A discussion on how to construct a research problem

1. PAMELA M. VEROY RN, MAN
RESEARCH
PROBLEM

2. What is a research problem?
A problem that someone would like to research
Anything that a person find unsatisfactory or
unsettling, a difficulty of some sort, a state of
affairs that need to be changed.
A problems involve areas of concerns to
researchers, for condition they want to improve,
difficulties they want to eliminate, questions for
which they want to seek answers.

3. Examples of possible research questions:
Does client-centered therapy produce more
satisfaction in clients than traditional therapy?
(traditional-experimental research).
Does behavior modification reduce aggression in
autistic children? (single-subject experimental
research)
Are the descriptions of people in social studies
discussions biased? (grounded theory research)

4. Other examples of research problem…..
What goes on in an elementary school classroom
during an average work? (ethnographic research)
Do teachers behave differently towards students of
different gender? (causal-comparative research)
How can we predict which students have trouble
learning certain kinds of subject matter?
(correlational research)

5. More examples of research problems…
How do parents feel about the school counseling
program? (survey research)
How can a principal improve a faculty morale?
(Interview research)
Why these questions researchable?
NOTE: What makes these questions researchable is
that some sort of information can be collected to
answer them.

6. Some questions cannot be answered by collecting
and analyzing data….
Should philosophy be included in the high school
curriculum?
What is the meaning of life?
WHY?
Why can’t these questions be researched?
What prevents us from collecting information to
answer them?
Answer: Both questions are in final analysis..

7. Reasons why can’t be researchable….
Should philosophy be included in the high
school curriculum?
- It is a question of value and does not have any
observable reference.
- The verb “should”: How can we observed or
determine whether or not something “should” be
done? What data could we collect?
- How about this:
“Do people think philosophy should be included in
high school curriculum?”

8. Reasons why can’t be researchable….
What is the meaning of life?
- This question is metaphysical in nature – beyond the
physical, transcendental.
- It lies beyond the accumulation of information.
Hhm… what is
earth? Is there
a creature
called HUMAN
BEING??
ALIEN

9. Which ones (if any) do you think are researchable?
Is God good?
Are children happier when taught by a teacher of
the same gender?
Does high school achievement influence the
academic achievement of university students?
What is the best way to teach grammar?
What would schools be like today if World War II
had not occurred?
Answer: Question 2 & 3 are researchables; 1, 4 &
5 aren’t.

10. Let’s identify which are/aren’t researchable:
No: Not
researchable
Yes:
researchable
Should I put
my youngster
in pre-
school?
Do children enrolled
in pre-school
develop better social
skills than children
not enrolled?
What is the
best way to
learn to read?
At which age is it
better to introduce
phonics to children-
age 5, 6 or 7?

11. Let’s identify which are/aren’t researchable:
No: Not
researchable
Yes:
researchable
Are some
people
born bad?
Who commits
more crimes-
poor people or
rich people?
Yes:
researchable

12. 4Characteristics of Good Research Questions
1. The question is feasible (i.e., It can be investigated
without an undue amount of time, energy, or money)
2. The question is clear (i.e., most people would agree
as to what the key words in the question mean)
3. The question is significant (i.e., it is worth
investigating; it contribute important knowledge about
human condition)
4. The question is ethical (i.e., it will not involve
physical or psychological harm or damage to human
feelings, or to natural or social environment of which
they are part)

13. 1. Research problem should be feasible….
An important issue in designing studies is that of
feasibility…
The lack of feasibility often seriously limits research
efforts.
EXAMPLE:
Feasible: How do the students in Davao City High
School feel about the new guidance program recently
instituted in the district?
Not so feasible: How would giving each student
his pr her own laptop computer to use for a semester
affect achievement?

14. 2. Research question should be clear….
Example 1: “Is a humanistically oriented
classroom effective?
What is humanistically oriented classroom?
- Do teachers use certain kinds of strategies?
- Do they lecture?
- In what sorts of activities do students participate?
- What do such classroom look like-how is the seating
arranged?
- What kind of materials are used?

15. “Inexpensive” car…
“I want to buy an
Inexpensive car..”
Hello!!
“Under
P30,000
“Up to
P50,000

16. What does the term “effective” mean?
- Does it results in increased academic proficiency?
- Does it results in happier children?
- Makes life easier for teacher?
- It costs less money?
Example 2: “How do teachers feel about
special classes for the educationally
handicapped?
The first term that needs clarification is
“teachers”.
- What age group does this involve?
- What level of experience? (i.e., are probationary
teachers included?)

17. Continuation……
- Are teachers in both private and public schools
included?
- Are teachers nationwide or just in locality included?
The phase “feel about” is also ambiguous.
- Does it mean opinions?
- Does it mean emotional reaction?
- Does it suggest actions? Or what?
The terms “special classes” and “educationally
handicapped” also need to be clarified.

18. Example of a legal definition of “educationally
handicapped”..
A minor who, by reason of marked learning or
behavioral disorders, is unable to adapt to a
normal classroom situation. The disorder must be
associated with a neurological handicap or an
emotional disturbance and must not be due to
mental retardation, cultural deprivation, or
foreign language problems.
NOTE: the definition itself contains some
ambiguous words.

19. DEFINING TERMS
There are 3 ways to clarify important terms in a research
question.
1. Use a constitutive definition – to use what is often referred
to as the dictionary approach. It uses additional terms to clarify
meaning
- A humanistic classroom might defined as; A classroom in
which;
a) the needs and interest of students have the highest priority
b) students work on their own for a considerable amount of time
in each class period
c) the teacher acts as a guide and a resource person rather than
an informant.

20. Cont. Defining terms….
2. A term or phrase is need to define by examples
- Example term, “nondirective therapy”
- learning disability
- bilingual education
- home-centered health care
- Here are 3 definitions of the term “motivated to
learn”. Which do you think is the clearest?
a) Works hard
b) Is eager and enthusiastic
c) Sustains attention to a task.

21. Which of these class can be called motivated
to learn?
A. Those who are very
eager to recite?
B. Those who are very
attentive to listen?

22. Cont. Defining terms….
3. To define important terms operationally.
- Operational definition require that researchers
specify the actions or operations necessary to
measure or identify or identify the term.
- describes how examples of a term are to be
measured or identified.
- Any classroom identified by specified experts as
constituting an example of a humanistic classroom
- Any classroom judged (by an observer spending
at least 1 day/wk for 4-5 weeks) to possess all
following characteristics;

23. Cont. Defining terms….
- a) no more than 3 children working with the same
materials at the same time
- b) the teacher never spending more than 20
minutes per day addressing the class as a group
- c) at least half of every class period open for
students to work on projects of their own choosing at
their own pace.
TRIVIA: “Motivated to learn mathematics”
Define operationally…..

24. Operational definition…..
Is Jamie smart?
“He does get
really good
grades.”
“He knows
how to please
people, that’ s
for sure”
“Jamie
is really
a smart
isn’t
he?”
“No way! He
was the only
one who got
lost on our
camping
trip.”

25. 3. Research questions should be significant…
We need to consider whether a question is worth
spending time and energy (and often money) to get
an answer.
3 guidelines
1. How might answers to this question advance
knowledge in my field?
2. How might answers to this question improve
educational practice?
How might answers to this question improve the
human condition?

26. 4. Research Questions often investigate
relationship…..
A suggested relationship means that two qualities or
characteristics are tied together or connected in
some way…
Are motivation and learning related? If so, how?
What about age and attractiveness?
Speed and weight?
Height and strength?
A principal administrative policies and faculty
morale?

27. -----END----
What is
now my
problem
to
research?