SH1806

The Research Problem

I. Identifying a Research Problem
Identifying a research topic or problem is one of the most important steps in the whole research
process. Knowing the research problem sets the tone for the whole research project, as it becomes
the basis of formulating the research questions, identifying the needed and appropriate literature,
and narrowing down the appropriate theories and frameworks.
Coming up with a sound research topic of problem may stem from a researcher’s idea, issues,
dilemma, or simply because of personal curiosity or interest. It may stem from real life issues that
needs to be solved. Research topics and problems may come from different sources and there are
no written rules for finding one. (Clamor-Torneo &Torneo, 2017)
We have to understand that as researchers, there are clear differences between a research topic and
research question:
RESEARCH TOPIC RESEARCH QUESTIONS
• It is a general idea, problem, or issue being • Intended to be answered through research
considered for investigation. • Helps the researcher focus on a particular
• It is a way of framing the question as a series aspect of the overall body of knowledge that
of simple but direct statements. s/he will frame through literature review.

According to Clamor-Torneo &Torneo (2017), there are three (3) possible sources where we,
researchers, can get research topics:
• Personal sources – these sources primarily came from personal experiences or the things a
researcher has observed in his or her everyday living. It comes from inclinations, views, or values.
Examples could be the researcher’s experience about Manila traffic and how it can be solved.
• Non-scholarly sources – these sources come from newspaper, magazines, radio, television, and
internet sources. It provides data on current events. One advantage of these sources is that the
commentaries of the hosts of newscasts or radio programs may be subjected to empirical testing.
• Scholarly sources – These are highly reputable sources that underwent rigorous review process.
These sources include journals, books, research papers, feasibility, and case studies written by
scholars, academics, industry experts, and research organizations. But one may question: how
about articles written for reputable magazines such as the National Geographic? It can be
considered as scholarly because the writers themselves are experts themselves and it took them
time to observe before they can publish their articles.
A good research topic or problem should address the need of the people and it should be relevant
in reality. It should usher new understanding of an occurrence and identify possible causes and
effects of things being studied.

II. Introduction and Background of the Study

Any research or study starts with an introduction chapter. It gives the reader an overview of the
whole study. It introduces to the reader the research problem at hand and that it is interesting.
Careful thought must be applied to this part since it will be the first thing that the reader will notice.
The aim of this part is to capture the attention of the reader. Most often than not, during panel

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interviews or defenses, the panelist could actually tell the researcher to review again the paper just
by reading the introduction, and WE DO NOT WANT THAT. Technically, the introduction part of
a research is the first chapter. This includes:
A. The Background of the Study
B. Statement of the Problem and the Research Questions
C. The Significance of the Study and the Scope and Delimitation
Note that the hypothesis must also be included and we will tackle it on the latter part of this subject.

Figure 1. Breakdown of Chapter 1 in a research lifted from the research: “Problem-Based Learning and its Effect on Student
Comprehension, Attention, and Preference on Selected First Year Accountancy Students in the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila”

The background of the study provides the reader with the context and tries to explain the circumstances
that befalls to studying the chosen research topic or problem. It is imperative that the researcher briefly
discuss what caught his or her attention. Discussing the problem, the conflict of ideas, gaps in
knowledge, and theories would greatly heighten the discourse hence making the study worth reading.
A researcher must also discuss the motivations and what s/he wants to happen in the study by providing
solutions through his or her hypothesis. For the reader to take interest in the study, we must remember
that the background of the study should be short, clear, and convincing for the reader and the aim of
the background of the study is just to give an overview of the study and not bore the readers with too
many information.

III. Stating the Research Problem

Once the problem has been identified, it should now be written down. The statement of the problem is
also known as the research puzzle or the problematique. The statement of the problem is a formal
articulation of the specific topic which the researcher intends to solve through thorough studying. It is
important to problematize the topic and know the situation, problem, issue, or challenge. Writing this
part of the research should entail the discussion of the particular situation or issue that will be
researched.
After the research problem has been determined, the research questions should now be formulated.
A good research question must have the following traits:
a. It should give the reader an obvious idea what the study is all about
b. It should be the core of the topic under study.
We must also know that there are values that a research question can give to the whole research:
a. It guides literature search as it narrows down the focus of the literature review.
b. It helps decide what appropriate research design to use.
c. It guides the researcher what data to collect, when to collect, how to collect, and from whom to
collect.
d. It is important in analyzing the data.

