for research students

1. IDENTIFYING AND DEFINING
A RESEARCH PROBLEM
RUKIYA lakhan Roll no 1oo 17 BS ENGLISH

2. OUTLINE
• To know about what the research problem is.
• Importance of the research problem.
• Research tittle
• Sources of research problem.
• Steps to define the research problem

3. RESEARCH PROBLEM
“a situation, person or thing that needs attention and needs to be dealt with or
solved” (Cambridge online dictionary, 2007) and
“a question raised for inquiry, consideration, or solution”
(Marian Webster online dictionary, 2007).
From a scientific perspective, a research problem is defined as a general issue,
concern, or controversy addressed in research.

4. • The “heart of every research project is the problem.
• (Leedy & Ormrod, p. 49).
• . The research problem serves as the starting point for the research and is a
unifying thread that runs throughout all the elements of the research endeavor
(Leedy & Ormrod, 2005).
• , the goals, research questions, review of the literature, methodology, results,
and conclusions

5. CONCEPT AND IMPORTANCE OF
RESEARCH PROBLEM
• A research problem could present itself as a condition to be improved upon, a
difficulty or deficiency to be overcome, or a gap in knowledge that exists in
scholarly literature that is to be filled, or theory that requires meaningful
understanding

6. .This problem for pure research could be in the form of an unknown phenomenon
or knowledge; or in an applied research, about a practical problem whose solution
would enhance the quality of human life.
the success or failure of the research undertaking well depends on the
appropriateness in both the selection and formulation and development of the
research problem.
Research problem provides direction and defines the purpose(s) of any particular
research

7. • appropriate research problem provides the basis for research questions,
objectives and hypotheses development and testing,
• the result of which constitute the findings on which conclusion on the
attainment of the research objectives and its contributions to knowledge.
•

8. RESEARCH TOPIC OR RESEARCH
TITLE
• Research title provides the operational expression of the research problem in a
manner suggestive of the scope, required methodology in terms of the
research design, required data, data collection and method of analysis for
investigating or solving the research problem
• (Onyeizugbe, 2013)
• Research title clarifies what the problem is all and provides the specifications
and directions for solving the problem

9. • A title should be focused, using as few words as possible that accurately
describes the topic
• • Avoid the use of words such as “An examination of…”, “A study of ...”, “An
investigation of ...”, “An analysis of…”, “Observations on ...”, etc.
• Links to the 5Ws and H:
• Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

10. WHO (people, policies, strategies, species, etc.)
• • WHAT (all, some, one)
• •WHERE Area (South Africa, AMERICA, PAKISTAN, etc.)
• • WHEN Time (last 10 years, 1 YEAR, etc.

11. A GOOD TOPIC…
• • Defines the aims of the research/ investigation
• • Sets boundaries and parameters for the research/ delimits the research •
Provides direction
• • Is clear and concise (every word makes a difference)
• • Is jargon-free and conceptually straight-forward

12. FINDING RESEARCH-WORTHY
PROBLEMS
• A viable research-worthy problem can emerge from various areas.
• Leedy and Ormrod observed “problems for research are everywhere. Take a
good look at the world around you.
• Where does your interest lie?” (p. 49).
• Experienced researchers might identify research-worthy problems by speaking
with colleagues, attending scholarly conferences, and by observing a
phenomenon (Kerlinger & Lee, 2000)

13. LOOK
• Personal interests, hunches, and ‘gut feelings’ are, for most novice researchers,
the most reasonable starting point for locating research-worthy problems
(Kerlinger & Lee, 2000)
• Personal experiences also provide potentially fruitful insight into possible
research-worthy problems.
• Throughout the course of daily activities, individuals encounter situations in
which the current state is far from the ideal state; each of these unfortunate
situations offers potential as a research problem
• (Kerlinger & Lee, 2000)

14. READ
• Leedy and Ormrod (2005) emphasized that “one essential strategy is to find
out what things are already known about your topic of interest; little can be
gained by reinventing the wheel” (p. 51).
• Reading scholarly literature is one of the most important steps in this process
• Identifying “holes” in the body of knowledge identified in the scholarly articles.

15. • Moreover, “in addition to telling you what is already known, the existing
literature is likely to tell you what is not known in the area – in other words, what
still needs to be done” (Leedy & Ormrod, 2005, p. 51).
• Most quality research articles will include recommendations for future research
in the concluding remarks.
• Such discussions provide scholarly evidence for what is still needed and what
research-worthy problems still exist.

16. SYNTHESIZE
• The viability of a problem as a starting point for scholarly research cannot be
established through a single source (Creswell, 2005).
• It is highly unlikely that any two journal articles would say precisely the same
thing about where further research is needed.
• ƒCombining the insights from a number of scholarly articles. ƒIntegrating the
work from different but related fields. ƒComposing a generalization based upon
multiple specific instances.

