LESSON 3

CHAPTER I

    * INTRODUCTION Introduction (untitled)
    * Statement of the Problem
    * Research Goals
    * Background and Significance
    * Limitations
    * Assumptions
    * Procedures
    * Definition of Terms
    * Overview of Chapters

Description

    * Sections of CHAPTER I Introduction leads the reader into the study.
    * Statement of the Problem tells what the researcher hopes to do.
    * Research Goals provide the directions or framework to solve the problem.
    * Background and Significance provides information from where the problem arises.
    * Limitations set boundaries of the study.

Importance of the Introduction Section

    * It provides a context (setting) for the problem.
    * It is about three paragraphs to acquaint the reader to the problem.
    * It can be supported with references.
    * The Introduction introduces the reader to the research area so s/he will not be thrown into it cold.
    * The Introduction prepares the individual for the study.
    * The Introduction creates interest to read the study.

Statement of the Problem

    * This section of the chapter should be primarily a declarative sentence.
    * It should be written in operational terms - expand the statement using variables that will be analyzed or manipulated.
    * The title of the study is a shortened version of the problem statement.

Research Goals

    * They are a form of sub-problems used to guide the solving of the problem.
    * Two Types
          o Hypothesis
          o Research Questions or Objectives

Background and Significance

    * Background summarizes where the study arose.
    * Significance supports the need for the study.
    * References should be used in both parts.

Ways of Supporting Significance

    * Presenting the supporting statements of other researchers.
    * Revealing the lack of information about the topic.
    * Showing the time lapses between the previous research studies on the same topics.
    * Revealing that there are gaps in the knowledge supplied by other research studies.

Categories of Limitations

    * Set the boundaries for the study.
    * Conceptual (terms - training, tutorials, occupational education, etc.)
    * Methodological (age, school site, socio-economic, methods used to collect data, methods used to treat the data, etc.)

Sections of CHAPTER I

    * Continued . . . Assumptions theorize what the researcher believes is true within the circumstances of the study.
    * Procedures tell briefly how the study is going to progress.
    * Definition of Terms defines words that have special meaning to the study.
    * Overview of Chapters summarizes what has been said and explains to the reader what is to come.

Table of Contents

      Approval Page
      Table of Tables
      Table of Figures
      CHAPTERS
         1. Introduction
                  Statement of the Problem
                  Hypothesis
                  Background and Significance
                  Limitations
                  Assumptions
                  Procedures
                  Definition of Terms
                  Overview of Chapters
         2. Review of Literature
         3. Methods and Procedures
         4. Findings
         5. Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations

Bibliography
Appendices

Review

    * Research Methods in Education What are the accepted titles of the five chapters of a research paper?
    * What are the three major types of research?
    * What are two ways of writing research goals?
    * Which method is most convenient for documenting research?