H R B M C A

E U S E O R
M D B X C S
E P L E O R
 The
Research
Problem
by: Shiela A. Peregrino
 Key Concepts
2. The Research Problems

1. Sources of a Research Problem

2. Topic Identification
3. Elements of a Research Problem
4. Characteristics of a Good Research
Problem
 What is a
research?
Mouly (1978) defined research
as process of arriving at
effective solutions to problems
through systematic collection,
analysis and interpretation of
data.
 Steps in
Research
(Mouly, 1978)

1. Research Problem
2. Literature Review
3. Research Design
4. Collection of Data
5. Analysis &
Interpretation
 What is a
problem?
❖Problem can be anything
disturbing to our minds,
intentions, and social aspects

❖Problem is a set of
conditions needing discussion,
a solution and information
 What is a
problem?
❖Problem means question or issue
raised to examine or addressed for
consideration or solution

❖ It implies the possibility of

empirical investigation of data
collection and analysis
 What is a
problem?
R.S. Woodworth defines problem
as a situation for which we have
no ready and successful
response by instinct or by
previous acquired habit. We
must find out what to do. The
solution can be found out only
after an investigation.
 What is a research problem ?
⮚ It is a problem that someone
would like to investigate

⮚ It is the aspect the researcher

worried about, think about and
wants to find a solution
 What is a research problem ?
⮚ The research problem is an issue or
concern that an investigator
presents and justifies in a research
study.

⮚ A research problem is anything that a

person find unsatisfactory or unsettling
a difficulty of some sort, a state of
affairs that need to be changed.
 What is a research problem?

According to Kerlinger, “A problem is

an interrogative sentence or
statement that asks what relation
exists between two or more
variable. The answer to question
will provide what is having
sought in the research.
 What is a research
problem ?
Research problems consist of:

• Areas of concern
• Conditions to be improved
• Difficulties to be eliminated
• Questions seeking answers
What are the importance of a
research problem ?
• Introduce the importance of topic
• Creates reader interest
• Anchors the research questions,
hypotheses, and assumptions to
follow.
• Place the topic into a particular
context
• Provide framework for reporting
the results.
Research Problems should have
in general Theoretical,
Conceptual and Contextual
justifications.
 Where is the Research
Problem Located?
• Look in the opening paragraphs.

• What was the issue or problem that the

researcher wanted to address?
• What is the concern being addressed “behind”
this study?
• Why was the study undertaken in the first
place?
• Why is this study important?
 Differences Among Topic, Problem,
Purpose and Questions

❖A research topic is the broad subject

matter being addressed in a study.

❖A research problem is an educational

issue or problem in the study
 Differences Among Topic, Problem,
Purpose and Questions
❖ A purpose is the major intent or
objective of the study.

❖ Research questions are questions

the researcher would like
answered or addressed in the
study.
Differences Among Topic, Problem, Purpose
and Questions
General Topic Distance
Learning

Research Lack of students in

Problem distance classes

Purpose To study why students do not

attend distance education
Statement
classes at a community college.

Research Does the use of web site technology

in the classroom determine students
Specific Question
from enrolling in a distance
education class?
A research problem is the broad
subject matter being addressed
in a study.
A research question is the
major intent or objective of
the study.
Research problem is a problem
that someone would like to
investigate
A research topic is an
educational issue or problem
in the study
Mouly (1978) defined research topic
as process of arriving at effective
solutions to problems through
systematic collect, analysis and
interpretation of data.
Sources
of a Research
Problem
 We once made a research
before. Share your experience
on how you end up with your
research problem.

Where did you get your idea

for your research problem?
 Sources of a Research
Problem
1. Deductions from Theories
There are many ways of expressing
heories, some are formal and informal.
Research is a process of theory
development and theory-testing.
Theories are ideas about how
hings relate to each other.
 Sources of a Research
Problem
▪ The researcher may asks the
question “What relationships
between variables will be
observed?”
▪ From a theory, a researcher can
formulate a research problem or
hypothesis stating the expected
findings in certain empirical situation.
Sources of a Research
Problem
Learning Theory
(Behaviorism)

What is the impact of learning

environment to the behavior of
the pupils towards academics?
Sources of a Research
Problem
The idea that distance learners
have more needs than on-
campus students is a theory.

the on-campus students

have more needs than
distance learners
Sources of a Research
Problem
2. Interviewing
Professionals
Sources of a Research
Problem
3. Personal
Experiences
The researcher experienced being a poor child
but excelled in academics. The researcher
can make a study about his experience and
study the impact of poverty to academic
performance of pupils.
Sources of a Research
Problem
4. Professional
Experiences
Situation:
What is the impact of
Using Mother Campangan dialect to
Tongue as Non- Capampangan
Medium of pupils as a medium of
Instruction instruction in
teaching?
Sources of a Research
Problem
Share something about your
personal or professional
experiences or problems that
you may use as your research
problem.
Sources of a Research
Problem
5. Social Issues
Sources of a Research
Problem
6. Relevant Literature
and Media
Topic
Identification
 Can and Should the Problem Be
Researched?
• Can you study the problem?
• Do you have access to the research site?
• Do you have the time, resources and skills
to carry out the research?

