PROBLEM

IDENTIFICATION &
DEFINITION
WHAT IS A RESEARCH PROBLEM?
 CONDITIONS YOU WANT TO IMPROVE
 DIFFICULTIES YOU WANT TO ELIMINATE
 QUESTIONS FOR WHICH YOU WANT ANSWERS
 INFORMATION GAPS YOU WISH TO FILL
 THEORIES YOU WISH TO VALIDATE
 ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE SETTLED
 QUESTION ABOUT THE UNKNOWN CHARACTERISTICS OF A
POPULATION
 FACTORS THAT EXPLAIN THE PRESENCE OR OCCURRENCE
OF A PHENOMENA
 IDENTIFYING A RESEARCH PROBLEM

A POTENTIAL RESEARCH PROBLEM EXISTS

WHEN THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE
PRESENT:
A PERCEIVED DISCREPANCY BETWEEN
WHAT IS AND WHAT SHOULD BE
TWO OR MORE PLAUSIBLE REASONS FOR
THE DISCREPANCY
DEFINING THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

 1.
DOES THE PROBLEM REALLY EXIST ?
WHAT ARE THE EVIDENCES OF ITS
EXISTENCE?
 2.
IS THE PROBLEM SERIOUS? WHO AND
HOW MANY ARE AFFECTED BY IT?
 3.
WHAT PLACES ARE AFFECTED? HOW
WIDESPREAD IS IT?
 4. HOW OFTEN DOES THE PROBLEM OCCUR?
THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN DEFINING A
RESEARCH PROBLEM
 1. FIRST REVIEW RELEVANT LITERATURE AND PREVIOUS
STUDIES OF THE PROBLEM
 2. EXAMINE CURRENT AVAILABLE DATA OR STATISTICS
 3. SEEK EDUCATED OPINIONS FROM PERSONS CONCERNED
WITH THE PROBLEM
 4. DETERMINE THE PROBABLE REASONS FOR THE
PROBLEM’S EXISTENCE AND THE POSSIBLE CONNECTION
BETWEEN PROBLEM AND OTHER FACTORS.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD RESEARCH
PROBLEM
RELEVANT
FEASIBLE
CLEAR
ETHICAL