Research problem

and QUeSTIONNAIRE
WHAT IS RESEARCH PROBLEM?
A research problem is one which
requires a researcher to find out the
best solution for the given problem,
i.e., to find out by which course of
action the objective can be attained
optimally in the context of a given
environment.
 TECHNIQUES INVOLVED
IN DEFINING A
PROBLEM
As a researcher, you must have often read that defining a
problem is the first step in a research process.

Defining a problem, simply means that the researcher has to lay

down certain boundaries within which he/she has to study
the problem with a pre-defined objective in mind.

Defining a problem is a herculean task, and this must be done

intelligently to avoid confusions that arise in the research
operation.
TRY TO FOLLOW THE BELOW STEPS
SYSTEMATICALLY TO BEST DEFINE A
PROBLEM:

i. State the problem in a general way

ii. Understand the nature of the problem

iii.Survey the available literature
iv.Go for discussions for developing ideas
v. Rephrase the research problem into a
working proposition
 i. STATE THE PROBLEM IN
A GENERAL WAY
 How to define a problem in general way?
 Study the related subject thoroughly
 Do preliminary survey or pilot
survey
Ex: Does negative news interest people more than
positive
news?
 Narrow it down by rethinking over the problem in
operational terms. Ex: Does negative news such as
robbery, corruption interest people more than
positive news like country economic growth ?
II. UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF THE
PROBLEM

 The researcher needs to discuss the problem with those

related to the subject matter in order to clearly

understand

the origin of the problem, its nature, objectives, and the

environment in which the problem is to be studied.

III. SURVEY THE AVAILABLE LITERATURE
Survey all the research which are already undertaken in
related problem.
It helps to :-
Narrow down the problem
To identify research gaps
Gives new ideas in related area
Helps for research design
 IV. GO FOR DISCUSSIONS FOR DEVELOPING
IDEAS
Discussion always produces useful
information.

Various new ideas can be developed

through such an exercise.
Researcher must discuss his/her problem
with his/ her colleagues and others who
have enough experience in the same area or
in working on similar problems. This is
known as experience survey.
V. REPHRASE THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
INTO A WORKING PROPOSITION

Initial research question: Why is

productivity in Japan so much higher than
in India?

After, the problem has understood,

available literature has taken place
and discussion over the problem
has taken place, the question has
rephrased.
 Rephrased Research question:

 What factors were responsible for the higher

labor productivity of Japan’s manufacturing

industries during the decade 1971 to1980 relative

to India’s manufacturing industries?”

 following points must also be observed
while defining a research problem:

(a) Technical terms and words or phrases, with special meanings used in the
statement of the problem, should be clearly defined.
(b) Basic assumptions or postulates (if any) relating to the research problem
should be clearly stated.
(c) A straight forward statement of the value of the investigation (i.e., the
criteria for the selection of the problem) should be provided.
(d) The suitability of the time-period and the sources of data available must also
be considered by the researcher in defining the problem.
(e) The scope of the investigation or the limits within which the problem is to be
studied must be mentioned explicitly in defining a research problem.
LITERATURE REVIEW
 A literature review is an account of what has been
already established or published on a particular
research topic by accredited scholars &
researchers.
…(University of Toronto,
2001)

 The main purpose of literature review is to convey

to the readers about the work already done & the
knowledge & ideas that have been already
established on a particular topic of research.
SOURCES OF LITERATURE REVIEW

Literature can be reviewed from two

sources:
1.Primary sources
2.Secondary sources
1. PRIMARY SOURCES
 Literature review mostly relies on primary sources,
i.e. research reports, which are description of studies
written by researchers who conducted them.
 A primary sources is written by a person who
developed the theory or conducted the research,
or is the description of an investigation
written by the person who conducted it.
 Most primary sources are found in published
literature.
2. SECONDARY SOURCES
 Secondary source research documents are
description of studies prepared by
someone other than the original
researcher.
 They are written by people other than the
individuals who developed the theory or
conducted the research.
o The secondary sources may be used when
primary sources are not available.
 MEANING OF RESEARCH
DESIG
N
 A research design is the arrangement of conditions for
collection and analysis of data in a manner that
aims to combine relevance to the research purpose with
economy in procedure.
 The research design is the conceptual structure within
which research is conducted; it constitutes the blueprint
for the collection, measurement and analysis of data. As
such the design includes an outline of what the
researcher will do from writing the hypothesis and its
operational implications to the final analysis of data.
 PARTS OF RESEARCH
DESIGN

 The sampling design which deals with the method of

selecting items to be observed for the given study
 The observational design which relates to the
conditions under which the observations are to be
made;
 The statistical design which concerns with the
question of how many items are to be observed and
how the information and data gathered are to be
analysed
 The operational design which deals with the
techniques by which the procedures specified in the
sampling, statistical and observational designs can be
carried out.
Overview of the Research Process

Problem Hypothesis
Deductive
phase
Generalization
Research
Design

Data Analysis
Measurement
Inductive
phase
Data Collection
From Nachmias and Nachmias and Babbie, 2000
The Research Problem

