1

Friandale F. Alejandro
Inquiries,
Investigations
and Immersion
Quarter 3 – Module 1:
Brainstorming for Research Topics
What I Need to Know
You have learned the step-by-step procedure in writing a qualitative and
quantitative research in your previous subjects – Practical Research 1 and 2,
respectively. As a culminating activity, Inquiries, Investigations and
Immersion is designed to heighten your critical thinking and problem-solving
skills through conducting another meaningful study. This particular module
is designed to assist you in choosing a significant topic that will benefit your
area of interest.

After this module, you are expected to:

1. identify issues and ideas in respective track or strand;
2. formulate a suitable research topic related to a track or strand; and
3. write a research plan about the selected research topic.

What I Know
There are 15 words that are possible sources for a research topic hidden in
the word square below. Words appear vertically, horizontally, diagonally,
backwards and forwards. Search for these words and write your answers on
your notebook.

Insert puzzle box here:

T H E O R I E S D E E N X O N
I R X E S E A P R O B L E M S
N R P C I N T E R E S T H Q U
T Z E E D F H C G S U W V V A
U E R R I P H I L O S O P H Y
I R I U A X E A E L B B O A S
T M E T O D U L S E I S S O T
I H N A A R D I S S U E S U U
O G C R H C O Z O V I R D P D
N A E E N E D A N M I V C L I
O C S T C K D T S O W A N Q E
U A R I A N E I T E D T U C S
A T V L I O N O R E S I E A R
C D I S F U N N Z X E O E W Y
A P N O I T A S R E V N O C M

Across: Theories, Problems, Interest, Philosophy, Conversation, Issues

Down or Up: Intuition, Experiences, Literature, Specializations, Lessons, Observation, Studies

This study source was downloaded by 100000838318461 from [Link] on 02-19-2022 02:06:31 GMT -06:00

[Link]
 2

Brainstorming for
Research Topics
One of the most important considerations for every research is selecting a
research topic. A research topic serves as the basis of each research
undertaking. It directs how the research will be carried out.
A good researcher must carefully choose a topic that is doable and significant
to a certain discipline or field. Many researchers find selecting a research topic
a difficult task. Some do it through brainstorming or by observing their
surroundings.
In this module, you will be guided on how to easily choose a research topic
from your area of interest.

What’s In
Taking into consideration your experiences from your previous research
subjects, decide whether each sentence must be a criterion in choosing a good
research problem. On your notebook, write YES if the statement can be
considered as a criterion and NO if otherwise.

A research topic should…

YES 1. be original.
NO 2. be ambiguous.
YES 3. fill in a research gap.
NO 4. be costly and ambitious.
NO 5. be general and not specific.
YES 6. arouse intellectual curiosity.
YES 7. be within the researcher’s interest.
NO 8. make use of ineffective research instrument.
NO 9. be completed beyond the given period of time.
NO 10. be insignificant to the field of study or discipline

Notes to the Teacher

This module will guide the learners about the things to consider in choosing a
research topic. There are also simple steps included in this module to help
them choose their topics. A simple research paper relevant to their strand or
track will be the final output of this subject.

What’s New
A common challenge when beginning to write a research paper is determining
how to narrow down your topic. To assist you in the selection process, here
are some guidelines given by Baraceros (2016:38-39):

1. INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT MATTER

Being interested in a topic is usually due to the richness of your stock
knowledge about it or because of its familiarity to you. Curiosity about an
issue/topic is one of the factors that motivate a person to unravel the unknown
in a topic. Thus, the researcher’s interest increases the possibility of the
success of the study.

2. RICHNESS OF AVAILABLE SOURCES OR SUPPORTING

EVIDENCES

This study source was downloaded by 100000838318461 from [Link] on 02-19-2022 02:06:31 GMT -06:00

[Link]
 3

One of the things that you should do is to collect a lot of information on your
topic of interest. This enables you to find evidences that would support your
topic. You must ensure that your sources come from a wide variety of literature
such as books, journal, periodicals, online articles, etc. Hence, going to the
library and surfing the internet are some of the activities that you should do as
a researcher.

