PARTS OF A RESEARCH

PAPER
❑Cover Page
❑Abstract
❑Table of Contents
❑List of Tables
❑List of Figures or Illustrations
❑List of Formula/ Equations/ Acronyms

Parts of a Research
Paper
❑Chapter 1 (INTRODUCTION)
Statement of the Problem
Hypothesis
Theoretical Background and Related
Literature
Scope and Limitations of the Study
Significance of the Study
Definition of Terms

Parts of a Research
Paper
❑Chapter 2 ❑Chapter 3
(METHODOLOGY) (RESULTS,
Research Design DISCUSSION, AND
IMPLICATIONS)
Participants
Results and
Measures Discussion
Procedures Implications

Parts of a Research
Paper
 ❑Chapter 4
(CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS)
Conclusions
Recommendation
❑REFERENCES
❑APPENDICES

Parts of a Research
Paper
• Details on the cover are typed in size
14 Tahoma, and centered. Title is fully
capitalized, typed 0.5in from the top
margin, and single-spaced within lines
of the title. Seven single spaces below,
the following is typed:

COVER PAGE
 REUSED PALM COOKING OIL EXHIBITS IN VITRO
MUTAGENECITY

(7 single spaces)

A Research Study Presented to

the Faculty of the Integrated School – High School Department
University of Negros Occidental – Recoletos

(7 single spaces)

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for
Practical Research 2

(7 single spaces)

Juan G. Dela Cruz

Pedro A. Santos single space in between
Marcos S. Villanueva

two spaces

October 2019
❖TITLE OF THE PAPER.
✓ composed of a maximum of 12 words
✓ set in boldface and uppercase
✓ typed 15 spaces from the margin at the center
✓ if composed of two lines, single space is used in
between
✓ 1.5 inches margin (top, left, right, bottom)

• FORMAT. The title of the study is fully capitalized,

centered at the top of the page. The names of the
student researchers are typed one space below as
previously arranged and typed, but appearing as a
single line. A single space below it is the name of the
department, followed by the name of the university a
single space below.

TITLE PAGE
✓ The abstract is a short, typically 150 to 250 words, and
summarizes the entirety of the paper while containing
the main problem, variables, methods, basic findings
or results, important conclusions, and implications or
applications. Two spaces below, important keywords
are identified, italicized, separated by commas.

• FORMAT. The abstract is typed two single spaces

below the name of the university, is blocked and single
spaced, and typed as one paragraph at the center of the
page 0.5in away from the left and right margins.

ABSTRACT
• HEADING - typed in upper case letters and centered at
the top.
• CHAPTER NUMBERS AND HEADINGS- Two spaces
below the heading are two columns; contents to the left
and page numbers to the right. Chapter numbers are in
title case, and chapter headings are in all-caps and
aligned left.
• SUBPARTS- are in title case, indented 0.5in from the
margin.
• APPENDICES- are prescribed to include the research
instrument, reliability and validity results, letters,
conformity forms, ethics forms, SPSS results,
endorsement letters, minutes of meetings, compliance
reports, and curriculum vitae of researchers, in that
order, if available or as applicable for the study.
Additional appendices may be prescribed.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
✓THE HEADING is typed in upper case
letters and centered at the top.
✓EACH TABLE NUMBER is listed with
corresponding titles and page numbers.
✓TITLES are typed in title case, single spaced
between lines of the same title but double
spaced between titles.

LIST OF TABLES
✓THE HEADING is typed in upper case
letters and centered at the top.
✓EACH TABLE NUMBER is listed with
corresponding titles and page numbers.
✓TITLES are typed in title case, single spaced
between lines of the same title but double
spaced between titles.

LIST OF
FIGURES/ILLUSTRATIONS
✓THE HEADING is typed in upper case
letters and centered at the top.
✓EACH FORMULA, EQUATION, AND
ACRONYM is listed with
corresponding meaning.

LIST OF FORMULA/EQUATIONS/
ACRONYMS
• presents the problem being investigated
• provides the necessary background
• setting to establish the context
• justifies the need to conduct the study

• FORMAT. A two-page backgrounder begins

the chapter, four spaces below the heading.

Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
✓ The general problem of the study is presented as a
paragraph, with specific or sub-problems, both
descriptive and inferential are presented in a the
form of questions that would help in the analyses of
the results.
✓ Research objectives may replace this section as
appropriate for the research.

Statement of the
Problem
FORMAT
• The second-level heading (Statement of the
Problem) is typed four spaces below the last line of
the background/introduction.
• Text. The main problem is presented in the first
paragraph. The specific questions are presented in
the second paragraph and are numbered.

Statement of the
Problem
✓ presents the hypothesis/es to be tested
based on the inferential questions expressed
in the statement of the problem
✓ only for comparative and relational
problem; thus a descriptive problem has no
hypothesis

Hypothesis
FORMAT
• The study should adopt a null hypothesis, as a
standard. Some types of experimental scientific
research do not have this section.
• The second-level heading is typed four spaces
below the last line of the statement of the
problem.
• An introductory line present the hypotheses for
the general problem, followed by numbered
paragraphs for the hypotheses of subsequent
specific or sub-problems.

Hypothesis
✓ Existing theories surrounding the study, as well as
logical coherent discussion of concepts begin the
section, with a comprehensive and exhaustive
review of literature and related studies.
• FORMAT. The second-level heading is typed four
spaces below the last line of the hypothesis, with no
subheadings.
• The section ends in a schematic diagram that
effectively illustrates the relationships between and
among the research variables using appropriate
symbols.

Theoretical Background
and Related Literature
✓ This section should include the coverage and
boundaries of the study in terms of the field of
interest, variables and participants, locality, and
time covered during investigation.
• FORMAT. The second-level heading is typed four
spaces below the schematic diagram of the previous
section.
• The first paragraph should focus on the scope, and
the second on the limits of the study.

Scope and Limitations of

the Study
✓ Researchers present detailed explanations of the
importance of the study undertaken to particular
fields, groups of people, and filling in gaps in
existing knowledge.
• FORMAT. The second-level heading is typed four
spaces below the last line of the scope and
limitations of the study.
• An introductory sentence is presented before the
identified sectors are enumerated using third-level
headings.

Significance of the Study

✓ Conceptual and operational definitions of key terms in
the study are presented in this section.
✓ Conceptual definitions, taken from references and
properly cited, are stated before operational
definitions, which explain how the terms are used in
the study.

FORMAT. The second-level heading is typed four spaces

below the last line of the significance of the study.
• Each term is presented as a third-level heading in its
own paragraph.

Definition of Terms
• Make “working” Chapter 1 of your research.
• Background of the Study: (1 par. 3-5 sents.)
• Statement of the Problem
• Hypothesis
• Theoretical Background and RRL (1 par. 5 sents. 3
citations)
• Scope and Limitations (3-5 sents.)
• Significance of the Study (3 benefits)
• Definition of Terms (3 terms)

Research Group
Activity
✓The chapter contains four subparts:
(Research Design, Participants, Measures
and Procedures), with the first typed four
spaces below the first-level heading.

Chapter 2
METHODOLOGY
✓ Explain the design used in the study, and justify its
use and appropriateness for the study. They may be
quantitative, qualitative, or a combination of both
(mixed) types of research designs. It should be
categorized as appropriate.

• FORMAT. The second level heading is typed four

spaces below the intro of Chapter 2.
• The presentation and discussion should be
presented in at least one paragraph.

Research Design
✓ describe the individuals involved in the data gathering of
the study, but must not be termed “respondents” in the
paper.
✓ Sampling methods are also described in this section.
Scientific studies that do not involve human subjects may
use Variables instead of participants.

FORMAT. The second-level heading is typed four spaces

below the last line of the research design followed by a brief
description of sampling procedures or the
variables/participants,
• presented in their own paragraphs beginning in a third-
level heading.

Participants
✓ This section describes research instruments for
descriptive studies, including reliability, validity
and standardization.
✓ For experimental studies, this section should
contain materials, data sets, methods, stimuli,
instrument testing, technical equipment, and all
other material used.
✓ Detailed equipment description should be included
to allow replication of the study by future
researchers.

