ACM-S005-2 Thesis Instructions

MANAGEMENT and ORGANIZATION DEPARTMENT
ACM Instructions for

Thesis Preparation
Applied Corporate Management Program
[ACM-S005-2] Page 0
1.0 MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION
1.1 Style.
1.1.1 Students shall use the APA style in citations and references throughout the
thesis.
1.1.2 Thus, in expressing numbers, use figures for numbers 10 and above, and
words to express numbers below 10.
1.2 Paper Stock
1.2.1 For panel submissions, use plain white bond paper, 8.5” x 11”, at least 20
GSM.
1.2.2 For the final approved thesis, use the DLSU thesis paper.
1.3 Printing
1.3.1 The text shall be printed using 12-point Times New Roman.
1.3.2 Use one-side printing only.
1.3.3 Students shall use the portrait orientation throughout the thesis. Students
may use the landscape orientation only in exceptional cases where it is
difficult to present the data vertically. In such instances, the top of the
horizontal sheet is the side that students will eventually bind.
1.4 Spacing
1.4.1 Two spaces after every sentence within a paragraph.

1.4.2 Double space between lines for the main body of the thesis.
1.4.3 Single space for long quotations, tables, footnotes, endnotes, and reference
entries.
1.4.4 There should be four spaces between paragraphs.
1.4.5 Double space does not apply to captions.
1.5 Margins
1.5.1 For panel submissions use 1” margins all around.

1.5.2 For your final approved thesis, follow the printed margins of the DLSU
paper.
1.6 Indentions and Justifications
1.6.1 All paragraphs should be indented one tab (1/2 inch) from the left.
1.6.2 All paragraphs should be fully justified.
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1.7 Pagination
1.7.1 Number the preliminary pages (pages up to the first page of the
manuscript) with lower-case Roman numerals ((i, ii, iii, etc.). Center the
numbers at the bottom of the page.
1.7.2 Beginning with the first page of the text, all through the end of the paper,
number the pages in sequence in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3….). Likewise,
center the numbers at the bottom of the page.
1.7.3 For each major section of your paper, insert a running head flushed right
in the header indicating the title of the section e.g. Review of Related
Literature for all pages in chapter 2.
1.8 Headings
1.8.1 Main headings (abstract, acknowledgement, table of contents, references),

must be positioned at the first line. All main headings must be boldface
16-point capitalized lowercase. Center all headings across the page.
1.8.2 Each chapter must begin on a separate page. The chapter heading must be
placed at the first line, centered, boldface 16-point capitalized lowercase
followed by Arabic numeral to indicate the chapter number.
1.8.3 Write the chapter title one space below the chapter heading, boldface 16-
point capitalized lowercase.
1.8.4 The first section in a chapter should be four spaces from the chapter title.
All succeeding sections should begin four spaces from the previous
section. Section titles should be left justified, boldface 14-point
capitalized lower case preceded by the chapter and section numbers
separated by a decimal point (e.g. 3.1)
1.8.5 You may use a third subheading although it is discouraged. Indent and
identify the subheading with the chapter, section, subheading number as in
3.2.1. The subheading is capitalized lower case and boldface at 12-point.
Place a period after the title, and then continue with your paragraph
following standard format. If you only have one subheading, do not use
this feature. Moreover, avoid one-paragraph explanations per subheading.
1.8.6 Note that sometimes you have sub-topics but it does not merit a
numbering. If this is so, simple do as described earlier but remove the
subheading numbers.
1.8.7 Subsequent Subdivisions. You should avoid a fourth level sub-heading.
1.9 Number the equations consecutively throughout the paper. The number must be
shown in parenthesis at the right-hand edge of the paper, just opposite the
equation [e.g. Eq. (1)]
1.10 Tables
1.10.1 Any data presented in columns is a table. Data can be figures or words.
1.10.2 Tables used to present large amount of data in a small amount of space. It
should stand on its own although you must refer to in the text preceding
the presentation.
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1.10.3 You should be judicious in deciding to present data in tabular form or in
text. Too many tables can disrupt the flow of the text but too much figures
in text can be confusing as well. Consider combining tables that repeat
data.
1.10.4 The table is meant to supplement not duplicate the text. In the text, refer
to every table (avoiding words like below or above) and direct the reader
to the particular item you are focusing on. Capitalize the letter “t” of the
word “table”
1.10.5 Present the table in portrait orientation and present between paragraphs.
Tables in landscape orientation, if absolutely necessary, should be placed
on a separate page.
1.10.6 Assign the tables numbers in Arabic numeral in the order in which you
mention the tables.
1.10.7 The title should be brief but self-explanatory.
1.10.8 Following the APA style, present the table title in italic form at the top of
the table, on the left side. Capitalize only the first letters of the main
words of the table tile.
1.10.9 Center the column heads, and subheads if any, over the appropriate
columns within the table, capitalizing only the initial letter of the first
word of the heading.
1.10.10 Border the table on the top and in the bottom only. Remove side and in-
between horizontal and vertical lines.
1.10.11 If you are reproducing a table from another published work, it is your
responsibility to secure the necessary permission to reproduce or adapt
part of the table. You must give credit to the original owner and
copyright holder.
1.10.12 Normally a table should fit in one page. If it becomes necessary to
continue a table on a succeeding page, ensure that you repeat the column
heads on the succeeding page.
1.10.13 Should there be table notes, place these at the end of the table, single-
spaced and flushed left using 10-point Times New Roman font.
1.11 Figures
1.11.1 Any other illustration that is not a table is a figure. The common types of
figures are graphs, charts, maps, drawings, and photographs.
1.11.2 Figures may be mechanically produced or computer-generated.
1.11.3 Like tables, they are consecutively numbered in the order in which they
are first mentioned in the text. This also means you cannot have a figure
that is not referenced in the text. Capitalize the letter “f” in the word
“figure” when you mention it in text.
1.11.4 The term “figure” is italicized. Follow the word by corresponding Arabic
numeral. End the caption with a period and the title of the figure
immediately follows in regular form. Center all these, at the top of the
figure (e.g. Figure 1. The Supply Chain Diagram).
1.11.5 If the caption takes more than one line, use a single space.
1.11.6 Should there be figure notes, place these at the bottom of the figure,
single-spaced and flushed left but in 10-point font.
ACM-005-2 Page 3
1.12 Writing Style.
1.12.1 There must be an orderly presentation of ideas. Ensure continuity in

words and thematic development. The flow should be smooth. To do this,
use transitional words but avoid words such as “while” and “since”.
1.12.2 Use the active voice. This means you must grammar check your work for
grammar and style.
1.12.3 Do not shift topic, tense or person.
1.12.4 Eliminate redundancies, wordiness, jargons, and slang words. Thus, do
not use words like “in order to” or “to be able to”.
1.12.5 Check for run-on or unfinished sentences. Opt for short words and
sentences and use white space. Never write a paragraph that runs longer
than one double-spaced page. Conversely, avoid one-sentence paragraphs.
1.12.6 Avoid using contractions such as “can’t” and “don’t”. Spell it out.
1.13 Corrections.
1.13.1 All pages must be free from any corrections.

1.13.2 Preset your word processor to auto-correct for grammar, style, spelling,
and spacing.
1.14 Binding and Cover
1.14.1 For the thesis proposal, you must submit two hard copies of your paper,
ring bound.
1.14.2 For the final thesis, you must submit one bound hard copy of your paper.
1.14.3 Use your own binding company to bind the approved thesis.
1.14.4 Hard cover must be bound in green and embossed in gold.
1.14.5 Hard cover should include thesis title, author’s name, degree, department,
and year.
1.14.6 The title should appear two inches from the top of the page
1.14.7 Student’s full name should appear two inches from below the page.
1.14.8 The information required on the spine is the student’s name in inverted
order, title, and year.
2.0 THESIS FORMAT (see Appendix)
2.1 Blank Page

2.2 Title Page
2.2.1 The title is a concise statement of the main topic of the thesis.
2.2.2 It should be self-explanatory.
2.2.3 The APA recommended length for a title is 10-12 words.
2.2.4 Remove unnecessary words such as “A study of”.
ACM-005-2 Page 4
2.3 Approval Page
2.4 Declaration of Originality
2.5 Dedication or Acknowledgment. This is optional but should you decide to
include an acknowledgement section, be reminded to thank all those who have
helped you technically, intellectually, and financially.
2.6 Abstract of Thesis
2.6.1 The abstract is an indicator of the quality of your work.

2.6.2 The abstract should present the problem, research design, significant
findings, conclusions, and implications. Write the abstract in past tense.
2.6.3 Do not include abbreviations or acronyms in this section.
2.6.4 Do not exceed one page.
2.7 Table of Contents
2.7.1 Use left justification in this section.

