2nd QUARTER WEEKLY HOME LEARNING PLAN

Learning Area: PRACTICAL RESEARCH 2 Grade level: 12 Date taken: _______________

Learner’s Name: _____________________ Teacher: FREMALEN JULIET C. ROBINOL/09367728914

Learning Learning Tasks

Competency
The learner will be QUARTER 4- MODULE 4 UNDERSTANDING DATA AND WAYS TO SYSTEMATICALLY COLLECT DATA
able to: Lesson 1 – 7.
Choose appropriate  Lesson 1: Read “What’s In” p. 1, “What I Need to Know”p. 1, and “What Is It” p.3 .
quantitative research  Lesson 2: Read “What’s In” p. 8, “What I Need to Know”p. 8, and “What Is It” pp.9-11.
design as one go  Lesson 3: Read “What I Need to Know”p. 15, and “What Is It” pp.17-18
through the learning  Lesson 4: “What Is It” p.23 .
on the  Lesson 5: Read “What’s In” p. 25, “What I Need to Know”p. 25, and “What Is It” p.26-27 .
 Selecting  Lesson 6: Read “What’s In” p. 30, “What I Need to Know”p. 30, and “What Is It” p.31-32 .
appropriate  Lesson 7: Read “What Is It” p.36, and Summary on p.39 .
quantitative  Answer “Assessment” pp.40-41.
research design. QUARTER 4- MODULE 5 DATA COLLECTION, PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS
 Lesson 1: Read “What’s In” p. 1, “What I Need to Know”p. 1, and “What Is It” pp. 2-11 .Answer Activity
3 & 4 pp.1
 Lesson 2: Read “What’s In” p. 16, “What I Need to Know”p. 16-17, and “What Is It” pp.19-21 .
 Lesson 3: Read “What’s In” p. 26, “What I Need to Know”p. 26, and “What Is It” pp. 27-38 .
 Answer the “Assessment” pp.38-40.
. QUARTER 4- MODULE 6 RESEARCH CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
 Lesson 1: Read “What’s In” p. 1, “What I Need to Know”p. 1, and “What Is It” pp. 3-4 .
 Lesson 2: Read “What’s In” p. 9, “What I Need to Know”p.9, and “Summary” p.16 .
 Answer the “Assessment” pp.38-40.
PERFORMANCE TASK: Make a Research Paper Introduction ( Chapter 1) Guide will be sent thru your
Group Chat.

2nd QUARTER WEEKLY HOME LEARNING PLAN

Learning Area: PRACTICAL RESEARCH 2 Grade level: 12 Date taken: _______________
Learner’s Name: _____________________ Teacher: FREMALEN JULIET C. ROBINOL/09367728914

Learning Learning Tasks

Competency
The learner will be QUARTER 4- MODULE 4 UNDERSTANDING DATA AND WAYS TO SYSTEMATICALLY COLLECT DATA
able to: Lesson 1 – 7.
Choose appropriate  Lesson 1: Read “What’s In” p. 1, “What I Need to Know”p. 1, and “What Is It” p.3 .
quantitative research  Lesson 2: Read “What’s In” p. 8, “What I Need to Know”p. 8, and “What Is It” pp.9-11.
design as one go  Lesson 3: Read “What I Need to Know”p. 15, and “What Is It” pp.17-18
through the learning  Lesson 4: “What Is It” p.23 .
on the  Lesson 5: Read “What’s In” p. 25, “What I Need to Know”p. 25, and “What Is It” p.26-27 .
 Selecting  Lesson 6: Read “What’s In” p. 30, “What I Need to Know”p. 30, and “What Is It” p.31-32 .
appropriate  Lesson 7: Read “What Is It” p.36, and Summary on p.39 .
quantitative  Answer “Assessment” pp.40-41.
research design. QUARTER 4- MODULE 5 DATA COLLECTION, PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS
 Lesson 1: Read “What’s In” p. 1, “What I Need to Know”p. 1, and “What Is It” pp. 2-11 .Answer Activity
3 & 4 pp.1
 Lesson 2: Read “What’s In” p. 16, “What I Need to Know”p. 16-17, and “What Is It” pp.19-21 .
 Lesson 3: Read “What’s In” p. 26, “What I Need to Know”p. 26, and “What Is It” pp. 27-38 .
 Answer the “Assessment” pp.38-40.
. QUARTER 4- MODULE 6 RESEARCH CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
 Lesson 1: Read “What’s In” p. 1, “What I Need to Know”p. 1, and “What Is It” pp. 3-4 .
 Lesson 2: Read “What’s In” p. 9, “What I Need to Know”p.9, and “Summary” p.16 .
 Answer the “Assessment” pp.38-40.
 PERFORMANCE TASK: Make a Research Paper Introduction ( Chapter 1) Guide will be sent thru your
Group Chat.
How to write a research paper introduction
Published on September 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield. Revised on November 19, 2020.

