Inquiries, Investigations
and Immersion
Quarter 3 – Module 1:
Brainstorming for Research Topics
Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 3 – Module 1: Brainstorming for Research Topics
First Edition, 2020
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Inquiries, Investigations
and Immersion
Quarter 3 – Module 1:
Brainstorming for Research Topics
Introductory Message
This Self-Learning Module (SLM) is prepared so that you, our dear learners,
can continue your studies and learn while at home. Activities, questions, directions,
exercises, and discussions are carefully stated for you to understand each lesson.
Each SLM is composed of different parts. Each part shall guide you step-bystep as you discover and understand the lesson prepared for you.
Pre-tests are provided to measure your prior knowledge on lessons in each
SLM. This will tell you if you need to proceed on completing this module or if you
need to ask your facilitator or your teacher’s assistance for better understanding of
the lesson. At the end of each module, you need to answer the post-test to self-check
your learning. Answer keys are provided for each activity and test. We trust that you
will be honest in using these.
In addition to the material in the main text, Notes to the Teacher are also
provided to our facilitators and parents for strategies and reminders on how they can
best help you on your home-based learning.
Please use this module with care. Do not put unnecessary marks on any part
of this SLM. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises and tests. And
read the instructions carefully before performing each task.
If you have any questions in using this SLM or any difficulty in answering the
tasks in this module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator.
Thank you.
What I Need to Know
You have learned the step-by-step procedure in writing a qualitative and
quantitative research in your previous subjects – Practical Research 1 and 2,
respectively. As a culminating activity, Inquiries, Investigations and
Immersion is designed to heighten your critical thinking and problem-solving
skills through conducting another meaningful study. This particular module
is designed to assist you in choosing a significant topic that will benefit your
area of interest.
After this module, you are expected to:
1. identify issues and ideas in respective track or strand;
2. formulate a suitable research topic related to a track or strand; and
3. write a research plan about the selected research topic.
1
What I Know
There are 15 words that are possible sources for a research topic hidden in
the wordsquare below. Words appear vertically, horizontally, diagonally,
backwards and forwards. Search for these words and write your answers on
your notebook.
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Lesson
1
Brainstorming for
Research Topics
One of the most important considerations for every research is selecting a
research topic. A research topic serves as the basis of each research
undertaking. It directs how the research will be carried out.
A good researcher must carefully choose a topic that is doable and significant
to a certain discipline or field. Many researchers find selecting a research topic
a difficult task. Some do it through brainstorming or by observing their
surroundings.
In this module, you will be guided on how to easily choose a research topic
from your area of interest.
What’s In
Taking into consideration your experiences from your previous research
subjects, decide whether each sentence must be a criterion in choosing a good
research problem. On your notebook, write YES if the statement can be
considered as a criterion and NO if otherwise.
A research topic should…
1. be original.
2. be ambiguous.
3. fill in a research gap.
4. be costly and ambitious.
5. be general and not specific.
6. arouse intellectual curiosity.
7. be within the researcher’s interest.
8. make use of ineffective research instrument.
9. be completed beyond the given period of time.
10. be insignificant to the field of study or discipline.
3
Notes to the Teacher
This module will guide the learners about the things to
consider in choosing a research topic. There are also simple
steps included in this module to help them choose their
topics. A simple research paper relevant to their strand or
track will be the final output of this subject.
4
What’s New
A common challenge when beginning to write a research paper is determining
how to narrow down your topic. To assist you in the selection process, here
are some guidelines given by Baraceros (2016:38-39):
1. INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT MATTER
Being interested in a topic is usually due to the richness of your
stock knowledge about it or because of its familiarity to you.
Curiosity about an issue/topic is one of the factors that motivate
a person to unravel the unknown in a topic. Thus, the
researcher’s interest increases the possibility of the success of
the study.
2. RICHNESS OF AVAILABLE SOURCES OR SUPPORTING
EVIDENCES
One of the things that you should do is to collect a lot of
information on your topic of interest. This enables you to find
evidences that would support your topic. You must ensure that
your sources come from a wide variety of literature such as
books, journal, periodicals, online articles, etc. Hence, going to
the library and surfing the internet are some of the activities
that you should do as a researcher.
3. TIMELINESS AND RELEVANCE OF THE TOPIC
Your topic should be relevant and timely. A topic is relevant if it
serves as an instrument in improving the society or if it answers
or solves current issues which are some of the reasons why
research is conducted.
5
4. LIMITATIONS OF THE SUBJECT
Aside from your interest, you must also consider the significance
of the topic in your track and strand. Remember that research is
conducted to contribute something valuable to a particular area
or discipline.
5. PERSONAL RESOURCES
Prior to finalizing your chosen topic, you must assess your
research abilities as a student. You may do so by taking your
financial capability, health condition, personal qualifications
and trainings as a researcher, needed facilities and time
allotment into account. It is important that all of these aspects
are considered in order for you to guarantee the
accomplishment of your research.
