PRACTICAL

RESEARCH 2
CHAPTER 2: Identifying the
Inquiry and Stating the Problem
Identifying the Inquiry and Stating the Problem
Learning Competencies
• Design a research useful in daily life
• Write a research title
• Describe the background of the study
• Present a written statement of the problem
• State the research questions
• Indicate the scope and delimitation of the study
• Cite the significance of the study.
 The Research Starts with a
research topic
Process
follows Should be Leads to the formulation of

Systematic research
steps worthwhile questions
Similar to the Set the

interesting
Scientific Direction of
method the study
doable
 Steps in the Research Process
Step 8:
Step 1: Step 4: Step 5: Report
Define the Prepare all
Collect findings of
research research
data
design the
problem
research

Step 3: Step 6:
Step 2: Do Step 7:
Analyze
the review Formulate Write the
and
of related hypothesi interpret
research
literature s report
data
1. Define the research problem
• Confer with people knowledgeable in the field
• Read journals
• Formulating research questions involves asking questions that
can be answered by means of collecting data.

2. DO the review of related literature

• Obtaining background information about the research topic
• Helps establish the rationale, significance, and justification in
pursuing the research study.
3. Formulate hypothesis
• Hypothesis- an educated guess that serves as the tentative
answer to the posed research questions at the beginning of the
inquiry process.

4. Prepare the research design

• Research design- blueprint of the research
• Provides the details of how data will be collected, analyzed,
and interpreted; and instruments used.
5. Collect data
• Regarded as most important step in the research
6. Analyze and interpret data
• Data analysis paves the way to make sense of collected data by
transforming them into appropriate tables and graphs.
7. Write the research report
• Confirms that the research questions are answered
8. Report the research findings
• Public consumption
 Characteristics of a Good Research
1. It is a topic that you are extremely passionate about all
throughout the inquiry process.
2. It is a topic that is valuable and worthwhile to you, your fellow
students, and the society.
3. It is a topic that is feasible and doable; it allows you as a
researcher to demonstrate your mastery of the topic and
methods.
 Guide questions for Research topic

• What makes the research topic a good one?

• To what extent does your choice of topic adhere
to the characteristics of a good topic?
 Narrowing your Research Topic Flowchart
Steps Example

1. Choose a general topic of interest. Learning

2. Add a layer of specificity by obtaining Cooperative learning

background information.
3. Identify additional specifics of your topic. Cooperative learning in science

4. Choose a particular perspective/issue on the Cooperative learning environment, academic achievement, and
topic and identify variables to link to your small group process skills in a physics class
topic.
5. Write a problem statement. Engagement in a cooperative learning environment will result in
higher academic achievement and development of small group
process skills in physics.

6. Formulate a working title of the study. The link between cooperative learning environment, achievement,
and small group process skills in physics.
 Narrow down my research topic

• By demographic characteristics
• By relevant issues
• By location
• By timeframe
• By causes
 Show the details on how you can narrow down the given general
topic on Grade 11 students by answering the guide questions
provided.
General Topic: Grade 11 students
1. What are you interested to find out about Grade 11
students?
2. Give another layer of specificity about Grade 11
students.
3. Identify additional specifics about Grade 11 students.
4. Identify dependent variables that you would like to link
with your study of Grade 11 students.
5. Write a problem statement.
6. Formulate a working title for this study.
 Topic Ideas

Art and Music

• Why do students doodle? What do students think about
doodling in class? Is this activity considered to be a
stress reliever?
• What are the music preference of today’s youth? Are
youth still interested in classical music?
 Math, Computer and Technology
• What are the commonly used teaching strategies in learning mathematics?
• How does the use of technology impact one's learning of mathematics and
science?
• To what extent can social media facilitate learning?
• How does social media affect the youth’s perception of privacy?
• How does the dynamics of social skills get to be affected by the use of
social media?
 Health and Biological Sciences

• How is artificial sugar harmful?

• How can people benefit from pet therapy?
• Do video games help or hinder childhood development?
• shou;ld energy drinks be banned from high school sports?
 KWL CHART