The introduction to a research paper is where you set up your topic and approach for the reader. It has several
key goals:

 Present your topic and get the reader interested

 Provide background or summarize existing research
 Position your own approach
 Detail your specific research problem
 Give an overview of the paper’s structure

The introduction looks slightly different depending on whether your paper presents the results of original
empirical research or constructs an argument by engaging with a variety of sources.

The five steps in this article will help you put together an effective introduction for either type of research
paper.

Step 1: Introduce your topic

The first job of the introduction is to tell the reader what your topic is and why it’s interesting or important. This
is generally accomplished with a strong opening hook.

The hook is a striking opening sentence that clearly conveys the relevance of your topic. Think of an interesting
fact or statistic, a strong statement, a question, or a brief anecdote that will get the reader wondering about your
topic.

For example, the following could be an effective hook for an argumentative paper about the environmental
impact of cattle farming:

Argumentative paper hook; Are cows responsible for climate change?

A more empirical paper investigating the relationship of Instagram use with body image issues in adolescent
girls might use the following hook:

Empirical paper hookThe rise of social media has been accompanied by a sharp increase in the prevalence of
body image issues among women and girls.
Don’t feel that your hook necessarily has to be deeply impressive or creative. Clarity and relevance are still
more important than catchiness. The key thing is to guide the reader into your topic and situate your ideas.

Step 2: Describe the background

This part of the introduction differs depending on what approach your paper is taking.

In a more argumentative paper, you’ll explore some general background here. In a more empirical paper, this is
the place to review previous research and establish how yours fits in.

Argumentative paper: Background information

After you’ve caught your reader’s attention, specify a bit more, providing context and narrowing down your
topic.

Argumentative paper background

A recent study (RIVM, 2019) shows that cattle farmers account for two thirds of agricultural nitrogen emissions
in the Netherlands. These emissions result from nitrogen in manure, which can degrade into ammonia and enter
the atmosphere. The study’s calculations show that agriculture is the main source of nitrogen pollution,
accounting for 46% of the country’s total emissions. By comparison, road traffic and households are responsible
for 6.1% each, the industrial sector for 1%.
Provide only the most relevant background information. The introduction isn’t the place to get too in-depth; if
more background is essential to your paper, it can appear in the body.

Empirical paper: Describing previous research

For a paper describing original research, you’ll instead provide an overview of the most relevant research that
has already been conducted. This is a sort of miniature literature review—a sketch of the current state of
research into your topic, boiled down to a few sentences.

This should be informed by genuine engagement with the literature. Your search can be less extensive than in a
full literature review, but a clear sense of the relevant research is crucial to inform your own work.

Begin by establishing the kinds of research that have been done, and end with limitations or gaps in the research
that you intend to respond to.

Empirical paper background

Various empirical studies have been conducted into Facebook usage among adolescent girls (Tiggermann &
Slater, 2013; Meier & Gray, 2014). These studies have consistently found that the visual and interactive aspects
of the platform have the greatest influence on body image issues. Despite this, highly visual social media
(HVSM) such as Instagram have yet to be robustly researched.

Step 3: Establish your research problem

The next step is to clarify how your own research fits in and what problem it addresses.

Argumentative paper: Emphasize importance

In an argumentative research paper, you can simply state the problem you intend to discuss, and what is original
or important about your argument.

Argumentative paper research problem

While efforts are being made to mitigate these emissions, policymakers are reluctant to reckon with the scale of
the problem. The approach presented here is a radical one, but commensurate with the issue.

Empirical paper: Relate to the literature

In an empirical research paper, try to lead into the problem on the basis of your discussion of the literature.
Think in terms of these questions:

 What research gap is your work intended to fill?

