Research Methods

Defining the Research

Problem

Mphande and Dr Bupe @

24/11/2019
Objectives of the Lesson
 AT the end of the lesson, the student should be able to understand;
1. The criteria of a good research
2. The research problem
3. Components of a research problem
4. Selecting a research problem
5. Formatting a research topic
6. Refining a research problem
7. Examples of defining a research problem
8. Writing research questions
9. Writing research objectives
10. Theory in writing research questions and question
11. Contents of a research proposal
 Criteria of a Good Research
 Scientific research should meet the following criteria;

1. The purpose of the research should be clearly defined and common

concepts be used.

2. The research procedure used should be described in sufficient detail to

permit another researcher to repeat the research for further advancement,
keeping the continuity of what has already been attained.
3. The procedural design of the research should be carefully planned
to yield results that are as objective as possible.

4. The researcher should report with complete frankness, flaws in

procedural design an estimate their effects upon the findings.

5. The analysis of data should be sufficiently adequate to reveal its

significance and the methods of analysis used should be appropriate.

6. The validity and reliability of the data should be checked

carefully.
7. Conclusions should be confined to those justified by the data of
the research and limited to those for which the data provide an
adequate basis.

8. Greater confidence in research is warranted if the researcher is

experienced, has a good reputation in research and is a person of
integrity.
Like a medical doctor, a researcher must examine all the symptoms (presented to
him or observed by him) concerning a problem before he can diagnose correctly.
Therefore;

What is a research problem?

 A research problem, refers to some difficulty which a researcher

experiences in the context of either a theoretical or practical
situation and wants to obtain a solution for the same (Kothari,
2004).
There are two types of research problems; those which relate to
states of nature and those which relate to relationships between
variables.
A research problem does exist if the following
conditions are met with;
 1. There must be an individual (or a group or an organisation), let
us call it ‘I,’ to whom the problem can be attributed.
 2. There must be at least two courses of action, say C1 and C2, to
be pursued.
 3. There must be at least two possible outcomes, say O1 and O2,
of the course of action, of which one should be preferable to the
other.
 4. The courses of action available must provide some chance of
obtaining the objective.
 Note: We talk of a research problem or hypothesis in case of
descriptive or hypothesis testing research studies.
 Exploratory or formulative research studies do not start with a
problem or hypothesis, their problem is to find a problem or the
hypothesis to be tested.
 Components of a Research Problem
1. There must be an individual or a group which has some difficulty or the problem.

2. There must be some objective(s) to be attained at. If one wants nothing, one cannot
have a problem.

3. There must be alternative means (or the courses of action) for obtaining the
objective(s) one wishes to attain.

4. There must remain some doubt in the mind of a researcher with regard to the
selection of alternatives.

5. There must be some environment(s) to which the difficulty pertains.

Selecting a Research Problem
 Points to observe when selecting a research problem or subject of
research.
1. Subject which is overdone should not be normally chosen, for it will
be a difficult task to throw any new light in such a case.
2. Controversial subject should not become the choice of an average
researcher.
3. Too narrow or too vague problems should be avoided.
4. The subject selected for research should be familiar and feasible so
that the related research material or sources of research are within one’s
reach.
Cont’d
5. The importance of the subject, the qualifications and the training of
a researcher, the costs involved, the time factor are few other criteria
that must also be considered in selecting a problem.
 Whether he is well equipped in terms of his background to carry out the research?
 Whether the study falls within the budget he can afford?
 Whether the necessary cooperation can be obtained from those who must participate in
research as subjects?

6. The selection of a problem must be preceded by a preliminary study.

Formatting a Research Topic

 Formulating and clarifying the research topic is the starting point

of your research project (Ghauri and Grønhaug 2005; Smith and
Dainty 1991).

 The formulating and clarifying process is time consuming and

will probably take you up blind alleys (Saunders and Lewis
1997).
More frequently used techniques for generating
and refining research ideas
 Defining a Research Problem
1. Technical terms and words or phrases, with special meanings used in the statement of the
problem, should be clearly defined.

