RESEARCH TOPIC ,

DEFINING THE RESEARCH

PROBLEM &
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Week 3
Datin Dr. Nazeera Ahmed Bazari
Faculty of Education, UiTM
CHOOSING A RESEARCH
TOPIC
 Personal interest
 Social developments
 Policy
 Financial considerations
 Previous research
 Accessibility to information / data
Accessibility
Easy access –
 people with institutional links

 People who welcome outside interest

 Public records (letters, documents, newspapers)

Difficult access
 Very young children

 Non-voters

 Illegal immigrants

 Criminals

 Religious cults

 Terrorists

 Closed records (tax records, medical records, legal records)

Research Topic
 The focus of a study or research investigation
 A problem, issue or concern that can be

researched, e.g
 A new method
 Collaborative learning (RQ: Do students learn

more effectively through collaborative

learning?)
 Problem-solving (Case-based learning for

problem-solving)
 Leaders’ communication style
What is a Research Problem
 A research problem is exactly that—a problem
that someone would like to research.
 A problem can be anything that a person finds
unsatisfactory or unsettling, a difficulty of some
sort, a state of affairs that needs to be changed,
anything that is not working as well as it might.
 Problems involve areas of concern to
researchers, conditions they want to improve,
difficulties they want to eliminate, questions for
which they seek answers.
Research Problem
 Generally speaking a research problem is a situation that needs a solution
and for which there are possible solutions. If a situation has no possible
solutions then it makes little or no sense expending resources researching
it. Take this statement, “everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody
wants to die”. Dying looks like a problem that needs a solution yet there
is no possible solution to it. People must die. A research on how people
can live forever makes little or no sense.
 A research problem may be described as an incongruence; a discrepancy
between what is and what ought to be. It may be also described as the gap
in knowledge that needs to be filled.
Sources of Research Problem
For researchers and students alike, research problems
are usually identified from several sources including:
 (a) the related research

 (b) problems in practice or work related contexts; and

 (c) personal biography or history (such as current or

past personal experiences or identities, race,

ethnicity, gender, class background, family customs,
religion, and so forth).
 Experience

 Deduction from theory

Thinking about research problems
 Students’ lack of motivation
 Students’ are weak in writing
 Teachers’ are reluctant to use technology
 Teachers lack motivation
 Does lack of self esteem in students

contributes to underachievement
 Others you can think of?
Research problem
 Serves as the focus of the researcher’s
investigation
 The three important aspects of a study,

namely:
i. the variables
ii. the setting
iii. the subjects

These three is the focus in writing the title of

the research.
Examples
E-Learning Readiness among the Staff of Faculty of
Education
 Variable: e-learning readiness

 Setting: Faculty of Education

 Subjects: Staff of Faculty of Education

Adults and Preferences for Learning Style in

Professional Development Workshops
 Variable: Learning style

 Setting: professional Development Workshops

 Subjects of the study: Adult learners

Examples
Charismatic leadership Qualities of an Excellent Principal in an
Outstanding School in Malaysia
 Variable of study: Charismatic Leadership

 Setting: An outstanding school in Malaysia

 Subjects: Students, teachers, principal

The Relationship between Leadership Style and Coping Style

on Job Stress and Job Satisfaction among Secondary School
Teachers in Malaysia
 Variable: Leadership Style and Coping Style on Job Stress

and Job satisfaction

 Setting: Secondary School in Malaysia

 Subjects: Teachers and Principals

Research Problems
 Ideally, the problem should be one whose
solution will contribute to the body of
knowledge in education
 The problem must be researchable
 The problem should be one that lead to new

perspectives that further research can be

recommended
 The problem must be suitable and

manageable by the particular researcher

 The problem should be ethically appropriate
Research Questions
 Usually a research problem is initially posed
as a question, which serves as the focus of
the researcher’s investigation.
 The research question should dictate the

research type and paradigm (qualitative,

quantitative, or mixed method) used to
conduct the study rather than the other way
around, i.e., the methodology determining
the question.
Examples of Research Questions
drafts and possible research methods
The following examples of initial research
questions in education are not sufficiently
developed for actual use in a research project
but would be suitable during the early stage of
formulating a research question. An appropriate
methodology and research paradigm (in
parentheses) are provided for each question.
Although there are other possible
methodologies that might be used, we consider
those given here as particularly suitable.
Examples
 Does client-centered therapy produce more satisfaction in clients
than traditional therapy? (experimental research; quantitative)
 What goes on in after-school programs during an average week?