2.7.2 Page numbering must be accurate.
2.7.3 Use leader dots (…) to connect last word of headings to page numbers.
2.7.4 Single space within levels, double space between.
2.7.5 Use the Table of Contents feature of Word to ensure that the page
numbers are aligned.
2.8 List of Tables, Figures, and Appendices
2.8.1 On a new page, chronologically present the tables, single-spaced.

2.8.2 Similarly, chronologically present the figures, single-spaced on a new
page.
2.9 Nomenclature. This is optional but you may want to include a table of terms,
symbols and acronyms, presented alphabetically.
2.10 Introductory Chapter
2.10.1 This chapter introduces the problem statement. Present why the problem
is important, what the theoretical implications of study are, and what
theoretical propositions were tested.
2.10.2 Background of the Study. Discuss literature but not exhaustively as you
will be more in depth in the succeeding chapter.
2.10.3 Statement of the Problem. Identify the research gap and justify the
conduct of the study. State the questions the study hopes to answer.
2.10.4 Objectives of the Study. State the general and specific objectives that are
consistent with the problem. Present it clearly and logically.
2.10.5 Hypothesis of the Study. State the researcher’s expectations concerning
the relationships between the variables in the research problem.
2.10.6 Propositions. For a study that will not make use of statistical tools, it may
be appropriate to present propositions rather than the hypothesis.
2.10.7 Significance of the Study. Point out the vital contribution of the study,
and who may benefit from it.
ACM-005-2 Page 5
2.10.8 Scope, Limitations, and Delimitations. Identify the true limitations and
indicate de-limitations of the study, explaining the possible effect of these
on the results.
2.10.9 Definition of Terms. Include conceptual and operational terms, listed in
alphabetical order. Bold type the term followed by a period. Then
continue to define. Cite sources whenever applicable.
2.11 Review of Related Literature
2.11.1 The review of related literature is a systematic presentation of studies

conducted with respect to your research problem.
2.11.2 Draw the body of knowledge preferably from peer-reviewed journals
although authoritative sources may be used.
2.11.3 Present the literature review chronologically, thematically, or aligned with
the objectives of the study. A literature map is helpful though not
required. Similarly, an introductory paragraph explaining the flow of the
chapter may be, but need not be, provided.
2.11.4 Use the APA style of citation.
2.12 Research Framework, Design and Methodology
2.12.1 This chapter presents information as to how you intend to

conduct/conducted the research.
2.12.2 The theoretical framework discusses the theories linking the topic to the
existing body of knowledge. Eliminate this section if you are not basing
your study on a theory.
2.12.3 The conceptual framework specifies the relationship between and among
variables. Illustrate the conceptual framework for ease in understanding.
You must specify from which work or theory you drew your conceptual
framework from.
2.12.4 The operational framework defines each variable that you intend to
use/used and exactly how you intend to measure/measured them. Thus, if
a conceptual framework studies the relationship of culture on leadership
style, the operational framework details the components of culture that
will be studied and on the other end, the different leadership styles that
may result.
2.12.5 The research design is the structure by which you intent to
collect/collected evidence to answer the research question convincingly.
This means that the evidence collected also bore on alternative rival
explanations that enabled you to identify which of the competing
explanations was the most compelling empirically.
2.12.6 The research method comes from the research design. It details clearly the
steps taken so a third party may replicate the study. It includes the data
collection procedure.
2.12.7 Specify research participants, including how you intend to or were able to
identify them. Explain the sampling procedure in this section.
2.12.8 All instruments used in the study must have been pre-tested prior to data
collection. Thus, you must explain the steps you took in designing and
ACM-005-2 Page 6
testing your instrument. Append early versions of instruments to a thesis
proposal. Explain the changes you made in the instrument.
2.12.9 The section on data analysis indicates the most appropriate statistical tool
used in analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data. It explains
exactly how you used each tool to understand the phenomenon. Properly
measure or categorize all major variables discussed in the framework.
2.12.10 Note that in the thesis proposal stage, this chapter is written in the future
tense while for the final paper it is written in the past tense.
2.13 Data Results and Analysis (alternative headings as explained below)
2.13.1 For certain studies, this section may be presented in more than one
chapter. For instance in case studies, it may be appropriate to have a
chapter for each case then another chapter for cross-case analysis.
2.13.2 For other studies, it may be best to present data results in one chapter, then
move the entire analytical discussion to another chapter. If you do this,
you are to mention positive and negative results in the results chapter but
you are not to interpret the results at this point. Discuss the interpretation
in the subsequent chapter.
2.13.3 Ideally, precede the presentation of results by a profile of the respondents.
2.13.4 The analytical discussion summarizes the data collected and the statistical
results in sufficient detail to justify the conclusions. It evaluates the
results and interprets the implications of the original hypothesis. It
emphasizes any theoretical consequences of the results and compares the
results with the work of others.
2.13.5 In this chapter, be clear with statements that are observations and those
that are interpretations.
2.13.6 Ensure that when you present results and analyze data, it is in a way that
others can draw the same inferences.
2.14 Conclusion and Recommendations
2.14.1 The conclusion statement is the strongest and most important statement
that you can make from your observations. It is an expanded summary yet
you must guard against sounding repetitive.
2.14.2 This chapter pulls all chapters together. It should give the reader
something to think about.
2.14.3 Refer back to the problem posed and describe the conclusions that you
reached after carrying out your study. Summarize new observations, new
interpretation and new insights that have resulted from your study.
2.14.4 It is good to provide directions for future investigation.
2.14.5 Avoid words such as “in conclusion”, “to conclude”, “in summary”, “to
sum up” and so on.
ACM-005-2 Page 7
2.15 Reference List
2.15.1 You are advised to read the 6th edition of the Publication Manual of the
American Psychological Association. You may access the website
www.apa.org or other websites that discuss the proper citation rules using
the 6th edition.
2.15.2 Give the list of references at end of the manuscript arranged in
alphabetical order of the first author’s surname, with the earlier year of the
same author listed first.
2.15.3 Single-space within a reference, double-space between references. Use
hanging indents with the second and subsequent lines indented by ¼ tab.
2.15.4 Do remember that panelists do not give weight to the length of the
reference list, although a list of at least 20 sources is the minimum
expectation. What is more important is that you use relevant sources that
provide you the opportunity to understand your research topic fully. This
means you may have to refer to original sources of the idea with
publication dates that may go back several decades. It also means you
may have to review current sources that provide the state of the literature.
2.15.5 Ensure that all source cited in text are found in the reference list and all
source found in the reference list are cited in text. You may wish to use
the APA format feature of your word document. Go to references, choose
APA, and then use the insert citation each time you want to add a new
source. This feature ensures one-to-one correspondence at all times.
2.16 Appendices
2.16.1 Double space the appendices and begin each one on a separate page.
2.16.2 Assign a letter designation to each appendix to the thesis, for example,
Appendix A. Center the heading and title at the top of the page, using 16-
point Times New Roman, boldface. Note that if there is only one
appendix, there is no need for lettering.
2.16.3 The title of the appendix shall follow single-spaced, centered, in upper and
lowercase letters.
2.16.4 If the appendix is a table, the appendix label and title shall serve as the
table title.
2.16.5 Should there be more than one table in an appendix, equations and
captions for tables and figures must be numbered consecutively in Arabic
numbers with each appendix; the number being preceded by the letter (e.g.
A1).
2.16.6 With the exception for the use of capital Roman letter for purposes of
designating appendices, follow rules for chapter heading and titles.
2.16.7 You may include an appendix for statistical printouts but you do not
submit the questionnaires. Instead, bring the questionnaires during your
defense.
2.16.8 At the minimum, the appendix must include the following: research
protocol, original and pre-tested instruments used, approval to use
instruments/framework/text, summary of raw data.
ACM-005-2 Page 8
2.17 Blank Page
ACM-005-2 Page 9
APPENDIX
Sample Thesis Format
(View succeeding pages. Do not forget to start and end with a blank page. Read the sample and
understand it well. Copy the format precisely.)
Page 10
Place 10-12 word Thesis Title Here
A Thesis
Submitted to the Faculty of the
Management and Organization Department
Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business
De La Salle University
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

