- – Research may be based on direct experience or observation by the researcher. The gathering collection of data relies on practical experience without benefit of the scientific or theory.
- – Research may be based on valid procedures and principles.
- – Research uses proven analytical procedures in collecting data, whether historical, descriptive, and experimental or any alternative research methods.
- – Research shows careful and precise judgment.
- – Research is a repeated process. It starts with a problem and ends with a problem.
Writing Definition of Terms
It is important to include definition of terms in your thesis or dissertation in order to understand the key terms being used in the study. These terms should be clearly defined according how they are used in the study in order to make easy understanding of the problem and avoid ambiguous meaning to terms which can be otherwise interpreted in different ways.
Terms defined should be arranged in alphabetical order and acronyms should always spell out fully most specially if it is used for the first time and not commonly known.
Make sure to define though common may have special meaning or used differently. Complicated and lengthy definition should be included in your appendix.
Sample Recommendations
By: Engr. Mary Rose Florence S. Cobar, Doctor of Philosophy in Education
Thesis title: “Development of a Source Material in Food Dehydration Craft Technology for the Secondary Schools”
Recommendations
After a thorough analysis of data, the following recommendations are hereby made:
- This research study suggests that education managers study diffusion theory for three reasons. First, education managers and instruction technologists’ do not know why most instructional innovations are or not adopted. Some blame teachers and a resistance to change while the others blamed bureaucracies and lack of funding. In the Philippine context, it’s more a case of lack in funding and political interference, but by and large, schools are commonly viewed as resistant to change. By studying diffusion theory, education managers may be able to explain, predict and account for factors that influence or impede adoption and diffusion of innovations in teaching methods. Therefore, understanding the best way to present innovations for possible adoption of a method is through communication channels. Third, education managers may be able to develop a systematic model for innovative methods in teaching not only the basic courses but in the Makabayan learning area which is one of the study area of this body of research, in simple terms: INNOVATIVENESS = RESOURFULNESS + ADAPTABILITY
- Given that food dehydration in some aspects is a technological innovation, it is useful to apply the tenets of diffusion theory to understand food dehydration’s diffusion in the social system. Diffusion theory provides a framework that helps food dehydration adopted, to be explained, predicted and accounted to by factors that increase or impede the diffusion of innovation. Diffusion theory helps the teachers in the education community identify qualities,ie. relative advantage, compatibility, triability and observability to potential adopters. The diffusion framework also provides a closer look at the communication channels used to spread the word about food dehydration, time span and the characteristics of the adopters.
- To provide a compelling argument as to the reasons behind the actions of individuals as adopters of an innovation, this study recommends for further research in the actuations of the adopters through the use of the actor-network theory (ANT) perspective. Diffusion theory approach is more of the cause and effect of innovation while actor-network theory traces the maneuvers, compromises, twists and turns of a negotiation as it is translated during the process of adoption. The scope of an actor-network theory (ANT) analysis is to yield a broader understanding relative to the professional development of the teachers concerned or attributed to in this study. In context, diffusion theory posits an innovation (food dehydration) ought to be adopted to be able to be diffused through a system (secondary education), while an actor-network theory approach will be primarily concerned with tracing the complex and contingent factors involved in the overall innovation process and the contributory influence to the education sector.
- For the source material, an inclusion of setting up a small home-based enterprise of the family size unit and its system operation and management information. This entrepreneurial segment runs parallel to what the Department of Education and the government would or have implemented starting school year 2006-2007 in key pilot areas, that is, business management for students in the secondary school level to prepare them after graduation and beyond. In the food dehydration craft technology segment, the teachers apply the study of science and technology to that of business management and economics that can be diffused to the students by their teachers as a learning paradigm to prepare them options after secondary school.
In the food dehydration craft technology area of this research study, the recommendations to the new design conceived are the following:
a) a built-in thermometer, hygrometer and psychrometer should be installed to monitor the conditions inside the dehydrator;
b) an additional circuit system designed to control the voltage input to the heating element for a stable hot air supply;
c) the material of construction to be used should be made of stainless steel so as not to oxidize the food being dried because the prototype unit made use of Aluminum which is not recommended for use in food like fruits having a high acid content;
d) the blower fans to be used should be regulated as low, medium and high for better regulation of the relative humidity inside the drying chamber;
e) if the prototype dehydrator has been built, experimentations should be done on a variety of foods to test its efficacy to deliver the desired output.
