Addis Ababa Science& Technology University

College of Biological & Chemical Engineering

Department of Chemical Engineering

Lecture 5: Defining Research Problem and Selection of Responses

Prepared By Dr. Bala, S.

December 2018

17/01/2019 1
 Defining a Research
Problem

"Well begun is half done"

--Aristotle, quoting an old proverb
A research problem refers to some difficulty
that a researcher experiences in the context of
either a theoretical or practical situation and
wants to obtain a solution for the same.

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 Why define the Research Problem?

• Defining your destination before beginning a

journey.
• It determines,
– what you will do,
– will it withstand scientific scrutiny,
– how you will do it, and
– what you may achieve!

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 How is a research problem selected?

• Researchers interest in a topic

• National or agency priorities
• Urgency of an issue
• Availability of research funds
• Availability of supervision

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 Formulating a research problem
• The first and the most important step
• It identifies your destination
• It tells what you intend to research
• The more specific and the clearer the
problem, the better you are
• It is the seed of everything that follows
Decide what you want to find out about

Factors: finance, time, expertise and knowledge

 Before formulating problems
• How much do you know about the
areas/topics?

Not much ----- Review literature to learn

more

Good ------ Can you describe the

issues/problems discussed to date
Where do research topics come from?
• Experiences of practical problems in the field,
• Learn from those experiencing the issues in
the field,
• Literature in your specific field,
• Request for proposals
• Think up the research topics of their own

Q: How about your research proposals?

 A Hierarchy of concepts
• We can distinguish levels of concepts and questions,
which vary in levels of abstraction, forming an
inductive-deductive hierarchy:
General Research area;
internal
Research topic; consistency
General research questions;
coherence
Specific Specific research questions;
and Data collection questions. validity
Concrete
 Research areas and topics
• Research areas are usually stated in a few words, and
sometimes just one word.
• Research topics are a few words, but usually more
than those describing the research areas
Consideration in selecting a research
problem
• Interest (give consistent motivation)
• Magnitude (define the scope)
• Measurement of concepts (concept to empirical)
• Level of expertise (should be adequate)
• Relevance (to your professional)
• Availability of data (especially secondary data)
• Ethical issues
Steps in research problem formulation

Broad areas

Dissect into subareas

Select the most interest

Raise research questions

Formulate objectives
 Selection of Response Variable
• Correct definition of research objective means
correct selection of the responses.
• An incorrect selection of the responses annuls all
further research activities.
• Depending on the subject and research bjective,
optimization parameters or responses may be
quite different
• Real situations are by rule very complex and
usually require simultaneous analysis of several
system responses
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 Selection of Response Variable
Most Frequent Optimization parameters
Economic, Techno economic Physical properties
Technical-technological Time needed for experiment
Other Loss Coefficient of usefulness
Cost effectiveness Yield Mechanical properties
Psychological Microbiological properties
Statistical Physical-chemical properties
Esthetic of product
Productivity
Total cost Security
Durability
Research subject models for the least possible number
of responses or for general response are made up
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 Response variable
• A response should be: (standard factors)
– quantitative,
– singular,
– statistically effective,
– universal,
– physically realistic,
– simple,
– easily measurable

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 Response Variable Practicality
• For responses with no quantitative
measurement, the ranking method is used. Out
of all responses typical for a research subject,
only one or a general response is taken. Other
responses are used as constraints.

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 Practical Example
• When producing rubber, plastic and other
composite materials one must take into
account responses such as: physical-chemical,
technological, economic, mechanical (tensile
strength, elongation, module, etc.) and others.

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 Teaching tools: virtual experiments

• StatLab :
http://www.win.tue.nl/statlab
Interactive software for teaching DOE through
cases
• Box:
http://www.win.tue.nl/~marko/box/box.html
Game-like demonstration of Box method
• Matlab virtual reactor: Help-> Demos ->
Statistics toolbox -> Empirical Modeling ->
RSM demo
 Summary
Proverb
Experiments of theoretical and/or practical nature
Why define the research problem
How is research problem selected?
Formulating research problem
Position before formulating research problem
Where do research problems come from?
Hierarchy concepts
Meaning of research area and topics
Consideration of selecting a research problem
Steps in research area problem formulation
Selection of response variable
Most frequent optimization parameters
Response variable confirms to standard factors
Response variable practical example
 Questions to think about!
• Write the proverb pertaining research problem.
• Why define the research problem?
• How is research problem selected?
• Write steps involved in formulating research problem?
• What are two positions before formulating research problem?
• Where do research problems come from?
• Write Hierarchy concept with respect to formulating research problem?
• What is meaning of research area and topics?
• What are considerations in selecting research problem?
• What are steps in research area problem formulation?
• What are selection creiteria of response variable?
• How response variable confirms to various standard factors?
• What are all most frequent optimization parameters?
• Explain response variables using a practical case?