For the Degree of BS Applied Corporate Management
Authors Name1
Author Name 2
Month/Year
Thesis Approval Sheet
We have examined the thesis entitled Thesis Title defended . We accept and approve the
thesis submitted by Student's Name/s in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree -
Bachelor of Science in Applied Corporate Management.
_____________________________ ____________________________
Panel Chair's Name Panel Member's Name
PANEL CHAIR Date PANEL MEMBER Date
______________________
Faculty Adviser
ADVISER Date
DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY
I, Student's Name/s here submit my research paper, entitled Thesis Title and truthfully declare
that the paper is a product of my original research investigation. To the best of my knowledge
and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person nor does it
include contents that are falsified or fabricated. I also sought permission from the copyright
owner to use text, illustrations, and/or framework substantively used in the paper. I understand
that should De La Salle University represented by its Administrators and Faculty eventually
discover that my attestations herein are not so, I accept the right of the University to impose the
appropriate sanctions including the cancellation of the degree granted to me.
Signed 5-Apr-12 at De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines.
Students’ Name Plagiarism Certificate Signature

No.
i
Acknowledgment
We wish to thank ABC for the technical support. We also wish to thank XYZ for sharing
his wisdom………
ii
Abstract
This research paper explored the propensity of teenagers to patronize counterfeit goods.
The a priori is that a teenager’s limited resources would predispose him or her to purchase
counterfeit goods despite differences in product quality. To test this hypothesis, 300 business
students of De La Salle University were presented with an array of authentic and pirated goods
and asked the likelihood they would purchase one product over another. Their reasons for doing
so, was recorded. The researcher found that even students with large allowances were likely to
purchase counterfeit goods. It appears that there is a stronger need to maximize resources more
so if the difference in quality is not noticeable. The richer teenagers believe that others would
assume they could buy the real thing and not question its authenticity while they would naturally
assume that those with limited resources can only possess a counterfeit product. This
investigation therefore presents a psychological underpinning that is intriguing for marketing
practitioners as well as ethicists. The researcher recommends that further exploration is needed
to determine its prevalence.
iii
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction .....................................................................................................................1
1.1 Background of the Study ......................................................................................1

1.2 Statement of the Problem .....................................................................................1
1.3 Objectives of the Study ........................................................................................2
1.4 Hypotheses/Propositions of the Study ..................................................................2
1.5 Significance of the Study .....................................................................................3
1.6 Scope, Limitations, and Delimitations ..................................................................4
1.7 Definition of Terms ..............................................................................................4
2.0 Review of Related Literature ............................................................................................6
2.1 Literature Overview .............................................................................................6

2.2 Appropriate Citation .......................................................................................... 10
2.3 More on Citation ................................................................................................ 11
2.4 Still on Citations ................................................................................................ 12
3.0 Research Framework, Design, and Methodology ............................................................ 14
3.1 Conceptual Framework ...................................................................................... 14

3.2 Operational Framework...................................................................................... 15
3.3 Research Design ................................................................................................ 15
3.3.1 A Sample of a Third Subheading. ......................................................... 15

3.3.2 Rules on Third Subheading. . ................................................................. 16
3.3.3 Enhancing the Quality of Your Research.. .............................................. 16
3.3.4 Basic Types of Designs. ........................................................................ 18
3.4 Research Method ............................................................................................... 18

3.5 Research Participants ......................................................................................... 20
3.6 Research Instrument ........................................................................................... 22
3.7 Data Collection Procedures ................................................................................ 24
3.8 Analytical Methods ............................................................................................ 25
4.0 Data Results .................................................................................................................. 28
4.1 Profile of Participants ......................................................................................... 28

4.2 Data Results ....................................................................................................... 28
5.0 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................ 30
5.1 Discussion................................................................................................................... 30
5.2 Another section ........................................................................................................... 30
iv
6.0 Conclusion and Recommendations ................................................................................ 31
6.1 Conclusion ......................................................................................................... 31

6.2 Recommendation ............................................................................................... 31
References ................................................................................................................................ 32
Appendix: Case Study Protocol ................................................................................................. 34
v
List of Tables
Table 1 Summary of……………………………………………………………..

Table 2 Comparison of Levels of Allowance and continuing onto the next line for
long titles………………………………………………………………..
vi
List of Figures
Figure 1 Model by……………………………………………………………..

Figure 2 The Relationship of Variables…..……………………………………
vii
List of Appendices
Appendix A Research Protocol……………..…………………………..

Appendix B Research Instrument…..……………………………………
Appendix C Permission to Use Instrument…..……………………………………
viii
Nomenclature
DOT Department of Tourism

NSO National Statistics Office
ix
Introduction
Chapter 1
Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study

This is an introductory paragraph, which explains why the problem is important. Present
an overview of your topic. You will have to touch on literature to show the research gap. You
understand your topic well but your reader does not.
Use this section to present theoretical implications. Indicate what theoretical propositions
shall be tested. This section should cover anywhere from two to five pages.
1.2 Statement of the Problem

This is probably one of the more challenging sections in this chapter. For first timers,
you may have to rethink your problem statement several times. Many researchers opt to present
their problem statement in question form. Try to choose a topic where the answers are not
dichotomous. Go for the intriguing problems.
This section is not simply a one or two paragraph section. You will have to justify your
problem statement. Why is it so important? Were you able to identify a research gap? Are there
practical implications that stem from your personal experience or that of others? Who will
benefit from the study? Are you being realistic about it? Go to the issue. Explore the most
controversial. Be specific in context. If you would like to see if an American practice is
practiced in the Philippines, indicate this in the problem statement. Avoid statements that you
can answer by doing a literature review. Go for problem statements that you will be able to
1
Introduction
answer because of your primary research. Moreover, remember the problem statement is not the
objective of the study. That is the next section.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
Present your study objectives. You can enumerate your objectives or discuss these in
paragraph form. Avoid mundane objectives. Your panel will not judge you on the number of
objectives you can cite. It is also not necessary to have a general objective, then many specific
objectives.
1.4 Hypotheses/Propositions of the Study
You may present either hypotheses or propositions and so you must change your sub-
heading accordingly. If you are using a survey method, a hypothesis is the minimum
expectation. State both the null and alternate hypothesis (Ho, Ha). Try to keep the number of
hypothesis manageable. Even if you have several variables to test, try to group them so that you
have no more than five hypotheses.
In a qualitative study, you will be using propositions. When citing propositions, you
must also number the proposition when there are several. If there is only one, simply label it as a
proposition. A short paragraph immediately preceding or after each proposition is helpful. Use
this paragraph to show where the proposition is coming from. For instance, the Management and
Organization Department undertakes many programs to prepare ACM students for their thesis.
Because of their exposure in industry, the MOD administrators believe that ACM students,
compared to students majoring in other degrees, are better equipped. This explains proposition
1.
2
Introduction
Proposition 1: It is likely that with this Instruction Manual, that students majoring in
Applied Corporate Management will be able to produce a research paper that satisfies the
standards of the Management and Organization department.
The proposition must draw from the problem statement. Go back to the problem
statement and try to make an educated guess. For instance if I find that students have a difficult
time preparing a thesis because they have no guide (problem), I can guess that they will have a
less difficult time with a manual. Why? I place an explanation here of why I believe that the
Instruction Manual will help the student. For instance based on literature, experts believe that
manuals ease understanding.
Proposition 2: It is also believed that the more detailed the Instruction Manual is, and the
more examples there are, then students will make less errors in preparing their thesis papers.
Again, I may explain that based on say experiments, people given more specific
instructions are less likely to commit mistakes. Then, I make the proper citations.
1.5 Significance of the Study

Discuss how your research findings will make impact to the stakeholders and the body of
knowledge. Be realistic. Do not say your study will “impact” the world if it really cannot.
3
Introduction
1.6 Scope, Limitations, and Delimitations

There are true limitations and there are de-limitations. This may be confusing for many
students since they cannot differentiate the two. To make it simple, note that you normally set
delimitations. Consequently, everything within your control and thus your conscious effort to
narrow the scope of the research is a de-limitation and not a limitation. For instance, you could
have chosen to narrow the scope of your paper to organizations in Metro Manila or graduating
students from DLSU. Therefore, you de-limited your scope.
Limitations on the other hand arise from the choice of design or methodology. An
example of a limitation is using the case study. However, do not stop there. Continue to proceed
to explain the consequences of the limitations. You can say that by using the case study the data
that the researcher cannot generalize data that the research derives. Since it is not the intent of
the study to generalize but to describe the phenomenon, then you are able to address this
limitation. Do this for delimitations as well. If you delimited your study to Metro Manila
residents then you can say that the perceptions may not be representative of all Philippine youth.
Another example of a limitation is to say that questions that ask about past behavior may
not be accurate since the respondent may not recall beyond a one-year period. Therefore, the
failure of respondents to recollect accurately is a limitation to the study.
1.7 Definition of Terms
Definition. Only include in this section terms where you think a reader will be confused.
Do not include common words. Also, ensure that you present the terms alphabetically. Write in
4
Introduction
sentences not in phrases. If you are sourcing from a dictionary, only indicate the URL and not
the name of the dictionary. Thus, there is no need to put this in the reference section.
Terms. There are certain terms that you pick up from your articles. Do not forget to cite
the source (http://www.fromsomesource.com).
5
Review of Related Literature
Chapter 2
2.1 Literature Overview

