THE RESEARCH PAPER

OUTLINE OF THE RESEARCH PAPER

CHAPTER 1: THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
a. Introduction, Background of the Study
b. Statement of the Problem
c. Scope and Delimitation
d. Significance of the Study
Chapter 2: Theoretical Framework

a. Review of Related Literature

b. Review of Related Studies
c. Conceptual or Theoretical Framework
d. Hypothesis of the Study
e. Assumptions of the Study
f. Definition of terms
Chapter 3: Research Methodology
a. Research Design
b. Respondents of the Study
c. Instrument of the Study
d. Validity and Reliability
e. Statistical Treatment
Chapter 4: Presentation, Analysis, and
Interpretation of Data
a. Presentation of Data
b. Analysis
c. Interpretation
d. Discussion
Chapter 5: Summary, Conclussions and
Recommendations
a. Summary of Findings
b. Conclussion
c. Recommendation
Chapter 1:Introduction
Elements of Introduction
1. Rationalization of the need to research on the problem
2. Clarification of the important terminologies for the reader to easily
understand what the research is about
3. Establishment of the degree of seriousness of the problem which
prompted the researcher to look for solutions
Guide Questions
1. What is the rationale of the problem?
Reasons why the researcher decided to look for solutions to the
problem
May include narration of personal experiences, a description of an
article read, a scene witnessed, a news heard, or a theory to be
clarified
Scope may be local, national or international
Ideally, the rationale can start from a global perspective to a more
personal one
2.What is the setting of the problem?
The setting forms part of the delimitation of the study
It defines the geographic boundaries and certain demographic
characteristic of the research
It describes where the research was conducted
3. What was the basic literature foundation of the
study?
seeks to provide the researcher clarity on the terms or variables used
in the study
different from RRL
4.How serious is the chosen research
problem?
identify the intensity and magnitude of the problem
5.What is the general objective of the
problem?
General statement of the problem
Should be the basis of the enumerated statements of the specific
problem
6. What is the overall purpose of the
problem?
implication of the resulting findings of the study
Chapter 1: Statement of the Problem
General Problem
1. It should use single and not compound sentences.
2. It should clearly express the purpose of the study.
3. It should include the central phenomenon(main problem)
4. It should use quantitative words.
5. It should identify the participants of the study.
6. It should state the research site.
Sample Pattern
The purpose of this research is to (understand, describe,
develop, discover) the (central phenomenon) for (participants) at (the
site). At this stage in the research, the (central phenomenon) will be
generally defined as ( a general definition of the central phenomenon)

(Cresswell and Clark, 2014)

Specific Problems
1. They must be in question form
2. They must define the population of the respondents.
3. They must identify the variables being studied.

Central Questions-general questions

Sub-questions- specific topical questions
Chapter 1: Scope and Delimitation
Scope
Determined primarily by the selection of variables that the study will
focus on
Delimitation
Sample size
Lack of available and/or reliable data
Lack of prior studies
Chosen data collection method
Nature of info collected
Chapter 1: Significance of the Study
identify the beneficiaries who will directly gain from the results of
the study
Chapter 2: Theoretical Framework
1. Review of Related Literature
Steps in Reviewing Literature
1. Finding relevant Materials- reading literature containing important
data relative to his problem in order to fully comprehend the
variables being studied
2. Actual Reading- aster the pre-selection process, the researcher
must thoroughly critique the contents of the materials. Critiquing
involves asking question which at this stage should focus on the
variables.
Sample questions to ask:

