CHAPTER TWO

RESEARCH PROBLEM
IDENTIFICATION
INTRODUCTION
 In writing proposal, to provide a working model of a good introduction,
complete introduction from a published research study is presented.
 An introduction is the first passage in a journal article, dissertation, or
scholarly research study. It sets the stage for the entire study.
 As Wilkinson (1991) mentions: The introduction is the part of the chapter hat
provides readers with the background information for the research reported in
the paper. Its purpose is to establish a framework for the research, so that
readers can understand how it is related to other research. (p.96).
Introduction (Contd…)

 The introduction establishes the issue or concern leading to

the research by conveying information about a research
problem.
 Because it is the initial passage in a study or proposal,
special care must be given to writing it.
 12 Steps of Research

1. Identify the research question

2. Initial review of literature
3. Distilling the question to a researchable problem
4. Continued review of literature
5. Formulation of hypothesis
6. Determining the basic research approach
7. Identifying the population and sample
8. Designing the data collection plan
9. Selecting or developing data collection instruments
10. Choosing the method of data analysis
11. Implementing the research plan
12. Interpreting the results
Research topic/Question
 From the broad, general purpose statement, the researcher narrows the
focus to specific questions to be answered or predictions (i.e., hypotheses)
to be tested.
 Qualitative researchers ask at least one central question and several
subquestions. They begin the questions with words such as “how” or “what”
and use exploratory verbs, such as “explore” or “describe”.
 Quantitative researchers write either research questions or hypotheses.
These questions or hypotheses include variables that are described, related,
categorized into groups for comparison, and measured separately for the
independent and dependent variables.
The Research Question
 The foundation of the research process
 It all begins with a question
Finding a Research Question
 From where ???????
◦ Curiosity
◦ Information Gaps
◦ Controversy
◦ Replication
◦ Literature Review
◦ Other People
◦ ...???
Types of Research Questions
 Conceptualize that a research study can ask three types of
questions:
◦ Descriptive question
◦ Relationship question
◦ Difference question
 This general classification scheme helps not only with the
design of the study, but also in choosing the type of data
analysis procedure
i. Descriptive Question
 Seeks to describe phenomena or characteristics of a particular
group of subjects being studied
◦ Answers the question “what is”
 Asking questions of the research participants
 Testing or measuring their performance

◦ Survey research
 Example
◦ What are the attitudes of rural parents toward the inclusion of sexuality
education in the school curriculum? (Welshimer & Harris, 1994)
ii. Relationship Question
 Investigates the degree to which two or more variables are associated
with each other

◦ Does not establish “cause-and-effect”

◦ Only identifies extent of relationship between variables

 Example

◦ Is there an association between self-esteem and eating behaviors

among collegiate female swimmers? (Fey, 1998)
 Concept of Variables
 A variable is a characteristic, trait, or attribute of a person
or thing that can be classified or measured
◦ Attitude
◦ Gender
◦ Heart rate
◦ Hair color
 Variable - the condition or characteristic which in a given
study may have more than one value
Classification of Variables
 Quantitative – measured numerically
◦ Discrete
◦ Continuous
 Qualitative – categorical in nature
Independent Variable
 A variable that is presumed to influence another variable; the variable
under study or the one that the researcher manipulates
 Two types
◦ Active – variable is actually manipulated
◦ Attribute – cannot be manipulated because it is preexisting trait; sometimes called
a “categorical” variable (e.g., race, gender)
Dependent Variable
 The variable that is expected to change as a result of the manipulation
of the independent variable; that which is measured in a study
Mediator Vs Moderator Variables
 Mediating variable (mediator) explains the process through which two

variables are related.

◦ Example For example, sleep quality (an independent variable) can affect academic

achievement (a dependent variable) through the mediator of alertness.

 Moderating variable (or moderator) affects the strength and direction of that

relationship.

◦ Example: mental health status may moderate the relationship between sleep quality and

academic achievement: the relationship might be stronger for people without diagnosed

mental health conditions than for people with them.

