RESARCH METHODS

LECTURE 3
 UNIT 3 : RESEARCH PROBLEM:
IDENTIFICATION AND FORMULATION

LECTURE 3
Research problem

 What is a research problem?

 It is the topic we would like to address,
investigate, or study, whether descriptively or
experimentally.
 It is the focus or reason for engaging in our
research.
 It is typically a topic, phenomenon, or
challenge that we are interested in and with
which we are at least somewhat familiar
applications
Problem Identification and
Formulation
 Research is an investigation or experimentation that is
aimed at a discovery and interpretation of facts,
revision of theories or laws or practical application of
the new or revised theories or laws.
 To initiate and conducting a research, the researcher
should generate a necessity for the research, in form
of research problem.
 The ideas and topics are developed while consulting
literatures (recommendation for further studies),
discussions with experts, practical environment
related to the subject matter.
Need for research -inquiry

Problem formulation is the logical first step

toward this goal.
 when something is unsatisfactory,
 when traditional beliefs are inadequate or in
question,
 when the facts necessary, to resolve one’s
uncertainties are not known,
 when the most likely relevant hypotheses are
not even imagined.
Problem Identification and
Formulation

 These ideas/topics generally called research

problems and are statements about areas of
concern, a condition to be improved, a
difficulty to be eliminated
 A research problem does not state how to do
something, offer a vague or broad
proposition, or present a value question.
Characteristics of Research Problem

 The problem must be significant researchable lead to

further research and suitable for the researcher.
 Problem should lead to empirical investigation.
 Should depict what is to be determined and scope of
the study. It also involves key concept definitions
questions to be asked.
 Research problems should indicate gaps in the scope or
the certainty of our knowledge.
 Should contribute to knowledge in theory of concepts
The Role of Theory in Problem Formulation

Theory plays a dual role in research.

 New theories solve research problems by accounting for
unexplained phenomena and by superseding
questionable older theories.
 Existing theory guides researchers in formulating
research problems. Researchers consider the context of
accumulated theoretical as well as empirical knowledge
to determine whether a phenomenon or a theory is
problematic, to formulate a problem.
Sources of Research Problem

The research problem may be selected from the following

sources:
• School library (reading through literature or archival)
• Community (consultations or narrations or public
participation processes)
• Own experiences (observations)
• Classroom lectures (narration and disputation)
• Class discussions (argumentation)
• Seminars/workshops/paper presentations (disputations,
argumentation)
Sources of Research Problem

• Internet (narrations or observations)

• Research reports and term papers (investigations)
• Theory of one’s own interest
• Daily problems
• Technological changes
• Unexplored areas
• Discussions with other people
Formulation of research problem -
How ?

 A researchable problem may be picked out of

several identified problems by evaluating the
outlined problems against certain criteria,
which are grouped into two: internal criteria
and external criteria.
1. Internal Criteria

 Internal criteria refer to those qualities and

resources possessed by the researcher.
They consist of:
Internal Criteria

 Researcher’s interest: The problem should

interest the researcher and be a challenge to
him.
 Researcher’s own resource: the researcher
consider his own resources for instance
financial resource and time is pertinent.
 Researcher’s competence: The researcher must
be competent enough so as to adequately plan
and carry out a study of the problem.
2. External Criteria

 External criteria refer to criteria over which

the researcher may have no direct control.
 2. External Criteria
1) Researchability of the problem: The problem should be
researchable, i.e., amendable for finding answers to the
questions involved through the scientific method.
2) Novelty of the problem: The problem must have novelty.
There is no use of wasting one’s time and energy on a
problem already studied thoroughly by others.
3) Importance and urgency: Problems requiring investigation
are unlimited, but available research efforts are very much
limited.
4) Facilities: Research requires certain facilities such as well-
equipped library facility, suitable and competent guidance,
data analysis facility, etc.
2. External Criteria
1) Feasibility: A problem may be a new one and also
important, but if research on it is not feasible, it cannot
be selected.
2) Usefulness and social relevance: Above all, the study of
the problem should make a significant contribution to
the concerned body of knowledge or to the solution
of some significant practical problem. It should be
socially relevant.
3) Research personnel: Research undertaken in developed
nations has been rewarding. While in developing
countries, research has not yet become a rewarding
profession. Hence not attracting qualified persons.
 Guidelines for selecting a research
problem

 The research problem should bean area in which the

researcher may be deeply interested
 The research problem should be focused in the sense of
being related to the researcher’s overall logic (The how
of..). A diffused and unfocused problem reduces the
efficiency of the effort put in a research project.
 The problem selected should not necessarily be a new
one. It may be old problem or one on which work has
already been done(Controversies / Contradiction).
 The problem should be within meaningful limits i.e. it
should not be too comprehensive.
 Considerations in Selecting a Research
Problem
These help to ensure that your study will remain manageable
and that you will remain motivated.
1) Interest: a research endeavor is usually time consuming,
and involves hard work and possibly unforeseen
problems. One should select topic of great interest to
sustain the required motivation.
2) Magnitude: It is extremely important to select a topic that
you can manage within the time and resources at your
disposal. Narrow the topic down to something
manageable, specific and clear.
3) Level of expertise: Make sure that you have an adequate
level of expertise for the task you are proposing since you
Considerations in Selecting a Research
Problem

1) Relevance: Ensure that your study adds to the

existing body of knowledge, bridges current gaps
and is useful in policy formulation. This will help
you to sustain interest in the study.
2) Availability of data: Before finalizing the topic, make
sure that data are available.
3) Ethical issues: How ethical issues can affect the study
and how ethical problems can be overcome should
be thoroughly examined at the problem formulating
stage.
Principle Components in the
Formulation of a Problem

 The originating questions (what one wants to

know?)
 The rationale–theoretical or practical (why
one wants to have the questions answered?)
 The specifying questions (possible answers to
the originating) questions in term of that
satisfy the rationale.)
Criteria of a good research
problem

The following are detailed list of criteria for the choice of research
problem:
1) Novelty: It should be original. It should not involve duplication
of prior research.
2) Interest: The problem should be interesting for the researcher
and their team.
3) Importance: If the research is not worthwhile, if neither adds to
knowledge nor leads to
4) any improvements in the current practices then it should not
be done.
5) Immediate Application: The investigator should ask himself the
question, will my
6) research help in solving an urgent or practical problem.
 Feasibility in research
Feasibility in research includes the following
 Availability of data required for a meaningful research
 Potential of cooperation from participants and relevant
institutions
 Availability of expertise and guidance in the field of
research
 Availability of requisite research facilitates and
instruments
 Experience and creativity of the researcher or research
team
 Coverage or scope of the research and confidence of the
Common Errors in Formulating
Research Problem

1) Naming a Broad Field: To choose the broad area of

study instead of specific problem makes no
justification. The research problem must be focused
and well-defined and its objectives must be clear.
2) Narrowing or Localizing a Topic: The problem should
not be narrowed to such an extent that it becomes
too small and insignificant from research point or
view. This however is not a problem for research in
the social sciences and in design research which is
often context-based.
UNIT QUESTIONS
NEXT LECTURE….