Here is a clear, simplified, complete explanation in ENGLISH of ALL the activities (3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5) so you fully understand what each task requires and how to complete them successfully.

✅ FULL EXPLANATION OF ALL ASSIGNMENTS (3.1 – 3.5)

Written in easy academic English so you can follow the requirements without confusion.

⭐ 3.1 — Problem Definition (Monograph)

Goal of the activity: To choose an educational research problem, define it clearly, and justify why it should be investigated.

✔ What you must do: 1. Review the required readings

These readings explain:

what a research problem is,

how to choose one,

how to justify it,

how to write research questions and objectives.

  1. Choose a specific research topic in education

It must be:

relevant,

clearly defined,

possible to investigate.

Examples:

the impact of AI tools on ESL learning,

students’ reading comprehension difficulties,

teacher feedback practices in A1/A2 classrooms.

  1. Find at least four peer-reviewed research articles (last 5 years)

These must support your justification.

  1. Write a monograph that includes: A. Clear statement of the research problem

One paragraph explaining:

What the problem is,

Where it occurs,

Who it affects.

B. Justification

Explain:

Pertinence (why it matters)

Relevance (what benefits/results are expected)

Use your 4+ articles as evidence.

C. Structure

Introduction

Development (problem + justification)

Conclusion

References (APA 7)

  1. Submit a PDF titled “3.1 Problem Definition.” ✔ Grading criteria:

4 articles (25%)

clear problem (30%)

justification (25%)

spelling & writing (10%)

on-time submission (10%)

⭐ 3.3 — Methodological Design (Diagram + Justification)

Goal of the activity: To outline how you will conduct the research: phases, approach, paradigm, type of study, data collection, and data analysis.

✔ What you must do: 1. Review the required readings

These explain:

research approaches (qualitative, quantitative, mixed),

paradigms (positivist, interpretivist, critical),

research design,

phases of a study,

methods of data collection & analysis.

  1. Describe the phases of your research project

Example phases:

Problem definition

Literature review

Methodological design

Data collection

Data analysis

Interpretation of results

  1. Identify your research approach

Choose one:

Qualitative (interpret meanings, interviews, experiences)

Quantitative (numbers, statistics, surveys)

Mixed methods (both)

  1. Select your paradigm

Examples:

Positivist (objective, measurement)

Interpretivist (subjective meaning, understanding people)

Critical (focus on power, inequality)

  1. Identify your type of study

Examples:

Descriptive

Experimental

Correlational

Case study

Action research

Design-Based Research (DBR)

  1. Choose your data collection methods

May include:

interviews

surveys

classroom observation

document analysis

tests or questionnaires

  1. Choose your data analysis methods

Examples:

statistical analysis

thematic analysis

content analysis

coding categories

  1. Create a diagram

The diagram must include:

Study phases

Approach

Paradigm

Type of study

Data collection

Data analysis

Justification (short explanation)

You may use Canva, Lucidchart, Miro, AhaSlides, etc.

✔ Submit as “3.3 Methodological Design” (PDF) ✔ Grading criteria:

Phases (10%)

Approach + paradigm (20%)

Type of study (20%)

Data collection + analysis (20%)

Justification (20%)

Writing + spelling (5%)

Submission on time (5%)

⭐ 3.4 — Expected Results (Key Diagram)

Goal of the activity: To describe what results you expect your research will produce and to show how they are connected to your objectives.

✔ What you must do: 1. Review the readings

They explain:

what expected outcomes are,

how to write them,

how to connect them to research questions.

  1. Answer the guiding questions

Include in your explanation:

What data will the methodology produce?

How will these results answer the research questions?

What previous research supports these expected results?

How do these results connect to the objectives?

  1. Formulate your expected results

You must write:

general expected results

specific expected results (more detailed)

  1. Create a key diagram

A key diagram is like a tree map:

main expected result at the top

branches that break into specific results

  1. Prepare a document titled “3.4 Expected Results – Key Diagram” ✔ Grading:

clarity and logical sequence (40%)

answer guiding questions deeply (40%)

academic writing (10%)

on-time submission (10%)

⭐ 3.5 — Conceptual Framework References (Presentation)

Goal of the activity: To create a presentation with a list of the research articles used in your conceptual framework and the key terms of your research, following APA 7.

✔ What you must do: 1. Review the readings

They explain:

what a conceptual framework is,

how to build one,

differences between literature review, theoretical framework, and conceptual framework,

how to cite in APA.

