Senior High School

Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region VII - Central Visayas
DIVISION OF LAPU-LAPU CITY
PAJO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

Learning Activity Sheet (LAS)

Inquiries,
Investigation,
and Immersion
Brainstorming for Research
Topics
Grade Level: Grade 12
Inquiries, Investigation, and Immersion (3I’s)
Quarter: 3

MODULE 2 (Week 2)

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Identifying the Problem and Asking
the Questions

II. Most Essential Competencies with code – clearly formulate the statement of the problem

III. Concept Notes

At the end of the lesson you are expected to formulate clearly the statement of research
problem with the following parts: (week 2)

1.1. Background of the Study - 20 pts.

1.2. Theoretical/ Conceptual Framework 20 pts.
1.3. Statement of the Problem 15 pts.
1.4. Null Hypothesis ( for quantitative study) – 5pts
1.5. Significance of the Study – 15 pts.
1.6. Scope and limitations of the study – 10 pts.
1.7. Definition of Terms – 15 pts.

Writing a Background of the Study

The background of the study for a research undertaking sets the
mood, both for the researcher and the research that needs to be
conducted. It may include a review of the area being researched, current
information surrounding the issue, previous studies on the issue, and
relevant history on the issue. Ideally, the study should effectively set
forth the history and background information of the thesis problem.
The background intends to draw a clearer picture of what you want
to say. It explicates the rationale why you, as a researcher, are
conducting the study. Writing this particular part of the paper may lead
you to your research questions.

As you write the background of the study or introduction, take into

consideration the following guidelines:
1. It should clearly state the reason for conducting the study.
2. It should move from broad to specific.
3. It should state the current condition of the research problem.

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Steps in Writing a Background of the Study

The steps in writing this section are better illustrated through the
funnel structure wherein, it starts with a general idea or information then
logically presents the actual context in specific situation.

Here are the steps:

Step 1. Present the general statement of

fact related to the study. Introduce and
briefly define the variables under study
GENERAL IDEA and be consistent with terms used.

Step 2. Indicate a more specific statement

about the issues or problems. You should
provide the reader with the necessary
information to fully understand the problem
you plan to investigate. To do this, you can
cite the most important study or related
literature about the problem presented. Be
consistent with terms used.

Step 3. Indicate statements that lead to the

need for more investigation. Ensure that
paragraphs summarize unresolved issues,
conflicting findings, social concerns,
educational or national issues.

Step 4. You must emphasize the rationale of

doing your research by highlighting the
research gap and stating the research question
or objectives.

SPECIFIC CONTEXT

***Prior to writing and reading various literature and studies, making an outline
is a helpful tip to facilitate the process.

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Here is an example of an outline of the background of the study:

Discuss the topic in general. Reading Skills and Its Importance

Start from a holistic or world
perspective.

Insert a condition that is

directly related to the topic and Poor Reading Skills
to the focus of your study.

Identify the factors Factors Affecting Poor Reading Skills

contributing to the focus of in General
your study.

State the current condition of

the topic in your school or School’s Philippine Informal Reading
locale. Inventory (Phil -Iri) Result

State the reason why chose to

study the topic. Reasons of the Researcher

Components of the Background or Introduction of the Research

Component 1: Establish the problem or the issue that you want to discuss in your
research through the following process:
A. Highlight the importance of the problem/issue;
B. Make a general statement about the problem/issue; and
C. Present an overview or current research on the problem or issue.
Component 2: Provide an overview of existing research studies into your research
problem
Component 3: Identify the gap, problems, or unresolved issues in the existing
knowledge/research that your research can fill or identify a research focus that will be
useful to the study being conducted.
Component 4: State your research question, your hypothesis and your knowledge claim
making sure to place your research within the gap in existing knowledge through the
following process:
A. State the intent of your study, including the research question and your
hypothesis.
B. Outline the key characteristics of your study.
C. Describe the important results that found or hope to find.

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Writing a Conceptual Framework

A conceptual framework serves as an outline or a blueprint

that you can follow in doing your research. It is presented in a flow chart,
map, diagram or narrative form. When using a diagram, it is still a must
to include narrative to explain the details. Here you show the variables that
influence your research. Variable is anything that has quantity or quality
that varies in a research.

