Research Problem

DEFINING THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

            The most difficult phase of any research project is the choice of a suitable problem. The first and fore most step in research process is selecting and defining the research problem.

“ A research problem in general refers to some difficulty which the researcher experiences in the context of either a theoretical or practical solution and wants to obtain the solution for the same.”

 COMPONENTS OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

1.   There must be an individual or a group, which has some difficulty or the problem.

2.   There must be some objectives to be attained.

3.   There must be an alternative means for attaining the objectives.

4.   There must be some doubt in the mind of a researcher with regard to the selection of the alternatives.

5.   There must be some environment to which the difficulty pertains.

SOURCES FOR RESEARCH PROBLEM

            The problems lie everywhere around us. They even lie at our doorstep and in our backyards in order to locate and recognize them one should develop problem awareness or problem consciousness.

1. Classroom, school, home, community and other agencies of education.           Daily contacts with pupils who are the most important individuals in education furnish a rich source for identification of problems. An investigator should keep his mind open in order to identify and select problem from the realms of home environment, peer influences, mass media etc.,

2. Study of related literature. 

      Extensive critical reading in a field makes the investigator familiar with the accumulated facts in the field and serves as the guide for not selecting the problem that has already been investigated. It also sensitizes the new possibilities in research

3. Educational innovations and social developments.

             Innovations such as semester patterns of courses, internal assessment and grades or marks, correspondence courses, programmed learning material, e learning needed to be evaluated through research process. Unemployment of educated and all around corruption are some social factors which are upsetting the steady programmes of education.

4. Professional contacts

    Excitement in research is contagious. Attending meetings of research association, symposium  seminars and informal discussions serve as useful source for identifying problems.

5. Consultations

              Consultations with experts, research supervisor, and research guide will help to develop a manageable research problem.

6. Questioning attitude

            A questioning attitude towards prevailing practices and research oriented academic experience will effectively promote problem awareness.

7. Inference from theories

       Learning theories, personality theories, theories of intelligence, theories of motivation, sociological theories provide rich sources of topics for research in classroom situation.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING THE PROBLEM

1.  Novelty: The problem should be sufficiently original so that it does not involve objectionable duplication.

2.   Interesting: A major reason for encouraging an investigator select his own research problem is that the results should prove better in terms of the growth of the investigator and the quality of his work. His interest should be purely intrinsic in nature.

3.  Significance: It should be significant enough and involve an important principle or practice. No research project should be undertaken unless its consequences give promise of improving an important educational practice.

4.  Feasibility: It may be a very good problem yet it should be good for the investigator. He should be able to carry it through a successful conclusion. He should be competent enough to carryout the project and should possess a sound grounding in the research techniques and procedures.

5.  Availability of Data: The research worker should ensure the availability of valid and reliable data gathering devices.

6.  Availability of cooperation and guidance: The investigator must make sure that necessary permission and cooperation will be readily available. He should also look for the availability of an adequately qualified faculty who would be ready to guide his research work.

7.   Nature of the problem: Controversial subject should not become the choice of an average researcher. Too narrow or too vague problems should be avoided.

8. Experience and creativity: Good research problems stem from a clear understanding of the theoretical empirical and practical aspects of the subject. Lack of unfamiliarity with the subject is almost sure to result in a poor choice. Another major contributor to the wise choice of problem is creativity.

9.   Level of research: Levels like Master’s degree, M.Phil. degree and Ph.D. is another criterion which helps in the selection of the problem. It may simply be an action research or a research to produce a research paper or an experimental project.

10. Courage and confidence: The research should have the courage and determination to pursue the study in spite of the difficulties and social hazards that may be involved.

11. Availability of other facilities: The investigator should be able to meet the expenses involved in data gathering equipment, printing test material, travel, computation, clerical help, postage, preparation of the report.

12. Immediate application: The result should help in solving an immediate problem.

HOW TO SELECT A RESEARCH PROBLEM

            The problem should be carefully selected. Help may be taken from a research guide. Research problem cannot be borrowed. A problem must spring from the researcher’s mind .

