PROBLEM

IDENTIFICATION
 PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION AND
DEFINITION
What is a Problem?
Characteristics of a “good”
 Research Problem
Sources of Research Problems
Identification/ Selection of a
 Research Problem
Definition of Research Problem
Justification of the Study
WHAT IS A PROBLEM?
This is the FIRST and MOST
IMPORTANT step in the
research process.

 It tells you what you intend to

study
• In doing research, the first
thing a researcher does is
identify and clearly define the
problem to be studied.

• If the researcher cannot

pinpoint a problem, he/she
cannot expect others to
understand what problems he
wants to solve.
Initially, a research
problem is stated in a
form of a question,
which serves as the
focus of the
investigation.
 Examples of Research Questions

Education/Social Work
1. What problems do children of
separated parents encounter and
how do the children cope with these
problems?
2. Why is absenteeism and tardiness
common among high school
students? Who are more likely to
be absent or late in class?
3. Does TV viewing affect a child’s
school performance?
 Business and Public Management

1. What goes on in a government office in

a typical week? or How do
government employees spend a typical
day in the office?
2. What are the perceptions of local
officials/students/ community folks/etc.
regarding the granting of emergency
powers to the president in times of
crisis?
3. Will training of coop managers in
financial management improve the
financial control system of
cooperatives?
 Engineering and IT

1. To what extent do students use

computers in their learning
process?
2. To what extent do
students/pupils play computer
games? Does extent of playing
affect their grades?
3. How much do computer users
know about software piracy? To
what extent do they use pirated
softwares? What are their
perceptions about it?
 Health/Nursing

1. What is the effect of different

concentrations of plant extracts in
the bleeding and blood clotting
time in white mice?
2. How do the patients of “Hospital
A” perceived the quality of care
given by the nurses?
3. What is the effect of touch on the
pain reactions of full term
neonates?
 Every research starts with a PROBLEM
Without a PROBLEM……. No need for
RESEARCH

A feeling of difficulty

For Researchers:
-Conditions they want to improve
-Difficulties they want to eliminate
-Questions for which they want answers
-Information gaps they wish to inquire about
-Theories they wish to validate
Three sources usually contribute to
problem identification:

• Own experience or the experience of

others may be a source of problem
supply.

• A second source could be scientific

literature. You may read about certain
findings and notice that a certain field was
not covered. This could lead to a research
problem.

• Theories could be a third source.

Shortcomings in theories could be
researched.
The MORE SPECIFIC and
CLEAR your problem is,
the BETTER,
as everything that follows in
the research process is
greatly influenced by the way
in which you formulate it.
 PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION AND
DEFINITION

A. Describe the Problem Situation - What is?

Present facts/figures from documents,
records, literature, experience

B. Describe the ideal/expected situation -

What
should be?
What is right, good, preferred,
recommended
Present facts, resolutions, rules,
standards, laws, etc.
 PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION AND
DEFINITION

Discrepancy? State possible

reasons for the discrepancy

Present related literature

What is known about the Problem?
What has been tried?
What were the results?
Identify unanswered
questions
 Example of a Non-Researchable
Problem

Situation
Despite free tuition and other fees,
most of the high school students in a
public school in Basilan dropped out
in the middle of the school year

Discrepancy
No one should drop out or drop out
should be minimal. On the contrary, a
big number dropped out.
 Example of a Non-Researchable Problem

Research Question
Why did the students drop out?
What factors could have influence their
dropping out?

Answer
There have been violent encounters
between the military and rebel groups in
the area and many civilians have been
caught in the crossfire and died
Comments:

There have been violent encounters

between the military and rebel
groups and many civilians have been
caught in the cross fire. It seems
clear that the dropping out of the
students is due to the armed
encounters in the area. If they go to
school, they might die, so parents
keep them out of school until the
peace and order situation in the area
returns to normal.
 Example of a Researchable Problem

Situation
The drop out rate in many high
schools in a certain province has been
consistently high as per records of the
DepEd.

Discrepancy
Since high school education is free,
drop out should be minimal if there
are any.
 Example of a Researchable Problem

Research Question
What factors could have caused students
dropping out?
What factors could have influence their
dropping out?

Answer
It is possible that they are not interested, or
do not like their teachers, or have
indifferent attitudes towards education, or
find no need for high school education
Comments:

Since there are a number of

possible reasons for the dropping
out of the students despite free
tuition, the problem is
researchable. Research can
determine the existence and the
extent of relationship between the
identified possible factors and the
students’ decision to drop of school
or to stay. Furthermore, research
can determine the relative
contribution of each factors in the
students’ decision to drop out.
Possible Research Title:

“Factors Related to High

Drop Out Rate of Public
High School Students in
Province Y “
 PROBLEM JUSTIFICATION

Guide questions in problem justification

Is the problem current and is it timely to

study it?
Is the problem related to an on-going
programs and activities?
Is it related to current social, economic
or political issues?
Who are concerned about the problem?
 PROBLEM DEFINITION

A research problem must be

defined in terms of its:

OCCURRENCE

Does the problem really exist?

