This document provides guidance on choosing a research topic and developing a research plan. It discusses important criteria for a good research topic such as being original, filling a research gap, and being within the researcher's interests and abilities. It also outlines steps for narrowing a topic, including focusing on one's field of study, identifying a interesting issue, and formulating a research problem and question. The document emphasizes developing a clear research problem and title and constructing a plan that identifies the study's rationale, significance and methodology.

1. LESSON 1
Brainstorming for
Research Topics
Herman Jr. B. Atip

2. A research topic serves as
the basis of each research
undertaking. It directs how
the research will be carried
out.

3. A good researcher must
carefully choose a topic
that is doable and
significant to a certain
discipline or field.

4. 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.

5. A research topic should…
1. be original.
2. be ambiguous.
3. fill in a research gap.
4. be costly and ambitious.
5. be general and not specific.

6. 6. arouse intellectual curiosity.
7. be within the researcher’s interest.
8. make use of ineffective research
instrument.
9. be completed beyond the given period
of time.
10. be insignificant to the field of study or
discipline.

7. A research topic should…
1. be original.
2. be ambiguous.
3. fill in a research gap.
4. be costly and ambitious.
5. be general and not specific.

8. 6. arouse intellectual curiosity.
7. be within the researcher’s interest.
8. make use of ineffective research
instrument.
9. be completed beyond the given period
of time.
10. be insignificant to the field of study or
discipline.

9. 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):

10. 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.

11. 2. RICHNESS OF AVAILABLE
SOURCES OR SUPPORTING
EVIDENCES
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.

12. 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

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 1. Focus on your track, strand or area of
specialization.
2. Recall the specific area, lesson or issue
in your respective field or strand that
has piqued or aroused your interest the
most.
3. Generate an unanswered question or
an unresolved problem from your
chosen area or lesson.

17. 4. Assess the question or problem based
on the five guidelines stated above.
5. Write your research problem.

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. 1. This refers to the researcher’s abilities,
financial capacity, resources in terms of
instruments, facilities and time frame.
a. limitations of the subject
b. personal resources
c. interest in the subject matter
d. timeliness and relevance
e. richness of available resources or supporting
evidences of appropriateness
f. intellectual ability

21. 2. This refers to the social applicability and
appropriateness of the topic to the current
situation.
a. limitations of the subject
b. personal resources
c. interest in the subject matter
d. timeliness and relevance
e. richness of available resources or supporting
evidences of appropriateness
f. intellectual ability

22. 3. This refers to an individual’s interest in a
topic driven by his or her schema about it.
a. limitations of the subject
b. personal resources
c. interest in the subject matter
d. timeliness and relevance
e. richness of available resources or supporting
evidences of appropriateness
f. intellectual ability

23. 4. This refers to the availability of needed
resources as evidence for the topic.
a. limitations of the subject
b. personal resources
c. interest in the subject matter
d. timeliness and relevance
e. richness of available resources or
supporting evidences of appropriateness
f. intellectual ability

24. 5. This refers to the topic’s contribution to a
particular field or discipline.
a. limitations of the subject
b. personal resources
c. interest in the subject matter
d. timeliness and relevance
e. richness of available resources or
supporting evidences of appropriateness
f. intellectual ability

25. 1. This refers to the researcher’s abilities,
financial capacity, resources in terms of
instruments, facilities and time frame.
a. limitations of the subject
b. personal resources
c. interest in the subject matter
d. timeliness and relevance
e. richness of available resources or supporting
evidences of appropriateness
f. intellectual ability

26. 2. This refers to the social applicability and
appropriateness of the topic to the current
situation.
a. limitations of the subject
b. personal resources
c. interest in the subject matter
d. timeliness and relevance
e. richness of available resources or supporting
evidences of appropriateness
f. intellectual ability

27. 3. This refers to an individual’s interest in a
topic driven by his or her schema about it.
a. limitations of the subject
b. personal resources
c. interest in the subject matter
d. timeliness and relevance
e. richness of available resources or supporting
evidences of appropriateness
f. intellectual ability

28. 4. This refers to the availability of needed
resources as evidence for the topic.
a. limitations of the subject
b. personal resources
c. interest in the subject matter
d. timeliness and relevance
e. richness of available resources or
supporting evidences of appropriateness
f. intellectual ability

29. 5. This refers to the topic’s contribution to a
particular field or discipline.
a. limitations of the subject
b. personal resources
c. interest in the subject matter
d. timeliness and relevance
e. richness of available resources or
supporting evidences of appropriateness
f. intellectual ability

30. B. Arrange the following steps in correct sequence
using numbers 1-5. Write your answers on your
notebook.
6. Write your research problem.
7. Generate an unanswered question or an unresolved
problem from your chosen area or lesson.
8. Recall the specific area, lesson or issue in your
respective field that has piqued your interest the most.
9. Assess the question or problem based on the five
guidelines stated above.
10. Focus on your track, strand or area of
specialization.

31. B. Arrange the following steps in correct sequence
using numbers 1-5. Write your answers on your
notebook.
6. Write your research problem. (5th)
7. Generate an unanswered question or an unresolved
problem from your chosen area or lesson. (3rd)
8. Recall the specific area, lesson or issue in your
respective field that has piqued your interest the most.
(2nd)
9. Assess the question or problem based on the five
guidelines stated above. (4th)
10. Focus on your track, strand or area of
specialization. (1ST)

32. Read each statement below carefully. On your
notebook, write CHECK if the statement is correct
and WRONG if it is incorrect.
11. The title must include the accurate scope of the
study.
12. Choose a title that is a sentence than a phrase.
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.

33. 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.
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.

34. 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)
1. What is your track and strand?
2. What is the specific lesson or issue in your
track and strand that has piqued your interest
the most?

35. 3. What is the unanswered question or
unresolved problem, or issue involved in the
lesson or issue?
4. Assess the question or problem based on the
five guidelines.
Is it within your interest?
Are there available data, resources and evidences that will
support the topic?
Is it timely and relevant?
Will it contribute to your track and strand?
Is it within your personal resources?

36. 5. If all of your answers are yes, then write down your
specific research problem. If no, re-evaluate your research
question or problem.
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)

37. 1. Research Problem:
(What is your research problem?)
2. Rationale:
(Why do you want to conduct this study?)
3. Significance:
(Why is it important to be conducted?)

38. 1. Research Problem:
(What is your research problem?)
2. Rationale:
(Why do you want to conduct this study?)
3. Significance:
(Why is it important to be conducted?)

39. 4. Objective:
(What is your goal to achieve in this study?)
5. Method and Design:
(Is it a quantitative or a qualitative study?)

40. 6. Respondents:
(Who or what will be the source of your
data?)
7. Sample Size:
(How many respondents does your
study need?)
8. Sampling Technique:
(How will you choose your respondents
or source of data?)