Selection and Formulation

of Research Topic or
Problem

Course: Introduction to MLS Research 1

Presented by: Enoch Taclan , MScBIO
 Introduction

A research problem is a
question that researcher
wants to answer or a
problem that a researcher
wants to solve.
Identification &
formulation of a research
problem is the first step of
the research process.
 Introduction

Selection of research problem

depends on several factors such
as researcher’s knowledge,
skills, interest, expertise,
motivation & creativity with
respect to the subject of inquiry

It is believed that most of

the good research studies
need lots of time for
selection of a research
problem.
 Definition

• According to Kerlinger, ‘A
problem is an interrogative
sentence or statement that
asks what relation exists
between two or more variable.

• R.S. Woodworth defines

problem as ‘a situation for
which we have no ready &
successful response by nature
or by previous acquired habit.
 What will you do?

Will it sustain scientific

DEFINE A
study?
RESEARCH
PROBLEM
How will you do it?

What you may achieve!

 Problem!

 Choosing good problems

is essential for being
a good scientist.

 What is a good problem,

and how to choose one?
 IDENTIFICATION OF RESEARCH
PROBLEM
• Identification of a research problem is the
first & most important step in research
process.
• Generally, a broad area is selected & then
a broad topic is delimited or narrowed
down to a specific one sentence statement
of the problem.
 Introduction

• Research Question
– Questions about one or
more topics or concepts
that can be answered
through research
– A research question can
be about local or global
governments,
individuals or
organizations, and an
entire society
 Introduction
• Hypothesis
– A testable statement
about how two or
more variables are
expected to be related
to one another
 Introduction
• Research question vs. Hypothesis
– A research question is like a hypothesis, except
that a hypothesis presents an expectation about
the way two or more variables are related, but a
research question does not
– Research projects that have explanatory or
evaluation purposes typically begin with one or
more hypotheses, most exploratory and some
descriptive projects start with a research
question
 Research Topic
or a Problem

• A topic is the main

organizing principle
guiding the preparation of a
research report
• Topics offer us an occasion
for writing and a focus that
governs what we want to
say.
• Topics represent the core
subject matter of
intellectual communication
 How to Begin

• Do not expect choosing a topic for

research project to be a quick or easy
task!

• You should be thinking about it right

from the start of this course (at least
right from now).
 CHOOSING A
RESEARCH
TOPIC

 THERE ARE 3 SCENARIOS

Your supervisor /department can
i. provide you with a general topic
area from which you study a
particular aspect;
ii. provide you with a list of
possible topics to choose from;
or,
iii. leave it up to you to choose a
topic and you only must obtain
the permission to write about it
before beginning your
investigation.
 CHOOSING A
RESEARCH TOPIC
How to approach your
chosen topic
Step 1: Understand what
the topic is about.
• What are the key words in the
question/topic?
• Which questions am I going to
answer?
• Which sphere of knowledge
does it cover?
• What variables will be
considered?
 CHOOSING A
RESEARCH TOPIC
How to approach your
chosen topic
Step 2:
• Review related literature to help
refine how you will approach the
topic and finding a way to
analyze it.

• Focus on identifying sources

(literature) that support as well as
refute this position
a. Has anybody written
about this?
b. If yes, what is it about
specifically?
c. If no, what gap is my
study filling in?
 CHOOSING A RESEARCH TOPIC
CAUTION:

• It is ok to review related literature to help

refine how you will approach analyzing a
topic, and then discover that the topic is
not all that interesting after all.
• In that case, you can choose another
topic.
• Do not wait too long to make a switch,
and
• Be sure to consult with your supervisor
first.
 GENERATING
RESEARCH TOPICS
where, when & how

• Usually, students ask

“How do I choose a topic?”

• If you lack ideas, or wish

to gain focus, PERFORM
some or all of the
following
ACTIVITIES/strategies:
 Activity 1:
Courses/Readings
• Review your course
readings,
particularly the suggested
readings, for topic ideas.

• Do not just review what you

have already read but jump
ahead in the program to
readings that have not been
covered yet.
 Activity 2: Libraries

• Search the library

catalog for a good,
recent introductory
books and, if
appropriate, more
specialized works
related to the
discipline/area of your
course
 Activity 3:
Browse through some
current journals in your
subject discipline

▪ Even if most of the articles

are not relevant, you can
skim through the contents
quickly.
▪ You only need one to be the
spark that begins the process
of wanting to learn more
about a topic.
▪ Consult a librarian or your
supervisor about the core
journals within your subject
discipline.
 Activity 4: Past
essays

• Think about essays you have

written for past classes and
other coursework you have
taken or academic lectures
and programs you have
attended.

