TOPIC 2: PLANNING FOR RESEARCH

In this topic, the following shall be covered;

- The understanding of a research process
- Framework of a research proposal
- Formulation of a research problem
- Linking research problem to research objectives

By the end of this topic, the students should have the capacity to;
- Identify a research problem
- Develop chapter one of a research proposal

1. The research process

This refers to the different steps that a researcher needs to consider while conducting a
research study or preparing to conduct a research study. These steps are;
- Problem identification
- Identification of variables of study
- Ascertaining the purpose, research objectives and research questions
- Ascertaining the methodology to follow while conducting a research
- Documentation of the research proposal. Refer to section 9 (or number 9) in this write
up for the details of this.
- Presentation of a research proposal for approval
- Conducting the research study (field work or desk work depending on the type of
research)
- Presentation of findings from a research study conducted
- Making relevant conclusions based on the findings
- Making recommendations based on the conclusions of the research study.
Each of the above steps shall be explained in detail in the subsequent sections of this
topic. Others shall be covered as separate topics of this course unit.
2. A research problem
Any research must start with a problem. Without a problem, there is no research. There is
however need to note that “not every problem is a research problem”.

A problem in research is generally referred to as an information gap. It is a gap in

knowledge. It is about a phenomenon that has not been explored by researchers and hence
there is no documented information about such a phenomenon. It is therefore a gap.
Examples of information gaps which may be considered to be research problems are;

- A continuous decline in sales levels in a business while employees are working at their
best
- A continuous decline in academic performance despite having good
teachers/facilitators
ETC.
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 For a problem to be considered to be a research problem, it must have the following
characteristics;
- It must be supported by literature: This means that a research must have read enough
literature to be able to ascertain existence of a problem. This is based on the findings
as well as recommendations of previous researchers. This way, an upcoming researcher
can easily identify that the problem is indeed an information gap that needs to be
explored further through research.
- It must be significant: A research problem must be in position to address specific visible
problems in theory or practice. This means that by solving the identified problem, a
researcher is expected to be in position to address existing gap(s) in research theory
and practice.
- It must be timely: It must be about current challenges that a community or district is
battling with. This way, it is considered to be a relevant. Being timely emphasizes the
need to ensure that a research problem is not about what is already known. Deal with
new problems only.
- It must be original: This means that a research problem must NOT be a repeat of what
is already documented. It must be unique with an intention of providing unique
solutions that are needed by different stakeholders attached to that particular problem.
3. Identification of a research problem
The following steps need to be considered when identifying a research problem;
- Select a field of study that you would like to hinge your study on
- Observe the environment to see what is happening that can be considered to be a
research problem OR make a review of the available literature to establish the
limitations contained in there that can considered as new research problem
(information gap). An illustration of this step is presented below.

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 - Conduct a review of literature to establish current trends and gaps in the field of study.
- Select the problem of your interest that you would like to research on.
- Evaluate the problem (information gap) using the characteristics of a research
problem.
- Refine your research problem and or state it.
Identification of a research problem is an important step in a research exercise. It should
therefore be done as carefully as possible so that a correct problem can be identified and
investigated.
Below are examples of research problems that can be generated by a researcher;

4. Variables in research
A variable is an element or item of focus that has the capacity of taking on more than one
value or quality at a given point in time. A variable should therefore be measurable.
Examples of variables in research include;
- Price of products
- Level of training of staff members
- Extent of learning of students
- Income level of community members
ETC
The following should never be considered to be variables in research;
- Makerere University Business School (MUBS)
- Office of Auditor General of Uganda
- Uganda Revenue Authority
ETC
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 The rule of thumb for identifying a variable is the ability of them element to vary. If it
can’t vary, it is not a variable
Activity 1:
In a group of not more than 10 students, carry out the following tasks;
- Identify atleast one problem from your environment. Make sure
to follow the relevant steps
- Using the problem you have identified, state a related variable
of study

Types of variable of study

There are many types of variables of study that can be considered in research. For purpose
of this class, only two shall be dealt with; Independent and Dependent variables of study.
i) Independent variable (IV): This is a variable that exists without being influenced by
any other variable for it to exist. It is what is expected to bring about the changes in
the dependent variable.
ii) Dependent variable (DV): This variable exist only after being influenced for it to
exist. In research however, it is what is seen first. It is a variable in which the
research problem is embedded. It is what a researcher sets out to test. It is the reason
for one to conduct a research study.
Below is an example of the above two concepts;

In the example above, what is observed first is the driving performance of a driver (DV).
Then possible explanations for such performance are identified. One of them being
“smoking marijuana” (IV).

