Difficulties Encountered by Grade 12 Students
in Conducting Research
Author:
RACHEL ANN K. MAGULING
Buhaynasapa National High School
San Juan West District, San Juan, Batangas
Adviser:
JHIMSON V. CABRAL, MAED
INTRODUCTION
Research is defined as a systematic, investigative process employed to increase or revise
the current knowledge by discovering new facts. Despite of emphasizing research in Senior High
School curriculum, many students are still encountering problems that may include, but are not
limited to organizing and writing it, providing a thesis statement, and supporting it with relevant
and adequate information. Being one of the skills needed to develop 21st century learners, it is
imperative to nurture research skills among students in order for them to become competitive in
the new milieu. As such, this study aimed to assess the perceptions of the student-respondents
towards research and the difficulties they have in conducting it. By identifying these problems,
academic leaders will be able to devise enrichment activities and supplemental materials to
augment the research-related skills of the learners.
METHODOLOGY
A quantitative-descriptive method was used in this study with validated questionnaire as
research instrument. The study made use of 197 respondents out of 389 Grade 12 students of
Buhaynasapa National High School, School Year 2017-2018, across tracks and strands. It was
obtained through random sampling with the use of Slovin’s Formula at 5% margin of error. Before
conducting the study, the researcher secured permits to authorities. She personally administered
the research instrument used. She also consulted a statistician in treating the gathered data.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
This study aimed to assess the perceptions of the student-respondents towards research
and the difficulties they have in conducting it. By identifying these problems, academic leaders
will be able to devise enrichment activities and supplemental materials to augment the researchrelated skills of the learners.
Rating the Problems
1. Problems stating the research problem?
2. In reviewing the related literature
3. Identifying appropriate research methods and procedures
4. Presenting analyzing and interpreting data
5. summarizing the findings and formulating conclusions and recommendations
RESULTS
The overall assessment of the respondents towards their perception about research
obtained the composite mean of 3.64 interpreted as strongly agree. Despite of this awareness
and relatively high perception, the findings revealed that they are still frequently encountering
difficulties in conducting it. It is evident on the generated average composite mean of 3.40
interpreted as frequently encountered. Table 1 shows the comparison of means on the difficulties
encountered by the respondents in various research-related competencies. As presented on the
table, stating the research problem got the highest composite mean of 3.46 interpreted as
frequently encountered. Likewise, they also frequently encounter difficulties in reviewing the
related literature and in identifying appropriate research methods and procedures as evidenced
on the generated composite means of 3.43 and 3.35 respectively.
Competencies related to presenting, analyzing and interpreting data, and summarizing the
findings and formulating conclusions and recommendations were least rated difficulties a
composite mean of 3.35 interpreted as frequently encountered.
DISCUSSIONS
The study revealed that students are greatly aware of the nature, characteristics and
importance of research but are still lacking of skills and competencies essential in writing it.
Specifically, competencies related to stating the research problem are the major difficulties
encountered by the respondents. Once accomplished properly, proceeding competencies will be
easier as revealed on the analyzed data. Therefore, enrichment activities and supplemental
materials should focus on these least mastered competencies.
Keywords: research, difficulties, Grade 12 students