Writing a Research Paper

TITLE PAGE
APPROVAL SHEET
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
DEDICATION
ABSTRACT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES

Chapter

1 INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Statement of the Problem
Hypothesis
Significance of the Study
Scope and Limitation of the Study
Definition of Terms
Conceptual Framework

2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Foreign Literature
Local Literature
Foreign Studies
Local Studies
Synthesis

3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design
Population and Sampling Procedure
Data Gathering Procedure
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4 PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

(Subtitles will be based on the statement of the problem)

5 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND

RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary of Findings
Conclusions
Recommendation

BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDICES

CURRICULUM VITAE
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PRELIMINARIES

Front – matter page number are placed ½ inch from the top, right
side. Use lower case Roman numerals for front matters. Do not indicate
number of first page of preliminaries.

A. TITLE PAGE

1. Write title in capital letters, single-spaced, inverted pyramid, 1

inch from top.
2. For other entries A Thesis presented to…, see sample for format
and contents
3. Name of researcher is written in capital letters, Complete with
middle name, 2 inches from bottom of the page.
4. Write complete with month and year, 2 spaces below the name
of the researcher, Centered.

B. APPROVAL SHEET

1. Start approval sheet 1 inch from the top. Write subtitle

APPROVAL SHEET in all capital letters, centered and bold.
2. Title of research is written in bold, capital letters without
quotation marks.
3. All entries must be double-spaced.
4. Actual date of Oral Defense which is placed in include
month, day and year.
5. All signatories are written in upper case, one space between
designation and signatories. Designation of panel members
is written in title case. Include educational attainment of
panel of examiners; e.g. Ed.D., Ed.D. (Candidate), M.A.T.
(Candidate), M.A.T., B.S.E.
6. Names of panel members come first before the name of
chairman.
7. Place a blank with the word date italized below in the
acceptance portion. The month, day and year of acceptance
shall be handwritten by the Dean as he/she signs the
copies.
8. For the contents of entries, see sample.
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C. ACKNOWLEDGMENT

i. Write Subtitle ACKNOWLEDGMENT in all capital letters,

bold, centered and 1 inch from top.
ii. Write in capital letter case the names of persons being
acknowledged use Prof. or Dr. not Mr. and Mrs.
iii. End with “YOUR INITIAL.”
iv. Use semi-colon at the end of each entry/paragraph and
period at the end of the last paragraph.

D. DEDICATION

1. Write the Subtitle DEDICATION

2. Maintain one page for the Dedication.
3. Any style maybe adopted

E. ABSTRACT

1. Title ABSTRACT is written on top in all capital letters and

bold.
2. Contents of the Abstract is written in paragraphs in a
maximum of four (4) pages.
3. The suggested contents of the paragraphs are as follows:

1st paragraph – The general objective of the research,

the variables involved, the setting and time frame of the
study
2nd paragraph – The questions answered by the
research discussed in the form of declarative statements, the
hypothesis and statistical treatments used in answering the
questions
3rd paragraph – The methodology of the study such as
the research design, subject of the study and sampling
technique, general procedure and the research instrument.
4th& 5th paragraphs – The general findings of the
research based on the questions, numbers and figures are
not necessary to mention (number of paragraph may
increase depending on the scope of research.
6th paragraph – The conclusions of the research based
on the findings.
7th paragraph – The important recommendations based
on the findings
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F. TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Subtitle TABLE OF CONTENTS is written 1 inch from top, all

capital letters, centered and bold.
2. Title of preliminaries are written in capital letters, double-spaced
with page number written in small Roman numerals.
3. Chapter numbers are written in Arabic and chapter titles in
capital letters/lower case, bold.
4. Subtitles of each chapter are written in Title case and single
space with corresponding starting page number.
5. Include end matters BIBLIOGRAPHY, APPENDICES with listing
and CURRICULUM VITAE, written in capital letters, bold.

G. LIST OF TABLES/FIGURES

1. Subtitle LIST OF TABLES/FIGURES written in all capital letters,

centered, bold.
2. Lists of tables and figures are written double-spaced between
and single-spaced within. Include table figure, and page
numbers.
3. List of Tables and List of Figures are placed in separate pages.

CONTENTS

General Format of the Chapters and other Considerations:

1. Use font size no. 12, Arial.

2. Use double space in all the discussions.
3. Start each chapter one (1) inch from the top. The chapter
title is written in capital bold type and centered.
4. Chapter number is written in Arabic.
5. Subtitle are written in capital lower case type to the left of the
page and bold. There should be a triple space before start of
each section. There is continues pagination from the 1st
page of the chapter written in Arabic on top of the right side
of the page. Page number is not reflected for every first page
of the chapter.
6. Related literature and studies should not be more than ten
(10) years beyond.
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Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION

1. Discussion at once follows after the chapter title, no

introduction of the chapter.
2. Discussions are in paragraph form starting from macro to
micro development that gives an overview of the research.
3. It includes the legal bases of the study and the personal
justifications of the researcher.
4. It may also include concepts and ideas from other sources.
Acknowledgement of source is done in Journal form.
5. It should have a maximum of four (4) pages

Background of the Study

The Background includes:

