CHAPTER 2

FORMULATING A
RESEARCH PROBLEM
Research Methodology:
Tools, Methods and Techniques

Sundram, V.P.K., Chandran, V.G.R., Atikah, S.B., Rohani, M., Nazura, M.S., Akmal, A.O., & Krishnasamy, T.
 Learning Objectives
After completing this chapter, you should be able to learn about:
 The importance of formulating a research problem
 Sources of research problems
 Considerations in selecting a research problem
 Specific issues to consider when formulating a research problem in
qualitative research
 Steps in formulating a research problem
 How to formulate research objectives

Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques 2

Table of Content
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
2.3 THE IMPORTANCE OF FORMULATING A RESEARCH PROBLEM
2.4 SOURCES OF RESEARCH PROBLEMS
2.5 CONSIDERATIONS IN SELECTING A RESEARCH PROBLEM
2.6 STEP IN FORMULATING A RESEARCH PROBLEM
2.7 THE FORMULATION OF RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques 3

 CHAPTER 2

2.1 INTRODUCTION

Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques 4

 The central aim of this chapter is to detail the
process of formulating a research problem.

Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques 5

 CHAPTER 2

2.2 THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques 6

 Any question that you want answered and any
assumption or assertion that you want to
challenge or investigate can become a
research problem or a research topic for your
study.

Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques 7

 CHAPTER 2

2.3 THE IMPORTANCE OF

FORMULATING A RESEARCH
PROBLEM

Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques 8

 Formulation of a research problem is like the
identification of a destination before undertaking a
journey.
 The way you formulate a problem determines
almost every step that follows: the type of study
design that can be used; the type of sampling
strategy that can be employed; the research
instrument that can be used or developed; and the
type of analysis that can be undertaken.

Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques 9

i. Suppose you want to conduct a research study regarding services
available to patients with depression living in a community. If your
focus is to find out the types of service available to patients with
depression, that study will dominantly be descriptive and qualitative
in nature. These types of studies fall in the category of qualitative
research and are carried out using qualitative research
methodologies.
ii. On the other hand, if you want to find out the extent of use these
services, that are the number of people using them, it will dominantly
use quantitative methodologies even though it is descriptive in nature
describing the number of people using a service.
iii. If your focus is to determine the extent of use in relation to the
personal attributes of the patients, the study will be classified as
correlation (and quantitative).
Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques 10
 CHAPTER 2

2.4 SOURCES OF RESEARCH

PROBLEMS

Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques 11

 Most research in the humanities resolves around
four Ps:
1. People
2. Problems
3. Programmes
4. Phenomena

Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques 12

 Aspects of a Research Problem

Aspects of
About Study of Details
a study

They provide you with the required

Study Individuals, organizations, groups,
People information or your collect
population communities.
information from or about them.

Issues, situations, associations,

Problem needs, population composition,
profiles, etc.
Information that you need to collect
Subject Contents, structure, outcomes, to find answers to your service
area Programme attributes, satisfaction, consumers, research questions.
providers, etc.
Cause and effect, relationships, the
Phenomenon
study of phenomenon itself, etc.
Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques 13
 CHAPTER 2

2.5 CONSIDERATIONS IN SELECTING

A RESEARCH PROBLEM

Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques 14

 Interest
 Magnitude
 Measurement of concepts
 Level of expertise
 Relevance
 Availability of data
 Ethical Issues
Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques 15
 CHAPTER 2

2.6 STEP IN FORMULATING A

RESEARCH PROBLEM

Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques 16

 Step 1: Step 2: Profiling Step 3: Specify
Discovering main issues into what interest
issues subareas you the most

Step 6:
Step 5: Step 4: Develop
Researchability
Formulate research
of your
objectives questions
objectives

Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques 17

 1 What impact has Main objective: To find
St green supply chain out the
ep towards the effects
4– environmental of
18

De performance? green
vel supply
2 How does a green
op chain
supply chain
Re practic
practices affect the
Steps in Formulating a Research Problem (Example 1)

se e on
firm performance?
ar firm
ch 3 What are the effects perfor
Qu of green supply mance
St
est chain on the .
ep
io economic
5– Specific objectives:
n performance?
Fo
1 To ascertain the
rm
impact of green
ula
supply chain
te
towards the
Ob
environmental
jec
performance.
tiv
Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques

St
ep es 2 To determine the
Effects of green supply ways in which green
3–
chain practices on supply chain
Sp
performance practices affects the
eci
fy firms’ financial
performance.
3 To find out the
effects of green
supply chain on the
economic
1 Green practices in the performance.
supply chain.
2 Factors influencing
green practices.
3 The process of
St implementing green Assess in terms of:
ep practices. 1 that you are really
2– 4 The effect of green interested in the
Pr practices towards study.
ofi performance. 2 that you agree with
lin
5 The effectiveness of the objectives.
g
green practices in 3 the time available to
supply chain. St
you.
ep
  6– 4 that you have the
Re technical expertise
se to undertake the
ar study.
ch 5 your (and your
abi research
St lity supervisor)
ep technical expertise
1– in the area.
Di
sc
Green Supply Chain
ov
er
Iss
ue
s
 St 1 What happens to Main objective: To
ep poverty line index explore the
4– when economic relationship between
De indicators rise? economic indicators
19

vel the and poverty.

2 What are
op economic indicators Specific objectives:
Re that cause the rise in
1 To find out the
se poverty?
extent of the rise in
Steps in Formulating a Research Problem (Example 2)

ar
3 What are the economic indicators
ch
economic in relation to the rise
Qu
characteristics St in poverty line
est
involved in the rise in ep index.
io
poverty line index? 5–
n 2 To ascertain the
Fo factors that affects
rm the changes in
ula economic
te indicators.
Ob
jec 3 To explore the
St
tiv relationship
ep
Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques

Relationship between es between economic

3–
economic indicators indicators
Sp
and poverty characteristics and
eci
the rise in poverty
fy
line index.
1 Trends in economic
indicators and
poverty line index.
2 Determinants that
influence the
economic indicators.
St 3 Relationships
Assess in terms of:
ep between economic
2– indicators and 1 that you are really
Pr poverty. interested in the
ofi study.
4 Impact of economic
lin changes on poverty. 2 that you agree with
g the objectives.
5 The causes of
increase in poverty 3 the time available to
line index, etc. St you.
ep
6– 4 that you have the
Re technical expertise
se to undertake the
ar study.
ch 5 your (and your
abi research supervisor)
St lity technical expertise
ep in the area.
1–
Di
sc Economic indicators
ov and poverty
er
Iss
ue
s
 CHAPTER 2

2.7 THE FORMULATION OF

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques 20

 Objectives are the goals you set out to attain in your
study.
 Objectives should be listed under two heading:
o Main objectives - an overall statement of the thrust of
your study. It is also a statement of the main association
and relationships that you seek to discover or
established
o Specific objectives - the specific aspects of the topic that
you want to investigate within the main framework of
your study.
Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques 21
 Characteristics of Objectives

Identify the Identify the

   
main variables direction of
Clear Complete Specific
to be the
correlated relationship

Descriptive studies

Correlational studies (experimental and non-experimental)

Hypothesis-testing studies
Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques 22