KING SOLOMON INSTITUTE, INC.

Senior High School Department

CORE SUBJECT
ORAL COMMUNICATION IN CONTEXT

Research problem and research Question

1. Meaning of research problem
TOPIC/LESSON NAME 2. Background of the problem
3. Research Questions
4. Guidelines in Formulating research questions
The learner demonstrates understanding of:
1. the range of research topics in the area of inquiry
CONTENT STANDARDS
2. the value of research in the area of interest
3. the specificity and feasibility of the problem posed
PERFORMANCE
The learner is able to: formulate clearly statement of research problem
STANDARDS
MOST IMPORTANT
LEARNING 1. presents written statement of the problem
COMPETENCIES
After this lesson, you should be able to:
1. expand your vocabulary;
2. communicate your worldviews using newly learned words;
SPECIFIC LEARNING 3. define a research question and a research problem;
OUTCOMES 4. give the relationship between research problem and research question;
5. formulate correct research questions;
6. identify the sources of research problem and research question; and
7. Justify the essence of having background knowledge of the problem.
1. Communication
SALIENT
2. Critical and Creative Thinking
PREPARATORY SKILLS
3. Planning, organizing and initiative
TIME ALLOTMENT WEEK 3-4
Lesson Outline:
1. Introduction:
A. The teacher will start the lesson through a review of the past lesson.
B. The teacher will give feedbacks on the title defense.
C. To improve vocabulary, the teacher will let the students take an objective test where they will choose the phrase referred to by the sentence from the box.
 D. To assess students’ research topic preferences, the teacher will let the students write a paragraph with seven to ten sentences about an interesting topic.
2. Motivation: To stimulate HOTS and deepen understanding on research problem and research question, the teacher will let the students accomplish a Venn diagram in
comparing and contrasting problem and question.
3. Instruction and Delivery: Socratic Method. The teacher will present the lesson on Inquiry-based learning in an interactive manner. Asking probing questions to deepen
understanding in between topics.
4. Practice: To check students’ understanding of the lesson, the teacher will give them an objective test where they will identify terms referred to by the sentences.
5. Enrichment: To practice students’ ability to write a research question, to make a list of problems/issues in his/her environment that needs to be addressed immediately
and choose one that they would like to explore. They will then compose questions about the chosen issue/topic.
6. Evaluation: The teacher will schedule a title defense.
RESOURCES Baraceros, E. (2016).Practical Research 1. First Edition. Rex Book Store, Inc. (RBSI). ISBN 978-971-23-8077-8
MATERIALS E-modules, LMS, Google Meet/Zoom

INTRODUCTION (20 minutes) Teacher Tips:

 The teacher must
 The teacher will start the lesson through a review of the past lesson. emphasize the
 Feedbacks on the title defense. importance of
 To improve vocabulary, the teacher will let the students take an objective test where they will choose the phrase referred to by the sentence keeping these
words in mind.
from the box.

Activity 1: From the box, choose the expression that corresponds to the meaning of the italicized word in the sentence.
 Students must
understand the
Driving force felt uncertain or doubtful result from Final Permanent decision sentences very well.
riddle being in a relative position Taking things as factual Deep coming before  This activity can a
graded recitation.
 The teacher can
1. You will be perplexed by something you know nothing about.
solicit opinions to
2. Their closeness stems from their two-month togetherness in the 2015 Climate Change Summit in Alaska. encourage
3. Why don’t you give me a clue to that conundrum you want me answer instantly? participation.
4. Coming from different cultural backgrounds, you can’t have an alignment of beliefs and ideas about that matter.
5. Wanting to graduate as a valedictorian could be the impetus behind that student’s frequent library work.
6. Try to get an intense understanding of that theory to avoid flunking the test.
7. Preceding number seven is eight.
8. You’ve already heard my conclusive statement; hence, close the deal now.
9. What you see around you, what you read in papers, and what you hear from people help you adopt an objective view of the case.
10. I’ve joined so many singing competitions already, this time, I’ll try The Voice, the ultimate contest I’ll be participating in.
Activity 2: Write a paragraph with seven to ten sentences about an interesting topic to you. Use some of the newly learned words in your short
composition and give an interesting title to your work.
MOTIVATION (20 minutes)
 To stimulate HOTS and deepen understanding on research problem and research question, the teacher will let the students accomplish a
Venn diagram in comparing and contrasting problem and question.

Activity 3: What immediately comes to your mind the moment you hear these two words: PROBLEM and QUESTION? How would you
compare and contrast the two? In a Venn diagram, compare and contrast QUESTION and PROBLEM.

INSTRUCTION/DELIVERY (1 hour and 30 minutes)  During the

 The teacher will discuss the selection interactively through Google meet. She will prepare a PowerPoint presentation for this. discussion, the
teacher may ask the
RESEARCH PROBLEM VS. RESEARCH QUESTION students probing
questions to deepen
Meaning of Research Problem understanding.
The ultimate goal of the research is not only to propose ways of studying things, people, places, and events, but also to discover and introduce  For modular
new practices, strategies, or techniques in solving a problem. The word “problem” makes you worry and pushes you to exert considerable effort in students, they are
finding a solution for it. When you feel perplexed or anxious about what to do about something you are doubtful of or about a question you are encouraged to use a
incapable of answering, you then come to think of conducting research, an investigation, or inquiry. You consider research as the remedy for getting highlighter to mark
over any problem. important details
When you decide to do research, you begin with a problem that will lead you to a specific topic to focus on. For instance, you are beset by a found on the
problem of year-by-year flash floods in your community. This problem drives you to think of one topic you can investigate or focus on for the selection.
solution to your community’s flood problem. Perhaps, you can research only one aspect of the flood problem, like examining only the neighbourhood  Modular students
can also look into
lifestyle in relation to floods in the area, the need to construct anti-flood structures, or the practicability of more footbridges in the area. (Gray 2013)
the internet when
they are having a
Background of the Problem hard time
You must not rush into gathering ideas and information about your topic. First, spend time getting background knowledge about the problem understanding
that triggered off your research topic to discover its relation to what the world, particularly the experts, professionals, and learned people know about unfamiliar words.
your topic. Also, reading for rich background ideas about the problem is also another way to discover some theories or principles to support your
study. (Braun 2014; Woodwell 2014)

