Lesson 2

PARTS OF A RESEARCH
PAPER
EXPLORE

“What is research but a blind date with knowledge?”

~Will Harvey

Research consists of many complex processes yet, these procedures

will help you to understand more a certain problem and later on, develop
your own conclusions and solutions regarding the said conflict.

In this lesson, you will be able to recognize the different parts of a

research paper and how these components are interrelated to each other.

ACTIVITY 1: The Hunting Game

INSTRUCTIONS: Using any search engine, look for a sample research
paper or a thesis. Try to determine the parts that it contains from beginning
until the end.

DISCOVER

Parts of a Research Paper

The parts of a research paper are as follow:

Chapter 1: The Problem and its Background

Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature and Studies
Chapter 3: Research Methodology
Chapter 4: Presentation, Analysis, and Interpretation of Data
Chapter 5: Summary of Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations

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Chapter 1: The Problem and its Background

Chapter One introduces the topic of the thesis to the reader. The
critical part of writing this is to establish the statement of the problem and
research questions. Basically, you are justifying to the reader why it is
necessary to study this topic and what research question(s) your study will
answer. Usually, the topic is based around a particular problem area that
you want to focus on.

I. Introduction
In the introduction of your research, you’ll be trying to do
three main things: say what the topic is about, show why there
needs to be further research on your topic, and introduce the
current research.

Most introductions include SOME (but not all) of the stages

listed below. There are variations between different schools and
between different researches, depending on the purpose.

Stages in a research introduction:

 state the general topic and give some background
 provide a review of the literature related to the topic
 define the terms and scope of the topic
 outline the current situation
 evaluate the current situation (advantages/ disadvantages)
and identify the gap
 identify the importance of the proposed research
 state the research problem/questions
 state the research aims and/or research objectives

II. Theoretical Framework

The theoretical framework is the foundational theory that is
used to provide a perspective upon which the study is based.
There are hundreds of theories in the literature. For instance, if a
study in the social sciences is about stress that may be causing
teachers to quit, Apple’s Intensification Theory could be cited as
the theory was that stress is cumulative and the result of
continuing overlapping, progressively stringent responsibilities for
teachers that eventually leads to the desire to quit. In the sciences,
research about new species that may have evolved from older,
extinct species would be based on the theory of evolution
pioneered by Darwin.

III. Conceptual Framework

A conceptual framework provides the orientation to the study
and assists both the researchers and the readers in seeing how the
study contributes to the body of knowledge on the topic, how

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 elements of the study align, and how the study design and
methodology meet rigorous research standards.

IV. Statement of the Problem

Arising from the background statement is this statement of the
exact gap in the knowledge discussed that reviewed the most
current literature found. A gap in the knowledge is the entire
reason for the study, so state it specifically and exactly. The
problem statement will contain a definition of the general need for
the study, and the specific problem that will be addressed.

V. Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The scope and delimitations of a thesis, dissertation or research
paper define the topic and boundaries of the research problem to
be investigated.

The scope details how in-depth your study is to explore the

research question and the parameters in which it will operate in
relation to the population and timeframe.

Guidelines in writing a scope include the following:

 Why – the general aims and objectives (purpose) of the
research
 What – the subject to be investigated, and the included
variables
 Where – the location or setting of the study, i.e. where the
data will be gathered and to which entity the data will
belong
 When – the timeframe within which the data is to be
collected
 Who – the subject matter of the study and the population
from which they will be selected. This population needs to
be large enough to be able to make generalizations.
 How – how the research is to be conducted, including a
description of the research design (e.g. whether it is
experimental research, qualitative research or a case study),
methodology, research tools and analysis techniques.

Some of the prompts as an effective way to start writing your

scope are as follow:

This study is to focus on…

This study covers the…
This study aims to…

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 The delimitations of a study are the factors and variables not to
be included in the investigation. In other words, they are the
boundaries the researcher sets in terms of study duration,
population size and type of participants, etc.

Difference between Delimitations and Limitations

Delimitations refer to the boundaries of the research study,
based on the researcher’s decision of what to include and what to
exclude. They narrow your study to make it more manageable and
relevant to what you are trying to prove.

Limitations relate to the validity and reliability of the study.

They are characteristics of the research design or methodologies
that are out of your control but influence your research findings.
Because of this, they determine the internal and external validity
of your study and are considered potential weaknesses.

