The first step is quite simple. As a Senior High School student, these tips will surely guide you in selecting a broad topic for quantitative research

The second step is much more time-consuming. Once you have chosen a broad topic, you need to have a better understanding of it by reading some more articles, journals, and related research studies. Find out how other researchers gathered their data, what research instruments were used, how the data were analyzed, and what important findings they shared. Take note of every relevant research study for future reference. If you started the topic search (first step) by doing a literature review, the second step is just a continuation of what you started. A much deeper discussion of the literature review will be done in module 3.

After getting enough information, you may be able to list some questions or problems that you want to research. At this stage, you should be able to narrow down broad topic into feasible and manageable research questions. A broad topic can be narrowed down by limiting the population, place, period, or a certain characteristic. However, be very mindful that your problem may not be too narrow that it becomes very simple and does not need to collect unique data or does not generate new information. A very narrow research question can be developed by doing a comparative study or expanding the scope of the study

This step lets you evaluate the questions formulated. What specific questions should you ask? How should you gather your data sufficient to answer the questions? Are the questions too narrow, or does it need to be trimmed down? While evaluating the research question, consider the requirements of the course. How much time are you given to finish the research? What resources do you need and are they available? You will learn more about research questions in lesson 4.

Consider the amount of time, energy, money, respondents, and even your current situation as a student-researcher. Is the research problem possible? Will it not spend unreasonable amount? Consider these examples: “How do parents feel about the blended learning modality for elementary learners?” and “How would giving each learner their own laptop to be used in this blended learning modality affect their performance tasks?” The first example is definitely a more feasible research question. Considering the resources, it is more possible to gather the data needed to answer the question.

The clarity of how the questions stated lead to agreement of meaning of the readers of your study. Since your research questions are also considered as the main focus in the gathering and analyzing the data, it is therefore very important that these are stated clearly.

Ask if your research questions are relevant or important to ask. Will answering these questions provide an additional contribution to address the given research problem? In other words, are the research questions really worth investigating?

Always consider the welfare of people, animals or who so ever involve in your study. Look into ways of answering the research questions without inflicting physical and psychological harm to persons involved

specifies the coverage of your study such as variables, population or participant, and timeline

cites factors of your study that are not included or excluded or those you will not deal in your study.

is the focus of investigation.

states the situation or circumstances within which your research topic was conceptualized.

are feasible, clear, significant, and ethical.

focuses on observing and reporting factors or aspects of the research problem. Phrases such as how often/frequently, how many/much, what is/are, to what extent/degree, and the likes are used in these questions

aim to determine the relationships among two or more variables in your research problem. Correlational research questions usually begin with the phrases “Is there a significant relationship” or “What is the relationship between/among”.

attempt to identify the causes of the phenomenon in the context of your research problem. It is also assumed that no control or manipulation of variable has been done in order to cause the effect. It is understood that the cause of the problem already exists before you conducted your study.

suggests that answers to these questions are brought about by manipulation or control of a certain variable during the conduct of the study. These questions provide explanation to the causal relationship of variables.

n doing research study, we make sure that we have certainty and reasons for drawing the inclusion and exclusion of research variables. We do not write for the sake of writing the parts of the research paper; such as setting the scope and delimitation of your study. It is important because it draws the boundary of your study. Without doing so, research procedures and results will not be coherent to the goal of your study.

is actually the identified scope of the study.

Most of the delimitations arose from the applicability or usefulness of the findings of the study to the current problem.

describes the various limitations that arose during the design and conduct of the study.

not included in your study are also determined by delimitation of your study.