Lecture 3 : The Research

Problem
T.TARUGARIRA
This module gives you a solid foundation
for carrying out and compiling your final
research project before graduation as well
as prepare you for any other research
work that you may wish to undertake
outside your current academic studies..”

T.TARUGARIRA
AIMS/OBJECTIVES

To introduce the concept at the heart of any research project (the research problem)

To define and outline what a researchable problem

To warn of common mistakes in identifying research problems.

To describe how a research problem is found and stated.

To illustrate techniques for crafting a research problem statement

PROBLEM AND OPPORTUNITY
DEFINITION
 The research problem is also known as the “research question”.
 One of the first tasks therefore on the way to deciding on the detailed topic of research is to find a
question, an unresolved controversy, a gap in knowledge or an unrequited need within the chosen
subject. Outline what the researcher wants to solve and what questions he/she wishes to answer. 
 This search requires an awareness of current issues in the subject and an inquisitive and
questioning mind
 Therefore, a research problem is a statement about an area of concern, a condition to be
improved, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in scholarly
literature, in theory, or in practice that points to the need for meaningful understanding and
deliberate investigation.
 To write a persuasive problem statement, you need to describe (a) the ideal, (b), the reality, and (c)
the consequences.
 Statement of the problem
A statement of the problem is used in research work as a claim that outlines the problem addressed by a study.

The statement of the problem briefly addresses the question: What is the problem that the research will address.

The ultimate goal of a statement of the problem is to transform a generalized problem (something that bothers you; a
perceived lack) into a targeted, well-defined problem; one that can be resolved through focused research and careful
decision-making.

Writing a statement of the problem should help you clearly identify the purpose of the research project you will propose.

Often, the statement of the problem will also serve as the basis for the introductory section of your final proposal,
directing your reader’s attention quickly to the issues that your proposed project will address and providing the reader
with a concise statement of the proposed project itself.

A statement of problem need not be long and elaborate: one page is more than enough for a good statement of problem.
 Key characteristics of a statement
of the problem/research problem.
a) It should be of great interest to you
You will have to spend many months investigating the problem, therefore a lively interest inthe subject will be an
invaluable incentive to persevere.

b) The problem should be significant

It is not worth time and effort investigating a trivial problem or repeating work which has already been done elsewhere.

c) It should be delineated (it should have boundaries)

Consider the time you must complete the work, and the depth to which the problem will be addressed.

You can cover a wide field only superficially, and the more you restrict the field,the more detailed the study can be.

You should also consider the cost of necessary travel and other expenses.
 Features of a research problem…..
d) You should be able to obtain the information required
You cannot carry out research if you fail to collect the relevant information needed to tackle your problem, either
because you lack access to documents or other sources, and/or because you have not obtained the co-operation of
individuals or organizations essential to your research.

e) You should be able to draw conclusions related to the problem

The point of asking a question is to find an answer. The problem should be one to which the research can offer
some solution, or at least the elimination of some false solutions.

f) You should be able to state the problem clearly and concisely

A precise, well thought out and fully articulated sentence, understandable by anyone, shouldnormally clearly be
able to explain just what the problem is.
What is the format for writing a statement of the
problem?

A persuasive statement of problem is usually written in three parts:

Part A (The ideal): Describes a desired goal or ideal situation; explains how things should be.

Part B (The reality): Describes a condition that prevents the goal, state, or value in Part A from
being achieved or realized at this time; explains how the current situation falls short of the goal or
ideal.
Part C (The consequences): Identifies the way you propose to improve the current situation and
move it closer to the goal or ideal.
 Example –Statement of a problem
Statement 1

The Ministry of Youth is dedicated to allocating enterprise development funds to both the youth and women. These funds are made available
in order to start entrepreneurial ventures that create and expand employment. (Provide relevant statistics and quote)

Statement 2

One of the main focuses of the ministry is consistency. Unfortunately, consistency in allocating funds to the next generation of recipients
requires prior knowledge of previous allocations and established practices. The current continuous disbursement method does not allow for
adequate analysis of previous disbursements before a current disbursement is done.