(ethnographic research; qualitative)

 Does behavior modification reduce aggression in autistic

children? (single-subject experimental research; quantitative)

 Do teachers behave differently toward students of different

genders? (causal-comparative research; quantitative or mixed

method)
 How can we predict which students might have trouble learning

certain kinds of subject matter? (correlational research;

quantitative)
 How do parents feel about the school counseling program?

(survey research; quantitative)

Examples
 Why do first-generation college students
have a lower graduation rate at San Simeon
University? (case study; mixed method)
 How can principals improve faculty morale at

low performing middle schools? (interview

research;qualitative)
Characteristics of Good
Research Questions

 Once a research question has been formulated,researchers want

to turn it into as good a question as possible.
 Good research questions possess four essential characteristics:
 1. The question is feasible (i.e., it can be investigated without

expending an undue amount of time, energy, or money). Thus,

lack of feasibility often seriously limits
research efforts. Following are two examples of research
questions, one feasible and one not so feasible.
 Feasible: How do the students at Oceana High School feel about

the new guidance program recently instituted in the district?

 Not so feasible: How would achievement be affected by giving

each student his or her own laptop computer to use for a

semester?
2. The question is clear (i.e., most people would agree
as to what the key words in the question mean).
 Example 1. “Is a humanistically oriented classroom

effective?” Although the phrase humanistically

oriented classroom may seem quite clear, many
people may not be sure exactly what it means. If we
ask, What is a humanistically oriented classroom? We
begin to discover that it is not as easy as we might
have thought to describe its essential
characteristics.
 Another term in this question is also ambiguous.
The question is significant
The question is significant (i.e., it is worth investigating because it will contribute
important knowledge about the human condition).
 One of the most important tasks for any researcher, therefore, is to think through

the value of the intended research before too much preliminary work is done.
Three important questions should be asked:
 1. How might answers to this research question advance knowledge in my field?

 2. How might answers to this research question improve educational practice?

 3. How might answers to this research question improve the human condition?

 As you think about possible research questions, ask yourself: Why would it be

important to answer this question?

 Does the question have implications for the improvement of practice? for

administrative decision making? for program planning?

 Is there an important issue that can be illuminated to some degree by a study of

this question?
 Is it related to a current theory that I have doubts about or would like to

substantiate?
 Thinking through possible answers to these questions can help you judge the signifi

cance of a potential research question.

The question is ethical
4. The question is ethical (i.e., it will not
involve physical or psychological harm or
damage to human beings or to the natural or
social environment of which they are a part).
The Process of Outlining the Research Topic,
Research Problem and Research Questions
 Research Interest area: Collaboration
Collaborative Learning
Collaborative Learning in the Classroom
RESEARCH TOPIC: Effectiveness of Collaborative Learning in the ESL Classroom
 Research Problem (source from literature):

Students are weak in essay writing.

Students make many language mistakes in essay writing.
Students lack ideas in writing English essays.
Students ideas are incoherent and lack support.
Students have no interests in writing essays.

 Propose collaborative learning because …(based literature on studies/research on

collaborative learning)

 Research question:
1. How does collaborative learning improve students essay writing?
2. What is the effect of collaborative learning on students’ essay scores in terms of content,
language and organization?
3. What are students’ perception on collaborative learning in an ESL classroom?
The Process of Outlining the Research Topic,
Research Problem and Research Questions

Look at your own proposal and present on

the following:

 Research Interest area:

 Research Topic
 Research Problems:
 Research questions:
How to write a problem statement
 It is a constant complaint among those who evaluate proposals
that the most frequent deficiency noted by them is the lack of a
clear problem statement to define and guide the inquiry.
 The issue of how to write a problem statement becomes

important.
 In your proposal the statement of the problem is oftentimes the

first part to be read with scrutiny. I am ignoring the title and the
abstract because ideally a title should be born out of a problem
statement and an abstract should be a summary after the
problem has already been dealt with. The problem statement
should, therefore, "hook" the reader and establish a persuasive
context for what follows.
WHAT IS A PROBLEM STATEMENT?
A problem statement is the description of an issue currently existing which needs to be
addressed. It provides the context for the research study and generates the questions which the
research aims to answer. The statement of the problem is the focal point of any research.
"The frequency of job layoffs is creating fear, anxiety, and a loss of productivity in middle
management workers."
While this problem statement is just one sentence, it should be accompanied by a few
paragraphs that elaborate on the problem. The paragraphs could cover present persuasive
arguments that make the problem important enough to study. They could include the opinions of
others (politicians, futurists, other professionals); explanations of how the problem relates to
business, social or political trends via presentation of data that demonstrates the scope and depth
of the problem.
A well articulated statement of the problem establishes the foundation for everything to
follow in the proposal and will render less problematic most of the conceptual, theoretical and
methodological obstacles typically encountered during the process of proposal development. This
means that, in subsequent sections of the proposal, there should be no surprises, such as
categories, questions, variables or data sources that come out of nowhere: if it can't be found in
the problem section, at least at the implicit level, then it either does not belong in the study or the
problem statement needs to be re-written.
WHAT ARE KEY COMPONENTS OF THE STATEMENT PROBLEM?
Problem statements often have three elements:
1. The problem itself, stated clearly and with enough contextual detail to establish why it is important
2. The method of solving the problem, often stated as a claim or a working thesis
3. The purpose, statement of objective and scope of the project being proposed.
These elements should be brief so that the reader does not get lost.
Criteria for Research Problem Statements:
• The statement of the problem should clearly indicate what is to be investigated.
• The statement should indicate the variables of interest and the specific relationship between the
variables that are to be studied.
• Please note: In some qualitative methodologies, a statement of variables will not be possible and
should not be done. However, an explanation of the qualitative methodology and the parameters
of the research methodology should be explained.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF PROBLEM STATEMENT?
The problem provides the context for the research study and typically generates
questions which the research hopes to answer. In considering whether or not to move
forward with a research project, you will generally spend some time considering the
problem.
You need to be able to clearly answer the question: "what is the problem"? And
"why is this problem worth my attention"? At the same time, the problem statement
limits scope by focusing on some variables and not others. It also provides an
opportunity for you to demonstrate why these variables are important .
A quantitative Statement of the Problem: an American example
Identity fraud is one of the fastest growing crimes in America (Adams, 2002). In 2003, at least 7 million Americans
were victims of identity fraud, an increase of 79% from 2002 (AFP, 2003). GENERAL PROBLEM SUPPORTED BY
LITERATURE The nation’s system of personal identification and verification failed to stop the 9/11 terrorists, and
according to the 9/11 Investigations report (Strasser, 2004), some of the 19 hijackers of the 9/11 attacks had fraudulent
identification, passports, and other travel documents (Wang, 2004). Seven of the 19 hijackers fraudulently obtained and
used drivers’ licenses as identification to board commercial aircraft (Driver’s License Fraud, 2003).
Drivers licenses can still be obtained or made fraudulently and are still used as a de facto form of national
identification (Etzioni, 2004). Specific problem with citation The 9/11 Commission Report (9/11 Commission, 2004)
recommended using an NBIC system as a more reliable and secure means of fighting terrorism. One associated problem of
the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation is that various civil liberty advocates oppose the use of a compulsory NBIC, arguing
that compulsory use of NBICs may have a potential to deprive citizens of their civil rights and invade individual privacy
(Eaton, 2003).
The purpose of this research study will be to examine the motivational factors necessary for the public to use
voluntary NBICs as a more reliable and secure means of preventing identity fraud. To fulfill this purpose, a quantitative
TYPE OF STUDY research study will survey students, faculty, administrative personnel, and employees of two community
colleges in Los Angeles County, California. GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
WHERE DOES A PROBLEM STATEMENT ORIGINATE FROM?

A good problem originates from a research question formulated out of observation of the reality. A
literature review and a study of previous experiments, and research, are good sources of research questions
that are converted to statements of problem. Many scientific researchers look at an area where a previous
researcher generated some interesting results, but never followed up. It could be an interesting area of
research, which nobody else has fully explored.

