How to Narrow Down a Research Problem?

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1. Overview

The importance of a good research question cannot be overstated in the research process. A
well-crafted research question is the cornerstone of a successful research endeavor,
guiding researchers toward valuable insights and impactful outcomes.
The tutorial explores the significance of a good research question, emphasizing its role in
refining the scope and aligning research objectives. It discusses key criteria such as clarity,
feasibility, relevance, and significance that distinguish strong research
questions. Practical tips and strategies are provided to aid researchers in formulating precise
and answerable research questions.

2. Research Problem

A research problem refers to the specific issue or topic a researcher wants to investigate and
study. It’s the question or issue that the researcher wants to explore, analyze, and ultimately
answer through their research. The research problem should be a clear and concise
statement outlining the gap or knowledge deficit in the current research and identifying
the specific research questions to address. A well-defined research problem is crucial for
producing meaningful and valuable research outcomes.

2.1. General Area of Interest

A general idea of the research topic is essential because it provides a starting point for further
research and helps focus the research problem. It also helps to ensure that the research
topic is relevant and interesting to the researcher and the field of study.
A general idea can be based on personal interests or previous experiences or inspired by
current events or emerging trends in the field. Once a general area of interest has been
identified, the researcher can conduct a literature review to identify gaps in the existing
research and narrow down the research problem.

2.2. Literature Review

A literature review is essential for research as it helps identify gaps in existing knowledge,
guiding the formulation of research questions. It ensures originality by avoiding
duplication of previous work. Additionally, it informs the research design, ensuring
appropriate methods and techniques are employed. By integrating existing literature,
researchers strengthen the credibility of their work and provide valuable evidence to support
their findings. Overall, a thorough literature review enhances the quality and validity of
research.
3. Research Question

The research question guides the study and is specific, focused, and answerable. The
research question is typically derived from the research problem and helps narrow the
study. It provides a clear and concise direction for the research and helps ensure the study is
relevant and feasible.
The research question should be specific and answerable and avoid being too broad or
too narrow. It should be designed to provide insight into the research problem and address
the research gap identified in the literature review:

4. Narrowing Down Frameworks

Several frameworks and approaches can help to narrow down a research problem.

4.1. PICO

The PICO framework is often used in healthcare and medical research to formulate focused
research questions. It involves identifying the specific population or patient group, the
intervention or treatment being considered, the comparison group or alternative intervention,
and the desired outcome.
Although the PICO framework is mainly used in healthcare and medical research, it’s
possible to tweak this technique to apply to any research area and type:

This research question directs the investigation into assessing the influence of version control
systems on code quality and team productivity in the context of collaborative coding projects
among software engineering students. By comparing the use of version control systems with
manual file management, researchers can analyze the potential benefits of code quality and
team productivity achieved through adopting proper version control practices.

4.2. FINER

The FINER technique is a tool that researchers should consider when evaluating and refining
their research questions:

 Feasible: A research question should be feasible, considering available resources,

time constraints, and access to data or participants
 Interesting: An interesting research question captures the researcher’s and the wider
academic community’s attention and curiosity
 Novel: A research question should exhibit novelty by exploring new perspectives,
approaches, or methodologies
  Ethical: Ethics play a critical role in research, and a research question should align
with ethical considerations and guidelines. Researchers must ensure their study
prioritizes participants’ well-being, privacy, and rights
 Relevant: Relevance is an essential criterion for a research question, ensuring that the
study addresses real-world problems or contributes to advancements in theory or
practice

Researchers can critically evaluate and refine their research questions using the FINER
technique to ensure feasibility, interestingness, novelty, ethical integrity, and relevance. This
evaluation process enhances the quality and impact of the research, leading to more focused
and purposeful studies:

The FINER technique serves as a guide for conducting research that explores the application
of deep reinforcement learning in improving autonomous drone navigation while ensuring
ethical integrity and addressing real-world challenges.

4.3. SPICE

The SPICE framework is commonly used in social sciences and qualitative research. It helps
researchers narrow down the research problem by considering specific elements. Setting
refers to the context or environment of the research. Perspective involves identifying the
viewpoints or perspectives of the individuals involved. Intervention refers to the actions or
changes being studied. Comparison is the alternative or control group, and evaluation refers
to the desired outcome or impact.
The framework guides users through five components:

 Setting – where?
 Perspective – for whom?
 Intervention – what?
 Comparison – compared with what?
 Evaluation – with what result?
Although this technique is mainly used for social sciences, to some extent, it can be
applied to any field:

Using the SPICE, this research question guides the investigation into examining the
implications, comparison, techniques, and evaluation of incorporating pre-trained language
models for sentiment analysis in natural language processing. It aims to address the challenge
of limited labeled data and explore the effectiveness of pre-trained models in sentiment
analysis tasks.

4.4. Gap Analysis

This framework requires a thorough review of the existing literature and identifying gaps or
knowledge deficits in the field. By critically analyzing previous studies and identifying areas
that haven’t been adequately addressed or require further exploration, researchers can narrow
down the research problem and focus on addressing these gaps. Gap analysis helps ensure
the research problem is relevant and contributes to the existing body of knowledge.
Using gap analysis tables might provide structure to this approach:
It’s possible to get a hint about a research gap and the direction from the
recommendations for future research sections in available research.