 What limitations in previous work does it address?
 What contribution to knowledge does it make?

You can make the connection between your problem and the existing research using phrases like the following.

Phrase Connection

Although x has been studied in detail, insufficient You will address a previously overlooked aspect of your
attention has been paid to y. topic.

The implications of x study deserve to be explored You will build on something suggested by a previous
further. study, exploring it in greater depth.

It is generally assumed that x. However, this paper You will depart from the consensus on your topic,
suggests that y … establishing a new position.

Step 4: Specify your objective(s)

Now you’ll get into the specifics of what you intend to find out or express in your research paper.

The way you frame this varies. An argumentative paper presents a thesis statement, while an
empirical paper generally poses a research question (sometimes with a hypothesis as to the answer).

Argumentative paper: Thesis statement

 The thesis statement expresses the position that the rest of the paper will present evidence and arguments for. It
can be presented in one or two sentences, and should state your position clearly and directly, without providing
specific arguments for it at this point.
Thesis statement
This paper argues that the Dutch government must stimulate and subsidize livestock farmers, especially cattle
farmers, to transition to sustainable vegetable farming.

Empirical paper: Research question and hypothesis

The research question is the question you want to answer in an empirical research paper.
Present your research question clearly and directly, with a minimum of discussion at this point. The rest of the
paper will be taken up with discussing and investigating this question; here you just need to express it.
A research question can be framed either directly or indirectly.

 This study set out to answer the following question: What effects does daily use of Instagram have on the
prevalence of body image issues among adolescent girls?
 We investigated the effects of daily Instagram use on the prevalence of body image issues among
adolescent girls.
If your research involved testing hypotheses, these should be stated along with your research question. They are
usually presented in the past tense, since the hypothesis will already have been tested by the time you are
writing up your paper.
For example, the following hypothesis might respond to the research question above:
Hypothesis
It was hypothesized that daily Instagram use would be associated with an increase in body image concerns and a
decrease in self-esteem ratings.

Step 5: Map out your paper

The final part of the introduction is often dedicated to a brief overview of the rest of the paper.
In a paper structured using the standard scientific “introduction, methods, results, discussion” format, this isn’t
always necessary. But if your paper is structured in a less predictable way, it’s important to describe the shape
of it for the reader.
If included, the overview should be concise, direct, and written in the present tense.

 This paper will first discuss several examples of survey-based research into adolescent social media use,
then will go on to …
 This paper first discusses several examples of survey-based research into adolescent social media use, then
goes on to …

Research paper introduction examples

Full examples of research paper introductions are shown in the tabs below: one for an argumentative paper, the
other for an empirical paper.
 Argumentative paper
 
 Empirical paper
Argumentative paper introduction
Are cows responsible for climate change? A recent study (RIVM, 2019) shows that cattle farmers account for
two thirds of agricultural nitrogen emissions in the Netherlands. These emissions result from nitrogen in
manure, which can degrade into ammonia and enter the atmosphere. The study’s calculations show that
agriculture is the main source of nitrogen pollution, accounting for 46% of the country’s total emissions. By
comparison, road traffic and households are responsible for 6.1% each, the industrial sector for 1%. While
efforts are being made to mitigate these emissions, policymakers are reluctant to reckon with the scale of the
problem. The approach presented here is a radical one, but commensurate with the issue. This paper argues that
the Dutch government must stimulate and subsidize livestock farmers, especially cattle farmers, to transition to
sustainable vegetable farming. It first establishes the inadequacy of current mitigation measures, then discusses
the various advantages of the results proposed, and finally addresses potential objections to the plan on
economic grounds.

