Inquiries, Investigations

and Immersion
Quarter 3 – Module 1:
Brainstorming for Research Topics
Inquiries, Investigations
and Immersion
Quarter 3 – Module 1:
Brainstorming for Research Topics
 What I Need to Know

You have learned the step-by-step procedure in writing a qualitative and

quantitative research in your previous subjects – Practical Research 1 and 2,
respectively. As a culminating activity, Inquiries, Investigations and
Immersion is designed to heighten your critical thinking and problem-solving
skills through conducting another meaningful study. This particular module
is designed to assist you in choosing a significant topic that will benefit your
area of interest.

After this module, you are expected to:

1. identify issues and ideas in respective track or strand;
2. formulate a suitable research topic related to a track or strand; and
3. write a research plan about the selected research topic.

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 What I Know

There are 15 words that are possible sources for a research topic hidden in
the wordsquare below. Words appear vertically, horizontally, diagonally,
backwards and forwards. Search for these words and write your answers on
your notebook.

T H E O R I E S D E E N X O N
I R X E S E A P R O B L E M S
N R P C I N T E R E S T H Q U
T Z E E D F H C G S U W V V A
U E R R I P H I L O S O P H Y
I R I U A X E A E L B B O A S
T M E T O D U L S E I S S O T
I H N A A R D I S S U E S U U
O G C R H C O Z O V I R D P D
N A E E N E D A N M I V C L I
O C S T C K D T S O W A N Q E
U A R I A N E I T E D T U C S
A T V L I O N O R E S I E A R
C D I S F U N N Z X E O E W Y
A P N O I T A S R E V N O C M

1. theories 6. Observation 11. experiences

2. needs 7. Conversation 12. specializations
3. lessons 8. Literature 13. interest
4. intuition 9. Philosophy 14. problems
5. advice 10. Studies 15. issues

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 Lesson
Brainstorming for
1 Research Topics
One of the most important considerations for every research is selecting a
research topic. A research topic serves as the basis of each research
undertaking. It directs how the research will be carried out.

A good researcher must carefully choose a topic that is doable and significant
to a certain discipline or field. Many researchers find selecting a research
topic a difficult task. Some do it through brainstorming or by observing their
surroundings.

In this module, you will be guided on how to easily choose a research topic
from your area of interest.

What’s In

Taking into consideration your experiences from your previous research

subjects, decide whether each sentence must be a criterion in choosing a good
research problem. On your notebook, write YES if the statement can be
considered as a criterion and NO if otherwise.

A research topic should…

1. be original. No
2. be ambiguous. Yes
3. fill in a research gap. Yes
4. be costly and ambitious. Yes
5. be general and not specific. No
6. arouse intellectual curiosity. yes
7. be within the researcher’s interest. Yes
8. make use of ineffective research instrument. No
9. be completed beyond the given period of time. Yes
10. be insignificant to the field of study or discipline. Yes

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 What’s New

A common challenge when beginning to write a research paper is

determining how to narrow down your topic. To assist you in the selection
process, here are some guidelines given by Baraceros (2016:38-39):

1. INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT MATTER

Being interested in a topic is usually due to the richness of your
stock knowledge about it or because of its familiarity to you.
Curiosity about an issue/topic is one of the factors that motivate a
person to unravel the unknown in a topic. Thus, the researcher’s
interest increases the possibility of the success of the study.

2. RICHNESS OF AVAILABLE SOURCES OR SUPPORTING

EVIDENCES

One of the things that you should do is to collect a lot of

information on your topic of interest. This enables you to find
evidences that would support your topic. You must ensure that
your sources come from a wide variety of literature such as books,
journal, periodicals, online articles, etc. Hence, going to the library
and surfing the internet are some of the activities that you should
do as a researcher.

3. TIMELINESS AND RELEVANCE OF THE TOPIC

Your topic should be relevant and timely. A topic is relevant if it
serves as an instrument in improving the society or if it answers or
solves current issues which are some of the reasons why research is
conducted.

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4. LIMITATIONS OF THE SUBJECT
Aside from your interest, you must also consider the significance of
the topic in your track and strand. Remember that research is
conducted to contribute something valuable to a particular area or
discipline.

5. PERSONAL RESOURCES
Prior to finalizing your chosen topic, you must assess your research
abilities as a student. You may do so by taking your financial
capability, health condition, personal qualifications and trainings as
a researcher, needed facilities and time allotment into account. It is
important that all of these aspects are considered in order for you to
guarantee the accomplishment of your research.

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 What is It

Now that you have learned the considerations in formulating a research

problem, here are the steps that will guide you trim down your area of interest.

1. Focus on your track, strand or area of specialization.

For example:
HUMSS

2. Recall the specific area, lesson or issue in your respective field or strand that has piqued
or aroused your interest the most.

Public Speaking

3. Generate an unanswered question or an unresolved

problem from your chosen area or lesson.

Why do people feel anxious when speaking in public?

4. Assess the question or problem based on the five guidelines stated above.

I'm interested in the topic.

There are available sources of data.
It is timely and relevant.
It will contribute to my strand.
It is doable considering my personal resources.

