Inquiries, Investigation, and Immersion (3Is) Notes

Course Handler: Edilberto A. Dejos Jr.

Expected Parts of the Research Manuscript in Required Order

Title Page
Research Abstract
Approval Sheet
Panel of Oral Examiners
Acknowledgment and/or Dedication (optional)
Table of Contents
List of Tables, Figures, Charts or Graphs

CHAPTER 1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Background of the Study
Statement of the Problem
Research Hypotheses (if there are)
Significance of the Study
Scope and Delimitations of the Study
Definition of Terms

CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Related Theories
Related Literature
Related Foreign Studies
Related Local Studies
Conceptual Framework

CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES

Research Design
Research Environment
Research Respondents
Sampling Design
Research Instrument (for Descriptive Studies)
Intervention (for Experimental Studies)
Data Gathering Procedure
Research Ethics Considerations
Data Management
Statistical Treatment of Data

CHAPTER 4 PRESENTATION, ANALYSES, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

Textual and tabular presentation, analyses, and interpretation of data
(should follow the order as in the Statement of the Problem with the appropriate subheadings)

CHAPTER 5 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary of Findings
Conclusions
Recommendations

CHAPTER 6 PROPOSED INTERVENTION ACTIVITIES (if applicable)

References
Appendices
Curriculum Vitae
I. BRAINSTORMING FOR RESEARCH TOPICS

What is research?

Research is an investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the
light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws. It is also a practice of collecting information about a
particular subject.

Research, being methodical, logical, cyclical and replicable, follows a certain process. Below is the diagram of the research process.

Defining a
problem

Reporting Formulating
Results Hypothesis

Reviewing
Analyzing Related
Data Literatures
and Studies

Collecting Designing
Data Research

Quantitative vs Qualitative vs Mixed Methods Research

Qualitative Research is mainly inductive in a way that building knowledge is aimed to create meaning. Researchers use this research to
investigate and learn about social phenomenon, to unpack meanings and build a depth of understanding by taking into consideration the
participants’ subjective experiences. This type is used primarily when the objective is to explore, describe or explain (Leavy 2017, Creswell and
Creswell 2018). Data collected are in the form of words and pictures (Fraenkel, Wallen and Hyun 2012).
Quantitative Research is mainly deductive in a way that the research is aimed at proving and disproving existing theories by examining the
relationship of variables. This type is generally appropriate when the primary objective of the research is to explain or evaluate (Leavy 2017,
Creswell and Creswell 2018). Data collected are generally numerical which are treated statistically.
Mixed Methods Research is an approach collecting both quantitative data and qualitative data. The integration of both data in this type of
research gives additional insights beyond the information provided by either quantitative data or qualitative data alone (Leavy 2017, Creswell
and Creswell 2018).

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH MIXED METHODS QUALITITATIVE RESEARCH

Predetermined methods Both predetermined and emerging Emerging methods
methods
Instrument based questions Both open-ended and close-ended Open-ended questions
questions
Performance data, attitude data, Multiple forms of data drawing on all Interview data, observation data,
observational data, and census data possibilities document data, and audiovisual data
Statistical analysis Statistical and text analysis Text and image analysis
Statistical interpretation Across databases interpretation Themes, and patterns interpretation

Brainstorming for Research Topics

Here are some things that you need to consider when choosing your research topic.
1. Interest in the subject matter. Your interest in the subject gives you the motivation, enthusiasm and energy that drives you to investigate,
inquire about it, and accomplish your research.
2. Availability of information. Relevant and related information from varied forms of literature serve as evidences to support the claims
of your research about a subject matter. When searching for available materials, it is important to look into the update and authority
of the materials, their copyright dates, and the expertise or qualification of the writers of the reading material.
3. Timeliness and relevance of the topic. The research topic should be related to the present. The research output or findings should yield
results that are useful in society.
4. Limitations on the subject. Connect your choice with course requirements.
5. Personal resources. Do self-evaluation on your research abilities in terms of your financial standing, health condition, mental capacity,
needed facilities and the time schedule to enable you to complete your research.
Research Topics to be Avoided
1. Controversial topics
2. Highly technical subjects
3. Hard-to-investigate subjects
4. Too broad subjects
5. Too narrow subjects
6. Vague subjects
Essential Qualities of a Research Problem
Fraenkel, Wallen and Hyun (How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education 2012), a good research question possess four essential
characteristics.
 1. The question is feasible. This means that the research can be investigated without expending an undue amount of time, energy, or
money.
2. The question is clear. This means that most people would agree as to what the key words in the question mean.
3. The question is significant. This means that the research is worth investigating because it will contribute important knowledge about
the human condition.
4. The question is ethical. This means that will not involve physical or psychological harm or damage to the human being or to the
environment where they are a part of.
Group Activity 1: NARROW IT DOWN
Brainstorm among your group members as to the research topic that you will be pursuing. Use the narrowing chart below to narrow down and
make your topic more focused and specific. Prepare at least three research topics, present them to the class, and defend your proposed topics.

