GOALS OF RESEARCH
• To measure certain specific characteristics
of certain population
• To observe some phenomena (and causes
of these phenomena) in the environment
• To assess the outcomes of some programs
or activities being undertaken
• To generate and apply new knowledge
and innovations
What is Thesis Writing?
- formal, systematic and intensive process of
carrying a scientific method of analysis
- generally looks into original or raw data.
- requires independent thinking both in
perceiving and analyzing problems and in
finding solutions to them
THE RESEARCH PROCESS
A question strikes the mind of
the researcher.
Recommendations.
A conclusion is drawn.
The researcher converts the
question into a clearly stated
research problem.
The researcher makes a sound
guess or a temporary answer to
the problem. This is called
hypothesis.
The hypothesis is tested
whether it is true or not.
The facts are subjected to
analysis to comprehend their
meaning.
The researcher gathers the
facts.
Literature are searched to look
into some relevant facts and
possible answers.
The researcher designs a
methodology to be used in
terms of the goal of the
research and the needed facts.
Selecting Research Problems
1. Your topic should be something new.
2. It must be original.
3. It should be significant to your field of study.
4. It must necessarily arouse intellectual curiosity.
5. It should not be entirely foreign to you.
6. It should depend on the level at which the work is
done.
7. The topic should be clear, not ambiguous.
Consider the following:
1. Your interest and the interest of others.
2. Your training and personal qualifications.
3. Availability of data, methods and techniques
for gathering data.
4. Financial capacity to support the project.
5. Time factor.
Consider also….
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY (MSIT) RESEARCH AGENDA
• Policy research on IT
• Technological research for the advancement of
Philippine IT
• Globalization issues and technological development,
e.g. technology transfer, impact of IT, technology
application, etc.
• Programming and software development
Parts of a Thesis
PRELIMINARIES
Cover Page
Copyright Page
Title Page
Certification and Approval
Certification of Originality
Acknowledgment
Abstract
Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
Parts of a Thesis
Chapter 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
Introduction
Background of the Study
Theoretical Framework
Conceptual Framework
Statement of the Problem
Hypothesis (if any)
Scope and Limitation of the Study
Significance of the Study
Definition of Terms
Chapter 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
AND STUDIES
Foreign Literature
Local Literature
Foreign Studies
Local Studies
Synthesis of the Reviewed Literature and Studies
Chapter 3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Method of Research
Population, Sample Size, and Sampling Technique
Description of Respondents
Research Instrument
Data-Gathering Procedure
Statistical Treatment of Data
Note: Format of Chapter 3 may vary depending on the research
design subject to the approval of the Thesis/Dissertation
Committee.
Chapter 4
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND
INTERPRETATION OF DATA
(Headings of topics/findings per problem)
Ex.
1. Features of the FIDES in Terms of Security Design
Requirements, High Level Design, Low Level
Design, Implementation Notes, and Evaluation and
Case Studies
Chapter 5
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary (Gist of statement of the problems, hypothesis
(if any), research method and sampling designs,
instrument/s and statistical tools used)
Findings
Conclusions
Recommendations
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books
Journals and Monographs (research publications)
Unpublished Theses/Dissertations
Periodicals
Electronic Sources
Other Print Sources
Non-Print Sources
APPENDICES
Questionnaire (with cover letter)
Request letter to conduct survey
Documents, memoranda, data/figures (if any)
Sample statistical computations or print-outs
Curriculum Vitae
The Problem and Its Background
Introduction
It is in this section where you discuss the overview of
your research problem; Define major concepts;
Discuss the factors that lead you to the
conceptualization of the problem.
Background of the Study
Describe prevailing conditions; Justify the chosen topic
as a problem for research; Cite some facts/ figures or
findings/conclusions of other research which
prompted you to conduct a study or extension study
on the problem.
Theoretical Framework
Theories - sets of interrelated concepts, constructs,
definitions and propositions that present systematic
view of the phenomenon by specifying relationships
among variables with the purpose of explaining and
predicting the phenomena.
Conceptual Framework
Concepts - abstractions; ideas
Statement of the Problem
This is where you state the general and specific
problems for the research you choose to work on and
hopes to achieve.
Hypothesis
A hypothesis is a temporary answer to the specific
problems stated.
When it becomes necessary to test this hypothesis
using some statistical tools, you need to state it in the
null form.
