CHAPTER 2

RESEARCH PROBLEM FORMULATION

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 Contents
What is a Research Problem?

Selecting the Problem

Necessity of Defining the Problem

Techniques Involved in Defining a Problem

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 2.1 What is a Research Problem?
it 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 it.
It is the situation that causes the researcher to feel apprehensive,
confused and ill at ease.
It is the demarcation of a problem area within a certain context
involving the WHO or WHAT, the WHERE, the WHEN and the
WHY of the problem situation.

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 What is a Research Problem?
Components of a research problem:

There must be an individual or a group which has some

difficulty or the problem.

There must be some objective(s) to be attained at. If one wants

nothing, one cannot have a problem.
There must be alternative means (or the courses of action) for
obtaining the objective(s) one wishes to attain.
There must remain some doubt in the mind of a researcher
with regard to the selection of alternatives.
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 2.2 Selecting Research Problem
The following points should be made while selecting the research
problem:

Subject which is overdone should not be normally chosen.

Controversial subject should not become the choice of an

average researcher.

Too narrow or too vague problems should be avoided.

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 Selecting Research Problem
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.

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.

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 Selecting Research Problem
Before the final selection of a problem is done, a researcher must
ask himself the following questions:
i. Whether he is well equipped in terms of his background to carry
out the research?
ii. Whether the study falls within the budget he can afford?
iii. Whether the necessary cooperation can be obtained from those
who must participate in research as subjects?
The selection of a problem must be preceded by a preliminary
study.
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 2.3 Necessity of Defining Research Problem
To discriminate relevant data from the irrelevant ones

To enable the researcher to be on the right track

To avoid ambiguities

To clearly identify and tackle the objectives of the research

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 2.3.1 Sources of Research Problem

Previous researches/dissertations/studies/etc

Books/reports

Resource persons/professors/

Brainstorming

Newspapers/TV/radios/medias

Seminars, workshops/conferences

Relations organizations/research centers/research institutes

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 ...
Encyclopedia

Own critical observations

Discussions with fellows, colleagues, friends, etc

Dinning tables

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 2.3.2 Problem Areas to Avoid
Moral, Ethical Questions

Philosophical Questions

Theological Questions

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 2.3.3 Criteria/Factors of Selecting Research Problem
Academic background of the researcher

Researcher's experiences, aptitudes, capability, ability, values,

behavior

Researcher's training and orientation

Researcher's purpose and objectives

Direction of the organization where the researcher works

Availability of data and information – primary and secondary

sources

Access to the study area

Resource availability – money, manpower

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 Criteria/Factors of Selecting Research Problem

Time factor

Supervisor’s time, qualification, experiences, interest, etc

Nature of the problems – need oriented, problem solving, etc

Controversial topic

Too narrow, vague

Sufficiently original

Cooperation of the stakeholders

Avoidance of the troubles

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 2.3.4 Analysing a Research Problem

Problem Situation

Preliminary list of possible contributing factors and explanations

Eliminating of irrelevant factors

List of probable relevant factors and explanations

Basic assumptions

Research Problem
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 2.4 Research Problem Identification
Identify large topic area

Determine what is attached. Make a conceptual map identifying related topics.

Which part do you wish to explore now? Separate in diagrams.

What part is most important? Identify real problem area.

What is the most important and possible relative to the scale and the scope of the
study?

Identify the purpose areas. What question most interests you of about purpose
that meet the requirements of #4? construct the conceptual map of the purpose
area.

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 2.4.1 Defining the Statement of the Problem

The research problem can be stated/defined in two forms:

 In question form
 In statement form
Examples:
In question form:
What effect has the sex based education system had on the
learning skills of male and female students in computer
programming courses?
In statement form:
This study is designed to measure the effect sex based education
system has had on the learning skills of male and female students.
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 2.4.2 Statement of Purpose:
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact the sex based
education system has had on the learning skills of male and female students
in computer programming courses.

a statement of purpose is far more generalized statement than a

problem statement.

a question also makes it easier to focus on the issue under

investigation.

SOP can be written in a single question, several questions or one main

question with a set of sub questions (research questions (RQ)).
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 Statement of Purpose:
There are certain rules to follow in writing SOP:

1. Clarity:

write as clearly as possible, avoiding unnecessary words but include all words
that are required to make the problem clear – key words!

thus, you should know the relevant variables and the relationship you would
like to investigate.

2. AvoidValue Statements:

avoid at all times ‘value-laden’ words which indicate cultural or personal bias,
such as best way / bad / should / ought / better than / best / poor etc

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 Statement of Purpose:
Example of a not well-stated SOP:
Should Computer Engineering students be involved in an
industrial attachments scheme?
It could be rewritten like:
What effect does an industrial attachment scheme have on the
performance of students in an Computer Engineering course?
Or
How do Computer Engineering lecturers perceive the
introduction of an industrial attachment scheme?
Thus, the SOP will dictate the type of study that will eventually be
developed.

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 Statement of Purpose:
3. Avoid dichotomous questions :

Dichotomous questions are those can be answered in two ways :

Yes or No, Right orWrong, Agree or Disagree etc.

Problems should not be written as questions requiring a ‘yes or

‘no’ answer.

 Example:

Do Computer engineering students need an industrial

attachment period included in their training course ?
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 2.4.3 Evaluating the Problem:
Having developed a well-constructed SOP, it is important to
consider:

The research problem is FEASIBLE, and

The research problem is WORTHWHILE

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 Evaluating the Problem:
IS THE PROBLEM FEASIBLE? (IS THE PROBLEM
RESEARCHABLE?)

The primary evaluative source is yourself:

Has the problem been specified?

Is the problem amenable to research?

Is the problem too large?

How available are the data?

Am I capable of solving the problem?

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 Evaluating the Problem:
IS THE PROBLEM WORTHWHILE? (WILL THE RESULT
BE SIGNIFICANT?)

Will the results advance knowledge?

Will the research have some value?

Will the results be of interest to others?

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 2.4.4 Writing Research Questions

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 Writing Research Questions
EXAMPLE

PROBLEM STATEMENT:
What are the impacts of linkages existing between BiT and the industries?
RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
RQ1. What are the impacts on employment of the graduates of BiT from the
linkages with local industries?
RQ2. What are the impacts on curriculum content of the programmes in BiT
from the linkages with local industries?
RQ3. What are the impacts on skill performances of computer students in BiT
from the linkages with local industries?
RQ4. What are the impacts on the facilities found in BiT from the linkages with
local industries?

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 Thank You

Siranesh G.
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Research Methods