Prof. Golda Aira V. Crisostomo, Ph.D.

, CIOP
Director, Letran Research Center
 -BIG THING

Prepared by: Golda Aira V. 2

Crisostomo, Ph.D.
 Where are
we,
Where Might
We Go?

Prepared by: Golda Aira V. 3

Crisostomo, Ph.D.
 TITLE OF THE CHAPTER 1
STUDY

4. Hypothesis/
1. Introduction Assumption
2. Statement of 5. Theoretical /
Conceptual
the Problem Framework
3. Objectives 6. Definition of
Terms

Prepared by: Golda Aira V. 4

Crisostomo, Ph.D.
 CHAPTER 2- REVIEW OF
RELATED LITERATURE

Unpublished
Theses and
Dissertations
SYNTHESIS
Books
Journals (?)

Prepared by: Golda Aira V. 5

Crisostomo, Ph.D.
STEP 3 :

Prepared by: Golda Aira V.

Crisostomo, Ph.D. 6
 THESIS
FORMAT
IMRAD Chapter 1: The Problem: Rationale
and Background
Title •Introduction
•Statement of the Problem
Authorship and Affiliation •Theoretical Framework
Abstract (100-150 word count) •Significance of the Study
•Scope and Limitation
•Hypothesis
1.0 Introduction •Assumptions
2.0 Theoretical Background •Definition of Terms
2.1 Theoretical Framework
2.2 Literature Review Chapter 2 : Review of Related
2.3 Research Model Literature
(Simulacrum)
Chapter 3 : Research Methodology
3.0 Methods
•Research Design
3.1 Subjects •Research Locale
3.2 Instruments •Population and Sampling
3.3 Data Collection & •Research Instrumentation
Procedure •Data Gathering Procedure
3.4 Data Analysis •Statistical analysis
3.5 Ethical Consideration •Ethical consideration
4.0 Results/ Findings
Chapter 4: Presentation, Analysis
5.0 Discussion and Interpretation of Data
6.0 Conclusion Chapter 5 : Summary, Conclusion
7.0 References Prepared by: Golda Aira V. Crisostomo, and Recommendation
7
Ph.D.
WHAT IS IT?
 IMRAD, which stands for
Introduction, Methods,
Results and Discussion
is a standard layout for
academic journal
articles.

 It also typically requires

a title, abstract, tables
and figures,
acknowledgments and
references to literature
cited.
WHAT IS IT?
 It requires suitable
background knowledge
so that the paper:

1) complies with
widely recognized
publication standards

2) is approved in the
peer-review process
with the minimum of
amendments
This is what a typical thesis might look like.
This is what a Publishable Article (IMRAD)
might look like.
 12

Prepared by: Golda Aira V. Crisostomo,

Ph.D.
WHAT IT IS
 “Short and sweet”

 Must have only 4,000

to 6,000 word count

 Single spaced

 Font size: 11

 Length: 10 to 15 pages
BENEFITS OF IMRAD
 It is concise.

 IMRAD structure
facilitates modular
reading.

 Readers usually do not

read in a linear way but
browse in each section of
article, looking for
specific information.

 This is normally found in

pre-established areas of
the paper.
HISTORY  1950s: Adoption of IMRAD format

 After 1965: IMRAD began to

predominate

 1979: IMRAD introduced as

standard by the American
National Standards Institute

 1980s onwards: Absolute

leadership of IMRAD

 Wide use of IMRAD may be

credited to editors - to benefit
readers and facilitate peer
review
BASIC STRUCTURE OF IMRAD
 Introduction (What question was asked?)

 Methods (How was it studied?)

 Results (What was found?)

 And

 Discussion (What do the findings mean?)

INTRODUCTION
 INTRODUCTION
It describes the background of the work and puts it in
context.

It should define the nature and scope of the problem.

It must state the aim of your study.

It mentions former studies when it helps in setting

focus for the subject of the report.
 INTRODUCTION
It provides the rationale for the current study. What gap in
knowledge did you try to fill? What controversy did you try to
resolve?

It should forward the paper’s hypotheses.

It usually requires a research model or simulacrum.

It should end in a CENTRAL QUESTION to be answered

by the report.
 A literature review is an account of what has been
published on a topic by accredited scholars and
researchers.

 Its purpose is to convey to readers what knowledge and

ideas have been established on a topic and what their
strengths and weaknesses are.

 The main focus of your academic research paper is to

develop a new argument.

 The literature review serves as a foundation and as

support for a new insight that you’ll contribute.
 A literature review must:

 Be organized around and related directly to the

research question
 Synthesize results into a summary of what is and is
not known
 Identify areas of controversy in the literature
 Formulate questions that need further research
 It states the general purpose of the study of what it intends to determine and the
specific objectives of the research paper. However, research questions in IMRAD
format are stated declaratively.