A. Field of Interest
(related to your
specialization)

B. Topic

C. Subtopics

D. Kind of Research
(Qualitative, Quantitative
or Mixed Methods)

E. Which of these
subtopics are you most
interested in?

F. What questions do
you have about the
subtopic?

G. Why do you want

to study this?

II. IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM AND ASKING THE QUESTIONS

At the end of this section, you should be able to write your Chapter I.

A. Background of the Study

The Background of the Study should help the readers understand the justifications for conducting the study. Here is a guide on how to write
your Background of the Study:

First Paragraph(s) Provide enough contextual detail.

• What is happening/has happened that made you become interested with your research topic?
Note: Your last sentence(s) should lead to the introduction of the variables or topic of the study.

Next Paragraph(s) Discuss the variable(s) or the topic(s) of the study.

• What is the definition of variable(s)/topic(s)?
• What do the literatures have found about your variable(s)/topic(s)?
Next Paragraph(s) Discuss the research gap.
• What are the questions that have not been answered by literature?
• What are the inconsistencies in the findings of previous research?
• Are there lacking in the understanding of theories or literature in the related fields?
• Are there discrepancies in the actual behavior and expected behavior of the subjects?
• Are there gaps from previous research that you want to address?
• Are there conflicts in the methodology?
• Are there gaps in the theory?
• Are your target population different from previous research?

Types of Research Gaps

1. Evidence Gap.
2. Knowledge Gap.
3. Action-knowledge Conflict Gap.
4. Empirical Gap.
5. Methodological Gap.
6. Theoretical Gap.
7. Population Gap.
Next Paragraph(s) Write the aim of your study and provide a general statement of the study approach

B. Statement of the Problem

In this section you write the general problem of the study and enumerate the specific research questions or objectives that the research will
seek to answer or achieve in a logical order. Here are samples of Statement of the Problem.
 Research Topic (GAS): Perceived Academic Stress and Academic Performance in Precalculus of Grade 12 Students

Option 1.

Statement of the Problem

The study aims to determine the perceived academic stress and the academic performance in Precalculus of Grade 12
students at an integrated public senior high school in the Division of Lapu-Lapu City. Specifically, the study seeks to provide answers
to the following questions:
1. What is the level of perceived academic stress of Grade 12 students at the integrated public senior high school?
2. What is the level of academic performance in Precalculus of Grade 12 students at the integrated public senior high
school?
3. Is there a significant relationship between the perceived academic stress and academic performance in Precalculus
of Grade 12 students at the integrated public senior high school?
Option 2.

Statement of the Problem

The study aims to determine the perceived academic stress and the academic performance in Precalculus of Grade 12
students at an integrated public senior high school in the Division of Lapu-Lapu City. Specifically, the study intends to attain the
following objectives:
1. To determine the level of perceived academic stress of Grade 12 students at the integrated public senior high school;
2. To determine the level of academic performance in Precalculus of Grade 12 students at the integrated public senior
high school; and
3. To establish if a significant relationship exists between the perceived academic stress and academic performance in
Precalculus of Grade 12 students at the integrated public senior high school.

C. Research Hypotheses (if there are)

This section will enumerate the hypotheses of the study of there are. If there are questions/objectives in your Statement of the Problem
asking/trying to establish a significant relationship or significant difference, then you should formulate your research hypotheses. Corollary,
if there are none, then you do not need to formulate your research hypotheses.

All you are required to enumerate are the null hypotheses. The research hypotheses should state that no significant relationship or no
significant difference exists.

For example:

Question 3: Is there a significant relationship between the perceived academic stress and academic performance in Precalculus of Grade
12 students at the integrated public senior high school?

