 3. Specific Duration. This stands for the exclusive time frame when the research is conducted. Consider these examples: School Year 2020 to 2021 From 2015 to 2020 From January 2020 to May 2022 4. Research Method – This refers to the systematic plan for conducting research which includes strategies, process, techniques, and procedures for collecting and analyzing data (MacDonald and Headlam 2008). 5. Protocols Followed. This refers to the standard procedure, system, or rules that you follow in gathering data. It can be the permission in the conduct of the study, communication letter to the respondents, or agreement on the conduct of interview. 6. Data Gathering Procedure. This refers to the step-by-step procedures that you employ before and during the data gathering. 7. Instrument. These are measurement devices that you use in your research. It can be in a form of test, survey, questionnaire, and the like. However, in qualitative research, you as the researcher is the instrument, and your interview guide serve as a tool in gathering the data (Bahrami, Soleimani, Yaghoobzadeh, & Ranjbar, 2016). 8. Data Analysis. These are the systematical processes you employ to describe or interpret your data. It can be thematic network analysis, dendogramming, structural analysis, text analysis, and Collaizi procedure. Delimitation, it refers to choices made by researcher that serves as boundary (Simon 2011). This includes research objectives, questions, variables, theoretical objectives you adopted, target samples, and justifications that limits the scope of the study. The term limitation is about the external and internal influences that researcher has no control of. They can be shortcomings, conditions or influences that cannot be avoided due to the limitation of the study. Thus, these limitations is a declaration of the possible influences to the result of the study. Commonly, scope and delimitation is written in three (3) paragraphs. The first paragraph contains methods, research design, research locale, time duration, population, sampling and class size. The second paragraph includes the instrument used, validation and protocols followed in the conduct of the study. The last paragraph is the declaration of data gathering and analysis. It is important that you need to provide proper justifications of the elements you will be using. It is done through the wisdom of the experts – citation. Significance of the Study Significance of the Study Cristobal and Cristobal (2017) states that research is a very noble undertaking if it makes significant contributions to the community and to the academic field or discipline where the researcher is affiliated with.  It should apparently identify the purpose that the research will serve and how it will contribute to the society, the country, the government, the institution or agency concerned, and the research community. After identifying the general significance of the study, the researcher also has to determine the beneficiaries who will directly gain from the results of the study. They may be classified as academic or non-academic. Academic beneficiaries may include educational staff, teachers, students and researchers, Non-academic beneficiaries may include stakeholders, policymakers, agencies, and organizations.  The researcher needs to cite the particular benefits that the beneficiaries will gain from the study. They refer to all advantages to be obtained by those directly involved especially the researchers and research users. Such benefits may be classified as: educational professional personal Study the following Significance of the Study section of sample research papers: Thank You!