LESSON 10 Mind Map is one of the techniques for refining a topic.
DRAFTING A RESEARCH PAPER According to Buzan (2010), mind map is a visualization technique
Good (2020) defines research as a "careful, critical,
disciplined inquiry and directed toward the classification and
resolution of problem." Creswell has more detailed definition of
research. He defines research as a "systematic study or
investigation of something for the purpose of answering questions
posed by the researcher" (Creswell, 2007).
Formulated in a more comprehensive form. Campbell
(2010) defined research as a purposive, systematic and scientific
process of gathering, analyzing, classifying, Organizing,
presenting, and interpreting data for the solution of a problem, for
prediction, Tor invention, for the knowledge, all for the
preservation and improvement of the quality of human life."
Steps in Writing an Effective Research Paper
1. SELECTING A RESEARCH TOPIC
The first step in writing a research paper is selecting a
research topic. "A research topic is a subject or issue that a
researcher is interested in when conducting research" (Liu, 2021).
The following characteristics of a good research topic will make
research more interesting and more enjoyable to ensure the
completion of the paper.
Characteristics of a Good Research Topic
A. Interesting. Choose a topic that explore the potential
implications for theory or practice and contributes to the existing
knowledge on the topic
B. Researchable. Pick a topic that has several sources to give
access to the level of information to support your claim.
C. Feasible. Think of topic that focuses on one concept to make
the whole process much easier and to complete the paper on time.
2. REFINE THE TOPIC
Some students choose topics that are too general which
become challenging to address. A topic is considered broad when
there are many ideas related to it. Narrowing the topic will help
determine the specific direction of the paper and will help in
exploring the topic in detail.
that is used to explore a central topic and all its related ideas. It
starts with a central bubble containing the main idea and expands
to some bubbles for related ideas and to more bubbles for specific
ideas. Connect the ideas with lines to create relationships. Below
is an example of a mind map.
3. FORMULATE A SOLID RESEARCH QUESTION
Collecting accurate research outcomes lies on the type
of research questions Crawford (2006) defined research
questions as "questions that you set out to answer in your paper".
Format your questions to fit your purpose and style. It is an
essential element scope of the study and breaks the research
plan into more manageable tasks.
Research questions must be interesting, feasible and
arguable to help in gathering Useful information for the topic.
Research must not be answered with Yes' or No' because the
answer to the question should not just be a simple statement of
fact. There should be a space to discuss and interpret the data
gathered. Knowledge on how to develop a research question is
the foundation of successful research. Brainstorm for possible
questions based on the characteristics of a good research
questions.
Characteristics of A Good Research Question
A. Specific. The topic focuses on a single concept of the topic
that will be addressed.
B. Feasible. The topic can be answered within reasonable time.
C. Arguable. The topic will provide enough scope for
investigation and discussion.
Example Research Questions
Topic 1: Causes of Stress
a. What are the causes of stress?
b. What are some strategies for stress relief?
Topic 2: Benefits of Exercise
a. Can exercise improve memory and cognition?
b. How does exercise improve memory and cognition?
4. DEVELOPA THESIS STATEMENT
A thesis statement summarizes the central idea of the
paper. According to Gonzales (2018), 4a thesis statement is the
writer's opinion or claim about the topic under Study. A claim is a
single, declarative statement that could be a policy proposal, an
evaluation, a cause-and- effect statement or an interpretation.
This claim will be developed, supported and explained in the body
of the paper by means of evidence.
According to Creswell (2007) defined thesis statement
as "the tentative answer to the question that the paper explores".
It is like the trailer of a great film which gives the highlights to
encourage the viewers to watch the film. Thus, a well-crafted
thesis statement will draw readers in and will create excitement
about the paper's content. A good trailer gives the highlights of
the film which will encourage the viewers to watch more more.
Thus, a good thesis statement will not only give readers the
important points of the school paper but will also encourage them
to read more.
The figure below shows a sample thesis statement on
the topic automated election'. The claim is will expedite counting
of ballots'. The claim is thought provoking claim because readers
will wonder how can an automated machine expedite the counting
of ballots.
Example Thesis Statements
Topic 1: Leadership
Thesis statement: Setting goals and expectations is essential for
teams to work together.
Topic 2: Exercise
Thesis Statement: People should exercise every day to keep
their bodies at a healthy weight and to reduce the risk of high
blood pressure.
5. PLAN THE RESEARCH DESIGN
The research design section should describe the overall
approach and practical steps that will be used to answer the
research questions.
Methods of Research
Research methods are techniques used to collect the
necessary data that will answer the questions posed. The choice
of methods depends on the type of data needed to Support the
thesis. There are two methods of research, namely qualitative and
quantitative.
A. Qualitative Research Method
"Qualitative research is the process of collecting and
analyzing non-numerical data" (Silverman, 2016). The goal of
qualitative research is to understand actual conversations through
first-hand experience, truthful reporting, and quotations.
There are a variety of methods of data collection in
qualitative research, but the three most common ones are
interview, observation, and document analysis. They are used to
capture quality evidence that seeks to answer all the questions
that have been raised.
Qualitative Research Tools
1. Interview refers to one-on-one conversation between the
researcher and a participant which can be structured, semi-
structured, or unstructured to explore the participant's views,
experiences, beliefs, and opinions.
2. Observation refers to the coding of the observable data which
can be on-site, in-context or role play options to understand
experiences.
3. Document Analysis reviews documents like letters, diaries,
emails or reports to understand certain concepts.