In other words, limitations are what the researcher cannot do

(elements outside of their control) and delimitations are what the
researcher will not do (elements outside of the boundaries they
have set). Both are important because they help to put the research
findings into context, and although they explain how the study is
limited, they increase the credibility and validity of a research
project.

Use the below prompts as an effective way to start writing your

study delimitations:

This study does not cover…

This study is limited to…
The following has been excluded from this study…

VI. Significance of the Study

The significance of the study is a statement of why it is
important to determine the answer to the gap in the knowledge,
and is related to improving the human condition. The contribution
to the body of knowledge is described, and summarizes who will
be able to use the knowledge to make better decisions, improve
policy, advance science, or other uses of the new information. The
“new” data is the information used to fill the gap in the
knowledge.

VII. Definition of Terms

The definition of terms is written for knowledgeable peers, not
people from other disciplines As such, it is not the place to fill
pages with definitions that knowledgeable peers would know at a
glance. Instead, define terms that may have more than one
meaning among knowledgeable peers.

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Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature and Studies

Chapter Two introduces the reader to the research literature related to

the topic. The critical part of writing this is to identify the most relevant and
significant research related to your topic rather than conduct an exhaustive
search. Basically, you are informing the reader of the critical studies that
have been conducted related to this topic. This provides the reader with the
background information that he or she needs to understand the problem(s)
related to your topic. The literature review also provides the justification for
your study as you indicate the gaps and weaknesses in the existing research.

This chapter also provides credibility to your study as it shows you

have done your “homework” in reading the research for this topic, and your
study is “grounded” in the research. In other words, your research did not
simply appear from thin air; instead, it was developed because there was a
need to conduct the study, and it will contribute to the body of research
related to this problem.

I. Related Literature
This is composed of discussion of facts and principles to which
the present study is related. These materials are usually printed
and found in books, encyclopedias, journals, magazines,
newspapers, and other publications. These materials are classified
as local literature (if printed in the Philippines) and foreign
literature (if printed in other countries).
II. Related Studies
These include studies, inquiries and/or investigations already
conducted to which the present proposed study is related or has
some bearing or similarity. These consist of manuscripts, theses,
and dissertations. They may be classified as local studies (if the
inquiry was conducted in the Philippines) and foreign studies (if
conducted in foreign lands).

Chapter 3: Research Methodology

Chapter Three explains the research methods and design that were
used to conduct the study. Basically, you are informing the reader of how
the study was conducted. Thus, you need to include detailed descriptions
about every aspect of your study.

I. Research Design
According to Cormack (1996), the research design represents
the major methodological thrust of the study, being the distinctive
and specific approach, which is best suited to answer the research
questions. The research questions, the aim and the objectives of
the study thus influence the selection of the research design
(Brink, 1999).

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 The purpose of the research design, as stated by Burns and
Grove (2001), is to achieve greater control of the study and to
improve the validity of the study by examining the research
problem. In deciding which research design to use, the researcher
has to consider a number of factors. These include the focus of the
research (orientation or action), the unit of analysis (the person or
object of data collection) and the time dimension (Bless &
Higson-Smith, 1995).

II. Population, Sample Size, and Sampling Techniques

 A population is a group of individuals that have the same
characteristic(s).
 A sample is a subgroup of the target population that the
researcher plans to study for the purpose of making
generalizations about the target population.
 Samples are only estimates.
 The difference between the sample estimate and the true
population is the “sampling error”.
 Sampling techniques and procedures can be divided into two:
 Probability sampling is the selection of individuals
from the population so that they are representative of the
population.
 Nonprobability sampling is the selection of
participants because they are available, convenient, or
represent some characteristic the investigator wants to
study.

III. Research Instruments

This section should include the instruments you plan on using
to measure the variables in the research questions.
(a) the source or developers of the instrument
(b) validity and reliability information
(c) information on how it was normed
(d) other salient information (e.g. number of items in each
scale, subscale, etc.).

Sample Research Question:

What is the relationship between stress and achievement?

 Perceived Stress Scale (PSS; Cohen, Kamarck, &

Mermelstein, 1983). The PSS is a 10-item inventory used to
assess the degree to which participants appraise their life as
stressful within the past month. More specifically, respondents
indicate how uncontrollable, unpredictable, and overloaded their
lives are and their current level of experienced stress. The PSS is a
widely used instrument for measuring the perception of stress, and
is commonly used in health-related research (Broadbent et al.,
2003).

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  Wide Range Achievement Test, Third Edition (WRAT-III).
The WRAT-III is a brief screening measure for achievement that
covers reading recognition, spelling, and arithmetic, making it a
good choice for this assessment battery.

