Chap.3 Research Problem

(1)

Chapter 3

Chapter 3 Formulating Research

Formulating Research

Problem

(2)

What is a Research Problem?



_{Any question that you want to answer or any}

assumpti

assumption or

on or statem

statement that you

ent that you want to investigate or

want to investigate or

examine can become a research problem.

1. Questions to answer:

a.

a. Is the

Is there any

re any relationship

relationship between

between decentrali

decentralization

zation

and productivity levels

b. !hat are the e""ects o" #$ programs on children

behavior

2

Research

(3)

What is a Research Problem?

%.

Assumptions

a.

#he average age o" the male students in this class is

higher than that o" the "emale students.

b.

A total o" &' per cent o" "emales and (' per cent o"

males obtain I)D* certi"icates.

(.

tatement ! Challenge to in"estigate

a.

+xploring phenomenon, customer satis"action with

products, service or program.

Improving productivity, quality o" service or program

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#he importance o$ $ormulating a

research problem

 _{Formulation o$ a research problem is the most important}

step o$ the research process.

 _{Accor%ing to &erlinger :}

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 '1()*:1+,.

 _{-n the absence o$ a clear research problem a clear an%}

economical plan is impossible.

 _{A research problem is li/e the $oun%ation o$ a buil%ing.} 0

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ources o$ Research Problem

 _{"er%a li$e}_{"er%a li$e}  _{Practical issues}_{Practical issues}

 _{Past research 'perhaps most important,}_{Past research 'perhaps most important,}

 _{#heor4planation or e4planator sstem that %iscusses}_{#heor4planation or e4planator sstem that %iscusses}

how a phenomenon operates an% wh it operates as it %oes. how a phenomenon operates an% wh it operates as it %oes.

 _{Personal e4perience an% interests o$ researchers.}  _{5arious theories in the %iscipline o$ the researcher.}

 _{Relate% 6iterature7 6iterature $rom one8s own area o$}

interest.

 _{A repro%uction o$ past research stu%ies.} 9

(6)

Consi%erations in electing

a Research Problem

 _{-nterest :}_{you must select a topic that interests you most.}

 _agnitu%e: _{you should have su""icient knowledge about the}

research process to be able to estimate the work needed to complete the proposed topic.

 _{easurement o$ concepts:} _{i" you are using a concept in your}

study make sure you are clear about its indicators and their measurements.

 _{6e"el o$ e4pertise:} _{make sure you have an adequate level o"}

expertise "or the task you are proposing.

*

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Consi%erations;;.'Cont.,

 _{Rele"ance: select a topic that is o$ rele"ance to ou as a}

pro$essional..

 _{A"ailabilit o$ %ata: i$ our topic re<uires collection o$}

in$ormation $rom secon%ar sources 'o$$ice recor%s client recor%s census or other alrea%7publishe% reports etc., ma/e sure that these %ata are a"ailable an% in the $ormat ou want.

 _{thical issues: %etermine how ethical issues can a$$ect the}

stu% population an% how ethical problems can be o"er7 come shoul% be thoroughl e4amine% at the problem7

$ormulation stage.

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W=A# - A PR>6 #A#@#?

)

_{A problem statement is the %escription o$ an issue}

currentl e4isting which nee%s to be a%%resse%.

_{-t pro"i%es the conte4t $or the research stu% an%}

(9)

teps in $ormulating a research problem

-.

Identi"y subect area o" interest to you

%.

Dissect the subect area into sub/areas

(.

0elect the most interest to you

1.

Raise research questions

2.

Formulate obectives

&.

Assess your obectives

3.

Double/check

(10)

1

teps in $ormulating a research problem 7 Alcoholism

uppose ou want to con%uct a stu% in the area o$ alcoholism. -n $ormulating our research problem ta/e the $ollowing steps:

tep 1 -%enti$ Alcoholism tep 2 Bissect 1. Pro$ile o$ alcoholism 2. #he cause o$ it

3. #he process o$ becoming an alcoholic 0. #he e$$ect o$ alcoholism on the $amil 9. Communit attitu%es towar% alcoholism *. #he e$$ecti"eness o$ a treatment mo%el etc.

