this would help you to know the steps in starting a research paper

1. Getting Started
on a Research
Famila Gerni F. Villamor
Teacher, HS Department

2. Know your Interest
– From what we have experienced
– From what we have read
– From what we enjoyed doing
– From what caught our attention

3. Sources of Research Problems
– Social Issues (topics can be from social and political arena)
– Existing Theories ( Research aims to develop and test theories
– Folklores (beliefs can be right or wrong)
– Brainstorming ( a key in finding new techniques and new questions
that the researchers are very curious of)
– Consultation with experts (experts can help give more knowledge
on what they have experienced in the past)

4. – Exposure to field situations (These can help he researchers
get a variety of experiences in the field
– Personal and Practical experiences (day to day experiences)
– Critical Appraisal of Literature (may come from books and
articles which may ‘s trigger the researcher’s curiosity)
– Questions seeking answers (may refer to area of concern to
improve or eliminate difficulties

5. Factors to Consider in Selecting
a Research Topic
– Personal Factors
These are factors that are related to our experiences,
professional qualifications, and expertise; motivation, intellectual
curiosity, and perceptiveness of the researcher; time element and
hazards
– External Factors
This includes uniqueness or novelty, importance or value of
the research, critical mass (availability of data and materials),
department or unit where the research is to be undertaken, and
ethical considerations

6. Points to Remember in Selecting
a Research Topic
a. Not only to choose a workable and feasible research concern but also to consider
the nature of data that is required of the research
b. To have the means of data collection
c. To consider your technical skills, capability, and limitations
d. To consider your interest and support systems
e. Not to get spell bound and fascinated with the allure and attraction of a topic
without considering the possible consequences that the researcher will bring
about
f. To study the angles as possible. It will be difficult to turn back when so much effort,
time, and resources have already been expanded

7. Characteristics of a good
research problem
– Significant - Justifiable
– Original - clear & unambiguous
– Feasible - Interesting
– Researchable - SMART
– Current - innovative

8. Research title
– Gives weight and reputation to the research
paper
– Should include the highlights of your paper

9. Elements of a Research Title
– Aim/ purpose
– Topic/subject mater
– Place or Locale
– Period
– Population or respondents

10. Background of the Study
– Gives the readers important information
about the research being conducted.
– Presents the rationale, setting, bases, need
for the study, and the overall benefits that
can be derived from the study

11. Background of the Study
– Gives the reason why the researchers choose to study a particular
study
– It describes the setting or the place where the research will be
taking place
– It presents the bases that may support or negate the claims of the
researcher
– It gives justification for the need for the research study
– It explains the over-all benefits that may be derived from the study

12. –What are the psychological and
emotional problems experienced by
left behind children of Overseas
Filipino Worker parents?

13. –What are the psychological and
emotional effects of parental
absenteeism on the adolescents left
behind by Overseas Filipino Worker
parents?

14. Problems Met by Science and
Mathematics Teachers in Public High
Schools in NCR for the School Year
2005-2006 to School Year 2010-2011

15. Types of Research Questions
A. Factor-Isolating Questions.
- Purpose of these questions is to categorize or name factors and
situations
Ex.
1. What is the effectivity level of…?
2. What concentration could yield the most effective…?

16. B. Factor- relating questions
- Aim to establish relationships between the factors that
have been identified.
ex.
1. What relationship exists between variable A and
variable B?
2. What is the significant difference between the two
factors A and B in terms of efficiency?

17. C. Situation-relating Questions
- Aim to see the changes that might happen to one
variable when the other variable changes.
Ex.
1. What is the effect of the changes in concentration of
variable A to variable B?
2. Is there significant difference between the effects of
substances A, B, and C to variable X?

18. D. Situation- producing questions
- Lead to promote explicit course of action or conditions
under which a goal could be accomplished
ex.
1. What treatment could be possibly applicable to cure X
disease?
2. How can Method A be effective in solving Problem X?

19. Hypotheses
– ‘educated guess’
– Provides a temporary answer to a research
problem
– Guides the researcher to plan for the research
design needed in answering the research
questions posed by the researcher

20. Types of Hypothesis
a. Null Hypothesis
- Suggests a negative relation between variables
- Negates the existence of a characteristic or
negates a difference in effect of the variables

21. b. Alternative Hypothesis
- Suggests a positive relation between
variables
- Suggests the existence of a characteristic or
suggests a difference in the effect of the
variables

22. Theoretical and Conceptual
Framework
– Discusses the different principles from where your study is
anchored on
– Gives the reader an overview of what you think is the current
situation is and how your research would be able to bridge the
gap from ‘what is current’ to ‘what it should be’. (Conceptual
Framework)
– Presents a number of concepts or ideas from where you have
based your study from. (Theoretical Framework)
– Presented in a graphical representation (research paradigm)

23. Assumptions
– Serves as basis for data
– Are set in order for us to have a baseline from
where we are going to base our data analysis
– Assumes the ideal situation so that we can
differentiate the ideal from the non-ideal one

24. Significance of the Study
– Explains how the study will be beneficial to
the society.
– Written in narrative form
– Enumerates how the research is
advantageous to the different stakeholder of
the society

25. Scope and Delimitations
– Presents the variables or subjects of the study,
the extent to which the research will be covering,
the possible factors or nuances that will be given
focus on the course of the study, the possible
challenge that the researcher might encounter,
and the other things that might be related to the
topic but are beyond the control of the
researcher

26. Scope
–Covers the explanation as to up to what
extent the researcher would want to
‘explore’ or interpret in his research

27. Limitations or Delimitations
Limitations
- Conditions beyond the control of the researcher that
may cause restrictions that will make the conclusions to
be generalizable only to conditions set by the researcher
Delimitations
- Conditions which the researcher purposely controlled.
Limits that are beyond the concern of the study

28. Definition of terms
In constructing this section, it is better to start with
a simple introductory paragraph followed by the
alphabetical list of terms which you are going to
define together and side by side wit its
corresponding definition