RES 201: Chapter 4

• A research title 


  prefaces the study by providing asummary of the main idea or the theme and focus of the research problem. Agood research title is usually concise, clear, and interesting.
• Aresearch title should have the following characteristics:

  1.It should summarize the main idea of the paper.

  2.It should be a concise statement of the main topic.

  3.It should include the major variables of the research study.

  4. It should be self-explanatory.

  5. It should describe or imply the participants of the study.
• Major Variables


  This must be contained in the title since without variables there is no research to be conducted
• Participants of the Study


  Participants include either the subjects or the respondents.
• The subjects are individuals, groups, or organizations where the problem is related to.
• The respondents are the people where the data are solicited from.
• Most of the time, the subiects and the respondents of the study are the same. However, there a r ecases where the subiects are different from the respondents. This usually happens in studies that have subjects like infants, people with certaindisabilities, and other living things such as plants and animals which cannot give valid data.
• Topics or Themes


  These are the subject matters or concepts that are the focus ofthe investigation and discussion in the paper
• Outputs


  The main concrete contribution afterthedata thatare gathered andinterpreted. This can be a policy, an intervention program, a bookor manual, a module, or a device, among others. This is usually placed after a colon ( : usually as a subtitle.
• specific terms such sa the place and date of the study and participants must not be included ni the title. For action research, however, the inclusion of these specific terms is allowed
• Words such as "methods," "results," and"investigations" should not appear in the title.
• In many cases, the general problem of the research or even the specific question that the researcher intends to answer, when rewritteni n a statement form, can serve as thetitle.
• research problem 


  -states the area of concern of the research paper whether it is a circumstance needing development, a difficulty requiring attention, or an inquiry necessitating an answer.

  -This section sets the direction of the research study as it provides the foundation for the research hypothesis and defines what kind ofresearch study is suitable to address the problem.

  -This section should only state the problem and not suggest a solution for it.
• A research problem conveys a feeling of discomfort or difficulty.
• A research problem has a perceived difficulty in broad subjects such as family affairs, home management, and leadership system.
• A research problem displays a gap between theory and practice: what is said by the elders and what the students see and observe.
• A research problem utilizes a procedure requiring technologically advanced equipment.
• A research problem involves the experience of any kind of individual.
• A research problem shows some kind of pattern or trend.
• A research problem makes use of literature reviews, continuous readings, and past studies.
• Literature reviews, continuous readings, and past studies in a research problem can lead a student to a topic, and its scope and clues for further studies.
• The repetition of a prior research study in a different setting and time is called replication.
• A research problem relates to an individual's curiosity and interest.
• In the book A Research Guide ni Nursing Education, Barrientos-Tan (1997) discuses het different criteria for choosing a problem for research.
• External Criteria

  a.Novelty

  b.Availability of subjects

  c.Support of the academic community

  d.Availability and adequacy of faculties and equipment

  e.Ethical considerations
• Novelty


  This refers ot the practical value of the problem due ot its "newness" ni het field of inquiry.
• Availability of subjects 


  This refers to the people with the desired capability and willingnessto participate ni the study. The sample of thestudy participants musteb representativeenough ot ensure reliability and validity of the results.
• Support of the academic community 


  This refers to the assistance given by hte members of the institution, like the principal, teachers, staff, students, and the parents, in the gathering ofdata and defraying the cost of the study. Permission of those concerned for the participation in the study of staff members, children, hte elderly, and thementally challenged should be secured.
• Availability and adequacy of faculties and equipment


  Devices such as computers and telephones used in undertaking the study must be considered.
• Ethical considerations 


  These include the avoidance of research problems that

  pose unethical demands on the part of the research participants.
• Internal Criteria

  a.Experience, training, and qualifications of the researcher

  b.Motivation, interest, intellectual curiosity, and perceptiveness of the researcher

  c.Time factor

  d.Costs and returns

  e.Hazards, penalties, and handicaps
• Experience, training, and qualifications of the researcher 


  These constitute hte researcher's knowledge and expertise as a result of experience and study.
• Motivation, interest, intellectual curiosity, and perceptiveness of hte researcher


  These are essential attitudes that bring anticipated satisfaction or enioyment in the completion of research tasks.
• Time factor


  This considers the fact that studies must be pursued within agvien time frame.
• Costs and returns


  These factors mat ter ni choosing a research problem. Researd si an expensive undertaking. The amount of funding needed, after all, depends on the size of the sample, the place where the research is to be conducted, the treatment of data, and the kind of research design
• Hazards, penalties, and handicaps


  These depend upon theresearcher's physical and intellectual capacity and moral judgment.
• feasibility


  a very important consideration in choosing the problem. The time needed to conduct the study must be measured and its setting should be defined andlocated. The researcher must have ready access to the relevant materials to the subjects to be studied. The entire cost of the study must be estimated--the travel expenses when meeting with the respondents, purchase costs of the instruments to be used, and expenses incurred in encoding the results.
• External support


  an essential element to look into when determining whether a research is feasible or not. Is the teacher or adviser present when conflicts arise in the conduct of research? Are experts in the field accommodating? Do they lend a hand when requested for technical assistance in finishing the paper? These questions are also important concerns to be addressed.
• innovative quality


  A review of literature and studies ensures that solutions are yet to be proposed for the problem, thus showing the need to conduct the study.