Chapter Two:

Defining a Research Problem

and Hypothesis formulation

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 Formulating the Research Problem
• This “first step” in the research process includes
– Defining the problem
– Developing research objectives
– Developing hypotheses
• Most important part of the research process
– But also one of the most difficult
•Problem is rarely “clear cut”
 Formulating the Research Problem
• State the components of a research problem as under:
– an individual or a group which has some difficulty
or the problem.
– some objective(s) to be attained at.
•If one wants nothing, one cannot have a problem.
– Must be alternative means (or the courses of action)
for obtaining the objective(s) one wishes to attain
•There must be at least two means available to a
researcher for choice
•if he/she has no choice of means, he cannot have a
problem.

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 Formulating the Research Problem
• State the components of a research problem as
under:
– There must remain some doubt in the mind of
a researcher with regard to the selection of
alternatives.
•This means that research must answer the
question concerning the relative efficiency
of the possible alternatives.
– There must be some environment(s) to which
the difficulty pertains.
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 SELECTING THE PROBLEM

– The research problem undertaken for study

must be carefully selected.
– The task is a difficult one, although it may not
appear to be so.
– Subject which is overdone should not be
normally chosen, for it will be a difficult task to
throw any new light in such a case.

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 SELECTING THE PROBLEM
– Controversial subject should not become the
choice of an average researcher.
– Too narrow or too vague (fuzzy) problems
should be avoided.
– The subject selected for research should be
familiar and feasible so that the related research
material or sources of research are within one’s
reach.

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 SELECTING THE PROBLEM
– Contact an expert or a professor in the University
who is already engaged in research.
– Read articles published in current literature
available on the subject and may think how the
techniques and ideas discussed there in might be
applied to the solution of other problems.
– Discuss with others what he has in mind
concerning a problem. In this way he should make
all possible efforts in selecting a problem.

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 SELECTING THE PROBLEM
– The importance of the subject, the qualifications
and the training of a researcher, the costs
involved, the time factor
•Whether he is well equipped in terms of his
background to carry out the research?
•Whether the study falls within the budget he
can afford?
•Whether the necessary cooperation can be
obtained from those who must participate in
research as subjects?
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 SELECTING THE PROBLEM
– The selection of a problem must be preceded by a
preliminary study.
– This may not be necessary when the problem requires
the conduct of a research closely similar to one that
has already been done.
•But when the field of inquiry is relatively new and
does not have available a set of well developed
techniques, a brief feasibility study (pilot study)
must always be undertaken.

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 Sources of a research problem
• There are some important sources which are
helpful to a researcher for selecting a research
topic.
• These include the following:
1. Professional Experience
• The day-to-day observation of the incidences in
the working places and out of the working
places.
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 Sources of a research problem
2. Contact and Discussion with People
• Contacts and discussions with research oriented
people in conferences, seminars or public
lectures serve as important sources of problem.
3. Inference from Theory
• A research problem can be derived from a
critical look into various theories.

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 Sources of a research problem
4. Professional Literature
• Consultation of research reports, bibliographies of
books and articles, periodicals, research abstracts…
5. Technological and Social Change
• Changes in technology or social environment such as
changes in attitudes, preferences, policies of a
nation…

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 Issues to remember:
• Know your area of expertise: what are your strengths
and what are your weaknesses?
• Play to your strengths, not to your weaknesses.
• Do not assume that, because you do not understand an
area, no one understands it or that there has been no
previous research conducted in the area.
• If you want to get into a new area of research, learn
something about the area before you write a proposal
(e.g., refer to previous research works).

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 Issues to remember:
• Ask others for their reaction to your topic. Seek
reactions from colleagues, noted authorizes in the
field, and academic advisers and faculty committee
members.
• Before you start work on your research proposal,
find out whether you’re required to produce the
proposal in a specific format.
• Most graduate programs at different Universities
have a general outline and a guide as to how many
pages to produce.
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• TECHNIQUE IN DEFINING A PROBLEM
– statement of the problem in a general way;
– understanding the nature of the problem;
– surveying the available literature
– developing the ideas through discussions;
and
– rephrasing the research problem into a
working proposition.

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• (i) Statement of the problem in a general way:
– the problem should be stated in a broad general way,
keeping in view either some practical concern or
some scientific or intellectual interest.
– In case of social research, it is considered advisable
to do some field observation, some sort of
preliminary survey or what is often called pilot
survey.
– Then the researcher can himself state the problem or
he can seek the guidance of the guide or the subject
expert in accomplishing this task.

