The document provides guidance on how to identify and define a research problem. It discusses the key elements of a research problem statement, including describing the ideal situation, current reality, and consequences of not addressing the problem. Some important sources of research problems are one's own experiences, deductions from theory, and gaps found in related literature. The problem statement should have a clear topic and be narrowed down through reviewing literature. Determining whether a problem is worth researching involves considering if it advances knowledge, contributes to practice, and fills gaps in existing research. The document outlines steps for writing a problem statement and differentiates a research problem from other aspects of a study like the topic, purpose, and research questions. It also compares quantitative and qualitative purpose statements

1. Bagaimana
mengenalpasti
masalah kajian?
How to identify a
research problem?

2.  the topic you would like to address,
investigate, or study, whether
descriptively or experimentally.
 It is the focus or reason for engaging in
your research.
 It is typically a topic, phenomenon, or
challenge that you are interested in and
with which you are at least somewhat
familiar.
What Is a Research Problem?

3. This is an area of conflict, concern, or
controversy (a gap between what is
wanted and what is observed). Include
the most relevant reference that
supports the claim.
The Research Problem

4. Step to
review in
the future

5. Decide on the general
area of study or
investigation
* Generally
influenced by your
own experiences or
literature review. STEP 1

6. The Sources of the Problem
How do I find a
research
problem??
3
important
sources
for
research
problem
1. Experience
2. Deduction
from theory
3. Related
literature

7. experience
Experiences as
educational
practitioners
Teaching method??
Practices that
have become
routine in school
situation??
Program
beneficial/
evaluation? Problem for
investigation?
New
pedagogical?
Indigeneous
practices?
Improve
educational
practice.
New teoritical
model?
Bla bla???

8. Deductions
from theory
If “this” is true, then you
should expect to make “this”
observation.
The researcher might also try to
see if the theory holds or can be
applied in different situation?
Ex: understand
the roots of youth
violence?? --what
theory? Erickson
personality
development
theory??
Many deducation s
to be made and
tested under
classroom
conditions?
The application of an
existing theory in a
different setting or
different context
An investigation
into whether a
particular early
theory still applies
today
Exploration of a
gap or
contradiction in
existing theory/
research

9. Related
literature
Literature in your
own of interest
Review of previous
research
• helps people formulate research questions that are the next
logical step from previous investigation
• may stimulate a researcher to see whether the procedures
employed can be adopted to solving other problems, or whether a
similar study could be conducted in a different field or subject area
or with different groups of subjects.
• May suggest the desirablity of replication to confirm previous
finding
• Review research studies previously undertaken may raise the
question of the applicablity of their findings in other cultures
• May result detecting inconsistencies and contradictions or
disatisfaction with the conceptualization, methodology, measuring
instruments and statistical analysis used
• May become aware of information gaps – plan research to help fill
these gaps

10. Ex: Area - “Students can’t read (experience)
(issue to investigate)
Issues – most of the
students can’t read

11. NARROW THE AREA
STEP 2

12. “Students can’t read,” is not
clear because many aspects
of reading, including discrete
reading skills and strategies,
may contribute to reading
difficulties.
 Alternatively, “Students cannot find the main ideas in
reading passages,” is much clearer and potentially much
easier to measure and address, since one can define main
idea and determine student performance related to this
behavior in a number of ways.
 So whether in the classroom, the physician’s office, or the
mechanic’s shop, defining or diagnosing a problem is key to
designing and implementing effective interventions to
address it.

13. Area: commitment to
environmental
friendly lifestyle
Commitment
R 1
R 2
R 3
Gap
Indicator – c
(research
scope?)
Ideal
commit-
ment
Reality
Narrow –
investigate the
gap
Definition?
What model?

14. Attitude?
Afective
domain –
based on
Bloom &
Krathwohl
responding
Valuing
organising
Internalising values
Receiving
Definition/
scope
Factor
Internal self
Background
Family?
Bla bla
Model ??

15. After you have
narrowed down
your topic or
problem,
searching and
reviewing
existing
literature may
further clarify
your research
approach
by identifying
where the
conclusions of
previous research
are unclear or
where gaps may
exist in the
literature, you will
be better prepared
to write good
research questions.
NARROW

16. sources

18. Potential of
the research
problem

19. Determining Whether a Problem Should Be Researched
• Can you study the problem?
–Do you have access to the research site?
–Do you have the time, resources, and skills to carry out the
research?
• Should you study the problem?
–Does it advance knowledge?
–Does it contribute to practice?
• Will your study fill a gap or void in the existing literature?
• Will your study replicate a past study but examine different
participants and different research sites?
• Will your study extend past research or examine the topic more
thoroughly?
• Will your study give voice to people not heard, silenced, or
rejected in society?
• Will your study inform practice?
• be significant enough to contribute to the existing body of
research

27. A "Problem Statement" is a description
of a difficulty or lack that needs to be
solved or at least researched to see
whether a solution can be found. It can
also be described as either a
gap between the real and the desired
or a contradiction between principle
and practice
How to write a
problem
statement??

28. What is the format (parts of a problem statement)?
A persuasive problem statement consists of three parts: 1) the ideal, 2) the reality,
and 3) the consequences.
1. Part A- the
ideal: Describes
a desired goal or
ideal situation;
explains how
things should be.
2. Part B €“ the
reality: Describes a
condition that prevents
the goal, state, or value in
Part A from being
achieved or realized at
this time; explains how
the current situation falls
short of the goal or ideal.
3. Part C €“ the
consequences: Identifies
the way you propose to
improve the current
situation and move it closer
to the goal or ideal.