• Helps you identify what you already KNOW, what you

WANT to find out, and what you have LEARNED
during your search for background information about
the topic.
General Area of Interest:
Genre of Research :
What I Know What I Want To Know What I Have Learned
In answering this column, reflect and To answer this column, After you have searched
think of the who, what, when, where, reflect on your answers for background
and why questions. to What I Know Column. information about the
If you have very little topic, write your answers
Why are you pursuing the topic? Why answer to the 5W on the 5W questions.
are you interested in the topic? questions, then your
knowledge of the topic is Why:
Who are the experts on the topic? very limited. Who:
Have these experts already published What”
information on the topic? Who are the The next step is go to the Where:
organizations/institutions associated library for background When:
with the topic? Who would be information.
interested in the results of your study? Remember to consider
both primary &
secondary sources.
 WHAT I KNOW WHAT I WANT TO WHAT I HAVE LEARNED
KNOW
What are the problems, List down Remember to add specific
concerns, and issues associated explicitly what else details about the topic;
with the topic? What advocacies you need to know identify a perspective or
are supported by the topic? to further describe issue associated with the
your topic. topic; and identify your
Where is your topic relevant: at independent and
the local, national, or dependent variables.
international level? Are there
specific places affected by the Write a feasible problem
topic? statement and formulate a
tentative title of your
When is/was your topic topic or study.
important? Is time an important
factor in pursuing the topic?
 Checklist in Evaluating a Research
Topic
AM I curious about the topic? Can I sustain my interest on the
topic all throughout the study? Am I passionate about pursuing the
study?
Can I answer the 5W questions associated with the topic?
Can I answer the research questions generated by the topic? Are the
data collection techniques for this topic feasible and doable? Are
there sound procedures that can be used to ensure data collection
and analysis?
 Checklist in Evaluating a Research Topic
Can I afford to conduct the study? Do I have sufficient resources like
time, money, and technical assistance to carry out the research? What are
the potential problems in carrying out the study? What plans should be
laid out to address these problems?
Is the topic valuable? Is it worthwhile to pursue? Does the study of
value to me, to my fellow students, and the society at large? Would my
study give a significant contribution to the existing knowledge? Can
other researchers build on or add to my research?
 Checklist in Evaluating a Research Topic
Is my study good enough for a class requirement? Is my study practical?
Can the results of my study be a source of input for other researchers’
cause or advocacy?
Is there enough background information to realistically pursue the
topic? Are there enough literature that support the findings of the study?
Do I have a thorough knowledge of the literature underlying my
inquiry? Have I exhausted the available literature pertaining to my topic?
Research Title
 Research Title
The following steps can guide you in writing your research title:
1. Determine what it is that you wish to accomplish or know from
your study. Write one to two sentences to state the main objectives
of your research project.
2. Include important keywords and variables. Revise the sentences
into one complete sentence that includes important keywords and
variables of the study.
3. Shorten the title by eliminating unnecessary words. You may
also shrink a phrase into a simpler phrase or a single word. In
doing this, make sure that the main thought of the research
study is retained.
4. Correct grammar and punctuation errors if there is any.
5. Observe proper formatting. The format may vary according
to the requirements of the course or school. Please seek
guidance from your professor.
 Basic Guidelines in Making a Research Title

1. Use an accurate description of the subject and scope of the study

instead of using general terms.
2. Do not use abbreviations except for commonly known ones like
DNA and ICT.
3. Do not include words like “The study of,” “analysis of,” “an
investigation of” or similar construction as these would only
lengthen the title.
4. Include the main dependent and independent variables.
5. Be mindful of the proper use of grammar and punctuation.
6. Capitalize all nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs as
well as the first letter of the first and last words.
7. State in a declarative form, although you may also see titles in
question form from time to time.
8. The year the study has been conducted should not be
indicated unless it is a historical study.
9. Use current terminology.
10. Depending on the institutional requirements, 5 to15 words are
sufficient to describe the research study.
11. Use the common name instead of chemical formula (e.g.,
NH4)
12. Write and italicize the full scientific names.
13. Must reflect the tone of the paper. An academic research
paper has title that is not casual, or informal, or does not contain
humor.
Research Questions
 Formulating the Research
Questions
• A research problem is simple as a problem you would like to research.
Quantitative Research Problem dealt more with the precision and
specificity of the problem.
• Furthermore, the quantitative research problem describes the trends
and patterns of a phenomenon.
• Excellent research questions should be formulated in such a way that
they would require data collection ana analysis.
 Formulating the Research
Questions
• Research questions help to clarify and specify the research problem.
• Research questions are also considered as sub-problems of your
research problem.
• These questions are informative. It specifies the method of collecting
and analyzing data and the type of data to be collected since you are
exploring a quantitative research problem.
 Formulating the Research
Questions
• Research questions should not be too broad nor too
narrow in the sense that the samples are implied.
• Addresses the gaps in the literature meaning once you
have collected and analyzed data to answer your
research questions, your findings can open up new
discourses in your conclusions.
 Criteria for Evaluating Research
Questions
• The research questions should be researchable. A
researchable question is one that can be answered by
collecting and analyzing data.
• The problem implied in the research question should be
valuable and worthwhile. Answers to the research questions
should have theoretical or practical importance.
 Criteria for Evaluating Research
Questions
• The research questions should point toward the data gathering
procedures to be employed in the study. The research question
should provide structure, direction, and guidepost to the
researcher as the study is conducted.
• The research question should specify the samples or
participants of the study. These are the people whom the
researcher intends to investigate.
 Criteria for Evaluating Research
Questions
• The research questions should specify the variables of the
study. The independent and dependent variables, and the
presumed relationship between them should be identified. A
good benchmark is to name the variables and how they are
related in one sentence.
 Criteria for Evaluating Research
Questions
• The research questions should indicate the methods or data
gathering procedures to be adopted.
• The problem implied in the research question should be clear.
It is not too broad nor too narrow.
 Characteristics of Good Research Questions

•The following are good characteristics of research

questions, as described by Fraenkel and Wallen (2020).