• Should you study the problem?

• Does it advance knowledge?
• Does it contribute to practice?
 GUIDELINES IN SELECTING
OF A RESEARCH
PROBLEM
1.The research problem is must be
chosen by the researcher himself.
This is to avoid blaming of others
or offering excuses for any
obstacles encountered.

2.It is must bewithin the interest of

 GUIDELINES IN SELECTION
OF A RESEARCH
PROBLEM
3.It is must be the specialization of
the researcher. This will make him
work easier because he is
working in familiar grounds.

4.It is be within the ability of

the researcher to finance.
Elements of a
Research
Problem
 Elements of a Research
Problem
1. Objective or aim of
the problem which is
to be investigated.
Why there is a need for
research?
 Elements of a Research
Problem

2. The topic or theme which

needs to be investigated.
What is to be

researched?
 Elements of a Research
Problem
3. The time dimension
of a decision problem is
always the future.
When is the research to
be performed?
 Elements of a Research
Problem

4. The area or location

in which the study is
to be conducted.
Where we need to
conduct the study?
 Elements of a Research
Problem
5. Population or universe
from whom the data needs
to be gathered.
Who are the respondents/
participants?
 Objective
Topic or
Population
Theme

Elements of a
Research
PRoblem

Area Time
 Evaluation
What are the 5
elements of a
research problem?
 The study will conduct to assess the relationship
between the parental participation and community
involvement to school activities and pupils’ learning
motivation of the G7- HS Students of RSHS III
during the academic year 2020-2021.

Identify the elements of the research problem.

• Objectives
• Topic
• Time
• Area
• Population
Characteristics of a
Good Research
Problem
 Characteristics of a
Good Research
Problem
1.
• Observation or other data
collection in the real world
can provide the answer.
• Always consider the
available resources.
 Characteristics of a
Good Research
Problem and
2. Theoretical
Practical
• ResearchSignificance
have the varying
levels of importance to different
people in terms of their benefit.
• A research should be
important and worth of
investigating.
Characteristics of a
Good Research
Problem
3. Original
(Novelty)
 Characteristics of a
Good Research
Problem
4. Relevance
• It is important to understand
whether the findings of a research
can be useful in terms of their
relevance to the situation.
 Characteristics of a
Good
Research
Problem
5. Feasibility
It concerns the possibility of whether
the research problem can be
conducted in terms of means,
resources, cost and time to
complete the study
Characteristics of a Good
Reserch Problem
To investigate whether there can be a
life in Mars
•Competencies: Knowledge, experience
skills and ability
• Availability and accessibility
•Availability of adequate
financial resources
 Characteristics of a Good
Research Problem
6. Narrow Down
• ItProblem
should be specific
research problem
• Identify a specific problem area
from the general problem that is
well- defined, clear and
practically manageable
Characteristics of a Good
Research Problem
I want to make a
research about online
learning.

I will make a research

about the impact of online
learning to 21st century
learners pupils.
Characteristics of a
Good Research
Problem
7. Interoggative Form
 Characteristics of a
Good Research
Problem
8. Ethical
Consideration
• It is prudent practice to remain within the
confines of accceptable ways of doing things.
• It is morally inappropriate to enter into the
private lives of individuals
• The respondents may not cooperate and refuse
to take part or simply to give the right
informationin research projects involve sensitive
questions.
Characteristics of a
Good Research
Problem
9. Interesting
Characteristics of a
Good Research
Problem
10. Current
Characteristics of a
Good Research
Problem
11. Clear
 Characteristics of a
Good Research
Problem
Unclear: Why social networking
sites are harmful?

