Selecting a research problem in Social Research

1. Selection and Formulation of
Research Problem
Course Instructor
Dr. Rupasi Tiwari
Pr. Scientist and Incharge ATIC
ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute
Izatnagar, UP-243122, India

2.  Research is crucial to discovering new information.
 Perhaps the most important part of research is formulating a research
problem.
 Formulating a research problem shows a researcher where previous
researchers have been deficient and identifies avenues of study that have
not yet been pursued.
 Researchers must be careful to formulate their research problems
properly in order to make sure that their research intent is not
ambiguous, and to make sure that the information obtained through the
research is of significance.
 A famous quote by Aristotle says "Well begun is half done" .
Selection and Formulation of Research
Problem

3.  A research problem is the situation that causes the
researcher to feel apprehensive, confused and ill at
ease.
 It is the demarcation of a problem area within a
certain context involving the WHO, WHAT, WHERE,
WHEN and WHY of the problem situation.
What is a research problem

4.  what is the need to do the research (problem identification).
 The question that he/she should ask is:
 Are there questions about this problem to which answers have not been
found up to the present?
 Research originates from a need that arises.
 A clear distinction between the PROBLEM and the PURPOSE should be
made.
 The problem is the aspect the researcher worries about, think about,
wants to find a solution for.
 The purpose is to solve the problem, ie find answers to the question(s). If
there is no clear problem formulation, the purpose and methods are
meaningless.
Identification of the problem

5. Origin of research topics

6. Own experience or others
experience
 Mainly one of the most common sources of research ideas is the experience of
practical problems in the field.
 Many researchers are directly engaged in social, health or human service program
implementation and come up with their ideas based on what they see happening
around them.
 Others aren't directly involved in service contexts, but work with (or survey) people
who are, in order to learn what needs to be better understood.
 Many of the ideas would strike the outsider as silly or worse.
 For instance, Farm women in fields / animal care have back problems. If you reflect
on it for a minute, it should be obvious that women do an awful lot of bending
activities. They clean the animal, do milking, cutting and carrying the fodder and
chopping it, watering the animals, removal of dung etc leading to many types of
health problems. Although very simple to assess the fact that farmwomen face a
number of health problem while working in animal farms, still has lead to very big
research issues dealing with energy consumption, occupational workload, stress
reduction measures for farmwomen. So, even though it might seem silly at first,
many of these practical problems that arise in practice can lead to extensive
research efforts.

7.  Another source for research ideas is the scientific literature in specific field
such as books, journals, monographs, research publications, thesis etc.
 Many researchers get ideas for research by reading the literature and
thinking of ways to extend or refine previous research.
 Other type of literature that acts as a source of good research ideas is the
Government reports, plan documents or vision documents or the Requests
For project Proposals (RFPs) that are published by various government
agencies and other companies.
 These documents describe some problem that the agency would like
researchers to address thus they are handing the researcher an idea.
 Typically, these documents describes the problem after assessing the needs
of clients and it indicates, the approach they would like you to take to
investigate to solve the problem, and the amount they would be willing to
pay for such research.
Scientific Literature

8.  The third way is that many researchers simply think
up their research topic on their own.
 of course, no one lives in a vacuum, so it is expected
that the idea one comes up with on their own are
influenced by their background, culture.
Think up on their own

9.  Shortcomings in the existing theories could be
researched
Existing theories could be a source

10.  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.
 A scientist may even review a successful experiment, disagree with the
results, the tests used, or the methodology, and decide to refine the
research process, retesting the hypothesis.
 Research can thus be aimed at clarifying or substantiating an existing
theory, at clarifying contradictory findings, at correcting a faulty
methodology, at correcting the inadequate or unsuitable use of statistical
techniques, at reconciling conflicting opinions, or at solving existing
practical problems.
Study of previous researches/
experiments

11.  Practical issues (Burning questions) Newspapers, TV
 Professional meetings
 Discussions
 Brainstorming
Others methods

12.  Outline the general context of the problem area.
 Highlight key theories, concepts and ideas current in this
area.
 What appear to be some of the underlying assumptions of
this area?
 Why are these issues identified important?
 What needs to be solved?
 Read round the area (subject) to get to know the
background and to identify unanswered questions or
controversies, and/or to identify the most significant issues
for further exploration.
Points to be kept in mind while
formulating research problem

13.  Idea → brainstorming
 Literature review
 Identify the variables for study
 Formulate research problems and
questions/hypotheses
Narrowing the research topic

14.  Is the problem/topic significant enough?
 Is it feasible (practical/possible for me to do it)?
 Is it free of unknown hazards/dangers?
 Is it clear (unambiguous)?
Answer the following preliminary
questions…

