Formulating Clear

Statement of Research
Problem
Lesson 1, Third Quarter
Characteristics of a Research Questions:
Specific. This refers to the quality of being exact or
particular. Research problem statement should be
able to communicate the specific inquiry or question
that needs to be answered.
Measurable. This is never an issue in a quantitative
method of research. However, in terms of qualitative
research method, the measurability of a research
statement refers to its epistemological aspect or the
state of being objectively observable. More than that,
instruments of data-gathering should be present.
Characteristics of a Research Questions:
Attainable. The research questions should be easily
answered or achieved when the appropriate procedures are
performed.
Realistic. The possibility of being carried out should always
be observed in formulating the research problem especially
when there is a need for experimentations and observations.
Time-Bound. Time is an important element in the research
work. The research questions should be narrowed enough to
be attained within the set time frame.
Types of Research Questions:
1. Factor-isolating questions. The major concern of these questions is to
categorize, label, or name factors and situations that exist or those that
are present in the perimeter of the research work.
Examples:
A. What are the difficulties encountered by Senior High School
learners in the New Normal set-up of educational system in the country?
B. What are the possible contribution that parents and the
community can extend to schools to overcome the difficulties
encountered by Senior High School learners in the New Normal
educational system?
2. Factor-relating questions. Establishing relationships between and
among factors that have been identified is the purpose of these
questions.
Examples:
A. What relationship exists between the socio-economic status
of family to the learning ability of students?
B. Is there a significant relationship between the choice of
words of learners in essay writing and the speaking skills of learners?
3. Situation-relating questions. These questions emphasize the
observable changes that happen to variable/s involved in the study as
a result of experimentation.
Examples:
A. What is the effect of the modular distance learning to the
learning style and behavior of learners?
B. What are the impacts of flexible learning options and
modalities in the educational system in the Philippines?
4. Situation-producing questions. These questions open the
opportunity to create a definite course of action, policies or conditions
in order to accomplish or to achieve a certain goal.
Examples:
A. What project could be designed to empower parents and the
community to be involved in the educational system?
B. What action plan could be proposed to strengthen the
coordination between the family, the community and the school in
achieving relevant education?
Citing and Synthesizing
Related Literature
Lesson 2 Third Quarter
Literature
in its conceptual definition refers to a
collection of written work with a heightened
and artistic use of words may it be fiction or
nonfiction. However, in its operational
definition in research, this terminology refers
to published information in a particular
subject area which sometimes covers a
certain period of time.
 Types of resources (Clemente, Julaton, &
Orleans, 2016):
A．General references - books, monographs, conference
manuals, research articles, professional journals and
similar documents
．
B Primary sources - academic research and university
research journals and reputable organizations
．
C Secondary sources - articles, analyses, essays,
newspaper, single or multiple authored textbooks
．
D Tertiary resources - books based on secondary sources
that interprets the work of others.
 Characteristics of RRL
1. Recency. The materials that should be included in the review
should be recent as much as possible. For general references,
published materials 10 years ago are yet sound and valid.
Meanwhile, primary, secondary and tertiary references within the
last five years are ideal. Archived materials may also be used as
reference for theories and concepts.
2. Objectivity. Since research is academic and scholarly, the
materials should be fair, objective and bias-free. It should not
favor any extreme and obvious vested interest aside from
delivering facts, information, and findings.
 Characteristics of RRL
3. Relevance. The weight of relevance of the material to the current
research undertaking must be checked. Before citing it, it should
bear essential information to clarify and deepen the issues and
concepts of the research being conducted. Otherwise, the material
should not be considered for the review.
4. Conciseness. The materials that the review should have must be
sufficient enough, not too few and not too many, to provide the
researcher and the readers strong insight about the general and
specific problems that the research is trying to address or answer.
Organization of the Review of
Related Literature
1. Chronological This approach in organizing the
review puts emphasis on the timeline of
development or the year the materials were
written. In this case, the intention is to show
how changes about the topic occurred from its
emergence. This also presents the evolving
mindset and thinking of the authors. Mostly,
this approach is used in qualitative researches.
 Example:
Santos (2017) affirms that literature is an efficient
springboard towards introducing and teaching language skills
among Junior High School learners.
Tesoro (2018), meanwhile, found out that the a literature
based classroom should always consider the context of the
learners, the literature, and the context of the teacher.
Further, Solano (2019) reported that there is a wider
opportunity when the teaching of language skills is embedded in
the teaching of literature.
2. By Topic/Concept
In this case, if many or several authors have
a comparable opinion about the same topic or
issue, it is appropriate to use this approach. This
manner of organizing the review highlights the
interrelationship of concepts which support the
development of the current study. This approach
is applicable in all methods of research.
3. By Author/Writer
To build credibility with the claims that the research
would like to stand on, presenting different authors even
though they have similar ideas is highly advisable. Each point
of view of every author is explained and expound to backup
the main idea being presented in the review. Each author is
cited in the footnote.
Always remember that only major findings and
conclusions, concepts, hypotheses, and formulated theories
should be included in the review of related literature. Also,
these are never directly lifted or copied, but summarized and
synthesized
Example:
Clemente, Julaton, and Orleans (2016) stress that
research suggests an action that denotes to look for
something again. It is taken from the composition of
the word “re” and “search.”
