Chapter-Two: The Research Process

Formulating a research problem and framing the research topic

Exploration/Literature review
not a one time excercise
Review of Literature is

Formulation of hypothesis (Optional)

Research design

Data collection

Data analysis

Report writing
 Research ‘Musts’

 Problem must be clearly recognized

 Determine information already available and what
further information is required, as well as the best
approach for obtaining it
 Obtain and assess information objectively to help
inform the decision
‘Six’ Phases of Research
1. Problem definition
2. Literature review
3. Selection of research design, subjects, and data
collection techniques
4. Data gathering
5. Data processing and analysis
6. Implications, Conclusions,
and Recommendations
 Research problem defined
Research problem refers to some difficulty
which a researcher experiences in the context of
either a theoretical or practical situation and
wants to obtain a solution for the same.
Example
◦ Current problems in organizations
◦ Identified areas for further improvement and to attain
objectives at organizational/country level
◦ Researchers aspiration to verify the theoretical aspects
or basic questions through empirical studies

01/28/2022 Admas University 4

Cont'…
“The formulation of the
problem is often more
essential than its solution.”
Albert Einstein

01/28/2022 Admas University 5

 When does a research problem exist?
 Research problem exists if the following conditions
are met.
 Some difficulty problem facing by an individual or
group or institution etc
 Need to attain objectives
 Availability of alternative means (or courses of
action) for obtaining the objectives one wishes to
attain.
 Some doubt in the mind of a researcher with regard
to the selection of alternatives.

01/28/2022 Admas University 6

Sources of a research problem

Individuals, organizations,
People groups, communities etc

Issues, situations, needs,

Problem profiles, etc

Contents, structure, outcomes,

Program satisfaction, etc

01/28/2022 Admas University 7

Selecting the problem
 As a researcher, note that
◦ Topic which is overdone should not be
normally chosen, for it will be a difficult task to
throw any new light in such a case.
◦ The topic selected for research needs
familiarity and feasibility so that the related
research material or sources of research are
within one’s reach.

01/28/2022 Admas University 8

Cont'…
◦ Controversial subject should not become the
choice of an average researcher.
◦ Too narrow or too vague problems should be
avoided.
◦ Take into account the importance of the subject,
the qualifications and the training of a
researcher, the costs involved, time factor

01/28/2022 Admas University 9

Cont'…
1. Identify the problem in a general way.

2. Identify and select a narrow problem within the

broad topic.

3. Raise questions to be asked.

4. Formulate objectives

01/28/2022 Admas University 10

Cont'…
1. Identify a broad field/area that faces
problem

Human
Resource
Management

01/28/2022 Admas University 11

Cont'…
2. Divide the broad area or field into
sub-divisions
Selection Motivation
Recruitment

Human Resource Promotion

Management
Placement
and Performance
induction Training and appraisal
Development
01/28/2022 Admas University 12
 Cont'…
3. Select the one that interests you the most

Selection Motivation
Recruitment

Human Resource Promotion

Management
Placement
and Performance
induction Training and appraisal
Development
01/28/2022 Admas University 13
 Cont'…
4. Raise research questions
Assessment on Promotion Practices in Public
Institutions
 What is the promotion process followed in public
institutions?

 What are the laws guiding promotion process of public

servants?

 How is promotion performed in public institutions?

01/28/2022 Admas University 14

 Exercise 1

Sit in groups and choose a topic

of your interest?
Write the title of the research

01/28/2022 Admas University 15

Research objectives
 Research objectives determines your destination
 Have a path to walk on throughout your thesis work.
 It is split into two
◦ General objectives – statement that tells the overall
aim of undertaking a given topic. In most of the cases,
it is your topic written in the form of an objective
◦ Specific objectives – These emanate from the general
objectives and provides sub-ways of attaining the
above mentioned general objectives. These should be
very SMART.

01/28/2022 Admas University 16

Research objectives… con’d
◦ Let the specific objectives match the research
questions horizontally
◦ The phrases you use should match the research
type/approach you intend to adopt. For example,
 For descriptive research, you may use “To
describe”, “To assess”, “To portray”, “To
compare”, etc.
 For explanatory research: “To explain the effect
of X on Y”; to analyze the cause-and-effect
relationship between ….”, etc
 Research objectives… con’d
5. Set research objectives
General objective:
 To evaluate promotion patterns in public institutions
Specific objectives:
 To point out procedures followed to promote public
servants
 To evaluate laws guiding promotion in public
institutions
 To examine how promotion is done practically

01/28/2022 Admas University 18

 Research objectives… con’d
6. Check & double check your research objectives
 How much work is involved?
 Do I have time?
 Do I have the resources?
 Do I have the technical expertise?
 Am I really interested?
 Do I agree with the objectives?

