CHAPTER 2

IDENTIFYING AND STATING

THE PROBLEM
 Learning Outcomes
• Locate the different sources of problems of research topic
• Enumerate criteria in selecting a research topic
• Design and present a good title for a research topic
• Demonstrate skills in identifying, selecting or formulating a
problem
• Present written statement of the problem
• Describe the background of the research
• State relevant research questions
• Indicate scope and delimitations of the study
• Cite benefits and beneficiaries of the study
Research Topic

A Research Topic or problem is an

intellectual stimulus calling for an
answer in the form of scientific
inquiry.
Sources of Research Topics or Problems

• Prevailing theories or philosophy

• Observations, intuitions or a combination of both
• Different subjects taken and from them
identify a problem that interest a student-
researcher most
• Field of interest or specialization or event from
related fields
Sources of Research Topics or Problems
cont…
• Existing problems in the classroom / school /
campus / university which one may want to solve
are good sources of research problems
• Existing needs of the community or society
• Repetition or extension of investigations already
conducted or may be an offshoot of studies
underway (Angeles, 1966, p. 86)
Sources of Research Topics or Problems
cont…
• Related studies and literatures
• Advice of authorities or experts from funding
agencies
• Offshoots of friendly conversations
• Incidental from interesting topics of professors
during the course meeting/session
Selecting Research Topic
Selecting Research Topic

• It should be something new or different from

what has already been written about.
• It must be original.
• It should be significant to the field of study or
discipline.
• It must necessarily arouse intellectual curiosity.
 Selecting Research Topic cont…
• It should be of researcher’s interest and
researcher must be with the topic.
• It should be a modest one for a beginner to be
carried on within a limited period of time.
• It should be clear, not ambiguous.
• It should be specific, not general.
• It should consider the availability of data
involved in the study and the methods and
techniques to be employed in gathering them.
Selecting Research Topic cont…

• It should consider the availability of effective

instruments for gathering the data and their
treatment.
• It should consider the financial capacity of the
researcher to support the project.
• It should consider the time factor involved in
the undertaking.
…the researcher has to settle first the problem
of selecting the problems to research on.
Technical Criteria Personal
• Significant to chosen • Interest
field/advancement of science or • Training
specialization • Expertise
• Pioneering or novel • Financial capacity
• Originality • Time factor involved in the
• Arouse intellectual curiosity project
• Relevance to degree
• Availability or manageability of
data
• Availability of instruments
Selecting Guidelines in the Formation
of a Research Title
 Selecting Guidelines in the Formation of a
Research Title
• The title must contain the following elements:
a. The subject matter or research problem
b. The setting or locale of the study
c. The respondents or participants involved in the study
d. The time or period when the study was conducted (if
the title becomes too long because of these elements),
the timeframe or period may be omitted except in
evaluation process.
 Selecting Guidelines in the Formation of a
Research Title cont…
• The title must be broad enough to include all
aspects of the study but should be brief and
concise as possible.
• The use of terms as “Analysis of”, “A Study
of”, ”An investigation of” and the like should
be avoided. All these are understood to have
been done in a research.
 Selecting Guidelines in the Formation of a
Research Title cont…
• If the title contains more than one line, it should
be written in inverted pyramid.
• When typed or encoded in the title page, all
words in the title should be in CAPITAL letters.
• If possible, the title should not be longer than
15 substantive words.
 Selecting Guidelines in the Formation of a
Research Title cont…
• Avoid a long, detailed title that gives too much
information.
• To shorten the title, delete the terms
“assessment” or “evaluation” if these are
already emphasized in the text.
Characteristics of a Good Title
 Characteristics of a Good Title

• A title should give readers information about

the contents of the research and is preferable
to one that is vague or general.
• Titles do not need to be stuffy or dull but they
should generally give readers some ideas at the
outset of what the research paper will contain.
 Characteristics of a Good Title cont…
• Choose a title that is phrase rather than a
complete sentence.
• Select a straightforward title over other kinds.
• Use no punctuation at the end of the title.
• Do not underline the title of the research or
enclose it in a quotation marks, instead use a
word processing program or printer that permits
italics. Use them in place of underlining.
 Characteristics of a Good Title
• Must be short, sharp, and describes what your research
is about
• 5 Characteristics according to Lipton (1998):
• Informative/Specific
• Accurate/Truthful
• Clear
• Concise
• Attention commanding
 Possible Topics for Quantitative Research
Field or Broader Topic Examples
discipline of Interest

Traffic Awareness, *Level of Awareness of Public Utility

Management Knowledge, and Vehicles on the New Traffic Scheme
Science Attitudes being implemented in EDSA

*Traffic Enforcers’ Level of Knowledge

on Traffic Management Safety
Systems
 Field or Broader Topic Examples
discipline of Interest
Psychology Mental and *The Effects of Father’s Absence due
emotional health to Foreign Employment on the Level
conditions of Psycho-Emotional Health Condition
of Adolescent left behind in the
Country
Business Job Satisfaction *The Association between the Level
Management and Job of Job Satisfaction and Level of Job
Performance Performance of BPO Employees in
Makati City
Education Impact on *Examining the Pretest and Posttest
Learning results of a new learning technique
introduced in the traditional
educational system
 Field or Broader Examples
discipline Topic of
Interest
Marketing Salability of a *Comparing the Salability of
Product the Company’s Product in a
New Package versus those in
the Old Package
Political Survey on *Top 3 People’s Perception on
Science the Winability who can best lead the country
of
Presidential
Candidates
 Field or Broader Topic Examples
discipline of Interest

