ASCOT Library Zabali Campus

Chapter 1. Nature and characteristics of research –
Meaning of research –
Characteristics of the researcher –
Qualities of a good researcher –
Man's major problems demand research –
Research standing of the Philippines –
Values of research to man –
Characteristics of research –
Types of research –
Classification of research –
Meaning of variable –
Types of variable –
Components of the research process –
Exercises –
Chapter 2. Research problem and objectives –
The research problem –
Characteristics of a research problem –
Sources of research problem –
Criteria of a good research problem –
The research objectives –
Statement of research problem/objectives –
The hypothesis –
Types of hypothesis –
Theoretical and conceptual framework –
Assumptions –
Significance of the study –
Scope and limitations of the study –
Definition of terms –
Chapter 3. Review of related literature –
Related readings –
Related literature –
Related studies –
Justification of the present study –
Exercises –
Chapter 4. Research design –
Historical Design –
Uses of historical research –
Major steps of historical research –
Sources of historical research –
Primary sources –
Secondary sources –
Descriptive design –
Types of descriptive research –
Descriptive-survey –
Descriptive-normative survey –
Descriptive status –
Descriptive analysis –
Descriptive classification –
Descriptive evaluative –
Descriptive comparative –
Correlational survey –
Longitudal survey –
Experimental design –
Types of experimental design –
Single-group design –
Two-group design –
Two-pair group design –
Parallel-group design –
Pretest-posttest group design –
Counterbalanced or Latin square design –
Complete randomized design –
Randomized complete block design –
Correlational design –
Case study design –
The cycle of case study –
Exercises –
Chapter 5. Qualities of a good research instrument –
Validity –
Types of validity –
Content validity –
Concurrent validity –
Predictive validity –
Construct validity –
Reliability –
Methods in testing the reliability of good research instrument –
Test-retest method –
Parallel-forms method –
Split-half method –
Internal-consistency method –
Usability –
Factors that determine usability –
Exercises –
Chapter 6. Sampling designs –
Advantages of sampling –
Limitations of sampling –
Planning of sampling survey –
Determination of sample size –
Sampling designs –
Scientific sampling –
Restricted random sampling –
Unrestricted random sampling –
Stratified random sampling –
Systematic sampling –
Cluster sampling –
Nonscientific sampling –
Purposive sampling –
Incidental sampling –
Quota sampling –
Exercises –
Chapter 7. Data processing and statistical treatment –
Data processing –
Categorization of data –
Coding of data –
Tabulation of data –
Data matrix –
Univariate matrix –
Bivariate matrix –
Multivariate matrix –
Dummy tables –
Statistical treatment –
Statistical tools for research designs –
Statistical tools for descriptive designs –
Statistical tools for experimental designs –
Exercises –
Chapter 8. Data analysis and interpretation –
Univariate analysis –
Bivariate analysis –
Multivariate analysis –
Normative analysis –
Status analysis –
Descriptive analysis –
Classification analysis –
Evaluative analysis –
Comparative analysis –
Cost-effective analysis –
Exercises –
Chapter 9. Participatory action research –
Principles of participatory action research –
Characteristics of participatory action research –
Framework of participatory action –
Advantages and limitations of participatory action research –
Advantages of participatory action research –
Limitations of participatory action research –
Exercises –
Chapter 10. Rapid rural system appraisal –
Characteristics of RRSA –
Factors to consider in conduction RRSA project –
Framework of RRSA activities –
Process documentation –
Purposes of process documentation –
Qualities of good process documentation –
Weaknesses of RRSA –
Exercises –
Chapter 11. Preparation of proposals for theses and research projects –
Writing requirements –
Content and structure –
Title –
The problem and its background –
Theoretical/conceptual framework –
Assumptions –
Hypotheses –
Significance of the study –
Scope and limitations of the study –
Definitions of key terms –
Review of related literature –
Related readings –
Related literature –
Related studies –
Justification of the proposed activity –
Methodology –
Research design –
Determination of sample size –
Sampling design and technique –
The subjects –
The research instrument –
Validation of the instruments –
Data gathering procedure –
Data processing method –
Statistical treatment –
Schedule of activities –
Curriculum vitae –
Research project proposal –
Exercises –
Chapter 12. – Theses writing –
Parts of thesis –
Chapter 1 (the problem and its background –
Statement of the problem –
Theoretical/conceptual framework –
Assumptions –
Hypotheses –
Significance of the study –
Scope and limitations of the study –
Definition of key terms –
General organization and coverage of the study –
Chapter 2 (review of related literature) –
Related readings –
Related literature –
Related studies –
Justification of the present study –
Chapter 3 (methodology)
Descriptive research –
Research design –
Determination of sample size (if sample survey)
Sampling design and technique –
The subjects –
The research instruments –
Validation of the instruments –
Data gathering procedure –
Statistical treatment –
Experimental design –
Research design –
The materials –
The instruments, apparatus and equipment –
The procedure –
Data gathering technique –
Biostatistical treatment –
Chapter 4 (results, analysis, and interpretation of data)
Chapter 5 (summary, conclusions and recommendations/implications)
General summary of the study –
Summary of findings –
Conclusions –
Recommendations –
Bibliography –
Functions of bibliography –
Types of bibliography –
Appendix –
Curriculum vitae –
Exercises –
Chapter 13. Form and style in thesis writing –
The preliminaries of a research paper, thesis, and dissertation –
Title page –
Approval sheet –
Acknowledgements –
Contents –
Tables –
Figures –
Plates –
Abstract –
Short form –
Long form –
The text of a research paper, thesis and dissertation –
Chapter headings –
Middle heading –
Left side heading –
Paragraph heading –
Definition of key terms –
Documentation in research paper, thesis, and dissertation –
Purposes of documentation –
Notes –
Endnotes –
Footnotes –
Ways o numbering footnotes –
Bibliography, references, and literature cited –
Differences between bibliography and footnotes –
Style in writing –
Typing instructions –
Exercises.

Methods of Research and Thesis Writing are among the most challenging subjects in the undergraduate and graduate levels du to the shortage of competent and qualified research professors and thesis advisers. Because of this, a great majority of students who enroll in the graduate school do not earn the degree for failure to write a thesis. Thus, they settle for a subordinate goal of competing the academic requirements in order to get a salary adjustment. They do not have any intention of obtaining the degree due to the perceived difficulty of thesis writing.
Needless to say, majority of the graduate students have completed the academic requirements but only a few have earned the degree due to poor background in research, statistics and thesis writing. Moreso, they are not research oriented. Graduate students must have the qualities of a good researcher. These qualities having the acronym of RESEARCHER are: Research-oriented, Efficient, Scientific, Effective, Active, Resourceful, Creative, Honest, Economical, and Religious.
Sad to say, the attitudes of the graduate students toward research and thesis writing are negative and self-defeating. They come to a conclusion that these subjects are difficult for them to perform due to unavailability of simplified book in research and thesis writing and vague explanations of some research professors and thesis advisers.
Though there are subjects known as Methods of Research and Thesis Writing, these courses do not give the students full knowledge and ideas to write a research paper, thesis or dissertation due to poor foundation of the said subject; lack of qualified and competent research professors and thesis advisers who can orient, guide and facilitate them effectively and efficiently; and lack of reference books in methods of research and thesis writing.