PHILIPPINE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

Dasmariñas Extension

Nelia I. Tubiera Dr. Lydia Oriña

CRITERIA IN THE SELECTION OF A RESEARCH PROBLEM

I. Introduction

“The task of selecting a research problem is often one of the most difficult steps in the research
process…” (Tuckman and Harper, 2012). Unfortunately, it is also one of the initial steps that the
beginning researcher has to undertake. The difficulty is not due to a shortage of problems but rather, to
the fact that beginners must select a problem very early, when their understanding of how to do
research is most limited. Beginners in the field of research are uncertain about the nature of research
problems and how to go about solving them. Skill in doing research is to a large extent a matter of
making wise choices about what to investigate. This skill takes time and repeated effort to develop, but
the willing beginner can do it (Ary and others, 2010). Hence, this report aims to guide the researcher in
the selection of research problems by listing some criteria of a good research problem and by turning
the attention of researchers to the right sources of research problems. Ary and others (2010) said that
we should not be surprised that this initial stage of research would take a large part of the total time
invested in a research or thesis project. “There is no way to do research until a problem is recognized,
thought through and articulated in a useful way” (Ary and others, 2010).

II. Highlights

 Criteria in the Selection of a Research Problem

III. Criteria in the Selection of a Research Problem

Sridhar (2010) categorizes criteria in the selection of research problems into two areas, internal
criteria and external criteria. Internal criteria pertain to the researcher’s characteristics regarding the
research. These are as follows:

1. Researcher’s interest.
2. Researcher’s competence
3. Researcher’s own resources (e.g. finance, time and others)

Sridhar (2010) also listed external criteria, which are criteria that pertain to the research
problem itself. Below are Sridhar’s (2010) list coupled with other criteria mentioned by current authors:

1. Researchable or feasible (e.g. amenability)

1) Researcher’s Interest. Realistically, you have to select something that you are interested in,
because you are going to commit yourself to a significant investment of time and energy. Thus,
if you are not personally interested, it will be difficult to sustain the effort needed to complete
the research (Boudah, 2011). It should be a problem whose solution is personally important
because of what it could contribute to your own knowledge or to improving your performance
as an educational practitioner (Ary and others, 2010).
2) Researcher’s Competence. The researcher needs to have the necessary research skills to carry
the study through completion. One may have to develop and validate instruments or do
complex statistical analyses. Another consideration is whether you will have access to
participants and the data necessary to answer the research question (Ary and others, 2010).
3) Researcher’s own resources (e.g. finance, time and others). The research problems should not
be too large or too involved, and the researcher needs to be sure to allow adequate time and
even financial resources for constructing instruments, conducting interviews or observations,
analyzing data and writing the report (Ary and others, 2010).

B. External Criteria in the Selection of a Research Problem

1) Researchable or feasible. A researchable problem is one that can be attacked empirically; that
is, it is possible to gather data that answer the question. Many interesting questions in
education cannot be answered by scientific research. Philosophic questions, for example, that
ask what should be done are not researchable and should be avoided. Questions such as
“Should schools give more attention to character education?” cannot be answered by
scientifically by gathering and analyzing data. It should be restated as follows: “What is the
effect of a character education program in the incidence of cheating in high school?” (Ary and
others, 2010).
2) Social Relevance. Scientific research in education, psychology and social sciences in general
have an especially urgent obligation to play a social role rendering service to society and
humanity. The research should be significant to the field of the researcher, relevant at the time
of research and it should have practical value in terms of application and implementation of the
results (Singh and Bajpai, 2008). As much as possible it should in a way contribute to the
economic development of the country (Calmorin and Calmorin, 2008). A good research problem
responds to the needs and problems of the people (Calmorin and Calmorin, 2008).
3) Novelty or Originality. Research should be innovative, novel, original and unique to attract the
attention of its readers and other experts in the field (Calmorin and Calmorin, 2008). Though,
replication of research is allowed to check the validity and reliability of previous researches,
these are exemptions need to be clearly justified. The research problem should not waste the
researcher’s and other stakeholders’ resources by providing scientific data to something that is
already well established in research literature unless with a good reason. Hence, a thorough
review of the literature is needed before the researcher formulates the research problem.
4) Ethical. The problem should be one that you can investigate without violating ethical principles.
Unlike researchers in the physical sciences, educational researchers are dealing with human
subjects with feelings, sensitivities and rights. Hence the researcher should consider (1)
consent, (2) protection from harm and (3) privacy. In a nutshell, consent means that the
researcher should obtain consent from intended participants. The research should not cause
physical harm or psychological harm such as stress, discomfort or embarrassment that could
have lasting adverse effects. And if invasion of privacy is needed, it should be done as minimal
as possible. Use of pseudo names to preserve the anonymity of participants is crucial so as to
protect the respondent from labeling and other harm that social stigmas can provoke (especially
 in studies involving sexual experiences, religious beliefs, attitude toward parents and other
sensitive issues) (Calmorin and Calmorin, 2008).
5) Significance to theory or practice. The solution of the research problem should make
contribution to educational theory or practice. The problem should fill in the gaps in current
knowledge or help solve some inconsistencies in previous research. The researcher should be
able to answer the question “so what?” (Calmorin and Calmorin, 2008).
6) The problem should be clear. What is exactly being investigated should be clear for the readers
to understand and appreciate. Researchers need to be specific and consistent in their use of
terms. And if they need to use technical terms (such as core curriculum and client centered
counseling), they need to clarify these by using constitutive definition and if needed operational
definitions. They can also use examples or illustrations to convey the idea at hand. Constitutive
definition is the common literature or dictionary definition whereas operational definition
require that “researchers specify the actions or operations necessary to measure or identify the
term” (Fraenkel and Wallen, 2007).