6
What is It
Now that you have learned the considerations in formulating a research
problem, here are the steps that will guide you trim down your area of interest.
1. Focus on your track, strand or area of specialization.
• For example:
HUMSS
2. Recall the specific area, lesson or issue in your respective
field or strand that has piqued or aroused your interest the
most.
• Public Speaking
3. Generate an unanswered question or an unresolved
problem from your chosen area or lesson.
• Why do people feel anxious when speaking in public?
4. Assess the question or problem based on the five guidelines
stated above.
• I'm interested in the topic.
• There are available sources of data.
• It is timely and relevant.
• It will contribute to my strand.
• It is doable considering my personal resources.
5. Write your research problem.
• Factors Affecting the Speaking Anxiety of Students
7
When formulating an effective research title, take the following guidelines into
consideration:
1. Indicate accurately the subject and scope of the study.
2. The title must be limited to 10 to 15 substantive words. Conjunctions (and,
but, because), prepositions (in, on, at) and articles (the, a, an) are not
counted.
3. Do not include analysis of, study of, an investigation of and the like.
4. The title must be in the phrase form.
5. Avoid title that gives too much information.
8
What’s More
A. Match the following descriptions in column A to their respective guidelines
in choosing a research topic in column B. Write the letter of the correct answer
on your notebook.
A
B
1. This refers to the
researcher’s abilities,
financial capacity, resources
in terms of instruments,
facilities and time frame.
2. This refers to the social
applicability and
appropriateness of the topic
to the current situation.
3. This refers to an individual’s
interest in a topic driven by
his or her schema about it.
4. This refers to the availability
of needed resources as
evidence for the topic.
5. This refers to the topic’s
contribution to a particular
field or discipline.
a. limitations of the subject
b. personal resources
c. interest in the subject matter
d. timeliness and relevance
e. richness of available resources or
supporting evidences of
appropriateness
f. intellectual ability
9
B. Arrange the following steps in correct sequence using numbers 1-5. Write
your answers on your notebook.
6. Write your research problem.
7. Generate an unanswered question or an unresolved problem from your
chosen area or lesson.
8. Recall the specific area, lesson or issue in your respective field that has
piqued your interest the most.
9. Assess the question or problem based on the five guidelines stated
above.
10. Focus on your track, strand or area of specialization.
C. Read each statement below carefully. On your notebook, put a if
statement is correct and if
otherwise.
11. The title must include the accurate scope of the study.
12. Choose a title that is a sentence than a phrase.
13. Very long titles are preferable than short ones.
14. If possible, titles must not exceed 15 substantive words.
15. Analysis of, A Study of, An Investigation and the like are not
encouraged.
10
the
What I Have Learned
Test your wits and complete the paragraphs below by sharing your learnings
from the previous discussions. Write your answers on your notebook.
(15 points)
When deciding on a research topic, there are guidelines that we must
follow.
These
are
______________,
______________,
______________,
______________, and ______________. These guidelines must be considered
because __________________________________.
The research topic must be simple and specific enough for us to
accomplish it with consideration of our limitations and within the given period
of time. To attain this, first we have to ________________________ and then
________________________. After this, we must ________________________ to be
followed by ________________________. To complete the procedure, we can now
________________________.
11
What I Can Do
Think of at least two specific research topics from the broad topics listed below
following the guidelines explained above. Write your answers on your
notebook. (5 points each)
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
Fingerprinting
Ethics and Genetics
Humans and Wildlife
Malnutrition
Psychology of Plastic Surgery
Vaccines
Violence
Racism
Sex Education
Social Media
Terrorism
Online Learning
Gender Roles
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
DNA
Insecticides
Export and Import
Intermittent Fasting
Food Nutrition
Privacy Issues
Mobile Games
Computer Literacy
Online Selling
Accounting System
Marketing Strategies
Technology and Business
Thermal Insulation
For example:
Broad Topic: Online Selling
Specific Topic: Influence of Internet Based Marketing Activities on
Digital Consumer’s Mind
1. Broad Topic: __________________________________________________________
Specific Topic: ________________________________________________________
2. Broad Topic: __________________________________________________________
Specific Topic: ________________________________________________________
12
Assessment
A. Let us apply the five steps mentioned previously for you to arrive on your
specific research topic. Answer the following questions briefly on your
notebook. (2 points each)
STEPS IN SPECIFYING THE
RESEARCH TOPIC
ANSWER
1. What is your track and strand?
2. What is the specific lesson or issue
in your track and strand that has
piqued your interest the most?
3. What is the unanswered question or
unresolved problem, or issue involved
in the lesson or issue?
4. Assess the question or problem
based on the five guidelines.