5. Write your research problem.

Factors Affecting the Speaking Anxiety of Students

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When formulating an effective research title, take the following guidelines into
consideration:

1. Indicate accurately the subject and scope of the study.

2. The title must be limited to 10 to 15 substantive words. Conjunctions (and,
but, because), prepositions (in, on, at) and articles (the, a, an) are not
counted.
3. Do not include analysis of, study of, an investigation of and the like.
4. The title must be in the phrase form.
5. Avoid title that gives too much information.

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 What’s More

A. Match the following descriptions in column A to their respective guidelines

in choosing a research topic in column B. Write the letter of the correct
answer on your notebook.

A B
1. This refers to the a. limitations of the subject
researcher’s abilities, b. personal resources
financial capacity, resources c. interest in the subject matter
in terms of instruments, d. timeliness and relevance
facilities and time frame. e. richness of available resources or
2. This refers to the social supporting evidences of
applicability and appropriateness
appropriateness of the topic f. intellectual ability
to the current situation.
3. This refers to an individual’s
interest in a topic driven by
his or her schema about it.
4. This refers to the availability
of needed resources as
evidence for the topic.
5. This refers to the topic’s
contribution to a particular
field or discipline.

Answers:

1. B.
2. D.
3. C.
4. E.
5. A.

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B. Arrange the following steps in correct sequence using numbers 1-5. Write
your answers on a paper..

6. Write your research problem. -5

7. Generate an unanswered question or an unresolved problem from your
chosen area or lesson. -3
8. Recall the specific area, lesson or issue in your respective field that has
piqued your interest the most. -2
9. Assess the question or problem based on the five guidelines stated
above. -4
10. Focus on your track, strand or area of specialization. -1

C. Read each statement below carefully. On your notebook, put a if the

statement is correct and if otherwise.

11. The title must include the accurate scope of the study. ✔️
12. Choose a title that is a sentence than a phrase. ✔️
13. Very long titles are preferable than short ones. X
14. If possible, titles must not exceed 15 substantive words. X
15. Analysis of, A Study of, An Investigation and the like are not
encouraged. ✔️

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 What I Have Learned

Test your wits and complete the paragraphs below by sharing your learnings
from the previous discussions. Write your answers on a paper.

When deciding on a research topic, there are guidelines that we must follow. These are
Interested in the subject matter, RICHNESS OF AVAILABLE SOURCES OR SUPPORTING
EVIDENCES, TIMELINESS AND RELEVANCE OF THE TOPIC, LIMITATIONS OF THE SUBJECT, and
PERSONAL RESOURCES. These guidelines must be considered because .

The research topic must be simple and specific enough for us to accomplish it with consideration
of our limitations and within the given period of time. To attain this, first we have to and
then
. After this, we must to be followed by . To complete the procedure, we can now
.

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 What I Can Do

Think of at least two specific research topics from the broad topics listed
below following the guidelines explained above. Write your answers on a
separate document or paper.

 Fingerprinting  DNA
 Ethics and Genetics  Insecticides
 Humans and Wildlife  Export and Import
 Malnutrition  Intermittent Fasting
 Psychology of Plastic Surgery  Food Nutrition
 Vaccines  Privacy Issues
 Violence  Mobile Games
 Racism  Computer Literacy
 Sex Education  Online Selling
 Social Media  Accounting System
 Terrorism  Marketing Strategies
 Online Learning  Technology and Business
 Gender Roles  Thermal Insulation

For example:

Broad Topic: Online Selling

Specific Topic: Influence of Internet Based Marketing Activities on
Digital Consumer’s Mind

1. Broad Topic:
Specific Topic:

2. Broad Topic:
Specific Topic:

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 Assessment

A. Let us apply the five steps mentioned previously for you to arrive on your
specific research topic. Answer the following questions briefly on a paper.

STEPS IN SPECIFYING THE ANSWER

RESEARCH TOPIC
1. What is your track and strand?

2. What is the specific lesson or issue

in your track and strand that has
piqued your interest the most?

3. What is the unanswered question or

unresolved problem, or issue involved
in the lesson or issue?
4. Assess the question or problem  Is it within your
based on the five guidelines. interest? Yes No
 Are there available data,
resources and evidences that
will support the topic?
Yes No
 Is it timely and
relevant? Yes No
 Will it contribute to your track
and strand?
Yes No
 Is it within your personal
resources?
Yes No

5. If all of your answers are yes, then

write down your specific research
problem. If no, reevaluate your research
question or problem.

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B. Based on the research problem that you have written above, write your
research plan by answering the following questions on the table below.
Answer briefly on your notebook. (2 points each)

RESEARCH PLAN
1. Research Problem:
(What is your research problem?)

2. Rationale:
(Why do you want to conduct this study?)

3. Significance:
(Why is it important to be conducted?)

4. Objective:
(What is your goal to achieve in this study?)

5. Method and Design: Respondents:

(Is it a quantitative or (Who or what will be the source of your
a qualitative study?) data?)

Sample Size:
(How many respondents does your study
need?)

Sampling Technique:
(How will you choose your respondents or
source of data?)

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