UNIT III

IDENTIFYING THE INQUIRY

AND STATING THE PROBLEM

LESSON I: SUBJECT MATTER OF

THE INQUIRY OR RESEARCH
OBJECTIVES
Distinguish a good research
topic from a bad one
Characterize a researchable
topic
Narrow down a general topic
into a smaller one
Choose a good research topic
Examine the following list of topics.

 Systemic Functional Grammar

 Forensic Linguistics
 Social Media Network
 Ho Chi Minh City
 Mt. Kilimanjaro
 Ku Klux Klan
 Philippines’ Underground River
 Climate Change
 The Digital Era
 Carcinogenic Foods
GUIDELINES IN CHOOSING A RESEARCH TOPIC

1. INTEREST IN THE
SUBJECT MATTER
 What are two reasons why you get
interested in a particular topic?
 Rich background knowledge
 Novelty (unfamiliarity)
GUIDELINES IN CHOOSING A
RESEARCH TOPIC

2. AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION

 Where do we get information?

 Check the availability of reading

materials on your chosen topic.
SOURCES OF RESEARCH
PAPER/INFORMATION

 Mass Media Communication

 Books, Peer-reviewed journals
 Government publications
 Professional periodicals
 General Periodicals (Reader’s Digest,
Women’s Magazine, Time Magazine, etc.)
 Previous reading assignments
GUIDELINES IN CHOOSING A
RESEARCH TOPIC

3. TIMELINESS AND
RELEVANCE TO THE TOPIC
 How do you know if the topic you have
chosen is relevant?
 A topic is relevant if it yields results that are
instrumental in societal improvement.
 How do you characterize a timely topic?
 If it is related to the present.
GUIDELINES IN CHOOSING A
RESEARCH TOPIC

4. PERSONAL RESOURCES
- Before sticking fully to your final
choice, consider the ff:
• Financial standing
• Health condition
• Mental capacity
• Needed facilities
• Time allotment
 RESEARCH
TOPICS TO BE
AVOIDED
Research Topics to be Avoided

 CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS
 HARD-TO-INVESTIGATE
SUBJECTS
 TOO BROAD
 TOO NARROW
 VAGUE SUBJECTS
1. CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS

These are topics that depend

greatly on the writer’s opinion,
which may tend to be biased or
prejudicial. Facts cannot support
topics like these.
Examples: political scandals, court
matters, etc.
 2. HARD-TO-INVESTIGATE
SUBJECTS
What is meant by hard-to-
investigate subject?

A subject is hard to investigate if

there are no available reading
materials about it and if such
materials are out-dated.
 3. TOO BROAD SUBJECTS
 Topics that are too broad will prevent
you from giving a concentrated or an
in-depth analysis of the subject matter
of the paper
 What is the remedy for too broad
subjects?
 The remedy is to narrow or limit the
topic to a smaller one.
OBESITY
This is very broad. What
about obesity? Cause?
Effects? Relationship to
other issues?
Add concepts!!!
4. TOO NARROW SUBJECTS

These subjects are so limited or

specific that an extensive or
thorough searching or reading
for information about these is
necessary.
 5. VAGUE SUBJECTS
 Choosing topics like these will prevent
you from having a clear focus on your
paper.
 Examples: Title beginning with
indefinite pronouns.
 Several, many, some, few
 “Some remarkable traits of a Filipino”
Research Topics to be Avoided

 CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS
 HARD-TO-INVESTIGATE
SUBJECTS
 TOO BROAD
 TOO NARROW
 VAGUE SUBJECTS
RESEARCH TOPICS

 1. Filipino’s Admiration for the Current

First Lady of the Philippines
 2. Some Excessively Priced Imported
Cars
 3. The Rise and Fall of All Kings
 4. Labor Unions before the Coming of
Jesus Christ
RESEARCH TOPICS
 5. The Extent of Filipinos’ Faith in God