Scope and Limitation
Discuss inclusively the coverage of the study in terms of
the population, time frame, variables; some specific items
which should be excluded in the study; limitations in the
methodology, sampling, instrumentation, etc.
Significance of the Study
This part discusses the groups of persons, institutions or
offices which will be benefited by the results of the study.
How these groups are benefited by the results must
likewise be discussed.
Definition of Terms
The main variables of the study including terms, words or
phrases which have special or unique meanings in the
study are defined.
Definition may be taken from encyclopedia, dictionaries,
books, other scholarly publications but the researcher must
acknowledge his source.
Definitions should be brief, clear and unequivocal.
Include the operational definitions which are specifically
the meaning of the terms as they are used in the study.
Review of Related Literature
and Studies
This contains the literature and
studies reviewed and the synthesis of the
review.
This Chapter should only have five
subheadings, namely, Foreign Literature,
Local Literature, Foreign Studies, Local
Studies, and Synthesis of the Reviewed
Literature and Studies.
Purposes of Review of Literature
1. Provides the refinements the research needs in terms
of formulating the research questions and the framework
for the investigation to be done.
2. To establish the facts which are already known from
previous researches.
3. To have a relatively wide range of information about
the topic.
4. To get a clearer vision of the additional research that
needs to be done.
5. To enable the researcher to develop a theoretical/
conceptual framework for his/her research.
Things to consider:
1.
Except for classical theories and other relevant
literature, all the literature and studies included in the
review must have been published or written (if
unpublished, such as theses and dissertations) at least
ten years prior to the conduct of the current study.
2.
Except for exploratory studies, the minimum number of
literature and studies to be reviewed is pegged at ten
each for foreign literature, local literature, foreign studies,
and local studies, and at least 10 journal articles for a
thesis and 15 for a dissertation.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Method
Population, Sample Size and Sampling Technique
Research Instrument
Three Options:
1. Look for previously validated questionnaire which has
been used in the previous study.
2. Evolve an adaptation of a previously used or validated
questionnaire. An adaptation results when a researcher
modifies, replaces or deletes some items to make the
set of items relevant to the study.
3. Construct a questionnaire based on the information
needed for the study.
Characteristics of a Good Instrument
1. It deals with a significant topic, a topic the respondent
will recognize as important enough to warrant spending
his time in completing. The significance should be and
carefully stated on the questionnaire, or in the letter that
accompanies it.
2. It seeks only information which cannot be obtained from
other sources such as school reports or census data.
3. It is as short as possible, only long enough to get the
essential data. Long questionnaires frequently find their
way into the wastebasket.
Characteristics of a Good Instrument
4. It is attractive in appearance, neatly arranged, and clearly
duplicated and printed.
5. Directions are clear and complete. Important terms are
defined, each question deals with a single idea, all
questions are worded as simply and as clearly as possible
and the categories provide and opportunity for easy,
accurate, and unambiguous responses.
6. The questions are objective, with no leading suggestions
as to the responses desired.
7. Questions are presented in logical order, proceeding from
general to more specific responses.
8. It is easy to tabulate and interpret.
Preparing and Administering
the Questionnaire
1. Get all of the help that you can in planning and constructing your
questionnaire . Study other questionnaires, and submit your items
for criticism to other members of your class or your faculty,
especially to those who have had experience in questionnaire
construction.
2. Try out your questionnaire on a few friends and acquaintances.
3. Choose respondents carefully. It is important that questionnaires
be sent only to those who possess the desired information—those
who are likely to be sufficiently interested to respond
conscientiously and objectively.
Preparing and Administering
the Questionnaire
4. If schedules or questionnaires are planned for use in a government
agency or institutions, asking for the responses of employees or
workers, it is essential that approval of the project be secured from
the administrator.
5. If the desired information is delicate or intimate in nature, consider
the possibility of providing for anonymous response. The
anonymous instrument is most likely to produce objective
responses.
Preparing and Administering
the Questionnaire
6. Try to get the aid of sponsorship. Recipients are more likely to
answer if a person or organization, or institution of prestige has
endorsed the project.
7. Be sure to include a courteous, carefully constructed cover letter to
explain the purpose of the study.
8. Recipients are often slow to return completed questionnaires. To
increase the number of return, a vigorous follow-up procedure may
be necessary.