29. teori
tradisional –
semakin tinggi
pengetahuan
dan kemahiran
tentang alam
sekitar akan
semakin tinggi
komitmen
terhadap alam
sekitar
Realiti – Namun, masih banyak
kajian yang menunjukkan
bahawa walaupun seseorang itu
mempunyai pengetahuan yang
tinggi terhadap alam sekitar dan
menyedari akan kepentingan
Pendidikan Alam Sekitar ianya
tidak semestinya akan reflek
kepada tindakan terhadap alam
sekitar dalam kehidupan harian
mereka. (Nisbet, 2005; Lim Siaw
Fong, 2005; Abdul Aziz
Shamsuddin, 2003; Kaplan dan
Moore, 2001; Winter, 2000;
Kaplan, 2000; Pooley dan
O’Connor, 2000; Roszak, et al.,
1995 dan Schahn dan
Holzer,1990).
Di satu aspek, banyak kajian
menunjukkan bahawa punca
utama kepada kewujudan
fenomena ini ialah pemisahan
spiritual dan psikologikal
manusia daripada alam sekitar
yakni berkaitan dengan
kesihatan mental manusia
(Canty, 2007; Miranda, 2007;
Sevilla, 2006; Nisbet, 2005;
Mayer & Frantz (2004), Shultz, et
al. (2004), Fisher (1999),
Metzner (1999), Fisher (1999),
Fenwick, 1998; Macy dan Brown,
1998; Bradley, 1997; Pearson,
1997; Howard, 1997; Roszak et
al., 1995; Merkl, 1995; Metzner,
1995; Roszak, 1992).

30. Here are your simple four steps to write a
statement problem
Step 1 (statement
1)
Construct
statement 1 by
describing a goal or
desired state of a
given situation,
phenomenon etc.
This will build the
ideal situation
(what should be,
what is expected,
desired)
Step 2 (statement 2)
Describe a condition
that prevents the goal,
state, or value
discussed in step 1
from being achieved
or realized at the
present time. This will
build the reality, the
situation as it is and
establish a gap
between what ought
to be and what is
Step 3
Connect steps 1
and 2 using a
term such as
"but,"
"however,"
"Unfortunately,"
or "in spite of";
Step 4 (statement 3)
Using specific details
show how the situation
in step 2 contains little
promise of
improvement unless
something is
done. Then emphasize
the benefits of
research by projecting
the consequences of
possible solutions as
well.

31. Five Elements of a
“Problem Statement”
Topic
Evidence for
the
Issue
Deficiencies
in the
Evidence
What
Remedying
the Deficiencies
will do for
Select
Audiences
FLOW OF IDEAS
Subject
Area
Educational
Issue
•A Concern
•A Problem
•Something
that needs a
solution
•Evidence from
the literature
•Evidence from
practical
experiences
•In this body of
evidence, what is
missing?
•What do we
need to know
more about?
How will
addressing
what we need to
know help:
– researchers
– educators
– policy makers
– individuals like
those in the study

32. How do I write a
research problem?
Stating the Research Problem
• State the problem in the opening
paragraph (i.e., something that needs
a solution)
• Identify an issue
–Research-based research problems
–Practical problems
• Reference the problem using the
literature
• Common pitfall: defining the
problem based on the solution

33. How the Problem Differs From
Other Parts of Research
•A research problemis an educational
issue or problem in the study.
•A research topicis the broad
subject matter being addressed in a
study.
•A purposeis the major intent or
objective of the study.
•Research questionsare those that
the researcher would like answered
or addressed in the study.

34. Justifying the Importance of the Research Problem
Justification
 Justification based on what
other researchers have
found
 Justification based on
personal or workplace
experiences
 Justification based on the
experiences that others
have had in the workplace

35. Locating the Research Problem
Read the opening paragraphs of
existing studies for one or
more of the following:
-What is the issue or problem?
–What controversy leads to
the need for a study?
–What concern is being
addressed behind the study?
–Is there a sentence such as,
“The problem being addressed
in this study is…”?

36. Elements of a Quantitative Purpose Statement
A quantitative purpose statementidentifies the
variables, their relationships, and the
participants and site for research
•Guidelines for writing
–Use a single sentence.
–Use wording such as The purpose of this study .
. .
–If using a theory, state the theory you plan to
test.
–Use quantitative words (e.g., “relate,” “compare,”
“describe”) to describe the relationships between
variables.
Quantitavie

37. Elements of a Quantitative Purpose Statement
(cont.)
Guidelines for writing (cont.)
–Independent variable (1st position
in sentence)
–Dependent variable (2nd position in
sentence)
–Control and/or mediating variable
(3rd position in sentence)
–Research site
–Participants

38. Designing QualitativePurpose Statements
• Understand how these
statements and questions differ
from quantitative research.
• Understand the role of a central
phenomenon in qualitative
research.
• Understand qualitative research
as an emerging process.

39. Differences Between Quantitative and
Qualitative Purpose Statements
Quantitative—more closed
1.Probable cause/effect
(Why did it happen?)
•Use of theories (Why did it
happen in view of an explanation or
theory?)
•Assess differences and magnitude
(How much happened?)
(How many times did it happen?)
(What were the differences
amonggroups in what happened?)
Qualitative—more open ended
•Descriptive (What
happened?)
•Interpretive (What was the
meaning to people of what
happened?)
•Process oriented (What
happened over time?)

40. Thank you Tiwi Kamidin, JSS, IPG KBL