01/28/2022 Admas University 19

Title Selection
Research topic must be;
 Interesting – keeps the researcher interested in it
throughout the research process
 Researchable – can be investigated through the
collection and analysis of data
 Significant – contributes to the improvement and
understanding of educational theory and practice
 Manageable – fits the level of researcher’s level
of research skills, needed resources, and time
restrictions
 Ethical – does not embarrass or harm participants
01/28/2022 Admas University 20
 Checklist for a good research topic:
 Is the topic something in which you are really interested?
• Does the topic have a clear link to theory?
• Is the subject familiar and feasible to you?
• Do you have, or can you develop, the necessary research
skills to undertake the topic?
• Is your topic societal relevant?
• Is the subject overdone? (Avoid it)/ it should be orginal
• Is the subject controversial? (Avoid it)
• Is the problems too narrow or too vague/broad? (balance)
• Can you meet the cost and time requirements?
• Can you gain accessibility of necessary cooperation, etc.

01/28/2022 Admas University 21

 Exercise 2
Write a problem statement for
your research topic
Reframe your topic based on the
title selection criteria.
Based on your research topic,
write at least three to five specific
objectives
01/28/2022 Admas University 22
Research hypothesis Formulation

--- Formulate a hypothesis

--- Frame the hypothesis in
a format that is testable
--- Test the hypothesis

23
 Research Hypothesis Formulation…con’d
 When a proposition is formulated for empirical testing, it is called
hypothesis. It is a tentative proposition that will be verified or falsified
through empirical testing.
 Formulation of research hypothesis is not arbitrary. It is rather based on
theory or previous research findings.
 It plays the role of guiding the direction of the study, hence should be
carefully designed.
 It identifies facts that are relevant from those which are not.
 It suggests the appropriate research design to adopt and provides a
framework for organizing the conclusion.

24
 Research Hypothesis Formulation…con’d
25

There are two types of hypothesis: Descriptive and Relational

Hypothesis
• Descriptive Hypothesis: propositions that typically state the
existence, size, form or distribution of some variables. E.g.
for the research question “What is the unemployment rate in
Ethiopia?” the hypothesis could be “The current unemployment
rate in Ethiopia exceeds 20%.”
• Relational Hypothesis: statements that describe (causal)
relationship between two variables.
– Increasing frequency of product advertisement is expected to
increase sales volume.
– An increase in family income is expected to lead to higher
percentage of saving
 Research Hypothesis Formulation…con’d

 To set up a criteria for comparing the results of this

study, two types of hypotheses namely null
hypothesis (H0) and alternative hypothesis (H1) are to
be established as follows:
 Hypothesis One

◦ H0: Electronic data processing(EDP) system in

banks is not essential
◦ H1 : EDP system in banks is essential
 Hypothesis two
◦ H0 : EDP system must not be audited
◦ H1 : EDP system must be audited
 Research Hypothesis Formulation…con’d
Hypothesis Three
◦ H0 : Due to EDP system errors and frauds are not
highly controlled
◦ H1 : Due to EDP system errors and frauds are
highly controlled
Hypothesis Four
◦ H0 : Computer-Assisted Audit Techniques
(CAATs) are not useful for auditors
◦ H1 : Computer-Assisted Audit Techniques
(CAATs) are useful for auditors
Significance of the study
 Significanceof the study is also called justification or
importance of the study.

 State why you feel the study is important. This is

usually stated in terms of identifying people or
institution that will benefit from it and how they will
benefit.

 This is where you convince scholars that their research

is worth undertaking or studying.

01/28/2022 Admas University 28

Scope of the study
 Specifies the boundaries of their research.
 Itcovers
◦ Geographical scope which defines the location of
the study;
◦ Theoretical scope by defining issues to be covered;
and
◦ Time scope stating the period coverage of the
research

01/28/2022 Admas University 29

 Exercise 5
Determine the scope of your
study?

01/28/2022 Admas University 30

Description of the study area
Brief description of the study area or study
organizations or sampling unit.
It provides information about the characteristics
of the study areas as population, location,
climate, socioeconomic activities etc.
In case you are studying about institutions,
information concerning target institutions is
inevitable. Such information may include
organizational structure, mandates of respective
institutions, establishment laws etc.

01/28/2022 Admas University 31

Limitation
 Limitation, by definition, are factors affecting
research findings substantially and lies beyond the
control of the researcher.

