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2.Research Methodology-BBA S1M2

The document outlines the process of formulating a research problem, emphasizing its significance, originality, and feasibility. It details sources for identifying research problems, including professional experience and literature review, and provides techniques for defining and evaluating the problem. Key steps include narrowing the focus, operationalizing variables, and ensuring the research is practical and valuable.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
4 views22 pages

2.Research Methodology-BBA S1M2

The document outlines the process of formulating a research problem, emphasizing its significance, originality, and feasibility. It details sources for identifying research problems, including professional experience and literature review, and provides techniques for defining and evaluating the problem. Key steps include narrowing the focus, operationalizing variables, and ensuring the research is practical and valuable.

Uploaded by

nilsa.vp
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Formulating the Research

Problem
Meaning of Research Problem
• A problem properly stated is half solved- John Dewey

• The term "research problem" refers to a specific question, issue,


or area of inquiry that a researcher wants to investigate or explore
through the process of research.

• The research problem is typically formulated based on gaps or


deficiencies in existing knowledge, unresolved questions, practical
concerns, or emerging issues within a particular field or discipline.
• The first step in the research process is the selection of a
suitable problem from the field chosen by the researcher

• The features of a good research problem are its:

• i) significance

• ii) originality and

• iii) feasibility.
SOURCES OF IDENTIFYING A PROBLEM
• Professional Experience
• A researcher's work experience can reveal many
research problems.
• For example, teachers face challenges with
students, classroom activities, and teaching
methods that could be researched.
• Educational administrators may also find
research topics in decision-making and teacher
management.
• Talking to other researchers and attending
conferences can also help identify important
Professional Literature

• Studying professional literature helps


researchers find research problems and
understand how to conduct studies.
• Sources like research reports, databases (ERIC,
PsycINFO), and journals (The American Journal of
Distance Education) offer useful insights.
• Reports often suggest future research areas, and
flaws in past studies give researchers chances to
improve methods and fix issues.
Inference from Theories and Other
Sources
• Research problems can also be identified
from general theories in education,
psychology, and sociology
• Theories on personality, intelligence, and
motivation help identify classroom
problems, and research tests how these
theories work in real situations.
• New technologies and social changes, like
teaching with computers, also create new
problems that need research and
DEFINITION OF THE PROBLEM
• After selecting a problem, the next step is to define it clearly for
research. This involves breaking it down into specific questions
and setting the scope of the study. To do this, it's important to:

1.Review previous research to see what has already been done.


2.Clearly state the problem, either as a statement or a question.
3.Identify and define the key variables that will be studied.
4.Make any assumptions clear(Hypotheses)
5.Ensure the problem is significant, new, and feasible to
research.

• This helps focus the investigation and makes the problem


easier to understand and address.
Statement of the Problem
• A good problem statement should clearly define what
needs to be solved or answered.
• It should narrow the study's focus to specific,
manageable research questions.
• To do this:
• Describe the background and theoretical foundation of
the study.
• State any assumptions/Hypothesis.
• Break down the main issue into smaller, related
questions.
• Organize these questions logically under key themes.
• This approach keeps the research focused and
Operationalisation of Variables
• When stating a research problem, it should be neither too
broad nor too narrow.
• A key step is to identify and define the variables in
operational terms.
• For example, if you want to study the "Effectiveness of
television on student performance in a specific course,“
the variables are "effectiveness" and "performance”.
• Effectiveness: Rather than using its general meaning,
specify how you will measure it—like improvement in
student scores on a test.
• Performance: Define it as the actual scores students
achieve.
• It's important to state the problem in a way that shows
Evaluation of the Problem
• Before starting research, it’s helpful to ask a few key
questions to ensure the problem is worth studying
• Is the problem researchable?
• Can it be explored through the relationship between
measurable variables? Can it be framed as questions that
can be answered with evidence?
• Is the problem new?
• Has it already been studied? Review existing literature to
ensure it hasn’t been adequately addressed. However,
repeating a study can be useful to verify or expand upon
previous findings.
• Is the problem significant?
• Will it add value by filling gaps in knowledge, solving
inconsistencies, or providing practical applications? The
results should contribute to new theories or insights.
• Is the problem feasible for you?
• Skills and knowledge: Do you have the expertise needed
to conduct the study?
• Interest: Are you genuinely interested and motivated?
• Financial feasibility: Do you have the budget and
resources to carry out the research?
• Administrative support: Can you access the data,
equipment, and cooperation needed?
• Time: Do you have enough time to complete the project,
considering other commitments?
• Pilot Study
• Answering these questions affirmatively helps ensure the
research is both practical and valuable.
Techniques involved in defining the
problem
1. Literature Review

• Purpose: To identify gaps in existing knowledge,


understand how the problem has been approached
previously, and explore theories and concepts related to
the issue.

• Technique: Systematically search for and review


academic papers, books, reports, and credible online
resources relevant to the research topic.
2. Problem Identification

• Purpose: To pinpoint the actual issue that needs to be


researched. A vague or broad topic must be narrowed
down to a specific problem.

• Technique: Break down a broad topic into smaller


components, then focus on a specific, actionable issue.
Discussions with stakeholders or industry experts can
also help in identifying a pressing problem.
3. Root Cause Analysis (RCA)

• Purpose: To dig deeper into the symptoms of a problem


to find its underlying causes.

• Technique: Use methods like the 5 Whys, Fishbone


Diagram (Ishikawa), or Pareto Analysis to explore
the root cause behind the observed issues.
4. Stakeholder Consultation

• Purpose: To gather insights from people who are


directly involved or affected by the problem, including
industry professionals, customers, or colleagues.

• Technique: Conduct interviews, focus groups, or


surveys with key stakeholders to understand their
perspectives on the issue.
5. Hypothesis Formulation

• Purpose: To clearly define the relationship between


variables or predict an outcome. This helps in focusing
the research on testing specific assumptions.

• Technique: Based on prior knowledge or theories,


formulate a hypothesis or set of research questions that
can be empirically tested.
6. Clarifying Objectives

• Purpose: To ensure the problem is aligned with the


purpose of the research and to set clear, achievable
goals for the study.

• Technique: Develop clear research objectives and


goals, ensuring they are SMART (Specific, Measurable,
Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
7. SWOT and PEST Analysis

• Purpose: To examine the problem in the context of the


environment or organizational setting.

• Technique:
• SWOT Analysis: To explore internal strengths and
weaknesses, and external opportunities and threats.
• PEST Analysis: To assess the Political, Economic,
Social, and Technological factors surrounding the
problem.
8. Defining the Scope and Limitations

• Purpose: To determine the boundaries of the research


problem and avoid issues of scope creep.

• Technique: Define the time-period, geographic area,


population, and variables of interest that will be
included or excluded from the research.
9. Operational Definition of Concepts

• Purpose: To ensure that abstract concepts are clearly


defined in measurable terms.

• Technique: Specify how key variables will be defined


and measured within the context of the study.
10. Gap Identification

• Purpose: To find gaps between the current state of


knowledge and what is required for solving the problem.

• Technique: Compare findings from literature review,


stakeholder feedback, and data to identify areas where
knowledge or solutions are lacking.

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