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 5. Statement of the problem
Confusing a research problem with statement of the problem is one of the common
mistakes in research. The reality is that the two are related but not the same. Statement of
the problem is more detailed than a research problem. It is however derived from the
research problem as well as the variables of the study.
The statement of the problem is composed of three main components (parts). These must
be present in any statement of the problem written down (stated). These are;
i) Component one: Section introducing the problem at hand. This section should
highlight the problem as clearly as possible in a precise and concise manner.
ii) Component two: Section with details about the evidence which justify
existence of a problem in a stated locality of focus in a research. Empirical
evidence is preferable.
iii) Component three: Concluding session showing one of two things; (a) what
may happen if the current problem is not handled to its logical conclusion OR
(b) possible explanations of what is happening (as a problem), setting a stage
for what needs to be investigated. The former is common in qualitative research
whereas quantitative research can consider any of the two.
Below is an example that needs to be discussed as part of tutorials in class. This example
helps to indicate how a statement of the problem can be written basing on a case provided.
Example:
Read the case below and after, read the derived problem, variables and
statement of the problem

Today, information technology (IT) is considered to be the heart and or

backbone of organizations. This is the case in Uganda and outside
Uganda. This is considered to be a reactive change in the way
organizations are managed in Uganda today. Gradually, many
organizations consider their online presence a priority. This has led to
the creation of terminology such as online marketing and network
marketing. In a nutshell, the IT is considered to be the new driver of
business in Uganda. Does this make the IT professionals busier or
redundant?
In a move to cope with this change, all universities in Uganda have IT
and or ICT as a compulsory course for every student. This has been seen
as a move by universities to adjust in their training in order to prepare
future employees for the job opportunities that are hinged on the ICT
knowledge.
Luckily to some universities, majority of the students admitted for a
degree course are IT literate. This therefore means that the knowledge
addition they get at university is little. This however leaves another group

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 of students that have never seen a computer in their lives, leave alone to
touch and use it. This therefore means that the lecturers are not entirely
exempted from doing their job.
The desire to have IT literate graduates, some universities make it
mandatory for every student to have a laptop before beginning lectures.
This has been used as a marketing tool to attract potential students to
join their universities as students.
Interaction with students revealed that there are cases when they finish
campus without doing any practical work using a computer. There are
even some who are proud of this. It is not clear however whether these
students are the ones with prior computer knowledge or not.
Recently, employers have started blacklisting some universities in
relation to their graduates. Though not all employers have considered
this move, the graduates are reported to be feeling the pinch. This
however disfavors those students that work hard in their IT classes in
order to get the grade they desire and the overall university degree.

Derived research problem is

- Poor quality of ICT lecturing/tutoring at Ugandan Universities

Derived variables of the study are

- DV: Quality of ICT lecturing/tutoring at Ugandan Universities
- IV: Commitment of lecturers

Derived statement of the problem is

Example one – Statement of the problem
Quality of lecturing ICT education in Ugandan universities has been
deteriorating gradually. Though the University policy clearly indicates
that students must have personal laptops, the students do not use
them. Students have also indicated cases when they finish University
without doing any practical lesson in ICT. Employers have also
threatened to blacklist some Universities because of chunning out
graduates who are not well grounded in ICT and yet ICT is gradually
becoming significant in the employment world. This presents a
challenge in the education provision of Universities that needs
immediate attention. Addressing this challenge forms the gist of this
research.

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 Example two – Statement of the problem
Quality of lecturing ICT education in Ugandan universities has been
deteriorating gradually. Though the University policy clearly indicates
that students must have personal laptops, the students do not use
them. Students have also indicated cases when they finish University
without doing any practical lesson in ICT. Employers have also
threatened to blacklist some Universities because of passing out
graduates who are not well grounded in ICT and yet ICT is gradually
becoming significant in the employment world. This presents a
challenge in the education provision of Universities. Most probably, the
challenge is an outcome of low commitment exhibited by lecturers in
these Universities. This research intends to establish this and hence
provide a solution to the identified challenge.

