THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

IT 416/EDR 511 – Methods of

Research/Engineering Design,
Research, and Development
September 2020
 ELEMENTS OF A RESEARCH
PROBLEM
The term research problem implies
that an investigation, inquiry or study is
to be conducted, or that the problem is
ready for investigation, inquiry or study.
There are certain elements that a
problem must possess before it becomes
a research problem ready for
investigation.
 These elements are:
• Aim or purpose of the problem or
investigation.
• The subject matter or topic to be
investigated.
• The place or locale where the research is
to be conducted.
• The period of time of the study during
which the data are to be gathered.
• Population universe from whom the data
are to be collected.
 Summarizing the elements of the
research problems aim or purpose,
subject matter or topic, place or locale,
period of time, and population of the
universe they respectively answer
questions starting with why, what,
where, when and who or from whom.
Example:
To determine the status of teaching science in
the high schools A during the school year 1989-
1990.
• Aim or purpose: to determine the status of
• Subject matter or topic: the teaching of science
• Place or locale: in the high schools of province
A
• Period or time: during the school year 1989-
1990
• Population: the respondents are implied to be
either the teachers or the pupils or both
 Guidelines in the selection of a
research problem or topic
• The research problem or topic must be chosen by
the researcher himself.
• It must be within the interest of the researcher.
• It must be within the specialization of the
researcher.
• It must be within the competence of the researcher
to tackle.
• It must be within the ability of the researcher to
finance, otherwise he must be able to find funding
for his research.
It is researchable and manageable, that is,
a) Data are available and accessible
b) The data must meet the standards of accuracy,
objectivity, and verifiability
c) Answers to the specific questions (sub problems)
can be found. The data to be collected must
supply the necessary answers to the specific
questions.
d) The hypothesis formulated are testable, that is,
they can be accepted or rejected. Hypotheses are
not proved, they are only determined as true or
not.
e) Equipment and instruments for research are
available and can give valid and reliable results.
• It can be completed within a reasonable period of
time unless it is a longitudinal research which
takes a long time for its completion.
• It is significant, important, and relevant to the
present time and situation, timely, and out of
current interest.
• The results are implementable.
• It requires original, critical and reflective thinking
to solve it.
• It can be delimited to suit the resources of the
researchers but big or large enough to be able to
give significant, valid, and reliable results and
generalizations.
• It must contribute to the national development
goals for the improvement of the quality of
human life.
• It must contribute to the fund of human
knowledge.
• It must show or pave the way for the solution
of the problem or problems intended to be
solved.
• It must not undermine the moral and spiritual
values of the people.
• It must not advocate any change in the present
order of things by means of violence but by
peaceful means.
• There must be a return of some kind to the
researcher, either one, or all of the following, if
the research report is completed:
a) Monetary, either increase in salary or
publication of the results in which there is
some kind of royalty.
b) Advancement of position, promotion.
c) Improved specialization, competence, and
skill in professional work easily if the research
subject is related to the profession
d) Enhanced prestige and reputation.
e) Satisfaction of intellectual curiosity and
interest, and being able to discover the truth.
 THE TITLE
Guidelines in writing the title. The thesis adviser
should be guided by the following in the formulation
of this title.
These are also the characteristics of the title.
• Generally, the title is formulated before the start of
the research work. It may revised and refined later
if there is a need.
• The title must contain the subject matter if the
study, the locale of the study, the population
involved, and the period when the data were
gathered or will be gathered.
• It must be broad enough to include all the aspects
of the subject matter studied or to be studied.
• It must be as brief and concise as possible.

• Avoid using the terms “An analysis of”, “A

study of”, “An investigation of” and the like. All
these things are understood to have been done
or to be done when a research is conducted.

• If the title contains more than one line, it must

be written like an inverted pyramid. All words
in capital letters.
• Example of a complete title:
 
THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE IN THE HIGH
SCHOOLS OF PROVINCE A AS PERCEIVED
BY THE SCIENCE TEACHERS AND
STUDENTS DURING THE
SCHOOL YEAR
1989-1990
 
The contents are required by Guideline No.2 are:

• Subject matter: The teaching of science;

• Locale of the study: High schools of province A
• Population involved: The science teachers and
students; and
• Period of the study: School year 1989-1990
 A brief and concise form of the title
and a better one follows:

THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE IN THE

HIGH SHOOLS OF PROVINCE A
 It will be noted that the population, the
science teachers and students as well as the
period of the study, 1989-1990, are omitted when
writing the second form but they have to be
mentioned in the scope and delimitations of the
study.
It will be noted also that the title, though brief
and simplified, is broad enough to include all the
possible aspects of the subject matter.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Guidelines in formulating the general problem
and the specific subproblems or specific
problems:
• The general statement of the problem and the
specific subproblems or questions should be
formulated first before conducting the
research.
• It is customary to state specific subproblems In
the interrogative form. Hence, subproblems
are called specific questions.
• Each specific question must be clear and
unequivocal, that is, it has only one meaning. It
must not have dual meanings.
• Each specific question is researchable apart
from the other questions, that is , answers to
each question can be found even without
considering the other questions.

• Each specific question must be based upon

known facts an phenomena.

• Answers to each specific question can be

interpreted apart from the answers to other
specific questions.
• Answers to each specific questions must
contribute to the development of the whole
research problem or topic.

• Summing up the answers to all the specific

questions will give a complete development of
the entire study.

• The number of specific questions should be

enough to cover the development of the whole
research problem or study.