Chapter 3 The Research Problem

❖ THE STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Introduction:

A research problem is a question that researcher wants to answer or a problem that a

researcher wants to solve
Identification and formulation of a research problem is the first step on the research process.
Selection of Research problem depends on several factors such as researcher’s knowledge,
skills, interest, expertise, motivation, and creativity with respect to the subject of inquiry.
It is believed that most of the good research studies need lots of time for selection of a research
problem.

HOW TO WRITE THE STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

• A research problem is a situation that needs a solution and for which there are possible solutions. If
a situation has no possible solutions, then it makes little or no sense expending resources
researching it.
• Take this statement, “everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die”. Dying looks like
a problem that needs a solution yet there is no possible solution to it. People must die.
• Research on how people can live forever makes little or no sense. A research problem may be
described as a discrepancy between what is and what ought to be. It may be also described as the
gap in knowledge that needs to be filled.
WHAT IS A PROBLEM STATEMENT THEN?

✓ A problem statement is the description of an issue currently existing which needs

to be addressed. It provides the context for the research study and generates the
questions which the research aims to answer.
✓ The statement of the problem is the focal point of any research. A good problem
statement is just one sentence (with several paragraphs of elaboration).

For example: •"The frequency of job layoffs is creating fear, anxiety, and a loss
of productivity in middle management workers." While this problem statement is just
one sentence, it should be accompanied by a few paragraphs that elaborate on the
problem. The paragraphs could cover present persuasive arguments that make the
problem important enough to study.
 • They could include the opinions of others (politicians, futurists, other professionals);
explanations of how the problem relates to business, social or political trends via
presentation of data that demonstrates the scope and depth of the problem.
• A well-articulated statement of the problem establishes the foundation for everything to
follow in the proposal and will render less problematic most of the conceptual, theoretical
and methodological obstacles typically encountered during the process of proposal
development.
• This means that, in subsequent sections of the write up, there should be no surprises,
such as categories, questions, variables or data sources that come out of nowhere: if it
can't be found in the problem section, then it either does not belong in the study or the
problem statement needs to be re-written.

WHAT ARE KEY COMPONENTS OF THE STATEMENT PROBLEM?

Problem statements often have three elements:
1. The problem itself, stated clearly and with enough contextual detail to establish why it is important
2. The method of solving the problem, often stated as a claim or a working thesis
3. The purpose, statement of objective and scope of the project being proposed.

CRITERIA FOR RESEARCH PROBLEM

▪ The Statement of the problem should clearly state what is being
investigated.
▪ The actual statement may be in a declarative sentence or question form.
Example of Problem stated in question form.
1. Who are more proficient at the bedside, the graduates of a diploma program or those of the basic
degree program?
2. Does smoking causes lung cancer among adults?
Example of Problems in the form of declarative sentence.
1. To determine whether people who watch television read few books.
2. To identify common problemd of Chief Nurses in some government emergency hospitals.

▪ The statement should indicate the variables of interest and the specific relationship between the
variables that are to be studied.

EXAMPLES OF RESEARCH TITLE AND STATEMENT OF A PROBLEM

The research title/topic: The effects of touch Therapy on Recovery among Premature Infants Confined in
the Incubators of Selected Hospitals in Metro Manila.
Statement of the Problem: This study will look into the effects of touch therapy of premature infants to
promote early weaning from confinement in the incubator and enhanced recovery.

Specifically, this study attempts to answer the following questions:

1. How do premature infants responds to gentle touch and gentle stroking for
several seconds or a few minutes therapy?

2. To what extent is touch therapy on a premature infant

observable/perceptible with regard to the following variables:
⚫ activity
⚫ reduction stress
⚫ promotion of well being?

3. Is there a significant effect of a touch therapy between the experimental group and control group as to:
⚫ activity
⚫ reduction stress
⚫ promotion of well being?

❖ SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

What Is Scope and Delimitation in Research?

The scope and delimitation of a thesis, dissertation or research paper define the topic and boundaries
of the research problem to be investigated.

The scope details how in-depth your study is to explore the research question and the parameters in
which it will operate in relation to the population and time frame.

The delimitation of a study are the factors and variables not to be included in the investigation. In other
words, they are the boundaries the researcher sets in terms of study duration, population size and type of
participants, etc.

