Introduction

Statement of the
Problem

CHAPTER 1 Scope and

Delimitation
The Problem
Significance of the
Study

Definition of Terms
 Guidelines in Writing the Title
1. Should be clean and specifically stated.
2. Main Concept should be included:
Subject matter of the study, the place of
the study, the population involved, the
period when the data were gathered.
3. Variable being investigated
should always be written as part of
the title.

4. Number of words should not

exceed twenty substantive words.
5. Title phrasing like- Study of…
An analysis… etc. are to be
avoided.
6. If the title contains more than
one line, it must be written like an
incerted pyramid, and all words
should be in capital letters.
 EXAMPLE:
Subject matter: The teaching of Science
Locale of the study: High Schools of the
Province of Batangas
Population Involved: The Science
Teachers and the students
Period of the study: School year 2023-
2024
 Complete Title:
“THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE IN THE
HIGH SCHOOLS OF PROVINCE OF
BATANGAS AS PERCEIVED BY THE
SCIENCE TEACHERS DURING THE
SCHOOL YEAR 2023-2024”
Introduction
Research justification is considered as the initial step
in writing a research paper. This step involves the
skill on how the researcher will provide the readers
with critical background or contextual information
that introduces the research topic. Moreover, it
needs to indicate the reasons why the proposed
research matters. In doing so, the researcher must
be able to get the audience's attention right from the
introduction/ background.
Here are some questions to be considered
in presenting justifications:
 Why is this research important?
 What real life or everyday problem, issue, or question
does the research relate to?
 Can people relate to the problem in local or global
context?
 What benefit does the research promise?
 Are the modes of analysis and observation clearly
identified?
Here are some questions to be considered
in presenting justifications:
 What does the researcher hope to find out?
 What was wrong or incomplete about prior efforts already
conducted?
 Does the research extend understanding of the
phenomena being investigated?
 Does it elaborate or fill in the gaps in the present
knowledge?
 What is the research ultimately trying to achieve?
 Rationale
According to Merriam-Webster, a rationale is:
1. an explanation of controlling principles of opinion,
belief, practice, or phenomena
2. an underlying reason: basis

In the context of research writing, a rationale pertains to

the reasons why the study must be conducted. Such
justification is provided by the researcher to highlight the
significant points of the problem to be addressed in the
study.
How to Write the Background of
the Study
1. Existing Literature
- a background on what researches have already been
done about the given subject.

2. Research Gap
- problems, issues or questions that have not been
addressed or are yet to be understood.
How to Write the Background of
the Study
3. Critical Background/ Contextual Information
- circumstances forming a background of an event, idea or
subject, that enables the readers to understand the nature
of the problem.

4. Relevance to Local/ Global Context

- situational interconnectedness of individuals or things in
varying perspectives.
How to Write the Background of
the Study
5. Proof of Urgency
- an urgent need to solve the existing problem.

6. Research Goal/ Objective

- the purpose as to why there is an immediate need for the
proposed study to be conducted.
 Statement of the Problem
This section allows the researcher to present other essential
elements of research undertaking such as the major
variables, objectives, and appropriate methodology.

In formulating the problem statement in a research paper,

there are two types of problems which should be considered.
These are the general problem and the specific problems.
 General Problem
General problem pertains to the opening paragraph that gives
specific details on other essential elements which are the purpose,
major variables, participants, setting, and time coverage of the
study. The said elements serve as a guide in order to properly
formulate the general problem.
 state the main task/s of the researcher
 present the major variable/s related to the phenomenon to be
investigated
 identify the participants of the study
 state the research setting as well as the time period of the
study
 may indicate the intended output of the study such as an
intervention program, module, policies
 After formulating the general problem of a study,
enumeration of its specific problems should follow.
Unlike the general problem which is stated in a
declarative form, the specific problems are stated as
questions. These formulated questions, moreover,
should all be anchored on the general problem. With
this, the researcher will be guided on how he/she will
seek an answer to the problem.
 In addition, the researcher must also know that a
specific question to be formulated must be a
researchable question, that is, it should begin with
words such as “what” and “how.” In this case, the
researcher may be able to solicit responses which
can ensure detailed data necessary to the study.
Non-researchable questions, which are answerable
by “yes” or “no”, should be avoided.
Non-Researchable Questions:
1. Does the integration of virtual reality technology improve student
engagement in STEM subjects compared to traditional teaching
methods?
2. Can virtual reality technology enhance knowledge retention among
students in STEM disciplines compared to traditional instructional
approaches?
3. Does the use of virtual reality technology in STEM education contribute
to the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills in
students?
4. Are there perceived benefits associated with incorporating virtual reality
technology into STEM curriculum from the perspectives of educators
and students?
5. Are there significant demographic or contextual factors that impact the
effectiveness of virtual reality integration in improving learning outcomes
in STEM education?
Researchable Questions:
1. To what extent does the integration of virtual reality technology
enhance student engagement in STEM subjects compared to
traditional teaching methods?
2. What are the effects of virtual reality technology on knowledge
retention among students in STEM disciplines compared to traditional
instructional approaches?
3. How does the use of virtual reality technology in STEM education
influence the development of critical thinking and problem-solving
skills in students?
4. What are the perceived benefits and challenges of incorporating
virtual reality technology into STEM curriculum from the perspectives
of educators and students?
 Scope and Delimitation
Scope commonly refers to the depth your research area or
parameters. This includes restriction of the target
population, research local, specified duration, design,
procedure, and instrument used.

