Writing Research

Question & Developing

Proposal Title

Dr. Laila S. Lomibao

Department of Mathematics Education
College of Science & Technology Education
University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines
 Asking meaningful
Research and answerable
Questions questions is often
the most important
phase of research
 Topic choices
What is your topic? generally start
out too broad.
We use the
What do you want to know flowchart to
about your topic? narrow our
topics to more
What are you going to do
manageable
to answer the question? ones.

How will you gather your

data?

What kind of data you

expect to gather?
Can the data be reduce to variables?

• If yes......identify what are this variables?

Independent Dependent
Variables Variables
 Types of Research Questions
1. Descriptive questions –seek to describe
phenomena or characteristics of a particular
group of subjects being studied.
• Such questions describe what is….?
• Data are typically gathered by asking questions of a group of
individuals, observing their behaviour, or measuring (testing) their
performance on specified tasks.
• Lead to answers about the frequency, duration, intensity of the
behaviour of interest and range of behaviours performed by the
subject of interest.
• Often the basis for survey research as well as qualitative
research.
Examples:
1. What is the students’ perception on the use of mathematical
modelling in solving real-world problem as a method of teaching?
2. What is the assessment of mathematics teachers of the programed
learning tool as to significance viz-a viz:
a. its relevance to the curriculum;
b. the availability of local materials; and
c. adaptation for another topics in the curriculum.
3. How does the child with ADHD and Specific Learning Disorder with
Impairment in Mathematics respond towards an online OG-Math
intervention in terms of her working behavior?
4. How does Orton-Gillingham Math approach in teaching basic
operation addition skills to a child with ADHD and Specific Learning
Disorder with impairment in Mathematics lead to an improvement in her
addition skills?
 2. Difference questions – seek to make
comparisons between or within groups.
• Ask the questions: is there a difference ……?
• Associated with experimental research, where at the
simplest level a researcher is comparing an experimental
group that has been exposed to some treatment to a
control group that has not received the treatment.
• Comparisons that are made between pretest
performance and posttest performance.
• For non-experimental research in which the researcher
is interested in comparing one group to another on the
basis of existing characteristics.
Example
1. How do students’ achievement scores compare
as influenced by mathematical ability and
methods of teaching?
2. Is there a significant difference between the
students’ attitude towards mathematics as
influenced by the mathematical ability and
method of teaching?
3. Is there a significant difference between the
students’ mathematics conceptual
understanding as an effect of the two teaching
methods?
3. Relationship questions – investigate the
degree to which two or more variables co-
vary or are associated with each other.
• Typically the researcher obtains
measurements on two or more variables
for a group of subjects and then computes
some index of association, often a
correlation coefficient.
• The intent of such question is simply to
determine the extent to which the
variables are related, not to establish
cause and effect.
Example:
1. Is there interaction of students’
achievement scores as influenced by the
mathematical ability and method of
teaching?
2. Is there interaction of students’ attitude
towards mathematics compare as
influenced by the mathematical ability
and method of teaching?
 What are the criteria for writing a good
research question?
• Is the question open-ended?
• Does the question assume an answer? Is it unbiased?
• Does the question have appropriate scope-not too broad or too
specific?
• Is the question based in research literature? Does it reflect current
research?
• Is the question stated clearly and concisely?
• Can the question be answered by collecting data?
• Is the question ethical?
• Is the connection between your ‘action” and your expected outcome
strong enough?
• Is the question significant?
• Is the question feasible?
 Developing a proposal title
• Quite frequently, the title of the research project is the
last decision made by the researcher.
• All proposals will be titled, but the name given to the
project at this time is considered only temporary.
• It may be changed several times before being finalized.
The title is important in that it is the first thing the reader
sees.
• Based on the title, the reader will continue reading or
lose interest. A brief title, one that is streamlined, is
currently preferred.
• The title should be long enough to cover the subject of
the research, but short enough to be interesting. Usually,
twelve to fourteen words in sufficient.
 Questions to be asked when contemplating
with a proposed research title:
• Does the title precisely identify the area of the problem?
• Is the title clear, concise, and adequately descriptive to
permit indexing the study in its proper category?
• Does the title identify the key variables and provide
some information about the scope of the study?
• Do nouns, as opposed to adjectives, serve as the key
words in the title?
• Are the most important words placed at the beginning of
the title?
 Activity 3
1. Formulate your research questions.
(Based on this from the preliminary literature reviews and annotated
bibliography you’ve done from Activity 2)

2. Write the tentative or working title of your

study.