Frequently asked questions about the research paper introduction

What should I include in a research paper introduction?
When should I write my research paper introduction?
Should I use a research question, hypothesis, or thesis statement?
10 tips for writing an effective introduction to original research papers
John Zepernick, MS | Writing
  

After the title and abstract, the introduction is the next thing your audience will read, so it's vital to begin
strongly. The introduction is your opportunity to show readers and reviewers why your research topic is worth
reading about and why your paper warrants their attention.
The introduction serves multiple purposes. It presents the background to your study, introduces your topic and
aims, and gives an overview of the paper. A good introduction will provide a solid foundation and encourage
readers to continue on to the main parts of your paper—the methods, results, and discussion.
In this article, we present 10 tips for writing an effective introduction. These tips apply primarily to full papers
and letters reporting original research results. Although some tips will be more suited to papers in certain fields,
the points are broadly applicable.
1.　Start broadly and then narrow down
In the first paragraph, briefly describe the broad research area and then narrow down to your particular focus.
This will help position your research topic within the broader field, making the work accessible to a broader
audience, not just to specialists in your field.
2.　State the aims and importance
Papers rejected for "not showing the importance of the topic" or "lacking clear motivation" usually neglect this
point. Say what you want to achieve and why your reader should be interested in finding out whether you
achieve it. The basic structure can be as simple as "We aim to do X, which is important because it will lead to
Y."
3.　Cite thoroughly but not excessively
Instead of simply saying that the topic is important, show why the topic is important.
Once you've narrowed your focus to the specific topic of your study, you should thoroughly cover the most
recent and most relevant literature pertaining to your study. Your review of the literature should be complete,
but not overly long—remember, you're not writing a review article. If you find that your introduction is too
long or overflowing with citations, one possible solution is to cite review articles, rather than all the individual
articles that have already been summarized in the review.
4.　Avoid giving too many citations for one point
Consider the following sentence: "Many studies have found a significant association between X and Y [4-15]."
This sentence cites too many studies at once. Although references [4-15] might provide a good overview of the
topic, this sentence doesn't provide enough context or explanation for these past studies. If all of these
references are worth citing, they should be discussed in greater specificity. For example, "A significant
association has been found between X and Y in men [4-7], women [8-11], and children [12-15]."
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policy
5.　Clearly state either your hypothesis or research question
For research in empirical sciences, stating a hypothesis can be an effective way of framing the research. For
example, instead of stating "In this study, we show that X is related to Y by method A," you could say, "In this
study, we hypothesize that X is related to Y, and we use method A to test this hypothesis." For research in
formal sciences or exploratory research, you could consider stating a research question instead: "In this study,
we examine the following research question: Is X related to Y?" Note that the research question doesn't always
have to be stated in the interrogative form (with a question mark); instead, you can put the question into a
declarative sentence: "In this study, we investigate whether X is related to Y." Hypotheses and research
questions are effective because they help give shape to the paper and serve as "signpost phrases" that guide
readers through your paper smoothly.
6.　Consider giving an overview of the paper
Example structure of an introduction
Introductory paragraph:
 Give a general introduction to the topic for broad audience
 Narrow the focus to your particular topic
 State your research problem and aims
Literature review (usually several paragraphs):
 Summarize the relevant literature on your topic
 Describe the current state of the art
 Note any gaps in the literature that your study will address
Research targets (usually one paragraph):
  State your hypothesis or research question
 Briefly describe how you will accomplish your aims
 Give a preview of your main results and state the contribution of the work (optional)
Paper overview (optional; one paragraph):
 Give a section-by-section overview of the paper's contents
An organizational overview is more common in some fields than others. It is particularly common in
technology, but less so in medicine. In the last paragraph of your introduction, consider giving a section-by-
section overview of your paper if it is appropriate for your field. For example, "In Section II, we describe our
analysis methods and the datasets we used. In Section III we present the results. In Section IV, we discuss the
results and compare our findings with those in the literature. In Section V, we state our conclusions and suggest
possible topics for future research."
7.　Keep it short
Try to avoid an overly long introduction. A good target is 500 to 1000 words, although checking the journal's
guidelines and past issues will provide the clearest guidance.
8.　Show, don't tell
One goal of the introduction is explaining why your research topic is worthy of study. One of the most common
pitfalls is to simply say, "Subject X is important." Instead of simply saying that the topic is
important, show why the topic is important. For example, instead of writing "The development of new
materials is important for the automotive industry," you could write, "The development of new materials
is necessary for the automotive industry to produce stronger, lighter vehicles, which will improve safety and
fuel economy."
9.　Don't bury your readers in detail
In the introduction, if your paper is in a field that commonly summarizes the study's main results before starting
the methods, you should avoid stating too many detailed results because these results need the development in
the other sections of your paper to be properly understood. Instead of saying "We find that our algorithm
requires 55% of the memory and 45% of the computation time of the conventional algorithm," it is usually
better to give a general overview of the findings in the introduction: "Here we compare the proposed algorithm
with a conventional algorithm in terms of memory use and computational speed, showing that the proposed
algorithm is both smaller and faster." Some older style guides suggest holding back the main result to build
suspense, but now journals in many fields—medicine being a notable exception—encourage giving a preview
of your main results in the introduction.