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e. It limits the scope of the study thus preventing it from going off track.
f. It gives a clear sense of what the research wants to achieve.
In formulating the research questions, we must take note of what type of research questions to employ.
We need consider three (3) types of research questions:

Descriptive – Seeks to objectively describe a particular attribute/s of a person, group,

organization, or occurrence.
Question How many people have been jailed upon the institution of the Tokhang operation
by the Philippine National Police?
Variable People that have been jailed due to drugs
Group A sample group of 1,200 individuals adjusted to accommodate gender, and social
status

Comparative – this compares two (2) or more characteristics of two (2) or more persons
groups, organizations, or occurrence. This may involve comparing and/or contrasting the
relationships between variables or defining which has a greater value.
Question Despite similar increase in GDP in the early 2000s, how was Indonesia and the
Philippines able to sustain their rise amidst rapid world economic changes?
Variable Economic development
Groups Indonesia and The Philippines

Relational – it seeks to understand the affinity of variables. In the realm of quantitative

research, all the aspects should be measurable. The relationship being studied can be simple
association, interaction or causality.
Question Does a Filipino’s economic status affect the likelihood of supporting
a divorce law in the Philippines?
Dependent variable Attitude towards divorce
independent variable A Filipino’s economic status
Groups A sample size of 1,500 Filipino respondents adjusted to accommodate
different economic status.
As mentioned, the research question is the heart of the study. All the sections from the review of
literature, methodology and analysis are focused at answering it. But what makes a good research study?
• Clarifies what data needs to be gathered
• It should be empirical and can be measured
• It should be complex and not terminal, meaning it should be scientific and systematic yet gives
simple answers
• It should be relevant
• It should be practical meaning that the questions can be answered based on the availability of
time, resources, skill level, and the difficulty to obtain data.
IV. The Significance of the Study and the Delimitations (Clamor-Torneo &Torneo, 2017)
The importance of the significance of the study is to make the reader aware that the research is worth
studying. It tells the reader why the study is valuable and it somewhat markets the research that it will
contribute to society. Before writing this part of the research, we need to consider the following
questions:
1. Why is the study important?

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2. What contributions will it bring to your field of discipline?

3. Who will benefit from your study?
The scope and delimitations or limitations of the study, we must first differentiate the two (2):
(Creswell, 2018)
Delimitations – aim to narrow the scope of a study. Examples of which is that this could focus on
specific variables, sites, specific participants, and others.
Limitations – aim to identify potential weaknesses of the study. It can also relay the idea that the
research only aims to tap specific topic and nothing else since the theories or hypothesis limits it.
This section is a short narrative that will explain and provide clarifications that your study will only
tackle and cover certain aspects of your research. The scope is where you clearly set what your
study covers, it time frame, locations, subject, and objectives without any pretense that your study
covers anything beyond what is indicated.

V. Writing the Research Title

After determining the research problem, we must now develop the research title. By develop, we
mean that the title is actually a work in progress. Others even write their titles after successfully
completing their research. According to Clamor-Torneo and Torneo (2017), research titles should
answer the “What” and the “What about the topic?” They said that it is imperative for a research to
capture the essence of the research problem in one sentence.
Example:
“My study is about the level of competency of teachers.”

This example only answers the WHAT of the problem. It is still broad and needs refocusing.
“My study is about the Level of Teaching Competency Among Grade Ten Biological Science
Teachers in Juan Dela Cruz High School in Relation to How They Conduct Their Class
Activities.”
Clearly, the second example answers the “What” and “What about the topic”. By using the second
example, we gain critical information on what the study is all about. We know that the subjects of the
study are the science teachers of Juan Dela Cruz Secondary High school. In addition, it also answers
the “What about the topic” by tackling the important factors of the study like the relationship of
teaching competency in teaching and conducting their class activities.
According to Sacred Heart University (n.d.), effective titles in a study have several characteristics:
• Indicate accurately the subject and scope of the study.
• Avoid using abbreviations.
• Use words that create a positive impression and stimulate reader interest.
• Use current nomenclature from the field of study.
• Identify key variables, both dependent and independent.
• May reveal how the paper will be organized.
• Suggest a relationship between variables which supports the major hypothesis.
• Is limited to 10 to 15 substantive words.
• Titles are usually in the form of a phrase, but can also be in the form of a question.
• Use correct grammar and capitalization with all first words and last words capitalized, including
the first word of a subtitle. All nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs that appear
between the first and last words of the title are also capitalized.

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References:

Creswell, J. W. (2018). EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH: Planning, conducting, and evaluating

quantitative and qualitative research. Upper Saddle River: Pearson.
Sacred Heart University. (n.d.). Research guides: Organizing academic research papers: Choosing a
title. Retrieved February 25, 2018, from https://library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?g=29803&p=185911
Clamor-Torneo, H. & Torneo, A. (2017). Practical research 2. Quezon City: Sibs Publishing House
Inc.

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