Doing An Investigatory Project

A. Guide Questions

1. a. What topic/project do you want to work on?

b. Is it meant to solve a problem? explain a phenomenon? produce a new     gadget?  produce a new product?
c. Specifically what questions will your study answer?

2.  a. What necessary information about your topic or problem is available in reference books?
b. What studies similar to yours have been conducted before? What were the findings of those studies?
c. How does your study differ from each of them?

3. a. If your study aims to explain a certain phenomenon, what is the possible explanation.

b. If your study aims to solve a problem, what is a possible solution? (this is your hypothesis)

4. a. How will you test your hypothesis? To answer this question, design an experiment to test the hypothesis.

b. What data or information do you need to collect from your experiment to be able to judge if your hypothesis is correct or not?

5. a. What are the best ways of presenting the data that you will gather from the experiment?

b. How will you analyze and interpret the data?

6. What generalizations can be drawn from your data?

7. Is your study relevant to life? If so, how will you apply your findings in life? Think of a possible application of your findings.

B. Outline and Guide Questions

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Why did you conduct the study?

B. Statement of the Problem

1. What topic/problem did you study?

2. What specific questions did your study answer?

C. Significance of the Study

1. Who will benefit from your study?

2. How will they benefit?

D. Scope and Limitations of the Study

1. What aspects of the topic were covered by your study?

2. How long did you conduct the study?

3. What limitations of your study should other researchers know?

II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE and CONCEPTUAL FRAME WORK

A. Review of Literature

1. What information about your topic/problem is available in reference materials?

2. What findings from earlier research are relevant to your topic/problem?

B. Conceptual Framework

1. Can you describe how the key variables in your study are related?

2. Can you show that in the form of a diagram?

C. Hypothesis

What specific relationship do you believe exists between every two variables in your conceptual framework (in Part II B above)? The relationship could be a possible explanation of a phenomenon or a possible solution to a problem.

D. Definition of Terms

How should technical terms in your study be interpreted?

III. METHODOLOGY

A. 1. Can you describe the plan or design of the experiment?

    2. What is the experimental variable? the control?

B. 1. Can you describe the sample or the organisms that you worked with?

    2. How did you gather them?

C. How did you collect, organize and record the experimental data?

D. How did you analyze and interpret the data?

IV. RESULTS and FINDINGS

A. How did you present the data? What graphics (e.g. tables, graphs, diagrams) did you use to facilitate understanding of the data?

B. What do the data imply?

V. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, and RECOMMENDATIONS

A. Why is it necessary to have a brief summary of Parts 1 to IV at this point? What is the advantage of having a subsection entitled Summary of Findings in the form of a list or enumeration?

B. Do the conclusions answer each of the research problems and questions in Parts 1 and II in the previous page?

C. On what specific finding is each recommendation based?

SOME REMINDERS TO STUDENT-RESEARCHERS

1. Know the important properties of all the reagents or materials you will use. If any of these materials has harmful properties, seek appropriate supervision. And find out how to safely dispose of all materials after you finish your experiments.

2. Learn how to use safely and properly all the equipment and instruments you will use. Remember that improper use of equipment will affect the accuracy of the experimental results and may even be dangerous, considering that scientific instruments are generally fragile.

3. Make sure you thoroughly understand all procedures to be used before you begin your experiment. Go through several trial runs, not only for practice, but also to find out if there will be any need to modify the procedure or replace a material or instrument.

4. Decide how you will collect and record your data before you begin your study. It is preferable to:

4.1 record all the information, observation or data in one notebook, NOT on loose slips of paper, so that you will not lose any of the data; and

4.2 write down your observations as soon as you make them. If possible, construct tables, etc. which you can just fill in as you conduct your investigation.