Calderon and Gonzales (2014) reiterates that
research is a purposive, systematic and scientific
process of discovering truth. Thus, it entails
systematic gathering of data to formulate findings and
judgment.
American Psychological Association
or APA Style
The APA Style is the most commonly used
format in citing references. This provides the
author’s surname and year of publication in the
citation with a complete details in the
bibliography of the research. The page number is
not included in the in-text citation.
 In-Text Citation
1. A work by two authors
Education 4.0 refers to… (Santos & Portillo,
2017) Santos and Portillo (2017) noted …
2. A work by three to five authors
Garcia, Santos, Hilario, Cruz and Aduan (2019)
reiterated… Complementary tool is…(Garcia, Santos,
Hilario, Cruz & Aduan, 2019)
Or Gracia et.al (2019)
3. Six or more authors Santos et al. (2017) pointed out ...
4. Government and private agencies, organizations etc.
as an author
According to Department of Education (2020) …
Based on the press release of the Department of
Health (2020)…
Only abbreviation of the agencies will appear on
the succeeding in-text citations in the paper
5. citing indirect sources in another source
Portillo positioned that … (as cited in Santos,
2019 p. 25)
6. electronic sources Tamayo (2020) discussed
that…
7. Citing websites (without an author, title and the
date are cited; for sources with no date “n.d.” is
placed)
Smith, n.d. argued that...
a. In-text citation for website with no author
Rizal Province is now establishing coordinated
operations to defeat rapid increase of COVID-19
cases (Rizal Provincial Government, 2020).
b. Reference entry for website with no author
Rizal Provincial Government. (2020). Retrieved from http:
//www.rizalprovince.ph/news/monitor-aug122020.html
c. In-text citation for section of website without an author
DepEd Cavite’s Project Compassion: Suporta sa mga
Katropa reached 180 beneficiaries since its launching in April
(DEPED CALABARZON, 2020).
d. Reference entry for section of a website with no author
DepEd CALABARZON. (2020). Retrieved from
https://depedcalabarzon.ph/2020/06/cavites-project-co
mpassionraises-more-than-p650k-for-deped-cavite-frontliner
s-backliners/
Describing Research Design,
Methodology and
Preparing the Instrument
Lesson 3 Third Quarter
 Research Design
Research design is the process of
structuring techniques and strategies
that help researchers solve their
problems or answer their questions
(Clemente, Julaton & Orleans, 2016).
 Action Research Design
- is a collaborative and adaptive research
design that focuses on socially and
solution-driven outcomes. It has the
potential to increase learning from
experience.
- Action research mostly is applicable in the
teaching-learning process.
 Case Study Design
- This design is widely used by social
scientists since it aims to examine
contemporary situations that are
happening in real life.
- This design can provide the bases for the
application of concepts and theories as
well as detailed descriptions of unusual
cases.
 Causal Design
- This design is commonly used to measure the
impact of a particular change on existing
situation or norm.
- Typically, causal explanations are sought to
reflect on hypotheses testing.
- Causal effect happens when difference in a
phenomenon leads to significant results.
 Cross-Sectional Design
- Cross-sectional researches are capable of
using data from a large number of subjects
as it primarily use survey techniques to
gather data.
- This design can only measure differences
between or from among a diverse set of
participants, subjects, or phenomena.
 Descriptive Design
- This designs answers the questions who,
what, when, where, and how of a research
problem. However, it is could not provide
reasons or exact answers to the question
“why”.
- It only intends to describe "what exists" in a
situation and its related variables.
 Experimental Design
- This design involves an experimental group and a
control group wherein the independent variable is
applied to the experimental group while maintaining the
control group.
- Both groups are measured on the same target
dependent variable. It may require the use of more
groups and measurements over periods of time to
validate the results.
- This is typically done in the field of medicine and
science.
 Exploratory Design
- Primarily, exploratory design is fitted to a research
problem that is not yet saturated or with only a few
or totally no investigations have been conducted for.
- This is often administered to understand the
processes in order to proceed in deeper studying of
an issue.
- This may also deal with discovering the best
methodology to use in gathering information.
 Historical Design
- Collecting, verifying, and synthesizing evidences from
the significant past are the aim of historical research
design. This is bound towards establish factual bases to
defend, challenge or nullify a certain existing knowledge.
- It mainly involves data from secondary sources and also
primary documents and artifacts, such as but not limited
to records, materials, archives and visual artifacts like
maps, images, and footages or recordings.
 Mixed-Method Design
- This design is a combination of quantitative and
qualitative methods. Its is advantageous in the sense
that the strengths of one method can be used to
fulfill the weaknesses of another.
- The only thing that should be ensured is the
appropriateness of the design to the research
problems, so that the results or outcome will be
definitely valid and reliable.
 The Research Instruments/Tools
• There are several ways of collecting data. The
choice of research instruments is one of the
major decisions that the researcher will have to
do. This is crucial since the instrument will be
the channel through which the researcher will
be able to gather the data that are needed in
forming answers to the research problems.