• This deals with the key concepts and related literature underlying the
framework that guides the study.
• It is a graphical presentation of your concepts or ideas on the basic
structure or components of your research as well as on the relationships
of this elements with one another.
• It is a graph or a non-prose material, specifically, a schematic diagram
that shows a well-ordered element of the research. Giving a carefully
constructed arrangement of the components of your study.
• It is a broad outline or a plan to give shape to your research (Shields &
Rangarajan 2013).

Purpose of conceptual framework

Conceptual framework shows the organization, order, and direction
of your research study.
It is an essential initial activity of your research because by means of
schematic diagram, explained verbally as well, it enables the readers
to obtain a general understanding all of the research.
It also serves the purpose of clarifying concepts and their
relationships with one another in a research study.

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Statement of the Problem

The problem studied must be shown as one, which arose from a situation
of need or of unresolved difficulties. The reader must be made to recognize this
need.

The statement of the problem has two parts:

1. General statement of the problem/Objective

2. Specific research questions
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➢ How to formulate general statement of the problem

The purpose of this ethnographic study (type of study) is to describe

(exploratory and non- directional verb) the training (central
phenomenon of the study) of Aeta teachers from Castillejos, Zambales
(participants) for the past ten years (when) to provide insights into the
formulation of a continuing education model for indigenous teachers
(purpose). (Creswell and Clark, 2014)

Example of Statement of the Proble

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Research Hypothesis

A hypothesis is a preconceived idea, assumed to be true and is

tested for its truth or falsity. It has two types: the null hypothesis and
alternative hypothesis.
The null hypothesis indicates that there is no significant difference
or relationship between specified populations or variables. Significant
difference is used when testing whether there is difference between the
means of two or more populations or variables while significant relationship
is used in situations where one is examining the association between any
two sets of variables (King’oriah, 2004). Null hypothesis is the hypothesis
the researcher will try to disprove or discredit.
An alternative hypothesis, on the other hand, is one that states that
there is a significant difference or relationship between specified
populations or variables.

Example of a Null Hypothesis: Example of an Alternative Hypothesis:

There is no significant difference There is a significant difference

between the reading between the reading comprehension
comprehension skills of skills of controlled group and
controlled group and experimental group before and after
experimental group before and the intervention differentiated
after the differentiated instruction.
instruction.

Note that not all studies test hypothesis. Sometimes a study is designed to
be exploratory. Exploratory research intends to investigate a problem that
is not clearly defined; hence will not provide conclusive results.

Significance of the Study

The significance of the study pinpoints the benefits certain groups of people
will gain from the findings of the study. It must start from the most to the least
benefitted ones.

The importance of the study as the part of the research which justifies the
launching of the research project. It is in this section where the researcher
expresses his persuasion about the value of the study so as to get the approval
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of the screening and approving committee. The importance of the study should
contain the following:
1. Contribution to the accumulation of knowledge or to filling up a knowledge gap;
2. Contribution to building, validating or refining theories;
3. Finding a solution to a problem of a specific group or improving certain
conditions;
4. Contribution to improve education, income, health, inter-relations, and the like.

Example of Significance of the Study

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Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The scope defines the coverage or boundaries of the study in terms of

the area or locality and subjects, population covered the duration or period
of the study. The nature of variables treated, their number, and treatments
they received, and instruments or research design should be so stated.

Delimitation. Delimitations are those conditions beyond the control

of the researcher that may place restriction on the conclusions of the study
and their application to other situations. Administrative policies that
preclude using more than one class in an experiment, a data-gathering
instrument that has not been validated, or the inability to randomly select
and assign subjects to experimental and control groups are examples of
limitations. Stating the study limitations not only provides extra credence to
the study but also provides the reader caution not to expect beyond what the
study can and promises to deliver.

Scope and Delimitations of the Study must answer the following

parameters as much as possible:

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Example of Scope and Delimitation of the Study

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Definition of Terms

The definition of terms lists down and defines the key terms as used
in the study in alphabetical order.

There are two major types of definition of terms used in the study- the
conceptual and the operational. The conceptual definition is the dictionary,
which is the reference book of everyday language. The operational definition
is the meaning of the concept or term as used in a particular study.

Prepared by:
ABEGAIL B. GLARIAN
Master Teacher I – English

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