Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion

THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

THE RESEARCH PROBLEM:

FORMULATING A RESEARCH
PROBLEM
Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the topic, you will be able to:

1. discuss what is a research problem;
2. identify how to properly state a problem; and
3. know how to identify what is a variable.
Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

Generally, majority of the researchers find

difficulty in looking for a researchable problem. Once
they have found a researchable problem, they still find
difficulty in stating the specific research problem and
formulating hypothesis.
It is necessary that researchers should know
how to choose researchable problem. If possible, a
research problem should possess the 7M’s
resources: Manpower, Money, Materials, Methods,
Machinery, Moment of Time, and Marketing.
Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

RESEARCH PROBLEM/S
1. The need to communicate what will be
studied in clear, concise, and unambiguous
terms.
2. One or more sentences indicating the
goal, purpose, or overall direction of the
study.
Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

3. General characteristics
Implies the possibility of
empirical investigations.
Identifies a need for a
research.
Provides focus.
Provides a concise overview of
the research.
Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

TWO WAYS OF STATING THE PROBLEM

• Research problems typically a general
overview of the problem with just enough
information about the scope and purpose
of the study to provide an initial
understanding of the research.
• Research statements and/or questions,
more specific, focused statements and
questions that communicate in greater
detail the nature of the study.
Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

EXAMPLES
GENERAL RESEARCH PROBLEM
“The purpose of this study is to investigate the attitude of the
high
school students to the mandated drug testing programs”

STATEMENTS AND QUESTIONS

“The study examines the differences between males and females
attitudes toward the mandated high school drug testing program.”

“What are the differences between freshmen, sophomore, junior

and senior students’ attitudes toward the mandated high school
drug testing program?”
Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

RESEARCHABLE AND NON-RESEARCHABLE

PROBLEM/S
Researchable Problems - imply the possibilities of empirical
investigation.
“What are the achievement and social skill differences
between children attending an academically or socially
oriented pre-school program?”

“What is the relationship between teachers’

knowledge of assessment methods and the use of them?”
Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

Non-Researchable Problems - include explanations of

how to do something, vague propositions, and value
based concerns.
“Is a democracy a good form of government?”
“Should values clarifications be taught in public
schools?”
“Can crime be prevented?”
“Should physical education classes be dropped from
the high school curriculum?”
Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

THE NATURE OF VARIABLES

As it was defined by Sutter (2013), variables are
“changing or characteristics” of persons or things like age,
gender, intelligence, ideas, achievements, confidence, and so
on that are involved in your research study. Made up of the
root or base word “vary” which means undergo changes or
to differ from, variables have different or varying values in
relation to time and situation. For instance, as years go by,
your age or intelligence increases. But placed in a situation
where you are afflicted with a disease or have no means of
reading or no access to any sources of knowledge, your
intelligence tend to decrease.
Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

VARIABLES
• Conceptual- Definition uses words or concepts to define a
variable
1. Achievement- what one has learned from formal
instructions?
2. Aptitude- one’s capability for performing a particular
task or skill.

• Operational Definition- is an indication of (something) the

meaning of a variable through the specification of the
manner by which it is measured, categorized, or
controlled.
1. IQ Score
2. Income levels below and above 50, 000 per year
Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

TYPES OF VARIABLE
1. Independent and Dependent Variable
• Independent Variables are those variables that
the experimenter/researcher purposely
manipulates, thus Dependent Variable is a
response or behavior that is measured. It is
desired that changes in the Dependent Variable
are directly related manipulation of the
Independent Variable.
Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

2. Extraneous and Confounding Variables

• Extraneous Variable are uncontrolled
variables that can cause unintended
changes between groups, while
Confounding Variable are variables of a
situation in which results of an
experiment can be attributed to either
the operation of an Independent Variable
or an extraneous variable.
Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

Reference/s:

• Baraceros, Esther L. (2017), Practical Research 2, Rex

Book Store, Inc., First Edition

• Baraceros, Esther L. (2017), Practical Research 1, Rex

Book Store, Inc., First Edition

• Sarno, Emerlita G. (2010), Tips and Techniques in

Writing Research, Rex Book Store, Inc.

• Burns, D. S. (2005). SlidePlayer. Retrieved September 9,

2019, from https://slideplayer.com/slide/3991409/