CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

The introduction is developed in a preamble section that is not labeled as a

subsection and you may recognize this as your background to the study. This section

provides a brief overview of the research focus or problem, explains why this study is

worth conducting, and discusses how this study will be completed.

Specifically, the topic is introduced and value of conducting the study is

discussed; provide the reader with a clear understanding of the problem in a concise yet

complete manner; articulate that the problem is worthy of further investigation; briefly

describe how the study will be done; present the guiding research question for the study;

explain how this study can contribute to the existing knowledge; describe how the study

will address something that is not already known or has not been studied before; describe

how the study will fill a gap in existing literature or research; and describe how the study

extends prior research on the topic in some way. You are preparing your audience to

understand and accept the statement of the problem.

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Problem Statement

Remember you have prepared the reader with the preamble above this section.

This section includes the problem statement, the population affected, and how the study

will contribute to solving the problem. Specifically, states the specific problem proposed

for research by presenting a clear declarative statement that begins with “It is not known

how/why and…” or “While the literature indicates ____________, it is not known in

(school/district/organization/community) if __________.” Do not forget to identify the

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general population affected by the problem; suggest how the study may contribute to

solving the problem; clearly describe the magnitude and importance of the problem; and

identify the need for the study and why it is of concern to the researcher. Relate your

research approach in writing this section.

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Purpose of the Study

The purpose statement section expands on the problem statement and identifies

how the study will be accomplished. The section begins with a declarative statement,

“The purpose of this study is…..” Included in this statement are also the research design,

population, phenomena to be studied, and the geographic location. Do not forget to

include a definition of the phenomenon, that is, your topic of the study. Refer to the

sample purpose statement template in your lesson material.

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Research Questions

It narrows the focus of the study by specifying the research questions to

address the problem statement. Qualitative studies will typically have one overarching

research question with three or more sub-questions.

In a paragraph prior to listing the research questions, include a discussion of

the research questions, relating them to the problem statement. Then, include a leading

phrase to introduce the questions such as: The following research questions guide this

qualitative study:

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 1. This is an example of how a qualitative research question should align within the

text of the manuscript. Indent .25 inches from the left margin. Text that wraps

around to the next line is indented using the Hanging Indent feature at .5”.

2. Add a research question here following the format above. Additional research

questions should follow the same format.

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Scope and Delimitation

Discuss your scope, limitations, and delimitations. The scope tells what is and

what is not in the domain of your research; be specific as to what you will be studying

and what factors are within the accepted range of your study. It explains the extent to

which the research area will be explored in the work and specifies the parameters within

which your study will be operating. Limitations are things that the researcher has no

control over, such as bias. Delimitations are things over which the researcher has control,

such as location of the study. Identify the limitations and delimitations of the research

design. Discuss the potential generalizability of the study findings based on these

limitations. Describe what your research design cannot accomplish due to the scope of

the project, limitations of time and resources. However, do not adopt a whiny and

petulant tone; you are simply acknowledging reality, as does every other student in your

position. For each limitation and/or delimitation listed, make sure to provide an

associated explanation. For example: The following limitations/delimitations were

present in this study:

1. Lack of funding limited the scope of this study. Provide an explanation to support

this limitation.

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 2. The interview with Grade 11 High School students was delimited to only STEM

strand in one school within Calasiao, limiting the demographic sample. Provide

an explanation to support this delimitation.

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Assumptions of the Study

An assumption is a self-evident truth. This section should list what is assumed

to be true about the information gathered in the study. State the assumptions being

accepted for the study as methodological, theoretical, or topic specific. For each

assumption listed, you must also provide an explanation. Provide a rationale for each

assumption, incorporating multiple perspectives, when appropriate. For example, the

following assumptions were present in this study:

1. It is assumed that research participants in this study were not deceptive with their

answers, and that the participants answered questions honestly and to the best of

their ability. Provide an explanation to support this assumption.

2. It is assumed that this study is an accurate representation of the current situation

in (location). Provide an explanation to support this assumption.

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Significance of the Study

The introductory statement is a very short prelude or introduction to this part of

your research. This part of the research contains the beneficiaries of your research. The

presentation of the beneficiaries contains the accounts or descriptions of how the

beneficiaries benefit from the study.

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Definition of Terms

Keep this brief, if extensive a glossary is required, which would belong in the

appendices. Each definition appears as a third level heading in this section. Cite the

sources of your materials. This section defines the study constructs and provides a

common understanding of the technical terms, exclusive jargon, variables, phenomena,

concepts, and technical terminology used within the scope of the study. Terms are

defined in lay terms and in the context in which they are used within the study. Each

definition may be a few sentences to a paragraph in length. This section includes any

words that may be unknown to a lay person (words with unusual or ambiguous meanings

or technical terms). Definitions must be supported with citations from scholarly sources.

Do not use Wikipedia to define terms. Additionally, do not use dictionaries to define

terms. A lead-in phrase is needed to introduce the terms such as: “The following terms

were used operationally in this study.” See below for the correct format:

College readiness: “the level of preparation a student needs in order to enroll

and succeed, without mediation, in a credit-bearing education course at a postsecondary

institution that offers a baccalaureate degree or transfer to a baccalaureate program”

(Conley, 2007, p. 5).