Option 1

Research Hypothesis
Ho: The perceived academic stress and the academic performance in Precalculus of Grade 12 students at an integrated public
senior high school do not have a significant relationship.

Option 2

Research Hypothesis
Ho: There is not significant relationship between the perceived academic stress and the academic performance in Precalculus
of Grade 12 students at an integrated public senior high school.

C. Significance of the Study

This section enumerates the beneficiaries of the research undertaking and specifies how the research will benefit them. The order of the
beneficiaries is usually presented starting from the one who will benefit the most. Here is an example of Significance of the Study.

Significance of the Study

The main rationale of the study is to investigate the levels of perceived academic stress and academic performance in
Precalculus, and to establish if a significant relationship exists between the two variables. This research is undertaken so as to contribute
the body of knowledge about the topic, to shed light on the academic stress and academic performance of the Grade 12 students, and
to provide school stakeholders data for policy and decision making. Specifically, the research will be of benefit to the following:
Students. They will be provided with information about their level of perceived academic stress and how it may affect their
academic performance, thereby helping them identify stress management strategies appropriate for them.
Teachers. They can utilize the findings of the study for modification, enhancement, or revisitation of their teaching strategies
to be stress-free. Furthermore, they will be provided with the stress levels of the students, thereby shedding light on students needing
academic guidance and counselling.
Parents. They will be given the idea on the stress academic performance levels of their students so they can provide adequate
support and guidance to them.
School leaders and policy makers. The results of the study may be used in policy crafting and decision making in the school,
so that appropriate and sufficient support will be afforded to students who have high levels of stress and poor academic performance.
Other researchers. The results, findings, discussions and conclusions of this research may be used as springboard for future
research related to the research topics.
 D. Scope and Delimitations of the Study

The scope should highlight the coverage of the investigation. The delimitations should emphasize the delimits set by the researchers in terms of
time, respondents, methods, environment, etc. Here is an example.

Scope and Delimitations of the Study

The study will cover describing the level of academic stress which will be measured using the Perception of Academic Stress
Scale-18 by Bedewy and Gabriel (2015) and the level academic performance which will be based on their third quarter examination
test scores in Precalculus, and establishing if a significant relationship exists between the two measured variables.
On the other hand, the study will be strictly adhered upon the approval of the research coordinator and the school head of
the school where the study will be conducted. As such, conditions may be set by the school head during the conduct of the data
gathering procedure (e.g., no disturbance of classes). An online survey tool will be used to gather data from the identified respondents
containing the consent letter, the specific instructions, and the scale. Moreover, the respondents of the study are delimited to Grade
12 General Academic Strand (GAS) students at an integrated public senior high school in the Division of Lapu-Lapu City as they will
be taking the Precalculus course in the second semester of school year 2022-2023.

E. Definition of Terms

This section enumerates the terms and their operational definitions, arranged in alphabetical order. Here is an example.

Definition of Terms
For the clarity of this research undertaking, this section enumerates the important terms and their operational definitions.
Academic Performance. This refers to the third quarter examination scores of Grade 12 GAS students in Precalculus.
Perceived Academic Stress. This composed of pressures to perform, workload and examination perceptions, self-perceptions
and time restraints which is measured using the PAS-18 by Bedewy and Gabriel (2015).
Pressure to Perform. It alludes to the extreme stress brought on by parental expectations, competitive peer pressure, and
teachers who are critical of pupils' performance.
Student. This pertains to Grade 12 GAS learners in an integrated public senior high school who are currently taking
Precalculus.
Self-Perception. It alludes to having confidence in one's ability to succeed academically, in one's ability to succeed in one's
future job, and in one's ability to make wise academic judgments.
Time-restraints. It pertains to the pressures caused by the short amount of time allotted for classes, the incapacity to complete
assignments, the challenge of catching up if behind, and the short amount of time to wind down or relax.
Workload and Examination Perception. This pertains to the strains brought on by a heavy workload, protracted assignments,
and exam anxiety.

Group Activity: CHAPTER 1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE. Craft your Chapter 1. Encode it in Microsoft Word/Google Docs.
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Literature Review

• It is a document or section of a document that collects key sources on a topic and discusses those sources in conversation
with each other (also called synthesis).
• It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the
existing research that you can later apply to your paper, thesis, or dissertation topic.
• A good literature review doesn’t just summarize sources—it analyzes, synthesizes, and critically evaluates to give a clear
picture of the state of knowledge on the subject.

