Problem Identification and Formulation

3.1 Research Problem Identification and Selections:

Sources of Research Problems

Research problems come from the following sources:

1. Personal experience and serendipity

Many problems researched arise out of the daily experience of the individual. Another
kind of experience leading to researchable problems is called serendipity the accidental
occurrence of an unexpected phenomenon leading one to search for an explanation. It
is not uncommon in research, particularly in social sciences for an unexpected outcome
to occur. For example, the introduction of new educational curricular often lead to
unexpected learning outcomes. The caveat here concerns his tangential exploration.
These side trips although sometimes useful, must be carefully considered in terms of
time commitments and the degree to which the effort clarifies or obscures the goals of
original research.

2. Theory Testing and Development

Another source of research problem is the process of building a theory or testing an
existing one. The process of theory building a testing involves the continual subjection
of the theory to verification in different classes of pertinent situations and across all
different types of learning organisms. This involves both the derivation of new
theoretical propositions from the theory which require testing and the replication testing
of existing propositions (in some and different situations).

3. Analysis of Professional Literature and Research

In reviewing literature the researcher may find an existing research study raises new
questions that need answering. Also conducting one research study may lead to new
questions that must be answered by further research. Previous investigations can
induce new ones. This could be due to disagreement with the results or the procedure
used or it could be due to the existence of non-clarified-unexplained repeat different
situation with different participants.

4. Professional Contact
The interaction of the professional with peers is also a frequent sources of research
problems. This contact may occur through informal personal discussion of research, or
through formal meetings such as classes, seminars, conferences, conventions etc.

3.2 A Guide to Research Problem Analysis for Problem Selection:

There are also a number of situational and personal factors that may affect the selection
of a research problem. Some of the factors that influence selection are:-

a. Novel: The topic should be relatively new and topical. A topic from the past is
likely to be overly studied and thus not so significant.
b. Significance and Contribution to Knowledge: The selected topic should be
important and relevant to the field of study, to the national or international
needs, to policy making or informing practice in the study area
c. Magnitude of the Problem: The selected topic should be of considerable
magnitude. This magnitude can be measured quantitatively or qualitatively
 and can be existing currently or potentially. This magnitude provides the
rationale or justification for selecting the problem.
d. Sponsorship: A student may select a topic when funded for research in that
subject area are available. Requests for proposals are at times advertised by
various interest groups such as gender organizations or social science
research organizations.

e. Interest: A student may be guided by their personal interest in the subject

matter. Commitment to complete a study is often driven by interest otherwise
the temptation to quit on a research project may be overwhelm a researcher.

f. Intellectual curiosity: Much of basic research is based on the intellectual

curiosity of the researcher.
g. Professional Background: The professional background of the researcher
cannot be over stated. Without adequate training in the subject matter the
researcher may select a topic out which they would be inadequately prepared
to research into. When a topic is selected from a field which is outside a
researcher’s background, the likelihood of the researcher inadequately
analyzing the literature and not knowing the most appropriate practices and
major theories and practices ins quite high. The researcher may think that the
topic is novel or may think that the study has contributed to knowledge when
in fact it shallowly scratches on the issues in that field.
h. Costs: Availability of resources is another guide selecting a research topic.
i. Time and Timing: Undergraduate students normally carry out research
projects as part of their programmes and therefore do not have the luxury of
conducting studies that require more than a year to collect data and complete
the research project. The time at which one can conduct the study also
matters. A project that has just been implemented cannot be evaluated you
have to give it time to mature.

j. Researched Cooperation: The researcher should assess whether the

respondents, participants or the gatekeepers to sources of information are
willing to participate in the study. A good proposal can be destroyed by lack
of willingness to provide information on the part of the researched.

k. Research Ethics: Research topic should also be guided by the question of

how ethical the study will be. However, for quite a number of topics it is a
question of how the study is carried out that addresses the question of ethics.

Whatever topic one chooses, the chances are that much of these choices will be determined by
practical considerations. No researcher wants to spend time and money on topics that are of
little interest to other people.

Specific considerations in Selecting a problem

1. The problem chosen should be workable. The main question here is, is the
contemplated study within the limits and range of your resource and time
constraints? Will you have access to the necessary sample in the numbers
required?
2. Critical mass. The central question is, is the problem of sufficient magnitude and
scope to fulfill the requirement that has motivated the study? Are there enough
variables? Enough potential results?

3. Interest. The research must question herself whether she is interested in the
problem area, specific problem and potential solution. The problem should also
relate to one’s background and career interests.

4. Theoretical values. The researcher must find out whether the problem gills a gap in
literature. The chosen problem must be significant and must contribute to
advancement in one’s field. It should even be publishable.

5. practical value. The problem chosen must have practical value. This means solution
should improve educational practice. It should interest practitioners in education.