Removing extra text results in easier-to-read introductions.

Here, all the green text can be removed without altering the fundamental meaning of the sentence.
10.　Check the journal requirements
Many journals have specific requirements for the introduction in their guidelines for authors. For example, there
might be a maximum word count stated or the guidelines might require specific content, such as a hypothesis
statement or a summary of your main results.
Concluding remarks
I would like to close with one last piece of advice: When you begin drafting a paper, the introduction should
be one of the first things you plan. The introduction serves as the roadmap for your paper; by clearly stating
the study's background, aims, and hypothesis/research question, the introduction can guide you as you write the
rest of the paper. It's such an important section—setting the scene for everything that follows—that many
authors write the methods, results, and discussion sections in full before completing the introduction.
How to Write an Introduction to a Research Paper
Published 27 Jun 2018

Updated March 2021

Though introduction to any writing is frequently associated with beginning, it's not that simple for an
introduction to a research paper. Here you can find a guide on how to write an introduction for a research paper,
which presents a topic to the reader. While creating an introduction for a research paper students frequently get
lost in the consistency of their thoughts. But following the structure and simple rules, you will succeed with
your writing and get the desired mark.

What is a Research Paper Introduction?

An introduction is the initial part of a research paper and the part that a reader is likely to read first (at least
when focusing deeply and reading it in detail). Hence, definitions, notions, and other information required for
understanding the paper are presented/listed here.

Every research paper needs context so that readers can understand why you have created it. This is exactly what
you can do in your research paper introduction. Of course, this can mean that your introduction is the hardest
part of an essay to write first. So, it is essential that you take your time and make sure you get it right.

The introduction of writing is going to set out your rationale, which is what research will be based around. Your
readers should be able to tell what they are reading right from the beginning and whether it interests them.

It is essential that you make the beginning of your research paper interesting and engage with your readers from
the first line. This will make sure that people continue to read and learn about what you have found out. You
should also state a hypothesis and the way you think your work will turn out in conclusion. You must always
include an introduction to your paper.

Writing an Introduction to a Research Paper – What to Include

So, what should you include in your introduction? We will give you a list below so that you can prepare a
research paper introduction outline and follow it when you are writing.

 Introduce your topic.

 Create some context and background.

 Tell your reader about the research you plan to carry out.

 State your rationale.

 Explain why your research is important.

 State your hypothesis.

What are the parts of introduction in research?

The introduction of a research paper may contain a few other parts/ elements such as the chief goal(s) and
objectives of the research, a brief but informative outline of the following content, explained, concept
definitions, a brief history of the research into the topic, recent related discoveries, etc.).

Start with Announcing Your Topic

The topic is the fundament of any writing you prepare. Regarding, the angle you look at your topic, it will
reflect different aspects. It’s better to begin with outlining your topic. There is no secret on how to start a
research paper intro: you should just state your topic and add some connected with topic issues that bothers you
a lot. This is a perfect strategy to intrigue the reader.

It is recommended to start with general info and then narrowing down to specific aspects. Try not to deepen into
a state of things in the beginning, but explain your view on the topic. If you are going to use some difficult
expressions in the central part of an essay, make them clear to any reader and point out their connection with
your topic.

Review the Literature

Developing a statement in the main body, you will need some literature sources to refer to. While your idea can
sound a bit subjectively, if you maintain it with citations extracted from works of famous scientists, authors, or
philosophers, you will prove your point. Don’t neglect modern time scholars that are being deeply concerned
about the issue or opinion you stated. The introduction should briefly state what the literature will be about.

Stress on Rationale
The rationale is the key element of your beginning. Once you stated the topic, it’s time to prove it’s relevant and
gives readers food for thought. The rationale serves as an indicator of both the importance of your essay and
your attitude to the issue. The rationale should be laconic and precise to show the reader the significance of your
research.