You may present your literature chronologically or thematically. For some it may be
helpful to have an introductory paragraph that explains the flow of your literature review. Do
not expect to get the related literature chapter right the first time. No one every does, not even
the best researchers. You will have to constantly read the chapter and organize the information
so that your reader can understand where you are coming from. They would have to conclude at
the end of the chapter that your proposed framework is the most logical in addressing your
research problem.
Communication. Throughout the manuscript, ensure that you communicate your
thoughts clearly. Check your work for grammatical errors. Review your sentence structure.
Common errors are subject-verb agreement, erroneous pronoun choice, dangling modifiers,
inappropriate choice of transition words, as well as run-on sentences. You may wish to review
the power point on run-on sentences that you can download from
grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/ppt/run-ons.pps
Format. For some strange reason, students cannot seem to follow instructions. Even
with a sample format such as this document, students cannot seem to copy the format precisely.
It is essential that you follow this prescribed format strictly. Many of the guidelines presented
here follow the APA standards.
6
Before you start, ensure that your page layout is set at one-inch margins all around. Then
change the default font from Calibri to Times New Roman and the font size from 11 to 12.
After, go to the line spacing settings. Select the line spacing option in the home tab or on the
page layout tab. In the third option – spacing - make sure that you set the space before and after
as 0 pt. The default is “after: 10 pts”. Then set your spacing for double. Your tab should also be
set at ½ inch. Placing the tab bar between 0 and 1 in your ruler does the trick.
Note that essentially you shall use double-spaced for the entire manuscript except for
particular circumstances where single space is required. Between paragraphs, you should simply
press your enter key twice and then proceed to type. If you have set your page layout correctly,
you will notice that paragraph is automatically indented. If not, simply press the tab (arrow) key.
Do not forget to set the alignment of your paragraphs. Paragraphs should be aligned on
both the left and the right side fully. This is called full justification.
Review your submission if you are using a Mac. Students normally notice that the page
margins and line spacing move when they upload their file. Notwithstanding, whatever platform
you use, ensure that you review your work before submitting. Do a visual. Lay your work side
by side this document to see if there are differences. Sometimes, you may have simply forgotten
to change the page size or to adjust the page ruler so that your centering is off-center.
Chapter headings. You must begin each chapter on a fresh page. Since each chapter
has a header, you must go to the page layout tab, go to the break drop-down menu, and select
next page. Thus, even if you correct the earlier chapters, it will not disrupt the format of
7
subsequent chapters. Moreover, this allows you to have different headings for each chapter.
Thus, if you notice that your headers are the same for each chapter, then you did not put a page
break. By the way, make sure your page numbering is continuous. Chapter 1 should start with
page 1.
To put a header, go to the insert tab, then go to the header drop-down menu, and finally
select edit header. After, type the appropriate chapter heading. For example in this chapter, you
will notice the header indicates that it is the Review of Related Literature. Be sure though that
when you edit a header, that you remove the “link to previous” so that the earlier chapters do not
take the header titles you have just typed.
Once you are finished editing the header, you can proceed with the chapter. On the very
first line, type the heading section e.g. Chapter 4, Appendix A, and so on. Then use single space
and type the Title e.g. Review of Related Literature. Then go back again to double space, press
the enter key twice and begin typing your first sub-heading number and title. After the sub-
heading number, do not forget to press the tab button.
Other tips. Follow standard rules in the use of punctuation marks and abbreviations.
Likewise, review the rules on hyphenation. Did you know that you are to have two spaces at the
end of every sentence? Finally, erroneous spelling and grammar is not acceptable. If you notice
a green line in your sentence, that means there is something wrong with it. Use the spelling and
grammar feature of your word program. In the tabs above your word document, select “review”
and then “spelling and grammar”. Go to the “options” then change the default of writing style
from “grammar only” to “grammar and style”. Then select “settings” and indicate “2 spaces” as
8
required. Remember, if you want your reader to focus on the content of your paper, ensure that
your paper is free from spelling, grammar, and format errors.
To continue, avoid one-sentence paragraphs and make sure that you use the orphan
feature of the word document so you do not end up with a one-line sentence at the bottom of the
page with the rest of the paragraph on the next. Conversely, avoid paragraphs that cover one
whole page. Use white spaces well. This means you may have to break your paragraph every
six or seven lines. Notice how throughout this sample document there are several paragraphs on
a page. The longest paragraph would have eight or nine lines only.
Despite detailed explanations here, there are students who will still submit work that is
full of format errors. Why this is so, baffles me. You are ACM students and must learn to pay
particular attention to detail. Corporate supervisors look highly on an intern, who is detail-
oriented. It is best that you read this document line by line. You are more impressive if you can
present error-free documents the first time around.
Before I forget, please use the Table of Contents (TOC) feature of word when preparing
your TOC. You will have to tag the headings. For instance, Chapter Titles are heading 1 (see
Home heading box). The sections are heading 2 while the subsections are heading 3. Do not go
more than three headings. If you did not set a template for TOC, you will have to adjust the
TOC by font and line spacing so that it looks like the sample TOC of this document.
9
2.2 Appropriate Citation

Do not forget to use the APA style in citations. You can present a statement and
alphabetically include the authors who hold the same view ((Abad, 2000), 2000; Lopez 2006).
An alternate way is to say that Medrano (2009) stated this to be true. Note if the article comes
from a specific column, you must indicate the column title in brackets (Santiago, 2012). Should
you cite an article within the same paragraph such as Jose (Abad, 2000), there is no longer a need
to include the year when you mention the author again (Abad). If a particular author has written
several articles you want to cite or there are multiple authors in a published work, you may use
the example that follows (Lara, 1990, 1991a, 1991b; Mendoza & Wong, 2008; Zamora, Santos,
& Romero, 2008). Again, note that the listing is in alphabetical order. Moreover, observe that
for some authors such as Lara, there is a letter “a” and “b” after 1991. This means that Lara
wrote two articles in 1991. Since your reader will not know which article you are referring to,
you must differentiate the two in citations and in the reference list.
If you did not read the original work but would like to cite a reference to that article, you
could write Felipe (as cited in Garcia, 1954). You should not indicate the year Felipe published.
The reader will secure a copy of the Garcia paper, look at the reference to Felipe, and then read
the original work of Felipe. That being said, you must try to secure the original work and cite
directly instead of relying on second citations.
There are some sources where the author’s name is absent or there is no publication date.
If there is no author you can either refer to it as “anonymous” or cite using the first few words of
the article title (“Citing an article,” 2008). If there is no date, use “n.d.” in place of the year of
publication (Mauricio, n.d.).
10
2.3 More on Citation
Should you decide to use the words of an author, you should place this in between
quotation marks and state the exact page where you lifted the citation. One way to do this is “to
say that this statement is an opinion” (Fernandez, 1999, p. 10). Another way is to say that
Fernandez (1999), like all other researchers, believes that “it is wrong not to put quotation
marks” (p. 10). If you are quoting from an internet source that does not indicate a page number,
you may replace the page number with a paragraph number using the paragraph symbol (¶ or the
abbreviated form para. #).
You normally cite quotations in text. However, do note you must present quotations of
more than 40 words in a separate, indented paragraph, single-spaced, such as that of De Leon
(2006, p. 35):
I am certain that there are many teenagers in the world, who will patronize counterfeit
goods because they would like to conform. I found this to be true in western and eastern
cultures despite strict laws that clamp down on both counterfeiters and buyers of
counterfeit goods.
There is no need to put quotation marks if you are presenting quoted text of more than 40
words in a separate paragraph. By the way, avoid directly quoting lists. Find a way of
integrating it into your text. On a side note, refer to the De Leon (2006) paper in the reference
section and note that the word “unpublished” precedes the word “dissertation”. This is the same
for masteral thesis. Include the school name and location in the citation.
11
Please be careful in deciding to quote from published work. Copyright owners may have
different word-limit requirements, beyond which, an explicit written permission is required. To
find out, go to the publishers cite and search for their copyright rules. It is your responsibility to
secure permission if it is required. When you are able to receive the approval, you must indicate
this in a footnote. You must also include a copy of the permission as part of your appendices.
2.4 Still on Citations
There are so many rules in citation and referencing so you are encouraged to read the
latest edition of the American Psychological Association or go through internet sites that explain
the APA format. However, in case of a conflict, abide by the format in this document.
Other citations include getting from a website. For instance, should you be getting data
from the National Statistics Office website, you no longer need to put this in the reference
section but you must include it in text like -- this data is taken from the NSO
(http://www.nso.gov.ph) . Moreover, if you refer to a personal communication whether this is in
the form of a conversation or letter, you should make the citations in text but not in the reference
list. You can write Perez (personal communication, July 1, 2007) relates that one should present
it in this way. Alternatively, you can indicate that the president of ABC Company believes that
you should present it in this form (Perez, personal communication, July 1, 2007).
Do not forget that when you download articles from the internet, you must copy paste the
exact URL. Moreover, many academic articles currently utilize a digital object identifier or doi.
Note the doi and include in your reference. See for example, Santiago (2009) presents a
reference with doi. If you possess an article that does not include a doi, you may use the doi
12
searcher to identify it for you. Go to the website and select the most user-friendly doi searcher
facility that is freely available. You may use http://www.crossref.org/guestquery/
While on the subject of references, your reference list, presented in alphabetical order,
should accurately contain all the information that will lead your reader to the right article. If you
downloaded an article from the website, you must indicate in the reference list that it is an
electronic version. You do this by inserting the words “electronic version” in parenthetical form
immediately after the title. See the example of Abad (2000) in the reference list.
In addition, some of you may be citing legal documents. For example, Presidential
Decree 801 is entitled “How to Cite Legal Documents”. Go to the reference section to see the
proper way of citing this.
Finally, ensure that there is one-to-one correspondence between citations and references.
This means that a reader may find citations in the reference section and vice versa. As an aid,
use the APA format in the references tab of your word as described in section 2.15.5 of the thesis
instructions.
13
Research Framework, Design, and Methodology
Chapter 3
3.1 Conceptual Framework
There are some researchers, who treat theoretical and conceptual framework as the same
thing. A fine line is that a theoretical framework draws specifically from published theory while
conceptual framework is the author’s view of how the variables should play out. Unlike a
theoretical framework, the relationship of the variables presented in a conceptual framework can
be justified from past research that is not necessarily a theory. Thus, if you are unable to find a
theory to support your framework, you will only have a conceptual framework. If the framework
is grounded on a theory, you can add an additional section called “Theoretical Framework”.
In this section, you are to identify all important variables and show its relationship. If
prior literature shows the strength and direction of the relationship, you should indicate this. Try
to show the relationships in a schematic diagram.
As you have learned from your research classes, there are four categories of variables:
dependent, independent, moderating, and intervening. The dependent variable is your primary
concern. You would like to know how other variables (independent) influence the variable you
are studying. The moderating variable on the other hand is a third variable that modifies the
relationship between the independent and dependent variables. Finally, the intervening variable
is a temporal variable. Simply, it is that which can influence the dependent variable from one
point in time to another.
14
3.2 Operational Framework

