Chapter I

The Problem and its Background

Introduction:

Writing thesis is a difficult and challenging work, even in the best

possible circumstances. It becomes outright impossible if they do not care about

the subject. If, on the other hand, a problem just would not leave them alone until

they have sorted it out, if they stay up until the hours because they cannot put

down the research paper they are reading, then perhaps they have made a good

choice. Research is a study subject in some of the under-graduate courses and

most of the post-graduate courses. Research is conducted to address a particular

issue.

According to Cole and Beigelow (1935) cited by William R.H. (2011) a

thesis may be defined as the report of a scholar upon some piece of research

which he has completed .It is the culmination of a devious process extending from

the initial insights into the opportunity for investigation to the insertion of the

final footnote.

Merton (2011) cited that research contributes to the development of

theory. It clarifies concepts; it initiates; it reformulates; and refocuses theory.

Basically, this study went on this direction. It generated results that were

substantiated by legitimate authorities. It is backed up by sophisticated statistical

analysis that is two-tailed t-test. Eventually it led to a conclusion thereby

clarifying concepts and going a step further leaped to a theory.

Fox (2012) wrote that the pure theoretical type of research is conducted

for the sake of knowing. Its main objective is to test or arrive at a theory with the

ultimate goal of establishing general principle. Whatever knowledge it gains, is

not intended for any practical purposes such as improving the lot of the poor or

solving a social problem. Making thesis provides a bridge between theory and

practice. Fox is right in claiming that a thesis is a bridge linking the responses to a

predictive theory, hence the researcher quoted him.

Fisher (2010) said that step of researching the study collection of data,

using the right methods and techniques can help the researcher in a more

economical way of doing it. A methodic approach enabled the investigators to

collect, analysed, and interprets.

It is noteworthy that Ferre (2009) said that when choosing a topic a

researcher must select one that will interest and captivate their attention. This

factor is important because it will be easy for the researcher to surmount any

impending problems that may come along the way. This enlightened the research

path as an indicator below the category finding the research title included this

aspect, namely: Choosing a good problem for the study and Selecting the best title

on your field.

To Thomas and Nelson (2005), research is a careful and systematic

means of solving problems.

Wiersma (2009) summarized, that research is a process, an activity in

the search for knowledge through recognized methods of data collection, analysis

and interpretation.

Good (2006) defined research as a systematic defensible pursuit of

results which will solve a problem. Research is good if it consummated an

ordered, reasonable, communicable search. Naturally, this author singled out the

ultimate goal of research process that is to solve a problem. Along this thought the

researchers were inspired to undertake.

Aquino (2009) opined that research is the systematic search for pertinent

information or data on a specific topic or problem. After a careful, systematized

research for pertinent information or data on a specific topic or problem and after

the research worker has analysed and interpreted the data, he eventually faces

another essential tasks that of preparing the research reports.

Isidro and Malolos (2012) expounded research as a process of scientific

thinking that leads to the discovery or establishment of new knowledge or truth. It

is not a subjective expression of ideas or opinion.

Parel (2010), research is a systematic study or investigation of

something for the purpose of answering questions posed by the researcher.

Whitney (2011), research is a scientific approach in terms of accepted

mind process involving all essential steps in problem solving through critical

examination of hypothesis to find tentative corroboration and succeeding search

for certainly as a basis of action.

Crawford (2009), research is simply a systematic and refined technique of

thinking employing specialized tools, instruments, and procedures in order to

obtain a more adequate solution of a problem than would be possible under

means. It starts with a problem, collects data or facts, analyses these critically, and

reaches decisions based on actual evidence. It involves work instead of a mere

exercise of opinion. It evolves from a genuine desire to know not only what but

how much, and measurement is therefore a central feature of it. This position by

Crawford has been the benchmark in the overall research instrument design,

particularly the five point rating scale compatible to the measurement of

comparative responses between MSC BEED and BSED students.

Maranon (2011), research is a methodical, basically a habit of thought that

can be developed.

Hill Way (2009) defined research as a way mankind perfected it very

slowly over a period of several centuries and at present it is considered as the

most reliable means of advancing knowledge. This is to be done in a precise and

systematic manner to look for new knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values.

Researcher’s task is to make use of the existing knowledge, skills, attitudes, and

values. Researcher’s task is to make use of the existing data to investigate and

find result, and analysed whether this newly gathered facts are also true to other

environment. In conducting a research, researchers must be cautious. They must

allocate plenty of time to complete each stage of the activity. They must

conscientious and need to work in the library for a certain number of hours each

week. They need to add some more hours or weeks before the scheduled deadline

because there are some things that take more time than what is planned, and the

some stages of research work that are more difficult than what the research expect

. In short, there are unexpected difficulties and problems, (Trimmer, 1992) and

they may lead to academic failure. This is the most expressive disclosures about

research. It embodies the framework, nature, content and breath of life of a thesis.

