1ST QUARTER RESEARCH NOTES

Practical Research - STEM | 1st Semester

M1: NATURE AND INQUIRY OF RESEARCH
Inquiry
● Defined as the “quest for truth, information or
knowledge through questioning”
● Implies a “need or want to know premise”
● Important in the construction of new knowledge and
resolution of the problems and issues
● Helps develop higher order information literacy and
critical thinking skills
● Art of questioning in order to gather information or
evidences to;
● Explain certain conditions, situation, or events
Research
● Scientific. Experimental, or inductive manner of
thinking
● Seeks to find answers to problems and generate new
information for a better understanding of concepts
under study.
● Starts from a particular complex ideas:
○ Identifying the topic or problem
○ Gathering data
○ Making theories
○ Formulating hypothesis
○ Analyzing data
○ Drawing conclusions
● Creative and systematic work undertaken to
○ Establish or confirm facts
○ Reaffirm results or previous works
○ Solve new or existing problems
○ Support theorems
Inquiry and Research
● Both seek from information to have extensive
knowledge
● without bias using systematic method and
procedures
Reachability
● should be replicated or repeated
Characteristics of the Researcher
Intellectual curiosity
● undertakes deep thinking and inquiry
Prudence
● careful to conduct his research study at the
right time and at the right place wisely,
efficiently, and economically
Healthy criticism
● always doubtful as to the truthfulness of the
results
Intellectual honesty
● honest to collect or gather data or facts in
order to arrive at honest results
Intellectual creativity
● always creates new researches
Quantitative Research
● “explaining phenomena by collecting numerical data
that are analyzed using mathematically based
methods (in particular statistics).”
○ Aliga and Anderson (2000)
Standards of Quantitative Research
(Mujis & Sharp in Baraceros, 2016)
Standards Quantitative Research
Mental survey of reality Exists in the physical world
Cause-effect relationships Revealed by automatic
descriptions of
circumstances or conditions

Characteristics of Research Researcher’s involvement Objective; least involvement

Empirical with the object or subject of by the researcher
● direct experience the study
Logical
Expression of data, Numericals, statistics
● valid procedures and principles analysis, and findings
Cyclical
● starts with a problem Research plan Plans are all research
● ends with a problem aspects before collecting
Analytical data
● utilizes proven analytical procedures
Behavior toward research Control or manipulation of
Critical aspects/conditions research conditions by the
● careful and precise judgment researcher
Methodical
Obtaining knowledge Scientific method

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Purpose Evaluates objectives and

Data-analysis technique
Style of expression
Sampling technique
examines cause-effect
relationships
Mathematically based
methods
Impersonal, scientific, or
systematic
Random sampling as the
most preferred
Experimental Design
● A quantitative research
● Treats or deals with the object or subject of the
research in a definite or exact manner
● Determines the extent of the effects or influence of
the treatment of the object/subject
● Then discovers the causes of such effects
● The term “experiment” requires manipulation of
variables to observe effects or results
● (Baraceros 2016; Vizcarra 2003)

