Chap.3 Research Problem

Chapter 3  Formulating Research Problem

1

Research skills

Dr. Fawzi Ishtaiwa

What is a Research Problem? 2



Any question that you want to answer or any assumption assumption or statement statement that you want to investigate or examine can become a research problem.

1. Questions to answer:

a. Is there there any relationship between decentralization decentralization and productivity levels  b. !hat are the e""ects o" #$ programs on children  behavior Research skills

Dr. Fawzi Ishtaiwa

What is a Research Problem? 3

%. Assumptions a.

 b.

#he average age o" the male students in this class is higher than that o" the "emale students. A total o" &' per cent o" "emales and (' per cent o" males obtain I)D* certi"icates.

(. tatement ! Challenge to in"estigate a.

 b.

+xploring phenomenon, customer satis"action with  products, service or program.  Improving productivity, quality o" service or program Research skills

Dr. Fawzi Ishtaiwa

#he importance o$ $ormulating a research problem 0 

Formulation o$ a research problem is the most important step o$ the research process.



Accor%ing to &erlinger :  If one wants to solve a problem, one must generally know what the problem is. It can be said that a large part of the  problem lies in knowing what one is trying to do '1()*:1+,.



-n the absence o$ a clear research problem a clear an% economical plan is impossible.



A research problem is li/e the $oun%ation o$ a buil%ing.

Research skills

Dr. Fawzi Ishtaiwa

ources o$ Research Problem 9 

"er%a li$e



Practical issues



Past research 'perhaps most important,



#heor4planation or e4planator sstem that %iscusses how a phenomenon operates an% wh it operates as it %oes.



 Personal e4perience an% interests o$ researchers.



5arious theories in the %iscipline o$ the researcher.



 Relate% 6iterature7 6iterature $rom one8s own area o$ interest.



 A repro%uction o$ past research stu%ies. Research skills

Dr. Fawzi Ishtaiwa

Consi%erations in electing a Research Problem * 

-nterest : you must select a topic that interests you most.



agnitu%e: you should have su""icient knowledge about the research process to be able to estimate the work needed to complete the proposed topic.



easurement o$ concepts: i" you are using a concept in your study make sure you are clear about its indicators and their measurements.



6e"el o$ e4pertise: make sure you have an adequate level o" expertise "or the task you are proposing. Research skills

Dr. Fawzi Ishtaiwa

Consi%erations;;.'Cont., + 

Rele"ance: select a topic that is o$ rele"ance to ou as a pro$essional..



A"ailabilit o$ %ata: i$ our topic rebecti"es 10



ain obecti"e 4 is an overall statement o" the thrust o" your study. It is also a statement o" main associations and relationships that you seek to discover or establish.



ub7obecti"es 4 are the speci"ic aspects o" the topic that you want to investigate within the main "ramework o" your study.

Research skills

Dr. Fawzi Ishtaiwa

Characteristics o$ >becti"es 19

-.

)lear

%.

)omplete

(.

0peci"ic

1.

Identi"y the main variables to be correlated

2.

Identi"y the direction o" relationship

Research skills

Dr. Fawzi Ishtaiwa

ub7obecti"es 1*

 





Should be numerically listed Should be worded clearly and unambiguously Each sub-objective should contain only one aspect of the study. Should start with words such as “To determine”, “To nd out”, “To ascertain”, “To measure”, “To e!plore”, etc.

Research skills

Dr. Fawzi Ishtaiwa

stablishing >perational Be$inition 1+







-n man cases ou nee% to %e"elop operational %e$initions $or the "ariables ou are stu%ing an% $or the population that becomes the source o$ the in$ormation $or our stu%. -t is the %e$inition o$ a "ariable in terms o$ the speci$ic acti"ities to measure or in%icate in the empirical worl% >perational %e$inition ma %i$$er $rom %ictionar %e$inition as well as $rom %a7to7%a meanings. #hese meanings ma not be help$ul in either i%enti$ing our stu% population or the concepts ou are stu%ing. Research skills

Dr. Fawzi Ishtaiwa

stablishing >perational Be$inition 1)







5perational de"initions give an operational meaning to the study population and the concepts used. It is only through making your procedures explicit that you can validly describe, explain, veri"y and test. #he "ollowing example studies help to explain this. #he main obectives are4   #o "ind out the number o" $amilies living below the po"ert line   #o ascertain the impact o" immigration on $amil roles among immigrants   #o measure the e$$ecti"eness o" a training program Research skills Dr. Fawzi Ishtaiwa designed to help oung people

Operationalisation of Concepts and the Study Populations

1(

Stu Concept dy

Issue

Study Populatio n

Issues

1

Poverty line

"hat constitutes “poverty line”#

Children

"ho would you consider a “child”

2

Family roles

"hat constitutes “$amily roles”#

Immigrants

"ho would you consider and immigrant#

3

Eectivene ss

"hat constitutes “e%ectiveness” #

The young

"ho would you consider a “young”

 You must

Operationalise the concepts: Operationalise the study defne in practical, observable population: defne in identifable and measurable terms ‘poverty’, terms ‘children, immigrants’, and Research skills Dr. Fawzi Ishtaiwa amily roles’ and ‘eectiveness’. ‘young’.

Operational Denitions Concept 2

Poverty line

Denition  Total value of assets, annual income below &E' (),))).))

Conce pt

Denition

Child

& person who has not attained puberty

Family roles

&bility of family to protect, guide, educate, and support its members

Immigr ant

& person who leaves his native country to live elsewhere

Eective ness

&bility to achieve decided, decisive, and desired results

The young

&n individual aged between *+ and (.

Research skills

Dr. Fawzi Ishtaiwa