Research Questions
The research problem enables you to generate a set of research questions. However, your ability to identify your research problem and to
formulate the questions depends on the background knowledge you have about the topic. To get a good idea of the problem, you must have a rich
background knowledge about the topic through the RRL (Review of Related Literature), which requires intensive reading about your topic. Apart
from having a clearer picture of the topic, it will also help you in adopting an appropriate research method and have a thorough understanding of the
knowledge area of your research.
A research problem serving as an impetus behind your desire to carry out a research study comes from many sources. Difficulties in life are arising
from social relationships, governmental affairs, institutional practices, cultural patterns, environmental issues, marketing strategies, etc. are
problematic situations that will lead you to identify one topic to research on. Centering your mind on the problem, you can formulate one general or
mother problem of your research work. (Punch 2014)
To give your study a clear direction, you have to break this big, overreaching, general question into several smaller or specific research
questions. The specific questions, also called sub-problems, identify or direct you to the exact aspect of the problem that your study has to focus on.
Beset by many factors, the general question or research problem is prone to reducing itself to several specific questions, seeking conclusive answers to
the problem.
The following shows you the link among the following: research problem, research topic, research question, and the construction of one
general question and specific questions in a research paper.

Research Problem: The need to have a safer, comfortable, and healthful walk or transfer of students from place to place in the UST campus
Research Topic: The Construction of a Covered Pathway in the UST Campus
General Question: What kind of covered path should UST construct in its campus?

Specific Questions:
1. What materials are needed for the construction of the covered pathway in the UST campus?
2. What roofing material is appropriate for the covered path?
3. In what way can the covered pathway link all buildings in the campus?
4. What is the width and height of the covered path?
5. How can the covered path realize green architecture?

Research questions aim at investigating specific aspects of the research problem. Though deduced from the general or mother question, one
specific question may lead to another sub-problem or sub-question, requiring a different data-gathering technique and directing the research to a
triangulation or mixed method approach. Referring to varied aspects of the general problem, a set of research questions plays a crucial part in the
entire research work. They lay the foundation for the research study. Therefore, they determine the research design or plan of the research. Through
sub-questions, you can precisely determine the type of data and the method of collecting, analyzing, and presenting data.
Any method or technique of collecting, collating, and analyzing data specified by the research design depends greatly on the research
questions. The correct formulation of research questions warrants not only excellent collection, analysis, and presentation of data, but a credible
conclusion as well. (Layder 2013)
Hence, the following are things you have to remember in research question formulation. (Barbie 2013; Litchman 2013; Silverman 2013)

Guidelines in Formulating Research Questions

1. Establish a clear relation between the research questions and the problem or topic.
2. Base your research questions on your RRL or Review of Related Literature because existing published works help you get good background
knowledge of the research problem and help you gauge the people’s current understanding or unfamiliarity about the topic, as well as the extent
of their knowledge and interest in it. Convincing solutions to research problems or answers to research questions stem from their alignment with
what the world already knows or what previous research studies have already discovered about the research problem or topic.
3. Formulate research questions that can arouse your curiosity and surprise you with your discoveries or findings. This is true for research questions
asked about a problem that was never investigated upon.
4. State your research questions in such a way that they include all dependent and independent variables referred to by the theories, principles, or
concepts underlying your research work.
5. Let the set of research questions or sub-problems be preceded by one question expressing the main problem of the research.
6. Avoid asking research questions that are answerable with “yes” or “no” and use the “how” questions only in a quantitative research.
7. Be guided by the acronym SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic,
8. time-bound) in formulating the research questions. Applying SMART, you must deal with exact answers and observable things, determine the
extent or limit of the data collected, be aware of the timeframe and completion period of the study, and endeavour to have your research study
arrive at a particular conclusion that is indicative of what are objective, factual, or real in this world.

PRACTICE (30)
Activity 4: Keeping in mind what you learned in this lesson, do the following tasks. Do it in a separate sheet of paper.  This can be a
1. On a piece of paper, make a list of some problems in your environment that need immediate solutions. preparation for the
2. Choose one problem in the list. Based on this problem you selected, identify your research topic, give or describe the justifications/reasons final paper.
behind your decision to do a research work, and mention, too, the benefits and the beneficiaries of your research work
3. Formulate one general or “mother” question to reflect your research problem or topic.
4. Banking on whatever background knowledge you have about your chosen topic, formulate five research questions or sub-problems that are
closely related to the general question.
ENRICHMENT (1 hour)

Activity 5: Formulating your Own Research Question

Directions: Based on the title you formulated in “Lesson 5, Activity 4: Formulating the Title”, Formulate 2-4 research questions. Do it in a separate
sheet of paper.
EVALUATION (2 hours)
 Title defense including:  This activity is
1. Research questions graded.
2. Research problem  The teacher will
3. Research Gap schedule a title
defense in the
beginning of first
quarter.

Prepared by: Checked by:

EMAY JEAN M. PESCADERO, LPT GRACE V. PEPITO, LPT CHRISTINE MARIE B. VILOAN, LPT
Subject Teacher Academic Coordinator Academic Coordinator