Mediator Vs Moderator Variables ….

Mediator Variable

Independent Variable dependent Variable

Moderator Variable
Extraneous Variable
 A variable that could contribute some type of error in a research study
 Also referred to as . . .
 Confounding variable
 Intervening variable
 Modifying variable

 Error-producing variable that the researcher should attempt to eliminate

or control
 May affect the relationship between the independent variable and the
dependent variable if not adequately controlled
 Controlling Extraneous Variables
 Excluding the variable
 Random selection of research participants
 Matching cases according to some criterion
iii. Difference Question
 Seeks to make comparisons between or within groups of interest
◦ Often associated with experimental research
 Is there a difference between the control group and the experimental group?

◦ Comparison of one group to another on the basis of existing

characteristics
 Example
◦ Does participation in Special Olympics affect the self-esteem of adults
with mental retardation? (Major, 1998)
Criteria for Selecting a Problem
 Interest
◦ Most important
 Significance
◦ Theoretical value
◦ Practical value
◦ Timeliness
◦ External review
 Manageability
◦ Expertise, time, resources
◦ Free from personal bias
Problem Distillation
 The process of refining the question or idea into a problem
and making it sufficiently specific so that it is amenable to
investigation
 This process should lead to the development of a
“statement of the problem” that is clear, concise, and
definitive
Background of the study
 After having completed a framework and a preliminary literature
review, and having given consideration to writing and ethics, a proposal
developer turns to the actual design of a study.
 A process begins of organizing ideas, starting with design in an
introduction to a proposal.
Background of the study (Contd…)
 The background of the study consists of establishing the problem
leading to the study, reviewing the literature about the problem
identifying deficiencies in the literature about he problem targeting an
audience and noting the significance of the problem for this audience,
and identifying the purpose of the proposed study
Problem definition
 When researchers begin their studies, they start with one or more
paragraphs that convey the specific research problem or issues (Creswell).
 They also present, in the first sentence, information to create reader interest.
In the sentences that follow the first sentence, authors identify a distinct
research problem that needs to be addressed (Ibid).
 There are two types of research problems, viz., those which relate to states
of nature and those which relate to relationships between variables (Kothari,
2004)
Problem definition (Contd…)
 A research problem is the issue that exits in the literature, in theory, or
in practice that leads to a need for the study.
 The research problem in a study begins to become clear when the
researcher, asks “What is the need for this study?” or “What problem
influenced the need to undertake this study?”
Problem definition (Contd…)
 When designing the opening paragraphs of a proposal, keep in mind
these guidelines (Creswell):
◦ Write an opening sentence that will stimulate reader interest as well
as convey an issue to which a broad audience can relate.
◦ As a general rule, refrain from using quotations, especially long
ones, in the lead sentence. Quotations raise many possibilities for
interpretation and thus create unclear beginnings. However, as is
evident in some qualitative studies, quotations can create reader
interest.
◦ • Stay away from idiomatic expressions or trite phrases (e.g., “The
lecture method remains a ‘sacred cow’ among most college and
university instructors.”).
Problem definition (Contd…)
 Consider numeric information for impact (e.e., “Every year an estimated 5 million Americans
experience the death of an immediate family member.”).
 Clearly identify the research problem (i.e., dilemma, issue) leading to the study. Researchers
might ask themselves. “Is there a specific sentence (or sentences) in which I convey the research
problem?”
 • Indicate why the problem is important by citing references that justify the need to study the
problem.
 Make sure hat the research problem is framed in a manner consistent with the approach to
research in the study (e.g., exploratory in qualitative, examining relationships or predictors in
quantitative, and either approach in mixed methods inquiry).
Statement of the Problem
 A very specific statement which clearly identifies the problem
being studied; will usually identify the key variables as well as
give some information about the scope of the study
 May be in either question or declarative form
 May include inherent sub-problems, if appropriate
 Formulation of problem statement takes place after an initial
review of related literature and the distillation process
Sample Problem Statements
1.The problem was to investigate the effects of exercise
on blood lipids among college-age females.
2.This study was designed to determine the relationship
between stability performance and physical growth
characteristics of preschool children.
3.The present study was designed to identify those
characteristics which differentiate between students
who binge drink and those that do not.
4.The problem of the study was to determine is there is
a relationship between self-efficacy and self-reported
alcohol usage among middle-aged adult females.
Research goals and objectives
 According to Locke, Spriduso, and Silverman (2000), the purpose
statement indicates “why you want to do the study and what you intend to
accomplish” (p.9).
 Unfortunately, method and proposal – writingexts give little attention to the
purpose statement, and writers on method often incorporate the purpose
statement into discussions about other topics, such as specifying research
questions or hypotheses
Research goals and objectives (Contd…)
one might consider several basic design features for writing this
statement:
 Use words such as “purpose,” “intent,” or “objective” to signal
attention to this statement as the central controlling idea in a study
 Focus on a single phenomenon (or concept or idea)
 Use action verbs to convey how learning will take place. Action