What is known about the problem?
Why does the problem exist?
 PROBLEM DEFINITION

A research problem must be defined

in terms of its:

INTENSITY
Is the problem serious?
Who are affected by the problem?
How many are affected?
What are happening to the people
affected?
 PROBLEM DEFINITION

A research problem must be defined

in terms of its:

DISTRIBUTION

What areas are affected?

Is the problem widespread?
How often does it occur?
Not Researchable Questions
1. Should I put my youngster in preschool?
2. What is the best way to learn to read?
3. Are some people born bad?

Researchable Questions
4. Do children enrolled in preschool develop better
social skills than children not enrolled
5. At which age is it better to introduce phonics to
children – age 5, age 6, or age 7?
6. Who commits more crimes – poor people or rich
people?
 Things to Remember When Defining
a Research Problem

1. First review relevant literature and

previous studies on the problem,
2. Examine current available
data/statistics,
3. Seek educated opinions from persons
concerned with the problem.
4. Determine the probable reasons for the
existence of the problem from social,
economic, or other theories that may
explain the existence of the problem and
the possible connection between the
problem and other factors.
Characteristics of a Good Research
Problem

1. A research problem must be relevant.

a. Will answers to the research

question/s help advance knowledge?
b. Can answers to the research
question/s help in improving
practices/behavior/ performance?
c. Will answers to the research
problem improve human conditions?
2. A Research problem must be
feasible

A research problem can only be

investigated if resources like time, money,
and personnel are available. A research
problem may be relevant, but if funds are
not available and there are no skilled
researchers or tools for data gathering,
then it would not be feasible to conduct it.
Researchers must, therefore be sure of the
availability of funds and human resources,
as well as appropriate tools/devices needed
in the conduct of the study.
 It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to evaluate
the research problem in the light of the
following:

Financial resource at your disposal.

The time available for the study.

Your expertise and knowledge in the field of

study.

Your knowledge of statistics required for analysis.

Your knowledge of computers and software if you

plan to use them.
Considerations in
Selecting a Research Topic

When selecting a research

problem there are a number
of considerations to keep in
mind. These help ensure
that your study will be
MANAGEABLE and that you
will be motivated.
 INTEREST

Select a topic that really

interests you; this is one of
the most important
considerations.
 MAGNITUDE

Narrow the topic down to

something manageable,
specific and clear.

It is extremely important to

select a topic that you can
manage within the time and
resources at your disposal.
MEASUREMENT OF CONCEPTS

If you are using a concept in your

study, make sure you are clear
about its indicators and their
measurement.

DO NOT USE CONCEPTS YOU

ARE NOT SURE HOW TO
MEASURE.
LEVEL OF EXPERTISE

Make sure you have an

adequate level of expertise
for the task you are
proposing.
 AVAILABILITY OF DATA

If your study entails

collection of information from
secondary sources (office
records, client records,
census, etc) make sure that
these data are available and
in the format you want before
finalizing your topic.
 NOVEL

Avoid doing a study on topics

which are overstudied. Pursue
those which are not subjected to
any investigations, of if it were,
were not thoroughly studied
3. A research problem must be
clear.

The research problem must be

clearly
stated so that what is being
investigated is made clear.
The major variable/s of the study
should
be measurable and should be
specified
4. A research problem must be ethical.

The conduct of the study should not pose

any danger, embarrassment, hurt or any
risk to the research respondents or
subjects or any one.
Information needed to answer the
research questions can be collected
without violating the rights of the source/s
of information.
They should be informed about the
purpose of the study and be given the
right to consent or refuse to participate in
the study.
Example of an Unethical Problem

Research Problem: “The Effect of

Punishment on the Self-Esteem and
Academic Performance of Adolescents”

Comment: If an experiment is to be
conducted, punishment will be applied to
the experimental group, but withheld
from the control group. Even if the result
of the study shows that punishment will
improve self-esteem and performance,
applying punishment to students for the
sake of research is unethical.
 Example of an Ethical Problem

Research Problem: “Students’ Perceptions

on the Effect of Physical Punishment on
the Self-Esteem and School Performance”

Comment: A survey on students’

perceptions about the effect of physical
punishment on their self-esteem and
performance does not raise an ethical issue,
since respondents are only asked about
their perceptions. It is still important,
however, to explain to the respondents the
purpose of the study and get their
informed consent to participate in the study.
 The following items help you identify and
define your own research problem:

1. (WHAT IS) The conditions which gave rise to my

research question. (Present evidences from
service statistics or related literature that will
confirm the existence, seriousness and
distribution of your problem)
2. (WHAT SHOULD BE) The ideal situation that
would
have been. (standard, rule, expected, mandated,
recommended)
3. (WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN) The existing
knowledge about the problem based on literature.
4. (INFORMATION GAPS) Questions that remain
unanswered

Then define your possible research title