Many students get confused with this section but the operational framework is actually
very simple. Usually you will present several variables in your model. For instance, you would
like to consider business size as one your variables. To operationalize this, you must explain
what you mean by business size and how you expect to measure it. Did you use the number of
employees, asset base, or volume of sales? Do this for each variable.
3.3 Research Design

There is a difference between research design and research methodology. The method
flows from the design. Research design is logical; research method is logistical.
3.3.1 A Sample of a Third Subheading. Assuming you are still deciding how to go
about your study, you will have to go through the following exercise. Determine first whether
you want to explore a phenomenon, describe one, or test a hypothesis. Then, decide whether you
want to establish causal relationships, show correlation or simply present group differences. Do
you want to build theory or test theory? After, determine the extent of your intervention. Do
you want control of the situation or not? You will then have to do decide on your setting. Will
you engage in a field study, a field experiment or a laboratory experiment? Do you need a cross-
sectional study? Situate your research in time. Do you have to conduct a longitudinal study?
In summary, you will conduct experimental research when you want to explain whether
an intervention influences an outcome for one group against another. You will conduct
correlation research when you want to associate or relate variables in a predictable pattern. You
are doing a survey research when you use primary data to describe trends for a given population.
15
You may use grounded theory research when you want to explore common experiences of
individuals to develop a theory. If you simply want to explore individual stories to describe a
phenomenon, then you are using the narrative research. Ethnographic research on the other
hand, explores shared culture. There is of course action research whereby you want to study
problems and introduce intervention as the research progresses. Finally, you may opt to conduct
a combined quantitative and qualitative research to understand a research problem better.
When deciding the best design, consider the intended breadth and depth of your study.
Remember, you have to ensure that evidence collected will help you answer your research
question unambiguously. You will also have to make sure that evidence gathered is valid and
reliable.
3.3.2 Rules on Third Subheading. Use a third sub-heading only when necessary. If
possible, try to explain all that you can in a subsection without going into another level. This
may be also a good place as any to remind you again that there are two spaces after every
sentence.
3.3.3 Enhancing the Quality of Your Research. Back to this chapter, it is your task
to reassure the reader that your research is technically superior. Without your reassurance, they
may not believe your conclusions and recommendations.
The two things you should always address are validity and reliability. Table 1 shows you
at which part of the chapter you can strengthen your work. Note how the table presentation.
You type the table number on the left, followed by a double space and a short descriptive title of
16
the table italicized. Then use the entire width of the page for your table, single space within the
table. You also must present the table without vertical and horizontal lines. Only show the top
and bottom lines of the column titles as well as bottom line of the table.
Table 1
Strengthening Your Research
Tests Phase of Research

Construct Validity Data Collection/Composition
Internal Validity Data Analysis
External Validity Research Design
Reliability Data Collection
Construct validity answers the question “what are you measuring?” You will strengthen
construct validity when you use multiple sources of evidence and establish a chain of evidence.
Yin (1994) also suggests that for case studies, you should have the draft reviewed by the
interviewee. On the other hand, internal validity addresses the question “Is the inference
correct?” For case studies, Yin suggests pattern matching, explanation building, and time series
analysis.
External validity looks at the aspect of generalizability. This means that if another
researcher replicates the study, it will produce similar or dissimilar results for predictable
reasons. Thus, if an external party would conduct the same study among students from Ateneo
as against your original sample of DLSU students, then that person may expect similar results
since the two populations may share the same characteristics. However, if your original sample
is composed of senior citizens and another person replicates the study with teenagers, then it is
possible, that the second researcher will obtain different results.
17
Finally, reliability refers to the replication of the study using the very same procedures.
This means that if a third party does the study again in exactly the same way, then that individual
should get similar results. So how does one improve reliability? One way is to use a research
protocol (see section 3.7). Another way is to document your work properly. Retain all notes and
do keep the original surveys. Finally, you will have to convince your reader that you collected
your data properly.
3.3.4 Basic Types of Designs. In this section, you may also want to explain and justify
your design type. A type 1 research is a holistic study that looks at one single unit of analysis.
It may be a person or organization. Type 2 researches focus on only one case but there are many
units of analysis embedded. For example, you may study an organization but you may be
interviewing different people within the organization. Type 3 and 4 refer to multiple cases. A
type 3 study targets several similar/dissimilar persons or organizations while a type 4 study looks
at different people within each case.
3.4 Research Method

This section describes how you conducted the study so that someone interested in
replicating the study can do so. It is important that you would have chosen the method that could
best provide answers to your research problem. Did you get data direct from research
participants or did you simply observe? Did you interview specific participants or did you
perform a random sample?
18
Following are excerpts from a paper of Santiago (2000) on what to include in this section.
Observe how she clearly explains the choice of method.
There are various non-experimental techniques available to researchers to address
research questions (Borden & Abbott, 1988). The more traditional survey methodology is the
favored approach as the results thereof are generalizable, provided the appropriate research
protocol was adopted. However to understand individual behavior and build theories, which is
the focus of this research project, the case methodology becomes the more relevant technique in
data gathering. While the case results cannot be statistically generalized across a population, it
can be “analytically generalized” to theoretical propositions (Yin 1994, p.10). Thus, it can
substantiate or dispute existing theories.
To guard against criticisms of validity and reliability with the use of the case method, Yin
(1994) suggests various case study tactics that include multiple sources of evidence, explanation-
building, “time-series analysis”, replication logic, and the case study protocol, to name a few.
Essentially the purpose of the tactics is to ensure that data is accurate, reliable, and verifiable.
Since one of the objectives of the research project is to develop a database of case studies
of local businesses, the multiple-case method is an option. As one collects and analyzes more
and more cases, one is able to enhance robustness. Consequently, the confidence level is
increased. Figure 1 illustrates the case study method espoused by Yin (1994). Observe the
figure presentation. The label is centered across the page and a not is placed at the bottom using
a different font size. Use the same notation style for tables. Moreover, note how you are
referred to the figure. You cannot simply present a figure or table without asking your reader to
19
refer to that figure or table. Do not use words below or in the next page since your table or
figure may move when you edit your work.
Figure 1. Case Study Method used by the Cosmos Corporation
ANALYZE &
DEFINE & DESIGN PREPARE, COLLECT, & ANALYZE CONCLUDE
conduct write draw

