Criteria in Selecting a Research Problem

1. Workability = Is the study within the limits and range of your resource and time
constraints? Will you have access to the necessary sample in the numbers required? Is
there reason to believe you can come up with an “answer to the problem” scenario? Is the
required methodology manageable and understandable?

2. Critical mass = Is the problem of sufficient magnitude and scope to fulfill the requirement
that has motivated the study in the first place? Are there enough variables? Enough
potential results? Enough to write about?

3. Interest = Are you interested in the problem area, specific problem, potential solution?
Does it relate to your background? To you career interest? Does it “turn you on”? Will
you learn useful skills from pursuing it?

4. Theoretical value = Does the problem fill a gap in the literature? Will others recognize its
importance? Will it contribute to advancement in your field? Does it improve the “state
of the art”? Is it publishable?

5. Practical value = Will the solution to the problem improve educational practice? Are
practitioners likely to be interested in the results? Will education be changed by the
outcome? Will your own educational practices be likely to change as a result?

Guidelines for Finding a Topic

1. Be aware of the research being done at your institution, for research spawns from other
research ideas.
2. Be alert for any controversial issues in some area of interest.
3. Read a review paper (review or research journals, recent textbook).
4. See how experts develop problems (intriguing way).

Two Methods of Reasoning

1. Inductive = Individual observations are tied together into specific hypothesis, which are
grouped into more general explanations that are united into theory. Ex. Closed-loop
theory/schema theory/ training a Jumping cockroach.

2. Deductive = Moves from a theoretical explanation of events to specific hypothesis that

are tested against (or compared to) reality to evaluate whether the hypothesis are correct.
Ex. Variability of practice (deduced from the theory).

Purposes of the Literature Review

1. Identifying the Problem = to decide which studies are related to the topic area. Ex. Read
abstract to eliminate unproductive approaches or dead ends.

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 2. Developing the hypothesis = are based on logical reasoning and, when predictive of the
study’s outcome, are labeled research hypothesis. Ex. Lines at Jollibee counter. Slow to
move or stop.
3. Developing the Method = developing or planning a method before undertaking the
research. Ex. Review of literature will be of great help.

Strategies for Basic Literature Search

1. Secondary Source = Source of data in research in which an author has evaluated and
summarized previous research.
2. Primary Source = Firsthand source of data in research; the original study.

Six Steps in the Literature Search

1. Write the Problem Statement (specify what research questions are being asked.)
2. Consult Secondary Sources ( Encyclopedias & Research reviews)
3. Determine Descriptors (attitudes, student teaching, physical education, changes inn
attitudes, etc.)
4. Search Preliminary Sources (Abstracts, Indexes, Bibliographies, The library Information
System, Computer searches, other library sources)
5. Read and Record the Literature (Statement of the problem, Characteristics of the subjects,
Instruments and test used, Testing procedures, Independent and dependent variables,
treatment applied to subjects, design and statistical analyses, findings, questions raised
for further study, citations of other relevant studies not located). Note taking and make
photocopy of relevant topics.
6. Write the Literature Review (Three basic parts: Introduction, Body & Summary and
conclusions)