Identifying a Problem

Identifying a Problem/Topic
Identification of research problem refers to the sense of
awareness of a prevalent social problem, a social
phenomenon or a concept that is worth study – as it
requires to be investigated to understand it. The
researcher identifies such a research problem through
his observation, knowledge, wisdom and skills.

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 Types of a Research Problem
Ø 1. Casuist Research Problem -- this type of problem
relates to the determination of right and wrong in
questions of conduct or conscience by analyzing
moral dilemmas through the application of general
rules and the careful distinction of special cases.

Types of a Research Problem

Ø 2. Difference Research Problem -- typically asks the
question, “Is there a difference between two or more
groups or treatments?” This type of problem
statement is used when the researcher compares or
contrasts two or more phenomena. This a common
approach to defining a problem in the clinical social
sciences or behavioral sciences.

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 Types of a Research Problem
Ø 3. Descriptive Research Problem -- typically asks the
question, "what is...?" with the underlying purpose to
describe the significance of a situation, state, or
existence of a specific phenomenon. This problem is
often associated with revealing hidden or
understudied issues.

Types of a Research Problem

Ø 4. Relational Research Problem -- suggests a
relationship of some sort between two or more
variables to be investigated. The underlying purpose
is to investigate specific qualities or characteristics
that may be connected in some way.

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 Sources of Problems
▷ Deductions from Theory
▷ Interdisciplinary Perspectives
▷ Interviewing Practitioners
▷ Personal Experience
▷ Relevant Literature

Characteristics of research question

▷ Feasible
• Adequate number of subjects
• Adequate technical expertise
• Affordable in time and money
• Manageable in scope

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 Characteristics of research question
▷ Interesting
• Getting the answer intrigues the
investigator and her friends

▷ Novel
• Confirms, refutes or extends previous
findings
• Provides new findings
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Characteristics of research question

▷ Ethical
• Amenable to a study that institutional
review board will approve

▷ Relevant
• To scientific knowledge
• To clinical and health policy
• To future research 10

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 Steps in Choosing a Topic
▷ 1. Choose a topic that you are interested in.
○ WHY did you choose the topic? What interests you
about it? Do you have an opinion about the issues
involved?
○ WHO are the information providers on this topic?
Who might publish information about it? Who is
affected by the topic? Do you know of organizations
or institutions affiliated with the topic?

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Steps in Choosing a Topic

▷ 1. Choose a topic that you are interested in.
○ WHAT are the major questions for this topic? Is
there a debate about the topic? Is there a range of
issues and viewpoints to consider?
○ WHERE is your topic important: at the local, national
or international level? Are there specific places
affected by the topic?
○ WHEN is/was your topic important? Is it a current
event or a historical one?
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 Steps in Choosing a Topic
▷ 2. Narrow and limit the topic to something manageable
○ Relevance: The results of your research study should
make some sort of difference—or should at least
have the potential to make some sort of difference—
in some aspect of education

○ Theoretical approach: Limit your topic to a particular

approach to the issue

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Steps in Choosing a Topic

▷ 2. Narrow and limit the topic to something manageable
○ Aspect or sub-area: Consider only one piece of the
subject.

○ Time: Limit the time span you examine.

▷

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 Steps in Choosing a Topic
▷ 2. Narrow and limit the topic to something manageable
○ Research Ethics: it is unethical and sometimes illegal
to conduct research that exposes participants (i.e.,
students, teachers) to harm of any kind, including
physical, emotional, and psychological harm.

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Steps in Choosing a Topic

▷ 2. Narrow and limit the topic to something manageable
○ Monetary Costs: If you select and develop a topic
that will require you to spend money on supplies,
materials, travel, and so on, you will likely want to
find a different topic or, at a minimum, alter your
ideas for the original topic.

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 Steps in Choosing a Topic
▷ 3. Find and select sources
○ Use resources which are Recent, Relevant, and from
Reputable source.

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IDENTIFYING A TOPIC
Preliminary considerations Limiting a Topic
• Personal interest Focus on who
• Importance what
• Time when
• Difficulty where
• Monetary costs how
• Research ethics

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 “5 Why
Process”
in
Identifying
the Problem

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Possible Topics
▷ Mertler and Charles (2011) have provided several topics
that could conceivably be considered for research
studies. They list the following categories, with only a
few sample topics included here:
▷ • Classroom environment—Topics in this category
include the various aspects of the physical and
psychosocial environments in classrooms and school
buildings and their impact on student learning.
▷
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 Possible Topics
▷ Instructional materials—Topics might include the
appropriateness of textbooks and other printed
materials concerning gender and ethnicity, the extent to
which teachers find the materials useful and support the
curriculum, or the perceptions that students have of
those materials.
▷

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Possible Topics
▷ Classroom management—Possible research topics might
include the level of satisfaction that both teachers and
students have with the methods of managing student
behavior, the degree to which the methods of managing
behavior allow students to learn without unnecessary
distraction, or how limiting those methods are with
respect to the ability of teachers to teach as they would
like.

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 Possible Topics
▷ Instructional methods—Topics might include the effect
of a given teaching method on student learning, the
impact that different teacher personality styles can have
on student learning or motivation to learn, or methods of
providing effective feedback to students on their
academic performance.

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Possible Topics
▷ The relation of human growth patterns to education—
Possible topics might include ways to incorporate
individual students’ interests and learning preferences or
teaching strategies that support self-regulated learning,
or those that support individual rates of learning.

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 Possible Topics
▷ Grading and evaluation—Teachers often have questions
about the effects that grades and other forms of
evaluative decisions have on student motivation, stress,
achievement, and attitudes or on effective methods of
incorporating authentic assessment and other
nontraditional means of assessing students.

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Research Agenda of the Basic Education

▷ DepEd Order 39, 2016

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 Big concept
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