RESEARCH 11

Unit II Lesson 1

CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERISTY – LAL-LO CAMPUS

 UNIT 2 LESSON 1. THE RESEARCH TITLE, SOURCES, AND CONSIDERATIONS

Learning Competencies:

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:

 Identify the different sources of research problems;
 Formulate own research titles;

HUNTING INFORMATION

The Research Title

Generally, the title:

1. Should summarize the main idea of the paper

2. Should be a concise statement of the main topic;

3. Must include the major variable/s;

4. Should show the relationship of the main variables under study; and

5. Must be self-explanatory.

The researcher must be reminded of the following:

1. In formulating the title, the researcher should avoid using words that serve no useful purposes and
can mislead indexers. Words such as methods, results, and investigations appear redundant when used
in thesis titles.

2. In many cases, the general problem or even the specific question that the researcher intends
to answer, when rewritten in a statement form, can serve as the title.

3. The title must have 10 to 15 words.

Sample Research Titles:

1. Acceptability of Cacao Flavoured Breadsticks ( Diego&Mangalas, 2019)
2. Culinary Mapping in the Municipality of Gattaran : Basis for a proposed Food
Tourism Development Framework (Real et al., 2019)
3. Production and Development of Okra flavoured Chips (Balanza & Constantino 2019)
4. Comparative Study of Vinegar Making out of Rattan( Salacca) Fruits ( Cadiente et al.,2019)
5.Formulation of Oyster Mushroom Balls Enriched Flavored With Common Herbs
and Spices(Diego, Mamalio et al., 2019)
6.Tracer Study of the Hospitality Industry Management Graduates of Cagayan States
University Lal-lo Cagayan( Barit, Capili et.al., 2019)
7. Development of Squash Flavored Polvoron (Barroga & Ruiz, 2019)
8. Formulation and Evaluation of Mulberry Fruit in Making Ketchup ( Galapia & Pattuinan,
2019)
9.The Impact of Using Different Social Media Platforms on the Tourism Industry of
the Municipality of Lal-lo ( Acebedo, Labrador et al., 2019)
10. Vegetable Tops Enriched Polvoron( Cabutaje & Mariano, 2019)

I.Sources of Research Topics

Research problems may exist in various settings such as hospitals or clinics, schools or offices, or
anywhere in the community. Research problems are commonly found in places where there is/are:

1. A feeling of discomfort,

2. Perceived difficulties in the management and leadership system;

3. Gap between the theory and the practice;

4. Daily experiences of a person that require further inquiry especially if improvements are
desired; and/or

5. A procedure that requires technologically advanced equipment which need to function properly.

Likewise, a discerned problem is said to be researchable when it meets the following criteria:

1. Solutions are available but not yet tested and not known by the practitioner.

2. No solutions are available to answer the problem assessed.

3. Answers, solutions, or results are seemingly not tested or are factually contradictory.

4. A phenomenon exists which requires explanation.

5. There are several possible and plausible explanations for the existence of an undesirable condition.
 Literature reviews and past studies can also be rich sources of research problems. These
readings can lead a student to a topic, and its scope and clues for further studies. The repetition of a
previous research study in a different setting and time is called replication. Implementing a change in
variables-adding more significant variables or removing less significant ones, changing the
participants/respondents, and revising and improving the research scope and delimitation-can make a
study invaluable even if the research problem is not original. While a replication study is allowed,
conducting research on a novel case or problem is of greater merit.

A research problem may also be based on the researcher's curiosity and interest. A' researcher
may become more zealous and determined in finishing a study if it involves a topic of his/her interest.
For example, a student who devotes much time to online activities can conduct a study on the role of
computer in improving the quality of business, management, and leadership, or healthcare services in
hospitals.

The Statement of the Problem

I. Elements of Research Problems

 Aim or purpose of the problem for investigation. This answers the question “Why?” Why is
there an investigation, inquiry or study?
 The subject matter or topic to be investigated. This answers the question “What?” What is to
be investigated or studied?
 The place or locale where the research is to be conducted. This answers the question
“Where?” Where is the study to be conducted?
 The period or time of the study during which the data are to be gathered. This answers
the question “When?” When is the study to be carried out.
 Population or universe from whom the data are to be collected. This answers the
question “Who?” or “From whom?” who are the respondents?

II. Guidelines in the Selection of a Research Problems

A. External Criteria

1. Novelty - is the practical value of the problem due to its "newness" in the field of inquiry.
2. Availability of subjects- refers to people with desired capability and willingness to participate in the
study, the sample of study participants must be representative enough to ensure reliability and
validity of results.