Common sources of research problems are:

• Personal experience and interests of researchers.
• Various theories in the discipline of the researcher.
• Related Literature- Literature from one’s own area of interest.
• A reproduction of past research studies.
HOW TO WRITE THE STATEMENT PROBLEM
The problem statement implies some question that your research will be answering.
Sometimes it is necessary to draft or pre-write for a while to discover what that point will be (and
often writers are unsure of their point until they have written the draft proposal and discover the
point near the end of the proposal).
When you set up to write a statement problem you should know that you are looking for
something wrong… or something that needs close attention. Your problem statement is the
statement that makes a point about the issues and information you are discussing, and is what the
rest of the proposal hinges upon. It is not just your topic, but what you are saying about your
topic. In other words there must be very good communication between your topic, the statement
problem and the research objectives.
The importance of the problem should receive considerable and persuasive attention [note
that importance is inevitably subjective and will vary from researcher to researcher].
Nevertheless objectivity can be injected by answering questions such as these:
Is the problem of current interest? Is it topical?
Is the problem likely to continue into the future?
Will more information about the problem have practical application?
Will more information about the problem have theoretical importance?
How large is the population affected by the problem?
How important, influential, or popular is this population?
Would this study substantially revise or extend existing knowledge?
Would this study create or improve an instrument of some utility?
Would research findings lead to some useful change in best practice?
Is there evidence or authoritative opinion from others to support the need for this
research?
The problem statement should persuasively indicate that major variables can be
measured in some meaningful way. If you can identify likely objections to the study,
identify and respond to them here.
ONE MORE TEMPLATE FOR WRITING A STATEMENT PROBLEM
PROBLEM STATEMENT 4 required parts
1. Start with a general problem identifying the need for the study. E.g. The problem of this study
is ______
2. State the specific problem proposed for research. (use citation & usually a number to make it
clear to the reader, e.g. 30% of the farms have been affected by the Napier grass disease
3. Introductory words describing Methodological approach (i.e. Research Design) are given and
are appropriate to the specific proposal problem, e.g. this qualitative study will explore... or this
quantitative study will examine ...
4. General population group of proposed study is identified. Small scale farmers in affected
locations will be surveyed to determine ...
How to write Statement the
Problem
 The Topic
 The Research Problem
 Evidence justifying the research problem
 Deficiencies in evidence
 Briefly state the purpose of your study and its

significance in addressing the issue

 The gap your study is addressing
TYPES OF EDUCATIONAL
RESEARCH
WEEK 4
Quantitative and Qualitative Research
 Types of Research Methods
 QUANTITATIVE
 QUALITATIVE
 MIXED METHOD
DIFFERENCES
 In the simplest sense, quantitative data deal primarily with
numbers qualitative data primarily involve words.
 Quantitative and qualitative methods differ in their assumptions

about the purpose of research itself, methods utilized by

researchers, kinds of studies undertaken, the role of the
researcher, and the degree to which generalization is possible.
 When it comes to the purpose of research, quantitative

researchers seek to establish relationships between variables

and look for and sometimes explain the causes of such
relationships.
 Qualitative researchers, on the other hand, are more concerned

with understanding situations and events from the viewpoint of

the participants. Accordingly, the participants often tend to be
directly involved in the research process itself.
DIFFERENCES
 The ideal researcher role in quantitative research is that of a
detached observer, whereas qualitative researchers tend to
become immersed in the situations in which they do their
research.
 The prototypical study in the quantitative tradition is the

experiment; for qualitative researchers, it is an ethnography.

 Lastly, most quantitative researchers want to establish

generalizations that transcend the immediate situation or

particular setting. Qualitative researchers, on the other hand,
often do not even try to generalize beyond the particular
situation, but may leave it to the reader to assess
applicability. When they do generalize, their generalizations
are usually very limited in scope.
Mixed Method
 Sometimes researchers will use both qualitative and quantitative
approaches in the same study. This kind of research is referred to as
mixed-methods research. Its advantage is that by using multiple
methods, researchers are better able to gather and analyze
considerably more and different kinds of data than they would be able
to using just one approach. Mixed-methods studies can emphasize
one approach over the other or give each approach roughly equal
weight.
 Consider an example. It is often common in surveys to use closed-