Steps in Doing Quantitative Research True Experimental Designs

1. Observing and explaining occurrences. ● attempt to include or treat other factors that might
● Four Ws: influence dependent variables
○ Who ● uses random selection
○ What 1. randomized post-test only,
○ Where 2. randomized pre-test post-test control group
○ Why 3. randomized Solomon four-group.
● The answers can be presented in the form of ● Physics
a question. It can also be expressed as a ● Chemistry
hypothesis. ● Biology
2. The collection of information in quantitative research ● Pharmacy
is what makes it different from qualitative research.
Quantitative research is focused specifically in Quasi-Experimental Designs
numerical information ● basically the same with true-experimental research
3. Using mathematics to analyze the data collected. ● but lacks random choosing of participants
This is done with statistics. ● Psychology
● Sociology
Advantages of Quantitative Research ● Humanities
1. Allows you to reach a higher sample size ● Literature,
2. You can collect information quickly ● and other subjects falling under Social Sciences
3. Uses randomized samples
4. Results duplication is possible Non-experimental Research
5. Can focus on facts or a series of information ● lacks the manipulation of an independent variable
6. Research performed is anonymous ● researchers simply measure variables as they
7. Doesn’t require direct observation to be useful naturally occur (in the lab or real world)
○ rather than manipulating an independent
Disadvantages of Quantitative Research variable
1. Doesn’t consider the meaning behind social
phenomena Descriptive Research
2. Every answer provided must stand on its own ● describes a population, situation, or phenomenon
3. Sometimes creates unnatural environments. that is being studied
4. Some efforts at randomization will not create usable ● answers how, what, when, and where questions in a
information. research problem
5. There is no access to specific feedback. ○ rather than why
6. Can be very expensive. Types of Descriptive Research
7. Answer validity always creates a cloud of doubt on Descriptive-survey
the final results. ● uses surveys to gather data about
8. Individual characteristics don’t always apply to the varying subjects.
general population. Descriptive-normative survey