The researchers carefully considered his scholastic trip so to speak and followed

through along his objectives.

Are the senior college students prepared or are still ill-equipped to

undergo thesis writing? J. Bitchener (2009) once quoted as saying that once the

research is over, the question of exactly how to write each chapter of

a thesis or dissertation remains. This invaluable guide introduces first-

time thesis writers to the process of writing up empirical research. With his

caution Bitchener contributed to the researcher in framing out indicators in

category ” Writing the paper.”

HS Becker ( 2010) students and researchers all write under pressure, and

those pressures-most lamentably, the desire to impress their audience rather than

to communicate with them-often lead to  pretentious prose, academic posturing,

and, not infrequently, writer's block.

The heartaches that fill the sleepless nights of a researcher are what are

further described by Neville (2007). To him a good academic writing should give

a proper citation. Citation is essential in academic writing as a form of

appreciation and acknowledgement someone theories or contribution in a writing.

Frustrations therefore arise when the library becomes a cemetery of dead books

when there are no related literatures sourced out, in effect dismissing helpful texts

to be cited. However, as often as possible all textual ideologies were carefully

cited by the investigators.

Artini (2012) point of view, a coherence paragraph always has united

sentences which are still related each other and create a good flow of writing.

Research work requires time. It is rewarding when the goal to finish it is

attained on the target date. A researcher needs to manage time properly. In an on

line article, time management is defined as the process of deciding what

needs to be done and developing a plan and/or timeframe for getting it

done. Time management is about establishing routines, setting goals, and

understanding priorities (Time Management, 2008).

One does not have all the time in the world. Time management is very

essential in thesis writing. As timely as it is, Dombeck and Wells-Moran (2006)

claim that time management skills boil down to awareness, organization and

commitment. One needs to become aware of and record everything he is doing so

that important things will be done on time. One also needs to commit to keep a

schedule, and not wandering off when something more momentarily interesting

occurs. They emphasized that time management and organization skills are

applicable to a wide range of life tasks one might decide to take on. As it will

benefit the person broadly in whatever he/she might do. The investigators

incorporated problematic phenomena about time. Last in a row, the category time

frame shed light on how this factor becomes a difficulty in thesis writing the very

‘soul’ of this work.

Logan, F. (n.d. (2006) some people with adequate learning skills do

poorly in college for other reasons. The most common example is the person who

has to carry another full-time job. Most students can handle a part-time job,

especially one that is somehow related to school, but heavy outside commitments

inevitably interfere with studies. They have no solution for financial problems,

but there are some helpful things to say about the more personal problems that

often trouble students.

According to Logan (n.d), any time personal problems could occupy

some of the cognitive and interfere academic pursuits. Occasionally, the best

solution to a problem depends on what causes it, is which case, one has to

discover why the problem arises. But in most cases, the best approach is simply to

deal with the problem. Most of the time research work is found to be a tedious

and very tiring to do; however teachers and students cannot get away from this

work because most often this is an academic requirement.

Horowitz, Rosenberg, & Bartholomew (as cited in Locke, 2005) had

this to say, interpersonal problems are recurring difficulties in relating to others.

Locke (2005) points out that interpersonal problem may be related to

expectations for how other will act. It may be related to how sensitive or

insensitive people are to the reactions of others. Finally, interpersonal problems

may be related to expectations for the self. Whatever the problem, a person

naturally worries about it. They worry when they know that worrying would not

solve the problem, and the more personal the problem, the more likely they are to

keep it to ourselves. Which is more, otherwise intelligent people tend to be very

stupid in the context of their problem. For example, people who think that they

"worry too much" may believe that worrying can cause insanity. So they not only

worry about their problems, they also worry about worrying so much. Now

worrying will not drive us crazy, but it does preoccupy their mind with non-

academic thoughts. Everybody has a one-track mind, so they cannot concentrate

on their studies and worry about something else at the same time. Yet many

students automatically start to worry any time they try to study. Worrying can

become a mental habit that obstructs study habits.

Dombeck and Wells-Moran (2006) claim that time management skills

boil down to awareness, organization, and commitment. One needs to become

aware of and record everything he is doing so that important things will be done

on time. One also needs to commit to keep a schedule, and not wandering off

when something more momentarily interesting occurs. They emphasized that time

management and organization skills are applicable to a wide range of life tasks

one might decide to take on. As it will benefit the person broadly in whatever

he/she might do.