ended questions that lend themselves to quantitative analysis (such as

through the calculation of percentages of different types of responses),
but also open-ended questions that permit qualitative analysis (such as
following up a response that interviewees give to a particular question
with further questions by the researcher in order to encourage them to
elaborate and explain their thinking). Studies in which researchers use
both quantitative and qualitative methods are becoming more common
Types of Research
 Some of the most commonly used research
methodologies in education are experimental
research, correlational research, causal-
comparative research, survey research,
ethnographic research, historical research,
and action research.
 EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
 Experimental research involves manipulating conditions and studying effects
 Experimental research is the most conclusive of scientific methods. Because the researcher
actually establishes different treatments and then studies their effects, results from this type of
research are likely to lead to the most clear-cut interpretations. Suppose a history teacher is
interested in the following question: How can I most effectively teach important concepts (such
as democracy or colonialism) to my students? The teacher might compare the effectiveness of
two or more methods of instruction (usually called the independent variable) in promoting the
learning of historical concepts. After systematically assigning students to contrasting forms of
history instruction (such as inquiry versus programmed units), the teacher could compare the
effects of these contrasting methods by testing students’ conceptual knowledge. Student
learning in each group could be assessed by an objective test or some other measuring device. If
the average scores on the test (usually called the dependent variable ) differed, they would give
some idea of the effectiveness of the various methods.
 I n the simplest sort of experiment, two contrasting methods are compared and an attempt is
made to control for all other (extraneous) variables—such as student ability level, age, grade
level, time, materials, and teacher characteristics—that might affect the outcome under
investigation. Methods of such control could include holding the classes during the same or
closely related periods of time, using the same materials in both groups, comparing students of
the same age and grade level, and so on. O f course, we want to have as much control as
possible over the assignment of individuals to the various treatment groups, to ensure that the
groups are similar. But in most schools, systematic assignment of students to treatment groups
is diffi cult, if not impossible, to achieve. Nevertheless, useful comparisons are still possible. You
might wish to compare the effect of different teaching methods (lectures versus discussion, for
example) on student achievement or attitudes in two or more intact history classes in the same
school. If a difference exists between the classes in terms of what is being measured, this result
can suggest how the two methods compare, even though the exact causes of the difference
would be somewhat in doubt.
Correlational research
 Correlational research involves studying
relationships among variables within a single
group and frequently suggests the possibility
of cause and effect.
Causal-comparative research
 Causal-comparative research involves
comparing known groups who have had
different experiences to determine possible
causes or consequences of group
membership.
Survey research
 Survey research involves describing the
characteristics of a group by means of such
instruments as interview questions,
questionnaires, and tests.
Ethnographic research
 Ethnographic research concentrates on
documenting or portraying the everyday
experiences of people, using observation and
interviews.
 Ethnographic research is one form of

qualitative research. Other common forms of

qualitative research include the case study,
biography, phenomenology, and grounded
theory.
Other types of research
 A case study is a detailed analysis of one or a few
individuals.
 Historical research involves studying some aspect of the
past.
 Action research is a type of research by practitioners
designed to help improve their practice.
 Evaluation research aims to improve the object or
program being evaluated, usually by strengthening its
delivery, implementation, and outcomes. •
 Each of the research methodologies described constitutes
a different way of inquiring into reality and is thus a
different tool for understanding what goes on in
education.
Research Exercise 2:
What Kind of Research?

 Think of a research idea or problem you

would like to investigate. Using Problem
Sheet 1, briefly describe the problem in a
sentence or two. Then indicate the type of
research methodology you would use to
investigate this problem. Finally, explain
briefly your reasons for choosing this
approach.
Research Method

1. A possible topic or problem I am thinking of researching is:

2. The specific method(s) that seem(s) most appropriate for me to use at

this time is/are ( circle all you think are appropriate ):
a. an experiment
b. a survey
c. an ethnography
d. a correlational study
e. a causal-comparative study
f. a case study
g. a content analysis
h. a historical study
i. an action research or teacher research study
j. a program evaluation

3. The overall research approach I am planning to use is ( circle one ):

a. Qualitative b. Quantitative c. Mixed Method

4. My reason(s) for using this approach is/are as follows: