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LECTURE 4: Chapter 1
(INTRODUCTION)
SCOPE OF THE UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
1. The undergraduate thesis must be more complex
than the usual course paper requirements.
2. Topics like one spot surveys and purely descriptive
work are strongly discouraged. The undergraduate
thesis must incorporate quantitative measurements
and statistical analysis (parametric or non-
parametric).
3. The thesis panel will decide if the scope of the
proposed undergraduate thesis presented by the
student is sufficient.
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Undergraduate Thesis Proposal Outline
Title
Table of Contents
List of Table
List of Figures
Abstract
Chapter 1 – Introduction
Chapter 2 – Review of Related Literature
Chapter 3 – Methods
Literature Cited
Appendices
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION
Introduction (Background of the problem)
Statement of the problem
Objectives of the Study
Statements of Hypothesis
Significance of the Study
Scope and Delimitation
Species Description (When applicable)
Definition of Terms
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Introduction (Background of the problem)
Statement of the problem
Objectives of the Study
Statements of Hypothesis
Significance of the Study
Scope and Delimitation
Species Description (When applicable)
Definition of Terms
Introduction (Background of the
problem)
The background of the study outlines the
historical, theoretical, and empirical
background that led to the research question
to highlight its importance. It typically offers
an overview of the research field and may
include a review of the literature to highlight
gaps, controversies, or limitations in the
existing knowledge and to justify the need for
further research.
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Present a general overview of the research topic, its
significance, and main aims; this may be like establishing the
“importance of the topic” in the introduction.
Discuss the existing level of research done on the research
topic or on related topics in the field to set context for your
research. Be concise and mention only the relevant part of
studies, ideally in chronological order to reflect the progress
being made.
Highlight disputes in the field as well as claims made by
scientists, organizations, or key policymakers that need to be
investigated. This forms the foundation of your research
methodology and solidifies the aims of your study.
Describe if and how the methods and techniques used in the
research study are different from those used in previous
research on similar topics.
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Statement of the problem
A research problem statement is a clear,
concise, and specific statement that
describes the issue or problem that the
research project addresses.
Define the specific problem:
Narrow down the general area of interest
to a specific problem or issue.
Explain the significance of the problem:
Provide context for the problem by
explaining why it is important to study
and what gap in current knowledge or
understanding it fills.
Provide a clear and concise statement:
State the problem in a clear and concise
manner, making sure to use language
that is easily understood by your
intended audience.
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Use a scientific and objective tone: The
problem statement should be written in a
neutral and objective tone, avoiding any
subjective language and personal bias.
Objectives of the Study
Research objectives specify how your
research problem will be answered .
They divide your research aim into several
smaller parts, each of which represents a key
section of your thesis.
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Each of your research objectives should be
SMART:
Specific – is there any ambiguity in the
action you are going to undertake, or is it
focused and well-defined?
Measurable – how will you measure
progress and determine when you have
achieved the action?
Achievable – do you have the support,
resources and facilities required to carry out
the action?
Relevant – is the action essential to the
achievement of your research aim?
Timebound – can you realistically complete
the action in the available time alongside
your other research tasks?
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Statements of Hypothesis
Simply put, a hypothesis is a research
question that also includes the predicted or
expected result of the research. Without a
hypothesis, there can be no basis for a
scientific or research experiment.
A hypothesis is an assumption of what is
going to be the result of an experiment,
based on existing research and knowledge
present to us.
Significance of the Study
The significance of the study is a written
statement that explains why your research is
needed. It’s a justification of the importance
of your work and impact it has on your
research field, it’s contribution to new
knowledge and how others will benefit from
it.
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Scope and Delimitation
Scope
The scope of the study explains the extent
to which the research will be explored in
the work and specifies the parameters
within which the work will be operating.
The problem you seek to resolve will fit
within certain parameters. Scope has also
been defined as the extent of the area or
subject matter that something deals with.
Delimitations
Delimitations are in essence the limitations
consciously set by the researchers
themselves, they are concerned with the
definitions that the researchers decide
to set as boundaries or limits of their
work so that the study’s aim and objectives
do not become impossible to achieve. In
this respect, it can be argued that
delimitations are in the researcher’s
control.
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Definition of Terms
Definition of term brings the
researcher and the reader into a
common ground or the same
page for effective communication
of research proposal/report.
Terms or concepts whose
meanings are not obvious in the
context of a study are defined or
explained under the definition of
terms. This is necessary so as to
"pin down" the particular
concept which is used in the
study and it is based on
observable characteristics of that
which is being, defined.
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End of Lecture 4
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