Example of constitutive (or conceptual) definition of intelligence:

Intelligence – the ability to gather data and to use this data into one’s own adjustment.

Example of operational definition of intelligence:

Intelligence – refers to the level of score revealed by the results of the Weschler Adult
Intelligence Test – Revised (WAIS-R).

IV. Sources of Research Problems

After one has understood how to look for good research problems, the question now is “where
does one look for research problems?” Listed below are sources of research problems according to
Zulueta and Costales (2003) and Singh and Bajpai (2008) grouped according to three important sources
of problems according to Ary and others (2010) which is (1) experience, (2) deductions from theory and
(3) review of related literature:

1) Experience is one of the most fruitful sources of research problems. Teachers must have some
intuitions or hunches about new relationships or why certain things in school happen the way
they do. Through research they can inquire if some well established classroom practices are
based on scientific research or on authority or just plain tradition. Other specific sources of
problems in experience are the following:
Actual problem Encountered. Beginning researchers are best to tackle something that
they personally encounter as a problem in school, classroom or community. This is to
make their research closer to their own experience and less theoretical and abstract.
Technological changes and curricular developments. New technology and current
trends in curricular development are often touted as necessities for adoption into a
school system – often just to keep in touch with the current trends. But are these
technological changes really effective given your unique characteristic of students,
resources and personality in the school. Research can help challenge touted
advancements in technology and curriculum development.
Consideration of existing practices and needs. Research can systematically investigate
how existing practices are effective and how we can make them more effective. There
must be gaps in our knowledge as to how a system works and proving efficacy (or
disproving them on the other hand) can lend a hand to better practices and more
attention to more pressing needs.
 Consultation. Professors, research advisers, supervisors and other authorities in their
respective fields may openly share their own observations and gaps in our body of
knowledge. These would be helpful in identifying research problems.

2) Theories are a good source of problems for research. One can check if the theory is accurate or
that there are variations as to the details of the theory. Also, researchers can use theory to
become a central point of understanding to provide intervention to social problems. One good
example is Erik Erikson’s theory that those who do not find identity formation during
adolescence would feel alienated. Reports show that school violence is often perpetrated by
individuals who feel they are alienated or that they need to be part of a group (in lack of strong
self-identity). Zulueta and Costales (2003) adds the following when it comes to theory:
Graduate Academic Experience exposes the educator to a broader perspective of study
on his or her field hence stimulating the graduate student in questioning practices or
held beliefs in one’s field.
Specialization helps the graduate student see the accomplishments in his field of study
and the problems that are still yet unresolved.

3) Review of Related Literature would help researchers identify which problems are resolved and
which are not, and also help one identify conflicts in the evidences presented in various
researches. Included in review of related literature are the following:
Analysis of an area of knowledge. One can focus on a reasonably limited area of scope
of knowledge and seek to find areas in need of answers (e.g. reading readiness tests,
prenatal conditioning, cyber-bullying and others).
Off-shoots of studies under way. As was said, “a good research stimulates more
research.” What it means is that good researches will recommend further investigation
of the topic or field and provide direction to further add knowledge to what was already
found out or to confirm further the validity of past claims.
Replication of studies (or repetition or extension of investigation). These can help
identify the validity of a study whether the claims are really based on data or is it just
internally valid and cannot be generalized as of yet.

IV. Conclusion

There are many things that a beginning researcher has to learn. Even in the beginning of
research the neophyte researcher needs to be careful to follow the criteria in selecting research
problems so as to avoid pitfalls that can ruin the validity and significance of the study. The important
thing is to have a careful eye on how to identify if the research is even researchable and if they are really
worth investing long hours of designing research, instrumentations, gathering data, analyzing them and
making inferences out of them. It is helpful to reiterate that this initial stage of selecting research
problems take a large part of the total time invested in a research project (Ary and others, 2010).

V. Activity.

(1) Identify if the questions below adhere to the criteria of research problems; and

(2) Provide reasons why you consider these research problems acceptable for research or not.

(figure below is from Ary and others, 2010)

Ary, D., and others (2010). Introduction to Research in Education. Wadsworth: USA

Boudah, Daniel J. (2011). Conducting Educational Research: Guide to Completing a Major Project.
Sage:USA

Calamorin, L.P. and Calmorin, M.A. (2008). Research Methods and Thesis Writing' 2007 Ed.Rex
Bookstore, Inc.: Quezon City

Singh Y.K and Bajpai R.B. (2008). Research Methodology:techniques & Trends. Balaji Offset: Delhi

Sridhar, M.S. (2010). Introduction to Research Methodology: Problem Selection, Formulation and
Research Design. Lulu Press: Lulu.com

Tuckman, Bruce W. and Harper, Brian E. (2012). Conducting Educational Research. Rowman and
Littlefield Publishers: United Kingdom

Zulueta, Francisco M. and Costales, NE B. (2003). Methods of Research, Thesis Writing and Applied
Statistics. National Bookstore: Metro Manila