4.5. The Problem-Solution Framework

A Problem-Solution Framework is used in research and problem-solving processes to

identify, analyze, and address specific problems or challenges. It involves structuring
research questions and investigations around well-defined problems and proposing potential
solutions or approaches to address them.
In this framework, the focus is on understanding and defining the problem clearly. This
includes identifying the underlying causes, contextual factors, and implications of the
problem within the specific domain of study. Researchers then explore and evaluate
potential solutions or strategies to mitigate or resolve the identified problem.
The Problem-Solution Framework typically involves several stages:

1. Clearly define the problem or challenge that needs to be addressed. This includes
understanding the context, examining existing research and literature, and identifying
the gaps or issues that require attention.
2. Analyze the problem in-depth, examining its root causes, impact, and potential
consequences. This involves gathering relevant data, conducting experiments or
simulations, and considering different perspectives to understand the problem
comprehensively.
3. Brainstorm and explore potential solutions or approaches to address the
problem. This involves considering strategies, methodologies, algorithms, or
technologies that may provide viable solutions. Researchers assess the feasibility,
advantages, and limitations of each proposed solution.
4. Evaluate the proposed solutions based on specific criteria or metrics. This may
involve conducting experiments, simulations, or performance evaluations to measure
each solution approach’s effectiveness, efficiency, scalability, or user satisfaction.
 Researchers analyze the results to determine the most suitable solution or
combination.
5. Implement the chosen solution and validate its effectiveness in real-world
scenarios. This step involves deploying the solution, monitoring its performance,
collecting data, and analyzing the outcomes to assess its success in addressing the
identified problem.

All the stages contribute to the research question and can be used to refine and narrow it
down:

4.6. The Context-Action-Result (CAR) Framework

The Context-Action-Result (CAR) Framework analyzes and understands complex situations,

actions, and outcomes within a specific context. It helps researchers structure their
investigations by considering the contextual factors, the actions or interventions taken, and
the resulting outcomes or impact.
The CAR Framework involves the following elements:

1. The Context step focuses on understanding the specific context or environment in

which the research is conducted. It includes the background information,
 circumstances, constraints, and relevant factors that shape the situation under study.
Contextual factors can include social, cultural, economic, technological, or
organizational aspects influencing the research problem.
2. The Action element refers to the specific actions, interventions, or methodologies
undertaken by the researcher to address the problem or achieve a desired outcome. It
involves implementing specific strategies, techniques, or approaches to bring about
change or make an impact.
3. The Result stage encompasses the outcomes, consequences, or effects of the actions
or interventions taken. It involves analyzing and evaluating the results of the research
or intervention based on specific criteria or metrics. Results can be tangible or
intangible, direct or indirect, and may have short-term or long-term implications.

The CAR Framework differs from the previous ones because it has a clear direction and
temporal dependencies between steps:

4.7. So What?

The “So what” technique is a helpful approach in narrowing down a research question. Also,
it helps to validate a research question and ensure its significance and impact.
By employing the “So what” technique, researchers can critically evaluate the potential
significance of their research question. It helps them refine and narrow down the question by
emphasizing the need for a clear purpose, meaningful outcomes, and potential benefits to the
field of study or broader society.
When using the “So what” technique, researchers should consider the following:

 How will answering this research question contribute to practical knowledge, inform
decision-making, or address real-world challenges?
 What new insights or theoretical perspectives will be gained by investigating this
research question? Does it challenge existing theories or expand current
understanding in the field?
 Is the research question timely and relevant to current issues, debates, or trends in the
field? Does it address an important gap or knowledge deficit?
  What are the potential implications or benefits may arise from answering the research
question? How might the findings influence policy, practice, or future research?

By incorporating the “So what” technique, researchers can ensure that their research
question holds significance and contributes to the broader body of knowledge. It helps
refine the question and align it with the larger goals and impact of the research study:

5. Tips for Narrowing Down Research Questions

Here are some general tips for narrowing down research questions:

 Consider the research problem and gap identified in the literature review
 Identify key concepts related to the research problem and use them to narrow down
the research question
 Use specific language in the research question to clearly define the scope and focus of
the study
 Avoid using vague terms in the research question
 Test the research question to ensure it’s feasible, relevant, and clear
6. Conclusion

In summary, narrowing down a research problem and formulating a good research question
are crucial in the research process. A well-crafted research question provides a clear direction
and purpose, guiding researchers toward valuable insights and impactful outcomes.
Conducting a literature review helps identify gaps in existing research, avoid duplication of
efforts, and support arguments with existing evidence.
Various frameworks and techniques can aid in narrowing down the research problem and
formulating precise research questions. Key considerations include relevance, feasibility,
clarity, and significance of the research question. By following these guidelines,
researchers can enhance the quality and impact of their research, contributing to the
advancement of knowledge in their respective fields. A strong research question is a
foundation for a successful research study, making valuable contributions to the academic
and practical spheres.