Practical Research 2

The Research
Problem
Quarter 3: Module 2
“If we knew
what it was, we
were doing, it
would not be
called
research, would
it?”
At the end of this
class, you are
expected to:
1. Design a research used in daily life.
2. Write a research title.
3. Describe background of research.
4. State research questions.
5. Indicate scope and delimitation.
6. Present written statement of the problem.
7. Perform tasks confidently.
 Fill in the blank with the choices found inside the box.
Research Problem Scope Sources
Delimitation Research Background
Hypothesis Problem Statement

1.Usually, a _______ is initially posed as a question which serves as the focus of the researcher’s
investigation.
2.A _______ introduces the reader to the importance of the topic being studied.
3.A _______ is a predicted answer to the research question that can be tested and based on prior
research.
4.The _______ for identification of problem are diverse and would largely depend upon the area
of interest of the investigator and the nature of the problem under investigation.
5. _______ is a brief outline of the most important studies that have been conducted so far
presented in a chronological order.
6.The _______ details how in-depth your study is to explore the research question and the
parameter in which it will operate in relation to the population and timeframe.
7.The _______ of a study are the factors and variables not to be included in the investigation.
Accomplish the table below by placing your
answer in the right column.
 What is a Research
Problem?
A research problem is exactly that – a problem that someone would
like to research (Fraenkel and Wallen, 2010). A problem can be
anything that a person finds unsatisfactory or unsettling, a difficulty
of some sort, a state of affairs that needs to be changed, or
anything that is not working as well as it might. Problems involve
areas of concern to researchers, conditions they want to improve,
difficulties they want to eliminate, and questions for which they seek
answers.
 Research Questions
Usually, a research problem is initially posed as a question which serves as
the focus of the researcher’s investigation. The following examples of
possible research in education are not sufficiently developed for actual use
in a research project but would be suitable during the early stage of
formulating a quantitative research question:

• Do teachers behave differently towards students of different

genders? (Causal-comparative research)
• How can we predict which students might have trouble learning
certain kinds of subject matter? (Correlational research)
 Research Questions
There are other kinds of questions, however, that cannot be answered by
collecting and analyzing data. The following are examples:

• Should philosophy be included in the high school curriculum?

[This is a question of value. It implies notions of right and wrong, proper
and improper—and therefore does not have any empirical (or
observable) referents.]
• What is the meaning of life? [This is metaphysical in nature—that is,
beyond the physical, transcendental. Answers to this sort of question lie
beyond the accumulation of information.]
 Characteristics of Good
Research Questions
Once a research question has been formulated, researchers want to turn it into as
good a question as possible. Good research questions possess four essential
characteristics (Fraenkel and Wallen, 2010):
1.Feasibility: The question is feasible (i.e., it can be investigated without expending an
undue amount of time, energy, or money).
2.Clarity: The question is clear (i.e., most people would agree as to what the key words
in the question mean).
3.Significance: The question is significant (i.e., it is worth investigating because it will
contribute important knowledge about the human condition).
4.Ethics: The question is ethical (i.e., it will not involve physical or psychological harm or
damage to human beings or to the natural or social environment of which they are a
part).
 The Purposes of a Problem
Statement
1.Introduces the reader to the importance of the topic being studied: The reader is oriented to
the significance of the study and the research questions or hypotheses to follow.
2.Places the problem into a particular context: This defines the parameters of what is to be
investigated.
3.Provides the framework for reporting the results: It indicates what is probably necessary to
conduct the study and explains how the findings will present this information.