State Your Thesis

The thesis statement marks the conclusive part of the introduction for the research paper or research
summary and transition to the actual research. This sentence supports all the things you have written before and
collects all your ideas in a logical and concise saying. If your subject is too complicated, you should make the
thesis statement comprehensible with it. The thesis is what runs through your paper. That’s why the intro where
a thesis is stated sets the tone for the entire work.

Your thesis should:

 Give general info on topic

 Be engaging and precise

 Reflect the significance of raised issue

If all these are ready, the only thing left is to make the outline for research paper structure.

Conclude With the Outline

When all the important work is done, it’s time for the outline of the research paper’s structure. Not every
mentor requires the structure overview in the introduction, but sometimes students are asked to stress on few
aspects of their future research. This is not about the detailed depiction of every part of your work. The outline
is a short paragraph, which consists of 3 or 4 sentences and represents your plan for the entire paper. You can
also look for some essay introduction examples to grab some ideas.

View an Example of an Introduction in Research Paper

Sometimes, it is best to explore an example of an introduction in a research paper in order to understand it
better. Check out the example that we have created:
Did you know that there are currently over 2.3 million Americans incarcerated for their crimes? While it is
widely believed that prison should be the punishment for crime, statistics find that 77 percent of prisoners will
re-offend once they are released. This suggests that prison is not working to reduce recidivism. My research
paper aims to demonstrate that prison does not work as a way to prevent crime and that alternatives should be
considered, such as restorative justice and other community sentencing.

Writing Tips for Students Who Want to Know all About Introduction
Dr. Elizabeth M. Minei
"A strong introduction to a research paper should probably be written last. The introduction needs to include: 1) what the topic is focused on, 2) how
the research was conducted(method), 3) what the findings are (generally), 4) and how the paper contributes to the overall field. These items are often
unanswerable until the paper is complete. An introduction should also absolutely have a few sentences that specifically detail what they will read in
the upcoming pages. Research Papers are NOT like fiction writing where you might want to sustain the mystery—instead,you want to show them the
payoff up front. If the reader gets to the end of the introduction and does not know what to expect in the rest of the paper, you may have missed the
mark."
Dr. Elizabeth M. Minei, PhD, Associate Professor at Baruch College, Founder and C.E.O. of EMinei Consulting

So, how to write an intro for a research paper?

 Define and Explain Concepts

Is writing including concepts that are going to be complicated for the average reader to understand? If the
answer is yes, this means that you should take your time to explain them as best as you can in your introduction.
This includes any jargon or terms that you think will be important to know before reading your findings and
analysis.

 Start with a Quotation

You want to capture your reader’s attention right from the beginning. If you are not sure how to do that
effectively, think about including a quotation that captures the heart of the topic. This will be particularly true if
your essay is for social subjects, such as English, History, and humanities. It is going to help create a picture in
the reader’s head, and they will remember this when they are reading your work. Depending on the subject of
your paper, it could also include a striking statistic.

 Communicate your Structure

Readers need to know not only why you are conducting a particular research topic, but also how you intend to
do it. It means that your introduction should set out the structure that will be followed in your article. It will
allow a reader to easily navigate between different parts and make sure that it all makes sense.

Need Additional Help?

As you see, writing research papers introduction is not that challenging if you follow the guide. But sometimes
even the smartest students fail in choosing a competitive topic and building a solid thesis. Even if you consider
your topic important, it can seem questionable for your professor. How to write an introduction for a research
paper and make it flawless?

We present you with professional help from writers who are full of new ideas to reflect them in your
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How do you write a good intro?

Writing a good intro requires matching well the information in it with the rest of the paper – it must “serve” the
needs of the rest of the paper. It should introduce the reader smoothly into the topic and facilitate an easy read
(without requiring the excessive aid of external sources).

How do you write an introduction for a research paper?

In case you have difficulties starting with the introduction first, a fairly universal advice is to write it last (apart
from the thesis, goals, and objectives). Thus, after writing other sections (that have a clearer/ more rigid
structure) you’ll be able to decide both on the type of content that would match better the rest of your paper but
also on the word count you can dedicate to this section.