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● results of the study should be
compared with the norm
Descriptive-status
● is a quantitative description
technique that seeks to answer
questions about real-life situations.
Descriptive-analysis
● method of research describes a
subject by further analyzing it, which
in this case involves dividing it into 2
parts.
Descriptive-classification
● employed in biological sciences for
the classification of plants and
animals.
Descriptive-comparative
● researcher considers 2 variables
which are not manipulated
● and establish a formal procedure to
conclude that one is better than the
other.
When to use Non-experimental Research
1. The research question or hypothesis relates to a
single variable rather than a statistical relationship
between two variables
(Example: How accurate are people’s first
impressions?).
2. The research question pertains to a non-causal
statistical relationship between variables
(Example: Is there a correlation between
verbal intelligence and mathematical
intelligence?).
3. The research question is about a causal relationship,
but the independent variable cannot be manipulated,
or participants cannot be randomly assigned to
conditions or orders of conditions for practical or
ethical reasons
(Example: does damage to a person’s
hippocampus impair the formation of long-
term memory traces?).
4. The research question is broad and exploratory or is
about what it is like to have a particular experience
(Example: What is it like to be a working
mother diagnosed with depression?).
Types of Non-experimental Research
Cross-sectional research
● comparing two or more pre-existing groups of people
● no manipulation
Correlational research
● relationship of two variables
● but doesn’t show cause or effect relationship
Observational research
● observations of behavior in a natural or laboratory
setting
○ without manipulation
CHAP 1: THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING
Background of the Study
● very essential in establishing the cognitive setting of
the research and involves the following:
1. discussing why is there a need to study the
problem
2. clarifying the important terminologies for the
reader to understand easily what the
research is about
3. establishing the degree of seriousness of the
problem which has prompted the researcher
to look for solutions
● Includes the following:
1. Discussion of the problem in general and
specific situations as observed and
experienced by the macro to micro approach.
2. Concepts and ideas related to the problem
including clarification of important
terminologies; and
3. Discussion of the existing or present
conditions and what is aimed to be the future
or the gap to be filled-in by the research.
The following questions will aid the researcher in
formulating the background of the study:
What is the rationale of the research problem?
● reasons why the researcher has decided to
look for solutions to the problem
● a narration of the researcher’s experience
that has driven him/her to conduct the study
is commonly done
● personal experience, an article read, a scene
witnessed, news heard, a theory that needs
to be clarified
● the research proponent should describe the
existing and prevailing problem situation
based on his/her experience.
What is the setting of the research problem?
● setting forms part of the delimitation of the
problem, as it defines the geographic
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boundaries of the study and implies certain
demographic characteristics.
● setting has a significant bearing on the
variables being studied.
● focus on the peculiarity or uniqueness of the
setting to make the reader more interested in
reading the paper.
What is the basic literature foundation of the
study?
● defines or clarifies the terms or variables
used in the study
● terms and variables must be clear to the
researcher so that he/she can make his/her
reader understand them as well
How serious is the chosen research problem?
● to answer the question, why is there a need
to look for solutions to the problem?
● researcher must intensify and expand the
magnitude of the problem
What is the general objective of the research
problem?
● derived from the general statement of the
problem and should be the basis of the
enumerated statements of specific problems.
What is the overall purpose of the research
problem?
● must be stressed that the researcher should
be totally aware of the purpose of the
research problem
● he/she must know how the researcher
findings will help his/her classmates or fellow
students
Theoretical Framework
● consists of concepts and, together with their
definitions and reference to relevant scholarly
literature, existing theory that is used for your
particular study.
● must demonstrate an understanding of theories and
concepts that are relevant to the topic of your
research paper
● and that relate to the broader areas of knowledge
being considered.
Strategies to develop an effective theoretical
framework:
1. Examine your thesis title and research
problem.
● The research problem anchors your
entire study and forms the basis from
which you construct your theoretical
framework.
2. Brainstorm about what you consider to be
the key variables in your research.
● Answer the question, "What factors
contribute to the presumed effect?“
3. Review related literature
● to find how scholars have addressed
your research problem.
● Identify the assumptions from which
the author(s) addressed the problem.
4. List the constructs and variables
● that might be relevant to your study.
● Group these variables into
independent and dependent
categories.
5. Review key social science theories
● that are introduced to you in your
course readings and choose the
theory that can best explain the
relationships between the key
variables in your study
○ [note the Writing Tip on this
page].
6. Discuss the assumptions or propositions
● of this theory and point out their
relevance to your research
A theoretical framework is used to limit the scope of the
relevant data by focusing on specific variables and defining the
specific viewpoint [framework] that the researcher will take in
analyzing and interpreting the data to be gathered. It also
facilitates the understanding of concepts and variables
according to given definitions and builds new knowledge by
validating or challenging theoretical assumptions.
● In making Conceptual Framework, a researcher
needs to specify the variables involved and discuss
their interrelationships
● explanation of the scope and the range of a concept
or construct can be done even without a theory
Paradigm
● Merriam-Webster (2006) defines paradigm as a
pattern, model or set of forms which contains
particular elements.
● researcher’s scientific imagination expressed