Clear: How are online users

experiencing or addressing privacy
issue on such social networking
sites as Facebook and Twitter?
Characteristics of a Good
Research Problem
(Andrew and Hildebrand,
1982)
 Characteristics of a
Good Research
Problem
1. The problem reflects felt needs
2. It must be based on factual evidence
3.It should suggest meaningful and
testable hypotheses.
4.The problems should be relevant
and manageable
Other Characteristics of a
Good Research Problem
 Characteristics of a
Good Research
Problem
1. It is based on the work of others.
2. It can be replicated and doable .
3.It is based on some logical rationale
and tied to theory. In a way that it has
the potential to suggest directions for
future research.
4.It generates new questions or is
cyclical in nature.
 Characteristics of a
Good Research
Problem
5.It addresses directly or indirectly some
real problem in the world.
6.It clearly states the variables or
constructs to be examined.
7.The researcher is sincerely
interested and/or invested in this
research.
 Other Characteristics of a
Good Research
Problem
1.The problem can be stated clearly
and concisely.
2.The problem generates research
questions.
3. It is grounded in theory.
4.It relates to one or more academic
fields of study.
5. It has a base in the research literature.
 Other Characteristics of a
Good Research
Problem
6.It has potential significance/importance.
7. It is do-able within the time frame,
budget.
8.Sufficient data are available or can
be obtained.
9.The researcher’s methodological
strengths can be applied to the problem.
10.The problem is new; it is not
already answered sufficiently.
 Characteristics of a
Good Research
Problem
Characteristics should reflect
•SMART
S-SPECIFIC
•M-MEASURABLE
•A-ATTAINABLE/ACHIEVABLE
•R-REALISTIC
•T-TIME BOUNDED
Importance of a
Good Research
Problem
 Importance of a Good
Research Problem
• The research problem serves as
a foundation of a research
study; like a building and its
foundation

• If it is well-formulated, you
can expect a good study to
follow.
Steps in
Formulating
Research Topic
Steps in Formulating a
Research Topic
1. Identify a broad field or
subject that interest you.

2. Dissect the broad areas

into subareas .

3. Select what most interest you.

Steps in Formulating a
Research Topic
4. Raise research questions

5. Formulate objectives

6. Assess your objectives

Ways of
Stating a
Research
Problem
 Ways of Stating a Research
Problem
1. Problem Statement
General overview with just
information about the scope and
purpose of the study to provide
an initial understanding of the
research
 Parental participation and
community involvement vis-a-
vis pupils' academic
performance
The study will conduct to assess the relationship
between the parental participation and community
involvement to school activities and pupils’ learning
motivation of the elementary pupils in the three
selected elementary school during the academic
year 2015-2016.
Ways of Stating a Research
Problem
2. Research Questions
It is more specific focused
questions that communicate in
greater detail the nature of the
study.
1.How may the parents assess the parental participation
to school activities as to:
1.attendance to activities;
1.2communication with the school; and
1.3assistance to the pupils?

2.How may the teachers assess the community involvement to

school activities as to:
1.community-school partnership;
2.2community-parents partnership; and
2.3community-pupils partnership?

3. What is the pupils’ level of learning motivation?

4.Is there a significant relationship between parental participation and

teachers’ assessment on community involvement to school activities
and pupils’ learning motivation?
In the elements of research problem,
objectives answer the question why.
Problem statement and Research
Questions are the two ways of
stating a research problem
 SUMMAR
❖As a human beings wYe are curious

about the unknows. We ask many

questions and try to find out answers to
them. However, not every can be a
research problem.

❖A research problem has to indicate the

possibility of empirical investigation that is
data collection and analysis.
 SUMMAR
❖
In order to make you r research
Y
problem appropriate, we need to follow
the some guidelines, which we
discussed earlier.

❖What is important is to study the research

problem while taking into account these
characteristics and assessing whether the
 SUMMAR
❖All of the above characteristics need to be
applied to a good research problem to
make it thorough and conclusive.

❖Without these the research may fall apart,

the problem may not appear to be fully
solved for the general structure of the
problem may not seem clear and
consistent.
Evaluation
1. Research problem should be
general.
2. All problem can be a research
problem.
3.A research problem has to indicate
the possibility of empirical
investigation.
4. Research problem has 6 elements.
5.Research Problems should have in
1. Research problem should be general.
2. All problem can be a research
problem.
3.A research problem has to indicate t
possibility of empirical investigation.
4. Research problem has 6 elements.
5.Research Problems should have in g
Theoretical, Conceptual and Contextu
justifications.
 Sourc
es
• http://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/introdu
cti
on/researchproblem
• https://library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?
g=29803& p=185918
• https://
www.scribbr.com/dissertation-writing-
roadmap/example-research-problem-
definition/
• https://explorable.com/defining-a-