1. the discussion of the problem situation as observed and

experienced by the researcher.
2. concepts and ideas related to the problem
3. Discussion on the existing or present conditions and what is
aimed to be in the future or the gap to be filled – in by the
research.
4. It should have a maximum of two (2) pages.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

This section discusses the parameters of the research in paragraph It

answers the basic questions:

1. What – The topic of investigation and the

variables included
2. Where – The venue or the setting of the
research
3. When – The time frame by which the
study was conducted
4. Why – The general objectives of the research
5. Who – The subject of the study, the
population and sampling
6. How – The methodology of the research which
may include the research design,
Methodology and the research
instrument

It may also discuss why certain variables were not included in the
research.
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Definition of Terms

1. The section should have an introductory statement.

2. Terms or variables are enlisted and arranged on alphabetical
order, written in bold capital lower case type.
3. Each variable is given a definition written immediately after
each term in sentence form and on hanging indentions.
Retain operational definitions are necessary.

Statement of the Problem

1. The section should have an introductory statement.

2. It should enlist the specific questions answered by the
research (enumerated).

Hypothesis

1. The section should have an introductory statement

2. It should enlist the hypotheses tested in the research.
Hypothesis are stated in null hypotheses.

Conceptual Framework

1. This framework is the researchers own conceptualization of

the research using a model.
2. The conceptual model is a figurative representation of the
research framework drawn in a separate whole page in the
middle of its discussion
3. In the discussion, the researcher describes and explains the
model, the meaning of the figures, the contents and the
processes involved.
4. All the variables involved should be written in the model
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Chapter 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

The chapter is introduced first in paragraph before the first subtitle.

1. Theories, concepts and ideas that will explain the meaning

of every variable are included.
2. The section provides for the related literature and studies for
each of the variables included in the research
3. Related studies for each variable are also presented
without discussion on its parallelism to the present study.
4. The discussion also includes how the variables were
used in the present research to explain its importance.
5. The variables are arranged based on its presentation in the
model.
6. A minimum of two (2) related literature and two (2) related
studies are required for each variable

Chapter 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The chapter starts with an introductory paragraph citing the

different parts or contents of the chapter.

Research Design

This section has the following contents in paragraph discussion:

1. The research design, methods or techniques used as

defined from different sources.
2. A discussion of how this method/s was/were used in the
present study

Population and Sampling Procedure

This describes the nature or characteristics of the respondents or

subjects/participants of the study. This may include:

1. the size of the population and its important characteristics in

relation to what is studied
2. the sample size and the sampling technique used
3. the variables considered in case there are equating factors,
the strata in case of stratified sampling or percentages in
case of proportional sampling
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4. A distribution table for the respondents or graphical

presentation may be used to describe the sample size which
followed a by discussion.

Data Gathering Procedure

This section discusses in paragraph the different activities
undertaken to complete the research which follows the general procedure
of the study.

Sources of Data

1. This section deals with a detailed description of the

research instrument/s used in the research (questionnaire,
test, structured interview, observation, actual measurement
using tools or equipment and others). Response manner to
the questionnaire or test should be mentioned.

2. In case of researcher – made instruments, validation

process should be discussed and figures or results be
presented when statistical measures were used.

3. If the instrument was adopted, the author should be

recognized and source should be documented.

Chapter 4 PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

1. An introductory paragraph is provided at the start of the

chapter.
2. Subtitles of sections are based on the questions in the
statement of the problem, stated in declarative form, single-
spaced and bold.
3. Table and Figure numbers and titles are written in capital-
lower case at the center, single-spaced. Title should come
after the number, arranged in inverted pyramid.
4. Tables and figures should be in continuous numbering. It
should be presented first before the discussion. Enclosed
tables with double line on top should be used. Graphs
should be colored.
5. Discussion should follow the format: presentation of data,
analysis and interpretation then implications. Related
literature and studies may be used to support the findings.
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Chapter 5 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND

RECOMMENDATION

The chapter should have an introductory paragraph.

Summary of Findings

1. The section is introduced first.

2. Subtitles of the summary of findings should follow the
statement of the problem. Only averages or means and final
values should be mentioned.

Conclusions

1. The section is introduced first.

2. Conclusions are enlisted based on the hypothesis.

Recommendations

1. The section is introduced first.

2. Recommendations are enlisted based on the
important results.
3. It is suggested that concrete programs be the
recommendations other than general ideas.

END MATTERS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Enlist all the reference materials used in the Thesis or

Dissertation Classified into:

Books
Thesis/Dissertation
Journals/Newspapers/Magazines
Internet Materials

2. Format: Author (Surname first in alphabetical order),

title of book, publisher, place and year of publication, written
in hanging indention, single space within, double in between
each title, title of source written in bold face.
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APPENDICES

1. Letter of Appendix is separately written on top of the title,

double-spaced, all Capitals/Upper case.
2. Appendix title is written single-spaced Capital letter.
3. This may include:
Questionnaire/Test/Research Instrument & Table of
Specification
Letter Requesting for Permission to Conduct the
Study
Tables of Raw Scores
Schedule of Activities
Others

CURRICULUM VITAE

1. Title CURRICULUM VITAE is written on top in all

capital letters and bold.
2. Name of Researcher written in all Capital letters after
the title heading, the permanent address immediately
follows below in single space, centered.
3. The Curriculum Vitae will have the following major
parts: Work Experience, Educational Background and
Personal Information.