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• (ii) Understanding the nature of the problem:

– Understand its origin and nature clearly

– to discuss it with those who first raised it in order
to find out how the problem originally came about
and with what objectives in view
– A discussion with those who have a good
knowledge of the problem concerned or similar
other problems.
– The researcher should also keep in view the
environment within which the problem is to be
studied and understood.

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• (iii) Surveying the available literature:

– All available literature concerning the problem must

necessarily be surveyed and examined
• It will be well-conversant with relevant theories in the
field, reports and records
• To find out what data and other materials -- “Knowing
what data are available often serves to narrow the problem
itself as well as the technique that might be used.”
• If there are certain gaps in the theories, or whether the
existing theories applicable to the problem under study are
inconsistent with each other, or whether the findings of the
different studies do not follow a pattern consistent with the
theoretical expectations and so on.
• for indicating the type of difficulties that may be
encountered in the present study as also the possible
analytical shortcomings.

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• (iv) Developing the ideas through discussions:

– often produces useful information

– Various new ideas can be developed
– Discuss problem with colleagues and others who have
enough experience in the same area or in working on
similar problems --- known as an experience survey.
– People with rich experience are in a position to
enlighten the researcher on different aspects of his
proposed study and their advice and comments are
usually invaluable to the researcher --- sharpen his
focus of attention on specific aspects within the field.

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• (v) Rephrasing the research problem:

– to rephrase the research problem into a working

proposition
– rephrasing the problem into analytical or operational
terms is not a difficult task
– Through rephrasing, the researcher puts the research
problem in as specific terms as possible so that it
may become operationally viable and may help in the
development of working hypotheses

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• The following points must also be observed
while defining a research problem:

– (a) Technical terms and words or phrases, with special

meanings used in the statement of the problem, should
be clearly defined
– (b) Basic assumptions or postulates (if any) relating
to the research problem should be clearly stated

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• Defining a research problem:

– (c) A straight forward statement of the value of the

investigation (i.e., the criteria for the selection of the
problem)
– (d) The suitability of the time-period and the sources
of data available
– (e) The scope of the investigation or the limits within
which the research

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• An example :

• Let us suppose that a research problem in a broad general way is

as follows:
– “Why is productivity in Japan so much higher than in
India”?
– It has a number of ambiguities such as
• What sort of productivity is being referred to?
• With what industries the same is related?
• With what period of time the productivity is being talked
about?
• In view of all such ambiguities the given statement or the
question is much too general to be amenable to analysis.
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• Rethinking and discussions about the problem may result
in narrowing down the question to:
• Example
– “What factors were responsible for the higher labour
productivity of Japan’s manufacturing industries
during the decade 1971 to 1980 relative to India’s
manufacturing industries?”
• Further rethinking and rephrasing might place the
problem on a still better operational basis as shown
below:
– “To what extent did labour productivity in 1971 to
1980 in Japan exceed that of India in respect of 15
selected manufacturing industries?
– What factors were responsible for the productivity
differentials between the two countries by industries?”
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• Example:
– With this sort of formulation, the various terms involved such
as ‘labour productivity’, ‘productivity differentials’, etc. must
be explained clearly.
– The researcher must also see that the necessary data are
available.
– In case the data for one or more industries selected are not
available for the concerning time-period, then the said
industry or industries will have to be substituted by other
industry or industries.
– The suitability of the time-period must also be examined.
Thus, all relevant factors must be considered by a researcher
before finally defining a research problem

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 – Look at any scientific paper, and you will see the
research problem, written almost like a statement of
intent.
– Defining a research problem is crucial in defining the
quality of the answers, and determines the exact
research method used.
– A quantitative experimental design uses deductive
reasoning to arrive at a testable hypothesis.
– Qualitative research designs use inductive reasoning
to propose a research statement.

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• CHECKLIST FOR TESTING THE FEASIBILITY OF
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

YES NO

1 Is the problem of current interest? Will the research results have social, 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 reseach (field of research)?

Can you find an answer to the problem through research? Will you be able to handle the research
7
problem?

8 Will it be pratically possible to undertake the research?

9 Will it be possible for another researcher to repeat the research?

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

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11 Will it have any value?

