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Ramon Magsasysay Technological University -7S7(-C&, 78T7NSI1N (N* T-(ININ9 1##IC7 Iba, Zambales

EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH PROPOSAL MATRIX Cover Page Table of Contents Chapter 1 The Problem and Its Setting Introduction (Need for the Study, ustification! Theoretical " Conceptual #rame$or% Problem Statement &ypotheses 'asic (ssumptions Significance of the Study )imitations of the Study *efinition of Terms Chapter + , -evie$ of -elated )iterature (Can have sections deemed necessary! Chapter . /aterials and /ethods -esearch *esign Sub0ect Selection 1utcome /easures Conditions of Testing Treatments *ata (nalysis 2plus 22 Chapter 3 presentation should follo$ the same se4uence and topics as that presented in Chapter .5 22 Chapter 3 , -esults #indings -elative to problem Summary of *ata Tests of Significance Chapter 6 , *iscussion 2'ibliography (ppendices

ELEMENTS Cover Page #ollo$ the style prescribed by the style manual suggested by the university, department or adviser5 Title , Should contain %ey $ords or phrases to give a clear and concise description of the scope and nature of the report, and %ey $ords should allo$ bibliographers to inde: the study in proper categories (;an *alen, 1<=<>3?@!5 , Indicate ma0or variables , Indicate nature of research 2 descriptive 2 correlational 2 e:perimental , Indicate target population , (void $ords li%e> A( Study of55555555B A(n Investigation of 55555555B A( Survey of 55555555B , 7:ample dissertation title> A( Process for *etermining ;ocational Competencies for the Performance of 7ssential (ctivities for the Sales #unction by Sales Personnel in the #eed Industry and the )oci in Chich the Competencies Could 'e Taught5B ournal article title for the above> AChat *oes It Ta%e To Sell #eedDB Table of Contents #ollo$ appropriate style 9ives birdEs,eye vie$ of dissertation or thesis Not AgenerallyB provided in reports, papers or articles Cha ter ! " The Pro#lem an$ Its Setting Introduction , , , , , , Provide reader $ith necessary bac%ground and setting to put the problem in proper conte:t5 )ets the reader see the basis for the study5 ustifies and convinces the reader that the study is needed5 'e factual,,statements, opinions and points of vie$ should be documented5 Provide a logical lead,in to a clear and concise statement of the problem5 Four Asales pitch5B

In a proposal for funding, address capabilities and capacity of individuals and agency"institution in this section5

Theoretical " Conceptual #rame$or% The theoretical frame$or% consists of theories, principles, generaliGations and research findings $hich are closely related to the present study under investigation5 It is in this frame$or% $here the present research problem understudy evolved5 (uthors of these theories and principles should be cited5 (s much as possible research findings and theories should be correct5 The conceptual frame$or% is the schematic diagram $hich sho$s the variables included in the study5 (rro$s or line should be properly placed and connected bet$een bo:es to sho$ the relationship bet$een the independent and dependent variables5 (ll the independent and dependent variables should be clearly discussed and e:plained ho$ these $ould influence the results of the study5

Statement of the Problem Characteristics of properly stated problems $ill be discussedH see notes5 Clearly describe the problem to be researched5 1b0ectives of the Study " &ypothesis , , , , , , , See notes on A1b0ectives and &ypothesisB for details 'est located after the statement of the problem in descriptive research Indicates the data to be collected /a%e clear the direct connection bet$een specific ob0ectives and hypotheses and related literature and theory Controversial as to $hether or not null hypotheses go here or in Chapter 35 -ely upon $ishes of adviser and committee, if a thesis or dissertation5 If a study is descriptive, ob0ectives or research 4uestions can be used here5 If the study is e: post facto or e:perimental, hypotheses must be used5

'asic (ssumptions , , , , *o not ma%e assumptions about procedures (or hypotheses! (ccepted $ithout thought of immediate proof Propositions for $hich no information can be made available $ithin the scope of the study (re a:iomatic in that they are propositions that virtually every reasonable person

, , , ,

is ready to adopt but $hich cannot be proven5 Type of assumption most commonly stated e:plicitly is one that is limited in its nature and serves to hold the siGe or scope of an investigation $ithin its prescribed boundaries (puts parameters around the study!, e5g5, study $ill deal $ith secondary students not post,secondary Isually made $hen the argument rests on a priori reasoning, but can be made on basis of present %no$ledge on research $hich is as yet incomplete (Specific 4ualifications must be made in the conclusions of the research report in $hich assumptions are made5! 1ught to be clearly stated Protects researcher, e5g5, %eeps someone from saying, A1h, I thought you $ere studying 8FJ, too5B (ssumptions are not hypotheses &ypotheses are propositions to be investigated and are the very sub0ect of the problemH so, do not ma%e assumptions about them5

