How to Write the Background of the Study in Research (Part 3)

Summary

The video script provides a detailed guide on how to write the body of the background for a study, focusing on mathematical anxiety among junior high school students in New Zealand. It emphasizes presenting the research gap, offering concrete proof through literature reviews, interviews, and classroom observations. The script demonstrates how to validate claims with firsthand data, and incorporate expert literature to reinforce the findings. By providing a clear step-by-step approach, the video helps scholars understand how to craft a well-supported and credible background for their research, ensuring both reliability and validity in their study.

Takeaways

• 😀 The body of the background of the study should validate the research gap by providing concrete proof for the initial claims made in the introduction.
• 😀 To support the claim that junior high school students in New Zealand experience mathematical anxiety, literature reviews and real-world observations are necessary.
• 😀 Researchers should look for literature on mathematical anxiety among junior high school students in New Zealand and combine this with firsthand data from interviews and classroom observations.
• 😀 The initial claim that some students avoid math due to anxiety can be supported by evidence from the researcher’s direct observations, such as students skipping math class but attending others.
• 😀 Including references to existing research, such as Estonanto's study on math anxiety, strengthens the credibility of the claim by showing that similar patterns exist in other settings.
• 😀 Interviews with students can provide additional insights, such as one student not attending math because he felt incapable and another influenced by peers' negative attitudes towards math.
• 😀 The loss of interest in mathematics is one manifestation of mathematical anxiety, which can be observed through students' avoidance behaviors.
• 😀 Further validation through a second round of interviews and classroom observations is essential to ensure the reliability of the findings and provide a broader perspective.
• 😀 Teacher corroboration and discussions with other educators can enhance the credibility of the findings and show that the issue of math anxiety is widespread among junior high school students.
• 😀 The overall goal of writing the body of the background is to provide compelling evidence that validates the research gap, ensuring that the study can proceed with concrete data.

Q & A

What is the primary challenge for novice researchers when writing the body of the background of a study?

The primary challenge for novice researchers is understanding how to structure and present the body of the background effectively, as many may be inexperienced and unsure how to provide concrete evidence for their claims.

What is the best approach for writing the body of the background of the study?

The best approach is to validate the claim by presenting concrete proof, such as existing literature, interviews, or classroom observations, that supports the research gap introduced in the opening paragraphs.

Why is the research gap important in writing the background of the study?

The research gap is crucial because it frames the study's significance. It helps the researcher identify and justify the need for their research by demonstrating that there is an existing problem or gap that needs to be addressed.

How should researchers handle an assumption made in the opening paragraph of the background of the study?

Researchers should provide concrete proof to validate the assumption, ensuring it is no longer an unverified claim but a supported argument. This can be done through literature, interviews, and observations.

What role does literature review play in the body of the background of the study?

The literature review plays a critical role by providing evidence that supports the researcher’s claim. It helps establish the validity of the research gap by showing that previous studies have observed similar phenomena.

How does combining literature review with interviews and observations strengthen the background of the study?

Combining these elements provides a more comprehensive view of the issue. The literature offers secondary evidence, while interviews and observations provide primary data, making the research more reliable and robust.

What is the significance of conducting multiple rounds of interviews or observations in different schools?

Multiple rounds of interviews or observations help validate the findings by ensuring that the problem is widespread and not an isolated occurrence. This also enhances the credibility of the research by showing consistency in the results.

Why should a researcher consult other teachers or educators during their study?

Consulting other teachers ensures the reliability and validity of the research by cross-checking observations and gaining additional perspectives on the issue being studied. It also helps in corroborating the researcher’s findings.

What are some emotional symptoms of mathematical anxiety mentioned in the transcript?

Emotional symptoms of mathematical anxiety include feelings of helplessness, lack of confidence, nervousness, and being tense or anxious while working with numbers and mathematical problems.

What was the role of the teacher's feedback in validating the study’s findings?

The teacher's feedback helped verify the researcher’s observations by confirming that other educators had similar experiences with students avoiding math, which strengthened the validity and generalizability of the research findings.