15.  Narrowing the focus
 Population
 Situation (time, condition, subject availability, researcher’s
readiness, resources available, etc.)
 Measurements
 Issue(s) dealt with?
 Setting the scope of the problem (“this is my line…I won’t
go beyond it…”)
Actively involve yourself (and other
experts) in NARROWING & REFINEMENT
of the problem

16.  The statement of the problem involves the demarcation and
formulation of the problem, i.e., the Who/What, Where, When, Why.
It usually includes the statement of the hypothesis.
 The research problem should be stated in such a way that it would
lead to analytical thinking on the part of the researcher with the aim
of possible concluding solutions to the stated problem. Research
problems can be stated in the form of either questions or statements.
 The research problem should always be formulated grammatically
correct and as completely as possible. You should bear in mind the
wording (expressions) you use.
 Avoid meaningless words. There should be no doubt in the mind of
the reader what your intentions are.
 Demarcating the research field into manageable parts by dividing the
main problem into subproblems is of the utmost importance.
Stating the research problem

17.  Subproblems are problems related to the main
problem identified.
 Subproblems flow from the main problem and make
up the main problem.
 It is the means to reach the set goal in a manageable
way and contribute to solving the problem.
Subproblem

18. 1. The variables under study
2. The population being studied
3. The testability of the question
A Research Question Must Identify

19.  Does client-centered therapy produce more satisfaction in clients than traditional
therapy?
 Does behavior modification reduce aggression in autistic children?
 Are the descriptions of people in social studies discussions biased?
 What goes on in an elementary school classroom during an average week?
 Do teachers behave differently toward students of different genders?
 How do parents feel about the school counseling program?
 How can a principal improve faculty morale?
Examples of good research problems (in the
form of questions)

20.  Guide your literature search
 Guide your decisions about the kind of research
design to employ
 Guide your decisions aboue what data to collect and
from whom
 Guide analysis of your data
 Guide writing-up of your data
 Stop you from going off in unnecessary directions
REASONS WHY RESEARCH
QUESTIONS ARE CRUCIAL

21. Very soon after you get an idea for a study you have to think about whether the
study is feasible at all. There are several practical considerations that almost
always need to be considered when deciding on the feasibility of a research
project.
 1.You have to think about how long the research will take to accomplish.
 2. You have to question whether there are important ethical constraints that
need consideration.
 3. Can you achieve the needed cooperation to take the project to its
successful conclusion.
 4. How significant are the costs of conducting the research. Failure to
consider any of these factors can mean disaster later.
Feasibility of research problem

22. YES NO
1 Is the problem of current interest? Will the research results have social, educational or scientific value?
2 Will it be possible to apply the results in practice?
3 Does the research contribute to the science of education?
4 Will the research opt new problems and lead to further research?
5 Is the research problem important? Will you be proud of the result?
6 Is there enough scope left within the area of reseach (field of research)?
7 Can you find an answer to the problem through research? Will you be able to handle the research problem?
8 Will it be practically possible to undertake the research?
9 Will it be possible for another researcher to repeat the research?
10 Is the research free of any ethical problems and limitations?
11 Will it have any value?
12
Do you have the necessary knowledge and skills to do the research? Are you qualified to undertake the
research?
13 Is the problem important to you and are you motivated to undertake the research?
14 Is the research viable in your situation? Do you have enough time and energy to complete the project?
15 Do you have the necessary funds for the research?
16 Will you be able to complete the project within the time available?
17 Do you have access to the administrative, statistic and computer facilities the research necessitates?
TOTAL:
Checklist for testing the feasibility of the
research problem

23.  If the goal of inquiry is to create knowledge for the scientific community,
then good questions are those that address current gaps in scientific
knowledge while being tractable for students in terms of costs,
sophistication of equipment, analytical, and statistical needs.
 Many research questions often beginning as huge, potentially world
changing ideas need to be trimmed extensively so that they become
achievable within available time and resource constraints, and also predicate
a research methodology capable of providing meaningful answers.
 This means that distillation of a research question has to go through several
iterations .
Characteristics of Research problem

24.  It is best to select a research question by taking into
account the practical limitations and problems in
terms of adequate number of subjects, and
affordability in time and money.
 Researcher should be aware of accessibility of all the
materials needed to do the study.
 Researcher should have the expertise to do the study
or be able to collaborate with someone who does.
1.Feasibility and Fundability

25.  A researcher may have multiple interests for selecting
a study i.e. real interest for doing research to or for
building a career but overall the study should be
interesting both for the researcher as well as mentors
and experts in the field.
 Also, the study should have an impact all over the
community.
2. Interesting and Impactful

26.  A good study should contribute new information and not
merely repeat what is already known.
 This implies that research is guided by the rules of logical
reasoning and the logical process of induction and
deduction are of great value in carrying out research.
 Induction is the process of reasoning from a part to the
whole whereas deduction is the process of reasoning from
the premise.
 In fact, logical reasoning makes research more meaningful
in the context of decision making.
3. Novel

