FORMULATION OF RESEARCH

PROBLEM STATEMENT
AND RESEARCH
OBJECTIVES

BY : SURYA DHARMA, MPA, Ph.D

 INTRODUCTION

🞇 A research problem is a question that a researcher wants to answer or

a problem that a researcher wants to solve. Identification and
formulation of a research problem statement is the first step of the
research process. However, it is considered as one of the challenging
and difficult phase of any research project. It is believed that
selection of a good research problem is a discovery in itself.
Selection of
research problem depends on several factors such as researcher’s
skills, knowledge, interest, expertise, Motivation, creativity with
respect to the subject of inquiry.
 DEFINITION

🞇“The problem statement actually

articulates the problems to be addressed
and indicates the need for a study
through the development of an argument
. in other words , the problem statement
present the topic under study, provides a
rational for the choice of topic,
represents a synthesis of fact and theory
and direct the selection of design”.
FORMULATION OF RESEARCH
PROBLEM STATEMENT:-

Formulation of research problem is a complex

and long process , which includes following
steps:-

1. SELECTION OF A RESEARCH AREA :-

Formulation of research problem begins with
selection of a broad research topic from personal
experience, literature, previous research and theories
in which researcher is interested and has
significance of nursing profession.
CONT……

3. DELIMITING THE RESEARCH TOPIC:-

🞇In this step , researcher proceeds from a
general research area of interest to more
specific topic of research to conduct a study.
🞇Example:-
Initially a researcher decides to conduct a
study on female feticide ; later in this stage
researcher limits it to specific topic “a study on
perception of women about causes and
prevention of female feticide in selected
rural communities of district Moradabad ,
Uttarpradesh”.
 CONT…..
🞇 In
this stage, a researcher clearly identifies variables ,
population, and settings of research study.
Furthermore, at this stage , a researcher is quite clear
about the phenomenon to be studied, where and on
whom.

4.EVALUATING THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

🞇 Once researcher is clear about the specific research
problem , next the research problem must be carefully
evaluated for its significance , researchability and
feasibility . Feasibility of the research problem should
be evaluated for time, cost , availability of subjects and
resources , administrative and peer support, ethical
consideration and researcher’s competence and
interest.
CONT….

SOME GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATION OF A RESEARCH

PROBLEM:-
🞇 Substantive issues:-
1. Does the problem have significance to the nursing profession?
2. Does the problem have any relationship with existing theories and
models?

🞇 Methodological issue:-
3. Does the problem statement clearly identify the research
variables in measurable term?
2. Does the problem describe about research settings, place and
time?
CONT…

🞇Ethical issues:-
Does the problem imply potential risk for
those subject?

🞇Practical issues:-
Is the researcher able to manage the
resources , man, money, material and
appropriate permissions from authorities?
5. FORMULATING FINAL STATEMENT
OF RESEARCH PROBLEM:-

🞇 After establishing the significance , researchability and feasibility , then

researcher finally formulates a final statement of a research problem.
🞇 A research problem could be in declarative or interrogative format.

Example of declarative format:-

🞇 “A descriptive study on prevalence of bed sores among unconscious
patients admitted in intensive care units of Synergy hospital of medical
science, Dehradun”.

Example of Interrogative format:-

🞇 What is the effect of ginger on morning sickness on pregnant women in
selected urban communities of district Hissar, Haryana?
EXAMPLE OF WELL FORMULATED
RESEARCH PROBLEM:-

🞇 “A descriptive study on the prevalence of pin site

infection among patients with external skeletal fixation
admitted in orthopedic wards of Shri Mahant Indresh
Hospital,
Dehradun”.
🞇 It is an example of declarative form of the statement
of problem, where it is precisely and concisely stated
and includes most of the required component of a
research statement , which are:-
CONT……
🞇 Research study type:- Descriptive

🞇 Variables:- It has only one research variable

“prevalence of pin site infection”.

🞇 Population:- Patients with external skeletal

fixation

🞇 Research setting:- Orthopedic ward of Shri Mahant

Hospital, Dehradun.
WRITING RESEARCH OBJECTIVES:

MEANING:-
🞇“A research objective is a clear , concise ,
declarative statement , which provides direction
to investigate the variables” .

🞇“Research objectives are the results sought by

the researcher at the end of the research
process , that what the researcher will be able
to achieve at the end of the research study”.
CHARACTERSTICS OF RESEARCH
OBJECTIVES:-

A well worded objective will be SMART.

🞇S- Specific
🞇M- Measurable
🞇A – Attainable
🞇R – Realistic
🞇T – Time bound
CONT….

Research objective should be:-

🞇 Relevant
🞇 Feasible
🞇 Logical
🞇 Observable
🞇 Unequivocal
🞇 Measurable
NEED OF THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVES:-

The formulation of research objectives will help

to the researcher to-

🞇Focus
🞇Avoid
🞇Organize
🞇Directions
TYPES OF THE RESEARCH
OBJECTIVES:-
The research objectives are two types:-
1. GENERAL OBJECTIVES:-
🞇 General objectives are broad goals to be achieved.
🞇 The general objective of the study states what the researcher
expect to achieve by the study in general terms.
🞇 General objectives are usually less in numbers.

2. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:-
🞇 Specific objective are short term and narrow in focus .
🞇 General objectives can be broken into logically connected parts to
form specific objectives .
🞇 The specific objectives are more in number.
Example of general and specific
objectives:-

🞇 Research statement-
“A quasi experimental study on the effects of ginger on
morning sickness among pregnant women in selected
cities of Kerala”.

1. General objective:-
The general broad – based objective of this study is-
🞇 To assess the effects of ginger on morning sickness
among pregnant women.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:-

🞇 This general objective will be split into the following

specific objectives:-

🞇 To determine the prevalence of morning sickness in the

pregnant women.
🞇 To compare the severity of morning sickness in
primigravida and multigravida .
🞇 To compare the effects of ginger on morning sickness
in multigravida and primigravida.
🞇 To identify the relationship of effectiveness of ginger on
morning sickness with age and dietary habits of the
pregnant women.
THANK YOU…..