•
•
•
•
•
5. If all of your answers are yes, then
write down your specific research
problem. If no, reevaluate your research
question or problem.
13
Is it within your interest?
Yes___No____
Are there available data,
resources and evidences that
will support the topic?
Yes___No____
Is it timely and relevant?
Yes___No____
Will it contribute to your track
and strand?
Yes___No____
Is it within your personal
resources?
Yes___No____
B. Based on the research problem that you have written above, write your
research plan by answering the following questions on the table below.
Answer briefly on your notebook. (2 points each)
RESEARCH PLAN
1. Research Problem:
(What is your research problem?)
2. Rationale:
(Why do you want to conduct this study?)
3. Significance:
(Why is it important to be conducted?)
4. Objective:
(What is your goal to achieve in this study?)
5. Method and Design:
(Is it a quantitative or a
qualitative study?)
Respondents:
(Who or what will be the source of your
data?)
Sample Size:
(How many respondents does your study
need?)
Sampling Technique:
(How will you choose your respondents or
source of data?)
14
Additional Activities
Using the guidelines stated above, formulate a tentative research title based
on your chosen research problem in Assessment. Write your title on your
notebook. (15 points)
Tentative
Title:
Research
Problem:
The checklist below will guide you in assessing the tentative title you have
written. However, the research title may still be changed along the course of
the study.
Self-Assessment Checklist
1. Is it original?
2. Is it concise?
3. Is it clear?
4. Is it specific?
5. Does it reflect the topic to be explored?
15
YES
NO
Rubric for What I Have Learned
5
Criteria/
Excellent/
Indicators
Outstanding
Completeness
answers
of All of the
sections were
answered
Quality of answers All of the
responses were
discussed
substantially
and
comprehensively
Appropriateness
All of the
of answers
responses
correspond to
the needed
information in
all of the
sections
3
Satisfactory
1
Needs
Improvement
Two sections
were
unanswered
Some of the
responses were
discussed
substantially
and
comprehensively
Some of the
responses
correspond to
the needed
information in
some of the
sections
None of the
sections were
answered
None of the
responses were
discussed
substantially
and
comprehensively
None of the
responses
corresponds to
the needed
information in
all of the
sections
3
Satisfactory
1
Needs
Improvement
The research
problem is
slightly practical
and may be
doable
The research
problem is
slightly
ambiguous
The research
problem is
completely
impractical and
undoable
The research
problem is still
broad
Rubric for What I Can Do
Criteria/Indicators
5
Excellent/
Outstanding
Feasibility of
Research Problem
The research
problem is
practical and
doable
Specificity of
Research Problem
The research
problem
uniquely
belongs to a
specific area of
the topic
16
Timeliness
Relevance of
Research Problem
The research
problem is
highly
significant at
the time being
The research
problem is
slightly
significant at the
time being
The research
problem is
insignificant at
the time being
Rubric for Additional Activity
Criteria/
Indicators
Originality
The title is
new
and
different
from what
has already
been
written
about.
(4 points)
15 POINTS
Clarity
Conciseness
The title is The title is not
clear
and stuffy and dull but
straightgives readers some
forward.
idea at the outset
(4 points)
of
what
the
research
will
contain.
(4 points)
Specificity
The
title
demonstrates
elements that
point out the
angle
of
inquiry.
(3 points)
SCORE
TOTAL
17
This section will
be checked by
the teacher.
This section will be
checked by the
teacher.
Assessment:
Additional Activities:
What’s More:
18
What I Can Do:
This section will
be checked by
the teacher.
What’s In:
1. B
2. D
3. C
4. E
5. A
6. 5
7. 3
8. 2
9. 4
10. 1
11. – 15. This
section will
be checked
by the
teacher.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
YES
NO
YES
NO
NO
YES
YES
NO
NO
NO
What I Have
Learned:
This section will be
checked by the
teacher.
What I Know:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
theories
philosophy
observation
intuition
interest
specialization
problems
needs
literature
advice
conversation
Answer Key
References
Avilla, Ruel A. Practical Research 1. Makati City: Diwa Learning Systems Inc., 2016,
3-7.
Baraceros, Esther L. Practical Research 1. Manila, Philippines: Rex Book Store, 2016.
Prieto, Nelia G, Naval, Victoria C., and Carey, Teresita G. Practical Research 2 for
Senior High School. Metro Manila, Philippines: Lorimar Publishing, Inc., 2017,
29-31.
Slideshare.net. “Identifying and Stating the Problem.” Last modified July 6, 2020.
http://www.slideshare.net/mobile/CarlaKristinaCruz/chapter-2-identifyingand stating-the-problem
Tomar, Malvika. “Influence of Internet Based Marketing Activities on Digital
Consumer’s Mind.” International Journal of Management 11 2020: 1. Accessed
January 24, 2020. doi: 10.34218/IJM.11.6.2020.111
19
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