)imitations of the Study , , SummariGe limitations brought about by the procedures of the study *escribe the procedural limitations in detail in the appropriate sectionH 0ust summariGe here

Significance of the Problem , , , , , , , , These arguments can be presented in the A'ac%ground and SettingB section5 This does not need to be a special section5 Kno$ledge relating to the theory that 5555555 Ne$ products, e5g5, instrument, instructional material, etc5 Cho ($hat individuals or groups! can use this ne$ %no$ledge or information yielded by the research to change or improve the present situationD &o$ $ill the study contribute to the improvement of the professionD Indicate ho$ the results can be generaliGed beyond the bounds of study Can use the arguments of others (e:pert opinion! $ho call for an investigation of the problem (properly documented, of course!5 Can use conflict in findings of related research as 0ustification for the study5 'e sure it is documented in -evie$ of )iterature5 Ise if, then (hypothetical,deductive! logic

*efinition of Terms , , , , *efine terms in the conte:t $here they $ill be used , provide operational definitions as $ell as constitutive definitions5 Include a list of definitions for terms and concepts that have significant meaning for the study5 Constructed in listing form , li%e a dictionary, not prose form *o not define generally understood concepts, principles and concerns, e5g5,

vocational education, secondary education, adult education5 /uch of the specific information about the terms $ill be presented in other appropriate sections of the proposal

Cha ter % & Revie' o( Relate$ Literat)re (5 Provides tentative solutions to the problem or tentative ans$ers to the 4uestions5 (Could be publishable! '5 Indicates the theory on $hich the study is basedH criti4ue and $eigh studies as theory is built5 (Teeter,totter e:ample! C5 Provides the rationale for the hypotheses and variables therein *5 1rganiGed and $ritten in reference to the specific ob0ectives of the study 75 Proposals generally do not include as a complete revie$ as does the report5 #5 Consists of t$o phases 15 Problem e:ploration , definition stage 2 Conducted before proposal preparation to identify problem 2 Provides dimensions and limits of the problem area 2 *efines e:tent to $hich solution or ans$er is already %no$n 2 &elps discern AChat do $e %no$ the least aboutDB 2 Identifies possible procedures (design, instrumentsH analyses! for conducting the study +5 Proposal Criting , See (,7 above 95 -eporting -elated )iterature $ill follo$ in the course Cha ter * " Materials an$ Metho$s (Some $riters call this chapter A/ethodologyB! -7P)IC(TI1N is the %ey $ord to %eep in mind $hen $riting this chapter5 -esearchers must provide accurate, detailed descriptions of ho$ the research $as done so it could be replicated (redone! by others5 Fou should provide e:planations that $ill enable the reader to reproduce the e:act conditions of the original study5 ( rather e:tensive e:planation should be provided so that readers understand $hy and ho$ you are going to do the research (in a final report!5 Four procedures should ans$er 4uestions or test hypotheses as efficiently, economically and validly as possible5

S7CTI1NS The sections of research design, sub0ect selection, outcome measures, conditions of testing, treatments and data analyses $ill encompass most methodological activities that need to be described5 7ach section $ill be described separately5 -esearch *esign *escribe the type of research to be conducted, i5e5, survey, e: post facto, 4uasi, e:perimental, etc5 This section is utiliGed to describe ho$ you $ill set up your study to observe the hypothesiGed relationship5 *escribe the steps you $ill ta%e to address the hypotheses in operational terms5 *escribe $hat intervening variables might affect the dependent variable(s! other than the independent variable, i5e5> , (nalyGe the internal validity of the study (discussed later in the course! , (lso, discuss threats to e:ternal validity (discussed later in the course! , *escribe ho$ your study $ill measure or control these threats given the A)imitations of the Study5B The description of the design for descriptive studies is generally easy to describe, $hile the validity is not5 *escribe non,respondent follo$,up procedures and procedures to compare respondents $ith non,respondents5 ( study may involve more than one purpose5 Clearly indicate $hich design is to address each ob0ective5 The description of the research design for correlational or e: post facto research is easy to describe, but particular attention must be directed to alternative or rival e:planations (intervening variables!5 The research design for e:perimental and 4uasi,e:perimental research is often 4uoted directly from Campbell and Stanley (or others! and analyGed by their threats to validity5 Chat e:perimental controls $ere utiliGedD Schematic (graphic! diagrams often aid in understanding the design5 *efine the symbols you use5 Sub0ect Selection The population to be studied is first identified and ho$ a sampling fame (list of elements in the population! $ill be developed5 Is there frame errorD 7:plain $hy this population is appropriate for this study5 Note any discrepancies bet$een e