first individual cross-case
case study case report conclusions
select
cases modify
theory
develop conduct write

theory second individual
case study case report develop
implications
design data
collection
protocol
write
conduct write cross-case
remaining individual report
case studies case reports
Note. From “Case Study Research: Design and Methods” by Yin (1994), p. 49.
3.5 Research Participants
There are two sources of data: primary and secondary. Some research questions lend
itself to primary data, others to secondary, and still others to both. If your study relied on
primary data, you would have decided on your unit of analysis. Did you interview/observe
individuals, dyads, groups, organizations or a combination? Examples of secondary data are
corporate or government records, information from newspaper clippings, etc. that provide you
more information about your research participant.
20
Discuss how you selected your cases, if you are doing a case study. Choose cases for
specific reasons – that they exemplify what you are trying to find out or at the extreme opposite.
Do not choose cases simply because they are convenient. If you do, you will force fit your
information on to the case analysis and distort your findings. For example, if you are problem
statement focuses on sexual discrimination and you choose a company that does not have
experience with it or even thought about it, then you will obtain a lot of hypothetical information
that are useless to your study. You cannot analyze or conclude based on what-if’s.
After you have indicated your data source, you may proceed with describing your
participants. How did you identify your research participants? How did you define your
population? Does it make sense? What was your sampling plan?
Sampling can be probabilistic or non-probabilistic. Obviously, probability sampling is
more rigorous since the drawn sample is truly representative of the population and one can
generalize the results to the population. Depending of your research problem, you will have to
decide whether you will use simple random sampling, systematic sampling, stratified sampling,
multistage cluster sampling, convenience sampling or snowball sampling.
You may opt to use stratified sampling if you want representation from each stratum of
the population. For example, you expect there to be a fewer number of females in a population
and a simple random selection may yield a disproportionate number of females. Therefore, you
can get the proportion of males and females and then utilize simple random sampling. This then
ensures that, even if there are fewer females, there will still be representation.
21
Multistage cluster sampling on the other hand refers to selecting a sample after
undergoing various steps. For instance, you want to study SMEs in the Philippines. You will
then get a list of all the provinces and then randomly select which province you shall study.
After narrowing the list say to Cebu, Baguio, and Zamboanga, you will then get a list of cities.
From there, you will again draw a random sample of cities to study. You can then go to the
barangay level before identifying the SME who will be part of your study. Thus, instead of
identifying one SME per barangay per city per province, your study focuses on a randomly
selected SME, from a randomly selected barangay from a randomly selected city from a
randomly selected province.
Use this section also to indicate how you will protect the privacy rights of your research
participants. What were the various ethical issues that arose because of your study? How did
you protect the rights and interests of your participants?
Please know that DLSU does not provide contact information about students or
graduates. If you want to study DLSU stakeholders, you must find a source of your list. For
instance, the DLSU website presents the List of Graduates each trimester.
3.6 Research Instrument
If you utilized a questionnaire, explain the construction of the instrument. What is the
importance of each question? What scale did you use – nominal, ordinal, interval or ratio?
Use this section to explain how you developed the instrument, what is the basis of the
questions asked, the rationale for the scales used, and the steps you undertook to ensure that the
22
instrument would provide you the answers you are looking for. If you are using the instrument
on participants who do not understand English, you must show that you translated the instrument
in the vernacular and had this vernacular version translated back to English by someone else. If
that translation brings you back to your original instrument, then the vernacular translation is
correct.
Do note that you are required to submit a pre-tested instrument by the time of your thesis
proposal defense. Describe the steps you took to pre-test your instrument. Explain the
circumstances. If there were any changes that resulted after conducting the pre-test, explain this.
You will also have to append all the versions of your instrument. Remember that when you have
more than appendix, you must cite these in alphabetical order. You cannot refer to Appendix E
and then Appendix A. Thus, you may have to rearrange the order of your appendices so it
follows the order in which you mention it in text.
Sometimes, students run out of time and are unable to pre-test their instrument. They
then claim that a faculty member has already evaluated the content of the instrument.
Determining content validity is insufficient. You will have to test for reliability. In a test-retest
approach, you are to present the same instrument to the same respondents at two different times.
If the responses are statistically the same or correlated, then the instrument is reliable. Then
there is the test of internal consistency. If the participant responds in a similar way throughout
the survey, then the coefficient alpha (Cronbach) would be high.
Another use for a pre-test is to determine whether the respondent actually understands
your instrument and is able to answer your instrument with great ease. It would help to observe
23
how your respondent makes choices. Did the respondent hesitate? Did the respondent seek
clarifications for a particular item? Did your respondent feel frustrated or tired? If the answer is
“yes”, you may want to restate your questions, rearrange the questions or change the type of
questions and even reformat the instrument. Whatever is the outcome, be sure you document the
experience and explain in this chapter any learning you derived and any changes you made on
the research instrument.
For case studies, Santiago (2000) also supports a pilot case. Similar to the survey method
that requires pre-testing of questionnaires, the case study method supports the pilot case study to
reveal inadequacies in the research design (Yin, 1994, p. 52). For instance, the pilot case study
may reveal practical problems to data gathering or may reveal that the research questionnaire
fails to produce the information required to address the research question. Whatever the
inadequacy, the pilot case study allows you to make corrections prior to actual data gathering.
Should there be corrections, you should properly document and disclose this in the case study
report.
3.7 Data Collection Procedures
You would have to detail the steps you took to gather data for your study. If you
conducted an interview, was this structured or unstructured? Did you do a face-to-face
interview? Did you use the telephone or e-mail? If you used the survey method, specify how the
instrument was distributed and collected. Did you stand on a street corner and handout survey
forms to every tenth person? What day did you go? What time of day? Explain why that
particular street, day, or time. Did you leave the survey forms with a contact person? How did
you ensure randomness?
24
This is also the section of your study where you may introduce the research protocol,
usually important in the proposal stage. You may find a sample of a case study protocol in the
Appendix. According to Yin (1994), the case study protocol is essential for multiple-case studies
to ensure improved reliability. You must give each member of the research team, a copy of the
case study protocol so that they can readily refer to it. This case study protocol provides a
briefer on the research project and enumerates the procedure, analysis, and format required for
each case study. A structured format for data gathering is likewise explained in this protocol,
including the training procedure that is necessary to improve interviewing skills. Thus, it is
expected that if a third party would follow the case study protocol, then the same results will be
generated.
In your final thesis paper, you must present your experience and indicate any deviations
from proposed procedures that your thesis proposal defense approved. Explain the difficulties
you encountered; and how you resolved it.
Remember in a thesis proposal, this section is stated in the future tense since you will be
explaining what you intend to do. As soon as you actually undertake the steps, change the
section to past tense.
3.8 Analytical Methods
In this section, explain how you prepared your data for analysis. What coding did you
perform? How did you ensure that your data is valid and reliable? What measures did you
25
undertake to ensure that encoded data are error-free? Explain how you treated “do not know”
and missing entries.
Explain the software you used as well as the specific statistical tools you used to analyze
your data. Exploratory data analysis includes the use of frequency tables, bar charts, pie charts,
histograms, box plots, and cross tabulations. Hypothesis testing involves tests of significance.
This progresses to correlation analysis and simple linear regression if you want to measure
association. If you are dealing with many variables simultaneously, there are various
multivariate techniques available, depending on the scales that you used. The more common
techniques are multiple regression, discriminant analysis, MANOVA, factor analysis, cluster
analysis, and multidimensional scaling. Justify your choice of analytical tool. This is dependent
on your sample size; and whether your independent and dependent variable are metric or non-
metric.
Even if your research uses the case study, it is still possible to explain the analytical
methods you used. Show how you mined the data. In the thesis proposal, describe the kind of
tables you will use to compare across cases if you are using the multiple case methodology.
Once you are past the proposal stage, everything that you did is in past tense. Observe how
Santiago (2000, p. 28) explains a portion of her analysis at the proposal stage.
For each case study, the chronology of events shall be depicted on a time scale to show
the natural evolution of the business. The steps follow closely those discussed by
Mintzberg and Waters (1982, p. 466-467). Then inference shall be made from the
graphical representation of chronological events. At the same time, the individual time
scale shall be superimposed against the political, technological, and economic
development of the country. After the individual case analysis, the time scales of the
other cases shall be compared against each other and against the events transpiring in the
general environment.
26
You can use other analytical techniques for case studies. There are those who prepare
arrays or matrices and there are those who tabulate frequencies. Some prepare pre-determined
table structures and fill in the blanks.
If you are in the thesis proposal stage, know that many students begin to fold at this point.
Do not let this happen to you. For quantitative studies, it is advisable to tabulate the answers of
your test survey and play around with it. Determine the type of statistical tools you can use to
extract as much as you can from the data. Sometimes you may discover that you phrased a
question wrong or that you missed out, on a question altogether. Showing sample runs from test
data during a thesis proposal defense is impressive.
27
Data Results
Chapter 4
Data Results
4.1 Profile of Participants

