Background of the Study
This part of research includes information which would focus attention
on the importance and validity of the problem. It is the general orientation to
the problem area. A brief rationale to justify the problem must be provided.
This is the present state of knowledge regarding the problem. Answer
these questions: What facets of the problem (phenomenon) are known and
what need further investigation? What approaches have been used
previously in research of the problem?
For a good background, the researcher can state the antecedents of
the study, the reasons why this topic is proposed relative to previous
studies.
The Background includes:
1. discussion of the problem in general and the specific situations as
observed and experienced by the researcher (macro to micro approach);
2. concepts and ideas related to the problem including clarification of
important terminologies; and
3. discussion of the existing or present conditions and what is aimed
to be in the future or the gap to be filled — in by the research.
Statement of the Problem
This is the basic difficulty, the issue, the area of concern, the
circumstances which exist, then, how they ought to be. The researcher
should give the background which led to this circumstances that exist.
Briefly describe the condition or a situation that exists which is perceived as
something less than the ideal; or what it should be and how you see it to
be. Answer the following questions: What are the reasons for this
circumstance? Is it answerable or possible to be solved or changed? What
are the specific problems that the study aims to answer?
The statement of the problem tells what is done to make the situation
that exists more like what it should be. It exposes anything that is wrong
with the situation or condition or circumstance which is being described. It
has two main elements:
1. the objective; and
2. research questions
Objective or Purpose of the Study
The objective or purpose of the study is the first part of the problem
where the researcher states the objective. This is a statement of a long-
term objective expected to be achieved by the study. This is derived by the
identification and crystallization of the research problem and as reflected in
the title.
It is prefixed by these introductory phrases:
Example: “The main objective of this study is to .... “
Research Questions or Investigative Problems
The specific questions which are to be answered in the study are
called research questions or investigative questions, and are all in question
form. The answers to the research questions should lead to the solution of
the research problem. Is the objective or purpose of the study observable,
measurable or verifiable? Focus on a clear goal or objective. State the
precise goal. The problem should be limited enough in making a definite
conclusion possible.
1. The major statement or question may be followed by minor statements
or questions. The introductory statement must be the purpose/aim or the
objective of the study.
Example: Specifically, the study aims to determine the causes of low
performance of selected programs in the board examinations. Further, it
seek to answer to the following sub-problems: 1... 2... 3... etc.”
2. If the goal is specifically to test a given hypothesis then state so. In many
cases, the objective will be a more general statement than that of a
hypothesis.
Example: The primary objective of this study Is to test the hypothesis that
there is a relationship between workplace condition and teaching
performance of faculty members.
3. Investigative questions are the specific topical questions that one must
resolve to achieve research objective or test the research hypothesis.
Example: This study attempted to evaluate the status and extent of
implementation of the Computer Education Program in the Division of Rizal
SY 2015-2016 as perceived by teacher and student respondents.
Specifically this sought answers to the following questions:
1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of:
1.1 Teacher-respondents
1.1.1 sex;
1.1.2 field of specialization;
1.1.3 educational attainment;
1.1.4 length of service; and
1.1.5 computer education seminar/training attended?
1.2 Student respondents
1.2.1 sex;
1.2.2 monthly family income;
1.2.3. parents’ educational background
1.2.4 accessibility to computer; and
1.2.5 performance in English and Mathematics?
2. What is the extent of the Computer Education Program implementation
as perceived by the teacher-respondents with respect to:
2.1 objectives and content of instruction;
2.2 teaching competencies;
2.3 learning competencies;
2.4 methods of teaching employed; and 2.5 computer facilities?
3. What is the extent of the Computer Education Program implementation
as perceived by the student-respondents with respect to:
1.1 objectives and content of instruction;
1.2 teaching competencies;
1.3 learning competencies
Scope and Delimitation of the Study
The scope describes the coverage of the study. It specifies what is
covered in terms of concept, number of subjects or the population included
in the study, as well as the timeline when the study was conducted.
Delimit by citing factors or variables that are not to be included and
the boundary in terms of time frame, number of subjects, participants or
respondents who are excluded. Specify that which you will not deal within
the study.
This section discusses the parameters of the research in paragraph It
answers the basic questions:
1. What -The topic of investigation and the variables included
2. Where — The venue or the setting of the research
3. When -The time frame by which the study was conducted
4. Why — The general objectives of the research
5. Who -The subject of the study, the population and sampling
6. How -The methodology of the research which may include the
research design, methodology and the research instrument
It may also discuss why certain variables were not included in the research.
Example:
The main purpose of the study is to provide information regarding
metro-sexuality and how being a metrosexual affects the lifestyle of the
student. The study considers the student’s personal information such as
their name (optional) gender, age, and section.
The researchers limited the study to 80 male and female secondary
education students enrolled in the second semester of school year
20152016 of Technological Institute of the Philippines. Each of the
respondents was given a questionnaire to answer. The students selected
came from four different sections to prevent bias and get objective
perceptions.
Significance of the Study
In this part of the research, the researcher defines who will benefit out
of the findings of the study. He/She describes how the problem will be
solved and specifically pinpoints who will benefit from such findings or
results. Usually the beneficiaries of the study are those experts concerned
about the problem, the administrators or policy-makers who make the
decisions or implement programs, the subjects themselves, future
researchers and those who are directly or indirectly affected by the
problem. One may also look into any contribution of the study to the field of
specialization or discipline, any advancement or new knowledge that the
study contributes to the science or the state-of-the-art. In this portion of the
study one may also state the specific sectors who will benefit from the
study. This part also justifies the rationale of the undertaking.
Tips in Writing the Significance of the Study
1. Refer to the statement of the problem.
Your problem statement can guide you in identifying the specific
contribution of your study. You can do this by observing a one-to-one
correspondence between the statement of the problem and the significance
of the study.
2. Write from general to specific.
Write the significance of the study by looking into the general
contribution of your study, such as its importance to society as a whole,
then to individuals - which may include yourself as a researcher.
Example:
The study must be conducted to find out the major causes of teenage
pregnancy and the extent of the effect of teenage pregnancy on the
development of students and out-of-school youth in Maramag, Bukidnon.
The result of this study is beneficial to students and out-of-school youth, to
the parents, teachers, to the community, school administrators, researchers
and other interested individuals because this can give empirical data as
bases for suggestions on minimizing teenage pregnancy in the community.
The study will also benefit students who are still at school because it
will give them information about the causes of teenage pregnancy and its
possible effects on their studies. This paper will guide them to focus first
their attention on their studies. :
The study will also benefit the out-of-school youth in the sense that
they are makes aware of the causes of teenage pregnancy and are helped
to avoid the same to increase their chances to participate in the Alternative
Learning System (ALS) or increase their chances to go back to the formal
school.
This study will also benefit the parents to enable them to realize their
great role in educating their teenagers, protecting and diverting them from
indulging premarital sex. This study, too, will make the parents aware that
education about the use of contraceptives will start also at home.
This study will also benefit the teachers on the steps to take for they
could be informed how important education is to the development of
children to manhood/womanhood. This enables them to guide and identify
the major causes of teenage pregnancy especially in Maramag, Bukidnon.
This study will also benefit school administrators. It will provide them
information on the importance of knowing the major factors behind early
pregnancy and the possible effects on educational development of
teenagers. It's one way that administrators will intensify sex education in
their school, improve the knowledge of their teachers through seminars so
that they can deal well with students to avoid pregnancy at an early age.
The researcher hopes that the result of this study would also be a great
help to future researchers and to all people who are interested to know
more about teenage pregnancy-their causes and the possible effects on
their educational development.
