UNIT V

SOCIO LEGAL RESEARCH

METHODOLOGY
IDENTIFICATION OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
Before starting any form of study, clear understanding of the research problem and formulating it
properly is very important. Defining the problem makes it easier. It means that research problems or
questions are fuel driving the entire scientific process and they serve as the foundation of any
experimental design or method, from case studies to real experiments.

Research Problem
A research problem is a statement about an area of concern, a condition to be improved, a difficulty
to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or in practice that
points to the need for meaningful understanding and deliberate investigation. In some social science
disciplines the research problem is typically posed in the form of a question. A research problem does
not state how to do something, but offers a vague or broad proposition, or presents a value question.
The purpose of a problem statement is to:
 Create awareness regarding the importance of the topic, and giving orientation to the
significance of the study and the research questions or hypotheses to be followed.
 Place the problem into a particular context that defines the parameters of what is to be
investigated.
 Provide the framework for reporting the results and indicate what is probably necessary to
conduct the study and explain how the findings will present this information.
Identifying a research problem
After having chosen a specific topic, clearly state the research problem that identifies all the issues
that are required to be addressed. It’s not always simple for students to formulate it. In some fields,
they may end up spending a lot of time thinking, exploring, and studying before getting a clear idea of
what research questions to answer.
Some research paper topics are too broad to give a researchable issue. For example, studying certain
social issues, like child poverty, don’t provide any researchable question and instead take a lot of time
and resources to become feasible, also the study will lack enough focus and depth.
Statement of a research problem
An adequate statement of the research problem plays an important role in its success. It’s possible to
generate a number of researchable issues from the same subject because there are many issues that
may arise out of it. The study should always pursue only one in detail.

Basic characteristics of research problem

For an effective research problem, the following are the basic characteristics:
 Reflect on important issues or needs;
 Based on factual evidence (non-hypothetical);
 Manageable and relevant;
 Hypothesis should be testable and meaningful.

Formulating the research problem:

Formulating the research problem enables to make the purpose of the study clear. A problem
statement is an effective and essential tool to keep on track with research and evaluate it.
5 ways to formulate the research problem:
 Specify the research objectives;
 Review its context or environment;
 Explore its nature;
 Determine variable relationships;
 Anticipate the possible consequences of alternative approaches.
Specific research objectives
A clear statement that defines all objectives can help in conducting and developing effective and
meaningful research. A few goals will help in keeping the study relevant. This statement also helps in
evaluating the questions of the research project and different methods used to address them.
Review the context of your research problem
Define and test all kinds of environmental variables that make the project successful. This step helps
in defining the important findings of the study which will deliver enough data to be worth considering.
Identify specific environmental variables that may potentially affect the research and start formulating
effective methods to control all of them.
Explore the nature of the Research Problem
Research problems may range from simple to complex, and everything depends on a range of variables
and their relationships. Some of them can be directly relevant to specific research questions, while
others are completely unimportant for the project.
Understanding the nature enables you to develop effective solutions, to get a deep idea of all the
dimensions, to think about focus groups and other relevant details to provide the necessary insight
into a particular question.
Determine variable relationships
Scientific, social, and other studies often focus on creating a certain sequence of repeating behaviours
over time. Completing the entire process involves:
 Identifying the variables that affect possible solutions to the research problem;
 Deciding on the degree to use and control all the variables for study purposes;
 Determining functional relationships between existing variables;
 Choose the most critical variables for the solution of the research problem.
During the formulation stage, it’s necessary to consider and generate as many potential approaches
and variable relationships as possible.
The consequences of alternative approaches
There are different consequences that each course of action or approach can bring about, and hence
the need to anticipate them. Communicating the possible outcomes is a primary goal of every research
process.
Structuring the research problem
A view of the scientific papers regarding the research questions is crucial for determining the quality
of answers, methods, and findings. Quantitative designs use deductive reasoning to state a testable
hypothesis. Qualitative methods use inductive reasoning to make a strong statement of the future
thesis.
Tips for defining the research problem
Formulate the research problem during the initial stage of a scientific process or study. For instance,
literature reviews, research, and studies of previous experiments are likely to provide with vague areas
of interest. Concentrate on the area that brings interesting results. Make sure that it has a potential
for exploring. Think about reviewing a successful experiment and try to disagree with its results,
methodology, and tests, defining the entire process, and retest its hypothesis.
The importance of revising
Collect useful feedback from teachers, students, and other people to successfully revise the research
question. Take the following details into account to simplify this process:
 Agreement among readers that a research problem is very broad;
 Suggestions certain misunderstandings of the chosen matter, if any;
 Advice for narrowing your subject down or thinking of a better way to focus it;
 Specifications about the misunderstanding;
 A consensus that the research question is very narrow and interesting ideas to make it more
general;
 Comments about its clarity and phrasing.
After revising the initial research problem, its possible solutions, and above-mentioned details, a
formal version can be written.

