Chapter One Help Sheet
THE WRITING PROCESS FOR CHAPTER ONE:
Your chapter is entitled Introduction and Background.
– Description of the Problem
– Purpose of the Research
– The Research Questions
– Significance of the Problem – Definition of Operational Terms
How to Organize Your Chapter One:
1. Chapter One
2. Introduction and Background
3. Introduction
Introduce your chapter in a brief paragraph by providing a summary of what this chapter will be about and the key areas to be addressed (description of the problem, purpose of the research, research questions, significance of the problem and definition of operational terms).
4. Description of the Problem
• Detail at least three (3) clear ways that the problem manifested itself in separate paragraphs.
• Share at least two clear ways that the problem impacts on teaching and learning: —the students (those who demonstrate the problem and/or those who do not manifest the problem)
—you the teacher
• Include at least one source to substantiate your problem or its impact.
Purpose of the Problem –(must encompass your two research questions) Examples:
1. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the challenges that a set of grade nine students experience with understanding social issues in Social Studies. In this process of exploration the researcher’s aim is to use Cooperative Learning to enhance the teaching learning process, thereby optimize students’ understanding. The aforementioned will be achieved by providing answers to the research questions (see the link to the RQs below at number 5).
2. The purpose of this research is to investigate the challenges students experience with solving worded mathematical problems at the grade seven level (link to problem). It also
seeks to explore how will the use of the BUCK System improve students’ ability to solve worded mathematical problem at the same grade level (link to strategy).
3. The purpose of this quantitative study will be to investigate the extent to which grade nine students are having difficulties with subject verb agreement. In this process of investigation, the researcher’s aim is to use auditory stimuli to improve the teaching learning process, thereby optimize student’s grades. The aforementioned will be achieved by providing answers to the research questions.
The Research Questions – You are encouraged to write two research questions for the purpose of this research. One question should be linked to the problem and the other question should be linked to the strategy. Example (Qualitative):
1. Problem
What are the challenges students experience in understanding the topic of Social Issues in Social Studies at the grade nine level?
2. Strategy
How will the use of Cooperative Learning improve students’ understanding of the topic, Social Issues, in Social Studies, at the grade nine level?
Example (Quantitative)
Problem
1. What are the causes associated with students not understanding arithmetic at the grade nine level?
Strategy
2. To what extent will the audio-visual strategy improve grade nine students understanding of arithmetic?
7. The Significance of the Study – This answers the questions; which stakeholders will benefit? What are the ways in which each stands to benefit?
• Detail a paragraph for each at least three (3) named stakeholders, explaining how each will benefit from your research should they be involved in the process, or be exposed to your research.
Examples of Stakeholders:
o Students
o Teacher-researcher (you who are carrying out the research or any other in your position)
o Future Researchers
o Teachers (of the subject or teachers in general)
o School Administrators o Curriculum Planner o Parents o Community Members
…..and any other stakeholder of importance to you the researcher.
Important: It is very critical to note that ‘students’ and ‘teacher-researcher’ must be included as stakeholders to benefit in this section since students will be directly involved as participants and you will be directly involved as teacher and researcher.
8. Definition of Operational Terms
• Define your problem using a scholarly source and then say what it means in the context of your research.
• Define your strategy using a scholarly source then say what it means in the context of your personal research.
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