Statement 3

Continuing with this current disbursement method prevents consistency and causes decisions to become grossly political, which in turn
inhibits the achievement of the goals of the funds. Developing a more informed disbursement system could help better implement the
consistency focus of the ministry and at the same time help the ministry better monitor and evaluate its funds. This proposed research aspires
to explore options for a new funds disbursement system that would focus on consistency. To do this, the researcher will carry out a full
stakeholder analysis and use it to propose appropriate policy interventions.
TECHNIQUES FOR NARROWING A TOPIC INTO A
RESEARCH QUESTION

A Examine the relevant literature (published articles/researches are an excellent source of ideas
for research questions). These articles suggest questions that focus on:

-Replicating of previous research project exactly or with slight variations

-Exploring unexpected findings discovered in previous research

-Following suggestions an author gives for future research at the end of an article

-Extending an existing explanation or theory to a new topic or setting

-Challenging findings or attempt to refute a relationship

-Specifying the intervening process and consider linking relation

B. Talk over ideas with others

The researcher should ask people who are knowledgeable about the topic for questions that

they have thought. Seek out those who hold opinions that differ from yours on the topic and

discuss possible research questions with them.

C. Apply to a specific context

Focus the topic onto a specific historical or time period. Narrow the topic to a specific society

or geography unit.

D. Define the aim or desired outcome of the study

Will the research question be for an exploratory, explanatory or descriptive study (research

designs), will the study involve applied or basic research?

SOURCES OF RESEARCH TOPICS
1. Personal experience, knowledge and interest-

You can choose a topic based on something that happens to you. You may also choose a topic only because
you have interest in that area or topic or thorough knowledge in that area e.g. you as technology students
can research on topics related to telecommunications, software, networking and so forth.

2. Curiosity based on something in the media.

One can read a newspaper, social media posts, magazine article, watch a TV program and be left with
questions. What is read or seen raises questions and suggest researches

3. The state of knowledge in a field – Basic research is driven by new research findings

and theories that push at the frontiers of knowledge.

4. Solving a problem- Applied research topics begin with a problem that needs a

solution

5. Personal values – people highly committed to a set of religious, political or social

values select topics that further their knowledge and understanding of those values

6. Everyday life- topics can be found throughout everyday life, in old sayings, novels,

songs, statistics etc.

7. Social premiums-: Topics can be selected because they offer an opportunity e.g.

reward for conducting a research etc.

NOTE: The identification of a good research problem is one of the most difficult
phases of any research project. In the discovery of a problem, the investigators can
make use of the following procedures to save them from wild search and aimless
wondering:

- Select field of specialization and become a scholar in that specialization as early

as possible e.g software engineering, telecommunication, data science, medicine
etc
- Develop a concern for that field
- Study critically the available research literature on the field of specialization.
- Accept the difficulties or obstacles of that field as a challenge and try to exercise
own originality and ability to tackle them
- Prepare a record of problems already studied by others in the area of
specialization
- Acquaint yourself with a research under way in that area
- Analyse the trends in your field of specialization
- Acquaint yourself with the possibilities, commitments and prophecies in that
particular area
Common errors in selecting and formulating a
research problem

a) Naming a broad field or area of study instead of a specific problem e.g. Tertiary Education System

in Zimbabwe is too broad.

b) Stating it such that the investigation is impossible e.g. huge costs required

c) Narrowing or localizing a topic to insignificant levels from a research point of view e.g. a critical study

of the poems in book

d) Including in it terms of an unscientific, emotional or biased nature e.g. “The blessing of teaching

profession”

e) Lack of precision in the instruments. The tools, tests, or devices which are proposed to be used in

data collection may not be precise enough resulting in another error

 DEVELOPMENT OF HYPOTHESIS

After identifying a problem you need to formulate a hypothesis.

A hypothesis is a tentative solution/ answer to a problem that can be tested empirically. It is a prediction of the

likely cause and effect patterns of the phenomenon.

CHARACTERISTICS OF HYPOTHESIS

-It’s a guess which agrees with the observed facts and does not conflict with any law of nature, which is true.

-It must be stated in simplest possible and clear terms.

-Must specify the problem and not generalize it.

-Must have empirical evidence and be testable with available techniques

-Must show expertise and stated in scientific and research terms.

IMPORTANCE OF HYPOTHESIS

a) Provides direction by defining what is relevant and what is irrelevant in any research

process.

b) It is a guide to the thinking and discovery processes.

c) Save as framework for drawing conclusions by making possible the interpretation

of data

e) Enables the researcher to understand the problem clearly and data required.
SOURCES OF HYPOTHESS

i. General culture is source of ideas, theories and laws of existing problems e.g.

prejudices against women education.

ii Personal experience. Hypothesis can emanate from personal experience e.g.