Sevilla (1988) one obstacle encountered in writing the proposal among

other things, is the identifications of the instruments. He stressed further that one

should learn what others need.

Turabian (1987) suggested that no matter what type of paper; term paper,

thesis or dissertation, is being processed, it is important to be able to manipulate

files easily to save and retrieve files name and rename them generate automatic

back-up copies and merge.

H.J Tichy (1988) a thoughtful writers consider their best to select the

organization to help readers and to their involve more deliberation than thus the

selection of a plan suitable to the materials, but it is not necessary more difficult.

Britton and Tesser (1991) and Macan, Shahani, Dipboye, & Phillips,

(1990) report that a student’s ability to manage their time successfully and

productively is explicitly related to academic performance – the better a student’s

time management, the better their grades and the less stress they experience in

regards to their academic life, generally. There has been somewhat of a dearth in

information in regards to university students and time management, the majority

of research that has looked at time management has analysed it with other

variables, such as self-judgment and self-monitoring, and not by itself.

Britton and Tesser (1991) as cited by Kench (2010) examined the effects

of time management skills on the academic performance of university students

and concluded that the skills accounted for 36% of the variance among grade

point averages.

Macan et al. (2009) reported that students in their study who perceived

themselves to have control over their time reported more satisfaction with

university than did those who did not perceive themselves as having control over

their time.

Macan (1994) claims that by setting goals, organizing and scheduling, one

can gain a sense of mastery over how we spend our time.

Macan, Shahani, Dipboye, and Phillips (2009) identified a four-factor

model of time management among university students in the United States. The

four factors were Setting Goals and Priorities, Planning and Scheduling,

Perceived Control over Time, and Preference for Disorganisation. Of the four

factors, Perceived Control over Time had the strongest contribution to students’

academic and emotional adjustment. Higher levels of perceived control over time

were related to higher academic and emotional adjustment.

Covic, Adamson, Lincolin & Kench, (2003),an Australian scale of time

management contained six factors, these being Propensity to Plan, Coping with

Temporal Flow, Sense of Purpose, Meeting Deadlines, Mechanics of Time

Management and Effective Organisation.

Based on literature investigations, it was somehow associated that stress

level experiences are largely linked to time constraints. To Macan et al. (2009)

lower stress levels were most strongly correlated to the factor perceived control of

time. This suggests that regardless of if one undertakes time management

activities and behaviours, such as writing lists and setting goals, if they do not

perceive to be in control of their time or have a good attitude to time management

they will still feel stressed. It is indeed a contributory factor to include stress

management in the rest of categories in the questionnaire. Thanks to Macan et.al.

Nonis, Hudson, Logan and Ford (2009) investigated perceived control

over time in university students, their results supported this notion with addition

to perceived control correlating with problem solving abilities.

Madsen (2011) found out how the library can assist any researcher by

emphasizing that the library offers a wide array of services and resources,

including staff librarians, the cards catalogue guide to references books,

periodicals (journals, magazines, newspaper, reports) computer based reference

services and manuscript, facts dates, statistics, biographical information even list

of foundation grants.

Livelio (1994) MSC education students find difficulties in the first four

areas in thesis writing based from rank that resulted in their study areas. In terms

of finding enough and appropriate references materials the education students find

it difficult due to the act that the school library has no adequate references for the

study being conducted. Even though the schools has many references. Still they

are not suited or enough. Financing the research study has been difficult for most

of the education students; it may be because of their status in life. Some of them

belong to the low income families.

In addition, following the timeframe is also difficult for most students

due to the fact they are loaded with other subject required of them by the

curriculum. Furthermore, the students encountered less difficulty in choosing

competent thesis adviser due to the reason that there are a limited number of

faculties in the college who are holders of Masteral and Doctoral degree.

Rivera (2012) selecting the research adviser is very crucial matter, to any

graduate students, while the overall responsibility of research writing falls on the

candidate, it is known that the research adviser has a great influence on the

successful completion of the candidates make every effort to select a research

adviser, who is knowledgeable in his/her needs and interest and yet to bring out

the best in him/her.

Revera Jr. (1996) as cited by de Luna (2011) suggested that writing any

research paper almost always offer a challenging task to anyone. It certainly gives

one wide opportunity to engage in a meaningful task leading to a worthy

accomplishment. It pays to bear in mind, however, that there is often no specific

pattern of single correct way to successful writing. There are some challenges and

often times some difficulties that need to be resolved along the way, but to one is

committed to do and complete the task, any difficulty becomes an interesting and

instructive element. It may even more satisfaction form the sense of

accomplishments that results when a difficult problem has been addresses and a

solution has been achieved.

