SH1920
Unit 2: Qualitative Research and Inquiry
Main Idea: Understanding and explaining an issue is as important as devising a solution.
Essential Question: If your research problem is irrelevant, how will it affect the rest of your study?
Characteristics of a Good Qualitative Research
Problem
• Feasibility – an adequate number of
subjects to be interviewed and at the same
time an adequate technical expertise on
any scope of a topic that is interesting
enough and can be managed by the
researcher.
• Novelty – the newness of a topic, either to
confirm or refute previous finding or to
extend a new finding to previous studies.
• Ethics – the assurance of giving due
respect to the participants of the research
in making sure they only experience
minimal harm, and without intruding into
their privacy.
• Relevance – the significant contributions of
the investigation to scientific knowledge,
and in the development of some policies
and actions intended for future research
directions.
Three (3) Basic Components of a Good
Qualitative Research Problem
1. The ideal situation – this is where you
provide the history of the issue and the
ideal scenario that can exist.
2. The main problem – this is where you not
only inform what the problem is, but also
answer what the problem is, and where,
why, and when it occurs.
3. The scope of the problem – this is where
you define the extent of your study and
give a brief overview of the kind of
methodology you would be using to work
out for the solution and provide
justifications for the selection of this study
and consequences that may be entailed.
Criteria for Evaluating Qualitative Research
Problems
1. The problem should not be too general or
too specific.
04 Handout 1
 student.feedback@sti.edu
2. The problem should be amenable to
change as data are collected and
analyzed.
3. The problem should not be biased with
restrictive assumptions or desired
findings.
4. The problem should be written in how and
what forms to focus on describing the
phenomena.
5. The problem should include a central
question as well as the participants and
the site.
Steps in Developing a Research Problem
1. Selection of the research topic – a list of
ideas can be classified as interesting
topics, some familiar while others
perplexing. Choose the most suitable
one.
2. Contemplating the ideas – explore the
phenomena by examining the problem’s
precipitating factors, how it is exactly
viewed or perceived by the researcher,
the responses of others who are involved
in the situation, personal involvement of
the researcher in the situation, values and
biases, and the contributions the
researcher has to offer.
3. Narrowing the topic – once a research
topic has been specified and
contemplated, the researcher must then
narrow it down to develop a research
problem by generating questions from the
research topic.
4. Reviewing the related literature – this
stage sheds light on the problem by
illuminating the topic and identification of
what is known and what is not known
about the research problem and therefore
allowing the specification of the research
problem and the establishment of a
theoretical framework and planning of
research methodology.
*Property of STI
Page 1 of 4
 SH1920

5. Writing the statement of the research research later with the recognition that the
problem – expressed in an interrogatory research is likely to garner a great deal of
statement such as “what are the burnout support and importance deemed relevant to a
experiences of elementary teachers,” larger community of researchers.
which serves as a guide to the researcher • The research should be clear – short,
in the course of designing the study in conceptually straightforward, and jargon-free
work culture. that is based on theoretical foundation using
abstract disciplinary language for the analysis
Six (6) Elements in Qualitative Research but stated in a clear and simple manner like
Statement keeping questions close to the topic or place
• Literature on the research topic that can you are researching. Determine your
provoke the research question’s relevance and intent and link your
• Scope of the problem question to a larger context.
• Importance and relevance of the problem • The research question should be
• Discipline that can be influenced by the researchable – clearly “doable” as one of the
study most common rationales for rejecting
• General characteristics or profile of the research questions that are too expensive to
participants of the study be carried out, thus consider limitations as
• Overall goal or aim of the study or the many very practical questions need to be
question to be answered considered when choosing your research
question.
Criteria for a Good Qualitative Purpose • The research question should be iterative – is
Statement an approach where insight and learning are
• The statement must be in a single gathered, allowing ideas or concepts to be
sentence only. developed through repeated interfaces with
• The statement must include the purpose the participants. An iterative qualitative
of the study. research allows certain dynamism in
• The statement must include the central investigating a problem with great flexibility of
phenomenon. the process combined with hands-on session
• Use qualitative words like “explore”, that allows the researcher to continually
“understand”, or “discover”. enhance the stimuli being developed.
• Note the participants (if any).
Research Title
• State the research site.
Giving the title for a qualitative research calls for
creativity, more than what quantitative research
Research Question
offers. This must be put on a title page which
• The research question should be evocative –
contains a running head that is flushed left at the
should catch the interest of the readers and
top of the page and a page number that is flushed
be drawn into the proposed study that
right at the top of the page.
engages with challenging topics, posing
innovative approaches to the exploration of
The title should be located at the top half of the page
problems that are not obvious and easily
and should be centered between margins. This
predictable.
page should include the title of your paper, your
• The research question should be relevant –
name, and your school affiliation.
clearly demonstrated relevance of research
question to society, a social group, or
The title is a very concise statement of what the
scholarly literature and debates are likely to
reader will find in the paper, identifying the major
be given more weight, when the question can
variables of the study.
fill in the gap which will be answered in your