IV. Data Gathering Procedure

This part is based directly on the research questions.
Specifically, this is the “how to” section of the study and will
introduce the design of the research and how the data will be
collected based on the questions of interest.
 The material should be presented in a step by step fashion.
 Another researcher should be able to replicate the study by
reading the data gathering procedure section without asking any
questions.

V. Statistical Treatment of Data

This includes all the statistical computations and formula that
will be used for the study. Below are some of the common
formulas used:

a. Percentage Formula
P = f / N * 100
where:
f is the number of respondents
N is the total number of respondents

b. Mean
𝝁= 𝜮𝒙/𝒏
where:
μ is the mean
Σ is the sum
x is the score
n is the total number of respondents

c. Slovin’s Formula
n = N / (1+Ne2)
where:
n = no. of samples
N = total population
e = error margin / margin of error

d. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) Formula

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 Alternatively,
F = MST/MSE
MST = SST/ p-1
MSE = SSE/N-p
SSE = ∑ (n−1) s2
Where,
F = Anova Coefficient
MSB = Mean sum of squares between the groups
MSW = Mean sum of squares within the groups
MSE = Mean sum of squares due to error
SST = Total sum of squares
p = Total number of populations
n = The total number of samples in a population
SSW = Sum of squares within the groups
SSB = Sum of squares between the groups
SSE = Sum of squares due to error
s = Standard deviation of the samples
N = Total number of observations

e. Pearson Correlation Coefficient Formula

Chapter 4: Presentation, Analysis, and Interpretation of Data

Chapter Four reports the results of the study. The critical part of
writing this is to present the findings from the data collection process in
Chapter Three. Basically, you are informing the reader of what was
discovered. This chapter integrates a narrative, numerical, and/or tabular
presentation of the outcomes of the study, depending on whether you have
conducted a qualitative or quantitative study. In Chapter Four, you will
report the results of the data analysis for each variable and measurement
instrument that was discussed in Chapter Three. For example, if you
conducted a qualitative study, you would provide a narrative description of
the findings in relation to the research questions. If you conducted a
quantitative study, you could include descriptive statistics for each
participant or for the entire group (or both).

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Chapter 5: Summary of Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations

The last chapter in the thesis, Chapter Five, discusses the results from
Chapter Four and draws conclusions about the study’s findings. The critical
part of writing this is to discuss the findings in relation to the statement of
the problem and the research questions that were identified in Chapter One.
The discussion section includes the significant findings and the researcher’s
interpretation based on the results. You may also discuss the relationship of
your findings to previous research conducted in the literature.

I. Summary of Findings
The summary of findings should be textual generalizations,
that is, a summary of the important data consisting of text and
numbers. Only the vital findings, the highlights of the data, should
be included in the summary, especially those upon which the
conclusions should be based. No deductions, nor inference, nor
interpretation should be made otherwise it will only be duplicated
in the conclusion.

Due to clarity demand, summary of findings must contain each

specific question under the statement of the problem and must be
written first to be followed by the findings that would answer it.

II. Conclusions
In this section, you will identify the critical conclusions about
the results (e.g., lessons learned) and their implications. This
section also unifies your research results, discussions, and
elaborates their significance to your study.

III. Recommendations
In this section, you make recommendations for future areas of
research that should be conducted related to your study (e.g.,
follow-up). Additional recommendations could include those for
actions, policies, or procedures related to the study’s findings.

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REFERENCES

Books

Almonte, L. R., Flandez, L. L. & Hermosa, A. A. (2015). Celebrating

Diversity through World Literature. Pasig City: REX Book Store, Inc.
Estipona, M. P., Magbitang, V. D. & Wyson, J. (2020). Language in
Literature 10. Quezon City: Vibal Group, Inc.

Website Links

https://www.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-
binaries/28544_Chapter1.pdf
https://www.stu.edu/biscayne/wp-
content/uploads/sites/4/2019/08/DISSERTATIONChapters1-
5SectionRubric-8_19.pdf
https://dissertationadvisors.com/introduction-chapter-writing/
https://student.unsw.edu.au/introductions
https://methods.sagepub.com/reference/encyclopedia-of-survey-research-
methods/n472.xml#:~:text=A%20research%20hypothesis%20is%20a,varia
ble%20or%20relationships%20between%20variables.
https://us.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-
assets/105274_book_item_105274.pdf
These sites further explain the parts of a research.

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