The literature review gives you a chance to:

• Demonstrate your familiarity with the topic and its scholarly context
• Develop a theoretical framework and methodology for your research
• Position your work in relation to other researchers and theorists
• Show how your research addresses a gap or contributes to a debate
• Evaluate the current state of research and demonstrate your knowledge of the scholarly debates around your topic.

STEPS

1. Search for relevant literature

Before writing your literature review your need to have a clearly defined research topic. If you are writing your Chapter 2,
you will search for literature related to your research questions.

For example:

Research Question: What is the level of social media literacy of senior high school students?

Next, make a list of keywords related to your research. Include each of the key concepts or variables you’re interested in and
list any synonyms and related terms. You can add to this list as you discover new keywords in the process of your literature
search.

For example:

Keywords: social media, literacy, social media literacy, senior high school

Then, search for relevant sources. These are some useful databases to search for journals and articles.

• Google Scholar – [Link]

• Semantic Scholar – [Link]
• ResearchGate – [Link]
• PubMed – [Link]
• EBSCO Essentials – [Link]
• ScienceDirect – [Link]
• Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) – [Link]
• Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) – [Link]

2. Evaluate and select sources

For each publication, ask yourself:

• What question or problem is the author addressing?

• What are the key concepts and how are they defined?
• What are the key theories, models and methods? Does the research use established frameworks or take an innovative
approach?
• What are the results and conclusions of the study?
• How does the publication relate to other literature in the field? Does it confirm, add to, or challenge established
knowledge?
• How does the publication contribute to your understanding of the topic? What are its key insights and arguments?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research?

Make sure the sources you use are credible, and make sure you read any landmark studies and major theories in your field
of research.

You may use this template in summarizing and evaluating your sources.
 3. Identify themes, debates, and gaps

To begin organising your literature review’s argument and structure, you need to understand the connections and
relationships between the sources you’ve read. Based on your reading and notes, you can look for:

• Trends and patterns (in theory, method or results): do certain approaches become more or less popular over time?
• Themes: what questions or concepts recur across the literature?
• Debates, conflicts and contradictions: where do sources disagree?
• Pivotal publications: are there any influential theories or studies that changed the direction of the field?
• Gaps: what is missing from the literature? Are there weaknesses that need to be addressed?

4. Outline your literature review’s structure

There are various approaches to organizing the body of a literature review. Depending on the length of your literature review,
you can combine several of these strategies (for example, your overall structure might be thematic, but each theme is discussed
chronologically).

Chronological • The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time. However,
if you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing
sources in order.
• Try to analyze patterns, turning points and key debates that have shaped the
direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments
occurred.
Thematic • If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organize your literature
review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic.
• For example, if you are reviewing literature about inequalities in migrant health
outcomes, key themes might include healthcare policy, language barriers, cultural
attitudes, legal status, and economic access.
Methodological If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety of research
methods, you might want to compare the results and conclusions that emerge from different
approaches. For example:

• Look at what results have emerged in qualitative versus quantitative research

• Discuss how the topic has been approached by empirical versus theoretical
scholarship
• Divide the literature into sociological, historical, and cultural sources
Theoretical A literature review is often the foundation for a theoretical framework. You can use
it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts.

You might argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach or combine various
theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.

5. Write your Literature Review

Like any other academic text, your literature review should have an introduction, a main body, and a conclusion. What you
include in each depends on the objective of your literature review.

Introduction The Introduction part of the Review of Related Literature must establish a brief and
concise glimpse of what the variables are being focused in the research endeavor.
Moreover, it should clearly establish the focus and purpose of the literature review.

Body Paragraphs Depending on the length of your literature review, you might want to divide the body
into subsections. You can use a subheading for each theme, time, or methodological
approach.

As you write, you can follow these tips:

• Summarize and synthesize: give an overview of the main points of each source
and combine them into a coherent whole
• Analyze and interpret: don’t just paraphrase other researchers—add your own
interpretations where possible, discussing the significance of findings in relation
to the literature as a whole
• Critically evaluate: mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources
• Write in well-structured paragraphs: use transition words and topic
sentences to draw connections, comparisons and contrasts

Here is a sample of a body paragraph.

Conclusion In the conclusion, you should summarize the key findings you have taken from the
literature and emphasize their significance.