3. TIMELINESS AND RELEVANCE OF THE TOPIC

Your topic should be relevant and timely. A topic is relevant if it serves as an
instrument in improving the society or if it answers or solves current issues
which are some of the reasons why research is conducted.

4. LIMITATIONS OF THE SUBJECT

Aside from your interest, you must also consider the significance of the
topic in your track and strand. Remember that research is conducted to
contribute something valuable to a particular area or discipline.

5. PERSONAL RESOURCES
Prior to finalizing your chosen topic, you must assess your research
abilities as a student. You may do so by taking your financial capability, health
condition, personal qualifications and trainings as a researcher, needed
facilities and time allotment into account. It is important that all of these
aspects are considered in order for you to guarantee the accomplishment of
your research.

What is It
Now that you have learned the considerations in formulating a research
problem, here are the steps that will guide you trim down your area of interest.

1. Focus on your track, strand or area of specialization.

• For example:
HUMSS

2. Recall the specific area, lesson or issue in your respective field or strand that
has piqued or aroused your interest the most.
• Public Speaking

3. Generate an unanswered question or an unresolved problem from your

chosen area or lesson.
• Why do people feel anxious when speaking in public?

4. Assess the question or problem based on the five guidelines stated above.
• I'm interested in the topic.
• There are available sources of data.
• It is timely and relevant.
• It will contribute to my strand.
• It is doable considering my personal resources.

5. Write your research problem.

• Factors Affecting the Speaking Anxiety of Students

When formulating an effective research title, take the following guidelines into
consideration:

1. Indicate accurately the subject and scope of the study.

2. The title must be limited to 10 to 15 substantive words. Conjunctions (and,
but, because), prepositions (in, on, at) and articles (the, a, an) are not
counted.

This study source was downloaded by 100000838318461 from [Link] on 02-19-2022 02:06:31 GMT -06:00

[Link]
 4

3. Do not include analysis of, study of, an investigation of and the like.
4. The title must be in the phrase form.
5. Avoid title that gives too much information.

What’s More
A. Match the following descriptions in column A to their respective guidelines
in choosing a research topic in column B. Write the letter of the correct answer
on your notebook

A B
1. This refers to the a. limitations of the subject
researcher’s abilities, b. personal resources
financial capacity, resources c. interest in the subject matter
in terms of instruments, d. timeliness and relevance
facilities and time frame. e. richness of available resources or
2. This refers to the social supporting evidences of
applicability and appropriateness
appropriateness of the topic f. intellectual ability
to the current situation.
3. This refers to an individual’s
interest in a topic driven by
his or her schema about it.
4. This refers to the availability
of needed resources as
evidence for the topic.
5. This refers to the topic’s
contribution to a particular
field or discipline.
1. B
2. A
3. C
4. E
5. D

B. Arrange the following steps in correct sequence using numbers 1-5. Write
your answers on your notebook.

5 6. Write your research problem.

3 7. Generate an unanswered question or an unresolved problem from your

chosen area or lesson.

2 8. Recall the specific area, lesson or issue in your respective field that has
piqued your interest the most.

4 9. Assess the question or problem based on the five guidelines stated

above.

1 10. Focus on your track, strand or area of specialization.

C. Read each statement below carefully. On your notebook, put √ a if

the statement is correct and × if otherwise.
√ 11. The title must include the accurate scope of the study.

× 12. Choose a title that is a sentence than a phrase.

This study source was downloaded by 100000838318461 from [Link] on 02-19-2022 02:06:31 GMT -06:00

[Link]
 5

× 13. Very long titles are preferable than short ones.

× 14. If possible, titles must not exceed 15 substantive words.

