“ Cast

all your anxiety on Him

because He cares for you.”
– 1 Peter 5:7

“
“We may encounter many defeats
but we must not be defeated.”
 The RESEARCH PROCESS

1. Identify a Problem by asking questions

• Asking a question
• Identifying a need

2. Choose a Research Strategy/Design

3. Collect and measure Relevant Data
4. Analyze & Discuss Data

5. Presentation of findings and report

The steps in the research process
 CHOOSING A PROBLEM

• WHERE DO IDEAS COME FROM?

• Before you start your research you need to

have some idea of what you want to do.
• Without being clear about what you are going
to research, it is difficult to plan how you are
going to research it.

• “Would you tell me, please, which way i

ought to walk from here?
• “That depends on a good deal on where
you want to get to, said the cat.”
• “ I don’t much care where, said Alice”
• “then it doesn’t matter which way you
walk”
 Sources of a research problem
a) Look around you. In many disciplines,
questions that need answers and
explanations are everywhere.

b) Literature search
• Articles in journals
• Reports
• Books
c) Classroom presentations & discussions
 Sources of a research problem
a) Discussions-- Friends & Lecturers
b) Workplace
c) Internet
d) Reports from conferences/ fora /
symposia
e) Recommendations from past
researches
f) Etc.
 FOR EXAMPLE
Research Interest or Research Problem or
Ideas Questions
What is the effect of distant
Open Classroom and
versus traditional classrooms on
Academic Success
reading level?
Test-Taking Skills and Do students with high GPA
Grades perform better on the job?
How does watching television
Television and
commercials affect the buying
Consumer Behavior
behaviour of consumers?
What is the leadership style of
Leadership style VVU administrators?
From Research Topic to
Research Problem
• The choice of your research topic
should be guided by the characteristics
of a good research topic.
 Characteristics of a good
research topic
a) The topic should be of interest to you.

b) The problem should be clearly defined

c) Useful for the concerned people in a

particular field (i.e. significant).
 Characteristics of a good
research topic
d) The research topic should be
researchable and feasible in terms of
cost, time, competence, availability of
data, etc.

e) Should be limited to a certain theory

or have a theoretical framework.
• A theory is a concept, or a definition and
propositions that are advanced to explain
and predict facts.
 Characteristics of a good
research topic

e) Should be relevant with the times.

f) Empirically testable
Stating the Title of a Research Topic
• The title should be concise, descriptive,
comprehensive to depict the content of the
paper.

• It should reflect the subject matter/problem

of the study.

• It should convey the scope of the study.

• Scholar.google.com
 Examples of Research Project
Titles
1. The practice of personnel management in
organizations (poorly stated).

• An analysis of human resources

management practices of selected
organizations in Greater Accra Region.

• A comparison of recruitment and selection

procedures used in the service and
manufacturing organizations.
 Examples of Research Project
Titles
1. Stress Management: A friend or a foe?
(poorly stated)

2. Accountability of accountants…

3. Motivation in organizations…
 Examples of Research Project
Titles
• A Study on the differentiation strategies of
telecommunication firms in Ghana.

• The application of statistical quality control

on production management: The case of
GHACEM.
 Examples of Research Project
Titles
• Factors affecting job satisfaction of
service employees. The Case of ….

• Assessment of credit management

practices of selected rural banks.
 Assignment
Go to the library/browse the Internet and
read around areas/topics of interest.

State two research problems and

corresponding topics for your mini
research project.