• Thinking back, what most

interested you?

• What would you like to know

more about?
 Activity 5: Online
Portals
• Search online sources, such as
Google Scholar, PubMed,
PNAS.org, DOAJ.org,
PLOS.org, Biomedcentral.com
to see if your idea has been
covered in the news or online
articles

• Use this coverage to refine your

idea into something that you
would like to investigate
further but in a more deliberate,
scholarly way based on a
problem to research
 Activity 6:
Surroundings

• More commonly, look

around your
department, university
environment or society
at large to identify
issues of concern to
you.
 SOURCES OF RESEARCH
PROBLEM
1. Curiosity
2. Personal Experiences
3. Practical Experience
4. Review Of Literature
5. Previous Research
6. Existing Theories
7. Consumer Feedback
8. Dissertations
9. Social issues
10. Brainstorming
11. Resource persons - professors
Considerations For Selecting A Research
Problem

These are individual assessments a researcher

goes through before finalizing on his topic

They help to ensure that your study remains

manageable and keep you motivated
throughout the study.
 1. Interest

• A research endeavor is usually time consuming and

involves hard work and possibly unforeseen problems.

• One should select a topic of great interest to sustain the

required motivation.
 2. Magnitude (scope)

• It is extremely important to select a topic that you

can manage within the time and resources at your
disposal.

• Narrow the topic down to something manageable,

specific and clear.
3. Measurement Of Concepts

• Make sure that you are clear about the indicators and
measurement of concepts (if used) in your study.
e.g.
How do you measure these words?
“congestion”, “efficiency”, “growth”, “malfunction”, etc
 4. Level Of Expertise

• Make sure that you have adequate

knowledge or expertise for the task you are
proposing since you need to do the work
yourself.
 5. Relevance/Significance

Ensure that your study

i. adds to the existing body of knowledge,
ii. bridges current gaps in knowledge, and
iii. is useful in policy formulation.

This will help you to sustain interest in the study.

 6. Availability Of Data

• Before finalizing on your topic, make sure that data

are available.

• Getting information for your research is very

critical to any research.
 7. Ethical Issues

• Ethical issues are research processes and findings that

affect the sensibilities and rights of research
participants.

• The effect the study on the population and how these

ethical problems can be overcome should be
thoroughly examined at the problem formulating stage.
 Conclusion
• A strong research problem should be clear, specific, and
meaningful.
• Identifying a research problem is the first step in scientific
inquiry.
• A good problem is relevant, researchable, and contributes
new knowledge
• Research questions guide the study and seek answers.
Hypotheses predict relationships.
• Key considerations in selecting a research problem is based
on your interest, scope, expertise, significance, data
availability, and ethical concerns
 GROUP
ASSIGNMENT
1. Select one
topic/problem from
your listed topic and
discuss it as a group
on why you chose this
topic.
2. Finalize your topic and
draft a hypothesis and
research questions for
your chosen topic
Submit your assignment in
hard copy format (printed)
on Tuesday or Thursday
Research 1 laboratory
schedule. Thank you!
 Rubric for Research Topic Selection, Discussion, and Hypothesis Drafting
Total Score: 30 | Lowest Score: 10

Needs Improvement (18-10

Criteria Excellent (30-25 points) Good (24-19 points)
points)

Clearly explains why the

topic was chosen, provides Provides a general
Weak justification, minimal
Topic Justification & Group strong justification with explanation for choosing
discussion, or lacks clarity in
Discussion (10 pts) evidence or relevance, and the topic but lacks depth in
why the topic was chosen.
engages in a well- justification or discussion.
structured discussion.

Research questions are Research questions are

Clarity & Relevance of Research questions are
clear, focused, and aligned relevant but may need
Research Questions (10 unclear, vague, or not well-
with the topic, ensuring minor refinement for clarity
pts) aligned with the topic.
feasibility and significance. or focus.

Hypothesis is well- Hypothesis is present but

Hypothesis is unclear, not
Quality of Hypothesis (10 structured, testable, and may lack strong testability
testable, or unrelated to
pts) directly related to the or clear linkage to research
research questions.
research questions. questions.