Jimma University

Jimma Institute of Technology

Research methods and

Instructor Solomon A.
Email:- solinaye143@gmail.com

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 Unit 2

Formulating Research
problem

2024
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Revision of last class

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THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL
 Structure of research proposal in
Information Science
• Introduction
• Background of the study
• Statement of the problem
• Research questions
• Objectives
• Scope
• significance
• literature review
• methodology
• Time and budget breakdown
• Appendices
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General overview of this class

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IDENTIFICATION OF A PROBLEM
• The identification and analyzing a research
problem is the first and most crucial step of
research process.
• A problem cannot be solved effectively unless a
researcher possesses the intellect and insight to
isolate and understand the specific factors
giving rise to the difficulty.
• The present research scholars understand that
identification of a problem means to select a topic of
a research or statement of the problem. It is wrong
to think so.
• The problem concerns with the functioning of
the broader area of field studied whereas a topic or
title or statement of the problem is the verbal
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statement of the problem.
Contd.
• The topic is the definition of the problem
which delimits or pin points the task of a
researcher.
• It is the usual practice of the researches
that they select the topic of the study
from different
sources especially from research abstracts.

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 Steps to identify the research
problem
• The following steps are to be followed in
identifying a research problem:
Step 1 : Determining the field of
research in which a researcher is keen to
do the research work.
Step 2 : The researcher should develop the
mastery on the area.
Step 3 : He should review the
researchers conducted in area to know
the recent trend and studies in the area.

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Contd.
Step 4: On the basis of review, he should
consider the priority field of the study.
Step 5: He should draw an analogy and
insight in identifying a problem or employ
his personal
experience of the field in locating the problem.
He may take help of supervisor or expertise of
the field.
Step 6 : He should pin-point specific aspect of
the problem which is to be investigated.

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SOURCES OF PROBLEMS
• The selection of a suitable problem is not an
easy task.
• It is a serious responsibility to commit oneself to
a problem that will inevitably require much time
and energy and which is so academically
significant.
• The following are the main sources to which one
may proceed for a suitable research problem:
1. Personal experiences of the investigator in the
field are the main source for identifying suitable
problem.

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Contd.
2. The extensive study of available literature-
research abstracts, journals, hand-books of
research international abstracts etc.
• He can draw an analogy for selecting a
research problem or can think parallel
problem in the field studied.
3. In the choice of a suitable problem, the
researcher has to decide his field of
investigation.
• He should study the field intensively in the
specific area, this may enable him to identify
a problem from the specific field.
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Contd.
4. The new innovations, technological
changes can bring new problems and new-
opportunities for Research.
5. The most practical source of problem is to
consult supervisor, experts of the field
and most experienced person of the field.
They may suggest most significant problem
of the area. He can discuss certain issues of
the area to emerge a problem.

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 CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF
THE PROBLEM
• The factors are to be considered in the
selection of a research problem both the
criteria external and personal.
• External criteria have to do with such matters
as novelty and importance for the field
availability of data and method, and
institutional or administrative
cooperation.
• Personal criteria involved such considerations
as interest, training, cost and time, etc.

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Contd.
• Criteria for the selection of the problem are
the following: -
1. Novelty and avoidance of
unnecessary duplications
2. Importance for the field represented
and implementation
3. Interest, intellectual curiosity, and drive
4. Training and personal qualifications
5. Availability of data and method

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Contd.
6. Special equipment and working
conditions
7. Approachability of the sample
8. Sponsorship and administrative
cooperation
9. Hazards, penalties and handicaps
10. Cost and returns
11. Time factor

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 Questions raised to select
research problem
1. Is the problem really important?
2. Is the problem interesting to others?
3. Is the chosen problem a real problem?
4. Does the problem display originality
and creativeness?
5. Am I really concerned with finding
the solution?
6. Am I able to state hypotheses from the
problem in a testable form?

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Contd.
7. Will I learn something new from this problem?
8. Do I understand the relationship of this specific
problem to the broader problem area?
9. Will be able to select a sample from which I can
generalize to some population?
10. Will some other intelligent person be able to
replicate the study?
11. Will my proposed data-gathering instruments
actually give the Information which I want?
12. Is the study, including the application of its
results, practical? The number of affirmative answers
should be required for a suitable problem.

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STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
• After selecting a problem, it should be
stated carefully the researchers to
delimit his task and isolate a specific
problem before he can proceed with
active planning of the study.
• This type of decision is culminated in the
problem statement.

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Contd.
• The three criteria of good Problem Statements
1. A problem should be concerned with
relation between two or more variables.
2. It should be stated “clearly and
unambiguously in question form.”
3. It should be amenable to empirical
testing.
• Meeting these criteria in his problem statement
will result, on the researcher’s part, in a clear
and concise idea of what he wants to do.
• This sets the stage for further planning.

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 CLARIFYING AND STATING A
PROBLEM
• It is essential for a researcher before he
proceeds with his study that he converts
his tentative topic into a precise
researchable problem.
• Since a problem is broad infinite
therefore it is wise for the researcher to
delimit or to narrow the range of the
problem in terms of his interests and
skill.

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Contd.
• Problem: “Analyzing the potentials of teacher-
effectiveness.” It is still vague and no clear way.
• Restatement: “A study of relationship between
predictors and criteria of teacher-effectiveness.”
This statement indicates the specific task to be
performed by the researcher.
 Problem: “The relation of socio-economic status to
creativity.” It is also vague statement of a problem.
 Restatement: “A comparative study of the
performance of student of different socio-economic
status on the creativity test.”