Feasible. Clear. Significant. Ethical.

Statement of the
Problem
 Statement of the Problem
• the researcher presents and analyses the problem to which he/she is
trying to contribute a solution through his/her research.
• Or exactly what is the curiosity or the interest which you are trying to
satisfy?
• According to Selamat (2008), “the heart of any research project is the
problem” and “researchers get off a strong start when they begin with
an unmistakably clear statement of the problem”.
 Statement of the Problem
Relevant Questions
• What exactly is the problem to which you are trying to contribute a
solution?
Present the problem explicitly and elaborately, clarify and delineate it.
Specify the nature of the problem and, if necessary limit, the scope of the
investigation.
You might delineate and define sub-problems. Present and analyze
problems in education, for example, to which your study is going to
contribute solutions.
 Statement of the Problem
Relevant Questions
• Specifically, what problem in education, or in any area, or in the
society/community, or in your job, etc, are you intending to, or
interested in, contributing a solution through your research?
• How and why is this a problem? What are the current adverse
consequences of the problem? What are the impacts of the
problem? What are likely to be the consequences of this problem if
a solution for it is not sort for now? In other words, why is it
important to address the problem?
 SOP

• You will provide one concise paragraph discussing

your research problem. Be specific in describing this
problem.
• A problem statement is a concise and concrete summary of
the research problem you seek to address. It should:
• Contextualize the problem. What do we already know?
• Describe the exact issue your research will address. What do
we still need to know?
• Show the relevance of the problem. Why do we need to
know more about this?
• Set the objectives of the research. What will you do to find
out more?
• Step 1: Contextualize the problem
• Step 2: Show why it matters
• Step 3: Set your aims and objectives
Step 1: Contextualize the problem
• The problem statement should frame your research problem, giving
some background on what is already known.
Practical research problems
• For practical research, focus on the concrete details of the situation:
• Where and when does the problem arise?
• Who does the problem affect?
• What attempts have been made to solve the problem?
Theoretical research problems
• For theoretical research, think about the scientific, social,
geographical and/or historical background:
• What is already known about the problem?
• Is the problem limited to a certain time period or geographical area?
• How has the problem been defined and debated in the scholarly
literature?
Step 2: Show why it matters
• The problem statement should also address the relevance of the research. Why is
it important that the problem is addressed?
Practical research problems
• Practical research is directly relevant to a specific problem that affects an
organization, institution, social group, or society more broadly. To make it clear
why your research problem matters, you can ask yourself:
• What will happen if the problem is not solved?
• Who will feel the consequences?
• Does the problem have wider relevance? Are similar issues found in other
contexts?
Step 3: Set your aims and objectives
• Finally, the problem statement should frame how you intend to address
the problem. Your goal here should not be to find a conclusive solution,
but rather to propose more effective approaches to tackling or
understanding it.
The research aim is the overall purpose of your research. It is generally
written in the infinitive form:
• The aim of this study is to determine…
• This project aims to explore…
• This research aims to investigate…
The research objectives are the concrete steps you will take to achieve
the aim:
• Qualitative methods will be used to identify…
• This work will use surveys to collect…
• Using statistical analysis, the research will measure…
 Examples

• Practical research aims and objectivesThe aim of this

research is to investigate effective engagement strategies
to increase voter turnout in the Southeast. It will identify
the most significant factors in non-voting using surveys
and interviews, followed by conducting experiments to
measure the effectiveness of different strategies.
 Examples
• Theoretical research aims and objectivesThis project aims to better
understand young people’s experiences in the gig economy.
Qualitative methods will be used to gain in-depth insight into the
motivations and perceptions of those under 30 engaged in freelance
work across various industries. This data will be contextualized
with a review of recent literature on the gig economy and statistical
analysis of demographic changes in the workforce.
 What is Included in a Problem Statement?

• Besides identifying the gap of understanding or the weakness of

necessary data, it is important to explain the significance of this
lack.
• -How will your research contribute to the existing knowledge
base in your field of study?
• -How is it significant?
• -Why does it matter?
Background of the
Study
 Background of the Study
• The background of the study is the part of your paper where you inform
the reader of the context of the study. When we say context, it is the
situation or circumstances within which your research topic was
conceptualized.
• It is also in this part of the paper where you justify the need to conduct
a research study about the topic selected by establishing the research
gap - a research gap is an under or unexplored area of a topic
that requires further exploration.
•Background of the Study - the introductory part of the paper,
with the purpose of relaying the importance of your research
study
•Background of the study will answer the following questions:
1. What is already known about the topic?
2.What is not known about the topic?
3.Why do you need to address those gaps?
4.What is the rationale of your study?
Purpose of the Study
Purpose of the Study