graphically by drawings or sketches.
● The paradigm is something like a visual
representation of the entire thesis.
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● It is considered as the heart of the research paper
● A title is needed to encapsulate the whole paradigm.
Common Paradigm or Models of the Study
1. IPO Model (input-process-output)
● The model is used when the statements of
the problem are all factor-isolating questions
“What is this?”
2. IV-DV model (Independent variable-dependent
variable model).
• used in experiment-based studies.
•Situation-relating “What will happen if...?”
3. -P model: propose a program or any intervention
measure. situation producing level of questioning
“How can I make it
4. PC model (predictor-criterion model).
• model is used when relating and assessing the
influence between two or more variables. Studies that
focus on
•relationships, associations, differences, and impacts
will benefit from this model.
Research Hypothesis: A hypothesis is a tentative prediction
about the relationship between two or more variables in a
population under study (Polit, 2007). It translates a research
question into a prediction of expected outcomes.
Kinds of Hypothesis:
1. Simple Hypothesis. It is a hypothesis formulated
when predicting a relationship between an
independent variable and a dependent variable.
Example: a. The nature of teachers is related to the nature of
the students.
b. There is a relationship between the level of exercise and
weight retention among elementary school children.
2. Complex Hypothesis. It is a hypothesis formulated
when predicting the relationships of two or more
independent variables to two or more dependent
variables.
Examples: a. There is no significant relationship between the
profile, classroom leadership and management skills and the
school’s performance secondary school teachers.
b. The intrapersonal and interpersonal competencies of
principals do not relate significantly to the performance of
secondary schools.
3. Directional Hypothesis. It is a hypothesis that
specifies not only the existence but also the expected
direction of the relationship between the independent
and the dependent variables.
Examples: a. Lower levels of exercise are associated with
greater weight retention than higher levels of exercise.
b. The types of promotional campaigns positively affect the
level of patronage of customers.
4. Non-directional Hypothesis. It is a hypothesis that
does not stipulate the direction of the relationship
between the independent and dependent variables.
Examples: a. Women with different levels of postpartum
depression differ with regard to weight retention.
b. The sources of stress are related to the different coping
mechanisms among teachers.
5. Null Hypothesis. It is a hypothesis formulated for the
purpose of statistical analysis. This kind is always
expressed as a negative statement. It is subjected to
testing in which the decision is either to accept or
reject it. This is the hypothesis of “no effect,” “no
relationship,” or “no difference” in which the
researcher doubts to be true.
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Examples: a. There is no significant relationship between the
reasons for using alternative medicine and the level of
comfort of the patients.
b. The kind of teaching methods used has no effect on the
level of performance of students as shown in their academic
grades and behavior in class.
Significance of the Study: •Beneficiaries
•The significance of the study discusses the benefits of the
study to the society in general, and to individual beneficiaries.
Scopes and Delimitations of the study: pertains to the
boundaries of the study with respect to the major variables
and is further clarified by the sub-variables.
Definition of Terms
•Conceptual – books or dictionaries
Study habits- The ways or activities an individual
learns.
•Operational – definition based on how it is used in the study
Study habits. These pertain to the routinary study
methods utilized by students like memorization, use of the
Internet, library visit and peer review.
Review of Related Literature and Studies: It is the
documentation of a comprehensive review of the published
and unpublished work from secondary sources of data in the
areas of specific interest to the researcher.
The literature review is a critical look at the existing research
that is significant to the work that you are carrying out.
• To provide background information
• To establish importance
• To demonstrate familiarity
• To “carve out a space” for further research
Characteristics of effective literature reviews
● Outlining important research trends
● Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of existing
research
● Identifying potential gaps in knowledge
● Establishing a need for current and/or future research
projects
GUIDELINES
1. You will need to pick out the research most relevant to
the topic you are studying.
2. You will use the studies in your literature review as
“evidence” that your research question is an important
one
3. It is important to cover research relevant to all the
variables being studied.
4. Research that explains the relationship between these
variables is a top priority.
5. Introduce the literature review by pointing out the
major research topic that will be discussed
6. Identify the broad problem area but don’t be too global
7. Discuss the general importance of your topic for those
in your field
8. Don’t attempt to cover everything written on your topic
9. You will need to plan how you will structure your
literature review and write from this plan.
10. Notice where there are significant differences of
opinion among researchers and give your opinion
about the validity of these differences.
11. Ascertain the areas in which little or nothing is known-
the gaps that exist in the body of knowledge.
Organization of your RRL
Chronological Order: organize the literature by the dates the
research was published
Topical Order: organize by main topics or issues; emphasize
the relationship of the issues to the main “problem”
Problem-Cause-Solution Order: Organize the review so that
it moves from the problem to the solution
Specific-to-General Order: Try to make discuss specific
research studies so conclusions can be drawn
General-to-Specific Order (Also called the funnel
approach): Examine broad-based research first and then
focus on specific studies that relate to the topic
COMMON ERRORS IN WRITING RRL
Review isn’t logically organized
• Review isn’t focused on most important facets of the study
• Review doesn’t relate literature to the study
• Too few references or outdated references cited
• Review isn’t written in author’s own words
• Review reads like a series of disjointed summaries
• Review doesn’t argue a point