Teacher‟s punctuality enhances student‟s punctuality

iii. Scientific theories and laws can be put into use. Sound mind in a sound body

iv. Analogies – formulated basing on likenesses and similarities between objects.

THE DISCOVERY OF HYPOTHESIS

To discover or formulate hypothesis the researcher should have:

i) Been well read and informed about the problem

ii) Examined with care features of the objects.

iii) Searched for vital relationships and underlying principles, conditions and uniformities.

iv) Recognise the importance of analogies in the formation of hypothesis

DIFFERENT FORMS (TYPES) OF HYPOTHESIS

A) Directional and No-directional

i) Directional form (one tailed) –

A directional (or one tailed hypothesis) states which way you think the results are going to go, for
example in an experimental study we might say…”Participants who have been deprived of sleep for 24
hours will have more cold symptoms in the following week after exposure to a virus than participants
who have not been sleep deprived”; the hypothesis compares the two groups/conditions and states
which one will ….have more/less, be quicker/slower, etc.
It indicates the way in which the dependent variable will be influenced by the independent variable.

It is preferred because is more precise and gives more information.

ii) Non Directional (two tailed)
 A non-directional (or two tailed hypothesis) simply states that there
will be a difference between the two groups/conditions but does not
say which will be greater/smaller, quicker/slower etc. Using our
example above we would say “There will be a difference between the
number of cold symptoms experienced in the following week after
exposure to a virus for those participants who have been sleep
deprived for 24 hours compared with those who have not been sleep
deprived for 24 hours.”
 Doesn‟t indicate the way in which the dependent variable will be
influenced by the independent variable.
NB *Use of directional and non-directional depends on the ability to
predict future relationship between variables.
B) Null and Alternative Hypothesis

i) Null Hypothesis (HO)

It states that no relationship exists between variables being studied. Assumes that all groups are equal
and does not reflect the researcher’s expectations. It is better suited to statistical techniques and defines
the mathematical model to be utilized. It is s a positive hypothesis which assumes that everything is ok
and not worth investigating.

ii) Alternative Hypothesis (HA)

It states that the differences shown in results reflect real differences between population groups. It can be
either directional or non-directional.
C) PREDICTION FORM

Allows the researcher to state principles, laws, etc. expected to emerge from the study or

experiment and is mainly used in action research.

D) DECLARATIVE FORM

It states the relationship between the variables concerned.

E) QUESTION FORM

Ask whether there is a relationship between variables concerned.

Practice Questions:
1.Mr Faraz wants to compare the levels of attendance between his psychology group and
those of Mr Simon, who teaches a different psychology group. Which of the following is a
suitable directional (one tailed) hypothesis for Mr Faraz’s investigation?

A There will be a difference in the levels of attendance between the two psychology groups.

B Students’ level of attendance will be higher in Mr Faraz’s group than Mr Simon’s group.

C Any difference in the levels of attendance between the two psychology groups is due to chance.

D The level of attendance of the students will depend upon who is teaching the groups.
2. Tracy works for the local council. The council is thinking about reducing the
number of people it employs to pick up litter from the street. Tracy has been
asked to carry out a study to see if having the streets cleaned at less regular
intervals will affect the amount of litter the public will drop. She studies a street
to compare how much litter is dropped at two different times, once when it has
just been cleaned and once after it has not been cleaned for a month.

Write a fully operationalised non-directional (two-tailed) hypothesis for Tracy’s

study.
3. Jamila is conducting a practical investigation to look at gender differences
in carrying out visuo-spatial tasks. She decides to give males and females a
jigsaw puzzle and will time them to see who completes it the fastest. She uses
a random sample of pupils from a local school to get her participants.

(a) Write a fully operationalised directional (one tailed) hypothesis for Jamila’s
study. (2) (b) Outline one strength and one weakness of the random sampling
method. You may refer to Jamila’s use of this type of sampling in your answer.
4. Which of the following is a non-directional (two tailed) hypothesis?

A There is a difference in driving ability with men being better drivers than women

B Women are better at concentrating on more than one thing at a time than men

C Women spend more time doing the cooking and cleaning than men

D There is a difference in the number of men and women who participate in sports