Measures
• FORMAT. The second-level heading is typed four
spaces below the last line of Participants/Variables,
followed by discussion of the contents, separated by
third-level headings as necessary.

Measures
✓ The section describes the execution of the study in a
detailed and chronological fashion.
✓ Ethics protocols should be presented as necessary
here, as well as data analysis, schematic diagrams,
materials design, and other subsections as
necessary.
✓ Statistical treatment should also be explained, with
justification for the appropriateness of such tools in
the study.

Procedures
• FORMAT. The second-level heading is typed
four spaces below the last line of Measures,
followed by Data Gathering, Data Analysis,
and Statistical Treatment as third-level
subheadings.
• Fourth-level subheadings may be used to
organize step-by-step procedures as
necessary.

Procedures
• DATA GATHERING. Describes every step the
researcher and the participants took during the
conduct of their study
• DATA ANALYSIS. Provides detailed description of
the analysis of data for each problem raised in the
statement of the problem.
• STATISTICAL TREATMENT. Identifies the tools
used in each problem. also, presents the scales used
in tabular form.

Procedures
✓The chapter opens with an introductory
paragraph typed four spaces below the first-
level heading of the chapter, followed by the
discussions of each subsection.

Chapter 3
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION,
AND IMPLICATIONS
✓ This section summarized collected data, and
presents all relevant results of statistical analysis.
✓ Every descriptive and inferential result is followed
by a discussion that interprets the result in the
context of the objectives of the study.
✓ It should explain whether the results of analysis
conforms to or disputes existing theory, and affirms
or denies the hypotheses set out earlier in the paper.
✓ It should also explain consistency or
inconsistencies, and should be supported by
literature.

Results and Discussion

• FORMAT. Second level heading for the section is
typed four spaces below the last line of the
introductory paragraphs.
• Tabulated data should be presented using the
format prescribed.
• Explanations for data should not be a repetition of
the data on the table or figure, and presented two
spaces below the table or figure.

Results and Discussion

✓This section presents the researchers’ take on
the importance, and applications of, the
results to existing theory and practice, as
enrichment for the field of interest.

• FORMAT. The second-level heading is typed

four spaces below the last line of the results
and discussion.

Implications
✓The chapter opens with an
introductory paragraph typed four
spaces below the first-level heading of
the chapter, followed by the
discussions of each subsection.

Chapter 4
CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
✓This section should include statements of
generalization made by the researchers
based on the results of the study, organized
based on the problems identified in the
Introduction.

• FORMAT. The second-level heading is typed

four spaces below the last line of the
introductory paragraph. Although
organized using the problems and sub-
problems, the conclusions are not numbered.

Conclusions
✓This section presents what researchers think
should be done by or to the
individuals/groups stipulated in the
significance of the study based on the
conclusions of the study.

FORMAT. The second-level heading is typed

four spaces below the last line of the previous
section, with each suggestion to a specific
group enumerated in separate paragraphs
labeled with third-level headings.

Recommendations
• FORMAT.The first-level heading of this section is
followed two spaces after by a list of references of
all sources, arranged alphabetically by the surname
of the first author of the source material.
• APA reference format
• The section is double-spaced between references,
but single-spaced between lines of the same
reference.
• Each reference should have its first line indent on
the left margin, and its hanging indent 0.5in to the
left of the left margin.

REFERENCES
• At least 40 references should be listed, at least 75%
of which should be online peer-reviewed journals
with digital object identifier numbers.
• The rest may be filled in by more journals, books,
newspapers, magazines, and other qualified
sources, including the references for the definition
of terms.
• Wikipedia articles, blogs, unpublished articles,
disreputable journals, documents authored before
1980, and studies that have not been peer-reviewed
are not allowed.

REFERENCES
• Appendices include all documents that are
essential to the validity of the study, but
should not be presented as part of the main
body of the study.
• The first-level heading is followed by all
materials separated by page, labeled using
capital letters (e.g. Appendix A).
• Original documents must be scanned.

APPENDICES