• Recent references are omitted
Drafting: Pitfalls to Avoid
•Unprofessional language: Avoid the appearance of
cheekiness or emotional
appeal.
•Don’t plagiarize! Be extremely careful with your paraphrasing.
• Too many quotations: Only quote those elements which need
the utmost
precision.
• Lack of Fluency and Cohesiveness: Your literature review
should not read like a
list of facts.
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•Use transitions to develop fluency. APA headings do not
substitute for transitions.
• Show connections between the literature
•Develop your thesis in the paper itself.
Plagiarism includes (Galvan, pg. 89):
1. Using another writer’s words without proper citation
2. Using another writer’s ideas without proper citation
3. Citing a source but reproducing the exact word without
quotation marks
4. Borrowing the structure of another author’s
phrases/sentences without giving the source
5. Borrowing all or part of another student’s paper
6. Using paper-writing service or having a friend write the paper
APA GUIDELINES
For Exact Quotes
Rule: Introduce the quotation with a signal phrase that includes
the author’s last name followed by the date of publication in
parentheses. Put the page number (preceded by “p.”) in
parentheses at the end of the quotation.
Example: As Davis (1978) reported, “If the existence of a
signing ape was unsettling for linguists, it was also startling
news for animal behaviourists” (p. 26).
Rule: When the author’s name does not appear in the signal
phrase, place the author, name, date and the page number in
parentheses at the end of the quotation.
Example: “If the existence of a signing ape was unsettling for
linguists, it was also startling news for animal behaviourists”
(Davis, 1978, p. 26).
Rule: When the quotation is more than 40 words in text, do not
use quotation mark, but indent the quote in its own block of
text.
In-Text Citations
Book, Single Author
For paraphrasing and quotations, always include the author’s
last name and the date published. Paraphrase do not have to
include page numbers. However, in the new edition of APA
manual, they are recommended.
Referring to author in the text: According to Ball (2001), the
earth contains many bright colors (p.10).
Author not referred to in the text: The earth contains many
bright colors
(Ball, 2001, p. 10).
Book, Multiple Authors
If a work has only two authors, cite both names each time you
reference the material.
Example: According to Bird and Martin (2005), Robert
Oppenheimer led a
tragic life.
If a work has three, four or five authors, you should cite
all of the authors by last name in the first in-text reference.
In a subsequent reference, you would cite the name of the
first author listed followed by et al.
Example: Johnson, Lee and Martin (2010) attempted this
experiment. (First in-text citation)
Johnson et al (2010) confirmed the number of participants.
If a work has 6 or more authors, only cite the first author’s
last name followed by et al for all in-text citations.
Example: Vidal et al (2010) concluded that working in a library
is the best job a student can have.
Works with no author
For an in-text citation for a source with no identified author,
your in-text citation will include the first part of your reference,
usually the title.
Example: When research is completed in a timely
manner, student grades are better (“How to
Succeed,” 2010).
Corporate Author
Example: According to the National Institute of
Mental Health (NIMH, 2007), high cholesterol levels
are affecting the children as well as adults.
In subsequent in-text citations, you should use NIMH
(2007).
M2: Steps and Importance of
Quantitative Research
Rhetorical research methods have been being developed
since the Classical Period. Thus, quantitative methods
represent the steps of using the Scientific Method of research.
1. Decide on a focus of study based primarily on your
interests. What do you want to discover or answer?
2. Develop a research question(s) to keep your research
focused.
3. Develop a hypothesis(es). A hypothesis states how a
researcher who believes the subjects under study will
or will not communicate based on certain variables.
4. Collect data in order to test hypotheses. In our
example, you might observe various college
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classrooms in order to count which students’
professors call on more frequently.
5. Analyze the data by processing the numbers using
statistical programs like SPSS that allow quantitative
researchers to detect patterns in communication
phenomena. Analyzing data in our example would
help us determine if there are any significant
differences in the ways in which college professors’
call on various students.
6. Interpret the data to determine if patterns are
significant enough to make broad claims about how
humans communicate?
7. Share the results with others. Through the sharing of
research we continue to learn more about the patterns
and rules that guide the ways we communicate.
● Quantitative: relating to, measuring, or measured by
the quantity of something rather than its quality; will tell
you what your respondents are doing; result in data
that is easy to convert into objective, numbers-based
analysis; easier to measure using statistical analysis,
because you can (usually) assign numeric values and
directly compare different answers to the same
questions.
● Qualitative: relating to, measuring, or measured by the
quality of something (size, appearance, value, etc.)
rather than its quantity; while qualitative data offers
deeper insight into why.
IMPORTANCE OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH ACROSS
FIELDS
A. Quantitative Research and Anthropology. Many
discoveries in this field like human behavior in society, racial
conflicts and human evolution have given enormous
contributions to the improvement of human life.
B. Quantitative Research and Communication.
Researchers are often interested in how an understanding of
a particular communication phenomenon might be generalized
to a larger population. Example: What communicative
behaviors are used to respond to co-workers displaying
emotional stress?
C. Quantitative Research and Medicine. This tends to be
predominantly observational research based on surveys or
correlational studies. Experimental research designs may
enhance the quality of medical education.
D. Quantitative Research and Behavioral Science. The
output of this research focuses on how human behavior relates
with another people and also the individual differences that
may affect human relations.
E. Quantitative Research in Educational and Psychology.
Many educational principles in understanding human behavior
are the offshoot of this research.
F. Quantitative Research and Social Science. The method