Difference Between Delimitations and Limitations

➢ Delimitations refer to the boundaries of the research study, based on the researcher’s decision of what
to include and what to exclude. They narrow your study to make it more manageable and relevant to
what you are trying to prove.

➢ Limitations relate to the validity and reliability of the study. They are characteristics of the research
design or methodology that are out of your control but influence your research findings. Because of
this, they determine the internal and external validity of your study and are considered potential
weaknesses.
➢ In other words, limitations are what the researcher cannot do (elements outside of their control) and
delimitations are what the researcher will not do (elements outside of the boundaries they have set).
Both are important because they help to put the research findings into context, and although they
explain how the study is limited, they increase the credibility and validity of a research project.

Guidelines on How to Write a Scope

A good scope statement will answer the following six questions:

• Why – the general aims and objectives (purpose) of the research.

• What – the subject to be investigated, and the included variables.

• Where – the location or setting of the study, i.e. where the data will be gathered and to which entity
the data will belong.

• When – the timeframe within which the data is to be collected.

• Who – the subject matter of the study and the population from which they will be selected. This
population needs to be large enough to be able to make generalisations.

• How – how the research is to be conducted, including a description of the research design (e.g.
whether it is experimental research, qualitative research or a case study), methodology, research
tools and analysis techniques.

To make things as clear as possible, you should also state why specific variables were omitted from the
research scope, and whether this was because it was a delimitation or a limitation. You should also explain
why they could not be overcome with standard research methods backed up by scientific evidence.

How to Start Writing Your Study Scope

• Use the below prompts as an effective way to start writing your scope:

• This study is to focus on…

• This study covers the…

• This study aims to…

Guidelines on How to Write Delimitations

 Since the delimitation parameters are within the researcher’s control, readers need to know why they
were set, what alternative options were available, and why these alternatives were rejected. For example, if
you are collecting data that can be derived from three different but similar experiments, the reader needs to
understand how and why you decided to select the one you have.

Your reasons should always be linked back to your research question, as all delimitations should result
from trying to make your study more relevant to your scope. Therefore, the scope and delimitations are
usually considered together when writing a paper.

How to Start Writing Your Study Delimitations

• Use the below prompts as an effective way to start writing your study delimitations:

• This study does not cover…

• This study is limited to…

• The following has been excluded from this study…

Examples of Delimitation in Research

Examples of delimitations include:

• research objectives,

• research questions,

• research variables,

• target populations,

• statistical analysis techniques.

Examples of Limitations in Research

Examples of limitations include:

• Issues with sample and selection,

• Insufficient sample size, population traits or specific participants for statistical significance,

• Lack of previous research studies on the topic which has allowed for further analysis,

• Limitations in the technology/instruments used to collect your data,

• Limited financial resources and/or funding constraints.

Here is an EXAMPLE:
✓ the study was administered to the PWU College of Nursing graduates of 1997 who took the NLE on
two accasions, the May and November Board Examinations. The total number of graduates was 51
but the researcher did not include those who did not take the NLE. Therefore, only 45 graduates were
included in the study.
✓ These were the ones who took the examinations either May or November 1997. Only the First NLE
results for each examinee were included.

❖ EVALUATION OF PROBLEM

How to Identify an Appropriate Research Problem?

The research problem is the heart of a study. It is a clear, definite statement of the area of concern or
investigation and is backed by evidence (Bryman, 2007). It drives the research questions and processes
and provides the framework for understanding the research findings. To begin, you will need to know where
to look for your research problem and how to evaluate when a research problem for success.

Where to Find a Research Problem?

Ideas for a research problems tend to come from two sources: real life and the scholarly arena. First,
identifying a research problem can be as simple as observing the complications and issues in your local
workplace. You may encounter ongoing issues on a daily basis in your workplace or observe your
colleagues struggle with major issues or questions in your field. These ongoing obstacles and issues in the
workplace can be the catalyst for developing a research problem.

Alternatively, research problems can be identified by reviewing recent literature, reports, or databases in
your field. Often the section of “recommendations for the future studies” provided at the end of journal
articles or doctoral dissertations suggest potential research problems. In addition, major reports and
databases in the field may reveal findings or data-based facts that call for additional investigation or
suggest potential issues to be addressed. Looking at what theories need to be tested is another opportunity
to develop a research problem.

