Chapter 1 done editing

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.

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