WRITING BACKGROUND/ RATIONALE/ INTRODUCTION

• This part discusses the circumstances that have

brought about the study. The purpose is to
gradually bring the problem into focus The
suggested approach in writing this part is the
deductive approach, sometimes referred to as the
inverted pyramid or funnel approach. The
discussion proceeds from general to particular so
that the last paragraph provides the link between
the background and the statement of the problem.
• Calderon (1993) suggests that the Background
or Rationale should contain a discussion of
any, or combination, or all the following:
1. Historical and geographical background of
the problem
2. Presentation of the problem
3.The existence on an unsatisfactory condition or
a felt need that should be solved
4.Reason/s why it is necessary to conduct the
study.
– A desire to have deeper and cleaner understanding
of a situation, circumstance, or phenomenon
– A desire to find a better way of doing something
5. A discussion to link the rationale to the
statement of the problem
 Significance of the study

• The significance of a study must be stated in the

Introduction section of your research paper. While
stating the significance, you must highlight how
your research will be beneficial to the development
of science and the society in general. You can first
outline the significance in a broader sense by
stating how your research will contribute to the
broader problem in your field and gradually narrow
it down to demonstrate the specific group that will
benefit from your research.
• . While writing the significance of your study,
you must answer questions like: 
1.Why should your research be published?
2.How will this study contribute to the
development of your field?
 WRITING THE STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

• The Research Problem

A research problem is one or more questions to
be answered empirically by factual
investigation. Every problem subsumes two
important pieces of information: (1) the
precise objectives of the investigation and (2)
the study content
 The Variables in the Research Problem

• A problem suggests a specific answer or

conclusion (Best, 1981). Therefore, it must be
specific and written in quantifiable or
measurable terms (Sevilla1992). This means
that the variable stated in the statement of
the problems are clear and specific:
 What is Variable?

• variable is anything that can be measured. It is

called variable because the value of this thing
varies from one condition to another, from
one person to another, and so on.
• Examples: age, gender, marital status, mental
ability, economic status, leadership style,
behaviors, management style and etc.
 General types of variable

• Independent variable is one that is manipulated, varied

or changed in order to determine its influence, relation
to, or effect (as in the case of an experimental research)
on another variable.
• Dependent variable is one in whose value is observed
or measured as a result or influence of another variable
(independent variable). It is so called because it
depends upon another variable
 Examples:
 

– The research is finding out the level of acceptability

of malunggay cookies by different age group, age is
considered an independent variable while the level
of acceptability is a dependent variable
– In an experimental research, when one is
concerned of the effectiveness of 1:5 tour guide to
tourist ratio in understanding the explained culture
of the Ifugao, then the 1:5 tour guide to tourist ratio
is the independent variable while the level of
understanding is the independent variable
• If a descriptive-comparative research is
concerned with determining whether college
freshmen, when grouped according to their
K12 strands differ significantly in their food
and beverage services skills, K12 strand is the
independent variable while food and beverage
skills is a dependent variable
 Parts of the Statement of the Problem

• A general statement of the whole problem

This is relatively brief introductory statement. It state
objective(s) of the study usually in the form of
declarative statement.
• Specific questions/ problems
This is the listing of questions that have to be answered.
In a descriptive type of research, it is common to
classify this problems into two types of dimensions:
 
• The descriptive dimension. The problems/ questions
under this dimension aim to elicit descriptive
information on the specific variables.
• The relational or inferential analysis dimension. The
questions under this dimension aims to determine
significant relationships between/ among variables in
terms of:
1.Differences between or among groups
2.Correlation/ association between/ among variables
3.Cause-and effect
 EXAMPLE
• Statement of the Problem
This study determined the assessment of tourists and municipal
tourism officers on Tourist Destinations in Cagayan Province.
Specifically, it sought answers to the following questions:
1.What is the profile of tourists in terms of the following?
– Sex
– Highest Education
– Age
– Region of Origin
– Purpose of Visiting
– Tourist Activity Preferences
– Number of times visiting the place
– Source of information
2.What is the profile of each Tourist Destinations in
Cagayan Province as identified by DOT with respect to
Four A’s?
• 2.1. Attractions
• 2.2. Accommodation
• 2.3. Accessibility
• 2.4. Amenities
3. What is the assessment of Tourism Officer on the Status
of Tourist Destination of Cagayan Province as to the
4A’s?
4. What is the Assessment of Tourist Participants
on the Tourist Destinations in terms of the 7
P’s?
5. Is there a significant difference on the
assessment of the Tourist Participants on the
Tourist Destinations when grouped according
to profile variables?
6.What are the problems encountered by the
tourist participants?
7. What plan of action can be proposed to
improve tourism destination management in
the province of Cagayan?
 WRITING THE HYPOTHESIS

• Definition of Hypothesis 
• A hypothesis is a shrewd guess that is
formulated and provisionally adopted as
answer to a relational dimension problem. It is
testable statement of a potential relationship
(association/ correlation, difference) between/
among two or more variable.
 Types of Hypothesis

• Null Hypothesis (Ho). Null means “zero or no

existence” of association/ correlation, difference, or
effect (as in experimental research)
• Example:
• Hypothesis
• There is no significant difference on the assessment
of the Tourist Participants on the Tourist Destinations
when grouped according to profile variables?
• Alternative Hypothesis (Ha). This is considered the
operational statement of the research hypothesis; it
is the expectation based on theory; it is normally
the affirmative form of the null hypothesis. If the Ho
is rejected, the Ha is accepted.
• EXAMPLE
There is significant difference on the assessment of
the Tourist Participants on the Tourist Destinations
when grouped according to profile variables?
• WRITING THE THEORETICAL/ CONCEPTUAL AND
ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK
Theoretical framework 
A theoretical framework is a single formal theory.
When a study is designed around a theoretical
framework, the theory is the primary means in which
the research problem is understood and investigated.
Although theoretical frameworks tend to be used in
quantitative studies, you will also see this approach
in qualitative research.  
 Conceptual framework

• A conceptual framework includes one or more

formal theories (in part or whole) as well as other
concepts and empirical findings from the
literature. It is used to show relationships among
these ideas and how they relate to the research
study. Conceptual frameworks are commonly seen
in qualitative research in the social and behavioral
sciences, for example, because often one theory
cannot fully address the phenomena being studied
EXAMPLE
 WRITING THE SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

• This is a discussion of (a) what the study covers, i.e,

scope and (b) what it does not, i.e., delimitation.
The scope of a study is in terms of: content (topic,
variables); period; place people/ objects studied.
To place all of these in the title often makes the
title long so that these are mentioned in the scope
and delimitation. The discussion of the study’s
delimitation mentions what the study is not able to
cover and the justifications for such delimitation.
 EXAMPLE
• This study will be conducted in Cagayan
Province particularly the mostly visited tourist
destinations found in the list of Cagayan
Provincial Tourism Office.
 WRITING DEFINITION OF TERMS

• What are these terms? These are variables, concepts, terms that
encompass these variables or concepts, especially those that the
mentioned in the Title, Statement of the Problem, and
Hypotheses.  
• How are they to be defined? Each term should be defined
conceptually and operationally.
• A conceptual definition is a general/ universal definition, often
coming from dictionaries, encyclopedias and other general
references.
• An operational definition states how the term/ variable is
measured or manipulated in the study. An operational definition
alone may be allowed, but a conceptual definition alone is not.