Kerlinger (2010) wrote that the thesis problem should be stated vividly

and explicitly expressed in interrogative form for “questions have the virtue of

posing a problem directly.” A good research problem should be smart that is

specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound whether it is historical,

descriptive, experimental, or case study.

Sir William Color (2009) style is the personality and character of writing.

Like the personality and character of a person, style makes a single impact of first

acquaintance. When later analysis reveals that many qualities were combined in

the first impression, they often proved difficult to trace and understand. The

characteristics of style blend just as intricately.

Schuls (1988) published that the writers need to memorize all the rules of

punctuations, but they should be sufficient familiar with the kinds of rules to look

them up if they are needed, and they should avoid freakish punctuation that they

based on how they breathe pauses of an opera singer-illiterate pupils read a

passage. Standards punctuation avoids these individual variations and this makes

reading easy and clean for the readers.

Rudestam and Newton (1992) explain that compact disk store the

information from reference sources in a variety of discipline and allow students

and faculty to search topic areas print out list of reference and abstract related to

their topic of interest.

There are several items which are considered by the student researchers

in Marinduque State College as problems in conducting their research. First, they

confused on what and how to begin one. They feel that it is another burden on

their part. Second, they believe that a thesis is a work of a scholar, so it is

comprehensively done. As beginners, they find difficulty in choosing a good

problem. Even if they found some probable topics still they are faced with

dilemma as to which one is the best. This problem become serious, when they

start doing the research. They often unexplained of the limited references

available as well as the time they need in doing requirements in other academic

subjects, these are some of the problems encountered in thesis writing by the

student researchers.

The researchers wanted to determine what item or items they felt most

difficult. Hence, this study is conducted to investigate the most difficult item of

all the problems that the student researchers of Bachelor of Elementary Education

and Bachelor of Secondary Education at Marinduque State College encountered

during the second semester school year 2015-2016.

Statement of the problem

This study aims to find out the problems encountered in conducting research

of Bachelor of Elementary Education and Bachelor of Secondary Education

students at the Marinduque State College.

Specifically, this study sought to find the answer to the following questions.

1. What are the difficulties encountered by the Bachelor of Secondary

Education and Bachelor of Elementary Education students of Marinduque

State College in thesis Writing?

2. Is there significant difference between the difficulties encountered by the

Bachelor of Secondary Education and Bachelor of Elementary Education

students of Marinduque State College in thesis writing?

3. What are the possible intervention that could be offered as a result of this

study?

Hypothesis

This study basically aimed to determine the veracity of the hypothesis.

Problem No.1 and 3 are hypothesis free

It is in the problem No.2 that the null hypothesis was derived. There is no

significant difference between the difficulties encountered by the BEED and

BSED of Marinduque State College in thesis writing.

Significance of the study

The results of this study significantly benefit the following group of people:

To the Bachelor of Elementary Education and Bachelor of Secondary

Education students as the primary group that will benefit from the results of this

study this will help them determine the difficulties in conducting a research.

To the administrators they will gain insights and will be able to develop

educational strategies to lighten the problems that the student-researchers

encounter in their research work.

Through this study the faculty members will be more responsive on what

help they can extend to the make the student-researchers feel that research work is

a fruitful endeavour.

The result of this study will enlighten the mind of other researchers and

enrich their understanding of student’s behaviour and could be of great help to

them when they conduct studies on related issues.

Scope and delimitation

This study covered the difficulties encountered in thesis writing of BEED

and BSED students in Marinduque State College, Boac Campus, and Sta. Cruz

Campus. The respondents of this study were the graduate BEED and BSED

students in A.Y. 2015-2016.

Theoretical/Conceptual Framework

The conceptual and theoretical frameworks presented in this study were

taken from the contributions of well-known researchers to what a thesis should

be.

Inquiry learning theory (Dewey) cited by Neville (2012) suggests that to

optimize learning, students need to formulate hypothesis, collect data to test

hypothesis, draw conclusions, and reflect on the original problem and thinking

processes needed to solve it.

Behaviourism (Pavlov, Watson, Thorndike, and Skinner) focuses on

observable changes in behaviour. From a behavioural perspective, the outcome of

learning is an observable change in behaviour. Scaffolding, support is given to a

child as they gradually have withdrawn and as they learned.

Operant conditioning (Skinner) people actively operate on their

environment to produce different kinds of consequences.