04 Handout 1 *Property of STI

 student.feedback@sti.edu Page 2 of 4

A title exudes a lot of attraction that prods the
readers to an interesting topic, whether or not
reading of the text must continue. Formulating the
best and final title for the research suggests an
effective research statement that includes principal
words and ideas (concept variables) in giving a
glimpse of the study. The title also takes a unique
form, written in caps and lower case (CLC) bold
typeface set in an inverted pyramid structure. A title
is not the same as label which may just be a
deadwood without indication of the thrust and
direction of research.
The title must be descriptive and comprehensive
but concise. Long titles in research are just a waste
when they can be shortened without removing the
essence of the study. The following are examples
of wordy titles and their revised versions:
Two-part titles are creative but must be used
judiciously. Not because you have separated the
title and subtitle by a colon doesn’t mean a
complication in such a pithy statement of the
research with an explanation that delimits or
explains such title. The following examples show
when a two-part title is effective or not:
Significance of the Study
To know the significance of any inquiry, the
researcher must first consider what the research
rationale is. The significance of the study is
whatever you have deemed it to be. You decide the
significance of your study and be the better you can
articulate this, the stronger your thesis will be.
Researchers must have to review it over many
times before they can decide a direction where the
research is going. Choosing a study that you are
passionate about will make the work seem
effortless in citing the significance.
In writing the importance or significance of the
study, the researcher or writer must explain the
04 Handout 1
 student.feedback@sti.edu
SH1920
rationale, timeliness, and relevance of the study to
existing conditions. Also, the possible solutions to
existing problems or improvements must be
identified. It should also discuss the implications
such as the possible causes of the problems
discovered, the possible effects of the problems,
and the remedial measures to solve the problems.
In addition, the research must take into
consideration the individuals, groups or
communities who may be placed in a more
advantageous position on account of the study.
Phrases in Expressing the Significance of the
Study:
• Researchers may find the findings useful
as…
• This study will encourage them to…
• It will also serve as a basis in the study of…
• This study will contribute to…
• This study can help boost the…
• Through this study, the students will become
aware of…
• The results of this study will provide some
insights and information on how they…
Scopes and Limitations
The scope and limitations of qualitative research
are tandem ideas of what and what not the
researcher can do. The scope of research is the
coverage, the part of the research that was exactly
done, and where the information that was used
specifically came from.
Depending on a given subject, the scope can be
large or small, as there are three (3) basic steps to
follow. These are expressed in terms of focus
(subject matter coverage), locus (the place or
location of the study), and modus (mode or manner
of data- gathering). With these considerations, a
research can see the coverage of the research.
*Property of STI
Page 3 of 4
 SH1920

School Coercers Strike

School Coercers Strike Again – How to Pull Away

From a Bully

Juan dela Cruz

Matayog National High School

Poor
Case on the Implementation Phases of the Campaign Against Pork
Barrel to Combat Corruption – Perspectives of Selected Barangay
Residents in Metro Manila
Better
Perspectives on “Daang Matuwid” – Straight or Crooked Path?

Poor
Anime and Phenomenon on Violence of Young Filipino Males Playing
Computer Games in Internet Cafes in the City of Manila

Better
Phenomenology on Aggressive Behavior of Computer Gamers

Ineffective
A Study on Broadcast Journalism News Source Perceived by Selected
Students of Campus Journalism: A Comparative Approach

Improved
Reliability and Ethical Values of TV Broadcast Journalism Against
Citizen Journalism as News Source – Perspectives of Selected
Secondary Campus Press Students of Manila

Effective
David Conquers Goliath: Documentary Narratives of Kara David in
Solving Social Problems of Urban Communities

References
Henson, R. M. & Soriano, R. F. (2016). Practical research 1 qualitative research, world of reality dissections. Malabon City:
Mutya Publishing House Inc.
Marquez-Fong, S. R., & Tigno, C. R. (2016). Practical Research 1. Quezon City: Vibal Group, Inc.
Melegrito, M. F., Mendoza, D. J., & Mactal, R. B. (2017). Applied Research: An Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods
and Report Writing. Quezon City: Pheonix Publishing House, Inc.
Torneo, A., & Clamor-Torneo, H. (2018). An Introduction to Qualitative Research: Practical Research 1. Quezon City: Sibs
Publishing House, Inc.

04 Handout 1 *Property of STI

 student.feedback@sti.edu Page 4 of 4