From the design simulation, the following materials of construction are needed:
Table 16. Table of Specifications
System Design
A system involving a small scale food dehydration enterprise requires minimal capital investment and technical and management skills. But changes due to market trends and to keep the business viable, managerial and technical skills are extremely important in any field where income generation is of primary importance, management knowledge is a must and that includes the teachers for whom this research study is attributed.
In systems management, emphasis must be in integrating entrepreneurial technology, finance and marketing strategies instead of transfer of technique only and the most ignored factor, gut feel of the economic factors to be considered.
Writing Recommendation
Recommendation is written in the last part of your thesis. It appeals to people or entities concerned to solve or help solve the problems discovered in the inquiry.
The following are some characteristics of Recommendation
- Recommendation should be seek to solve or help to solve problems discovered in the investigation.
- It should be attainable, practical and feasible.
- It should be valid and rational.
- It should be addressed to person, entities or agencies, or offices who or which are ready to implement them.
- It can be also a recommendation for the continuance of a system or recommendation for improvement.
- It can have recommendation for further research on the same topic but different places to verify the findings of the study.
- There should no recommendation for the problem or the things not yet discovered or discussed.
Sample Thesis Summary
Thesis title: “Development of a Source Material in Food Dehydration Craft Technology for the Secondary Schools”
Summary
This research study used the available resources on hand to be able to incorporate the technology aspect with the education milieu and as it progressed, data gathered and collated, it was possible to infuse food dehydration in the restructured basic education curriculum for the secondary level first through the teachers of the Makabayan subject. It is through diffusion theory that the basis of integrating food dehydration in the Makabayan learning area has been conceptualized. Therefore, the research’s premise centers on the conditions of the likelihood that an innovative idea may be adopted in a given culture or system such as the Philippines’ secondary school education system And as mentioned, the viability of fabricating a food dehydrator for small scale livelihood can also be taught in the secondary level as an adjunct to the food dehydration subject. This aspect of the research study compliments the central objective of secondary education, that is, to provide young people with opportunities to acquire skills, aptitude, values, knowledge and experience needed to continue their education and be active and productive citizens.
In the secondary analysis of data from the experimental results of the previous prototype unit, simultaneous multiple regressions were used to compare the values that were calculated based on the output measured. In the statistical analysis, discrepancies in the percentage moisture removed were discovered and can be attributed to the conditions and materials of construction of the dehydrator unit, the very factors that influence the outcome of the experiments that were performed.
The research study made use of a simulation program to predict moisture removal from a hypothetical feed of food data from three fruit pieces, namely pineapple, banana and mango based on the weight and temperature within the drying chamber.
A manual outline that can be of use to elementary and secondary school teachers to facilitate the learning paradigm espouse by this research study.
A brief about a systems approach starting a farm or family entity in the food dehydration business and operation.
In the design aspect, a simulated dehydrator design with recommended materials of construction to be used that can adopted and possibly taught in the secondary level of education subject’s Teknolohiya, Edukasyon at Pantahanan to contribute to the basic skills that students can acquire through knowledge and understanding the theories and concepts to be learned.
By: Engr. Mary Rose Florence S. Cobar, Doctor of Philosophy in Education
Writing Thesis Summary of Findings
Summary of findings is the last part of the thesis or dissertation. It is where the findings or the result of the thesis study is written.
Let’s find out some characteristics of summary of findings
- Summary of findings should be a short statement such as the main purpose of the study, the population or respondents, period of the study, method of research used, research instrument and sampling design
- Findings should be written in textual generalization, that is, a summary of the important data consisting of text and numbers.
- Important findings should be included in the summary.
- No new information or data should be included in the summary of findings.
- Findings should be stated concisely, not explained or elaborated anymore.
Sample Conclusion
Conclusion
By: Engr. Mary Rose Florence S. Cobar, Doctor of Philosophy in Education
Thesis title: “Development of a Source Material in Food Dehydration Craft Technology for the Secondary Schools”
Among the teachers’ knowledge bases (Shulman,1987), pedagogical content knowledge is uniquely their province, their own special form professional understanding and how to impart the learning specifics to their students as adjudge by this researcher will be of primary importance in the diffusion of a new learning concept to its end recipient, the secondary school students . In this research study, the adaptation of the food dehydration process is expected to provide secondary school teachers a degree of ownership in filling up a certain need to expand the students’ acquisition of knowledge that can be applied and practiced.