Connectionism (Thorndike) stimuli that occurred after behaviour had an

influence on the future behaviours.

The four laws of learning

Law of effect –also known as the law of reinforcement Edward Thorndike

put forward a Law of effect which stated that any behaviour that is followed by

pleasant consequences is likely to be repeated, and any behaviour followed by

unpleasant consequences is likely to be stoped.

Law of readiness – learning is facilitated when easier task precede those

that are related but more difficult, which means that learning takes place when an

action tendency is aroused through preparatory adjustment, and set one attitude.

Readiness means preparation of action. If one is not prepared to learn, learning

cannot be automatically instilled in him.

Laws of exercise– the more stimulus-response connections are practiced,

the stronger the bonds ,means that drill or practice helps in increasing efficiency

and durability of learning and according to Thorndike S-R Bond Theory, the

connections and strengthened with tried or practice and the connections are

weakened when trial or practice is disconnected. The law of exercise therefore is

also understood as the law of use and disuse in which case connections or bond

made in the brain context are weakened or loosened.

Law of identical elements – the more the elements of one situation are

identical to the elements of the second situation, the greater the transfer, and thus

the easier the easier the learning in the second situation, the identical elements

theory of the transfer of training where the amount of transfer between the

familiar situation and the unfamiliar one is determined by the number of elements

that the two situations have in common. This opposed the long held view of

Formal Discipline in which the human is made up of several powers such as

reasoning; attention, judgment, and memory strengthen with practice.

Stimulus Response Theory (Ivan Pavlov)

Stimulus Response Theory is a concept in psychology that refers to the

belief that behavior manifests as a result of the interplay between stimulus and

response. In particular, the belief is that a subject is presented with a stimulus to

that stimulus, producing behavior. In other words, behavior cannot exist without

a stimulus of some sort, at least from this perspective.

Synthesis:

The inquiry learning theory (Dewey) which is synonymous to scientific

method in purpose embodies the research writing strategy that engulfed the

different parts shed light on the scholastic work and so is the major framework

of the study. Behaviorism (change in behavior follows learning) is foretelling

contribution presented by this study to readers of this work.

Law of effect suggesting that a behavior followed by unpleasant

consequences is likely to be repeated harmonizes with the response of examples

of the questionnaire administered. The law of readiness on the other hand is

effective on the cascading design of categories and indicators in the

questionnaire, the most frequently pressing circumstances that followed by less

noteworthy phenomena.

Corollary to the experiences in this research that the more identical the

elements, are the greater the learning process achievement. The respondents

having experiences to be surveyed easily fill up those areas which they seemed

to be familiar to them.

This study also pivots on the stimulus response theory that behavior

manifest itself between stimulus and response.

In the study, respondents furnish information through the questionnaire.

The stimuli are the difficulties experienced in thesis writing. Thesis responses

are gauged via five point rating scale in the indicator sub grouped as follows:

time frame, finding the research title, writing the paper, budget management,

reference needed and personal issues. Going into cross-section the responses are

made say on data collection, choosing a good problem, collecting data, limited

budget, absence of reference and even stress management among others.

In other hand, the MSC BEEd and BSEd encountered these problems

(stimuli) and furnish a response to it (the difficulty) and the behavior produced

is whether these problem are surmountable or can be overcome.

Conceptual Paradigm

Independent Variable Dependent

Variable

Figure

Figure 1

The figure shows the research paradigm focused on the difficulties

encountered in thesis writing of bachelor of elementary education and bachelor of

secondary education students in thesis writing the researchers wanted to

determine the significance difference of the two population if the difficulties

encountered of the BEed students in thesis writing is similar to the difficulties

experienced by the BSed students and suggest some intervention to have a

contribution for quality education.

Definition of Terms

INTERVENTION

Problem

BEED

Problem

BSED

Thesis Writing

To make this study more understandable to those who might come across

it, the researchers included definitions of terms which will give them a clearer

understanding of the problem. The following terms are operationally defined.

BEED students are the students enrolled in MSC taking a four year

degree course in

teaching elementary level.

BSED students are the students enrolled in MSC taking a four year

degree course

teaching secondary level.

Difficulties are the different factors affecting the easy and convenient

preparation of a

research paper in particular.

Problem is a phenomenon, an opinion or a situation related to

uncertainties and quarries,

subject to power of an investigation.

Questionnaire A set of questions drawn up for answering by a number of

people independently, usually to provide statistical information.

Research Is a systematic, objective, and comprehensive, investigation of a

phenomenon which involves accurate gathering, recording, critical analysing, and

interpreting of facts about the phenomenon.