3. Administrative support - refers to the sponsorship by a department or the institution itself in the
gathering of data and defraying the cost of the study; permission of those concerned for the
participation in the study of staff members, children, the aged and the mentally challenged must
be secured.

4. Availability and adequacy of facilities and equipment devices such as computers, telephones,
etc. used in undertaking the research must be considered.

5 Ethical considerations -include avoidance of research problems that pose unethical demands on the
part of the research participants.

After the researcher has clarified the rationale, identified the degree of seriousness of the
problem, the literature review, and the overall objective, the formulation of the heart of the thesis- the
statement of the general and the specific problems must be done.

The opening paragraph of this part of the research paper contains the general problem of the
thesis. The following are Examples of a general problem:

1. The overall purpose of this study is to assess the intrapersonal and interpersonal competencies of
school managers, and how they contribute to school effectiveness in the Division of City Schools in
Balanga, Bataan for school year 2001- 2002. (Cristobal, 2003).

2. This investigation aims to assess the level of performance of the college instructors and relate it to the
efficiency level of the management students undergoing on-the-job training in selected businesses.

3. The study focuses on how students, teachers, and school related factors affect the performance of
secondary student in Chemistry laboratory classes in schools in Balanga City during school year 2008-
2009

The general problem is followed by an enumeration of specific problems, The specific problems
are usually stated as questions the researcher seeks to answer.

The specific problems must meet the following críteria:

1. They must be in question form

2. They must define the population and the sample of the study the respondents.

3. They must identify the variables being studied.

4. They must be empirically testable.

III. Types of a Research Problem

 There are two general types of questions formulated in research.

These are the non-researchable and researchable questions. Non-researchable questions are questions
of value. These are questions that are answerable by yes or no.

Examples:

1. Should all mothers breastfeed their babies?

2 Should college instructors be watchful over their freshman students?

3. Should the colleges offering accountancy majors mandate their graduates to have a review
before taking the licensure examinations?

4. Do all college instructors have master's degree?

5. Are family members helping their children who are in college to pass the needed requirements?

6. Do supervisors and superintendents perform well in their managerial tasks and functions?

A. Researchable questions
Are questions of value, opinions, or policy raised to accumulate data. Formulating a clear,
significant question prepares the researcher for subsequent decision-making over research design, data
collection, and data analysis. The basic form of a research questions involves the use of question words
such as who, what, where, when, why, and how.

Types of Research Questions (Dickoff et al., as cited in Wilson, 1990)

I. Factor-isolating questions ("What is this?"). They are sometimes called factor-naming questions. They
isolate, categorize, describe, or name factors and situations.

Examples

II. Factor-relating questions ("What is happening here?"). Their goal is to determine the relationship
among factors that have been identified

Examples

A. What relationships and interrelationships are observed between and among the
following variables?

1. intrapersonal competency;

2. interpersonal competency;

and 3 school effectiveness?

B. What are the factors that affect school effectiveness?

C. What is the relationship of the level of performance of the college instructors to the OJT
performance of the HRM students of APCAS?

D. What is the significant difference in the assessment between deans and faculty on the following?

1. recruitment and selection of faculty;

2. retention of faculty;

3. supervision of faculty;

4. evaluation of faculty performance; and

5. faculty development?

E. What is the significant difference in the assessment of the college coordinator's competencies in
the curriculum delivery as assessed by the students, college instructors, and academic coordinators
in four selected colleges of CSU ?

III. Situation-relating questions ("What will happen if...?"). These questions usually yield hypotheses
testing or experimental study designs in which the researcher manipulates the variables to see what will
happen.

IV. Situation-producing questions. ("How can I make it happen?").

These questions establish explicit goals for actions, develop plan or prescriptions to achieve goals, and
specify the conditions under which these goals will be accomplished.

References:

Aquino, G. (2015). Essentials of Research and Thesis Writing

Calmorin, L. & Calmorin, M. (2007). Research Methods and thesis writing.
Cristobal, A. & Cristobal, M. (2013). Research Made Easier: A step by step process. C&E Publishing
Inc.
Korthari, C. R. (2004). Research Methodology Methods and Techniques. New Age International
Publishers.
Passer, M. (2014). Research Methods: Concepts and Connections. Worth Publishers.
Tuarabian, K. (2015). Manual for writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations
Walliman N. (2011) Research Methods: The Basics. The Routledge
https://www.academia.edu/10429507/RESEARCH_METHODOLOGY_ppt_1
https://www.academia.edu/31664171/CHOOSING_A_RESEARCH_TOPIC_ppt