 6.Several People’s Opinion on the War

on Drugs

7. Qatar-Gulf Crisis today

RESEARCH TOPICS

 1. Filipino’s Admiration for the Current

First Lady of the Philippines
(Controversial)
 Some Excessively Priced Imported
Cars (Vague)
 The Rise and Fall of All Kings (Broad)
 Labor Unions before the Coming of
Jesus Christ (Hard-to-investigate)
RESEARCH TOPICS
 The Extent of Filipinos’ Faith in God
(Controversial)
 Several People’s Opinion on the War
on Drugs (Vague)
 Qatar-Gulf Crisis today (Narrow)
How do you know when
your topic is too narrow,
too broad, or just right?
Consider the following
points.
When is a topic too broad?

 when it cannot be covered in detail in your

assignment
 when all you can write are general statements
about a general subject
 when it is hard to research because there is so
much information
 For example, if during your overview
research, you found hundreds or thousands of
items relevant to your topic, it is too broad.
When is a topic too narrow?
 when it can be discussed in great detail in less
than the required size of your assignment
 when it is hard to research because there is so
little information
 For example, if, during your overview research,
you found only 3 or 4 items relevant to your topic,
it is too narrow.

 HINT: sometimes, this is because the topic is too

current.
 BROAD TOPIC: Women's Health

 NARROWED TOPIC: Women and Cancer

 FOCUSED TOPIC: Women Smokers and Breast Cancer

 BROAD TOPIC: Computer Games

 NARROWED TOPIC: Computer Game Violence

 FOCUSED TOPIC: Computer Game Violence and Children

Arrange from Broadest to Narrowest

Tattoos as body art Tattooing in Indian

Culture

Dyes and pigments used

in Henna Tattoos

Henna Tattooing in Body Art

Indian Culture
ANSWER:

Body Art
Tattoos as Body Art
Tattooing in Indian Culture
Henna Tattooing in Indian
Culture
Dyes and pigments used in
Henna Tattoos
When is a topic just right?

when you can find enough

information to examine the
subject in detail
when you can create an interesting
and informative project that meet
the requirements of your
assignment.
Choose the title that appears to be the
best in terms of narrowing down a topic

1.
 _______ Symptoms of AIDS
 _______ Physical Symptoms of AIDS
 _______ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
or AIDS
2.
 _______ History of Traditional Grammar
 _______ Traditional Grammar
 _______ History of American Traditional Grammar
Choose the title that appears to be the
best in terms of narrowing down a topic

3.
 _______ War Among Nations
 _______ Japan’s Role in World War II
 _______ World War II

4.
 _______ The University of the Philippines in the
1960s
 _______ The University of the Philippines
 _______ The History of University of the Philippines
5.
 __________ Philippine Transportation System
 __________ Manila’s LRT/MRT Systems
 __________ Metro Manila’s Transportation System
Use numbers 1 to 5 to show the
order of these topics if you
narrow them down from
general to the most limited
topic.
 ______ Prose and Poetry
 ______ Fiction
 ______ The Legend of Mayon Volcano
 ______ Philippine Literature
 ______ Legends
 Pros and Cons of Teenage Marriage
 Teenage Marriage
 Marriage
 Early Marriage
 Human Relationships
IDENTIFICATION/FILL IN THE BLANK.

 What are the two reasons why you’re interested

in a topic? (1-2)
 A topic is ___________ if it yields results that are
instrumental in societal improvement.
 A topic is ___________ if it is related to the
present.
 Before sticking fully to your final choice, assess
your research abilities in terms of your financial
standing, health condition, mental capacity, etc.
These are called __________ ___________.
Research topics to be avoided

 Choosing topics like these will prevent you

from having a clear focus on your paper,
like titles beginning with indefinite
pronouns.
 Give 3 examples of indefinite pronouns.
 Topics that are too ___________ will
prevent you from giving a concentrated or
in-depth analysis of the subject matter of
the paper.
 These subjects/topics are so limited or
specific that an extensive searching or
reading for information about these is
necessary.
 These are topics that depend greatly on
the writer’s opinion, which may tend to be
biased or prejudicial.
 Give at least three of the initial stages in
research.
RESEARCH TOPICS

 1. Filipino’s Admiration for the Current

First Lady of the Philippines
 2. Some Excessively Priced Imported
Cars
 3. The Rise and Fall of All Kings
 4. Labor Unions before the Coming of
Jesus Christ
RESEARCH TOPICS
 5. The Extent of Filipinos’ Faith in God

 6.Several People’s Opinion on the War

on Drugs

7. Qatar-Gulf Crisis today