e:perimentally accessible population and the target population5 The sampling procedure is described5 -elate ho$ the sample $as selected and your reasons for selecting any stratifying variables, if they $ere employed5 *escribe the sampling plan5 *escribe the siGe of the sample, and ho$ it $as determined and the rationale for the siGe5 Sampling units should be identified5 *ata describing the characteristics of the sub0ects that are relevant to the study should be providedH and, if available, data from the population to enable the reader to 0udge the representativeness of the sample5 *escribe $hat $ill be done $ith sub0ects that decline to participate, drop out, or do not participate in all parts of the study5 Chat $ill be done about non, respondentsD Chat $ill be done about non,residentsD Chat $ill be done about incomplete 4uestionnaires or ones $ith obvious response sets, lying, cheating or unans$ered itemsD (ll affect the population to $hom one can generaliGe the results, i5e5, the e:ternal validity of the study5 1utcome /easures /easurement of the dependent variable(s! is one %ey to your study5 Instruments are operational definitive for variables5 Techni4ues or instruments used to measure the dependent variable(s!, outcome, must be carefully described in terms of> 15 ;alidity , *oes the instrument or techni4ue measure $hat it purports to measure $ith this groupD +5 -eliability , Chatever the instrument or techni4ue measures does it do so consistently $ith this groupD .5 Suitability , Itility must be high for sub0ects to $hom administered5 If $ell,%no$n instruments are used, one can generally briefly describe them, and their reliability and validity, and refer the reader through citation to references $here more thorough detailed discussions can be found5 If the researcher is developing the instrumentation, then validity and reliability must be established5 The instrument should be pilot and"or field tested5 The researcher should describe ho$ this $as done5 ( field test can locate potential suitability problem areas5 (ppendi: copies of the instruments to the proposal5 The -evie$ of )iterature can be utiliGed to verify the concepts"theory under study and the scope of the measurement methods to assess the concepts5 This

section should establish the operational lin% bet$een these concepts"theory and the measurement5 If you use intervie$ers or observers, ho$ $ere they trainedD Chat $ere their inter,rater and intra,rater reliabilitiesD Conditions of Testing *escribe $hen, $here and under $hat conditions the data $ere gathered, the number of times and order in $hich instruments $ere used, and the time allotted for the data collection5 *escribe the verbal and $ritten directions provided to the sub0ects5 incentives used to encourage responseD Cere

'e specificM Chen you describe $hen, ta%ing a test after lunch, after another test, etc5, may e:plain variance more than the 4uarter or date5 *uring the actual data gathering, testing, monitor events so they can be e:plained to the reader5 If instruments are potentially reactive, $hat precautions $ill be ta%en to minimiGe this threat5 Treatments &o$ $ere the independent variables administeredD Chat $as done to the sub0ectsD *escribe all levels so that they are replicable5 Cere any methods employed and abandoned because they $ere valuelessD Kerlinger describes ma:imiGing the differences bet$een the levels of the independent variable5 ( typical shortcoming is comparing a Ane$B methods $ith a AtraditionalB or AconventionalB method of doing something, and the researcher describes at length the Ane$B method but not the AtraditionalB method5 &o$, really, are they differentD If attribute variables are used in the design, identify them and the number of levels of each and briefly describe the rationale for the selection of the attribute variables (more thorough e:planation should be in the A-evie$B!5 *ata (nalysis Statistical techni4ues are tools selected because of your design, not vice versa5 *escriptive and inferential analyses are provided to address each facet of the hypothesis, null hypothesis, ob0ective or problem5 &ave foresightM Chat is the

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easiest $ay to collect, code and analyGe your dataD Chy $ere these methods of analysis employedD significance selectedD Chy $as this level of

#or each statistical method used, present evidence indicating that the basic assumption underlying its use have been met5 #or e:ample, a Pearson Product /oment Correlation (r! assumes both linearity and homoscedasticity, so you $ould al$ays need to construct a scatterplot $henever you use r to sho$ these assumptions are met5 Statistics courses provide you $ith these s%ills and understandings5 -emember, select statistics that ans$er the 4uestion(s! involved $ith the study5 They serve research, not dominate it5 Nothing is gained in using complicated statistics that happen to be in AvogueB if simple ones $ill do 0ust as $ell5 Specify $hat analysis $ill be used for each ob0ective5 The proposer may find it beneficial to provide, as an appendi:, sample s%eletons of the tables and figures that $ill appear in Chapter 3 as a result of the analysis5 Proposal readers, committee members, etc5, often find this beneficial in conceptualiGing $hat $ill be produced by these analysis techni4ues5