Points to be noted by a researcher:

1. He should select his field of specialization and become scholar in that field.
2. He should develop a concern for the field.
3. He should study the available research literature on his field of specialization.
4. He should prepare a record of problems already studied in his field.
5. Subjects, which are overdone, should not be selected.
6. Controversial topics should not be selected.
7. Too narrow and too vague subject should not be selected.
8. The subject selected for research should be familiar.
9. In order to get a definite idea the researcher could contact experts.
10. He may read articles published in current literature available in the subject.
11. He may discuss with others.
12. The importance of the subject, the qualification and the training of the researcher, the cost    involved, the time factor are few other criteria that must also be considered in selecting the problem.

 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

            After the problem has been selected, it must be definitely formulated and stated. A good statement of the problem must clarify exactly what is to be determined or solved. It must restrict the scope of the study to specific and workable research questions. In stating the problem, the researcher should see that it is neither stated in so general terms as to become vague nor specified so narrowly as to become trivial and insignificant.  The type of statement to be employed depends on the preference of the researcher and the nature of the problem. There are two different ways for stating the problem they are:

§        Posing question / questions

o  Is participation in high competitive athletics detrimental to academic achievement?

o     How do academic motivation influences academic achievement?

§        Declarative statement / statements

o     Academic achievement and self-concept of IX standard students.

o     Job satisfaction of primary school teachers in TamilNadu.

One may choose any of these two ways remembering that question form has an advantage of sharpening and focusing the issue but the declarative form is perhaps more common.

 DEFINITION OF THE PROBLEM

            Defining a research problem properly and clearly is a crucial part of a research study and must in no case be accomplished hurriedly. The research problem should be defined in a systematic manner giving due weightage to all relating points.

Steps in defining a problem

1.      Statement of the problem in a general way

2.      Understanding the nature of the problem

3.      Surveying the available literature

4.      Developing the ideas through discussions

5.      Rephrasing the research problem into working proposition

Points to 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) related to the research problem should be clearly defined.

c)     A straight forward statement of the value of the investigation should be provided. (i.e criteria for selecting the problem)

d)     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 investigation or the limits within which the problem is to be studied must be mentioned explicitly in defining the research problem.

 DETERMINING THE FEASIBILITY OF THE STUDY

A problem may be a good one from the point of view of the three criteria namely

·        Is the problem new?

·        Is the problem researchable?

·        Is the problem significant?

     Yet it may not be feasible in view of some of the personal aspects of a researcher they are:

1.      Research Competencies: The problem should be in an area in which the researcher is qualified and competent. He must be familiar with the existing theories concepts and laws in order to identify a worthwhile problem. He must also possess the necessary skills and competencies that may be needed to develop administer and interpret the necessary data gathering tools. He also needs to consider whether he has the necessary knowledge of research design and statistical procedure to complete his research work.

2.      Interest and Enthusiasm: The problem should be one in which the researcher is genuinely interested and about which he is truly enthusiastic. It should be meaningful and arouse real curiosity of the researcher.

3.      Financial considerations: The problem should be the one, which is financially feasible. The researcher should ascertain whether he has the necessary financial resources to carryon the investigation of the selected problem. He must have an estimate of the expenditure involved in data gathering equipment, printing test materials, travel and clerical assistance. If the research project is too expensive, the researcher may determine the possibility of getting financial assistance from organization like UGC, NCERT ICSSR etc.,

4.      Time requirements: The problem should be the one that can be studied and completed in the allotted time. The researcher should select a problem that can be investigated with little expenditure of time or energy. It is worthwhile to plan for the time that will be needed for the development and administration of tools, processing and analysis of data and writing of research report.

5.      Administrative considerations: In addition to personal, financial and time requirements, the researcher should consider the kinds of data, equipment, specialized personnel and administrative facilities needed to complete the study successfully. He must also check whether the authorities permit him to contact the students, administer the necessary tools or conduct necessary experiments, interview the teachers or have access to important records and documents.