December 9, 2008 [GROUP ONE]

W R I TT E N R E P O RT

CHAPTER 1: THE PROBLEM AND ITS

S E TT I N G
– serves as the introduction of the whole study

A PROBLEM EXISTS WHEN:

1. there is an absence of information resulting in a gap in our

knowledge
2. there are contradictory results
3. a fact exists and you intend to make your study explain it

SOURCES OF A PROBLEM

1. Experiences and observations

2. The vast amount of literature in your own field
3. Courses that you have taken
4. Journals, books, magazines or abstracts
5. Theses and dissertations
6. Your professors and your classmates

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD PROBLEM

1. The topic should be of great interest to you

2. It is useful for the concerned people in a particular field
3. It possesses novelty
4. A good problem is one who invites more complex designing

Variable
-a characteristic that has two or more mutually exclusive values or
properties

Constant
 December 9, 2008 [GROUP ONE]

-there is only one characteristic in the participants that you are

studying

5. A good problem can be completed in the allotted time desired

6. A good problem does not carry ethical or moral impediments

SHARPENING SKILLS FOR DISCOVERING AND IDENTIFYING A

PROBLEM

1. Reading a lot of literature in your field of concentration and being

critical of what you read
2. Attending professional literature
3. Being close observant of situations and happenings around you
4. Thinking out the possibility of research for most topics or lessons
taken in content courses
5. Attending research colloquiums or seminars
6. Conducting mini-researches and nothing the obtained findings
closely
7. Compiling researches with special emphasis on content and
methodology
8. Visiting various libraries for possible discovery for researchable
topics
9. Subscribing to journals in your field and in research
10.Building up a library of materials in your field

INTRODUCTION (BACKGROUND AND NEED)

– There is a hook. A statement to catch attention. (1 sample1) (1 sample2)

– Reader is oriented with the problem that the researcher seeks to solve
(2 sample1) (2 to 4 and 7 sample2)

– Reader is made to understand why the problem is important(3 sample1)

(followed by the problems ‘unclear’)

– Points out the rationale of the study (4,5 and 6 sample1) (5 and 6 sample2)

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

-the researcher’s new model which has its roots in the previous models
the researcher has read (8 and 9 sample1) (9 to 11 sample2)
- consists of the investigator’s own position on a problem after his
exposure to various theories that have bearing on the problem(7 sample1) (8
sample2)
 December 9, 2008 [GROUP ONE]

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

– What the researcher aims to discover or establish

– It can be in the form of
1. A question or questions or a single question followed by several
sub-questions ( has some advantages by way of sharpening and
clarifying the problem to be attacked)
2. A declarative statement or a series of complete statement
3. A statement followed by a series of questions
– It is where you can find the objectives of the study( main and specific)
Main Objective:10 sample1
-based on the title
Specific Objectives:11 sample1
– how to arrive at the main objective of the study

==The researcher should keep away from the phrase “a study to show”
so to avoid the implications of initial bias since the purpose of research is
to seek an impartial answer to the questions raised rather than to prove
something(Good and Scates, 1972)

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

• Why is this problem you've worked on important?

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

Scope-defines where and when the study was conducted and who the
subjects were. (13 sample1) (14 sampel2)

Limitation- phase or aspect of the investigation which may affect the result
adversely but over which the researcher has no control (e.g. number of
students) (12 sample1) (15 sample2)

DEFINITION OF TERMS

2 Levels:

1. Conceptual (Constitutive)
- Definition given in dictionaries
- Academic or universal meaning attributed to a word or group of words
- Meaning understood by many people
December 9, 2008 [GROUP ONE]

- More formal and mostly abstract

2. Operational (Functional)

- Meaning of the terms or concepts translated into more tangible ones