Technical Writing

and Research
Methods for
Engineers and
Computer Scientists
(ENCS 6721)
Identifying Researchable Topics
PRESENT STATE

Identify a specific,
authentic, solvable
problem, and then
conduct research on
potential solutions.

DESIRED STATE
Present state: Babies
are tasting laundry
detergent which is
harmful or fatal if
swallowed.

Define a specific,
“solvable“ research
problem?

Adapted from: H.S. Fogler, S.E. LeBlanc, and B. Rizzo. Strategies for
Creative Problem Solving, 3rd Ed. NJ: Pearson Education, 2014.
GENERAL Prevent children from Make it okay for children to
getting the chemical. get the chemicals.
SOLUTION
FUNCTIONAL
SOLUTIONS
(“What to do”)

SPECIFIC
SOLUTIONS
(“How to do it”)

Adapted from: H.S. Fogler, S.E. LeBlanc, and B. Rizzo. Strategies for Creative Problem Solving, 3 rd Ed. NJ: Pearson Education, 2014.
Source: H.S. Fogler, S.E. LeBlanc, and B. Rizzo. Strategies for Creative Problem Solving,
3rd Ed. NJ: Pearson Education, 2014.
Present state: A non-governmental organization is mandated to improve access to safe drinking
water in a poor, rural region in the tropics. Most target communities rely on open wells for water.
However, dead rats often contaminate the water supply. One possible solution, covering wells, is too
expensive and interferes with water sampling.

Challenge: Come up with a researchable solution to this rat problem. Then phrase the challenge as
research question. (What, specifically, do you need to know?)
GENERAL SOLUTIONS ?

FUNCTIONAL SOLUTIONS ?
(“What to do”)

SPECIFIC RESEARCHABLE ?
SOLUTIONS
(“How to do it”)