RESEARCH METHODOLOGY (HFS4343)

FORMULATING THE
RESEARCH PROBLEM

SURYA DHARMA, MPA, Ph.D

KNOWLEDGE FOR THE BENEFIT OF

HUMANITY
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Topic Learning Outcomes
At the end of this lecture, students should be able to;
• identify importance of formulating a research problem
• list sources of research problems
• explain the considerations in selecting a research
problem
• describe steps in formulating a research problem
• demonstrate how to formulate research objectives
• define operational definitions

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What is research problem?
• Activity @ http://padlet.com/razifshahril/HFS4343Topic4

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What is research problem?
• Any question that you want answered and any assumption
or assertion that you want to challenge or investigate.
• However;
– not all questions can be transformed into research
problems.
– the process of formulating them in a meaningful way
is not at all an easy task.
– it requires considerable knowledge of both the subject
area and research methodology.

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What is research problem? (cont.)
• A research problem is a perceived gap between what is and
what should be.
• Research problem arise from;
– Evolution of theories.
– Peers and supervisors etc.
– Published research (literature review).
– Day-to-day experience

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 Research
problem is like
an identification
of destination
before
undertaking
research journey

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Clear research problem w o u l d
result in clear and economical
research plan.

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RESEARCH PROBLEM IS THE
FOUNDATION OF THE RESEARCH
STUDY

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WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WANT TO FIND
OUT ABOUT AND NOT WHAT
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The way we formulate the research
problem determines every step that
follows;
• type of study design that can be used
• type of sampling strategy that can be employed
• research instrument that can be used or developed
• type of analysis that can be undertaken

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Sources of
People
research
problems

Phenom
-ena 4P P roblem

Programme

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Sources of research problem (cont.)
RESEARCH

Study population Subject areas

P People P Problem

P Programme

Phenomena
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Aspects of research problem
Aspects of study About Study of
Study population People Individuals, They provide you with
organizations, groups, the required
communities information or you
collect information
from
or about them
Subject area Problem Issues, situations, Information that you
associations, needs, need to collect to
population composition, find answers to your
profiles etc. service
research questions
Programme Contents, structure,
outcomes, attributes,
satisfaction, consumers,
providers etc
Phenomenon Cause and effect,
relationships, the study
of a phenomenon
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Identifying research problem
• Differentiate between research vs. non-research
problems.
• Non-research problems are answered by these
questions:
– Can it be solved by administrative changes?
– Are there already solutions available that can be
used?
– Is the problem due to lack of manpower and
resources?
– Is there data showing that it is not a significant
issue?

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Considerations
in selecting a Interest

research
problem Ethics Magnitude

Data Concept
availability Measures

Relevance Expertise

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Prioritizing research problem

•
Relevance
1 • How important?
• Size, severity, health & social consequences?
•
Duplication
2 • Is the answer already available from other studies?
• Feasibility
3 • Feasible to carry out remedial actions?
• Are the manpower, time and resources available?
•
Applicability
4
• Potential solution is effective under ideal conditions?
• Will managers accept and use it?

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Prioritizing research problem
(cont.)

•
Cost effectiveness
5 • Are the resources invested worth the outcome?
• Will the solution be too expensive to implement?
•
Timeliness
6 • Will the answer come quick enough?
•
Ethics
7 • Will the project be acceptable to the respondents?
•
Political acceptability
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• Will the managers and community accept
the
results?

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Steps in formulating research problem
STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3
Identify broad Dissect to sub- Select interested
field areas sub-area

STEP 5
STEP 6 STEP 4
Formulate
Assess objective Raise questions
objectives

STEP 7
Double check
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Formulation of research objectives
• What is an ‘objective’?
– A clear and specific goals you set out to attain in your
study.
• Two types of objectives;
– Main objectives
• Specific objectives / sub-objectives
MAIN OBJECTIVES SUB-OBJECTIVES
• Overall statement of the thrust of • The specific aspects of the topic
your study. that you want to investigate
• It is also a statement of the main within the main framework of
associations and relationships your study
that you seek to discover or • One sub-objective contains one
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Formulation of research objectives (cont.)

• Sub-objectives should be numerically listed.

• Worded clearly and unambiguously.
• Use action-oriented words or verbs when writing your
objectives.
• E.g. start with;
– ‘to determine’, ‘to find out’, ‘to ascertain’, ‘to measure’
and ‘to explore’
• the wording of your objectives determines the type of
research design you need to adopt to achieve them.

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Functions of research objectives
• Focus the study (narrowing it down to essentials).
• Avoid the collection of data which are not strictly necessary
for understanding and solving the problem you have
identified.
• Organize the study in clearly defined parts or phases.

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Characteristics of objectives

Main
Clear Complete Specific Direction
Variables

Descriptive studies

Correlation studies (experimental and non-experimental)

Hypothesis testing studies

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Establishing operational definition
• Working definitions or operational definitions are
pre-defined concepts that you plan to use either in your
research problem and/or in identifying the study population
in a measurable form.
• Used only for the purpose of your study and could be
quite different to legal definitions, or those used by
others.
• Working definitions will inform your readers what exactly
you mean by the concepts that you have used in your study
to avoid ambiguity and confusion.

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Thank You

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