Conceptual Framework: A Step by Step Guide

on How to Make One
 Regoniel, Patrick  January 5, 2015  
What is a conceptual framework? How do you prepare one? This article defines the meaning of conceptual
framework and lists the steps on how to prepare it. A simplified example is added to strengthen the reader’s
understanding.
In preparing your research paper as one of the requirements for your course as an undergraduate or graduate
student, you will need to write the conceptual framework of your study. The conceptual framework steers the
whole research activity. The conceptual framework serves as a “map” or “rudder” that will guide you towards
realizing your study’s objectives or intent.
What then, is a conceptual framework in the context of empirical research? The next section defines and
explains the term.
DEFINITION OF CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
A conceptual framework represents the researcher’s synthesis of the literature on how to explain a phenomenon.
It maps out the actions required in the course of the study, given his previous knowledge of other researchers’
point of view and his observations on the subject of research.
In other words, the conceptual framework is the researcher’s understanding of how the particular variables in
his study connect. Thus, it identifies the variables required in the research investigation. It is the researcher’s
“map” in pursuing the investigation.
As McGaghie et al. (2001) put it: The conceptual framework “sets the stage” to present the particular research
question that drives the investigation being reported based on the problem statement. The problem statement of
a thesis gives the context and the issues that caused the researcher to conduct the study.
The conceptual framework lies within a much broader framework called a theoretical framework. The latter
draws support from time-tested theories that embody many researchers’ findings on why and how a particular
phenomenon occurs.
I expounded on this definition, including its purpose, in my recent post titled “What is a Conceptual
Framework? Expounded Definition and Five Purposes.”
4 STEPS ON HOW TO MAKE THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Before you prepare your conceptual framework, you need to do the following things:
CHOOSE YOUR TOPIC
Decide on what will be your research topic. The topic should be within your field of specialization.
DO A LITERATURE REVIEW
Review relevant and updated research on the theme that you decide to work on after scrutiny of the issue at
hand. Preferably use peer-reviewed, and well-known scientific journals as these are reliable sources of
information.
ISOLATE THE IMPORTANT VARIABLES
Identify the specific variables described in the literature and figure out how these are related. Some abstracts
contain the variables, and the salient findings thus may serve the purpose. If these are not available, find the
research paper’s summary.
If the variables are not explicit in summary, get back to the methodology or the results and discussion section
and quickly identify the study variables and the significant findings. Read the TSPU Technique to skim
articles efficiently and get to the essential points without much fuss.
GENERATE THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Build your conceptual framework using your mix of the variables from the scientific articles you have read.
Your problem statement or research objective serves as a reference for constructing it. In effect, your study
will attempt to answer the question that other researchers have not explained yet. Your research should address
a knowledge gap.
EXAMPLE OF A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
RESEARCH TOPIC
Statement number 5 introduced in an earlier post titled How to Write a Thesis Statement will serve as the
basis of the illustrated conceptual framework in the following examples.
The youth, particularly students who need to devote a lot of time using their mobile phones to access their
course modules, laptops, or desktops, are most affected. Also, they spend time interacting with their mobile
phones as they communicate with their friends on social media channels like Facebook, Messenger, and the
like. When free, many students spend their time viewing films on Netflix, Youtube, or similar sites. These
activities can affect their sleeping patterns and cause health problems in the long run because light-emitting
diode (LED) exposure reduces the number of hours spent sleeping.
THESIS STATEMENT
Related to the students’ activity, we can write the thesis statement thus:
Thesis statement: Chronic exposure to blue light from LED screens (of computer monitors, mobile phones,
tablets, and television) deplete melatonin levels, thus reducing the number of sleeping hours among the youth,
particularly students who need to work on their academic requirements.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
The literature supports the thesis statement as among those that catches one’s attention is a paper that warns
against the use of LED devices at night. Although we can save a lot of electrical energy by using the efficient
LED where the inventors Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura received a Nobel prize in
Physics in 2014, there is growing evidence that it can cause human health problems particularly cancer.
Haim & Zubidat (2015) of the Israeli Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Chronobiology synthesized the
literature about LEDs. They found out that blue light from the light-emitting diodes (LED) inhibits melatonin
production, particularly during active secretion at night. Melatonin is a neuro-hormone that regulates sleep and
wake cycles. Also, it can slow down aging and prevent cancer (Srinivasan et al., 2011).
Thus, looking directly at your laptop, mobile phone, or television at night not only can severely damage your
eyes but also prevent the achievement of sound sleeping patterns. As a countermeasure, sleep experts
recommend limiting the use of digital devices until 8 o’clock in the evening.
Those affected experience insomnia (see 10 Creative Ways on How to Get Rid of Insomnia); they sleep less
than required (usually less than six hours), and this happens when they spend too much time working on their
laptops, monitoring conversations or posts in social media sites using their mobile phones, or viewing the
television at night.
VARIABLES ISOLATED FROM THE LITERATURE
Using the background information backed by evidence in the literature review, we can now develop the study’s
paradigm on the effect of LED exposure to sleep. We will not include all of the variables mentioned and select
or isolate only those factors that we are interested in.
Figure 1 presents a visual representation, the paradigm, of what we want to correlate in this study. It shows
measurable variables that can produce data that we can analyze using a statistical test such as either the
parametric test Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation or the nonparametric Spearman Rho test.

