Tips on SPARTA’s SP601 Data-Driven Research Fundamentals

6.3.1 The Door-to-Door Caravan Sampling Problem is the capstone for the SPARTA’s SP601 and I am not proud to mention that I spent more than 2 months (yuletide season is my alibi haha) to finish the course and almost 3 weeks in capstone. 

After I finished all the lectures and the challenging quizzes, it’s time for capstone. My brain shut down after reading the instructions and seeing the downloaded dataset. I didn’t know where to start. Didn’t know what to do. Haha. But it is fine, just let your brain relax first before going to an all out war Naks! 

Why I am writing this? I do not want you to be like me, wasting time glaring at the ceiling while thinking how to slay the capstone. 

So let’s dive into it. 

1. Download the data. Read and re-read the instructions. The research paper should at least have the following parts: 
● Introduction 
    o Background 
    o Problem Statement 
    o Scope and Limitations 
● Literature Review 
    o Available Research on this 
    o Gap Analysis 
● Proposed Research Design 
    o Step by Step Research Design to Solve the Problem 
    o Proposed Data Analysis Methodologies 
         Quantitative 
         Qualitative 
● Implementation Plan 
● Bibliography 

2. Go back to your notes. What is the first lesson? Correct! First lesson is about PROBLEM STATEMENT. 
Do not be fooled by introduction or background. Skip it for now and focus on the problem statement. How to formulate it? Read again the dataset. There’s a guide question right? From there you map out a nice research questions for your to solve. From that too you can form your title too.. (wink-wink)    

3. Skip the scope and limitation.

4. Now let’s go on with the literature review. This is where the real grind starts. Haha. Inhale-exhale! Google your research questions, check-out Google scholars using keywords of the problem statement. 

Be a member of Academia. Do not forget what we have learned from week 2. 
    a. Identify the Research Topic You Want to Explore They should be flexible in their conceptualization of the research problem being investigated They should begin with broad idea and be prepared to narrow it down as they progress 
    b. Review the Sources to get an overview of that research topic 
    c. Develop a Search Strategy 
    d. Conduct the search and select specific articles to review 
    e. Obtain titles or full text references of journal articles or book 
    f. Read the artices and prepare bibliographic information and notes on each 
    g. Analyse the research findings and synthesise. 
Check out the integrity of the paper. Read, highlight and comprehend. From there you might see the light in the end of the tunnel. Haha.

5. While reading research you may ask your self that something is missing or further research can be done. Welcome that idea and include on the gap analysis. Remember to cite the papers properly to avoid plagiarism.

6. Go back to week 3 about research design. Here you can indicate the sampling, instruments and analysis method you will use. Where to get data? Data from Philippine Statistics Authority.

7. Implementation Plan. As the term implies, you can incorporate to answer all the capstone guide questions indicated on the downloadable data in this section. Explain how you implement the formula, your graphs or tables.

8. Bibliography. Include all the citations you’ve used.

9. Then we go back on areas we have skipped. Give a background; a summary for what people will learn from your research. Indicate the scope of your study and limitations.

10. And you’re done! Hope you enjoyed the process. ;) 

Do not stress yourself too much. If you have questions replay again lessons from Ms. Regine Tejada. 
This is my very first time to do a proper research paper. Wala kami nito sa panahon namin. (Napaghahalataan na ang edad haha). 

If I can do it. Kayo din. Okay? Good luck classmates.  
PS: if you have other tips, comment it to our comment section.

This is SPARTA! I am a SPARTAN!

2020 is a year of uncertainty. I left my job and the weirdest thing all I want is to stay safe at home with my husband.

On my spare time last May, I took some free courses from IBM, YouTube and Udemy. Well, I just don’t want to waste my time on nonsense.

While waiting at the bus stop, I stumbled on SPARTA. With no hesitations, I registered right there and then and immediately finished my existing courses for me to start my journey to SPARTA.

Why I focus on SPARTA?

This year 2020, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) announced that there’s shortage of highly skilled professionals of 38-40 million and to address this problem, they launced the Project DARE (Data Analytics Raising Employment). Responding in to that concern, the Philippines, lead by DOST (Department of Sciece and Technology) developed the SPARTA (Smarter Philippines Through R&D, Training and Adoption) program.

DOST partners with Development Academy of the Philippines, Analytics Association of the Philippines and CourseBank targeting 30,000 scholars not only to be trained but also intends to retain and provide jobs for the scholars.

Yes! DOST! To be part of Philippines’ DOST is a prestigious moment for me.

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Do not be fooled with the course. It is DOST. As scholars, you are expected to give the best out of you. It reminds me of my college days (professors giving the introduction but they are expecting that you will give the full report by next day), it gives me sleepless nights and I am exhausting all resources. As in all, not only internet but also the knowledge from my friends, nephews and nieces. It is challenging and exciting. Thrilling! My brain is churning! Woootwooot!

I finished three subjects as of now and can’t wait to finish the whole program. Imagine, your classmates now are your future colleagues after graduating.

Mabuhay SPARTA Scholars!