Nabua National High School

Learning Activity Sheets

INQUIRIES, INVESTIGATION, AND IMMERSION
No. 2 Quarter 3

Name of Learner: _______________________________________________________________________

Learning Area/Grades: ______________________________________ Date:_______________________

I.
INTRODUCTORY CONCEPT

Long before you create a research proposal, let alone conduct your research,
you need to identify a problem to address and then a question or questions to ask
regarding your targeted problem. This learning activity sheets discusses the
nature of a research problem, where you might get ideas for a problem to
investigate, narrowing down or focusing on a particular problem to address, and
writing good research questions. It then discusses finding literature that is
relevant to and helpful in clarifying your targeted problem and question(s).

LEARNING SKILLS FROM THE MELCS

Formulates clearly the statement of research problem

WARMING UP

TASK 1. Instruction: Answer the question using the “KWL” chart. Recall the
concepts that you learned in Practical Research 1 and 2. Please use notebook or a
separate sheet of paper in answering the activity.

WHAT IS REASEARCH?
KNOW WHAT TO KNOW LEARNED

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

TASK 2. Instruction: Given the box of words, come up with a question an

create a statement of a problem. Please use notebook or a separate sheet of paper in
answering the activity.

pandemic travel restraint online learning social distancing job loss

(Ex. For online learning)

1.What are the difficulties encountered by the Senior High School students of NNHS in
online class? ____________________________________________________________________________

Problem Statement: The objective of the study is to describe and understand the difficulties
encountered by senior high school of NNHS in online class.

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 LEARNING ABOUT IT

What Is a Research Problem?

➢ A research problem, or phenomenon as it might be called in many forms of qualitative

research, is the topic you would like to address, investigate, or study, whether
descriptively or experimentally. It is the focus or reason for engaging in your research.
It is typically a topic, phenomenon, or challenge that you are interested in and with
which you are at least somewhat familiar.

Where Do You Find a Problem or Phenomenon to Study?

➢ Since a research problem is usually something you have some knowledge of, that
personal experience is often a good starting point. Realistically, you have to select
something that you are interested in, because you are going to commit yourself to a
significant investment of time and energy. Thus, if you are not personally interested,
it will be difficult to sustain the effort needed to complete the research with any
measure of quality or validity. You may want to talk to teachers, counselors,
administrators, psychologists, or others about some of the problems they face. For
example, your ideas may come out of experiences like Johnny’s shout outs, Madeline’s
reading rate, or Esmerelda’s trouble with math that we’re discussed in Chapter 1. You
may find an interesting idea that way and, in addition, address something that may
have social significance beyond your research project, thesis, or dissertation.
Moreover, by addressing the questions of practicing educators, you may develop
important relationships with future research partners and participants.

What Is a Research Question?

➢ A research question is a way of expressing your interest in a problem or phenomenon.
Research questions are not necessarily an attempt to answer the many philosophical
questions that often arise in schools, and they are certainly not intended to be an
avenue for grinding personal axes regarding classroom or school issues. You may have
more than one research question for a study, depending on the complexity and
breadth of your proposed work. Each question should be clear and specific, refer to
the problem or phenomenon, reflect an intervention in experimental work, and note
the target population or participants. Identifying a research question will provide
greater focus to your research or clarify the direction of your investigation, whether
the research is descriptive or experimental. Quite significantly, a well-written research
question will also shed light on appropriate research methods (e.g., specify the
intended actions of the variables and how an experimental intervention might be
measured)

Characteristics of Good Research Questions

➢ Are specific.
➢ Are clear.
➢ Refer to the problem or phenomenon.
➢ Reflect the intervention in experimental research.
➢ Note the target group of participants.

How to write a problem statement

After you have identified a research problem for your project, the next step is to
write a problem statement. An effective problem statement is concise and concrete. It
should:

• Put the problem in context (what do we already know?)

• Describe the precise issue that the research will address (what do we need to
know?)
• Show the relevance of the problem (why do we need to know it?)
• Set the objectives of the research (what will you do to find out?)

When should you write a problem statement?

There are various situations in which you might have to write a problem statement.

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 In businesses and other organizations, writing a problem statement is an
important step in improvement projects. A clearly defined and well-understood
problem is crucial to finding and implementing effective solutions. In this case, the
problem statement is usually a stand-alone document.

In academic research, writing a problem statement can help you

contextualize and understand the significance of your research problem. A problem
statement can be several paragraphs long and serve as the basis for your research
proposal, or it can be condensed into just a few sentences in the introduction of
your paper or thesis.

The problem statement will look different depending on whether you’re

dealing with a practical real-world problem or a theoretical scientific issue. But all
problem statements follow a similar process.

Step 1: Contextualize the problem

The problem statement should frame your research problem in its particular
context and give some background on what is already known about it.

➢ Practical research problems

For practical research, focus on the concrete details of the situation:

• Where and when does the problem arise?

• Who does the problem affect?
• What attempts have been made to solve the problem?

Example
Voter turnout in region X has been decreasing steadily over the past ten
years, in contrast to other areas of the country. According to surveys conducted by
organization Y, turnout is lowest among under-25s and people on low incomes.
There have been some effective attempts at engaging these groups in other regions,
and in the last two elections parties A and B increased their campaigning efforts in
region X, but these interventions have yet to have any significant effect on turnout.

➢ Theoretical research problems

For theoretical research, think about the scientific, social, geographical and/or
historical background:

• What is already known about the problem?

