Pangasinan State University

College of Teacher Education

Department of Social Sciences

Name: Kenneth M. Aguirre

Section: BSE-SOCIAL STUDIES III-1

Course Subject: Research in Social Studies

Topic: Sources of Research Topics

l. LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:

 Identify sources for research topics

 Give examples of research topics or ideas

ll. INTRODUCTION
Where do research ideas come from?
Ideas for research problems or topics can arise from a range of sources such as personal or
professional experience, a theory, the media, or other research studies.

III. Body
1. Personal or professional experience/ Casual observation - Sometimes casual
observation of what is going on in our life and environment may trigger our desire to
know more, and to have concrete knowledge of what is going on it can lead to the
formulation of a hypothesis and conducting of systematic research. Everyday
personal or professional experience may lead us to identify a problem for which we
would like a solution. Alternatively, we may encounter a question or questions that
we would like to try and answer.
 For example, on a personal level, you may prefer the taste of organically produced
vegetables and thus wonder if people in general prefer the taste of organically produced
vegetables to those produced non-organically. The research topic is a study into taste
preferences and the question 'do people in general prefer the taste of organically
produced vegetables to those produced non-organically?' Alternatively, for example, as
a professional nature reserve warden you may want to encourage the establishment and
spread of a particular plant species because you know it is a food source for a rare
butterfly. The research problem may be, 'how do I encourage the spread of the plant
species of interest?'
2. Theory - Theories are ideas about how things relate to each other. There are many
ways of expressing theories, some are very formal, others are informal. Theories
may be useful in suggesting interesting questions and generally guiding fieldwork,
but should not restrict us from exploring alternative explanations. The end result of
the research process is knowledge.

Here are some examples:

 Keynes' statement that ... 'men are disposed as a rule and on average, to increase
their consumption as their income increases, but not as much as the increase in their
income ...' is a theory.
 The idea that distance learners have different needs than on-campus students is a
theory.
 The assumption that every species has a fundamental niche, is a theory.

3. Replication of Previous Studies/ Clarification of Contradictory Research

Results - This occurs when the studies made in other fields or areas are conducted
in different fields and areas.
For example, one can replicate the study of the effect of population pressure on the
environment which was done in one district to another district to see if he will get the
same results.

4. Literature and the media - There are many sources of literature, such as books,
journal articles, and newspapers. When searching and reading literature it is possible
to encounter gaps in information and knowledge, and problems for which there is
currently no solution. These may provide a good basis for research. We are also
flooded with information presented by the media, such as television, which again
might give rise to research ideas.

For examples, social problems like unemployment, crimes, female genital

mutilation, current social and economic issues, etc.

IV. References:
https://www.soas.ac.uk/cedep-demos/000_P506_RM_3736-Demo/unit1/page_19.htm
https://geographypoint.com/2015/02/4-sources-and-4-characteristics-of-research-problem/