CHAPTER TWO: RESEARCH PROBLEM AND RESEARCH DESIGN

Research forms a cycle. It starts with a problem and ends with a solution to the problem. The
problem statement is therefore the axis which the whole research revolves around, because it
explains in short the aim of the research.

2.1. What is a research problem?

A research problem is the situation that causes the researcher to feel apprehensive, confused and
ill at ease. In other words, it refers to some difficulty which a researcher experiences in context of
a situation and wants to obtain the solution for the same. It is the demarcation of a problem area
within a certain context involving the WHO or WHAT, the WHERE, the WHEN and the WHY of
the problem situation. There are many problem situations that may give rise to research. Three
sources usually contribute to problem identification. Own experience or the experience of others
may be a source of problem supply. A second source could be scientific literature. You may read
about certain findings and notice that a certain field was not covered. This could lead to a research
problem. Theories could be a third source. Shortcomings in theories could be researched.

2.2. How to select the problem

The prospective researcher should think on what caused the need to do the research (problem
identification). The question that he/she should ask is: Are there questions about this problem to
which answers have not been found up to the present? Research originates from a need that
arises. A clear distinction between the PROBLEM and the PURPOSE should be made. The
problem is the aspect the researcher worries about, thinks about, and wants to find a solution
for. The purpose is to solve the problem, i.e., find answers to the question(s). If there is no clear
problem formulation, the purpose and methods are meaningless.

Keep the following in mind:

• Outline the general context of the problem area.

• Highlight key theories, concepts and ideas current in this area.
• What appear to be some of the underlying assumptions of this area?

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 • Why are these issues identified important?
• What needs to be solved?
• Read the subject to get to know the background and to identify unanswered questions or
controversies, and/or to identify the most significant issues for further exploration.

The research problem should be stated in such a way that it would lead to analytical thinking on
the part of the researcher with the aim of possible concluding solutions to the stated
problem. Research problems can be stated in the form of either questions or statements.

• The research problem should always be formulated grammatically correct and as

completely as possible. You should bear in mind the wording (expressions) you
use. Avoid meaningless words. There should be no doubt in the mind of the reader what
your intentions are.
• Demarcating the research field into manageable parts by dividing the main problem into
sub-problems is of the utmost importance.

2.3. Checklist for testing the feasibility of the research problem

YES NO

Is the problem of current interest? Will the research results have social,
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educational or scientific value?

2 Will it be possible to apply the results in practice?

3 Does the research contribute to the science of education?

4 Will the research opt new problems and lead to further research?

5 Is the research problem important? Will you be proud of the result?

6 Is there enough scope left within the area of research (field of research)?

Can you find an answer to the problem through research? Will you be able to
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handle the research problem?

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8 Will it be practically possible to undertake the research?

9 Is the research free of any ethical problems and limitations?

10 Will it have any value?

Do you have the necessary knowledge and skills to do the research? Are you
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qualified to undertake the research?

12 Is the problem important to you and are you motivated to undertake the research?

Is the research viable in your situation? Do you have enough time and energy to
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complete the project?

14 Do you have the necessary funds for the research?

15 Will you be able to complete the project within the time available?

Do you have access to the administrative, statistic and computer facilities the
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research necessitates?

TOTAL:

2.4. Meaning, need and features of a research design

A research design is the plan or strategy, which helps in arranging the resources required for
research purpose. It acts as a path or blueprint for the researcher. In other words, it is the advanced
planning of the steps to be adapted for collection of relevant data and techniques to be used in their
analysis keeping different time and budget constraint in mind. Along with the population to be
surveyed, size of sample, tools for analyzing data, interpretation of data, it also includes the budget
and the time constraints too.

The design decision is in respect to following terms:

• What is the study about?
• Why to study a particular topic?
• Where the study will be conducted?
• Techniques to collect the relevant data?

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 • What will be the sample design?
• How will the data be analyzed?
• What is the time required?
• What is the allocated Budget?