Note:
The two examples are provided to reflect the two possible ways of ending
a statement of the problem. The need to be precise and concise is
paramount importance.

6. Purpose of the study, research objectives and research questions

These are three important concepts in research. They relate to each other but serve different
purposes.
i) Purpose of the study: This is the main goal of conducting a research study. The
main focus of a researcher should be stated at this point. Preferably, this should
be stated in a single sentence. An example of this is provided below.

Eg:
This research is carried out to assess the possibility of enhancing academic
performance through increasing commitment level of staff members of
Universities in Uganda.

Note:
The purpose highlights the following
- What a researcher wants to do
- The problem
- The geographical area
The above are key when stating the purpose of the study. In some other
research education materials, the purpose of the study is also referred to as
the general objective of study.
ii) Research objectives: These are more direct as compared to the purpose of study
(general objective of study). When the purpose is given a name “general

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 objective of study”, the research objectives should be called “specific objectives
of study”. Examples of these with reference to the example of purpose stated in
“i” above is;
- To assess the relationship between attitude of lecturers and the
academic grades of students in Universities in Uganda
- To assess the level of commitment of lecturers in Universities in
Uganda.
- To assess the academic performance of students in Universities in
Uganda
- To assess the association between conducting tutorials by lecturers
and academic grades of students in Universities in Uganda.
ETC
Note:
Notice that “commitment” as highlighted in the purpose has been expressed in
different forms in the objectives. These include “attitude of lecturers” and
“conducting tutorials by lecturers”. The same has been done for academic
performance which has been expressed as “academic grades”.
iii) Research questions: These are derived from the research objectives. They are
formed by turning objectives into questions using common preceding words
such as “What”, “Where”, “When”, “How”, “Which” and “Whom”. Though all
these words can be used, there is need to ensure that the question formed is what
a researcher wants to address. Additionally, the question must be logical or
sensible. They also have to be written following the order in which the research
objectives are written.

Example of research question(s)

- What is the relationship between attitude of lecturers and the academic
grades of students in Universities in Uganda?
- What is the level of commitment of lecturers in Universities in Uganda?
- What is the academic performance of students in Universities in Uganda?
- What is the association between conducting tutorials by lecturers and
academic grades of students in Universities in Uganda?
Activity 2
- Re-write the research questions using any other preceding word
- Comment on your observation

7. Scope of the study

Scope refers to coverage that a researcher wants to consider in a research study. It can also
be referred to as the limitations of a research study indicating what a researcher will focus
on when conducting a research study.

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 A researcher needs to be able to specify the boundaries of his/her research project. This is
stated in the section of scope of the study. The researcher needs to identify the scope of the
study to capture the following areas;
i) Geographical scope (Mandatory): This highlights the geographical focus of
research. It answers the question……Where shall the research be focused on? Will
it be the whole of Uganda? Will it be the whole of Kampala? Will it be only in
MUBS? Will it be only in Nakawa division?
ii) Contextual scope (Mandatory): This highlights the focus of the researcher as far
as the context of the research study is concerned. This means that the researcher
needs to indicate where he/she is going to focus as far as the area of study is
concerned.
iii) Time scope (Relevant though not mandatory): This indicates the time frame for
which the evidence for research is based on. Time considered to be spent while
conducting the research can also be included in this section though it is not
mandatory.
iv) Demographic scope: This reflects the demographic characteristics of the
respondents, This is important to consider as scope in a research study especially
when the research study is going to deal with specific type of respondents Eg, only
children, only women, only fathers etc.
8. Research significance and or justification
This section indicates the value that the research study is expected to bring on board in case
it is carried out. There are two ways of looking at this value. The first way is looking at it
as a justification and the other way is looking at it as a significance. The two words are
used interchangeably though there are times when both are needed in a research proposal
document. This is not appropriate though it can be considered as a regulation.
Looking at the value as a justification, the researcher intends to stop some negative
happening through the carrying out of the research activity. For instance, the researcher
may say…. “This research will help to reduce the current loss tendencies in the
business”……This therefore justifies the carrying out the researcher.
Significance on the other hand looks at the positive impact that a research study is likely
to bring on board. For instance, the researcher might say….. “This research will help to
improve the profitability levels of this business”………… This significance makes it
necessary and actually important to carry out a research study.
It should be noted that all the significances and or justifications included in a research
document have to respond to the research objectives. Each research objective needs to lead
to a given justification and or significance.
When stating a justification or significance, it is a MUST to link it to a beneficiary or group
of beneficiaries that shall benefit from a successful research project. Beneficiary may

