2. • Identifying a Research Problem:
• Practitioners in the field may encounter difficulties in
their daily work need to be researched.
• Whatever the situation, the identification and selection
of a research problem is the first step in the research
process.
• Problem is: A question raised for inquiry, consideration
or solution. It is an intricate unsettled question
• Research Problem: It is a problem that someone would like
to investigate. It is considered a situation that needs to be
changed or addressed.
3. • These problems consist of:
• Areas of concern
• Conditions to be improved
• Difficulties to be eliminated
• Questions seeking answers
• The research problem is typically posed as a question.
E.g. What technology is best in communicating with
farmers?
4. • Factors to consider in selecting a research problem:
• Relevance: The study should address priority
health needs or problems with in the community.
• Avoidance of duplication: It should not be previously
done either within the proposed study area or in
another area with similar conditions.
• Feasibility: The research should be with in the time
available, shorter, simpler study, with resources
necessary can be obtained, and with the necessary skills
5. • Applicability of the result: The health problem being
investigated should likely to be solved or at least alleviated
by the type of research and methodology proposed.
• Urgency of the data needed: The research should be
designed so that results are needed for decision-making
purposes.
• Ethical acceptability: there may be inflicting harm on
others while carrying out research; that it requires to
consider acceptability of the study subjects
• Political Acceptability: research topic should has the
interest and support of the local/national authorities.
6. • SOURCE OF PROBLEM:
How does one find topics to research?
– Become a scholar in an area of specialization
– Read, listen, discuss and think critically
– Follow up on ideas that stem from present research
– Explore areas of dissatisfaction
7. • REFINING A RESEARCH TOPIC: Steps
• Identify a broad area that interests you
• Read the literature
• Narrow the area to 2 or 3 topics
• Thoroughly examine the literature on the 2-3 topics
• Select a single problem from 2-3 topics
• The topic has to be “sized”
– Generally this means reducing the scope of the
topic, occasionally it might be expanded.
– Graduate students often select topics that are too
broad
8. • The topic has to be “clarified”
– The topic needs to reworded so that it states clearly
and unambiguously the matter to be investigated, the
variables to be investigated, and participants, if any,
that will be involved.
• A series of research questions or one or more
hypotheses, or both, should be stated.
– Experimental, quasi-experimental, correlational and
ex post facto (applied retroactively) often have
hypotheses
– Historical, descriptive and ethnographic research
often have questions
9. • Such questions and hypotheses orient the study, add
cohesiveness, and are essential in helping solve the
problem.
• It is hypothesized that:
• Graduate students in classes who use the electronic
responders will score higher on mid-term and final
exams than graduate students in classes who do not use
the electronic responders.
10. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF RESEARCH PROBLEM:
• Scales are used for rating the research topic selected.
11.
12.
13. • STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM:
• Statement of the problem is the statement questions
about the problem to which answers have not been
found up to the present.
• Effective problem statements answer the question “Why
does this research need to be conducted”
• Statement of the problem is the essential basis for the
development of a research proposal (Objectives,
methodology, budget and others).
• Statement of the problem allows to systematically
describe the problem, reflect its importance & priority
in the local area and to point out why the research
should be under taken.
14. Information included in statement of the problem:
• A description of socio-economic & cultural
characteristics, health-care system in the country
• A description of nature of the problem (discrepancy
between what is and what should be), distribution and
severity of the problem (who, where, when, and what
are the consequences).
• Analysis of major factors that influence the problem
• Description of any solutions to the problem that have
been tried in the past, and why further research is
needed (justification for your study).
15. • Description of the type of information expected to
result from the project and how it will be used
• If necessary, short-list of definitions of crucial
concepts used in the statement of the problem.
• How to write Statement of the Problem
– The section should be precise and concise
– Information should be summarized, so the reader
isn’t “drowned” in detail.
– An outline listing the major points to be covered
could be prepared before any writing is done, so the
section will be logical and well organized.
16. Group work (20%)
Be in group and evaluate the following research tittles using research
tittle selection criteria
1. Assessment of knowledge ,attitude and practice towards TB
prevention among health science students, Nekemte, Oromia,2018
2. Prevalence of Hepatitis B among health professionals working in
Mettu karl hospital, Mettu, Oromia,2018
3. Prevalence of khat chewing among health science students wollega
university nekemte,Oromia,2018
4. Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice of hand washing
practice among health science students attaching at Wollega
university Teaching and referral hospital,nekemte, Oromia,2018
5. Assessment of infection prevention skill among wollega university
health science students during clinical
attachment,nekemte,oromia,2018
6. Determinants of cheating among wollega univesity
17. Home take assigment (10%)
• Be in your group try to come with three
research tittle of your concern by considering
research title selection consideration and your
profession nursing
• Due date coming session
