Lesson 2

Presenting the
Background of
the Study and
Establishing the
Research Gap
Questions that the Background of
the Study answers:

1. “What is it all about?”

2. “What are the previous studies telling about
your topic of choice?”
3. “What facts are already presented which you
can anchor to your own work and thus would
strengthen it in the conquest of seeking answers
to your questions?”

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RESEARCH BACKGROUND
• The background of the study contains the brief outline of
what mainly the study is all about.
• It provides understanding of the issue/problem studied +
reasons for conducting the study.
• It is a brief outline of the most important studies that
have been conducted so far presented in a chronological
order.
• The rresearch background should also include a brief
discussion of major theories and models related to the
research problem.
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RESEARCH BACKGROUND
• When writing the research background, you also need to
demonstrate how your research relates to what has been
done so far in this research area.

• This is written after the literature review.

• Therefore, literature review has to be the first and the

longest stage in the research process, even before the
formulation of research aims and objectives, right after the
selection of the research area.

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Deductive approach
• allows information to be presented in a systematic manner
from the general concept to the specific one that directs the
audience to understand the gap that you wish to give
emphasis in your paper.
Research Gap
• is an issue that has not been fully addressed by previous
studies.
• Doing this helps you show where your research stands
in the academic field.
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Sample topic:
Effects of traffic in your city/community
To establish the background of your study, you need to
discuss several aspects describing your topic:
1. Provide a brief overview of the changes in the traffic
situation in your city through the years.
2. Discuss and determine the effects of heavy traffic on
both passengers and motorists.
3. Explain the factors that contribute to heavy traffic in
your city.
• Possible factors include the increase in the
number of vehicles on the road and problems in
the enforcement of traffic rules and regulations
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SIGNS:
S – Start with a systematic account of general to specific
information
I – Include observations and experiences pertinent to the
topic being focused
G – Generate ideas and concepts related to the problem
N – Note the researcher’s interest in the study
being conducted
S – State the main goal of the foregoing research in creating
the background of the study

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Research Title:
Bactericidal Effect of Centella asiatica (Gotu
Kola) Ethanolic Leaf Extract on Staphylococcus
aureus and Escherichia coli

So, what is the main problem of this study?

The anti-bacterial effectiveness of Gotu Kola

on several bacteria.

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Highlight: The anti-bacterial effectiveness of
Gotu Kola on several bacteria
General Idea: Nature of bacteria and its types

Narrower Topics:
1. the effect of bacteria when it enters the host’s body
2. So, the concept of infection may follow.
3. From the concept of infection, several forms of treatment may be
introduced which could be the use of synthetic medications in
order to combat bacterial infection.

Closer Ideas:
Use of traditional medicines in the form of plant extracts.

Specific Idea:
Centella asiatica (Gotu Kola)
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Four Components:

1. Current State of the Field

2. Current and conventional practices in
addressing the issue.
3. The research gap
4. Contribution of the present study in
addressing the research gap.

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1. The Current State of the Field
Explain that the general field in which your current
study is situated remains to be a significant area of
research up to the present

2. The current and conventional practices

in addressing the issue
Discuss the current practices being used by
researchers, practitioners or authorities within the
particular field you are investigating.
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3. The research gap
Explains that there are other aspects under the topic
which may not have been addressed by current
practices and conventions in your field of study.

4. The contribution of the present study

in addressing the research gap
Discuss how your own study will help fill
in the research gap you have identified.

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In writing this section, avoid making negative or
biased remarks.

For instance, refrain from using the words

neglected and failed when presenting
conventions in a certain field. Instead, phrase or
re-state your idea in an objective manner:

“While the study of (Author A) investigates the

area of _ , the current study focuses on
_______.”

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LET’S TRY IT!
Read the paragraph and identify the four components in establishing the
research gap.

Many forms of instruction, both traditional and alternative have been

introduced to develop student’s mathematical-logical skills. One
approach that continues to be widely used in Asia is Singapore Math.
Though many studies have attempted to substantiate the effectiveness
(see Jaciz, Hegseth & Toby, 2015: Powell, 2014), there remains a
dearth (scarcity or lack) of empirical studies that have investigated the
effectiveness of Singapore Math in the Philippines. As Corpus (2015)
argued, there is a need to conduct more studies on approaches that
will help Filipino students become equipped with the necessary
mathematical skills which are on par with their ASEAN counterparts.
Following the suggestion, this study investigated the effects of
Singapore Math on developing the mathematical logical skill of Filipino
students in selected public high schools in the Philippines.
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The current state of the field

The current and conventional

practices in the field

The research gap

The present study’s contribution

to addressing the research gap:

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Constructing an Ideal Framework
FRAMEWORK – structure which
serves as the guide in the
development of the study which are
based on the identification of key
concepts and relationships that exist
among them.

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Two Types of Framework
1. Theoretical Framework
2. Conceptual Framework

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Theoretical Framework
 provides a large, general structure of ideas a
researcher can draw and eventually anchor in
his/her study which is usually adopted from several
theories supporting a particular claim which could
be related to what you are working with

 as an adopted framework, the objective of this is

to strengthen the basis of the study and
eventually relate the said theory as to how it is
applicable to the goals which are being set forth in
the research to be conducted

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Example:

Bactericidal Effect of Centella asiatica (Gotu Kola)

Ethanolic Leaf Extract on Staphylococcus aureus
and Escherichia coli

Suggested Theoretical Framework:

Agent-Host-Environment Model of Health
Establishes the fact that bacterial infection takes place
when pathogens invade the host’s body in the
environment where both of them thrives

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Conceptual Framework
 focuses on integrating the specific ideas the
researcher uses in the study which is mainly
constructed on the basis of relationship of the
variables used

 is focused on how the research will work and how

the different variables will be used in order to
answer the problems set forth in the study which is
mainly placed in a figure represented by shapes
and arrows.

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Conceptual Framework
 utilizes the independent, dependent and
confounding variables respectively placed in a
diagram in order to see how they can influence
each other during the process of working with
the study following the IV-DV- CV Model .

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USING THE IPO MODEL
Level of Satisfaction of College Students on the Use of Google
Classroom as an Online Learning Platform.
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Hypothesis

1. Null Hypothesis
2. Alternative Hypothesis

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Hypothesis

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