27.  Ethical issues are increasingly important, particularly
in relation to animal owners right to confidentiality,
information and autonomy, in relation to data
protection and also in relation to conflict of
professional interests.
 A good research must not pose unacceptable physical
risks or invade too much into the privacy of subject or
population.
4. Ethical

28.  This refers to one of the most crucial aspect of the study
and may be determined by considering how knowledge
obtained might advance current scientific knowledge
thereby influencing current practice and research.
 The purpose of the research should be clearly defined and
common concepts be used.
 Replicability allows the research to be verified by
replicating the study and thereby building a sound basis for
decisions.
5. Relevant and Replicable

29.  Research question should be such which can easily be
researchable and researcher can manage it within the
available resources and expertise.
6. Manageable

30.  Research question should be appropriate logically
and scientifically for the community and institution.
7. Appropriate

31.  The study can make significant impact in community if it is
published by a reputed journal or publisher.
 Therefore, research should aim for significant economic
impact to reduce unnecessary or excessive costs.
 Also the proposed study should exist within an identifiable
clientele, consumer, or policymaking context that is
amenable to evidence based change.
 Above all a good research question must address a topic
that has clear implications for resolving important
dilemmas in a particular context.
8. Potential Value and Publishability

32.  It means that research is structured with specified
steps to be taken in a specified sequence in
accordance with the well defined set of rules.
 Systematic characteristic of the research does not
rule out creative thinking but it certainly does reject
the use of guessing and intuition arriving at
conclusions.
9. Systematic

33. Ask these questions
 Do I know the field and its literature well?
 What are the important research questions in my field?
 What areas need further exploration?
 Could my study fill a gap? Or lead to greater understanding?
 Has a great deal of research already been conducted in this topic area?
 Has this study been done before? If so, is there room for improvement?
 Is the timing right for this question to be answered? Is it a hot topic, or is
it becoming obsolete?
 Will the study have a significant impact on the field?
Steps in formulating the research questions

34.  A well-thought-out and focused research question leads
directly to your hypotheses.
 Hypotheses are more specific predictions about the nature
and direction of the relationship between two variables.
 Hypotheses,
 Gives insight into a research question
 Are testable and measurable by the proposed
experiments
 Each hypothesis is matched with a specific aim and has
rationale.
Formulating research question /
hypotheses

35.  Directional hypothesis
 Specifies the direction of the relationship between
independent and dependent variables
 Non-directional hypothesis
 Shows the existence of a relationship between variables
but no direction is specified
Directional vs. Non-Directional
Hypotheses

36. RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE
State clearly why this research is important, what the
benefits will be and how your work will contribute to
knowledge in your field. This may include commercial
benefits, changes in current practice, a new perspective
on an old issue or other benefits to the community. You
need to
indicate why it is significant and how it advances
understanding of the issues under discussion.
Expected outcome of research

37.  One of the most important early steps in a research project is the
conducting of the literature review.
 It has been seen that many student come complaining that they
couldn't find anything in the literature that was related to their
topic.
 But this is not true , because they only looked for articles that were
exactly the same as their research topic.
 A literature review is designed to identify related research, to set
the current research project within a conceptual and theoretical
context
 . When looked at that way, there is almost no topic that is so new or
unique that we can't locate relevant and informative related
research.
The Literature Review

38.  Concentrate your efforts on the scientific literature.
 Try to determine what the most credible research journals are in your area
and start with those.
 Put the greatest emphasis on research journals that use a blind review
system.
 In a blind review, authors submit potential articles to a journal editor who
solicits several reviewers who agree to give a critical review of the paper.
 The paper is sent to these reviewers with no identification of the author so
that there will be no personal bias (either for or against the author).
 Based on the reviewers' recommendations, the editor can accept the
article, reject it, or recommend that the author revise and resubmit it.
 Articles in journals with blind review processes can be expected to have a
fairly high level of credibility.
Some important points about conducting the
literature review

39.  Do the review early in the research process.
 You are likely to learn a lot in the literature review
that will help you in making the tradeoffs you'll need
to face.
 After all, previous researchers also had to face
tradeoff decisions.

40.  You might be able to find a study that is quite similar to the one you are
thinking of doing. Since all credible research studies have to review the
literature themselves, you can check their literature review to get a quick-
start on your own.
 Prior research will help assure that you include all of the major relevant
constructs in your study. You may find that other similar studies routinely
look at an outcome that you might not have included. If you did your study
without that construct, it would not be judged credible if it ignored a major
construct.
 The literature review will help you to find and select appropriate
measurement instruments. You will readily see what measurement
instruments researchers use themselves in contexts similar to yours.
 Finally, the literature review will help you to anticipate common problems in
your research context.
Composition of review of literature