Format for Writing Chapter 1

Prepared by Dr. Claudia Odette J. Ayala

CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Background of the Study

 Cite the reasons why you have chosen the topic of your study.
 Cite the problematic situation which prompted you to conduct the study from the
macro to micro levels, that is, globally, regionally, nationally, and locally, to zero
in on the local setting of the study.
 Support your discussion with legal basis or statistical data should support your
claims.

Statement of the Problem/Objectives

 Make a general statement of the problem.

 Cite the specific problems in logical and sequential order as they appear in your
paradigm.
 The problems must jibe with the paradigm, conceptual framework, hypothesis,
methodology and research instrument.

Hypothesis (if any)

 The null hypothesis should be clearly stated. Using the null hypothesis will aid in
rejecting or accepting it.
 The null hypothesis should jibe with the number of variables to be studied.

Example of a null hypothesis:

There is no significant relationship between organizational climate and leadership

behavior of managers in XYZ Company.

There is no significant difference between the perceptions of male and female

respondents on the Reproductive Health Bill.

Significance of the Study

 Name those who are to benefit from the study – people, institutions, agencies.
 Cite how they will benefit from the findings of the research.

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  Do not fail to include the researchers as beneficiaries and what they are expected
to benefit.

Scope and Limitations

 Define the scope of your study, the parameters or boundaries of the investigation,
where and when the study was conducted, the variables included, and respondents
to be involved.
 Cite the weaknesses or limitations of the study you anticipate, how you are going
to handle them so that they do not become bottlenecks of the investigation. A
limitation is a phase or aspect of the investigation, which may affect the result
adversely but over which the researcher has no control. Very honestly, you should
state this limitation as it brings credence to the study.

Theoretical Framework

 A theoretical framework presents a broad, general explanation of the

relationships between concepts of interest in a research study. It discusses the
theories that serve as the foundation of your study and your assumptions.

Conceptual Framework

 A conceptual framework helps to explain the relationship between concepts.

 Rather than being based on one theory, the conceptual framework links concepts
selected from several theories, from previous research results, or from the
researcher’s own experiences.
 Your conceptual framework should be hinged on your theoretical framework.
The theories cited should be clearly explained and operationalized in this portion.
 Describe how your variables will relate to each other.
 The hypotheses to be tested should be clearly explained in this portion.

Conceptual Paradigm

 The paradigm, which is a schematic illustration of the conceptual framework,

should be discussed comprehensively to encompass the parameters of the
investigation.
 The paradigm should illustrate or concretize the conceptual framework.
 The variables should be appropriately placed in their corresponding boxes. The
use of one-headed or two-headed arrows will clarify which variables are to be
correlated.
 Write the figure number under the whole paradigm and label it.

Definition of Terms

 Key terms or phrases used in the study should be defined conceptually.

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 Conceptual definition is the universal or academic meaning attributed to a word
or group of words. These can be found in books, encyclopedias, magazines,
journals.

 After the conceptual definition, define the key terms and phrases operationally or
how these are taken to mean in your study.
Operational definition is also known as functional definition. The terms are
defined based on the conceptual definition and operationalized in the context of
the study.

 Terms to be defined should be arranged alphabetically.