Need for research design

It helps for a smooth running of various research operations thereby making the research efficient,
gaining maximum information with the minimum expenditure of time, effort, and money.

The research design is divided into following parts:

Research Design

Operational Design
Sampling Design

Observational Design
Statistical Design
(Sub-divisions of a Research Design)

Sampling Design: It deals with method of selection of samples to be collected /observed for a
given study.

Observational Design: It deals with the constraints and exceptions under which the observations
are to be made.

Statistical Design: It deals with the editing, coding and analysis of the data gathered.

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Operational Design: It deals with the techniques by which the procedures specified in the above
designs can be carried out.

Features of a good research design

• It should define the objective of problem to be studied
• It should minimize the biasness and maximize the reliability of data
• It should give smallest experimental error
• It should be flexible enough to permit the consideration of many different aspects of a
phenomenon.

2.5 Different research designs

Research design in case of exploratory research: It is also termed as formulative research
studies. In this case we do not have enough understanding of the problem. Its main purpose is more
precise investigation about the objective of study. It is particularly useful when researchers lack a
clear idea of the problems they will meet during the study. Through this the researcher develops
more clear concepts, establishes priorities, develop operational definitions also. This means that a
general study will be conducted without having any end-objective except to establish as many
relationships as possible between the variables of study. The research design in such studies must
have inbuilt flexibility because the research problem broadly defined initially, is transformed into
one with more precise meaning. This type of research lay the foundation for formulation of
different hypotheses of research problems. It involves the study of secondary data. It rarely
involves structured questionnaire, large samples and probability sampling plans.

Different types of exploratory research design

• Literature Survey: It is a study involving a collection of literatures in the selected area in
which the researcher has limited experience, and critical examination and comparison of
them to have better understanding. It helps in updating the past data related to the topic of
research. It also helps in formulation of relevant hypothesis if it is not formed.

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 • Experience survey: It is a survey of experiences of experts/specialists related to the field
of research which acts as a database for future research. This helps in generating ideas with
minimum data collection. The decision making in the probabilistic situations is a complex
process therefore the study of the experiences of the executives/researchers can be carried
out using experience survey. Bidding of Tenders, Technology forecasting, Manpower and
Materials planning, Production Scheduling, Portfolio Decisions etc. are examples of
experience survey.

Research design in case of descriptive research: It is carried out with specific objectives and
hence a definite end-result. It is structured research with clearly stated hypothesis or investigative
questions. It deals with describing the characteristics associated with the population chosen for
research, estimates of the proportions of a population that have these characteristics and discovery
of relationship among several variables. It is based on large representative samples. The design in
such studies must be rigid and focus attention on the following:
• What is the study about and why is it done?
• Designing methods of data collection.
• Selecting the sample.
• Processing and analysis of data.
• Interpretations of Results.
• Budget and Time Constraints.

For example: to describe characteristics of consumers, sales people, market areas or

organizations.

Different types of descriptive research design

• Longitudinal studies
Longitudinal studies are time series analyses that make repeated measurements of the same
individuals, thus allowing you to monitor behavior such as brand switching. However, longitudinal
studies are not necessarily representative since many people may refuse to participate because of
the commitment required.

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 • Cross-sectional studies
Cross-sectional studies sample the population to make measurements at a specific point in time. A
special type of cross-sectional analysis is a cohort analysis, which tracks an aggregate of
individuals who experience the same event within the same time interval over time. You can use
Cohort analyses for long forecasting of product demand.

Research design in case of causal research: When it is necessary to determine that one variable
determines values of other variables, causal research design is used. Thus, the relationship between
different variables is established. It is a research design in which the major emphasis is on
determining a cause-and-effect relationship. When we start the research work it is not necessary
that only one type of research is used, we can use a combination of two or all the three types of
research. Also, research is an unending process, so there may be a clue left, which can initiate a
research objective for other researchers.