Step 1: Formulating a research problem

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 Research Problem
• Broadly speaking, any question that you want
answered and any assumption or assertion that you
want to challenge or investigate can become a
research problem or a research topic for your study.
• According to Powers, Meenaghan and Twoomey
(1985), ‘Potential research questions may occur to
us on a regular basis, but the process of formulating
them in a meaningful way is not at all an easy task.’

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 Research Problem
• It is essential for the problem you formulate to
be able to withstand scrutiny in terms of the
procedures required to be undertaken.
• Hence you should spend considerable time in
thinking it through.

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 Importance Of Formulating A Research
Problem
1. research problem serves as the foundation of
a research study
2. Research problem determines almost every
step that follows in the research process: the
type of study design that can be used; the
type of sampling strategy that can be
employed; the research instrument that can
be used or developed; and the type of
analysis that can be undertaken.
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 Sources of Research Problems

1. Classroom lectures
2. class discussions,
3. seminar reports and
4. out of class exchanges of ideas with fellow students and
lecturers
5. verifying and testing a particular theory.
6. replicating another research
7. Programme evaluation and practice effectiveness
evaluation
8. Consultation with your supervisor or advisor
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Considerations In Selecting A Research Problem

• Interest – interest should be the most important

consideration in selecting a research problem.
• Magnitude – You should have sufficient knowledge
about the research process to be able to visualize the
work involved in completing the proposed study.
• Measurement of concepts – if you are using a concept
in your study (in quantitative studies), make sure you
are clear about its indicators and their measurement.
• Level of expertise – Make sure you have an adequate
level of expertise for the task you are proposing.
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 Considerations In Selecting A Research
Problem
• Relevance – Select a topic that is of relevance to you
as a professional. Ensure that your study adds to the
existing body of knowledge, bridges current gaps or is
useful in policy formulation. This will help you to
sustain interest in the study.
• Availability of data – if your topic entails collection of
information from secondary sources (office records,
client records, census or other already-published
reports, etc.) makes sure that this data is available and
in the format you want before finalizing your topic.

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STEPS IN FORMULATING A RESEARCH PROBLEM

• Step 1 Identify a broad field or subject area of

interest to you.
• Step 2 Dissect the broad area into subareas
• Step 3 Select what is of most interest to you.
• Step 4 Raise research questions.
• Step 5 Formulate objectives
• Step 6 Assess your objectives
• Step 7 Double-check.

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STEPS IN FORMULATING A RESEARCH PROBLEM

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 Research Objectives

• A summary of what is to be achieved by the

study
Poses the question:
• Where are we going?

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 Research Objectives

The relevance of research objectives:

• Further clarify or focus the problem under
study
• Avoid collection of unnecessary data
• Organise the study In different parts

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 Two types of research objectives:

• General or Main Objectives

What is expected to be achieved by the study in
general terms
• Specific objectives
-The specific activities intended to be carried out during
the study in order to achieve the general objectives.
-Breakdown of the General objective into smaller
logically connected parts or activities

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 Formulating the research objective

• Your Objective Should:

-Cover the different aspects of the problem
-Follow logically
-Be phrased clearly in operational terms
-Be realistic
-Use action verbs
-Make recommendations

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 Formulating the research objective

• Using action Verbs

• Examples;
• To describe, To determine, To compare, To
calculate, To establish, To examine, To
identify ,To assess, To analyze etc.
• Avoid Verbs like: To study; To understand; To
find out ,etc.

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 Formulating Research Objectives

• Examples:
• General Objective
-To establish the causes of high staff attrition in
“ All People’s shop’ at city X Or
-To identify the factors contributing to high staff
attrition in “All People’s Shop at City x

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 Formulating Research Objectives

• Specific Objective:
-To examine the recruitment procedures of the
enterprise
-To assess the conditions of service for staff of
the enterprise
-To determine the level of take home pay for
workers
-To determine the level of job satisfaction
among staff
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THE FORMULATION OF RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

• Objectives are the goals you set out to attain in

your study.
• Since these objectives inform a reader of what
you want to achieve through the study, it is
extremely important to word them clearly and
specifically.
• Objectives should be listed under two headings:
1. main objectives;
2. sub objectives.
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 THE FORMULATION OF RESEARCH
OBJECTIVES
• The main objective is an overall statement of
the thrust of your study.
• It is also a statement of the main associations
and relationships that you seek to discover or
establish.
• The sub objectives are the specific aspects of
the topic that you want to investigate within
the main framework of your study.

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 Operational Definitions
• An operational definition, describes the
procedures we follow to observe or to
measure the variables.
• Operational definitions may differ from day-
to-day meanings as well as dictionary or legal
definitions.

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 Operational Definitions
• An operational definition of academic performance
might be “cumulative grade point average.”
• An operational definition of a successful job interview
might be whether one is “hired for the job.”
• An operational definition of newscaster credibility
might be “the score received on a source credibility
scale.”
• Operational definitions consist of the procedures we
follow to observe or measure our variables.

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