Key points for writing good objective:

 The purpose of the research objectives is to focus on the research problem.

 Avoid the collection of unnecessary data.

 Provide direction to research study.

 Objectives must be clear and well defined.

 Measurable
 Achievable
 Realistic
 Timely
 A well-thought-out and focused research question leads
directly into your hypotheses.

 What predictions would you make about the

phenomenon you are examining?

 It is a tentative explanation for an observation,

phenomenon, or problem that can be tested by further
investigation.

 It can be a more specific prediction about the nature

and direction of the relationship between two variables.
 It is better known as conceptual framework in the chapter format.
It includes a diagram that shows how variables are related with
each other.

Key points for making a simulacrum:

 It is the researcher’s way of representing realities.

 It enables the researcher to crystallize the working title of a paper.
 Only two valid shapes are allowed: circle/ellipse and
square/rectangle.
 Arrows are hypothesis typologies and are used to denote the
relationships of variables.
Directional: x y (“x” relates to “y”)
Hypothetical: x y (“x” correlates with “y”)
 INTRODUCTION
The Introduction describes the background of the work and puts it in
context.

It should mention former studies when it helps in setting focus for the
subject of the report.

The introduction should end in a research question to be answered by

the report.
 METHODS
It describes the procedure used to answer the research
question.

It must be detailed enough for the reader to be able to

duplicate it.

If the choice of method needs to be justified, it should be

done here.
 METHODS
It describes your sample and how/why they have
been selected.

It includes rules of analysis, and rules of verification

and validation.

It may include deductive reasoning, approximations,

statistical analysis and simulations.
 This part discusses thoroughly about the
qualifications needed by the researchers for their
participants. It often includes the age, other
characteristics that may typify what the study is all
about and the number of participants needed.
 It confers about how the study will run
(quantitative or qualitative). It also answers the
question of how the data will be gathered such as
using survey questionnaires, interviews and the
likes. It also includes how the data will be
analyzed, verified and validated.
 RESULTS
It is the core of the paper and shows the outcome of
the method.

The results should be presented in a clear, accurate

and concise format.

There should be no redundancy so stick to what is

relevant.

The text should tell the story and the tables give the
evidence while the figures illustrate the highlights.
 RESULTS
Summary statistics, figures and tables should be used when
convenient for the section’s purpose.

Do not repeat in the text all the data given in the tables or
illustrations; emphasize or summarize only important
observations.

While this section should contain the explanations necessary for

it to be understandable, interpretations and deductions are to
be kept for the Discussions section.
 The third part of the IMRAD format which considered as
the core of the paper and shows the outcome of the
method.

What should be remembered in writing the Results:

The results should be presented in a clear, accurate,
and concise format.
There should be no redundancy so stick to what is
relevant.
The text should tell the story and the tables give the
evidence while the figures illustrate the highlights.
DISCUSSION
 DISCUSSION
It answers the research question.
Conclusions drawn from the results are
presented, and the significance of the work (for
the author or others) are explained as needed.
It describes the study’s limitations, advantages,
applications and recommendations.
 It reveals the importance of the research paper in
general. It also includes the benefits it may bring to
specific types of profession, branches of any courses or
any particular field.
OTHER SECTIONS OF AN IMRAD
ARTICLE

 Title Page
 Abstract
 Acknowledgment
 References
 Appendices
TITLE PAGE
 Title of the article (maximum of 40 characters or 12
salient words); only first word is capitalized (APA)

 Full name(s) of author(s)

 Academic degree(s)

 Institutional affiliation(s) of author(s)

 Communication address

 Key words
 Title of the Article

 Full name(s) of Author(s)

 Institutional Affiliation

 Communication Address

 Key Words
ABSTRACT
 It must be short, only
around 100 words. It
must summarize:
 the context or
background for the study
 the study's purposes
 basic procedures for the
study
 main findings
 principal conclusions
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
 It mentions those that
are close to being
authors without being
responsible for the
paper’s contents.

 For example: people

delivering the data or
putting forward
important ideas in
conversations
 REFERENCES
 All sources referred to in
the paper must be listed
and no others.

 If any standard is fixed

by the journal where the
paper is intended to be
published, it should be
adhered to.

 Otherwise, a general
standard like APA can be
followed.
APPENDICES
 Appendices may be used
for material logically
belonging to the report,
but too bulky to be part
of the main text.
 In that case, the
summary
tables/statistics/figures
should be in the main
text, but detailed
description will be
placed in an appendix or
two.