employed in this type of quantitative social research is mostly
typically the survey and the experiment.
Values of Research to Men
● Research improves quality of life.
● Research improves instruction.
● Research improves student’s achievement.
● Research improves teacher’s competence.
● Research satisfies mans’ needs.
● Research reduces the burden of work.
● Research has deep-seated psychological aspects.
● Research improves the exportation of good
products.
● Research responds to the economic recovery and
austerity measure of the country.
● Research trains graduates to become responsive
to the economic development of the country and
compete globally.
M3: Nature of Variables
Numeric variables have values that describe a measurable
quantity as a number, like 'how many' or 'how much'. Therefore
numeric variables are quantitative variables. Numeric variables
may be further described as either continuous or discrete:
Continuous variables. Observations can take any
value between a certain set of real numbers. The value given
to an observation for a continuous variable can include values
as small as the instrument of measurement allows. Examples
of continuous variables include height, time, age, and
temperature.
Discrete variables. Observations can take a value
based on a count from a set of distinct whole values. A discrete
variable cannot take the value of a fraction between one value
and the next closest value. Examples of discrete variables
include the number of registered cars, number of business
locations, and number of children in a family, all of which
measured as whole units (i.e. 1, 2, 3 cars).
Categorical variables have values that describe a 'quality' or
'characteristic' of a data unit, like 'what type' or 'which
category'. Categorical variables fall into mutually exclusive (in
one category or in another) and exhaustive (include all
possible options) categories.
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Ordinal variables. Observations can take a value that
can be logically ordered or ranked. The categories associated
with ordinal variables can be ranked higher or lower than
another, but do not necessarily establish a numeric difference
between each category. Examples of ordinal categorical
variables include academic grades (i.e. A, B, C), clothing size
(i.e. small, medium, large, extra-large) and attitudes (i.e.
strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree).
Nominal variables. Observations can take a value
that is not able to be organized in a logical sequence.
Examples of nominal categorical variables include sex,
business type, eye color, religion and brand.
Dichotomous variables. These variables represent
only two categories. Some examples are gender (male and
female), answer (yes or no), and veracity (true or false).
Polychotomous variables. These are variables that
have many categories. Some examples are educational
attainment (elementary, high school, college, graduate, and
post graduate), level of performance (excellent, very good,
good, satisfactory, or poor).
An independent variable, sometimes called an experimental
or predictor variable, is a variable that is being manipulated in
an experiment in order to observe the effect on a dependent
variable, sometimes called an outcome variable.
The dependent variable is simply that, a variable that is
dependent on an independent variable(s).
Extraneous variables are any variables that you are not
intentionally studying in your experiment or test. When you run
an experiment, you’re looking to see if one variable ) has an
effect on another variable (the dependent variable).
Types of Extraneous variables
1. Demand characteristics: environmental clues which
tell the participant how to behave, like features in the
surrounding or researcher’s non-verbal behavior.
2. Experimenter/Investigator Effects: where the
researcher unintentionally affects the outcome by
giving clues to the participants about how they should
behave.
3. Participant variables like prior knowledge, health
status or any other individual characteristic that could
affect the outcome.
4. Situational variables like noise, lighting or
temperature in the environment.
Non-Experimental Research
Predictor variable is a variable that is being used to predict
some other variable or outcome.
Criterion variable is a name used to describe the dependent
variable in a variety of statistical modeling contexts, including
multiple regression, discriminant analysis, and canonical
correlation. The goal of much statistical modeling is to
investigate the relationship between a (set of) criterion
variable(s) and a set of predictor variables. The outcomes of
such analyses are myriad and include as possibilities the
development of model formulas, prediction rules, and
classification rules. Criterion variables are also known under a
number of other names, such as dependent variable, response
variable, predict and, and Y.
M4: Research Title
 summarizes the main idea or ideas of your study.
 a good title contains the fewest possible words that
adequately describe the contents and/or purpose of
your research paper
Working Title
 should be developed early in the research
process because it can help anchor the focus
of the study in much the same way the
research problem does
Final Title
 Typically, the final title you submit to your
professor is created after the research is
complete so that the title accurately captures
what was done
Effective Titles in academic research papers have several
characteristics
1. Indicate accurately the subject and scope of the study.
2. Avoid using abbreviations.
3. Use words that create a positive impression and
stimulate reader interest.
4. Use current nomenclature from the field of study.
5. Identify key variables, both dependent and
independent.
6. May reveal how the paper will be organized.
7. Suggest a relationship between variables which
supports the major hypothesis.
8. Is limited to 10 to 15 substantive words.
9. Do not include "study of," "analysis of" or similar
constructions.
10. Are usually in the form of a phrase, but can also be in
the form of a question.
11. Use correct grammar and capitalization with all first
words and last words capitalized, including the first
word of a subtitle. All nouns, pronouns, verbs,
adjectives, and adverbs that appear between the first
and last words of the title are also capitalized.
12. In academic papers, rarely is a title followed by an
exclamation mark. However, a title or subtitle can be
in the form of a question.
Vizcarra
Generally, the title should:
1. Summarize the main idea of the paper
2. Be a concise statement of the main topic
3. Include the major variable/s
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1ST QUARTER RESEARCH NOTES
Practical Research - STEM | 1st Semester