1. Population – entire pool from which the sample is

drawn.
2. Research Locale – location where the study is
conducted.
3. Specific Duration – exclusive time frame when the
research is conducted.
 Scope and Delimitation
4. Research Method – systematic plan for conducting
research which includes strategies, process,
techniques, and procedures for collecting and
analyzing data
5. Instrument – data collection tool/ measurement
devices that you use in your research. It can be in a
form of test, survey, questionnaire, and the like.
6. Data Analysis - systematical processes you
employ to describe or interpret your data.
 Scope and Delimitation
Delimitation refers to choices made by researcher that serves as
boundary (Simon, 2011). This includes research objectives,
questions, variables, theoretical objectives you adopted, target
samples, and justifications that limits the scope of the study.

In some research, instead of scope and delimitation, they use

scope and limitation. The term limitation is about the external
and internal influences that researcher has no control of. They
can be shortcomings, conditions or influences that cannot be
avoided due to the limitation of the study. Thus, these limitations
is a declaration of the possible influences to the result of the
study.
 Significance of the Study
Cristobal and Cristobal (2017) states that research is a
very noble undertaking if it makes significant
contributions to the community and to the academic
field or discipline where the researcher is affiliated with.
This is basically the reason why the researcher needs to
determine the relevance of their study. It should
apparently identify the purpose that the research will
serve and how it will contribute to the society, the
country, the government, the institution or agency
concerned, and the research community.
 Significance of the Study
Under this section of the research paper, the researcher
must be able to present the valuable contribution of the
study to a particular body of knowledge or area of
specialization. As Cristobal and Cristobal (2017) noted, it
could be in the form of a new knowledge in the field,
analysis of trends over time, validation of other findings
using different methodologies, confirmation of the major
findings of other studies, and verification of the validity of
findings in a different population.
 Significance of the Study
After identifying the general significance of the study, the
researcher also must determine the beneficiaries who
will directly gain from the results of the study. They may
be classified as academic or non-academic. Academic
beneficiaries may include educational staff, teachers,
students and researchers, while non-academic
beneficiaries may include stakeholders, policymakers,
agencies and organizations. They should be specifically
listed according to the significance of the study’s results
to them.
 Significance of the Study
Moreover, the researcher needs to cite the benefits that
the beneficiaries will gain from the study. They refer to all
advantages to be obtained by those directly involved
especially the researchers and research users. All of
which can be manifested as demonstrable contribution
of the said research to the specialized field or to the
community. Such benefits may be classified as
educational, professional and personal.
 EXAMPLE
To the school principals, this study would provide valuable
information regarding the significant contribution of the Theory of
Multiple Intelligences in school curricula. This could help in the
implementation of some innovations in the program of
Mathematics. They could also adopt new ways of developing the
school’s capacity to produce competitive students through the aid of
the information stated herein.
 EXAMPLE
To the Mathematics teachers, this study may serve as a
guide in the desire to enhance their methods and strategies of
instructions appropriate to the needs of their students. They could
use MI related activities that will allow students to appreciate and
enjoy Mathematics.
 Definition of Terms

In this section, the researcher defines all the

terminologies used in the study. It may be defined
according to authorities; it is suggested that the
words be defined conceptually and operationally.
 Definition of Terms
Conceptual
 definition which is based on concepts or hypothetic
ones given by books or any reference
 definition usually known by most people
 more formal and mostly abstract

Operational
 define the term based on its observable characteristics
and the way it is used in the study by the researcher
 define terms or translate terms into more tangible ones
 Definition of Terms
Frustration Tolerance. It is the ability of the person to
withstand frustrations and its accompanying anxiety.
(Conceptual)

Frustration Tolerance. In this study, it refers to the students’

ability to handle frustrations as revealed by their scores on
the Researcher-made frustration Tolerance Test.
(Operational)
 Definition of Terms
ABM Student. It refers to someone who is studying or
pursuing a career in Accountancy, Business and
Management Strand (Falculan, 2022). In this study, it
pertains to the Grade 11 students currently enrolled in the
ABM strand at Lipa City Senior High School, School Year
2024-2025.