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DELIMITING A PROBLEM
• Delimiting a problem is very important.
• A study should be delimited by the following
aspects:
 A study should be delimited to certain variables
that should be mentioned clearly in the problem.
 The study is delimited to the area or level as
primary level, secondary level, college or
university level.
 Again study is delimited to size of sample. By
considering the time, energy and money, but
it should be a representative.

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Contd.
 Method of Research
 Measuring Instrument
 Techniques of Research: A number of
techniques can be used for analyzing data
but most appropriate techniques should
be used.
 The other limitation should vary from
problem to problem as every problem has
its own
delimitations.

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Evaluate your problem
• Is the problem significant?
• Is the problem a new one?
• Is the problem feasible?

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 Criteria for selecting a
research topic
1. Relevance: The topic you choose should
be a priority problem.
•Questions to be asked include:
 How large or widespread is the problem?
 Who is affected?
 How severe is the problem?

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Contd.
2. Avoidance of duplication: Investigate
whether the topic has been researched.
3. Feasibility: Consider the complexity of the
problem and the resources you will require to
carry out the study.
4. Political acceptability (institutional
Organization): It is advisable to research a topic
that has the interest and support of the
authorities.
•This will facilitate the smooth conduct of the
research and increases the chance that the
results of the study will be implemented.
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Contd.
5. Applicability of possible results and
recommendations Is it likely that the
recommendations from the study will be applied?
6. Urgency of data needed
How urgently are the results needed for making a
decision?
Which research should be done first and which can be
done late?
7. Ethical acceptability
We should always consider the possibility that we may
inflict harm on others while carrying out research.
Therefore, it will be useful to review the proposed study.

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REVIEW OF LITERATURE
• The phrase ‘review of literature’ consists of two
words: Review and Literature.
• The word ‘literature’ has conveyed different
meaning from the traditional meaning.
• It is used with reference to the languages.
e.g. Hindi literature, English literature, Sanskrit
literature.
• Here in research methodology the term literature
refers to the knowledge of a particular area of
investigation of any discipline which includes
theoretical, practical and its research studies.

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Contd.
• The term ‘review’ means to organize
the knowledge of the specific area of
research to evolve an edifice of
knowledge to show that his study would
be an addition to this field.
• The task of review of literature is highly
creative and tedious because
researcher has to synthesize the available
knowledge of the field in a unique way to
provide the rationale for his study.

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 NEED OF REVIEW OF
LITERATURE
• The review of literature is essential due to the
following reasons:
 One of the early steps in planning a research
work is to review research done previously in
the particular area of interest and relevant area.
• Quantitative and qualitative analysis of this
research usually gives the worker an indication of
the direction.
 It is very essential for every investigator to be
up-to-date in his information about the
literature, related to his own problem already
done by others.

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Contd.
 It is considered the most important
prerequisite to actual planning and
conducting the study.
 It avoids the replication of the study of
findings to take an advantage from similar or
related literature as regards, to
methodology, techniques of data collection,
procedure adopted and conclusions drawn.
 It provides as source of problem of study, an
analogy may be drawn for identifying and
selecting his own problem of research.
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 SOURCES OF REVIEW OF
LITERATURE
• There are various sources of literature which
may be used for this purpose.
• These sources can be broadly classified into
these heads.
• Books and Text-Books material.
• The Periodical literature,
• Abstracts
• Encyclopedias
• Almanacs, Handbooks, Yearbooks and Guides
• Specialized Dictionaries
• Dissertations and Theses and others.

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HYPOTHESIS
• The word hypothesis is made up of two Greek roots
which mean that it is some sort of ‘sub-statements’, for
it is the presumptive statement of a proposition,
which the investigation seeks to prove.
• The word hypothesis consists of two words:
Hypo + thesis = Hypothesis
• ‘Hypo’ means tentative or subject to the
verification and ‘Thesis’ means statement about
solution of a problem.
• The meaning of the term hypothesis is a tentative
statement about the solution of the problem.
• Hypothesis offers a solution of the problem that is to be
verified empirically and based on some rationale.

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NATURE OF HYPOTHESIS
• The following are the main features of a
hypothesis:
 It is conceptual in nature.
 It is a verbal statement in a declarative form. It is
a verbal expression of ideas and concepts,
it is not merely idea but in the verbal form, the
idea is ready enough for empirical verification.
 It has the empirical referent. A hypothesis
contains some empirical referent. It indicates the
tentative relationship between two or more
variables.

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Contd.
 It has a forward or future reference. A
hypothesis is future oriented. It relates to
the future verification not the past facts and
information.
 It is the pivot of a scientific research. All the
research activities are designed for its
verification.

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Assignment
• Prepare a topic for the identified problem
• Delimit your selected topic and prepare
concept note for it (based on the following
criteria):-
 Topic
 Introduction
 Background of the study
 Statement of the problem
 Objectives of the study

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 Together we can create something new!

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References
• Kumar, R. (2011). Research Methodology: a step-by-step
guide for beginners. 3rd edition. SAGE Publications Ltd.
• Leedy, P. D. & Ormrod, J. E. (2015). Practical research:
Planning and design. 11th edition.
• Pandey, P & Pandey, M. M. (2015). Research
Methodology: Tools and techniques. Bridge center. ISBN
978-606-93502-7-0.
• Shyam, H. S. (2017). Research Methodology. Directorate
of Distance Education, Tripura University. English Edition.
• Singh, Y. K. (2006). Fundamental of Research
Methodology and Statistics. New Age International (P)
Limited, Publishers. ISBN: 978-81-224-2418-8.

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