verbs and phrases, such as ‘describe, “understand.” “develop,”

“examine he meaning of,” or “discover,” keep the inquiry open and
convey an emerging design.
 Use “the relationship between” two or more variables or a

“comparison of” two or more groups.

Delimitation(Scope) and limitation of a study
 Two more parameters for a research study establish the boundaries, exceptions,
reservations, and qualifications inherent in every study: delimitations and
limitations (Castetter & Heisler, 1977). They are found in proposals for qualitative,
quantitative, and mixed methods studies:
◦ Use delimitations to narrow the scope of a study

◦ Provide limitations to identify potential weaknesses of the study

 generally, delimitations address how the study will be narrowed in scope, whereas
limitations identify potential weaknesses of a study.
Delimitations
 Delimitations define the scope of the study. That is, they set
the boundaries of the study
 Normally under control of the researcher
 Examples include

◦ number and kinds of subjects

◦ treatment conditions
◦ tests, measures, instruments used
◦ type of equipment
◦ location, environmental setting
◦ type of training (time and duration)
Limitations
 Limitations are very similar to delimitations, but they tend to
focus on potential weaknesses of the study
 Examples include
◦ sampling problems (representativeness of subjects)
◦ uncontrolled factors and extraneous variables
◦ faulty research design and techniques
◦ reliability and validity of measuring instruments
◦ compromises to internal/external validity
Limitations (Contd…)
 Possible shortcomings of the study . . . usually cannot be controlled by the
researcher
◦ the researcher will, of course, try to eliminate extremely serious weaknesses before the
study is commenced
 May be a result of assumptions not being met
 No study is perfect; the researcher recognizes the weaknesses
Significance of a study
 According to Creswell, all good writers have the audience in mind.
 therefore, as per Creswelll, authors need to identify the audiences that will likely
profit from a study of the research problem.
 The more audiences that can be mentioned, the greater he importance of the study
and the more it will be seen by readers to have wide application.
 These audiences will differ from one project to another, and they might include
diverse audiences of policy makers, organizations, other researchers, an individuals
in work organizations
Significance of a study (Contd…)
 According to Creswell, in designing this section, one might include:
◦ Three or four ways in which the study adds to the scholarly research and literature in
the field
◦ Three or four ways in which the study helps improve practice
◦ Three or four reasons why the study will improve policy.
THE DEFINITION OF TERMS
 Researchers define terms so that readers can understand their
precise meaning.
 Define terms that individuals outside the field of study may not understand

and that go beyond common language (Locke et al., 2000).

 Define terms not understood by readers as found in these sections:

◦ The title of the study

◦ The purpose statement
◦ The research questions, hypotheses, or objectives
◦ The literature review
◦ The theory-base of the study
◦ The methods section
 End of Chapter 2

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02/10/2024