2. Basic assumptions (if any) relating to the research problem should be clearly stated.

3. A straight forward statement of the value of the investigation (i.e., the criteria for the
selection of the problem) should be provided.

4. The suitability of the time-period and the sources of data available must also be
considered by the researcher in defining the problem.

5. The scope of the investigation or the limits within which the problem is to be studied
must be mentioned explicitly in defining a research problem.
 Example of Defining a Research
Problem
“Why is productivity in Zambia so much higher than in Angola”?
In this form the question has a number of ambiguities such as:
 What sort of productivity is being referred to?
 With what industries is the same related?
 With what period of time the productivity is being talked about?
 In view of all such ambiguities, the question is much too general to be amenable to
analysis.
 Rethinking and discussions about the problem may result in
narrowing down the question to:
“What factors were responsible for the higher labour productivity
of Zambia’s manufacturing industries during the decade 1971 to
1980 relative to Angola’s manufacturing industries?”

 Further rethinking and rephrasing might place the problem on a still

better operational basis

“To what extent did labour productivity in 1971 to 1980 in Zambia

exceed that of Angola in respect of 15 selected manufacturing
industries? What factors were responsible for the productivity
differentials between the two countries by industries?”
Writing Research Questions
 Defining research questions, rather like generating
research ideas is not a straightforward matter.
 Questions that are too small are likely to be of
insufficient substance, while those that are too ‘hot’
may be so because of sensitivities that may be
aroused as a result of doing the research.
 The pitfall that you must avoid at all costs is asking
research questions that will not generate new
insights.
 It is often a useful starting point in the writing of
research questions to begin with one general
focus research question that flows from your
research idea.
Examples of research ideas and their derived focus
research questions
 In order to clarify the research question Clough and
Nutbrown (2002) talk of the Russian doll principle.

 An obvious source of guidance is your project tutor.

Discussing your area of interest with your project tutor will lead to
your research questions becoming much clearer.

 Your research questions may flow from your initial

examination of the relevant literature.
 journal articles reporting primary research will often end with a conclusion
that includes the consideration by the author of the implications for future
research of the work in the article.
Writing Research Objectives
 Objectives are more generally acceptable to the
research community as evidence of the researcher’s
clear sense of purpose and direction.

 Research objectives are likely to lead to greater

specificity than research or investigative questions.
Phrasing Research Questions as Research Objectives
Maylor and Blackmon (2005) suggest that such
Research Objectives would be better were they to
pass the well-known SMART test. That is that the
objectives are:

 Specific. What precisely do you hope to achieve from

undertaking the research?
 Measurable. What measures will you use to determine whether
you have achieved your objectives? (e.g. secured a career-
level first job in software design).
 Achievable. Are the targets you have set for yourself
achievable given all the possible constraints?
 Realistic. Given all the other demands upon your time, will you
have the time and energy to complete the research on time?
 Timely. Will you have time to accomplish all your objectives in
the time frame you have set?
Theory in writing Research Questions and Objectives

Theory is defined by Gill and Johnson (2002:229) as ‘a

formulation regarding the cause and effect relationships
between two or more variables, which may or may not
have been tested’.
Clarifying what theory is not
 Sutton and Staw (1995) make a useful contribution to the
clarification of what theory is by defining what it is not.

1. References. Listing references to existing theories and

mentioning the names of such theories may look
impressive.
2. Data. In a similar point to the one above, Sutton and
Staw argue that data merely describe which empirical
patterns were observed: theory explains why these
patterns were observed or are expected to be observed.
 Lists of variables. Sutton and Staw argue that a list of
variables which constitutes a logical attempt to cover the
determinants of a given process or outcome do not
comprise a theory.
5. Diagrams. Boxes and arrows can add order to a
conception by illustrating patterns and causal
relationships but they rarely explain why the
relationships have occurred.

6. Hypotheses or predictions. Hypotheses can be

part of a sound conceptual argument. But they do
not contain logical arguments about why empirical
relationships are expected to occur.