Fig. 1. The research paradigm illustrating the researcher’s conceptual framework.

Notice that the variables of the study are explicit in the paradigm presented in Figure 1. In the illustration, the
two variables are
1) the number of hours devoted in front of the computer, and
2) the number of hours slept through the night until dawn.
The former is the independent variable, while the latter is the dependent variable. Both of these variables are
easy to measure. It is just counting the number of hours spent in front of the computer and the number of hours
slept through the night by the study subjects.
Assuming that other things are constant during the study’s performance, it will be possible to relate these two
variables and confirm that, indeed, blue light emanated from computer screens can affect one’s sleeping
patterns. (Please read the article titled “Do you know that the computer can disturb your sleeping
patterns?” to find out more about this phenomenon). A correlation analysis will show whether the relationship
is significant or not.
EVOLUTION OF A SOCIAL THEORY AS BASIS OF CONCEPTUAL
FRAMEWORK DEVELOPMENT
Related to the development of the conceptual framework, I wrote a comprehensive article on how a social
theory develops by incisively looking at current events that the world is facing now — the COVID-19
pandemic. It shows how society as a whole responds to a threat to its very survival.
Specifically, this article focuses on the COVID-19 vaccine, how it develops and gets integrated into the
complex fabric of human society. It shows how the development of the vaccine is only part of the story. A
major consideration in its development resides in the supporters of the vaccine’s development, the government,
and the recipients’ trust, thus final acceptance of the vaccine.
Social theory serves as the backdrop or theoretical framework of the more focused or variable level conceptual
framework. Hence, the paradigm that I develop at the end of that article can serve as a lens to examine how the
three players of vaccine development interact more closely at the variable level. It shows the dynamics of power
and social structure and how it unfolds in response to a pandemic that affects everyone.
Check out the article titled “Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine: More Than 90% Effective Against the
Coronavirus.” This article shall enrich your knowledge on how an abstract concept narrows down into blocks
of researchable topics.
E-BOOKS ON CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK DEVELOPMENT
Due to the many questions about the conceptual framework in this article’s comment section, I wrote an e-Book
dedicated to the students’ specific queries. This e-Book answers the many questions and comments regarding
the preparation of the conceptual framework.
I provide five practical examples in the original version, based on the readers’ suggested topics, supported by a
brief review of existing literature to demonstrate the procedure. In the more recent 2020 version of the eBook, I
added five more topics from the audience for a total of ten topics. Hence, the examples represent several
disciplines like management, education, business, agriculture, the environment, among others.
REFERENCE
Haim, A., & Zubidat, A. E. (2015). LED light between Nobel Prize and cancer risk factor. Chronobiology
International, 32(5), 725-727.
McGaghie, W. C.; Bordage, G.; and J. A. Shea (2001). Problem Statement, Conceptual Framework, and
Research Question. Retrieved on January 5, 2015 from http://goo.gl/qLIUFg
Srinivasan, V., R Pandi-Perumal, S., Brzezinski, A., P Bhatnagar, K., & P Cardinali, D. (2011). Melatonin,
immune function and cancer. Recent patents on endocrine, metabolic & immune drug discovery, 5(2), 109-123.
©2015 January 5 P. A. Regoniel
Updated 11/24/20
 https://simplyeducate.me/2015/01/05/conceptual-framework-guide/