When writing a research paper, one of the first parts that need to be done is the “Background of the Study.” This part gives the context of your research. To start writing it, make sure that you can answer the following questions:
1. What is your problem about?
Firstly, you need to know and communicate what really is the research problem you want to address. Is this something happening in society? A problem in science? Or maybe there is just a gap in the literature? In this part, you need to be clear and specific about your problem. You cannot just say “there is a problem in education,” you need to be clear what aspects of education have a problem.
2. What has been done about your problem?
Next, you need to state what have been done so far to solve the problem. This is the start of you constructing your review of related literature. In this portion, it will be very helpful to first read past articles, studies, and books related to your problem. When citing them, make sure that you are not just giving a summary, but you also relate these studies for your own research.
3. What can still be done about the problem?
You also need to take a look into what potential solutions have not yet been explored. In this part, narrate what gaps or lapses are present in the solutions published so far, and how these can be filled by your own study.
4. What will you do about the problem?
In the last part, you need to state finally what it is you will do to solve the problem. Will it be an experiment, a gadget you will invent, or a model you will develop? You need to be clear what your output will be and how this output will help solve the problem of your study.
REMEMBER:
In forming a background of the study, remember the following key questions:
- What is your problem about? Clearly describe the problem you want to contribute to solving.
- What has been done about your problem? Assess and narrate the past research done on solving the problem.
- What can still be done about the problem? Show the weaknesses or lapses of the past solutions that will explain why you will do your own study.
- What will you do about the problem? Detail what it is your output will be.
Tanim Talino 