Qualitative Research Topics
1. The Importance of Developing Healthy Eating Habits
2. Covid-19 Deaths and Recoveries Per Barangay in lligan City
3. Parents' Perceptions on Online Class Example Descriptive Research:
4. Effective Voting Rules and Polls in Education Parents' Perceptions on Online Class
Example Correlational Research:
B. Quantitative Research Method Health Comparative Study on Low and High Fat Intake and its
Quantitative research is defined as a systematic effects on Health
investigation of phenomena by gathering quantifiable data and Example Experimental Research:
performing statistical, mathematical, or computational techniques" Effective Voting Rules and Polls in Elections
(Quantitative research: definition, methods, types, and examples,
2021) Survey questionnaires, observations and documentation 6. DEVELOP AN OUTLINE
Screening are the tools for data collection in quantitative research. To determine what to write, outline the scope of your
Its goal is to "find patterns and averages, make predictions, test paper. Calderon and Gonzales (1993) defined outline as "a blue
causal relationships and generalize results to wider populations". print or plan of the research paper. it is an organized list of
related ideas that will be included in your discussion". To
Quantitative Research Tools determine the scope of the paper, organize an outline.
1. Surveys or Questionnaires ask the same questions to large A solid outline includes a list of paragraph's topics to
number of Participants or use Likert scales which measure ensure that each component is related to the aim of the paper.
opinions as numerical data. Each idea must be connected to one another carefully ordered,
2. Observations can either involve counting the number of times a and have sufficient evidence to Support each point. Below are the
Specific Phenomenon occurs or coding of the observational data guidelines in making an outline and a sample outline.
in order to translate it into numbers.
3. Document Screening refers to sourcing numerical data from
financial reports or counting word occurrences.
Quantitative Research Topics
1. Analysis on First Year Enrollees per College in. RC AKICFI
Marawi City AY 2023-2024
TYPES OF RESEARCH
Understanding the types of research, such as descriptive,
correlational and experimental will help in choosing the most
appropriate methodology for the school paper.
 Descriptive research seeks to describe the current status of
an identified variable and is designed to provide systematic
information about a phenomenon.
 Correlational research provides understanding of what kind of
relationships does naturally occurring variables have with one
another. It seeks to figure out if two or more variables are
related.
 Experimental research uses the scientific method to establish Guidelines in Making an Outline:
the cause and effect relationship among a group of variables  Use Roman numerals to label the main points.
that make up a study.  Use capital letters to label the minor points.
 Use Arabic numerals to label chief subdivisions of details.
  Use small letters to label subdivisions of details.
 Indent, capitalize, and punctuate exactly as shown in the
model.
7. INCLUDE RESEARCH DOCUMENTATIONS
All sources used and full publication details must be
properly documented to avoid plagiarism or using another
person's ideas and passing them off as one's own
Types of Documentation
Documentation is the process of acknowledging the sources used
in developing the research paper (Zulueta & Perez. 2010), There
are two types of documentation: parenthetical citation and
bibliography.
A. Parenthetical Citation or in-text citation or in-text citation
refers to identifying the source of information used in your school
paper. The source is immediately placed right after the idea used
in the discussion of the paper. Its primary purpose is to connect
the source in the citation to the bibliography.
Sample Parenthetical or In-text Citation:
"Exercise helps people lose weight and lower the risk of some
diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and high blood
pressure" (Lopez, 2013).
B. Bibliography is a list of sources of information used in the
paper discussion. It is arranged alphabetically at the end of the
paper. Its primary importance is that it allows readers to verify the
documentation provided in the paper and to give further readings
if they are interested in the topic.
Styles of Documentation
There are two main styles of documentation: Modern Language
Association (MLA) and American Psychological Association
(APA). They are very similar, but each has its own unique styles.
The format of the documentation must be based on the paper’s
purpose and topic. Betts ((n.d.)) contrasted the two main styles of
documentation.
 APA is commonly used for citing sources within the field of
behavioral and social sciences. It follows the author-year-
page method of in text citation and References is the
reference list title.
 MLA is commonly used for citing sources within the
language arts, cultural studies, and other humanities
disciplines.
Wright (2020) presented several steps in inserting citations in
Microsoft Word
Steps on How to Insert Citations in Microsoft Word
A. Place your cursor where you want to insert your citation.
Example: Outline is a plan.
B. Select the References tab in the ribbon followed by the
Insert Citation button in the Citations & Bibliography group.
C. Select the citation style from the Style menu in the Citations
& Bibliography group. Example: APA
D. Scroll through the menu to find the option that mostly
matches the citation style.
E. To insert a new source, select the Insert Citation button in
the Citations & Bibliography group.
F. Select Add New Source from the drop-down menu.
G. Select the source type from the Type of Source menu in the
Create Source dialogue box.
H. Scroll through the menu to find the option that mostly
matches the source. Example: Book
I. Enter the source information into the bibliography fields.
J. To add more information, select All Bibliography Fields
and enter the source of information into the additional fields.
K. Select the OK button. The citation should appear in the text
where the cursor was inserted. Example: Outline is a plan
(Gray, 2021).
L. To add the page number in the citations, place the cursor
where the page number will be inserted. Example: Outline is
a plan (Gray, 2021). Then, select from the drop-down menu.
Insert the page number and then select OK. Select the
source type from the Type of Source menu in the Create
Source box. Scroll through the menu to find the option that
mostly matches the source. Example: Book
How to insert Bibliographies, Reference lists, o Work Cited
Lists
a. Place the cursor where the bibliography list will be inserted.
b. Select the References tab in the ribbon.
c. Select the Bibliography button in the Citations & Bibliography
group.
d. Select the type of documentation from the drop-down menu.
Your bibliography should appear in your document.
GROUP 4
Presenters:
Norhana D. Oranggaga
Sittie Rahma D. Ibrahim
Najma Disomimba
Members:
Samiha M. Racman
Sandori B. Caris
Moh’d Rayyan Amir
Abdul Malik Manalocon