CHAPTER 4 Steps in formulating a research problem

Formulating a Research Problem

The importance of formulating a research problem
 is the first and most important step of the
research process
Sources of research problems:
 Programmes
 People
 Problems
 Phenomena
Considerations in selecting a research problem
Identify a broad field or subject area
 identify one of interest to you before undertaking your research
journey.
Dissect the broad area into subareas
 select any subject area from other fields and go through this
dissection process.
 consult others who have some knowledge of the area and literature
in your subject area.
Select what is of most interest to you
 out of the list, select issues or subareas
 go through your list and delete all those subareas in which you are
not very interested

1. Interest - should be the most important consideration in selecting a research problem Raise research questions
- select topic that interest us most  make a list of questions come to our mind relating to the chosen
subareas
2. Magnitude - should have sufficient knowledge to be able to visualise the work
- select a topic that we can manage within the time and resources Formulate objectives
 main objectives and subobjectives need to be formulated
3. Measurement
of concepts - we should clear about the indicators and measurement (quantitative studies)  research questions are obviously that-questions, objectives transform
these questions into behavioural aims by using action-oriented words
4. Level of - make sure you have an adequate level of expertise, seeking help from supervisor such as ‘to find out’, ‘to determine’.
expertise
Assess your objectives
5. Relevance - select a topic that is of relevance to sustain interest in the study  examine the objectives to ascertain the feasibility of achieving them
through research endeavour
6. Availability - make sure the data is available
Double-check
7. Ethical issues -the study population may be adversely affected by some of the questions  give final consideration to whether or not you are sufficiently
(directly or indirectly) interested in the study
 The Formulation of Research Objectives

 main objectives The Study Population

-- is an overall statement of the thrust of our study
-- is a statement of the main associations and relationships that  need to decide very specifically and clearly who
we seek to discover or establish constitutes our study population, in order to select the
-- should start with words:- ‘to determine’,‘to find out’, ‘to appropriate respondents.
ascertain’, ‘to measure’ and ‘to explore’.
 E.g: age group
 sub objectives
-- specific aspects of the topic that we want to investigate
within the main framework in study
-- should be numerically listed, clearly and unambiguously
Establishing Operational Definitions

 working or operational definitions = when you define concepts

that you plan to use either in your research problem and/or in
Formulating a research problem in qualitative research identifying the study population in a measurable form.

 formulation of a research problem in qualitative research follows a different
path
 do not predetermine the exact nature and extent of the research problem to
find answers to and continue to modify it as we start finding out more about
it
 enhances clarity about the issues we are trying to find out
about and about the study population you plan to gather
information from.
 have to operationalise both the main variables we are
proposing to study and the study population.

 it will help you if you develop a conceptual framework of the different

aspects of a problem to serve as a backdrop for issues to be discussed with
potential respondents