• Is the problem limited to a certain time period or geographical area?
• How has the problem been defined and debated in the scholarly literature?

Example

In the past ten years, the “gig economy” has become an increasingly
important segment of the labour market. Under-30s are more likely to engage in
freelance, contracted or zero-hour work arrangements instead of traditional full-time
jobs. Research on the reasons for and consequences of this shift has focused on
objective measures of income, working hours and employment conditions, but there
has been little work exploring young people’s subjective experiences of the gig
economy.

Step 2: Show why it matters

The problem statement should also address the relevance of the research:
why is it important that the problem is solved?

This doesn’t mean you have to do something groundbreaking or world-

changing. It’s more important that the problem is researchable, feasible, and clearly
addresses a relevant issue in your field.

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 ➢ Practical research problems
Practical research is directly relevant to a specific problem that affects an
organization, institution, social group, or society more broadly. To make it clear why
your research problem matters, you can ask yourself:

• What will happen if the problem is not solved?

• Who will feel the consequences?
• Does the problem have wider relevance (e.g. are similar issues found in other
contexts)?

Example

Low voter turnout has been shown to have negative associations with social
cohesion and civic engagement, and is becoming an area of increasing concern in
many European democracies. When specific groups of citizens lack political
representation, they are likely to become more excluded over time, leading to an
erosion of trust in democratic institutions. Addressing this problem will have
practical benefits for region X and contribute to understanding of this widespread
phenomenon.

Step 3: Set your aims and objectives

Finally, the problem statement should frame how you intend to address the
problem. Your goal should not be to find a conclusive solution, but to seek out the
reasons behind the problem and propose more effective approaches to tackling or
understanding it.

The aim is the overall purpose of your research. It is generally written in the
infinitive form:

• The aim of this study is to determine…

• This project aims to explore…
• I aim to investigate…

The objectives are the concrete steps you will take to achieve the aim:

• Qualitative methods will be used to identify…

• I will use surveys to collect…
• Using statistical analysis, the research will measure…

ACTIVITIES

Activity 1. Proposed Research Problem

Instruction. Topics are given below. List possible concerns, problems or issues you
can think of or have encountered relative to it. The first one is done for you. Please
use notebook or a separate sheet of paper in answering the activity.

Topic Relative Problems or Issues

Social Media a.Effects of Social media to the interpersonal skills of the
students
b. impact of social media to the academic performance
c. over reliance of teens in social media
COVID-19 a.
b.
c.
Balik- a.
Probensiya b.
Program c.
Modular a.
Distance b.
Learning c.
Online Classes a.
b.
c.

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Activity 2. Narrow Down the Topic
Instruction. Topic in Activity 1 will be used in this activity. In column A. write a
general idea that may lead to a research problem. In column B. narrow down the
general idea to target a particular aspect of the topic. The first topic is answered to
serve as an example. Please use notebook or a separate sheet of paper in answering
the activity.

Topic Column A Column B

General Topic Narrow It Down
Social Media Social Media and Social Media and Its Impact on the
Academic Academic Performance
Performance

Impact of Social Media on the Academic

Performance of High School Students of
Nabua National High School
COVID-19
Balik-Probensiya
Program
Modular Distance
Learning

REMEMBER
RESEARCH QUESTION
A research question is the question around which you center your research. It
should be:
• clear: it provides enough specifics that one’s audience can easily
understand its purpose without needing additional explanation.
• focused: it is narrow enough that it can be answered thoroughly in the
space the writing task allows.
• concise: it is expressed in the fewest possible words.
• complex: it is not answerable with a simple “yes” or “no,” but rather
requires synthesis and analysis of ideas and sources prior to composition of
an answer.
• arguable: its potential answers are open to debate rather than accepted
facts.

ADDITIONAL TASK

Drafting the Research Question

This activity will give you more practice in drafting your research questions.
The worksheets are more appropriate when the nature of the study is action
research. Give what is asked in Column A. Put your answer in Column B. Brief
descriptions are given in Column B. Please use notebook or a separate sheet of
paper in answering the activity.

A B
Problem or Issue (Write a focusing question about the problem you are
interested in)
Answer:
People most affected by (Identify the people most affected by the issue)
the Issue Answer:
Type of Problem (Identify if the problem is about knowledge, skills, attitude
or feelings.)
Answer:
Probable cause of the (Based on your data analysis, what is the most significant
problem cause contributing to this problem.)
Answer:
Goal for Improvement (This describes how you will impact the problem. This
becomes the basis of your goal statement
Proposed solution to (This becomes the basis of your action planning.)
the problem Answer:

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 ANSWER KEY

Warming Up- Task 1 and 2- Answers may vary.

Activities 1 and 2- Answers may vary.
Additional Task- Answers may vary.

II. REFERENCES
SANGGUNIAN
III.
SHS Applied Subjects: Inquiries, Investigation and Immersion, Quarter1-
Module 2: Identifying the Problem and Asking Questions, First Edition, 2020,
Department of Education-Region Office 5.

https://www.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/36330_Chapter2.pdf
https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/problem-statement/

Prepared by:

LORENZ C. ALMENDRAS
NNHS, SHS Teacher

Reviewed by:

MARIANE N. VILLAR
NNHS, SHS Teacher

Validated by:

MARIETTA P. BONANZA
MTII/ Content Evaluator

Approved by:

MOISES C. CABIDA JR., PhD

Secondary School Principal IV