You have gathered data from participants. This is the section of your paper where you
can describe their profile. If you conducted a case, you will describe the
individual/dyad/organization. If there were multiple cases, you may wish to summarize the
demographics of the participants.
If you conducted a survey, you would normally present tables summarizing demographic
information. Be careful though with superfluous data.
This is a good time as any to remind you about gender-bias in text. Use the terms
“individuals”, “students”, “participants”, or similar descriptive terms when you are referring to
both genders. Avoid using he/she or its derivatives in a sentence.
4.2 Data Results

For multiple case studies, it may be more appropriate to create a separate chapter for each
case. You then present the results of each case following your framework and may opt towards
the end of the chapter to analyze the individual case. After presenting and analyzing the results
of each case, you may then create another chapter for a cross-case analysis.
Regardless, remember to provide results in a clear and logical manner. You may have to
use tables to handle large complex information such as Table 2. Make sure you do not simply
28
Data Results
narrate the contents of the table. On the other hand, do not forget to point the reader to particular
parts of the table you want them to focus on, such as notice in the same table the higher means
for females with respect to lower degrees of likelihood as compared to the higher means of males
in the high degree of likelihood.
Table 2
Self-Assessed Likelihood in the Purchase of Counterfeits
Degree of Mean Standard Deviation

Likelihood Male Female Male Female
High 4.5 3.2 .05 .02
Medium 1.5 2.1 .03 .01
Low 3.8 4.7 .06 .03
Note. From “There is a law” by J.G. Sum, 2003, Journal of Applied Law 14(1), p. 35. Copyright 2003 by the
Association of Lawyers. Reprinted with permission of the author.
When presenting data, you must mention all relevant results even if it runs counter to
what you thought would be the response. Negative correlations or some insignificant findings on
major variables may provide insight in a quantitative study.
Just an addendum: When reporting the p value, the letter “p” is italicized. When
presented within text, provide all relevant statistical results such a F(1, 123) = 5.2, p < .05.
Moreover, there is no need to present the exact p value as reflected in the statistical tables.
Simply stating that the p value is less than .05, .01 or .005, should be sufficient (e.g. instead of p-
value = 0.00024, just state p < 0.005).
29
Data Analysis
Chapter 5
Data Analysis
5.1 Discussion
There are instances when it is more appropriate to separate the discussion of the results
from the presentation of results. When you do this, ensure that you do not try to interpret the
data in the earlier chapter. Instead, do it here.
5.2 Another section

This chapter is probably the longest. Thus, do not get fooled that the paragraphs in this
sample format are quite short. It is so, because analysis relies on the data you collected and that
would be different for each study.
In this chapter, you have to dissect data to determine whether it supports your research
question. Just remember that when you analyze, you must consider rival interpretations. More
often, students forget to do this.
Also remember that when you analyze quantitative data that you consider if your sample
is representative of the population. If it is not, be cautious about the conclusions you draw. You
will not be able to generalize findings to a population but you may be able to describe the
sample.
30
Conclusion and Recommendations
Chapter 6
Conclusion and Recommendations
1.1 Conclusion
Make a strong statement. Show the reader that you have done your work well and you
are confident about the results. If you have done the research properly, your reader should be
arriving at the same conclusions as you.
Note that this section is another weak area for student researchers. After months of hard
work, it falls flat with a weak conclusion that covers a page or two. Take time to think about
your conclusion. Go back to your research question and show how your study has addressed
this. Show that your work is important and worth the amount of time, you spent on it.
1.2 Recommendation
Avoid run-of-the-mill recommendations. Try to make an impact. Make it practical.
Return to your significance of the study section and note the stakeholders you mentioned.
Present courses of each for these stakeholders.
6.3 Future Research
Given your limited time and resources, your research is obviously not comprehensive.
Thus in this section, explain what other things you could have done if you had all the resources.
What did you unearth that needs more exploration?
31
References
References
Abad, R.A. (2000). Counterfeiting in the Philippines: Is it as prevalent as one thinks?

[Electronic version]. Journal of Counterfeiting, 12(1), 35-100. doi:jc20002109
Citing an Article in Text (2008). The Manila Standard, p. A1.
De Leon, A. (2006). The psychology of counterfeiting. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, De La

Salle University, Manila, Philippines.
Fernandez, R.A. (1999). Another look at counterfeiting in the Philippines. In R. Roman (Ed.), A
book on counterfeiting (pp. 35-100). NY: New York Press.
Garcia, F. (1954). This could actually be a book title. Manila, Philippines: Name of Publisher.
Lara, M. (1990, September 1). Another look at counterfeiting in the Philippines. The Manila
Times, pp. A1, A4.
Lara, M. (1991a). Another look at counterfeiting in the Philippines [Special Issue]. Journal of
Counterfeiting, 12(1), 35-100.
Lara, M. (1991b). The problem with counterfeiting (3rd Ed). Manila, Philippines: The Press.
Lopez, R.A. (2006). Counterfeiting once again. Retrieved from

http://www.counterfeitwebsite.com
Mauricio, J. (n.d.). Are you sure it is me? Whatever Journal Title, 13, 5-19.
Medrano, R.A. (2009, January 5). Counterfeiting in the Philippines: Is it as prevalent as one
thinks? New Magazine, 120, 1-10.
Mendoza, F. & Wong, A. (2008). Another look at counterfeiting in the Philippines. In. R.
Roman (Ed), A book on counterfeiting (pp. 35-10). NY: New York Press.
Mintzberg, H. & Waters, J. (1982). Tracking strategy in an entrepreneurial firm. Academy of

Management Journal, 25, 465-499.
Presidential Decree 801 (2020). How to cite legal documents. http://philippines.howtocite.org
Santiago, A. (2000). Evolution of Philippine businesses: Response to internal and external