 Mechanical Devices
• These include almost all tools available in different laboratories
for various disciplines and areas.
• Cameras, recorders, tapes and films are only a few devices that
may be used in collecting data for a historical or social science
research.
• Microscopes, telescopes, flasks, tubes, thermometers and other
apparatuses are some instruments for a scientific and
experimental research. Each discipline has its own designed
devices for its operation research work
 Clerical Tools
• In the study if perceptions, emotions, feelings,
attitude and judgments, clerical tools like
questionnaire, interview, testing and other materials
are applicable.
• Most clerical tools are researcher-made which are
checked and validated by experts and acceptable
validation procedures.
Common methods involved in clerical
tools:
1. The questionnaire method
2. The interview method
3. The testing method
4. The experimental method
5. The library method
Characteristics of Good Data Collection
Instruments
 1. Brief and Effective.
• The data collection instrument should not be
too long to be completed or accomplished by
both the researcher and the respondents.
• It should contain rich prompts and fields to
gather rich information as well. Time is always
important, so making it short without
compromising the target data is ideal.
 2. Efficient
• The instrument should be able to collect
information afar from what is available and
accessible to the researcher.
 3. Systematically sequential
• The content of the instrument should be
arranged systematically from an increasing
difficulty or complexity of information being
asked.
• Easy and less sensitive questions should be
placed first before the complex and confidential
ones.
 4. Valid and Reliable

• In order to attain these characteristics, the

developed instrument should undergo tests of
validity and reliability through processes like
pilot testing and the like.
 5. Researcher and Sample-friendly
• The data will be collected from the material
should be easy to be provided by the sample
and easy to handle in the part of the researcher.
The tabulation, analysis and interpretation of
the data should not complicate the tasks of the
researcher.
Common Data Collection Instruments
(Clemente, Julaton and Orleans, 2016; Calderon and Gonzales, 2014)
 1. Documentary Review
• This is the process of obtaining information
from relevant documents. It is practical and
efficient since the data can be manageable
enough which can come from public
records, personal documents and physical
evidences.
 2. Interview
• The process of asking questions to key
informants or respondents about the topics
of the research. The researcher should
have enough training and background in
administering this kind of data-gathering.
This can be done through face-to-face, over
the telephone or computer-assisted.
 Types of Interview
A. Structured Interview. The researcher
would have to construct and organize
questions which the respondents will
answer. The researcher does not ask other
questions aside from what has been
prepared prior to the interview
 Types of Interview
B. Unstructured Interview. In this type of
interview, the researcher holds only an
outline of topics. The questions will be
spontaneously asked to form a conversation
with the interviewee. Probing skills in
questioning is highly necessary.
 Types of Interview
C. Semi-Structured Interview. This is a
blend of the two previous types of interview.
It is where the researcher prepares
questions and still ask follow up questions
to the interviewee for a sort of elaboration in
order to form a in-depth probing.
 3. Observation
• Tracking physical, behavioral and other
aspects from the target sample over a
period of time is the major concern of the
researcher in this method.
 Types of Observation
A. Naturalistic Observation. The
researcher observes the subjects in their
actual setting or natural environment
without the intrusion or involvement of the
researcher.
 Types of Observation
B. Participative Observation. This interview
requires the researcher to be involved in the
activities of the subjects. In this way, the
researcher would directly know and feel
what the subject experiences.
 Types of Observation
C. Non-naturalistic Observation.In this
interview, the subjects are taken away from
their usual situation and will experience the
ideal conditions set by the researcher.
 4. Questionnaire-Checklist
This is one of the commonly used data
collection instruments among other.
Questionnaire-checklists are easy to
administer and efficient in gathering large
volume of data. Basically, the respondents
would provide answers to the prepared set
of questions.
 Types of Questionnaire Checklist
A．Tag Questions. These questions are
answerable by yes or no.
Example:
Do you have food allergies?
______Yes _______No
 Types of Questionnaire Checklist
B. Multiple Choice. This is the usual way of
getting answer/response from the respondents
basically by giving a question and options to
choose from.
Example: How do you reach your school?
a. walking
b. public transportation (commuting)
c. private vehicle
 Types of Questionnaire Checklist
C. Open-ended Questions. The respondents
would have top continue an incomplete
statement.
Example:
I prefer to study online because
______________________________.
 Types of Questionnaire Checklist
D. Coding/Ranking. In this type, the respondents are
asked to rank or give numerical rating for the
information required of them. This may come in a
form of a checklist with a scale.
Example:
 Types of Questionnaire Checklist
E. Short-responses Questions. These are
subjective questions that require short
answers. This gives the respondents the
freedom to express their ideas and opinions.
Example:
What is your opinion about Education 4.0?
 Types of Questionnaire Checklist
F. Combination. This refers to the
combination of the different form of
questions in a single questionnaire.
 5. Focus Group Discussion (FGD)
• It is composed of totally diverse set of individuals to
express their personal views about the topic. They
can agree or disagree with each other about the
issues.
• FGD is a way to understand the perspectives which
cannot be explained by statistical data. The
researcher should be skilled in moderating and
documenting the conduct to gather the needed data.