GUIDELINES TO WRITE THE RESEARCH PROJECT (Drs. Santiago and Rosa)
Title Page (Follow format of R Manual. P.80)
The title should be clear and precise statement also should be as short as possible (10 to 12 words is ideal).
CHAPTER 1
Introduction (At least 1/2 page)
The introduction should be written in one half to one page. It means, at least 8 lines. It should be clear and precise, where anyone can read explicitly the answers to the following questions: why?, what?, and where? about your research.
Why? Explain briefly, the importance of the topic that encourage you to consider as a topic to research. What? Write about the variables and what is your expectation about the topic to address.
Where? Describe the decision to choose this case of study, if before you had many options to choose from.
Background of the study
The background of the study is the theoretical history of the topic under study. There is not a restriction concerning to the space, it could be written in no less than 1 1/2 page. The last paragraph should explain de profile of the case of study.
The bibliography to be used in this part and throughout the whole thesis should not be more than 10 years of antiquity.
The background information will put the research problem into perspective. At this stage, you have to highlight all the variables of interest in the study as well as their interplay with the research problem. You can even cite few works already done in the area which prompted your investigation in that area.
Citations
Whenever you lift any idea or ideas from any referenced materials, you must duly acknowledge the source. This includes verbatim quotations, paraphrased statements, diagrams, tables etc.
Examples (positions when you quotes authors in a tesis)
a. At the beginning of the sentence, e.g. According to Swisher (1980), the following criteria are important in constructing quality questionnaires: format and layout, question writing, question sequencing and organization, and a cover letter.
b. In the middle of the sentence
e.g. Questionnaires should be short, containing only questions that yield answers that are going to actually be used in the analysis or evaluation. Avoid “interesting” and “nice to know” questions (Psacharopoulos, 1980). Also avoid including questions that appeared on prior or similar questionnaires, unless they pertain directly to the objectives of your study.
c. At the end of the sentence, e.g. Questionnaires can collect data by (1) asking people questions or (2) asking them to agree or disagree with statements representing different points of view (Babbie, 2001).
For Quotations; if the quotation is verbatim, it is enclosed in a double inverted commas or quotation marks. You have to insert the source with the page number from where the statement is lifted, e.g. Avoid Negative Questions or Double Negatives. The appearance of a negation, for example the word not, in a questionnaire item paves the way for easy misinterpretation. Double negatives in ordinary language are grammatically incorrect and confusing (Neuman, 1997). Questions with double negatives are also confusing and difficult to answer. A double negative question may ask respondents to disagree that something in a question statement is false or negative. This situation can result in “an awkward statement and a potential source of considerable error” (Sheatsley, 1983, p. 217).
When you want to cite joint authors, both names should be cited each time the publication is cited in the text, for example if it is only two authors e.g. (Rea and Parker, 1992).But when you have more than two, but less than six authors, all the authors are cited in the first time the publication appears in the text, subsequently, you can cite only the first author followed by “et al.” e.g. (Weisberg, Krosnick, and Bowen, 1996)… subsequently, it becomes Weisberg et al. (1996).
Where the authors are a corporate body, you have to give the name of the body in full in the first instance. Subsequently, citations of the publication will bear the abbreviated name e.g. National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (2012), can be abbreviated to NISR (2003).
Statement of the Problem
The statement of the problem is concise, clear and persuasive information on the subject matter of investigation as well as the variables planned for investigation. It needs to be very specific and direct. It is presented in a logical sequence. It starts with such information required for the understanding of the problem, some justifications including citations and a declarative statement or an amplification in the form of question.
Examples of educational problems are:
Effect of leadership styles on teachers’ performance
Effect of large number of student per class on secondary school' performance
What are the patterns, causes and solutions of learning problems? What are the factors affecting students’ academic achievements?
Factors contribute and wanted pregnancy of school girls
The impact of private schools stakeholders’ commitment on the academic achievement of student.
Research Questions For example write three questions in the following manner:
1. Question for the independent variable 2. Question for the dependent variable
3. Question for the relationship between the independent and dependent variable
Example:
THE ROLE OF ELECTRONING BANKING ON THE EFFECTIVE SERVICE DELIVERY IN RWANDAN COMMERCIAL BANKS.
Case of study: ECOBANK HEAD QUARTER
Research Questions
1. What is the perception of Ecobank Clients concerning to the use of electronic banking in Rwanda? 2. What is the perception of Ecobank Clients on the effective service delivery of their bank?
3. Is there relationship between electronic banking and effective service delivery in Ecobank Head Quarter in Rwanda?
Objectives
Based o the research questions, write three objectives with the sense of active voice: 1. Objective for the independent variable
2. Objective for the dependent variable
3. Objective for the relationship between the independent and dependent variable
Example:
1. Determine the perception of Ecobank Clients concerning to the use of electronic banking in Rwanda 2. Establish the perception of Ecobank Clients on the effective service delivery of their bank
3. Determine if there is relationship between electronic banking and effective service delivery in Ecobank Head Quarter in Rwanda
Hypothesis
The Research Hypothesis. It is a statement which gives an insight of what you expect to be the outcome of your study regarding the variables contained and investigated in the statement of the problem. The good statement of the hypothesis should match with the title. For instance,
The hypothesis in chapter I. is the theoretical hypothesis or hypothesis of study. It must be written in positive declarative sentences. Example:
The use of Electronic Banking plays a significant role on the Effective Service Delivery in Ecobank head quarter in Rwanda
The hypotheses in chapter IV. In this section we will state the statistical hypotheses, they are: Ho (null hypothesis), and Ha (Alternative Hypothesis). The statistical testing is based on Ho, which is stated in negative form. Testing a hypothesis means reject or accept Ho. Example:
Ho: The use of Electronic Banking does not play a significant role on the Effective Service Delivery in Ecobank head quarter in Rwanda
Ha: The use of Electronic Banking plays a significant role on the Effective Service Delivery in Ecobank head quarter in Rwanda
Purpose of the Study (Optional)
If objectives are stated, we don’t need purpose again, because Objectives and Purpose have the same orientation.
Significance of the Study
This section describe specifically, who will be beneficiated by the research, so the description could be in this way: To the researcher. Because xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx xxxxx xxx
To AUCA. Because xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxx
To other researchres. Because xxxxxxx. Xxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx
To XYZ (The Case of Study). Because xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx
Justification (or Rational) of the Study
In this section the researcher describe the necessity to address the research, even though other researcher were addressed in the same way, but the problem is still there, but you have to go beyond that other did, so we need to look for the real causes of the problem. Other case, if there is not any research conducted in the same way, so is necessary to do the current research.
Theoretical/Conceptual Framework
The theoretical framework is the structure that can hold or support a theory of a research study. The theoretical framework introduces and describes the theory that explains why the research problem under study exists. In others hands a theoretical framework consists of concepts and, together with their definitions and reference to relevant scholarly literature, existing theory that is used for your particular study. The theoretical framework must demonstrate an understanding of theories and concepts that are relevant to the topic of your research paper and that relate to the broader areas of knowledge being considered. Statistically speaking, the conceptual framework describes the relationship between specific variables identified in the study. It also outlines the input, process and output of the whole investigation. The conceptual framework contains of the operationalization of variables.
Delimitation (scope) of the study
Temporal, Geographical and Social delimitation. Delimitations are the definitions you set as the boundaries of your own thesis, so delimitations are in your control. Delimitations are set so that your goals do not become impossibly large to complete. The population you are not studying (and why not).
Limitations of the study
It is written when the thesis is finished and according to financial limitations, availability of time, lack of information on the subject, etc. Limitations of a research are potential weaknesses in your study that are mostly out of your control, given limited funding, choice of research design, statistical model constraints, or other factors. In addition, a limitation is a restriction on your study that cannot be reasonably dismissed and can affect your design and results.
Definition of Terms
Only include terms that may not be well understood by a layperson outside of your field. Information in this section is formatted in paragraphs just like information in any other sub-heading. Select the terms of your thesis statement.
CHAPTER 2
Review of related literature and studies
(In this chapter you should use as much as books and other sources as you can to support your topic, as well as, your variables, indicators, and the assumptions you will have to be verified later).
The materials must be as recent as possible (no older than 10 years ago). This is important because of the rapid social, political, scientific, and technological changes. Materials must be as objective and unbiased as possible. Materials must not be too few, but not too many. Related materials may also be cited chronologically, that is, according to the year they were written. Materials which were written earlier should be cited first before those which were written later.
Use the theses published before yours and place them chronologically order, from the last to the oldest. Here is placed the author, the year and the objective of that investigation and what they found as a conclusion.
chapter 3 research methodology
Research methodology is a systematic way to solve a problem. It is a science of studying how research is to be carried out.
Research Designs
A research design describes how you will approach the investigation for your dissertation. The design of a study defines the study type (e.g. descriptive, correlational, semi-experimental, experimental, review, meta-analytic) and sub-type (e.g., descriptive-longitudinal case study). A research design can be a specification of the operations for the testing or verification of the hypotheses under a given set of conditions and of procedures for measuring variables. It involves the selection of the population and sample. Examples can be descriptive survey, correlational, experimental, quasi-experimental, etc.
Examples:
Correlational research design (relationship between…, X and Y as a covariant of…, A correlational study of…) Survey research design (influence of …, incidence of …, perception of …, impact of …, evaluation of …, attitude of …)
Experimental research design (effect of …)
Population and Sampling Techniques
When you conduct a research study, you have a particular population in mind. Sometimes we study the entire population or we get a sample, however, some of the times, it is necessary to study the entire population. This is possible under the following conditions:
If the study involves a population of relatively few people, institutions, objects, events or things. It is better to study the entire population.
When enough time and resources are available the entire population can be studied.
Sample
A sample is a part of the population. It must be the true representative of the target population in all its parameters or characteristics.
There are two methods to get a sample from population. These methods are classified into probability sampling and non-probability sampling, from my view as statistician, it is more accuracy your findings if you get a probabilistic sample, but sometimes it is not possible.
A probability sampling is one in which chance factors determine which elements from the population will be included in the sample, all the individual subjects of the larger population equal opportunities of being selected and included as members of the drawn samples.
The probability sampling techniques include: simple random sampling, systematic sampling, stratified sampling, cluster sampling, etc.
Research Instruments (include the questionnaire)
The Health Lifestyle and Personal Control Questionnaire (HLPCQ)
This is a 26-item tool in which the respondent is asked to indicate the frequency of adopting 26 positively stated lifestyle habits using a Likert-type scale (1 = Never or rarely, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Often and 4 = Always). The introductory phrase is “How often…” There are 12 items concerning diet, 8 items referring to a daily time management, 2 items referring to organized physical exercise and 4 items referring to practices of social support and positive thinking (e.g., positive thoughts during difficulties and emptying the mind during bedtime). As stated above, items were derived from our experience with stress management/health promotion interventions used in different study populations. In the end of each intervention program participants were asked about lifestyle changes that they have noticed during the previous weeks, using the following open question: “During the previous weeks, have you noticed any changes concerning your everyday living/lifestyle?”. The 26 items presented in the HLPCQ questionnaire are the result of gathering all the qualitative data from the participants’ answers (a total of 305 participants) to the aforementioned open question. All answers without exceptions were grouped and rephrased to keep the initial participant’s meaning. Our main goal for this questionnaire was to detect and quantify lifestyle patterns that reflect health empowerment, as evidenced by the levels of stress and of the internal health locus of control. As such, validation is based upon these two characteristics, perceived stress and health locus of control, using the questionnaires described below.
BMC Public Health. 2014; 14: 995.
Published online 2014 Sep 24. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-995
Data Gathering Procedures Collection of Data
This stage aims at collecting relevant information for measuring the selected variables. It involves the construction and administration of the measuring instruments.
Techniques are: Interviews Questionnaires Observations Tests
Rating scales
Documentary sources.
Statistical Treatment of Data
Data analysis implies extracting the required information which will serve to answer the research questions or test the hypotheses from the data collected. The data collected must be reduced, arranged and presented in an organized form for easy analysis, using suitable statistical techniques. This will enable you to generate some research findings from which conclusions and generalizations are drawn.
Ethical Considerations
CHAPTER IV
Presentation of Findings, Analysis and Interpretation
Research findings from the analysis of data are discussed to justify, interpret, explain and further the development of theories for knowledge. This discussion is done in the context and direction of the information gathered in the process of literature review. You can see that literature review is very important in this respect as it makes for very sound and balanced discussion of findings.
CHAPTER V
Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations
Draw conclusions from your research findings and to make generalizations of your findings as generated from your samples to the larger population and use recommendations for possible applications to the field of education help to bring about progress that may be registered in the development and practice of education.
REFERERENCES (No less than 40 quotes which will be matched with chap. I, II III)
References or bibliographies are sources consulted. Each reference should contain name(s) of author(s), year of publication, title of the paper, journal name, volume number of the issue in which the article appeared, starting page number, end page number. In the case of a book source its author(s), year of publication, title, publishers’s name, place of publication, and edition should be given. Some examples are given below.
A sample of references from APA Style
All sources are single spaced and alphabetized according to author.
Notice that titles of books and journals are italicized while titles of articles are neither italicized nor put in quotes. And only the first word of a title and the first word of a subtitle are capitalized.
Book
Author, A.A. (Year of publication). Title of the book. Publisher City: Publisher
Healey, J. (2005). Statistics a Tool for Social Research (7th ed.) United States of America, NY: Thompson
Howitt, D. & Cramer, D. (2008). Statistics in Psychology (4th ed.) England: Prentice Hall Europe
More than two authors
Zikmund, W., Babin, B., Carr, J., and Griffin, M. (2013). Business Research Methods (9th ed.). New York: Thompson
Note: When citing a book in APA, keep in mind:
Capitalize the first letter of the first word of the title and any subtitles, as well as the first letter of any proper nouns.
The full title of the book, including any subtitles, should be stated and italicized.
Citing an e-book from an e-reader
E-book is short for “electronic book.” It is a digital version of a book that can be read on a computer, e-reader (Kindle, Nook, etc.), or other electronic device.
APA format structure:
Author, A.A. (Year of publication). Title of the book of work [E-Reaader Version]. Retrevied from http://xxx
Garson, D. (2012). Online Textbook - One of the most comprehensive statistics texts on the internet presented with a social science orientation. Retrieved from http://www2.chass.ncsu.edu/garson/pa765/statnote.htm
Withers, C. and Nadarajah S. (2008). Canonical regression models for exponential families. Journal of the
Korean Statistical Society, volume 37, pp. 119-127. Retrieved from http://www.irl.cri.nz/canonical-regression-models-exponential-families
Article in journal
Marcus, J. (1989). The asylum of Antaneus: Women, war, and madness-is there a feminist fetichism? In H. A. Vesser (Ed.), The New Historicism (pp. 132 – 151). UK: Routeledge
Klein, J. (1998, October 5). Dizzy days. The New Yorker, 40-45.
Web page
Poland, D. (1998, October 26). The hot button. Roughcut. Retrieved October 28, 1998 from http://www.roughcut.com
A newspaper article
Tommasini, A. (1998, October 27). Master teachers whose artistry glows in private. New York Times, p. B2.
A source with no known author
Cigarette sales fall 30% as California tax rises. (1999, September 14). New York Times, p. A17.
APPENDICES
QUESTIONNAIRE
Dates to deliver the requirements for your research
Date Requirements
8/1/2020 Select your Topic
22 -29/01 Introduction of the problem, Background of the study Statement of the Problem, Research Questions, Objectives, Hypothesis
02 – 12/02
Significance of the Study, Theoretical/Conceptual
Framework, Delimitation (scope) of the study, Limitations of the study and Definition of Terms
13/02 to the end Review of related literature and studies (chapter 2)
13 – 16/02
Research methodology (chapter 3). Research Designs. Population and Sampling Techniques, Research Instruments (include the questionnaire), Statistical Treatment of Data
17-29/02
Instrument that you will collect the data (Questionnaire, test, or database if you get the data from other sources that are not questionnaires)
March
Pilot sample to validate and check reliability of the instrument
Presentation of Findings, Analysis and Interpretation (chapter 4)
April Database in SPSS output
May Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations (chapter 5)