Flexibility of a good research problem

A simple self-test to determine whether the question is good enough for the scientific project and
ensures that:
 The question allows for a number of potential answers;
 It’s testable, flexible, and open-ended;
 The evidence necessary is available to address it;
 It’s possible to break it into resolvable parts;
 It’s precise and clear;
 Avoid using any vague terms that require definitions;
 Suitability for the length of the paper;
 Explanation of the necessity of the solutions;
Nature of the Research problem
Any research starts with a problem that is derived from the topic that attracts attention after general
reading, classroom discussions, etc. To formulate a powerful research problem, it should be:
 Interesting;
 Relevant;
 Specific and focused;
 Researchable.
The question should have enough bearing on a given topic and stay within the limits set by. Choose
an interesting subject to stimulate the motivation. It shouldn’t be very vague or broad. If the
research question is broad, it can be made more specific by specific aspects, time periods, or
events. There shouldn’t be more than a few possible answers.

FRAMING OF HYPOTHESIS

 Hypothesis is considered as an intelligent guess or assumption or prediction, based on

evidence that gives direction to the researcher to answer the research question.
 Hypothesis or Hypotheses are defined as the formal statement of the tentative or expected
prediction or explanation of the relationship between two or more variables in a specified
population.
 A hypothesis helps to translate the research problem and objective into a clear explanation or
prediction of the expected results or outcomes of the study.
 Hypothesis is derived from the research problems, literature review, observations from past
studies, present day experiences, from the competitors, scientific theories and conceptual
framework.
 Hypothesis in a research project logically follows literature review and conceptual framework.

Characteristics of Hypothesis
 The hypothesis should be clear and precise to consider it to be reliable.
 If the hypothesis is a relational hypothesis, then it should be stating the relationship between
variables.
 The hypothesis must be specific and should have scope for conducting more tests.
 The way of explanation of the hypothesis must be very simple and it should also be
understood that the simplicity of the hypothesis is not related to its significance.

Contributions of Hypothesis
 It provides clarity to the research problem and research objectives
 It describes, explains or predicts the expected results or outcome of the research.
 It indicates the type of research design.
 It directs the research study process.
 It identifies the population of the research study that is to be investigated or examined.
 It facilitates data collection, data analysis and data interpretation

RESEARCH VARIABLES
Defined as qualities, properties, characteristics, behaviours, attributes etc. of people-
individuals or group, objects, situations, activities etc. that change or vary. Variables are
manipulable and measurable. There are 5 types of research variables:
1. Independent variable
 Independent variable is the quality or property that can be manipulated by the researcher to
cause an effect on the dependent variable.
 It is also called experimental variable or treatment variable.
2. Dependent variable
 Dependent variable is the quality or property or behaviour or outcome that the researcher
predicts and that occurs in response to the manipulation, experimentation or treatment of
the independent variable. It is also called the outcome variable.
 Example- for independent and dependent variables
Time in minutes or hours spent on mobile has effect on the duration sleep
3. Extraneous variable
 Extraneous variables exist in all type of research studies but the researcher does not include
them for the research purpose. These are the variables which confuse or mix up the
relationship between the variables and also interfere with the rational or causal relationship
between the independent and the dependent variables.
 The researcher makes an attempt to identify those extraneous variables before the research
study is initiated and thereby control the influence of extraneous variables on the research
study through a specific research design or through statistical manipulation.
 If left uncontrolled, extraneous variables can lead to inaccurate conclusions about the
dependent and independent variables.
 Example-Does sleep deprivation affect driving ability?
Extraneous variables are: Road conditions, years of driving experience, Noise.
4. Environmental variable
 Environmental variables are the variables which compose a research setting where the
research study is conducted. These variables are climate, family background, social
background, institution setup, community setup, education setup etc. these variables are also
some type of extraneous variables.
 In a descriptive or correlation research study where the study is conducted in a natural setting
and where it is necessary to study the subjects’ behaviour in a natural setting, the researcher
makes no attempt to control or alter the environmental variables.
5. Demographic variables
 Demographic variable are the qualities or property or characteristics of the subject under the
research study and which are collected to describe sample. These variable are also called the
sample characteristics.
 example - age, years of education, income, family size, gender, race, religion, marital status,
height, weight, build, movement, vision, hearing, speech, employment, location, home
ownership etc. are the demographic variables.

TYPES OF HYPOTHESES
1. Simple Hypothesis
 It shows a relationship between two variables, one dependent variable and an independent
variable.
 For example – If you eat more vegetables, you will lose weight faster. Here, eating more
vegetables is an independent variable, while losing weight is the dependent variable.
 Consumption of sugary drinks every day leads to obesity

2. Complex Hypothesis
 It shows the relationship between two or more dependent variables and two or more
independent variables.
 Example: Eating more vegetables and fruits leads to weight loss, glowing skin, reduces the risk
of many diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure and some cancers.

3. Directional Hypothesis
 Directional Hypothesis predicts the direction of the relationship between the independent
and dependent variable.
 Eg- High quality of nursing education will lead to high quality of nursing practice skills.
 Children aged four years eating proper food over a five-year period are having higher IQ levels
than children not having a proper meal.
This shows the effect and direction of effect.

4. Non directional Hypothesis

 Non -directional Hypothesis predicts the relationship between the independent variable and
the dependent variable but does not specify the direction of the relationship.
 Example- teacher student relationship influence student’s learning.

5. Causal Hypothesis
 Causal Hypothesis predicts the cause and effects relationship or interaction between the
independent variable and dependent variable.
 This hypothesis predicts the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable.
 In this the independent variable is the experimental or treatment variable. The dependent
variable is the outcome variable
 Example – early postoperative amputation will lead to prompt recovery.

6. Associative hypothesis
 Associative Hypothesis predicts an associative relationship between the independent variable
and the dependent variable that occurs or exists in natural conditions without manipulation.
 When there is a change in any one of the variables, changes also occurs in the other variable.
 The associative relationship between the independent and dependent variables may have
either. – Positive association – Negative association
 Example- The lower the blood sugar level, the lesser is the risk of infection among diabetic
persons.

7. Null hypothesis
 Null Hypothesis is also called statistical hypothesis because this type of hypothesis is used for
statistical testing and statically interpretation. The null hypothesis predicts that, there is no
relationship between the independent variable and dependent variable.
 Example- Light colour has no effect on plant growth.

8. Testable Hypothesis
 The testable hypothesis predicts relationship between the independent variable and the
dependent variable and theses variable are testable or measurable.
 Example – Increase in patient’s body temperature causes increase in patient’s pulse rate.
 Assumptions
 Assumptions are the statements of the basic principle or facts that are established and are
universally accepted as true on the basis of logic or reasoning without verification or proof,
though they may not have been scientifically tested.
 Assumption is picked up by the research from various sources. These source are previous
research studies, theories, clinical fields etc.
Limitations
 Limitations are the restrictions within a research study, which reduce the credibility or
generalizability of the research findings.
 The limitations of the research study are also called the weak points of study.
 It is necessary to recognize the limitations of the research study which might influence the
research result.

Functions of Hypothesis
 Hypothesis helps in making an observation and experiments possible.
 It becomes the starting point for the investigation.
 Hypothesis helps in verifying the observations.
 It helps in directing the inquiries in the right directions.

Hypothesis in Scientific Method

Researchers use hypothesis to put down their thoughts directing how the experiment would take
place. Following are the steps that are involved in the scientific method:
 Formation of question
 Doing background research
 Creation of hypothesis
 Designing an experiment
 Collection of data
 Result analysis
 Summarizing the experiment
 Communicating the results

TYPES OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS WITH EXAMPLES

Research papers are source-based explanations of a topic, event, or phenomenon. The two
methodologies of research, known as qualitative and quantitative research, explore topics with
different objectives. The methodology you choose will determine which types of questions you ask
before, during, and after the research process.

Qualitative Research vs. Quantitative Research

When coming up with a question for your next research project, consider what you want to know. If
you’re exploring meaning and experience, you’re using qualitative research.
If you want to use empirical evidence to explain an occurrence, quantitative research is your process.
These types of research are useful in scientific, marketing, historical, and psychological studies.

Qualitative Research Question Types

Because qualitative research is more concerned with understanding an event or phenomenon,
its open-ended research questions focus more on a group’s experience than on statistics or numbers.
Qualitative research is primarily used in social sciences and includes surveys, case studies, focus
groups, and ethnography studies. Here are the three types of qualitative questions for both research
topics and survey questions.
Exploratory Questions
Questions that are designed to understand more about a topic are exploratory questions. The
objective of asking an exploratory question is to learn more about a topic without attributing bias or
preconceived notions to it.
Research Topic Example #1: What is the effect of personal technology on today’s youth?
Survey Question: Do you feel that personal technology has positively or negatively affected you?
Research Topic Example #2: How do students at our school spend their weekends?
Survey Question: What do you do on a typical weekend?

Predictive Questions
If you’re wondering about the future outcome of an action, you’ll use predictive questions. These
types of questions use past information to predict reactions to hypothetical events.
Research Topic Example #1: Are people more likely to buy a product after a celebrity promotes it?
Survey Question: Would you ever try a new product because a celebrity you respect said that it worked
for them?
Research Topic Example #2: Would people in our town enjoy an ice-skating rink?
Survey Question: How often would you visit a local ice-skating rink?

Interpretive Questions
Interpretive research studies people in their natural settings. They interpret how a group makes sense
of shared experiences and attributes meaning to various phenomena. These studies gather feedback
on a group’s behavior without affecting the outcome.
Research Topic Example #1: How do pre-schoolers in a play-based program handle transitions
between activities?
Survey Question: How do you feel when it’s time to put your toys away and start the next activity?
Research Topic Example #2: What is the historical significance of currency to the Lakota Nation?
Survey Question: How do you attribute value to a good or service?

Quantitative Research Question Types

Using measurable data answers a new set of research questions. These types of quantitative
research questions prove or disprove a researcher’s hypothesis through descriptions, comparisons,
and relationships. Quantitative research questions are beneficial when choosing a research topic or
when posing follow-up questions that gather more information.

Descriptive Questions
As the most basic type of quantitative research question, descriptive questions seek to explain when,
where, why, or how something occurred. They use data and statistics to describe an event or
phenomenon.
Research Topic Example #1: What percentage of college students have felt depressed in the last year?
Follow-Up Question: How often do students report their feelings of depression?
Research Topic Example #2: How likely is it for mice with dominant traits to have offspring with
recessive traits?
Follow-Up Question: How many generations of genes influence a future generation?

Comparative Questions
Sometimes it’s beneficial to compare one occurrence with another. Comparative questions are
especially helpful when studying groups with dependent variables.
Research Topic Example #1: Why is it easier for men to lose weight than it is for women?
Follow-Up Question: Do men and women have comparable metabolisms?
Research Topic Example #2: Which painkiller is more effective for headaches?
Follow-Up Question: Do Advil and Tylenol target pain in the same way?
Relationship-Based Questions
If you’d like to know how one variable affects or influences another, use a relationship-based question.
These questions are common in quasi-experimental and experimental studies.
Research Topic Example #1: How does the number of drought days in a year affect a region’s
likelihood for wildfires?
Follow-Up Question: What conditions are needed for a wildfire to become uncontrollable?
Research Topic Example #2: Do high school grades have an impact on future success?
Follow-Up Question: What are the relevant factors that affect one’s grades in high school?