turbulence. Working paper series of the DLSU Angelo King Institute, Manila, Philippines.
Santiago, A. (2009). Impact of sandwich course design on first job experience. The Asia-Pacific
Education Researcher, 18(2), 205-217. doi: 10.3860/taper.v18i2.1323
32
References
Santiago, A. (2012, March 7). High Impact CSR Projects [View from Taft]. BusinessWorld.
http://bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Opinion&title=High-impact-CSR-
programs&id=47967
Santos, R. & Romero, J. (in press). What? It’s a counterfeit? Journal of Philippine Psychology.
Yin, R. (1994). Case Study Research: Design and Methods (2nd Ed.). Thousand Oaks,
California: Sage Publications.
Zamora, K., Santos, R., & Romero, J. (2008). The study of counterfeiting in the Philippines.
Paper presented at the meeting of the Association of Lawyers, Makati, Philippines.
33
Case Study Protocol
Appendix
Case Study Protocol
I. Overview
This proposed research project would study the responses of individual businesses to
unanticipated occurrences in the external environment as a result of political, economic, and
technological uproar. The research intends to probe into the reasons “why” the responses were
such. These responses, reflected in their business strategies, may provide information as to the
variables that could affect business longevity.
The approach to this research project is to examine individual businesses and determine
how each responded to a particular crisis. By first reviewing the corporate business history and
then carefully analyzing the immediate circumstances that brought about the particular response,
this research project hopes to yield invaluable insights not only to the field of business education
but to public policy as well.
Relevant literature on business longevity is in Exhibit 1. Essentially, the literature
suggests that an integrative approach be taken to truly understand the business responses to
internal and external shocks. It would be narrow-minded to think that the effectiveness of
business can be explained by a single factor readily or that the different factors may be taken
separately.
According to the literature, a business is affected by its internal configuration as well as
by the external environment. This means that businesses are expected to respond differently to
34
Case Study Protocol
similar turbulence if the internal make-up (meaning age, ownership and management structure,
etc.) is different. Conversely, if the internal configuration of businesses is the same, but the
businesses are working within different external realities (such as industries, level of
competition, etc.), then these businesses would also respond differently to similar turbulence.
It is the intent of this research project to arrive at a descriptive model that would explain
how local businesses have responded to different kinds of turbulence. Essentially, the research
expects to address the question: “How have Philippine businesses existed and continue to exist
as an economic entity through the unstable and unpredictable Philippine business climate?”
The premise of this research is that given the unstable local business climate and taking
into account the periods of stability and volatility within an organization, it has become more
challenging for Philippine businesses to keep afloat. For businesses that have managed to
survive a series of crises, it is likely that these businesses have coping mechanisms to withstand
occasional shocks. Is there a singular survival mechanism local businesspeople can use or are
there as many survival mechanisms as there are businesses?
II. Pre-Interview Guidelines
A. Team Assignments
Each research team shall designate a team leader. The team leader shall serve as
coordinator for the case study. The team leader takes the lead during the interview stage. The
other team members shall support the team leader during the interview and ask probing question
geared towards the “how” and “why”. One of the members shall be the note taker and/or in-
35
Case Study Protocol
charge of taping the interview, if allowed. In either case, the note taker shall take down the
necessary information to ensure proper documentation.
B. Identification of Case Subjects
The research team is required to identify a locally owned business, begun by an
entrepreneur or a couple. It is important that the current business owners are willing to provide
the information needed by the research project. Consequently, it may be best if the selected
business is owned by one of the members of the research team. Exhibit 2 illustrates the
introductory letter, if required.
In addition, the selected business should be at least a second-generation business,
meaning it has survived at least one leadership transition, or be at least 25 years old. These are
important criteria in studying business longevity. The business should have been in existence
long enough to, and must, have hurdled major turbulence before one can consider it as having
survived.
C. Training the Case Study Team
The research team is required to attend a training program. The training program is
designed to provide the research teams with a better appreciation of the research endeavor. The
overall objectives of the research project shall be relayed. For better appreciation and
understanding, the particular crisis under study shall be discussed
36
Case Study Protocol
The training program is also meant to elevate the quality of interviewing skills of the
research team. It is envisioned that the training program shall be in the form of discussions and
that the research team shall be required to participate in mock interviews.
Thus, the training program starts with providing information about the research
objectives, the conceptual framework, the turbulence and the expected research output. The
procedures for gathering data, documenting and analyzing the data shall then be presented.
Finally, the research team shall be exposed to the rudiments of interviewing.
III. Field Procedures
A. Scheduling of Appointments
The research team is to contact the business owner and request for an interview schedule.
Note that in interviewing, the research team must make themselves available depending upon the
convenience of the business owner. Moreover, the research team must conduct themselves
professionally by being at the appointed time and place at the designated schedule and being
courteous at all times.
B. Primary Data Gathering
On the scheduled appointment, the research team must arrive with all its interview
resources available. This includes a tape recorder, writing instruments, paper or notebook, and if
possible a laptop.
37
Case Study Protocol
Before the interview, the team leader or note taker shall secure permission from the
business owner to tape the interview. Whether or not such request is granted, it is important that
the note taker document the entire interview.
Immediately after the interview, the note taker shall transcribe the interview. The writer
shall then forward the transcript to the business owner, who will review the same. The business
owner may make the necessary corrections to the transcript. Whether there are corrections or
not, the research team should request that the transcript be signed as confirmation that the
interview transpired and contents of the transcript were actually communicated. The original
tape, notes, and signed transcript shall be submitted together with case study report.
The research team is encouraged to interview as many representatives from the business
as possible. This is intended to increase the reliability of the information generated as
succeeding interviews may confirm or contradict information already gathered. Whenever a
discrepancy arises, note and include in the case documentation.
C. Secondary Data Gathering
While the research team is gathering primary data, some of the members must begin
collecting evidence from secondary data. Sources of secondary data are industry and corporate
publications, newspaper reports, published annuals, media interviews, books and other archives.
Secure any financial data necessary for the analysis directly from the case participants or from
the files of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Information to be gathered using
secondary sources are listed in Exhibit 3. When such information is used, the research team shall
make the proper acknowledgements and include the source in the list of references.
38
Case Study Protocol
IV. Case Study Protocol and Questions
Each research team is proovided a copy of the interview guide (Exhibit 4). This guide
puts focus during the interview proper. While it is not expected that the questions shall be asked
in the order it is presented, considering the varied responses of business owners, it nonetheless
should be referred to constantly to bring back the interview towards generating the information
required to address the research question.
V. Documentation
Immediately after the interview, the research team is to transcribe the tape recording and
notes into a readable form. This transcript is returned to the interviewee who will review the
same and who will indicate corrections, if any. After the review, the interviewee shall sign all
pages of the transcript. Submit to the process, this transcript, together with the original cassette
recordings and case notes, and the case study report.
VI. Analysis Plan
Given the need for an integrative approach to the study of business evolution, each
individual business subject is evaluated on the following variables: entrepreneurial make-up,
organizational structure, nature of industry and the external environment. Attention is given to
strategic content and processes as these would be the reflection of the responses to turbulence.
The particulars for each variable are found in Exhibit 5.
39
Case Study Protocol
VII Case Study Reports
The research team shall follow a basic format when writing the case study report. This is
shown in Exhibit 6. It is advisable that, while each member will contribute to the different
sections, only one research member composes the final report for consistency in writing style.
For case study participants who wish that either their corporate identities or the names of
the interviewees or both should remain anonymous, you must secure a formal letter indicating
that it is so. Place this letter at the top most page of the case study report. Nonetheless, it is
advised, that the research team indicates the identities on the original case study report and the
issue of anonymity shall be addressed as the case study is integrated into the research project.
This is necessary since you will have to validate all information generated.
40

ACM-S005-2 Thesis Instructions

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MANAGEMENT and ORGANIZATION DEPARTMENT

ACM Instructions for

1.2 Paper Stock

1.4.1 Two spaces after every sentence within a paragraph.

1.5.1 For panel submissions use 1” margins all around.

1.6 Indentions and Justifications

1.8.1 Main headings (abstract, acknowledgement, table of contents, references),

1.12.1 There must be an orderly presentation of ideas. Ensure continuity in

1.13.1 All pages must be free from any corrections.

1.14 Binding and Cover

2.0 THESIS FORMAT (see Appendix)

2.1 Blank Page

2.6.1 The abstract is an indicator of the quality of your work.

2.7 Table of Contents

2.7.1 Use left justification in this section.

2.8 List of Tables, Figures, and Appendices

2.8.1 On a new page, chronologically present the tables, single-spaced.

2.10 Introductory Chapter

2.11 Review of Related Literature

2.11.1 The review of related literature is a systematic presentation of studies

2.12 Research Framework, Design and Methodology

2.12.1 This chapter presents information as to how you intend to

2.13 Data Results and Analysis (alternative headings as explained below)

2.14 Conclusion and Recommendations

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Applied Corporate Management.

appropriate sanctions including the cancellation of the degree granted to me.

Signed 5-Apr-12 at De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines.

Students’ Name Plagiarism Certificate Signature

investigation therefore presents a psychological underpinning that is intriguing for marketing

to determine its prevalence.

1.0 Introduction .....................................................................................................................1

1.1 Background of the Study ......................................................................................1

2.0 Review of Related Literature ............................................................................................6

2.1 Literature Overview .............................................................................................6

3.0 Research Framework, Design, and Methodology ............................................................ 14

3.1 Conceptual Framework ...................................................................................... 14

3.3.1 A Sample of a Third Subheading. ......................................................... 15

3.4 Research Method ............................................................................................... 18

4.0 Data Results .................................................................................................................. 28

4.1 Profile of Participants ......................................................................................... 28

5.0 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................ 30

6.1 Conclusion ......................................................................................................... 31

Appendix: Case Study Protocol ................................................................................................. 34

Table 1 Summary of……………………………………………………………..

Figure 1 Model by……………………………………………………………..

Appendix A Research Protocol……………..…………………………..

DOT Department of Tourism

1.1 Background of the Study

understand your topic well but your reader does not.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

dichotomous. Go for the intriguing problems.

controversial. Be specific in context. If you would like to see if an American practice is

objective of the study. That is the next section.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1.4 Hypotheses/Propositions of the Study

have no more than five hypotheses.

standards of the Management and Organization department.

manuals ease understanding.

1.5 Significance of the Study

1.6 Scope, Limitations, and Delimitations

students from DLSU. Therefore, you de-limited your scope.

failure of respondents to recollect accurately is a limitation to the study.