Identifying and Defining

a Research Problem
 Problem!
A question raised for inquiry,
consideration or solution
What is a Research Problem?

 A Research Problem is an issue or

concern that an investigator
presents and justifies in a research
study.
What is a Research Problem?
 A problem that someone would like
to research.

 Anything that a person finds

unsatisfactory or unsettling, a
difficulty of some sort, a state of
affairs that needs to be changed.
What is a Research Problem?
A problem that involves areas of concerns
to researchers, for condition they want
to improve, difficulties they want to
eliminate, questions for which they want
to seek answers.
How to identify a Research
Problem?
 Search for a problem.
 Read more about your problem.
 Take notes or keep a research
journal.
 Seek professional advice.
 Keep the topic interesting.
Research Problems can be
found from:

 Experience

 Theories

 Innovations whose worth needs to be

proven

 Priority development areas

Research Problems have the
following characteristics
 It should ask about the relationship
between two or more variables

 It should be stated clearly

Research Problems have the
following characteristics

 Itshould be possible to collect

data to answer the question

 Itshould not represent a moral

or ethical question
DON’Ts
 Research Problem should not be defined
too broadly
Example: Develop reading levels of the
pupils
Improve the attitude of teachers

 Research Problems should not be defined

too narrowly
Why is the Research Problem
important?
 Establishes the importance of topic

 Creates readers’ interest

 Focuses readers’ attention on how

study will add to literature
Can and Should the Problem
be researched?
 Can you study the problem?
-Do you have access to the research site?
-Do you have the time, resources and skills
to carry out the research?
 Should you study the problem?
-Does it advance knowledge?
-Does it contribute to practice?
Five Elements of a ‘Problem
Statement’
Flow of Ideas
Educational
Topic Issue
Evidence
for the
Deficien-
cies in the
What does
remedy of
deficiencies
Issue evidence
will do for
the select
audiences?

Subject •A concern •From the In this body How will

Area •A problem literature of evidence, addressing
•Something •From what is what we need
that needs practical missing? to know help:
solution experience What do we •Researchers
need to •Educators
know more •Policy makers
about? •Respondents
FACTORS IN THE SELECTION OF
RESEARCH PROBLEM
The selection of a research problem, as far as
the experiences of the author is concerned, is
often the problem itself. This “problem” could
readily be solved by traveling with the students
on the courses that they have taken, their on-the-
job-training or practicum, their observations,
their readings, the lectures of their professors, or
seminars they have attended. They became their
own guide in selecting this “problem”. Further,
they are given assignments on the different
research journals or thesis/dissertation available
in the library.
Guide questions that may be given to them are:

1. What is the title?

2. What are the specific problems?
3. What are the variables?
4. What are their connections?
5. …and others

Often, strengthening of this strategy goes with a

workshop after discussing or clarifying factors affecting
the selection of a research problem.
There are several factors affecting the
selection of a research problem (Figure 1).
They include:

1. the researcher’s values (somehow the

relationships of the researcher and the
phenomena under investigation are close
enough and that the researcher’s
“contradictions” maybe relative to a
general view);
2. the researcher’s program (may
comprise the interest, specialization,
educational background, skills and abilities
and aptitude);

3. the attitude of the environment (the

forebears, antecedents, or precursors, and
the prevailing situation may have an
outright effect on the researcher’s insights
toward the completion of the research
output);
Sanchez (1986) considered the
following that will pass for a good
research problem: must be novel,
relevant to society’s needs, relevant
to one’s specialization, must reflect a
noteworthy contribution to the
country’s national development and
progress, must express relationship
between two or more variables, and
must imply possibilities of empirical
testing.
Fraenkel and Wallen (1993) pointed to the
characteristics of a good research problem as
being feasible (can be investigated without an
undue amount of time, energy or money), clear
(most people would agree as to what the key
words in the question mean), significant (it is
worth investigating because it will contribute
important knowledge about the human
condition), and ethical (it will not involve
physical or psychological harm or damage to
human beings, or to the natural or social
environment of which they are a part).

Writing Problem Statements

 Tells what will be (or was) done

 Identifies variables andrelationships to be

studied
Ask Yourself
 To help IDENTIFY your research problem for your
thesis, ask yourself such questions as:

1. What is the issue/problem you want to study?

2. What is the concern being addressed ‘behind’
this study?
3. Why do you want to undertake this study?
4. Why is this study important to the scholarly
community?
 Designing & Writing the
Statement of the Problem
 The research problem

 Justification for the problem (based on

past research and practice)

 Shortcoming of the past research or

practice

 The importance or significance of the

problem
References:

Tuckman, 1972

http://www.slideshare.net/akisamant/identifying-
and-defining-a-research-problem/2013
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actionresearch

actionresearch.altec.org/