Sample Items: (Excerpt from Hewage & Ruwanpura (2006)
DIRECTION:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
-
Using the following scales, please rate your degree
agreement on the following factors that influence
construction productivity:
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Somewhat disagree
Neutral
Somewhat agree
Agree
Strongly agree
Sample Items: (Excerpt from Hewage & Ruwanpura (2006)
Factors
Bonus or rewards
Amount of salary
Tools and equipment
Friendliness and
helpfulness of coworkers
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
Somewhat
disagree
Neutral
Somewhat
Agree
Agree
Strongly
Agree
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
STATISTICAL TREATMENT OF DATA
determining the appropriate statistical
techniques to be used in analyzing the
collected information/data
STATISTICAL PROCEDURES:
GENERAL CLASSIFICATIONS
Descriptive Statistics – procedures for summarizing,
organizing, graphing, and in general, describing
quantitative information.
Inferential Statistics – Statistics that allow us to draw
conclusions or inferences from data. Usually this means
coming
to
conclusions
(such
as
estimates,
generalizations, decisions, or predictions) about a
population on the basis of data describing a sample.
DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
Frequency and percentage distributions
Measures of central tendency
Measures of variability
Examples:
1. What is the profile of the civil engineer respondents in terms of
the following variables:
1.1 sex,
1.2 age,
1.3 civil status,
1.4 training and other relevant qualifications
1.5 position
1.6 length of service?
2. How do the respondents agree on the following
factors that influence construction productivity?
2.1 incentives
2.2 working team (work participation)
2.3 working conditions (work facilitation)
2.4 management and supervision
2.5 intrinsic motives
Statistical Treatments:
The respondents were described in terms of some
selected variables such as age, sex, civil status,
training and relevant qualifications, position,
department to which each belongs, and length of
service.
1.1 Percentage. Percentage is used as descriptive
statistics, that is relating a part of the whole. This is
used in describing some personal characteristics of
the respondents of the study such as sex, civil status,
position, department and educational qualifications.

1.2 Arithmetic Mean. An arithmetic mean is used
to find the average age and length of service of the
respondents.
1.3 Weighted Mean. To determine the degree of
agreement of the respondents on the factors that
influence construction productivity, a weighted
mean is used.
Sample Thesis Titles
Bautista, R. V. (2008). An Intranet-Based Transcript of Record
Builder for the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Graduate
School
Bonzon, M. Z. (2008). Paperless Document Routing and Approval
System Using DIJKSTRA’s Algorithm
Revano Jr, T. F. (2008). Development of Automated Document
Analyzer Using Text Mining and AHO CORASICK Algorithm
Sicat, MGC. E. (2008). Online Back-up utility: An Application in
Support to Remote Storage Services
Taguibolos, G. B. (2008). Geographic Information Systems (GIS):
An Information Technology Tool to Improve Census Operations of
the National Statistics Office
Sample Thesis Titles
Halnin, C. G. (2007). Enhanced Intranet System of a Philippine
Government Science Research and Development Institute
Santiago, DJ. A. (2007). Development of Data Model and Website
for the University of Rizal System Cyberpark - Morong Campus
Wang, G. (2007). Electronic Mail Communication in A Power
Corporation: An Assessment
Zhang, H. (2007). FIDES as a Software Solution for Fair
Exchange in E-Commerce
Concepcion, S. (2006). Network Design for the Systems
Interconnectivity of the Polytechnic University of the
Philippines
References
Best, J. W. (1981) Research in Education. 4th Ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Birion, J. C. & De Jose, E. G. (1998) Glossary of Statistical Terms for Statisticians,
Researchers, and Beginners. Quezon City: Rex Bookstore, Inc.
Birion, J. C., De Jose, E. G., Dayrit, B., & Mapa, C. M. (2005) Thesis and Dissertation Writing
Without Anguish. Valenzuela: Mutya Publishing House, Co.
Diekhoff, G. (1992) Statistics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences: Univariate, Bivariate,
Multivariate. Wm. C. Brown Publishers
Elinwa, A. U. (2006). Experimental characterization of Portland cement-calcined soldier-ant
mound clay cement mortar and concrete. Construction and Building Materials. Nov
2006, 20:9, 754-760.
Fortune, C. & Cox, O. (2005). Current practices in building project contract price forecasting in
the UK. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. 12:5, 446-458.
Hewage, K. N & Ruwanpura, J. Y. (2006). Carpentry
workers issues and efficiencies related
to construction productivity in commercial construction projects in Alberta. Canadian
Journal of Civil Engineering. August 2006, 33, 1075-1089.
Leonard II, W. M. (1976) Basic Social Statistics. New York: West Publishing Co.
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