The PROBLEM

and its
BACKGROUND
Identifying Inquiry and
Stating the Problem Practical Research 2

Von Christopher G.
Chua
1
 OUR After this discussion, you
LEARNING are expected to have the
ability to…
GOALS 1 state research questions;

2 write a research title;

Identifying Inquiry and 3 describe background of
Stating the Problem: research;
THE PROBLEM AND 4 cite benefits and beneficiaries of
ITS BACKGROUND study;
5 indicate scope and delimitation
of study; and
6 present written statement of the
problem.

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 STATING THE
PROBLEM

!
How must a research problem be
introduced in the paper?

Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Statement of the Problem
Significance of the Study
Scope and Delimitation
 NOTE Distinguishing among Topic, Research Problem,
Purpose, and Research Questions
RESEARC PURPOSE RESEARC
TOPIC H STATEME H
broad subject PROBLEM NT QUESTIO
matter
addressed by
a general the major intent N
educational or objective of
the study. narrows the
issue, concern, the study used
purpose into
or controversy to address the
specific
addressed in problem
questions that
research that
the researcher
narrows the
would like
topic.
answered or 4
addressed in the
To improve the
grades of SHS
study.
SHS Mathematics
Low grades of SHS students in General
Can peer tutoring
SEEKING A PROBLEM
What are good resources of
researchable problems?
Theories to be validated,
1 extended, or modified
Other studies, particularly
2 through research
recommendations
National or international
3 trends or situations to be
described or improved
Real-life problems, issues,
4 experiences, or situations
of SHS students
 FRAMING THE TITLE
What is the attitude towards What are the standards in writing the
work of SHS students of families research title?
who are 4Ps (Pantawid A research title must…
Pamilyang Pilipino Program)
beneficiaries?
SHS students of Pantawid 1 list key variables
Pamilyang Pilipino
be written in scientific or
Program families and 2 technical style
their attitude
Click icon towards
to add picture
work be concise (no more than
Does social media usage possess 3 12 words) and non-
any relationship with a SHS
repetitive
student’s attention span in 4
class? reflect SHS students’
SHS students’ use of
social media and their 5 context
attention span not explicitly provide
reference to the research
 1 This is the description that leads the
BACKGROUND reader to understanding the research
OF THE STUDY questions and appreciate why they
are asked.
In writing this section,
• Introduce and briefly define the variables
under study
Full Bleed Picture
• cite the most important study or related
literature
• be consistent with terms used
• ensure that paragraphs summarize
unresolved issues, conflicting findings,
social concerns, or educational, national,
or international issues.
• write the last paragraph to highlight the
research gap 7
 SHS Students’ Social Media Usage and Their Attention
Span in Class

Over the past decade, social media has drastically increased its
breadth in terms of the number of people who use it significantly.
In fact, Facebook alone, as of January 2017 has reached a record
high of approximately 1,850,000,000 active users as compared
to 400 million in 2012 (Smith, 2017). This exponential increase in
social media activity has fueled the interest of various
researchers on the effect of social media usage. Social media are
forms of electronic communication devices through which users
create online communities to share information, ideas, personal
messages, and other content (Merriam-Webster, 2017).

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Due to this, several studies have examined the effect of social
media on student academics (Matthews, 2014; Johnson &
Johnson, 2016), its relationship with stress (Santos, 2015; Chan,
2016), and attention span (Microsoft Corp., 2014; Jackson, 2016)

According to a study funded by Microsoft in 2014, people now

generally lose concentration after eight seconds, highlighting the
affects of an increasingly digitalized lifestyle on the brain.
Attention span, as defined by Webster (2011) is the amount of
concentrated time a person can spend on a task without
becoming distracted.

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Microsoft found that since the year 2000 the average
attention span dropped from 12 seconds to eight seconds.
That is less than the nine-second attention span of the
average goldfish.

In the Philippines, there is still a limited number of literature

that directly links the use of social media to attention span,
especially those that look into the Senior High School (SHS)
students and their ability to maintain concentration.
Furthermore, the international researches conducted on this
topic does not provide evidence that the results transcend
through different cultural backgrounds and age groups. It is in
this light that the purpose of this study to determine whether
social media usage possess any significant relationship with
the attention span of Grade 12 students of De La Salle
Araneta University.
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Over the past decade,
social media has drastically
What do you notice
increased its breadth in about the opening
terms of the number of
people who use it paragraph of the
significantly. In fact,
Facebook alone, as of
Background of the
January 2017 has reached a Study?
record high of
approximately
1,850,000,000 active users
as compared to 400 million
This is what you call
in 2012 (Smith, 2017). This the NARRATIVE
exponential increase in
social media activity has HOOK.
fueled the interest of
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 NARRATIVE • Statistical data
“More than 50% of the adult
HOOK
It serves the important population experiences depression
function of drawing the reader today.”
into a study. • A provocative question
cause the reader to “Why are school policies that ban
pay attention smoking in high schools not being
elicit emotional or enforced?”
attitudinal responses, • A clear need for research
spark interest, and “School suspension is drawing
increased attention among
encourage the reader to
education researchers.”
continue reading. • The intent or purpose of the
study
“The intent of this study is to
examine how clients construe the 12
 2
STATEMENT
OF THE
PROBLEM
This section contains the purpose
statements and the research
question(s).
“This study (or research) aims to…
(make congruent with title).” Click icon to add picture
“Specifically, this research (or study)
seeks to answer the following
questions:”
Phrase questions with the data to be
collected in mind. Answer the
questions and rephrase question, if
your intended answer does not match 13
 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
This study generally aims to determine if SHS students’ use of
social media possess significant relationship with their attention
span in class.