√ 15. Analysis of, A Study of, An Investigation and the like are not
encouraged
What I Have Learned
Test your wits and complete the paragraphs below by sharing your learnings
from the previous discussions. Write your answers on your notebook.
(15 points)

When deciding on a research topic, there are guidelines that we must

follow. These are _____Interest in the subject matter_________, ______Richness of
available sources or supporting evidences________, ______Timeliness and
relevance of the topic______,
_______Limitations of the Subject_______, and _______Personal
Resources_______. These guidelines must be considered
because ______It provides focus and helps to identify areas of importance as
well as possibilities for the exploration and analysis of such areas________.
The research topic must be simple and specific enough for us to
accomplish it with consideration of our limitations and within the given period
of time. To attain this, first we have to ____ Focus on our track, strand or area
of specialization ___ and then
____ Recall the specific area, lesson or issue in our respective field or strand
that has piqued or aroused our interest the most ____. After this, we must ___
Generate an unanswered question or an unresolved problem from our chosen
area or lesson__ to be
followed by ___ Assessing the question or problem based on the five guidelines
stated above___. To complete the procedure, we can now
___Write our research problem.

What I Can Do
Think of at least two specific research topics from the broad topics listed below
following the guidelines explained above. Write your answers on your
notebook. (5 points each)

▪ Fingerprinting ▪ DNA
▪ Ethics and Genetics ▪ Insecticides
▪ Humans and Wildlife ▪ Export and Import
▪ Malnutrition ▪ Intermittent Fasting
▪ Psychology of Plastic Surgery ▪ Food Nutrition
▪ Vaccines ▪ Privacy Issues
▪ Violence ▪ Mobile Games
▪ Racism ▪ Computer Literacy
▪ Sex Education ▪ Online Selling
▪ Social Media ▪ Accounting System
▪ Terrorism ▪ Marketing Strategies
▪ Online Learning ▪ Technology and Business
† Gender Roles ▪ Thermal Insulation

For example:
Broad Topic: Online Selling
Specific Topic: Influence of Internet Based Marketing Activities on
Digital Consumer’s Mind

This study source was downloaded by 100000838318461 from [Link] on 02-19-2022 02:06:31 GMT -06:00

[Link]
 6

1. Broad Topic: __Computer Literacy________________________________

Specific Topic: _Effectiveness of Online Class From Teachers With and Without
Computer Experiences____

2. Broad Topic: _Insecticides___________________________________

Specific Topic: __Influence of Insecticides on Soil Nutrition After a Year or More
of Use in Crop Fields. __

Assessment
A. Let us apply the five steps mentioned previously for you to arrive on your
specific research topic. Answer the following questions briefly on your
notebook. (2 points each)

STEPS IN SPECIFYING THE ANSWER

RESEARCH TOPIC
1. What is your track and strand? STEM

2. What is the specific lesson or issue Effectiveness of Online Class

in your track and strand that has
piqued your interest the most?
3. What is the unanswered question Are online classes better than traditional classes?
or unresolved problem, or issue
involved in the lesson or issue?
• Is it within your interest?
Yes___No____
4. Assess the question or problem based
• Are there available data,
on the five guidelines.
resources and evidences that
will support the topic?
Yes___No____
• Is it timely and relevant?
Yes___No____
• Will it contribute to your track
and strand?
Yes___No____
• Is it within your personal
resources?
Yes___No____
5. If all of your answers are yes, then Online Classes in Senior High School
write down your specific research
problem. If no, reevaluate your
research
question or problem.

B. Based on the research problem that you have written above, write your
research plan by answering the following questions on the table below.
Answer briefly on your notebook. (2 points each)
RESEARCH PLAN
1. Research Problem: Online Classes in Senior High School

(What is your research problem?)

This study source was downloaded by 100000838318461 from [Link] on 02-19-2022 02:06:31 GMT -06:00

[Link]
 7

2. Rationale: To know if online class is an efficient way of learning in these days.

(Why do you want to conduct this study?)

3. Significance: To let the Department of Education know the effects of online

class on senior high school students, and to let future researchers have
reference for their study in the same field.
(Why is it important to be conducted?)
4. Objective: To to find the significant relationship in the level of interest in online learning and scholastic
performance of Grade 12 students in the new normal.