1. What variables are mentioned?

2. What are the characteristics or descriptions of the variables?
3. What relationship exists between the variables based on the
information given?
4. How can the information provided in this material be of use to my
research?
Formatting a Paper Using the APA Style
by Peter Gallagher and Brian Scott
Tip 1: ABBREVIATIONS. Avoid using abbreviations in your paper. However, if you need to
use an abbreviation or acronym that's recognized in our language and you can find it in the
dictionary, such as AIDS, then you can use it.
Tip 2: HYPHENATIONS. Do not separate and hyphenate words at the end of a line. Rather,
leave one line slightly short and put the complete word on the next line; otherwise
proceed a couple of characters past the right margin to adjust the complete word on the
line.
Tip 3: INDENTIONS. Indent paragraphs within the primary text of the paper one-half inch,
if using a word processing program; or indent five to seven spaces in, if typing on a
typewriter. However, do not indent in these unique circumstances: the abstract, block
quotations, figure captions, notes, reference list entries, table titles, and titles or headings.
Tip 4: MARGINS. Use 1-inch margins on all four sides of the paper: Top, bottom,
right, and left. Old rules required 1.5-inch margins, but these rules are now
obsolete.
Tip 5: PAGE NUMBERING. Number nearly every page in the paper, including the
title page. Put the number in the upper-right corner of the page, and use only
Arabic numbers. Put the number "1" on the title page and the number "2" on the
Abstract page. Begin the main body of the text on page number "3." Don't number
pages that consist of only statistics or illustrations.
Tip 6: PAPER TYPE. Use regular white, 20-pound bond paper that has
measurements of 8.5-by-11 inches. If printing from a computer, use an inkjet or
laser printer to print the paper; if you must use a tractor-feed printer, make sure to
tear off the pinhole borders from the sides of the paper.

Tip 7: PARENTHESES. Aim to restrict parentheses to separate or divide items that are
structurally independent, such as listing a number or illustration that is associated with a
sentence. If you're enclosing a full sentence in parentheses, position the punctuation
inside the parentheses. If you're enclosing only a piece of a sentence inside parentheses,
then place the punctuation outside the parentheses.
Tip 8: PUNCTUATION. In most cases, use a single space after all common punctuation
marks, such as periods, commas, colons, and semicolons. There are three exceptions to
this norm: 1) don't use a space after periods inside an abbreviation, such as when writing
U.S. for United States; 2) don't use a space after a colon in a ratio, such as 4:7;
and 3) some professors like the outdated rule of using two spaces after periods that end
sentences. If you're using Courier or another mono-space font, APA Style does permit
two spaces between sentences, although one space is recommended.
Tip 9: SHORT TITLE. A Short Title is a two- or three-word introduction of the main title.
Put it on every page in the top right corner, except for pages that consist of only numbers
or illustrations. The Short Title should appear slightly to the left of the page number.
Tip 10: SLASH MARK. Don't use slash marks in your paper. For instance, rather than
writing "blue and/or purple," it is better to write, "blue, purple, or both."
Tip 11: SPACING. Use double spacing throughout the whole paper, unless your
professor expressly asks for single spacing in specific situations, such as with block
quotations.
Tip 12: TEXT ALIGNMENT. Always format the text flush left. Don't use the "full
justify" feature on your word processor's toolbar because this will spread the text
fully across the paper and align sentences both left and right.
Tip 13: TITLE. Center the title on the Title page, creating a combination
of uppercase and lowercase letters. If the title is long enough to
warrant a second line, double space between the lines. After the title,
include your name, followed by the college that you attend. If you don't
belong to a college, you can substitute the city and state. Double space
between each line on the title page. Put the number "1" in the upper
right corner of the Title page.

Tip 14: TYPEFACE. If using a word processor like MS-Word, opt for a
serif font, such as Times New Roman. Use text in a 10- or 12-point size.
2. Research Framework
Theoretical Framework- formulated from existing theories and sserves
as the foundation of the study. The present study can adopt the
original model used and cited by theorist. However, the researcher can
modify the variables of the original framework to better suit the study,
provided tht the whole theory is utilized.

Conceptual Framework- is derived from the combination of theories or

parts of theories. The framework guides the researcher in sybthesizing
different theories used in formulating a new one.
Elements of Theoretical Framework
1. Relevant theories. These are the theories that are partially or fully
relevant to the present study and are discussed to provide basis for
the variables being tested.
2. Review of the related literature. These are published materials that
compare the study with the existing knowledge on the research
topic. This part defines, classifies, and facilitates objective
comprehension of the variables being studied.
3. Review of related studies. This part includes the theses or
dissertaton on research topics carrying same variables. The findings
from the previous studies define the approach that the researcher
took in measuring the variables.
Paradigm of the study. This is the diagrammatic presentation of the
study used to visually summarize the whole study. It is the result of the
clearer understanding of the theoretical or conceptual framework. It is
usually comprised of symbols and figures such as lines, shapes and
arrows.