4. Show the relationship of the main variables of the  provide citations that fully identify a
study work with information such as author,
5. Include the main task of the researcher about the titles of a book, article, and/or journal,
major variables under study publisher and publication date,
6. Mention the participants (in general manner) and the volume and issue number and page
setting numbers.
o Abstracts
Sources of a Problem  summarize the primary or secondary
sources
o Databases
 When there is dissatisfaction in services and
information.  are online indexes that usually include
abstracts for each primary or
 Problems may be encountered in classrooms or at
secondary resource, and may also
work.
include a digital copy of the resource.
 Breakthroughs in science and technology may present
unexpected problems.
 Research thrusts and priorities of certain
organizations.
 Misconceptions of culture.
Considerations in Formulating Research Problems
M4
External Criteria
 Novelty
 Availability of subjects
 Administrative support
 Availability and adequacy of facilities and equipment
 Ethical considerations

Internal Criteria
 Experience, training and professional qualifications
 Motivation, interest, intellectual curiosity, and
perceptiveness of the researcher
 Time Factor
 Costs and returns
 Hazards, penalties, and handicaps

Types of Resources

Primary sources
 are original materials on which other research is based
o original written works - poems, diaries, court
records, interviews, surveys, and original
research/fieldwork
o research published in scholarly/academic
journals.

Secondary sources
 are those that describe or analyze primary sources
o reference materials - dictionaries,
encyclopedias, textbooks
o books and articles that interpret, review, or
synthesize original research/fieldwork.

Tertiary sources
 are those used to organize and locate secondary and
primary sources.
o Indexes

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