  1. Identify your keywords

Based on:

research question

hypothesis

objectives

Examples:

AI-assisted learning

vocabulary acquisition

ESL A1/A2 learners

feedback strategies

  1. Select at least four relevant research articles

These must be:

peer-reviewed

recent

strongly connected to your topic

  1. Create a visual presentation that includes:

Title slide: your name, date, assignment title.

List of your articles in APA 7 style:

author

year

title

journal

volume/issue

pages

DOI

Justification: why each article is relevant and how it contributes to your research.

Definition of key terms essential for your study.

Examples of in-text citations and reference list entries in APA 7.

  1. Export the presentation to PDF ✔ Grading:

at least four articles (20%)

all required sections (20%)

key terms defined (30%)

correct APA 7 citations (20%)

writing quality (5%)

timely submission (5%)

✅ If you want, I can also create: ✔ your problem statement ✔ your justification ✔ your methodological design (diagram + text) ✔ your expected results key diagram ✔ your conceptual framework slides ✔ your APA references ✔ your PDF-ready content

Just tell me: What research topic do you want to use? Examples (you can choose one):

AI tools improving English vocabulary learning

Student motivation in online learning

Slang and double-meaning words in ESL learners

Feedback strategies in A1 English classes

Use of gamification in Didatecs

Which topic do you want for your whole project?

Here is the clear roadmap for your course Educational Research Methodology and exactly where your big paper (the final Research Protocol) begins, and how all previous assignments connect to it.

✅ Where does your paper start?

Your final paper starts in Unit 3 — Activity 3.1: Problem Definition. This is the foundation of the entire Research Protocol.

Everything before Unit 3 is preparation. Everything after Unit 3 builds on your Problem Definition.

🧱 Structure: How your Research Protocol is built

Think of the entire course like building a house:

UNIT 1 → Foundations: Understanding research

1.1 Research Approaches → helps you choose if your study is qualitative / quantitative / mixed methods

1.2 Types and Scope of Research → quiz confirms your basic theory

1.3 Importance of Educational Research → prepares your justification

These do not yet start your paper — they are conceptual.

UNIT 2 → Materials: Finding academic sources

This unit prepares the LITERATURE for your Research Protocol:

2.1 Databases Forum → where to search (ERIC, Scopus, WoS, etc.)

2.2 Peer-Reviewed Journals → guarantees your sources are high quality

2.3 Information Selection → selecting relevant studies

2.4 Academic Plagiarism, Citations, References → APA 7 formatting skills

These activities give you the articles and APA references for your final paper. But your paper still hasn’t started.

🚀 UNIT 3 → NOW your paper begins

This is where you start writing the actual Research Protocol, step by step.

Your paper starts here:

✔ 3.1 Activity: Problem Definition — This is the FIRST PAGE of your paper

This is your real starting point.

Here you write:

The topic (e.g., gamification, English reading comprehension, student anxiety, etc.)

The problem observed

The context (school, learners, level)

Why this problem matters (justification)

What research gap exists

This becomes Section 1 of your final Research Protocol.

✔ 3.2 Research Questions, Objectives, and Hypothesis

This becomes Section 2 of your paper.

You build directly from the problem:

3–4 research questions

General + specific objectives

Hypothesis (if quantitative)

✔ 3.3 Methodological Design

This becomes Section 3 of your paper.

You choose:

Research approach

Research type

Population and sample

Instruments

Procedure

Analysis plan

✔ 3.4 Expected Results

This becomes Section 4.

You explain:

What results you expect

Why those results matter

How this impacts education

✔ 3.5 Conceptual Framework References

This becomes Section 5.

Here you insert:

Concepts

Definitions

Theoretical models

APA references from Unit 2

🎓 FINAL: Integrative Activity – Research Protocol (15%)

This is your full paper.

👉 You simply combine Sections 1–5 from Activities 3.1 to 3.5 into one complete, clean, polished research protocol.

Nothing new — you are just integrating.

📌 SUMMARY — EXACT STARTING POINT

Your research paper officially starts at:

🟩 3.1 Activity: Problem Definition

Everything before that is theory. Everything after that is writing.

⭐ If you want, I can help you RIGHT NOW with:

✅ Writing your Problem Definition ✅ Choosing a topic ✅ Creating your Research Questions ✅ Drafting your entire Research Protocol — exactly how your university expects it

Just tell me:

“My topic is ______. Let’s start with 3.1.”

I’ll build the whole paper with you step-by-step.