IPO(input-process-output)- most commonly used paradigm

Strategies in Formulating Theoretical
Framework
a. Examine your thesis and research problem.
b. Brainstorm on what is considered as the key variables in the
research.
c. Review related literature and studies.
d. List the constructs and variables.
e. Review key theories.
f. Discuss assumptions or propositions.
In writing the relevant theories, the following
must be included:

1. Name of the authors

2. Titles of their theories
3. Theoretical statement or principles
4. Explanation of the theoretical statement
5. And relationship of the based theory to the present study
Quantitative Research Methodology

Descriptive Descriptive research seeks to Examples:

describe the current status of an A description of the tobacco use
identified variable or habits of teenagers
phenomenon. The researcher does A description of how parents feel
not usually begin with an about the twelve-month school
hypothesis, but is likely to develop year
one after collecting data. Analysis A description of the attitudes of
and synthesis of the data provide scientists regarding global warming
the test of the
hypothesis. Systematic collection
of information requires careful
selection of the units studied and
measurement of each variable in
order to demonstrate validity.
Correlational Correlational research attempts
to determine the extent of a
relationship between two or
more variables using statistical
data.
Relationships between and
among a number of facts are
sought and interpreted to
recognize trends and patterns in
data, but it does not go so far in
its analysis to establish cause
and effect for them.
Data,relationships, and
distributions of variables
are observed only. Variables are
not manipulated; they are only
identified and are studied as
they occur in a natural setting.
Examples:
The relationship between
intelligence and self-esteem
The relationship between diet and
anxiety
The relationship between an
aptitude test and success in an
algebra course
The covariance of smoking and
lung disease
*Sometimes correlational research
is considered a type of descriptive
research, and not as its own type of
research, as no variables are
manipulated in the study.
Causal-Comparative/ Causal-comparative/quasi- Examples:
Quasi- experimental research attempts to The effect of an aerobic
Experimental establish cause-effect relationships exercise program on children's
among the variables. These types rates of obesity
of design are very similar to true The effect of part-time
experiments, but with some key employment on the achievement
differences. An independent of high school students
variable is identified but not The effect of age on lung capacity
manipulated by the experimenter,
and effects of the independent
variable on the dependent variable
are measured. The researcher does
not randomly assign groups and
must use ones that are naturally
formed or pre-existing groups.
Identified control groups exposed
to the treatment variable are
studied and compared to groups
who are not.
True Experimental uses the scientific method to
establish the cause-effect
relationship among a group of
variables that make up a study.
The true experiment is often
thought of as a laboratory study,
but this is not always the case; a
laboratory setting has nothing
to do with it.
A true experiment is any study
where an effort is made to
identify and impose control over
all other variables except one.
An independent variable is
manipulated to determine the
effects on the dependent
variables.
Subjects are randomly assigned
to experimental treatments
rather than identified in
naturally occurring groups
Example
The effect of a new treatment plan
on breast cancer
The effect of a systematic
preparation and support system on
children who were scheduled for
surgery on the amount of
psychological upset and
cooperation
A comparison of the effect of
personalized instruction vs.
traditional instruction on
computational skill
Sampling for Research
Factors to Consider in Determining the Sample Size
1. Homogeneity of the population. The higher the degree of
homogeneity of the population, the smaller the sample size that
can be utilized.
2. Degree of precision desired by the researcher. The larger the
sample size, the higher the precision or accuracy of the results will
be.
3. Types od sampling procedure. Probability sampling uses the smaller
sample size than other non probability sampling.
Various Approaches to Determining Sample
Size
1. Sample sizes as small as 30 are generally adequate to ensure that
the sampling distribution of the mean will approximate the normal
curve (Shott, 1990)
2. When the total population is less than or equal to 100, this same
number may serve as the sample size. This is called universal
sampling.
3. Slovins Formula
-is used to calculate the sample size (n) given the population size (N)
and a margin of error (e).
- it's a random sampling technique formula to estimate sampling size
-It is computed as n = N / (1+Ne2).
whereas:
n = no. of samples
N = total population
e = error margin / margin of error
4. Acccording to Gay(1976), the following are the acceptable sizes for
different types of research.
a. Descriptive- 10% -20% may be required
b. Comparative- 15 subjects or groups
5. Using Calmorins Formula