 Must be definitive
 Clear & Specific
 Not to exceed 15 words
 written in inverted pyramid
The Research Problem

 introduces the work to a reader

 give impression that the contents are
desirable and deserve a deeper look
 helps the reader to know whether
the contents are within his
range of interest
Overview of the Research Process

Problem Hypothesis
Deductive
phase
Generalization
Research
Design

Data Analysis
Measurement
Inductive
phase
Data Collection
From Nachmias and Nachmias and Babbie, 2000
V
A Variables (Anything
that varies)
R
I
A
Independent Dependent
B Variable Variable
L (presumed (presumed
E cause) effect

S
Variables

Independent Dependent
Variable Variable
(presumed (presumed
cause) Intervening effect
Variable
(Anything that
may enhance or
limit the effect of
IV& DV)
 Variables
IV DV
Educational Income
Attainment

Position

InV
 Hypothesis (intelligent
Guess)

Research Null
(Ha) (Ho)
 Difference and  No difference
 No relationship
 Relationship
Ha1 eThxeisret is a relationship between
tehdauctaetioxnisalt attainment and
income
CONTENT

 Questionnaire

 Characteristics of the good

questionnaire
 Functions
 Types
 Questionnaire as an instrument
 Reliability
 Validity
 Constructing a questionnaire
QUESTIONNAIRE
A set of predetermined questions for
all respondents that serves as a
primary research instrument in survey
research.
Used to collect factual information

Consist of a form containing a series

of questions
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD
QUESTIONNAIRE
1. Should be concerned with specific and relevant
topic
2. Should be short
3. Directions and wording should be simple and
clear
4. Questions should be objective
5. Embarrassing questions, presuming questions
and hypothetical questions should be avoided
6. Should be presented in a good order
7. Should be attractive, neatly printed and clearly
arranged
 FUNCTIONS OF
QUESTIONNAIRE
DESCRITION:
The questionnaire provides description about age,
sex, marital status, occupation, income, political
affiliation religious affiliation, etc.

MEASUREMENT:
Measurement of individual and/or group variables
like attitude, opinion, traits and habits of
persons.
 TYPES OF
QUESTIONNAIRE
 Based upon the type of respond
required,
2. Fixed- response questionnaire.

3. Open- end questionnaire.

 Based upon the method of

administering,
6. Mail questionnaire

7. Face-to-face administered questionnaire

The range of error due to
How
use of imprecise words What
(Phrasing)
may be as high as 20 to
30 percent.

Relevance and Accuracy When

Layout
(Sequence)

Questionnaire Design 3
2
QUESTIONNAIRE AS
INSTRUMENTS

 Most survey research relies

on the use of questionnaire
to measure variables
 Demographic variables
 The accuracy and precision
of questionnaire requires
expertise and care in their
construction
 Self report scales
DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES
 Demographic variables are used to
describe the characteristics of the
people who are surveyed.
 Measures such as race, ethnicity,
age and socio economic status.
 The accuracy and precision of
questionnaire as survey research
instrument depends upon the
expertise and care that go into their
construction
 PREFERENCES AND
ATTITUDES

 Individuals’ preferences and

attitudes
 For example brand of coffee
preferred, attitude regarding public
issues
SELF REPORT SCALES
 Used to measure peoples judgments or
attitude about items presented on the
scale
e.g., coffee, political candidates, life events

 To determine differences among people on

some dimensions presented on the scale
e.g., personality traits, amount of stress
RELIABILITY
 Reliability refers to the consistency of
measurement.
 Reliable test should yield similar(consistent)
results each time it is taken
 Common method: test- retest reliability

FACTORS AFFECTING RELIABILITY:

 Number of items

 Variability

 Condition in which the questionnaire is

administered
VALIDITY
 Itrefers to the truthfulness of a measure
 Does it measure what it intends to
measure?

Assessing validity: Construct validity

Extend to which it measure the
theoretical construct it is designed to
measure.
 Convergent validity

 Discriminant validity.
CONSTRUCTING A
QUESTIONNAIRE
Deciding type, writing a draft, pretesting,
concluding with specific procedures.

STEPS:
4. Decide what information should be sought
5. Decide what type of questionnaire should be
used
6. Write a first draft of the questionnaire
7. Reexamine and revise the questionnaire
8. Pretest the questionnaire
9. Edit the questionnaire and specify the
procedures for its use.
 WORDINGS OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE:

 Simplicityin language
 Avoid ambiguity
 Avoid vague words
 Avoid embarrassing questions
 Avoid double negatives
 Avoid leading questions
 Presuming questions
 Hypothetical questions
 ORDER OF THE QUESTIONS:

 Begin with simple and general questions

 No sensitive and embarrassing questions at
beginning
 Move from general to specific in logical manner

 Sensitive questions at the end

 Demographic data should be obtained at the end

of self administering questions
 Kahn & Cannel (1975)

funnel sequence: Start with broad questions and

gradually narrow down to the specific questions
related to the topic.
CONCLUSION

 Questionnaire are the main and easy way

collecting data
 But the questionnaire must be highly reliable
and valid.
 Using standardized questionnaires will give us
the appropriate data and will yield a valid study
 One must follow all the basic guidelines and
methods of constructing a questionnaire and test
it before using it.