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APP5
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
DEPARTMENT
PRACTICAL RESEARCH 2

Lesson 11:
Stating Research Questions

At the end of this course, the learners will demonstrate

1. Determine the steps in stating quantitative research
questions, and;
2. State research questions.

Dear SHS Learner,

Hello! How are you today? Are you ready to learn

a new lesson today? Ok, let’s start it by asking
questions? How often do you ask questions? For what
purpose? What are the things you need to consider?
How did you feel when your questions were answered?
Today, we are going to learn about asking
questions. But, it is about research questions. Questions
which will give direction for your research. Together,

INTRODUCTION

As a researcher, thinking of a research

problem or a topic to research on is a
beginning act in research. Another initial
research act is asking a set of specific
questions or identifying sub-problems
about your research problem (Baraceros, 2016).

A good research question forms backbone of a good

research, which in turn is vital in unraveling mysteries of nature
and giving insight into a problem. Research Question identifies
the problem to be studied and guides to the methodology. It
leads to building up of an appropriate hypothesis. Hence,
research question aims to explore an existing uncertainty in an
area of concern and points to a need for deliberate investigation.
A good research question helps support a focused arguable
thesis and construction of a logical argument. Thus, formulation
of a good research question is undoubtedly one of the first
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critical steps in the research process (Ratan, Anand & Ratan,
2018).

Directions: Arrange the scrambled words to form a correct

sentence. Write your answer on the space provided opposite the
item, write only the correct sequence in number form.

1. / replicable/ studies/ are / quantitative/ __________________

1 2 3 4

2. / are/ form/ in/ data/ quantitative/ numerical/ __________________

1 2 3 4 5 6

3. / natural/ gathering/ activity/ research/ is/ information/ of/

_______________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

4. / respondents/ quantitative/ number/ large/ requires/ of/ research/

____________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Guide Questions:

1. How did you arrange the words to form a sentence?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

2. What were your clues?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

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3. How did those clues help you?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 11: The Research Questions

Research questions (RQs) are questions derived from the

purpose that a researcher is trying to answer in a study. It will
serve as the basis for the introductory section of your final
proposal, directing your reader’s attention quickly to the issues
that your research will address. A research question should be as
specific as possible. If the purpose is quite complex, the
researcher can make two or more research questions to cover it
(Pardede, 2018). The specific questions which are to be
answered in the study are called research questions, and are all
in question form. The answer to the research questions should
lead to the solution of the research problem (Faltado, Bombita,
Boholano & Pogoy, 2016).

Guidelines in Stating Quantitative Research Questions

Thinking about a research problem or topic is the starting

point in doing your research. This if followed by stating research
questions about your research problem. The following guidelines
will help you formulate your research questions in a manner that
is acceptable to the academic community.

1. Formulate a research question that is within your subject of

interest and the one that is researchable.

2. Conduct a research on the chosen topic to find out what has

already been done and what literature already exists.

3. Construct a research problem which could find answers or

solutions to the problem being studied.

4. Make a research question which states the variables of your

study and their relationships with one another.

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5. Evaluate your research question whether it is effective or need
some revising or refining.

6. State your research question, if possible, in question form or

in interrogative manner. (Faltado, Bombita, Boholano & Pogoy,
2016)

7. Make a research question which is SMARTER.

Qualities of a Good Research Question (SMARTER)

1. SPECIFIC– means focusing on an issue for an in-depth analysis

of the problem being studied, clear and feasible.

2. MEASURABLE - means it can be analyzed by an appropriate

assessment tool such as statistical analysis.

3. ACHIEVABLE - means that it should be within the ability or

capability of the researcher carrying out the research.

4. REALISTIC – means formulating a research question within

their context or field of interest.

5. TIME-CONSTRAINED – means it can be finished within a

given time set by the researcher.

6. ETHICAL – means that it is free from deceptive practices in

research which could minimize or avoid the risk of harm to the
respondents.

7. RELEVANT – means that it is responding to the current

situation, literature or practice.

Stating Research Questions

In stating research questions, the research objective and

types of research design need to be reviewed. There are basic
research designs which are commonly used in quantitative
research, the descriptive, comparative, and correlational.
Descriptive research design is concerned with describing the
nature, characteristics and components of the population or
phenomenon. The design attempt to find general attributes of the
presently existing population and determine the frequency with
which it occurs (Faltado, Bombita, Boholano & Pogoy, 2016). On
the other hand, comparative research design deals with the
significant difference of two or more groups and correlational

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research design analyzes the relationship which exists between
and among variables.

Research questions can be stated in general and specific

form. In stating general research questions, the researcher will
focus on the highest form of specific research questions. Stating
specific research questions will be discussed in the proceeding
module on writing statement of the problem. Below are the steps
in stating the main research question for comparative and
correlational study.

1) Stating the Main Research question for Comparative Study

Step 1. Go back to your Research Title: Awareness on Corona

Virus Disease
(COVID-19) of Secondary Students

Step 2. Identify the Variables of the Study:

Demographic variables: Sex and grade level

Main variable: Awareness on corona virus disease

Step 3 Determine the Respondents of the Study: Secondary

students

Step 4: Formulate the Objective of the Study: Subject + action

verb + statistical significance + main variable + respondents +
demographic variable.

2) Stating the Main Research question for Correlational Study

Step 1: Go back to your Research Title: Awareness and Health

Practices on Covid-19 of Secondary Students

Step 2: Identify the Variables of the Study:

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 Variable A: Awareness on Covid 19
Variable B: Health practices on Covid 19

Step 3: Determine the Respondents of the Study: Secondary

students

Step 4: Formulate the Objective of the Study: Subject + action

verb + statistical significance + variable A + variable B +
respondents

Instructions: Perform Steps 1 to 4 on each given research

problem.
1. One research group sought to determine the significant
difference in the academic adjustments on senior high school
curriculum of Grade 11 students when grouped according to sex
and strand.

Step 1: Formulate research title:

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Step 2: Identify the variables of the study:

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Variable A:
__________________________________________________________________
Variable B:
__________________________________________________________________

Step 3: Determine the respondents of the study:

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Step 4: State the main research question:

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

2. A group of ABM students aimed to investigate the significant

relationship in the study habits and academic performance of
Grade 12 ABM students.
Step 1: Formulate research title:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Step 2: Identify the variables of the study:

Variable A:
____________________________________________________________
Variable B:
____________________________________________________________

Step 3: Determine the respondents of the study:

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Step 4: State the main research question:

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
_______

A research question outlines the problem that will be

addressed in the study. Its goal is to transform a broad statement
into a specific and well-defined problem.
Thus, in making research question, the researcher should bear in
mind the method to be used in the study particularly the
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research design and the statistical tools needed to analyze the
study.
In stating research question, there are important steps to
consider as well as qualities on how to come up with a good
research question. Also, always see to it that it is within your
field of interest or area of specialization so that you can relate
more and apply what you have learned from that area.

Amorado, R.V.& Talili, I.N. (2017). Qualitative Research: A

Practical Approach for Senior High School. ISBN 978-971-
821-670-5. Mutya Publishing House, Inc

Baraceros, E.L. (2016). Practical Research 2: First Edition. Rex

Bookstore

Barrot, J.S. & Sipacio, P. F. (2016). Communicate Today: English

for Academic and Professional Purposes for Senior High
School. C & E Publishing, Inc.

Faltado, R.E., Bombita, M.B., Boholano, H.B. & Pogoy, A.M.

(2016). Practical Research 2: Quantitative Research for
Senior High School. Lorimar Publishing, Inc.

Pardede, P. (2018). Identifying and Formulating the Research

Problem. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329179630_Iden
tifying_and_Formulating_the_Research_Problem

Ratan, S.K., Anand, T., & Ratan, J. (2018). Formulation of

Research Question – A Stepwise Approach. IP.
187.11.42.128. Retrieved from http://www.jiaps.com

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Practical Research 2 | Lesson 11: The Research Questions

Name: _________________________ Name of Teacher:

_______________
Grade and Section: ________________ Date: _________________________

Test I. (Written Work) Individual

Instruction: State the main research question of the given

problem.

1. A group of HUMSS students aimed to find out the significant

difference in the hygiene practices of senior high school students
when grouped according to sex and strand?

1.1 Formulate the objective of the study:

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

1.2 State the main research question:

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

2. One group of STEM students sought to determine the

significant relationship between mathematics anxiety and
academic performance in math of Grade 12 students.

2.1 Formulate the objective of the study:

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

2.2 State the main research question:

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________