Specifically, this study shall seek answers to the following

questions:
1. What is the level of social media usage of Grade 12 students of
De La Salle Araneta University (DLSAU) in terms of:
a. forms of social media?
b. frequency of social media use?
c. mode of social media use?
2. What is the attention span in class of Grade 12 students of
DLSAU?
3. Is there a significant relationship between the frequency of
social media use and the attention span of Grade 12 students of 14
RQ: Does a SHS student’s academic performance
in Math have any association with his/her stress
tolerance?
This study generally aims to determine if a SHS students’ academic
performance in Mathematics have any association with his/her stress
tolerance.

Specifically, this study shall seek answers to the following questions:

1. What is the demographic profile of Grade 11 students of DLSAU in terms of:
a. sex?;
b. SHS strand?; and
c. final grade in General Mathematics?
2. What is the level of stress tolerance of Grade 11 students of DLSAU?
3. Is there a significant relationship between the DLSAU Grade 11 students’
final grade in General Mathematics and their level of stress tolerance?

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 RQ: What traits of a professor do SHS students
consider important?
This study generally aims to identify the traits or characteristics of a professor
that SHS students believe are important.

Specifically, this study shall seek answers to the following questions:

1. What is the demographic profile of SHS students of DLSAU in terms of:
a. sex?;
b. grade level?; and
c. SHS strand?
2. What is the degree of importance of the following traits of a professor
according to SHS students of DLSAU:
a. physical appearance?;
b. intelligence?;
c. humor?;
d. strictness?;
e. communication skills?
3. Is there a significant difference between the male students’ preferred professor
traits and that of female students? 16
RQ: Can a new packaging improve the selling power
of <product>?
This study generally aims to determine if a new packaging can improve the selling
power of <product>.

Specifically, this study shall seek answers to the following questions:

1. What is are the packaging preferences for <generic product> of DLSAU
students in terms of:
a. color?;
b. material?;
c. Shape?; and
d. size?
2. What is the level of selling power of <product>
a. Prior to the change in packaging?
b. With the new packaging?
3. Is there a significant difference between the level of selling power of
<product> prior to change in packaging and with the new packaging?

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 LET’S LOOK
BACK Consider the following for
discussion.
Differentiate the following terms:
topic, research problem, purpose
statement, and research question.
Identifying Inquiry and
Stating the Problem: What are some of the important
guidelines in framing the research
THE PROBLEM AND title?
ITS BACKGROUND
What purpose does the background
This slideshow presentation will be of the study serve?
made available through the
trainer’s website: Describe the section on the
mathbychua.weebly.com. statement of the problem.
Download the document to use it
as reference.
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 3
SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
States the audience who will benefit
from a study of the problem and
explains how exactly will the results
be significant to them.
Click icon to add picture In writing this section,
In paragraph form, cite beneficiaries
(e.g., students, professors or
teachers, university administrators,
parents) of results of study.
For each beneficiary group,
specifically describe how it will
benefit from the findings. 19
 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will be able to contribute research- What will be the
based data and knowledge on the possible relationship general contribution of
between SHS students’ use of social media and their your research as a
attention span. Furthermore, the society, in general can whole?
make informed decisions that are relevant to this area.

More specifically, this study shall be beneficial to

the various groups of people. Which group of people
will specifically benefit
Students, not only in the senior high school level from the study? How
can use the information which this study will produce to exactly?
regulate and be more responsible their use of social
media to hopefully improve their performance and
concentration in class.

Teachers and professors…

Parents…
University and school administrators…
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Other researchers…
 4
In writing this section,
SCOPE AND
DELIMITATION • cite data collection
This presents the coverage of the
research in terms of location, time, • identify school involved,
respondents, etc., and the potential number of classes, their
weaknesses or problems with the grade/year level, number of
study identified by the researcher. participants (or respondents,
• What the researcher does subjects), and topics of
lessons covered (if
NOT intend to do applicable).
• A researcher must
• state inadequate measures
appreciate that the of variables, loss or lack of
research must define participants, small sample
LIMITATIONS and inform sizes, errors in
others about what these measurement, and other 21
 SCOPE AND DELIMITATION
The study is a correlational research focusing on SCOPE: Identify the
the association between the use of social media and boundaries of the
attention span of 50 senior high school students of De La study in terms of
Salle Araneta University under the Humanities and Social respondents,
Sciences strand in the first term of the academic year, objectives, facilities,
2017-2018. area, time frame, and
the issues to which
Furthermore, the study delimits itself to attention the research is
span in class and will not attempt to measure this focused.
variable in other environment. Social media use will be
limited to the use of social networking sites and exclude DELIMITATION: State
the use of the internet by the respondents for the delimiting factors
educational purposes. of the study by
geographic location,
age, sex, population
size, etc.

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