PROBLEM FORMULATION

• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH

1. Contribution to the basic knowledge relevant to the
solution of educational problems

2. Contribution to educational theory

3. Contribution to the development of methodology
tools, either for educational practice or research

4. Contribution to the solution of educational problems

5. The potential generalizability of anticipated results

•
QUALITY OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH

- The extent to which the writer shows a thorough

knowledge of relevant prior research
- The extent to which prior research is related to the
proposed research
- The comprehensiveness and appropriateness of the
research design
- The appropriateness of the instrumentation and the
methodology
- The appropriateness of the anticipated analyses
- The likelihood that the proposed research can be
completed successfully as described
 SELECTING A PROBLEM

The central element in any educational research is the

problem. Once the problem has been identified and
adequately defined, the systematic and scientific process of
making observation and collecting data can be more easily
carried out.

However, the large part of the solution to the problem lies

in knowing precisely what the problem is. How can you
solve a problem if you don’t know what the problem is?
 HOW DO YOU SELECT A PROBLEM?

Problem situations can be generated from a number of

sources, among them are:

PERSONAL PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE

CRITICAL STUDY OF THE LITERATURE

INTERACTION WITH OTHERS

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING A PROBLEM

1. Interest:
If you are going to be commit yourself to an
educational research, then its is important that you
should be interested to the topic that you are
researching.

2. Size:
Exercise some professional wisdom! Manageable
research problem.
3. Economy:
Researchers are often confronted with practical
constraints - time and money.

4. Researcher’s Capabilities and Limitations:

Must recognize his/her own capabilities and
limitations.
Inexperienced in research, seek guidance - close to
your supervisor, advise from others who are interested
or specialized in your field of study.
5. Uniqueness:
Do not spend a lot of time and energy researching a
problem if the answer to the problem already existed.
 PROBLEM AREAS TO AVOID

1. Moral, Ethical Questions

2. Philosophical Questions

3. Theological Questions
ANALYSING A RESEARCH PROBLEM
Problem Situation

Preliminary list of possible contributing factors and

explanations

Eliminating of irrelevant facts

List of probable relevant facts and explanations

Basic assumptions

Research Problem
 STATING THE PROBLEM
(STATEMENT OF PROBLEM (SOP))
The problem is generally written in question form.
e.g. What effect has the introduction of an individualised
programme had on the skill acquisition of technician
students in a electrical course ?

Some writers suggest that the problem could be written as

a statement.
e.g. This study id designed to measure the effect the
introduction of an individualised programme has had
on the skille acquisition of technician students in a
printing course?
 However, one reason why you should favour the
question form is because often when problems are
written as statements, they become confused with the
purpose.
e.g. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact the introduction
of an individualised programme has had on a technician course
.
• a statement of purpose is far more generalised
statement than a problem statement.
• a question also makes it easier to focus on the issue
under investigation.
• SOP can be written in a single question, several
questions or one main question with a set of sub-
questions (research questions (RQ)).
 There are certain rules to follow in writing SOP.

1. CLARITY.
- write as clearly as possible, avoiding unnecessary
words but include all words that are required to make
the problem clear - key words!
- thus, you should know the relevant variables and the
relationship you would like to investigate.

2. AVOID VALUE STATEMENTS.

- avoid at all times ‘value-laden’ words which indicate
cultural or personal bias, such as:
best way / bad / should / ought / better than / best /
poor etc.
Example of a not well-stated SOP:
Should Automotive Engineering students be involved in an
industrial attachments scheme?

It could be rewritten like:

What effect does an industrial attachment scheme have on the
performance of students in an Automotive Engineering course?
Or
How do Mechanical Engineering lecturers perceive the
introduction of an industrial attachment scheme in an
Automotive Engineering course?

Thus,
the SOP will dictate the type of study that will eventually be
developed.
3. AVOID DICHOTOMOUS QUESTIONS.

Dichotomous questions are those can be answered in two ways:

Yes or No, Right or Wrong, Agree or Disagree etc.

Problems should not be written as questions requiring a ‘yes or

‘no’ answer.

Example:

Do automotive engineering students need an industrial

attachment period included in their training course?
 EVALUATING THE PROBLEM

Having developed a well-constructed SOP, it is important

to consider:

• The research problem is FEASIBLE, and

• The research problem is WORTHWHILE

 IS THE PROBLEM FEASIBLE ?
(IS THE PROBLEM RESEARCHABLE?)

The primary evaluative source is yourself.

1. Has the problem been specified?

2. Is the problem amenable to research?
3. Is the problem too large?
4. How available are the data?
5. Am I capable of solving the problem?
 IS THE PROBLEM WORTHWHILE?
(WILL THE RESULT BE SIGNIFICANT?)

1. Will the results advance knowledge?

2. Will the research have some value?
3. Will the results be of interest to others?
WRITING RESEARCH QUESTIONS

INPUT IDEAS
AND
PROBLEMS

STATEMENT
OF
PROBLEM

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
 EXAMPLE A
PROBLEM STATEMENT:
Are the fitting and machining skills of mechanical technicians up
to the skills level required by local industries?

RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

RQ1. What level of fitting and machining skills are being

taught in institutions A?
RQ2. What level of fitting and machining skills are
required by local industries?
RQ3. Is there a difference between what is taught and
what is needed by industries of fitting and
machining skills?
 Example B
PROBLEM STATEMENT:
What are the impacts of linkages existing between institute A and
the industries?

RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
RQ1. What are the impacts on employment of the graduates of
institute A from the linkages with local industries?
RQ2. What are the impacts on curriculum content of the
programmes in institute A from the linkages with local
industries?
RQ3. What are the impacts on skill performances of the students in
institute A from the linkages with local industries?
RQ4. What are the impacts on the facilities found institute A from the
linkages with local industries?
WHAT CAN BE DERIVED FROM A WELL-DEFINED
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM AND RESEARCH
QUESTIONS?

• IDENTIFY THE RESEARCH DESIGN

• IDENTIFY THE METHODOLOGY
• IDENTIFY THE RESPONDENTS
• IDENTIFY THE DATA COLLECTION TOOLS
• IDENTIFY THE VARIABLES THAT NEED TO BE
RESEARCHED
• DETERMINE THE STATISTIC SUITABLE FOR THE
RESEARCH
THANK YOU