5

3. » “In the beginning is the problem. A
problem is an intellectual stimulus
calling for an answer in the form of
scientific inquiry”
(Nachmias, 1990, p. 55).

4. Whether the problem identified requires a scientific
investigation depends on three conditions:
1. There should be a perceived difference or
discrepancy between what exists and the ideal or
planned situation;
2. The reason(s) for this difference should be unclear
(so that it makes sense to develop research
questions); and
3. There should be more than one possible answer to a
question or more than one solution to the problem.

5. The most important factor to remember is that
the subject must be of interest to you.
The subject must be achievable; i.e. accessible
within time and monetary limits.
Ideally it should allow you to utilize your insight,
knowledge, and contacts without limiting your
access due to ethical problems.
The research topic must also be focused to
facilitate a dissertation of the required length, but
not so much that it overwhelms you.

6.  Identifying the attributes of a good research topic
 Generating ideas that help select a suitable topic
 Turning research ideas into research projects:
o Writing research questions and objectives
o Importance of theory

7. Capability: is it feasible?
» Are you fascinated by the topic?
» Do you have the necessary research skills?
» Can you complete the project in the time available?
» Will the research still be current when you finish?
» Do you have sufficient financial and other
resources?
» Will you be able to gain access to data?

8. Appropriateness: is it worth doing?
» Will the examining institute's standards be met?
» Does the topic contain issues with clear links to theory?
» Are the research questions and objectives clearly stated?
» Will the proposed research provide fresh insights into the
topic?
» Are the findings likely to be symmetrical?
» Does the research topic match your career goals?

9. And - if relevant
Does the topic relate clearly to an idea
you were given -
possibly by your organisation ?

10. Useful Techniques
Rational thinking Creative thinking
• examining your strength * keeping an ideas
and interest notebook
• looking at past project titles * exploring personal
preferences using
past projects
* discussion * relevance tree
* searching the literature: * brainstorming
articles in academic journals
reports
books

11. Useful techniques
Using the Delphi technique:
Brief the group about research idea,
ask them to generate independently up to three specific
research ideas based on the original research idea with
justification,
collect from them the so developed research ideas and
redistribute in an unedited form amongst all group-
members.
Repeat the above cycle so that group-members improve
their own contribution in light of what others have said.
Repeat the cycle till the time that group reaches on some
consensus on the research idea;
this either follows a similar cycle or group
discussion, voting or some other method.

12. Useful techniques
» Conducting a preliminary study
 This may consists of a review of some of the
relevant literature,
 informal discussion with people who have
experience of and knowledge about the research
topic/area, having good understanding of the
host organization, research population and
research site, and practically doing a small test
study.
» Continually testing out your ideas
» Integrating ideas

13. Useful techniques
» Jankowicz (2000) suggests ‘working up and
narrowing down’ approach, meaning that classifying
research idea first into its area, then its field and
finally the precise aspect in which researcher is
interested. An example is:
Improving research culture in MAJU
Improving M Phil PhD research programs
How scholars can be motivated to avoid plagiarism in
their research assignments?

14. If you do not
know where you
are going, any
road will take
you there.
14

15. Write research questions, e.g.
» Consistent with expected standards
» Able to produce clear conclusions
» Able to generate new insights
» At the right level (beware of research questions that
are too easy or too difficult)
» Not too descriptive
Note: begin with one general focused question that
originates in you; this may lead to several more
detailed questions or the definition of research
objectives.

17. Writing research objectives
 Check your examining body’s preferences for stated
objectives
 Use a general focus research question as a base to
write a set of research objectives
 Objectives are more generally acceptable to the
research community as evidence of the researcher’s
clear sense of purpose and direction
 Objectives are likely to lead to greater specificity than
research or investigative questions
 Research objectives require more rigorous thinking,
and use of more formal language

18. Phrasing research question as research objective:
an example
Research question: How scholars can be motivated
to avoid plagiarism in their research assignments?
Research objective: To identify compelling factors
forcing scholars to plagiarize in their research
assignments?