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 include students, lecturers, University management, Uganda Revenue Authority, Road
users etc. Select appropriate beneficiary basing on the research objectives stated.
9. A research proposal
A research proposal is a document written by a researcher to the people who want to solve
an existing problem at hand. These people could be the ones facing the problem or they
could be well-wishers who need to know exactly what the problem is and hence be in
position to accept the help of the researcher to carry out the research to solve the problem.
These people are also considered to be the potential funders of the said research proposal.

At the point of writing a proposal, the researcher will not have carried out any research but
will have an idea of what could be the problem. Therefore, a research proposal is like any
other proposal or offer to do a certain activity to which the stakeholders must accept and
agree to engage the researcher to perform the activity.
The research proposal has basically 3 sections which can also be called chapters. They are
explained below;
SECTION 1 (CHAPTER ONE): This section is called “INTRODUCTION AND
BACKGROUND”. It includes the introduction and background to the study, problem
statement, objectives of the study, scope of the study, purpose of the study, research
questions, and the organization of the research study. Basically, this section includes the
chapter one of research you studied in class.
SECTION 2 (CHAPTER TWO): This section is called “LITERATURE REVIEW”.
This covers the literature review of the study to be carried out. Here, you write a literature
review as taught to you in class. When writing this section, the researcher has to consider
the recognition of the different authors whose books have been reviewed to come up with
the literature review. In this case, citation must be provided in the body of the literature
review as was taught in class. These citations MUST also appear in the reference page of
the research proposal.
SECTION 3 (CHAPTER THREE): This section is called “RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY”. This deals with the methodology of the research study. The
methodology should be written comprehensively to show all the details that should be
considered and techniques to be used when carrying out the proposed research study.
The methodology section should show the stakeholders how the research study is going to
be carried out. The methodology should be written in future tense. E.g “The researcher
shall use the technique of questionnaire because……”
At the end of the research proposal, there must be a separate page called “REFERENCE
PAGE”. This page contains all the references that have been cited in the literature review
and anywhere else in the body of the research proposal.

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 The section of a research proposal are further complemented by the process of preparing a
research proposal. This process is summarized in a diagram below. Though sections two
and three have not been covered at this point, there is no harm pointing them out at this
point.

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 Activity 3
Read the case below. After reading, carry out the following activities
i) Identify the problem in the case
ii) With justification, state appropriate variables of the study
iii) Write down appropriate statement of the problem
iv) State the purpose of the study, objectives of the study and the
research questions
v) Specify the scope of your study
vi) State appropriate justification and or significance of the study
you intend to carry out

The case
A recent survey conducted by the investigator magazine revealed that
90% of the students who are at University do not know why they are at
University. Most of them indicate being at University as a stage in their
lives that ushers them into the employment world. Getting employed
after campus is therefore the main motivation for most of those at
University.
The view of getting employed after campus is shared differently by the
elderly students. Most of these join campus when they already have their
jobs and majority, if not all, sponsor themselves through the university
education. This category of students view their time at University as a
means for promotion at work place.
The high demand of university education has necessitated a number of
things to exist in the education environment of Uganda, especially at the
university level. One of the notable things is the mushrooming number
of universities in Uganda. This has definitely increased the chances of
aspiring Ugandans to get a university degree. This is different from the
past when there were few universities which could not accommodate all
the potential students from the different secondary schools all over the
country.
The other thing is the conduct of students in the universities they go to.
Cases of free marks have been noted in many universities in Uganda,
public and private alike. This is an indication that the students are
willing to get marks, which lead to an award of a degree, even when they
are aware that they do not deserve the marks. Though the terminology
is “free marks”, most of the culprits indicate that it is not as free as it is
portrayed. The students have to part with something, tangible or
intangible, in order to get the grades they did not work for.
In a different development, the employers have overtime questioned the
knowledge level their potential recruits have from the universities in the
country. Though there are graduates with genuine grades and
knowledge level, there are others whose conduct during interviews does

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 not match their good academic papers presented to the interviewers.
This leaves a lot to be desired!

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