(What is your goal to achieve in this study?)

5. Method and Design: This study is a type of Sample Size: 50

quantitative research which investigates a problem (How many respondents does your study
by collecting numerical data that are analyzed using need?)
mathematical and scientific procedure. Sample Size: 50
(How many respondents does your study
(Is it a quantitative or a need?)
qualitative study?) Sampling Technique: Using stratified
random sampling technique
(How will you choose your
respondents or
source of data?)

Additional Activities
Using the guidelines stated above, formulate a tentative research title based
on your chosen research problem in Assessment. Write your title on your
notebook. (15 points)

Tentative
Research
Title: Level of interest and
Problem: Online
Classes in Senior
High School → Scholastic Performance of Senior
High School Students in the New
Normal

The checklist below will guide you in assessing the tentative title you have
written. However, the research title may still be changed along the course of
the study.
Self-Assessment Checklist YES NO
1. Is it original? /
2. Is it concise? /
3. Is it clear? /

4. Is it specific? /
5. Does it reflect the topic to be explored? /

Rubric for What I Have Learned

Criteria/ 5 3 1
Indicators Excellent/ Satisfactory Needs
Outstanding Improvement

This study source was downloaded by 100000838318461 from [Link] on 02-19-2022 02:06:31 GMT -06:00

[Link]
 8

Completeness of All of the Two sections None of the

answers sections were were sections were
answered unanswered answered
Quality of answers All of the Some of the None of the
responses were responses were responses were
discussed discussed discussed
substantially substantially substantially
and and and
comprehensively comprehensively comprehensively
Appropriateness All of the Some of the None of the
of answers responses responses responses
correspond to correspond to corresponds to
the needed the needed the needed
information in information in information in
all of the some of the all of the
sections sections sections

Rubric for What I Can Do

Criteria/Indicators
5 3 1
Excellent/ Satisfactory Needs
Outstanding Improvement
Feasibility of The research The research The research
Research Problem problem is problem is problem is
practical and slightly practical completely
doable and may be impractical and
doable undoable
Specificity of The research The research The research
Research Problem problem problem is problem is still
uniquely slightly broad
belongs to a ambiguous
specific area of
the topic
Timeliness The research The research The research
Relevance of problem is problem is problem is
Research Problem highly slightly insignificant at
significant at significant at the the time being
the time being time being

Rubric for Additional Activity

15 POINTS
Criteria/ Originality Clarity Conciseness Specificity
Indicators The title is The title is The title is The title
new and clear not demonstrates
different and stuffy and elements that
from what straight dull but point out the
has already forward. gives readers angle of
been (4 points) some inquiry.
written idea at the (3 points)
about. outset
(4 points) of what the
research will
contain.

This study source was downloaded by 100000838318461 from [Link] on 02-19-2022 02:06:31 GMT -06:00

[Link]
 9

(4 points)
TOTAL Score
_______

References:
Avilla, Ruel A. Practical Research 1. Makati City: Diwa Learning Systems Inc., 2016, 3-7.

Baraceros, Esther L. Practical Research 1. Manila, Philippines: Rex Book Store, 2016.
Prieto, Nelia G, Naval, Victoria C., and Carey, Teresita G. Practical Research 2 for Senior High School.
Metro Manila, Philippines: Lorimar Publishing, Inc., 2017, 29-31.

[Link]. “Identifying and Stating the Problem.” Last modified July 6, 2020.
[Link] stating-the-problem

Tomar, Malvika. “Influence of Internet Based Marketing Activities on Digital Consumer’s Mind.”
International Journal of Management 11 2020: 1. Accessed January 24, 2020. doi:
10.34218/IJM.11.6.2020.111

Prepared by:

JESSIE M. BALORIO, PhD. CAND

This study source was downloaded by 100000838318461 from [Link] on 02-19-2022 02:06:31 GMT -06:00

[Link]

Powered by TCPDF ([Link])