research problem

WEEK 4DEPT. RS & GIS

INSTITUTE OF SPACE TECHNOLOGY

Research Problem

Formulating the research problem is, in itself, a BIG problem

(Prof. Gladys A. Cruz College of Social Sciences U. P. Baguio)

Research Problem

Any Question that you want answered

Input to a study on which outputs depend

Garbage in garbage out

Formulating an idea into a researchable problem is not an easy task!!!!

“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”

(Powers, et al. 1985)

Initially you may become more confused but this is normal and a sign of progression

Remember: confusion is often but a first step towards clarity

Take time

Research topics may arise from:

A concern with some social (or scientific) problem

An interest in some general theme or pattern of

behavior

Some part of theory

Some personal inclination or interest

(Selltiz 1976)

Moving from topic to problem!!!

Operationalizing the concepts to be used such that they are directly observable:

Concept

Variables

Indicators

Hypothesis (optional)

THE FIVE ‘WS’

What? is my research?

Why? do I want to do the research?

Who? are my research participants?

Where? am I going to do the research?

When? am I going to do the research?

Sum up your research project in one sentence

Discuss your sentence with others and revise if there is any confusion

Then move on to think about How you are going to collect your data

You must have a clear idea with regard to what it is that you want to find out about and not what you think you must find

In short, research problem should explicitly state

What relationship between what variables

about what units of analysis do I want to study?

• Importance• Sources of Research Problem• Issues to consider• Steps

Formulating Research Problem

Identification of a destination before undertaking a journey In absence of a destination, it is impossible to identify

the shortest or ANY routeA research problem is like the foundation of a

building The type and design of the building are dependent

upon the foundationMay take number of forms

Very simple to the very complex

Prerequisite is to know about

Knowledge of subject area

Knowledge of research methodology

Research problem vs. Research question

Example: Society & Technology Problem: Blind cannot communicate with majority of

society Question: How should a computer vision device be

developed to address the needs of the blind?

Example: Technology & Health Problem: Epilepsy cannot be understood

experimentally Question: Can a mathematical model be created to

understand and experiment with epileptic brain activity?

Evaluation of a Problem

Is the problem researchable? A researchable problem always concerns with the

relationship existing between two or more variables that can be defined and measured

Is the problem new?Is the problem significant?Is the problem feasible for a particular

researcher?

Consideration in selecting research problem

InterestMagnitudeMeasurement of conceptsLevel of expertiseRelevanceAvailability of dataEthical issues

Importance

In absence of a clear research problem, a clear and economical plan is impossible

Research problem serves as the foundation of a research study If it is well formulated, you can expect a good study to

follow

“If one wants to solve a problem, one must generally know what the problem is. It can be said that a large part of the problem lies in knowing what one is trying to do”

(Kerlinger 1986)

Sources of Research Problem

04 Ps:

PeopleProblemsPhenomenaPrograms

Steps in formulating research problem

Step 1: Identify a broad field/subject area of interest to you

Step 2: Dissect the broad into subareasStep 3: Select what is of most interest to youStep 4: Raise research questionsStep 5: Formulate objectivesStep 6: Assess your objectivesStep 7: Double check

Example: Dissecting the subject area

Domestic Violence (DV)

Profile of families with DV

Profile of victims

Extent and type of DV

Reasons

Impact on children

others

Formulation of research objectives

Main objectives Overall statement of the thrust of your study Statement of main associations and relationships that

you seek to discover or establishSubobjectives

Specific aspects of the topic that you want to investigate within the main framework of your study

Should contain only ONE aspect of the study Listed numerically Worded clearly and unambiguously Use action oriented words/verbs: to determine, to find

out, to ascertain, to measure, to explore.Wordings of your objectives define if your research is descriptive, correlational or experimental

Characteristics of Objectives

Establishing operational Definitions

Formulating Research Problem

Quantitative Approach: Usually employs a deductive approach Be as specific as possible Narrow the magnitude of your study and confine your search

within a frameworkQualitative Approach

researchers tend to employ an inductive approach Maintain flexibility, openness and freedom to include any new

idea or exclude any aspect found irrelevant at later stages Problem reformulated several times after you have begun

data collection Something very clear to you may be quite difficult for

yourself you explain in a manner that other may understand

How to find Research Questions?

The research area

Approach 1

The research topic

General research questions

Specific research questions

Data collection questions(Punch, 2008)

A research question

a question the research itself is trying to answer

A data collection question

a question which is asked in order to collect data in order to help answer the research question

data need to be linked to concepts, and concepts to data.

Research area

Research topic

General research question

s

Specific research question

s

Data collectio

n questions / items

Research areaYouth suicideAbsenteeism at workYouth culture in high schoolsLiving with Tourette’s syndromeAcademic success and failures at universityMembership of volunteer organisations (Punch, 2008)

Research area

Youth suicide

Research topic

Suicide rates among different groups [quantitative]

Factors associated with the incidence of youth suicide [quantitative]

Managing suicide behaviour among teenagers [qualitative]

Youth culture and the meaning of suicide [qualitative]

(Punch, 2008)

Research area

Youth suicide

Research topic

Factors associated with the incidence of youth suicide [quantitative]

General research questions

What is the relationship between family background factors and the incidence of youth suicide?

What is the relationship between school experience factors and the incidence of youth suicide?

Research area

Youth suicide

Research topic

Factors associated with the incidence of youth suicide [quantitative]

General research questions

What is the relationship between family background factors and the incidence of youth suicide?

Specific research questions

What is the relationship between family income and the incidence of youth suicide?

OR

Do youth suicide rates differ between families of different income levels?

What is the relationship between the emotional attachment to parents and the incidence of youth suicide?

ORDo youth suicide rates differ between families where parents and children have a close emotional attachment, and families where they are not?(Punch, 2008)

Research objectives

Approach 2

Research questions

Approach 3

Aims

Objectives

Research questions

Thank you…

RESEARCHING RESEARCH TOPIC

In Class Activity