Although instructional innovations, such as new methods and new materials do reach individual classrooms via the initiative of individual teachers, they are not usually implemented in a coordinated way because many are not actively supported by school managers. It is in this belief that for the Makabayan learning area to be a vehicle of change not only to the students but to the teachers as well, this study concludes that successful management of changes to the instructional environment of schooling requires the re-positioning of teachers as innovators. Therefore, central to the production, implementation and evaluation of new instructional methods is the change in the teacher’s view of teaching and learning. In the case of the Makabayan subject, the teachers became mere implementers of the top-down policy in education. This explains the confusion that happened in the Makabayan learning area.
After the results were analyzed based on the calculated and simulated values from the previous experimental output, this research makes the following conclusions:
a) In the calculated values from the experiments previously performed, there were factors that were not taken into consideration. For instance, when the temperature was lowered, there was still a perceived amount of moisture removed that does not correlate with the simulated percentage removed where it follows the increase and decrease in temperature during the dehydration process.
b) By calculation, the residual moisture left from the test specimen can be attributed to the variance of temperature and heated air velocity within the drying chamber.
The economic aspect or the estimated cost of the modified design of the proposed dehydrator was included in the appendices but the materials of construction will be included in the recommendations. As an innovation, food dehydration craft technology has to be approached from an instrumentalist (adopter-based) perspective, the adopted being the secondary school teachers. Therefore, a manual outline is included to serve as guide in the possible infusion of food dehydration technology into the Makabayan subject. The manual contains experiments that can be adopted and performed with ease by the target recipients of this research study.
Writing a Thesis Conclusion
One of the important parts of your thesis is conclusion. Conclusion serves as generalization of your thesis.
The following are some characteristic of thesis conclusions.
- Conclusion should concise, brief and short yet express all the necessary information resulting from the study as required by the specific questions.
- The question raised at the investigation should be properly answered by the conclusion.
- Conclusion should indicate what were learned from the inquiry. On the other hand, it should not be drawn from the implied or indirect effects of the findings.
- Conclusion should not be the duplications of any statements anywhere in the thesis. It can be summarized but it is necessary to worded differently and express the same information as the statements review
- The use of qualifiers including as probably, perhaps, may be, and the like should be avoided as much as possible so that reader may not feel that the researcher has some doubts about their validity and reliability. It should be written as they are 100% true and correct.
- Conclusion should refer only to the population, area or subject of the study.
- Conclusion should be based upon the findings. There is no conclusions are not based upon the findings. It should be logical and valid outgrowths of the findings.
Thesis or Dissertation Evaluation
Every thesis or dissertation is required to be defended before a panel or examiners and submitted to the proper authorities for acceptance which serve as a piece of scholarly work.
The following are some factors to be considered in judging the value of your thesis or dissertation
– Subject and Problem
The subject should be significant, timely and or current issues. The title should be appropriate for the subject. Sub-problems should be specific and clear. Also, the subject should be clearly delimited but big enough for making valid generalizations.
– Design of the Study
The research methodology used should be appropriate. The report prepared. The design should be understandable in accordance with the scientific method of research. The report or document prepared should be carefully follows acceptable format.
– Findings (Data)
Data should be adequate, reliable or valid. Findings or data should be analyzed correctly and properly treated statistically as well as interpreted suitably.
– Generalizations or Conclusions
The conclusions should be based upon the findings. Outcomes of the study should be reasonable and valid.
– Recommendations
Recommendation should be attainable and feasible as well as action oriented.
Historical Research
Historical research is a process of choosing the area or topic to write the history about, collecting data about events that happened in the area or about the topic. It describes what happened in the past and then makes a critical inquiry into the truth of what happened. It must be interpretative which describe the present situations in terms of past events.
4 major activities in historical research
- Choosing and defining the problem. The researcher must consider his resources, availability of data, time constraint, and his professional competence.
- Collecting the data. There are many resources available from which historical data may be gathered including written source such as official and public documents, books, master’s theses and doctoral dissertations, newspaper and periodicals with news item, personal materials, tape recordings, and relics and remains.
- Analyzing the data. Historical data have to analyze to determine the authenticity or genuineness as well as the truth of the statements.
- Writing the research report. After analyzing the historical data and prove to be authentic or genuine, finally, the research report is written.