Selecting, refining and

Defining
Research Problems

Dr. M. Usman
Aleem

Lec 3

Dr. M. Usman Aleem 1

 Research Topic: The broad general area expected
to investigate. It is a broad idea or concept from
which many problems may be delineated.

Research Problem: A situation or circumstance

that requires a solution to be described, explained, or
predicted. It is an unsatisfactory situation that wants
you to confront.
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 If there is a knowledge gap in an area that
need to be investigated, the research problem
identifies this gap. Where as the research
topic is simply a broad area of interest, the
research problem identifies what is
problematic about that topic.

Research Statement: A statement specifies

exactly what is being studied.
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The research statement should include six elements:

Information about the research topic that provoked the

study
The scope of the problem (e.g.. how many people are
affected by it).
Why it is important to study the problem
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 The research statement should include six elements:

• How science would be influenced by the study

• General characteristics of the population of interest
• The overall goal or aim of the study or the question to
be answered.

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 Example of a problem statement

Hazardous noise is an important occupational health

problem because it leads to hearing loss and may
lead to increased stress and other deleterious
physiological effects… More than 30 million
workers are exposed to hazardous noise on the
job…Use of hearing protection devices,
specifically ear plugs is known to reduce noise
exposure and prevent noise – induced hearing
loss… there are, however, relatively few
investigators who have examined factors related
to the low use of hearing protection by workers.

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 Research Purpose

It is the specific aim or goal hope to be

accomplished. It reflects “ why the problem
is being studied”

Example of a purpose statement:

The purpose of this study is to examine the

relationship between worker’s job
satisfaction and tendency to leave.

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 Research Question

It is a direct rewording of the statement of the

purpose phrased interrogatively rather than
declaratively

 Questions that are simple and direct invite an

answer and help to focus attention on the
kinds of data needed to provide that answer.

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 Research Question

Example of a research question:

 What is the relationship

between the nurses’ job
satisfaction and their tendency to
leave the work setting?
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 Sources of research problems

Where do ideas for research problems

come from?

Social issues
Ideas from external sources
Research priorities
Clinical experience
Nursing literature
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Step 1: Selection of the research topic:

write down general areas of interest

At this stage, it doesn’t matter if the terms
used are broad or specific, abstract or
concrete., The important point is to put ideas
on papers.

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Step 1: Selection of the research topic:

Then a list of ideas can be classified into

Interesting topics.
Familiar topics.
Perplexing topics (confusing)
Feasible/not feasible topics
And then, choose the most suitable one to
work in
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Step 2: Contemplating the ideas : then
explore the phenomena by examining the
following eight areas

1. The topic’s, situation’s problem’s precipitating

factors.
2. How it is exactly viewed or perceived by the
researcher.
3. What are the responses of others who are
involved in the situation?
4. The personal involvement in the situation.
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 Step 2: Contemplating the ideas :

5. Emotions felt.
6. Values and biases inherent in or related to the
topic/situation.
7. Risk factors associated with searching this
topic/situation/problem.
8. What contribution the research would offer.

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Step 3: Narrowing the topic
 Once a research topic has been specified and

contemplate, the researcher must then narrow it

down in order to develop a research problem.

 This is done through generating questions from the

research topic.

 List of questions can be developed from the

research topic, and then investigated in relation to
its feasibility to research.
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 Reviewing the related literature at this
stage may throw light on:

Theoretical framework.
Methodology.
Data collection methods.
Data collection tools
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 Data collection techniques.
 Sampling method…etc.

Review of literature will also help to identify

what is known and what is not known about the
research problem. Therefore, the research
problem could be specified and stated at this
point.
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Step 5: Writing the statement of the
research problem :

 Expressed in a statement

 This statement serves as a guide to the

researcher in the course of designing the
study.
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Step 5: Writing the statement :
The problem statement should have the
following characteristics:
 Identify the key variables in the study.
 Express a relationship between two or more

variables. (If not descriptive).

 Specify the study population.

 Imply the type of the research.

 Identify the study setting.

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 The problem statement could be done
in two forms:
 Declarative: “The relationship
between the workers’ job satisfaction
and tendency to leave work”
 Interrogative/question based: “ Is
there a relationship between the
workers’ job satisfaction and tendency
to leave work?”
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 Evaluation of the research problem

 Time: enough time will be available for the

various steps of the research.
 Timing :When the timing requirement of a
task do not match
 Money : the researcher should ask the
following questions:
 Will I have enough money to complete this
research?
 Will be any sources for funding the research?
 Does the anticipated cost outweigh the value of
the expected findings?
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 Availability of research participants:
 Ethical consideration
 Facilities and equipment
 Co operation of the others
 Researchability
 Qualifications and experience of the
researcher
 Significance of the problem
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 It is the research’s prediction of the
outcome of the research study. That
is the expected relationship between
the study variables.

 Thus, RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

translates the research purpose into
a clear prediction of the expected
results or outcome of the study
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Importance of R.H.:
 It provides direction for the type of

research (i.e. design, sampling, data

collection .. etc.).
 Suggests the type of statistical

analysis to be used in the study.

 Identifies the variables to be

manipulated and/or measured

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How to state a R.H.:
 Research hypothesis should be stated

clearly, concisely, measurably, and in the

present tense.

 For a hypothesis to be stated clearly,

concisely, and measurably, three criteria
should be considered:

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Three criteria should be considered:

1. A relationship should be addressed in

each hypothesis.
2. The variable/condition/relationship must
be testable or measurable.
3. The aim of the research guides what is
included in the research hypothesis.

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 When the research aim is to describe, the R.H. will
include the target population and study variables.

When the research aim is to explore, the R.H. makes

prediction about population and the relationship
among study variables.

When the research aim is to predict, the R.H.

concentrates on the population and independent
variables.

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 Types of hypothesis
Simple
 It predicts the relationship o\between one independent

variable and one dependent variable.

Example:
 Newborns of smoking mothers (I.V) have lower

birth weight (D.V.) than those of non-smoking

mothers.
 Lower levels of exercise postpartum (I.V) will be

associated with greater weight retention (D.V )

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 Types of hypothesis
Complex
 It predicts the relationship between 2 or more I.V. and 2

or more D.V.
Example:
 Structured preoperative support (IV).is more
effective in reducing surgical patient’s perception
of pain (D.V) and request of analgesics (D.V)
than structured post operative support (i.v.)

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Associative
 It predicts an association between the I.V. and

the D.V. without specifying either a directional

or causal relation.

Example:
 Maternal age (I.V.) is associated with

pregnancy complications (D.V)

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Causal
 It predicts a cause-and effect relationship between
the I.V. and D.V.

Example:
 Older mothers (I.V.) give birth to newborns with

lover age (D.V.) than those of younger mother

(I.V)

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 Null
 It predicts no relationship between I.V. and
D.V.
 It is used when statistical testing procedures

are applied to the data.

Example:
 There is no relationship between maternal

smoking and newborn’s birth weight.

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 Alternative
 It is the opposite of the null hypothesis. So, it
predicts a relationship between the I.V. and D.V.

Example:
 All the previous examples are alternative hypotheses.

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