Do not confuse a research problem with a research topic. A topic is something to read and obtain
information about, whereas a problem is something to solve or framed as a question that must be
answered. A good research question helps to guide the research process; construct a logical
argument; write a literature review; plan thesis chapters; and devise efficient search strategies. A
well-defined research question has six properties.
 The Purposes of a Problem
Statement
A research question is not the same as a thesis title, research problem, hypothesis, or
research focus, although they are interrelated and support one another:
• A research question summarizes the significant issue your research will
investigate.
• The title consists of the topic and outcome of a research project.
• The research problem explains the knowledge gap your research will address.
• A hypothesis is a predicted answer to the research question that can be tested and
is based on prior research.
• A research focus specifies the scope or domain of inquiry.
 The Value of Research in the Area
of Interest
A research problem is a statement about an area of concern, a
condition to be improved, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a
troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or in
practice that points to the need for meaningful understanding and
deliberate investigation. In some social science disciplines, the
research problem is typically posed in the form of a question. A
research problem does not state how to do something, offer a
vague or broad proposition, or present a value question.
 Any problem that is not significant to the nation or profession is not
worth consideration of the investigator. It is helpful for the investigator
to keep in mind the following aspects while selecting the area of
problem for research –
• The problem to be chosen should be such as to be meaningfully related to the interest of the
investigator himself/herself.
• The problem having alliance with the chain of thinking or research already in existence can be
handled more confidently.
• The ambitious problems covering a wide range of area of interest should be avoided and the
problems of manageable size and limits should be taken up.
• An important consideration for selecting the problem area relates to its feasibility in terms of
the application of scientific techniques, availability of resources in terms of money, personnel,
and equipment.

When the researcher considers the points mentioned above, the researcher is essentially trying
to answer some such questions as – Is the problem researchable, interesting, research already in
existence or manageable size? Is it a new problem or the work on the problem has already in
existence?
The sources for identification of problem are
diverse and would largely depend upon the area
of interest of the investigator and the nature of
the problem under investigation. However, the
problem can be identified from –

(a) Advanced study and critical reading.

(b) Analysis and interpretation of the already

available evidence, practices, trends or
needs in a particular area.
 Research Topics to be Avoided

1. Controversial topics -These are topics that depend greatly on the writer’s opinion, which tend
to be biased or prejudicial. Facts cannot support controversial topics
2. Highly technical subjects -For a beginner, researching on topics that require an advance study,
technical knowledge and vast experience is very difficult.
3. Hard-to-investigate subjects -A topic or a subject is hard to investigate if there is no available data or
reading materials about it and such materials are not updated (obsolete).
4. Too broad subjects -A subject or a topic that are too broad will prevent the researcher from giving a
concentrated or in-depth analysis of the subject matter of the research paper.
5. Too narrow subjects -The subjects are so limited or specific that an extensive or thorough searching or
reading for information about the subject is necessary.
6. Vague subjects -Choosing topics like these will prevent you from having a clear insight or focus on your
study. For instance, topics like “Some Remarkable Traits of a Negrosanon”, “Several Comments on a
Modular System in the Department of Education”. So, avoid using indefinite adjectives such as some,
several, many, etc.
 Research Background
Research background is a brief outline of the most important studies that have
been conducted so far presented in a chronological order. Research
background should also include a brief discussion of major theories and models
related to the research problem. When writing research background, you also
need to demonstrate how your research relates to what has been done so far in
the research area.

Once the research area is selected, the literature review is commenced in order
to identify gaps in the research area, and the research aims, and objectives
need to be closely associated with the elimination of this gap in the literature.
Based on the chosen topic
of your interest, write the
background of your study,
statement of the problem,
and the scope and
delimitation of your study.
Use a short-sized bond
paper.
 Read each item carefully. Write TRUE if the statement
is true and write FALSE if the statement if false.
1.One of the characteristics of good research questions is not feasible.
2.“A comparison between the identical twins....” is a good example of research title.
3.The sources for identification of problem are diverse and would largely depend upon the area of
interest of the investigator.
4.Research questions should be clear, concise, and as simple as possible, focused and empirically
answerable.
5.The problem statement provides the framework for reporting the results and indicates what is
probably necessary to conduct the study and explain how the findings will present this information.
6.Good research question is practicable.
7.A good research question helps to- guide the research process; construct a logical argument; write a
literature review; plan thesis chapters; and devise efficient search strategies.
8.The purpose of research question is to introduce the reader to the importance of the topic being
studied.
9.A hypothesis is a predicted answer to the research question that can be tested and is based on prior
research.
10.An important consideration for selecting the problem area relates to its feasibility.