17. CONSULT
• Once a potential research-worthy problem has been identified, novice
researchers are encouraged to seek feedback (Leedy & Ormrod, 2005).
• from available experienced researchers Leedy and Ormrod,
• attending scholarly and scientific conferences; “by scanning the conference
program and attending sessions of interest,
• “what is hot and what’s not” in their field”
• a novice researcher may start to obtain feedback on their proposed research
problem simply by asking their own professors: “what needs to be done? What
burning questions are still out there? What previous research findings
seemingly don’t make sense?”

18. COLLABORATION WITH RESEARCH
SUPERVISOR
• The student research supervisor is expected to review each of the research
topics with the student and together select a particular one,
• Students’ independent effort
• Students‟ common source of research topics for development into research
problem is the internet. There are internet addresses that with a click can roll out
research topics from virtually all fields of knowledge.
• The second source is perhaps the physical or virtual library which stores copies
of previous research works of graduated students.

19. RESEARCH LITERATURE
• The body of knowledge a research is expected to contribute or add value to
consist of previous studies as espoused in the literature.

20. A) KNOWLEDGE GAP/ GAP IN
LITERATURE:
• One of the features of a good research problem is that it should evolve from
existing literature. No research as previously demonstrated is absolutely
conclusive hence the need for researchers to indicate the limitations of their
study as well as suggest further areas of study. Gaps in existing literature could
manifest in any of the following areas: i. Need for a larger sample or longer
period. ii. Need to replicate present study using different methodology or
examining different participants and different research sites? iii. Need to
replicate the study in a different clime (e,g if previously done in developed
countries to be repeated in developing countries) iv. Need to replicate the
research using different industry or setting. v. Need to mitigate or avoid the
limitations in the previous study.

21. B) CONTRADICTORY FINDINGS:
• Where literature on previous studies show contradictory findings from studies
on the same problem, the need for further researches to confirm or explain the
rationale behind the contradiction becomes imperative (Obadan, 2012).

22. OTHER SOURCES
• Research problems can also be sourced from other uncommon sources such as
some prevailing theories
• social-economic or political problem of interest,
• pattern of behavior,
• some body of untested theories,
• personal/group brainstorming or personal inclination or area of special interest

23. • . The search becomes continuous as newfound solution to a particular problem
over time develops another set of problems that would necessitate further
research for new set of solutions.
• For example, Gender issues in classroom, what is the role of teacher in these
issues?
• Every research begins with the identification of a problem and ends with
solution that eventually creates further problem for another research.

24. • Problem Knowledge-Gap
•
• Solution New Knowledge
•
• Problem Knowledge-Gap

25. STEPS TO DEFINING THE RESEARCH
PROBLEM
• My study is about…….” or “the purpose of …….”
• Make it twelve words or less if possible
• •Example –My study is about the effect of size and color of screen icons on user
perceptions
• Typically starts of as a broad, general idea in a field
• • Field/ broader thematic area as the whole cake
• • Topic – small slice of the cake

26. • Narrow the general topic down •To a specific statement of the research
problem •Use a single paradigm if possible
• Is the topic better suited to a qualitative or quantitative paradigm
• •Does it meet criteria
• •Experience •Experts that you know •Deductions from theory •Readily available
problem •Review of literature •Limits of sources
• Clarify exactly what you want to determine or solve •Scope limited to a specific
question; sub-questions •Operationally defines key terms

27. • •Will findings make a contribution to body of knowledge?
• •Will findings make a difference for others?
• •Lead to definition of new problems or other research?
• •Really researchable?
• •Knowledge & experience in the problem area?
• •Information or data available to you?
• •Complete in the allotted time frame?
• •Simple enough for your first study?

28. REFERENCES
• From 6 articles
• 1- How to identify a researchable topic?
• Deresh Ramjugernath and Urmilla Bob
• University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa 18-19 January 2017
• 2- THE IMPORTANCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM: A DIDACTIC
DISCUSS Issue 8, August 2017
• Augustine E. Akhidime
• 3 -Framework of Problem-Based Research: A Guide for Novice Researchers on the
Development of a Research-Worthy Problem Timothy J. Ellis and Yair Levy Nova
Southeastern University Volume 11, 2008

29. • 4-IdentIfying a Research Problem and Question, and searching Relevant literature
• 5-Step 1: Identifying Your Topic and Ensuring it is a Researchable Idea Written and
Compiled by Amanda J. Rockinson-Szapkiw & Anita Knight
• 6-500 Research Methods Fall 2002 Mike Kroelinger