19. Research objectives must be
‘SMART’
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timely

20. Problem situation: Market determinants for safe drinking water
Discrepancy: Majority of the households should have safe drinking
water facility, but only a few do have it.
Research question: What factors can explain this difference?
Possible answers:
Service-related factors, such as forgetting to adequately inform and
involve the population, bottlenecks in the supply, etc.
Population-related factors, such as situations where community
members lack understanding of the relationship between disease
and safe water or have other problems, for example due to
poverty, which they consider more important.
Physical factors/ecosystems, such as hard soil, or land subjected to
frequent flooding.

21. LETS DISCUSS THE TOPICS SELECTED BY
VARIOUS GROUPS
The team leaders of the groups are invited
to come forward and present the topic
selected by their group.
The class is requested to provide their input
on the topics selected, in light of the
“ATTRIBUTES OF A GOOD RESEARCH TOPIC”
on Slides 7-9

22. Capability: is it feasible?
Are you fascinated by the topic?
Do you have the necessary research skills?
Can you complete the project in the time available?
Will the research still be current when you finish?
Do you have sufficient financial and other resources?
Will you be able to gain access to data?
Appropriateness: is it worthwhile?
Will the examining institute's standards be met?
Does the topic contain issues with clear links to theory?
Are the research questions and objectives clearly stated?
Will the proposed research provide fresh insights into the topic?
Are the findings likely to be symmetrical?
Does the research topic match your career goals?
Relevancy
Does the topic relate clearly to an idea
you were given - possibly by your organisation ?
ATTRIBUTES OF A GOOD RESEARCH TOPIC

23. » Assignment – 2
The research topic: writing research questions and objectives
Student’s Individual Assignment:
* Read Case 2a (provided in ‘Additional Reading Materials; pp.8-9),
* study questions given at the end, think about the answers, compare your answers-
in-mind with the ones provided on next page of the case (pp.10-12), and be ready for
making your contribution in your group meetings, as well as, in the discussions to be
held in next class.
* Group’s assignment: After participating in discussion on your topic in today’s class,
and having learned how researchers can write research question(s) and research
objectives through materials, you are now in a position to write research questions
and research objectives of your own research topic.
This is your next group assignment.
Hold meetings of your group, finalize research topic, research question(s) and
research objectives for your group assignment – Assignment 2. Be ready to defend
your research objectives in next class (Send a one or two slides presentation to this
instructor two-days prior of your next class).

25. In addition to the data entry in direct way as we did in
the last week’s exercise, SPSS provides the facility to
data entry with codes for some variables as gender,
educational status, marital status etc.
Let’s enter data on these variables for 10 respondents.
Steps for data entry (with Codes)
+ Open SPSS’s ‘Data Editor’
+ Go to the ‘Variable View ‘first, and type Gender
under column Name and Gender of employee under
column Labels, in Row 1.
…….continued on the next slide
Data Entry with Codes

26. Continued from the previous slide
+ Click column Values; you will get a small box, clicking that
box, you will reach ‘Value Label’ entry box. Type 1 for
Value and Male for Value label, and click Add. Repeat the
process for code 2 for Female and add. Click OK.
+ Go to row 2 , type Education and Educational status under
columns Name and labels. Repeat the process for coding: 0
for Uneducated, 1 for Primary, 2 for Matriculate, 3 for
Bachelor, 4 for Master and 5 for PhD.
+ Go to ‘Data View’ and check whether the two columns
created above (Gender and Education) are there. Enter
codes as per data of next slide.
Data Entry with Codes

27. Respondent
Number
Gender Education Marital
Status
Profession
1 2 1 1 8
2 1 3 1 6
3 1 5 2 5
4 1 3 2 9
5 2 2 4 3
6 2 0 2 2
7 1 1 3 6
8 1 3 4 5
9 1 2 3 2
10 2 3 1 1

28. Analysis of the data
1. (a) Click ‘Analyze’ ….’Descriptive Statistics’….
‘Frequencies’.
(b) Check the output.
2. (a) Click ‘Analyze’ ….’Descriptive Statistics’….
‘Crosstabs’.
(b) Transfer ‘Gender’ to Rows box and
‘Educational Status’ to columns box, and click
OK
(b) Check the output.