Demography Trend Analysis *Examining the increase or decrease

in the population of the country from
1990 to 2015

*Comparing the profile of the teenage

group (13-17) in the country in 1990
and 2010

Sociology Impact Analysis *Examining the social impact of a new

development program introduced in
selected communities in Southern
Luzon
Checkpoint
• What are the characteristics of a
good research topic in a
quantitative research?
• What are the characteristics of a
good research title in a
quantitative research?

Give at least three.

 Activity 1
With your group, list down 5
topics you are interested of
studying for your research
Background of the
Study
 Background of the Study

• Includes information which would focus

attention on the importance and validity of the
problem.
• The general orientation of the problem area.
• This is the present state of knowledge regarding
the problem.
 Background of the Study
This BOS includes:

1. Discussion of the problem in general and the specific

situations as observed and experienced by the
researcher (micro to macro approach)
2. Concepts and ideas related to the problem including
clarification of important terminologies;
3. Discussion of the existing or present conditions and
what is aimed to be in the future or the gap to be
filled – in by the research.
Questions?
 Activity 2
With your group, come up with your
Background of the study after
learning about the points needed to
be considered when writing a good
statement.
Statement of the
Problem
 Statement of the Problem

• Focal point of research

• Clearly states the main problem, written in a
declarative statement
• Shows the major variables to be examined by
the study and the relations of the variables
that the study intends to study
 Statement of the Problem

Two Main Elements

1. The objective; and
2. Research question
Objective or Purpose of
the Study
 Objective or Purpose of the Study

• Is the first part of the problem where the

researcher states the objective.
• This is a statement of a long-term objective
expected to be achieved by the study.

Ex: “The main objective of this study is to….”

 Objective or Purpose of the Study
• Example 1: The study aims to determine the
relations between the adolescent usage
pattern of social media and their level of
school performance.
• Example 2: The study aims to ascertain the
association between adolescents’ usage pattern
of social media and their level of sociability in
school.
 Objective or Purpose of the Study
• Example 3: The study aims to describe the
usage pattern of social media of male and
female adolescents and its associations with
their level of self-esteem.
• Example 4: The study aims to compare the
usage pattern of social media of male and
female adolescents and its relations with their
involvement in school activities.
Research Questions or
Investigative Problems
 Research Questions or Investigative
Problems

• The specific questions which are to be answered

in the study.
 Research Questions or Investigative
Problems

• Formulated to answer the research

questions
• Must provide answers that explain,
describe, identify, predict, or
qualify conclusions for the research.
EXAMPLE
 Statement of the Problem

• The study aims to determine the relations

between the adolescent usage pattern of
social media and their level of school
performance.
 Research Questions
1. What is the usage pattern of social media
based on the following:
1.1 Type of gadget/s that they used?
1.2 Websites or applications accessed?
1.3 Reasons for accessing the websites or applications?
1.4 Frequency of use of social media in a week?
 Research Questions

2. What is their level of academic

performance in terms of their:
2.1 Exam results?
2.2 Participation in classroom activities?
2.3 Submission of requirements (assignments
and projects)?
2.4 Tardiness and absences?
Research Questions

3. What is the relation between the

adolescent usage pattern of social
media and their level of school
performance?
 Remember….
To be able to know if the research questions
support the problem statement, they should be
able to:
1. Ask questions that guide the researcher to
get the data needed to answer the hypothesis;
and
2. Be able to help find results and conclusions.
3. Have a valid significance in relation to the
study.
Questions?
 Checkpoint
What are the characteristics of a
good statement of the problem in a
quantitative research? Give at least
three.
 Activity 3
With your group, come up with your
SOP and RQ’s after learning about
the points needed to be considered
when writing a good statement.
Scope and Delimitation
of the Study
 Scope and Delimitation of the Study

• The scope describes the coverage of the study.

• Delimit by citing factors or variables that are

not to be included and the boundary in terms of
time frame, number of subjects, participants or
respondents who are excluded.
 Scope and Delimitation of the Study
This section discusses the parameters of the research in paragraph.
It answers the basic questions:

• What – The topic of investigation and the variables included.

• Where – The venue or the setting of the research
• When - The time frame by which the study was conducted.
• Why - The general objectives of the research.
• Who – The subject of the study, the population and sampling.
• How – The methodology of the research which may include the research
design, methodology and the research instrument.
Significance of the
Study
 Significance of the Study

• This part of the research defines who will

benefit out of the findings of the study.

• In this portion of the study one may also state

the specific sectors who will benefit from the
study.
 Significance of the Study

TIPS in writing the Significance of the Study:

• Refer to the Statement of the Problem

• Write from General to Specific