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

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

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

15 Do you have the necessary funds for the research?

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

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

TOTAL:

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 Hypothesis Formulation
The Meaning of Hypotheses
• The word Hypothesis is composed of two words, ‘hypo’
and ‘thesis’.
• “Hypo” means under or below, and
• “Thesis” means a reasoned theory or rational view
point.
• Thus hypothesis would mean a theory which is not fully
reasoned.

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 The Meaning of Hypotheses
• Hypothesis is a set of suggested tentative solution of a
research problem.
• Hypothesis is a tentative statement about something, the
validity of which is usually unknown.
• A hypothesis is a tentative proposition relating to certain
phenomenon, which the researcher wants to verify when
required.
• If the researcher wants to infer something about the total
population from which the sample was taken, statistical
methods are used to make inference.
• We may say that, while a hypothesis is useful, it is not
always necessary.
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 Importance of Hypothesis
a) It places clear and specific goals before the
researcher.
• These clear and specific goals provide the investigator
with a basis for selecting samples and research
procedures to meet these goals.
b) It sensitizes the individual facts and conditions
that might otherwise be overlooked.

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 Importance… Cont’d
c) It provides direction to research
• It defines what is relevant and what is irrelevant.
• Thus it prevents the review of irrelevant
literature and the collection of useless or excess
data.
• It not only prevents wastage in the collection of
data, but also ensures the collection of the data
necessary to answer the question posed in the
statement of the problem.
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 Importance… Cont’d
d) It serves as a framework for drawing
conclusions.
• It makes possible the interpretation of data in the light
of the tentative proposition.
• It provides the outline for setting conclusions in a
meaningful way.
e) It prevents blind research.
• It prevents indiscriminate gathering of data which
may later turnout to be irrelevant.

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 Characteristics of Good Hypotheses
• There are a number of considerations to keep in mind,
as they are important, for valid verification, when
constructing hypotheses.
a) A hypothesis should be simple, specific, and
conceptually clear.
b) A hypothesis should be capable of verification.
c) A hypothesis should be related to the body of
knowledge.

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 Characteristics of Good Hypotheses

d) A hypothesis should be operationalizable.

• That is, it can be expressed in terms that can be
measured.
• If it can not be measured, it can not be tested and
hence no conclusions can be drawn.

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 Sources of hypothesis
Hypothesis can be derived from many sources

1. Theory

2. Observation

3. Past experience

4. Case studies

5. Similarity

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 Sources of hypothesis
1) Theory: Theory on the subject can act as a source of hypothesis.
We start of from a general premise and then formulate hypothesis.
Example: Providing employment opportunity is an indicator of
social responsibility of a government enterprise.
From the above several hypothesis, it can be deduced that:-
1) Public enterprise has greater social concern than other enterprises.
2) Peoples perception of government enterprise is social concern.
3) Govt. enterprise help in improving the life of less privileged
people.

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 Sources of hypothesis
2) Observation: Peoples' behaviour is observed.
• In this method we use observed behaviour to infer the
attitudes.
• This an indirect method of attitude measurement.
• Direct observation is used to get insights into research
behaviour and other related issues.

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 Sources of hypothesis
• Example: A shopper in a supermarket may be
disguised, to watch the customer in the stores.
• The following may be observed.
a. How the customer approaches the – Product category,
b. How long he/she spends in front of display,
c. Whether the customer had difficulty in locating the
product.
• Collect all these data and formulate a hypothesis
regarding the behaviour of the customer towards the
product.

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 Sources of hypothesis
3) Past experience: Here researcher goes by past
experience to formulate the hypothesis.
• Example: A dealer may state that fastest moving kids
apparel is frock. This may be verified.
4) Case studies: Case studies published can be used as a
source for hypothesis.

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 Sources of hypothesis
5) Similarity: This could be with respect to similarity in
activities of human beings.
• Example: Dress, food habits or any other activities
found in human living in different parts of the globe.

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 Types of Hypothesis
• There are several basis on which hypothesis are
classified.
• Commonly used are
Research Hypothesis /alternate hypothesis (Ha or H1)
Null Hypothesis (Ho)

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 Types of Hypothesis
• This hypothesis states that there is no difference between
the parameter and the statistic that is being compared is
called null Hypothesis
• Example: There is no relationship between marks
obtained in the examination and the success of the same
student in the corporate world.
• Null hypothesis are framed for testing statistical
significance.

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 Thank You!

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