How to Evaluate a Research Problem?

Once you find your potential research problem, you will need to evaluate the problem and ensure
that it is appropriate for research. A research problem is deemed appropriate when it is supported by the
literature, and considered significant, timely, novel, specific, and researchable. Stronger research problems
are more likely to succeed in publication, presentation, and application.

✓ Supported by the Literature

 Your research problem should be relevant to the field and supported by a number of recent peer-
reviewed studies in the field. Even if you identify the problem based on the recommendation of one journal
article or dissertation, you will still need to conduct a literature search and ensure that other researchers
support the problem and need for conducting research to further address the problem.

✓ Significant
Your research problem should have a positive impact on the field. The impact can be practical, in
the form of direct application of the results in the field, or conceptual, where the work advances the field by
filling a knowledge gap.

✓ Timely
Your research problem should be related to the current needs in the field and well-suited for the
present status of the issues in your field. Explore what topics are being covered in current journals in the
field. Look at calls from relevant disciplinary organizations. Review your research center agenda and
focused topics. For example, the topics of the Research Labs at Center for Educational and Instructional
Technology Research including critical thinking, social media and cultural competency, diversity, and
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in higher education are representative of the
current timely topics in the field of education. Identifying a current question in the field and supporting the
problem with the recent literature can justify the problem timeliness.

✓ Novel
Your research problem should be original and unique. It should seek to address a gap in our
knowledge or application. An exhaustive review of literature can help you identify whether the problem has
already been addressed with your particular sample and/or context. Talking to experts in the research area
can illuminate a problem. Replication of an existing study warrants discussion of value elsewhere, but
novelty can be found in determining if an already-resolved problem holds in a new sample and/or context.

✓ Specific and Clear

Your research problem should be specific enough to set the direction of the study, raise research
question(s), and determine an appropriate research method and design. Vague research problems may not
be useful to specify the direction of the study or develop research questions.

✓ Researchable
Research problems are solved through the scientific method. This means research-ability, or
feasibility of the problem, is more important than all of the above characteristics. You as the researcher
should be able to solve the problem with your abilities and available research methods, designs, research
sites, resources, and timeframe. If a research problem retains all of aforementioned characteristics but it is
not researchable, it may not be an appropriate research problem.

❖ DEFINITION OF TERMS

Definition of terms is usually an annex to a work (book, research paper, pamphlet,etc.) either at the
beginning or more likely near the end with a list of acronyms, jargon, credits, etc.
This gives your readers an understanding of the concepts or factors that will be discussed throughout your
study, as well as contextual information as to how you will be using those concepts in your study.

2 Types of Definition of terms:

1. CONCEPTUAL
Is the universal meaning that is attributed to a word or group of words and which is understood by many
people.

2. OPERATIONAL DEFINITION
Is the meaning of the concept or term as used in a particular study. Unlike the conceptual definition, it is
stated in a concrete term in that it allows measurement.

Functions:
⚫ It establishes the rules and procedures the investigators will use to measure variables.
⚫ It provides unambiguous meaning to terms that otherwise can be interpreted in different ways.

Examples: Examples:
CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION: OPERATIONAL DEFINITION:

Alternator - is an electric generator that converts Alternator - is a device used in converting

mechanical energy to electrical energy in the form mechanical energy into an electrical energy.
of alternating current
Power cable - a bundle of electrical conductors or
Power cable - is an assembly of one or more wires to transport electrical power.
electrical conductors, usually held together with an
overall sheath. The assembly is used for
transmission of electrical power.
Refererences:

https://www.coursehero.com/file/40604252/PROBLEM-STATEMENT-
2018pptx/

https://www.discoverphds.com/blog/scope-and-delimitations

Bryman, Alan. “The Research Question in Social Research: What is its

Role?” International Journal of Social Research Methodology 10 (2007):
5-20.

Basic Concept and Methods in Research by Venancio B. Ardales

Best, John W. Research in Education Englewood Cliffs, New

Jersey:Prentice Hall, 1970.

Chen, Paul C.Y. “Traditional and Modern Medicine in Malaysia “Social

Sciencee and Medicine 15A(1981):127-136