Research Problem

1. Research Problem

2. The Research Problem
A problem is a situation, which seeks a solution or
answer. A research problem is usually expressed as a
question or statement, which inquires into or deals with
the relation existing between two or more variables.

3. Problem identification refers to the process of finding or
determining what research area is to be studied.
Two basic types of problems; personal problems and
researchable problems.
A problem is researchable when the following pointers are
satisfied:
(1) there is no known answers or solution to it such that a gap in
knowledge exists;
(2) there are possible solutions the effectiveness of which is
unknown yet
(3) there are answers or solutions the possible result of which
maybe seen or maybe factually contradicting
(4) there are several possible and plausible explanations for the
undesirable conditions, and when the existence of a phenomenon
requires a solution.

4. A Good Research Problem
1. great interest to the researcher. If a researcher has a great interest to the research,
he will be more motivated and determined to work on it until its completion.
2. relevant and useful to a specific group of people. The knowledge that the result of
one’s work will be of much use to a group of people provides the researcher an input
or drive with which to pursue the problem until solutions to it are discovered or
known.
3. novel. This means that the problem should possess the element of newness or
freshness. This implies that there is originality. Avoiding or doing a study or topics
which have been overstudied, and pursuing those which were not subjected to any
investigation should be encouraged.
4. well-defined or specified. Unless the researcher has all the time, money, and ability to
cover all aspects of social problems, he is expected to set the scope or limits of his study.

5. 5. measurable. If the variables involved in the problem do not allow
measurement, the researcher will have an impossible task of reporting
the results or findings of the study.
6. time-bound. This means to say that when the researcher selects a
problem, he should have his projection as regards the time to complete
the research.
7. contribute to the refinement of certain important concepts,
creation or improvement of research instruments as analytical
system, and will permit generalizations.
8. the basis of the researcher’s capacity to meet what it requires:
manpower, money, time, and expertise.

6. The process of introducing a problem:
• Stimulate reader interest in the problem
• Demonstrate the importance of the problem
• Provide current status of the problem
• Introduce any relevant theory examined in the
study
• Place the study within the context of literature
• Identify the population to study

7. Introductory section organization
Global perspective
Diabetes is a devastating and
costly disease
•Morbidity
•Mortality
•Financial cost
More Specific
Successful and unsuccessful
attempts to intervene
Most Specific
The purpose of this study is to
examine new ways to educate
people with diabetes

8. Purpose statement
• How you frame and state the research problem is critical to the entire
research project…it is the foundation for the remainder of your work.
• Clearly express the problem as a purpose statement and/or research
question(s) to be answered
• Clearly state a hypothesis (if appropriate)

9. Form for the
problem statement
• The problem statement can be written as either a question or as a
declarative statement
• Research questions are interrogative sentences
• They may be used following a general statement of purpose to identify
sub-problems that will be answered
• Research questions are generally used in lieu of hypotheses and indicate
the use of non-experimental study designs

10. research questions can be used along with a general statement of
purpose to identify sub-problems that will be answered
• The purpose of this study was to determine the
characteristics of students who use the Health and
Wellness Center five or more times per week.
• What is the gender profile of students who use the HWC five
or more times per week?
• What is the racial/ethnic profile of students who use the
HWC five or more times per week?
• What is the BMI of students who use the HWC five or more
times per week?
• What is the attitude toward wellness of those students who
use the HWC five or more times per week?

11. variables
• Dependent Variable– the variable that is measured or
observed…outcome variable
• Ask “What is dependent upon what?”
• Independent Variable – variable being examined or
tested
• Control Variable – variable whose potential to impact
the dependent variable has been removed or
“controlled for” by the study design or statistical
manipulation

12. What is a hypothesis?
• Expresses the relationship between two or more
variables
• States the predicted outcome of a test
• A hypothesis can be tested (proved or disproved)

13. Directional and nondirectional
hypotheses
• Nondirectional hypotheses: predict a difference
between groups, but do not specify what the
difference might be
• Null hypothesis (Ho ): statement of no difference
• The means or scores are not different
• Alternative hypothesis (Ha ): statement of difference
• The means or scores are different in a predicted direction

14. examples
 Nondirectional:
There will be a difference in contraceptive knowledge level of students that
participated in an abstinence-only sexuality education program and the
contraceptive knowledge level of students who participated in an abstinence-
based sexuality education program.
 Null Hypothesis: There will be no difference in the contraceptive
knowledge level of students that participated in an abstinence-only
sexuality education program and the contraceptive knowledge level of
students who participated in an abstinence-based sexuality education
program.
 Alternative Hypothesis: The contraceptive knowledge levels of students
that participated in an abstinence-only sexuality education program will be
lower than the contraceptive knowledge level of students who participated
in an abstinence-based sexuality education program.

15. Hypothesis testing
• Is the difference in contraceptive knowledge levels
between the two groups of students large enough to
convince us that it is the result of the differences
between the two types of education programs and not
simply chance or normal variation.
• Most often test the null hypothesis (there is no
difference between the contraceptive knowledge
levels of the two groups)
• Use statistical tests to determine the probability that
the null hypothesis is true

16. Hypothesis testing
• Type I Error
• Rejecting a true H0
• Type II Error
• Failure to reject a false H0
• Note: a H0 is never “accepted”
• p-values
• Standard is 5%

17. Timelines
Most research proposals include a fairly detailed
anticipated schedule for the planned research project.
1. Create a list of all the steps from planning the study
through the dissemination of results
2. Create a calendar that shows when each of these
steps is expected to begin and end
3. Set deadlines along the way that will help ensure
that the project stays on track toward timely
completion

18. Part I: Article analysis
• Problem or purpose?
• Hypotheses ?
• Nondirectional, null, or alternative
• Dependent variable
• Independent variable(s)
• Part II: Your research question & timeline