 It could be concerned to chosen research method,

research technique, sampling method, sampling size,
etc

01/28/2022 Admas University 32

Exercise 3
Specify your research interest and
◦ Write a research title
◦ Specify at least three to five objectives
◦ Formulate the research problem
◦ Specify the scope of the study and
◦ Mention some of the limitation of the
study

01/28/2022 Admas University 33

 THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL
What is Research Proposal?
The research proposal is a detailed plan of a study.
It is a document which shows researchers’ ideas in
an easily accessible way.
The intent of the written research proposal is to
provide a focused and scholarly presentation of a
research problem and plan.
• It is a plan of future research and an explanation of
how it will be achieved
A written document requesting both authorization
and funds to undertake a specific research project.
34
 THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL
 The objective in writing a proposal is to
describe:
what you will do,
why it should be done,
When to do it,
how you will do it, and
what you expect will result.
 Function of the research proposal
1. A means of communication,
2. As a plan, and
3. As a contract
35
 THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL
 Importance of the research proposal

◦ It serves as a basis for determining the feasibility of the

research project.

◦ It provides a systematic plan of procedure for the

researcher to follow.

◦ It gives the research supervisor a basis for guiding the

researcher while conducting the study.

◦ It reduces the probability of costly mistake.

36
 THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL
A well-thought and written proposal can be judged
according to three main criteria.
◦ Is it adequate to answer the research question(s),
and achieve the study objective?
◦ Is it feasible in the particular set-up for the study?
◦ Does it provide enough detail that can allow
another investigator to do the study and arrive at
comparable results?
37
 Types Of Research Proposal
 Research proposals can be classified into student, internal
and external.
 Student research proposals
◦ range between term paper and senior essay that are least
complex to MSc thesis and PhD dissertation that are most
complex.
 Internal R/P
◦ if they target an entity or organization and are prepared by
individual or a team of researchers who are part of the
entity or organization.
 External research proposals
◦ Are either solicited or unsolicited.
◦ Solicited research proposals are when the customer asks
38
 Sections or Elements of a Research Proposal

 Section of a research proposal varies from one type of

research proposal to the other.
 There is no a hard and a fast format in scientific research
proposal writing.
 Though the format varies, the essence expressed in different
proposal remains the same.
 The major components/elements of a scientific research
proposal
1. Title
2. Summary/Abstract
3. Acknowledgement
4. Table of contents
5. Introduction/Background
6. Statement of the problem 39
Sections or Elements of a Research Proposal

7. Hypotheses/Questions

8. Objective/Aim of the study

9. Significance of the study

10. Scope of the study

11. Literature review

12. Research Methodology

13. Time plan

14. Cost budget

15. Reference

16. Appendix
40
Avoid ‘waste words’:
◦ Observations of …
◦ Studies of …
◦ Investigations of …
◦ Examinations of …
◦ A note on …

41
 Time table/Schedule
 Your schedule should include the major phases of
the project, their timetables, and the milestones
that signify completion of a phase.
 A timetable explaining how the researcher expects
to carry out the project and when each of the
important phases will be completed
 It is a plan in terms of numbers of weeks or
months and expected completion dates.
42
For example, major phases may be;
1. Exploratory interviews
2. Final research proposal
3. Questionnaire revision
4. Field interviews
5. Editing and coding
6. Data analysis
7. Report generation

 Each of these phases should have an estimated

time schedule and people assigned to the work
43
 Cost Budget
Funding will be necessary and an itemized list
of items needed to carry out the methodology is
listed in some detail.

There are items like:

Field expenses for data collection
Pay for consultants where they are necessary
Travel and all such items needed to be detailed
A sum of money for contingencies.

44
 Referencing Styles
 The term ‘reference’ refers to those consulted materials that are
actually cited in-text, that is,
◦ when your research includes paraphrased empirical and
theoretical quotations from published papers of other writers.
 On the other hand, bibliography refers to all materials consulted
for which the content of these might not have been included in the
actual text.
 To write reference and bibliography, there are a number of
referencing styles such as Harvard Style, Chicago Style, American
Psychological Association (APA) Style etcetera.
 What is plagiarism?
 Plagiarism is wrongful appropriation of others’ idea, thoughts,
expression, close imitation etc as if it were your own original
work. 45
 Common Mistakes in Proposal Writing

Failure to provide the proper context to frame the research question.

Failure to delimit the boundary conditions for your research.
Failure to cite landmark studies.
Failure to accurately present the theoretical and empirical contributions by
other researchers.
Failure to stay focused on the research question.
Failure to develop a coherent and persuasive argument for the proposed
research.
Too much detail on minor issues, but not enough detail on major issues.
Too much rambling -- going "all over the map" without a clear sense of
direction. (The best proposals move forward with ease and grace like a
seamless river.)
Too many citation lapses and incorrect references.
Too long or too short.
Failing to follow the proper citation style.
46