(11)

tep 3 elect

1. $$ects o$ alcoholism on the $amil

tep 0

Raise <uestions

1. What impact has alcoholism on marital relationships? 2. =ow %oes it a$$ect the "arious aspects o$ chil%ren8s li"es? 3. What are the e$$ects on the $amil $inance?

(12)

12

tep 9

Formulate obecti"es

ain obecti"es:

#o $in% out the e$$ects o$ alcoholism on the $amil

peci$ic obecti"es:

1.#o ascertain the impact o$ alcoholism on marital relationships

2.#o %etermine the was in which

alcoholism a$$ects the %i$$erent aspects o$ chil%ren8s li"es

3.#o $in% out the e$$ects o$ alcoholism on the $inancial situation o$ the $amil etc.

tep * a/e sure

Assess these obecti"es in the light o$:

1.#he wor/ in"ol"e% 2.#he time a"ailable to ou

3.#he $inancial resources 0.Dour 'an% our

research super"isor8s, technical e4pertise in the area

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tep +

Bouble7chec/

1. #hat ou are reall intereste% in the stu%.

2. #hat ou agree with the obecti"es .

3. #hat ou ha"e a%e<uate resources.

0. #hat ou ha"e the technical e4pertise to

un%erta/e the stu%

(14)

Research >becti"es



_{ain obecti"e}

_{4 is an overall statement o" the thrust}

o" your study. It is also a statement o" main

associations and relationships that you seek to

discover or establish.



_{ub7obecti"es}

_{4 are the speci"ic aspects o" the topic}

that you want to investigate within the main

"ramework o" your study.

10

(15)

Characteristics o$ >becti"es

-.

)lear

%.

)omplete

(.

0peci"ic

1.

Identi"y the main variables to be correlated

2.

Identi"y the direction o" relationship

(16)

ub7obecti"es



Should be numerically listed



Should be worded clearly and

unambiguously



Each sub-objective should contain only

one aspect of the study.



Should start with words such as “To

determine”, “To nd out”, “To ascertain”,

“To measure”, “To e!plore”, etc.

1*

(17)

stablishing >perational Be$inition



_{-n man cases ou nee% to %e"elop operational}

%e$initions $or the "ariables ou are stu%ing an% $or

the population that becomes the source o$ the

in$ormation $or our stu%.



_{-t is the %e$inition o$ a "ariable in terms o$ the speci$ic}

acti"ities to measure or in%icate in the empirical worl%



_{>perational %e$inition ma %i$$er $rom %ictionar}

%e$inition as well as $rom %a7to7%a meanings. #hese

meanings ma not be help$ul in either i%enti$ing our

stu% population or the concepts ou are stu%ing.

(18)

stablishing >perational Be$inition



_{5perational de"initions give an operational meaning to the}

study population and the concepts used.



_{It is only through making your procedures explicit that you}

can validly describe, explain, veri"y and test. #he "ollowing

example studies help to explain this.



#he main obectives are4



_{#o "ind out the number o" $amilies living below the}

po"ert line



_{#o ascertain the impact o" immigration on $amil roles}

among immigrants



_{#o measure the e$$ecti"eness o" a training program}

designed to help oung people

1)

(19)

Operationalisation of

Concepts and the Study

Populations

Stu

dy

Concept

Issue

Study

Populatio

n

Issues

1 1 _Poverty line "hat constitutes “poverty line”#

Children "ho would you

consider a “child” 2 2 _Family roles "hat constitutes “$amily roles”#

Immigrants "ho would you

consider and immigrant# 3 3 _Eectivene ss "hat constitutes “e%ectiveness” #

The young "ho would you

consider a “young” You

must

Operationalise the concepts: defne in practical, observable

Operationalise the study

population: defne in identifable

(20)

Operational Denitions

Concept

Denition

Conce

pt

Denition

Poverty

line

Total value of assets, annual

income below &E' (),))).))

Child

& person who has not attained puberty

Family

roles

&bility of family to protect, guide, educate, and support its members

Immigr

ant

& person who leaves his native country to live elsewhere

Eective

ness

&bility to achieve decided, decisive, and desired results

The

young

&n individual aged between *+ and (.

2