![What is a Research Problem
“A research problem is a definite or clear expression [statement] about an area of
concern, a condition to be improved upon, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a
troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or within existing
practice that points to a need for meaningful understanding and deliberate
investigation. A research problem does not state how to do something, offer a
vague or broad proposition, or present a value question.” - Bryman, 2010.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/researchproblemstatementinsocialscience-200608164432/85/Research-problem-statement-2-320.jpg)
![Relevant Literature
• The selection of a research problem can be derived from a thorough review of pertinent research
associated with your overall area of interest.
• This may reveal where gaps exist in understanding a topic or where an issue has been understudied.
Research may be conducted to:
• 1) fill such gaps in knowledge; 2) evaluate if the methodologies employed in prior studies can be
adapted to solve other problems; or, 3) determine if a similar study could be conducted in a different
subject area or applied in a different context or to different study sample [i.e., different setting or
different group of people].
• Authors frequently conclude their studies by noting implications for further research; read the
conclusion of pertinent studies because statements about further research can be a valuable source for
identifying new problems to investigate.
• The fact that a researcher has to identify a topic worthy of further exploration validates that becomes
worth of pursuing.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/researchproblemstatementinsocialscience-200608164432/85/Research-problem-statement-22-320.jpg)
Research problem statement
- 1. Research Problem statement Bikash Chandra Taly PhD in English Language bikashchandrataly@gmail.com
- 2. What is a Research Problem “A research problem is a definite or clear expression [statement] about an area of concern, a condition to be improved upon, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or within existing practice that points to a need for meaningful understanding and deliberate investigation. A research problem does not state how to do something, offer a vague or broad proposition, or present a value question.” - Bryman, 2010.
- 3. A description of an issue that currently needs to be addressed. It provides the context for the research & generates the questions which the researcher aims to answer. • The PS should be accompanied by a few paragraphs that elaborate on the problem and various paragraphs that synthesize & evaluate past related studies, leading to the identification of the gap in the literature. • problem is something to be solved or framed as a question raised for inquiry, consideration, or solution, or explained as a source of perplexity, distress, or vexation. In short, a research problem is something that needs to be investigated.
- 4. Criteria of Critique & Analysis Major focus: • Is the premise of the research clearly described? • How robust are the points presented as evidence? • Does the author have a coherent argument, and do the points follow through logically from one another or are their breaks in the sense? Can you spot flaws? • Is the conclusion (the justification of the study) clearly presented? • Are there signs of bias or persuasion in the language, such as use of emotional appeal, or indications that the author adheres to a particular school of thought or methodological perspective (an example here might be that of someone whose methodological approach was strongly quantitative, or qualitative)?
- 5. Problem Statement: Required Parts 1. Start with a general topic , concern, or problem related to the focus of the study / Select a broad area of interest- a research topic 2. Synthesize the literature, informing the readers about the extent of research that has been done evaluating the studies (use citations) 3. Identify the gap in the literature (previous research) 4. State your specific focus & how your study is filling in the gap, thus providing justification for your study. 5. Cover present persuasive arguments that emphasize the importance of the problem for the study
- 6. Why Writing Problem Statement? • To present the global and local issues surrounding the topic you will study • To present evidence related to the identified issues • To argue for the importance of your study • Introduce the reader to the importance of the topic being studied. • Anchors the research questions, hypotheses, or assumptions to follow. It offers a concise statement about the purpose of your paper. • Place the topic into a particular context that defines the parameters of what is to be investigated. • Provide the framework for reporting the results and indicates what is probably necessary to conduct the study and explain how the findings will present this information.
- 7. Key Issues in a general Problem Statement Context – facts/details about the problem/issue from literature and prior research. Helps the reader to understand the dimensions of the problem. Significance – why is it a problem? Who is affected by it? Who cares? Gap –– The gap in knowledge between what we know (i.e. past studies) and what we don’t know. Note:The gaps are areas or issues yet to be focused on or the missing links that are required to justify the study. All problems are not gaps but all gaps are problems. Purpose – why we need to do your study to address this gap….
- 8. Characteristics of Problem Statement 1.It should address a gap in knowledge. 2.It should be significant enough to contribute to the existing body of research. 3.It should lead to further research. 4.The problem should render itself to investigation through collection of data. 5.It should be of interest to the researcher and suit his/her skills, time, and resources. 6.The approach towards solving the problem should be ethical.
- 9. To Build Good Arguments • Make statement & present evidence to support the statement. • Evidence could be put together. • A synthesized analytical discussion of other Research. • An analytical discussion of views from scholarly opinion to support the research Gap.
- 10. key Components of the Problem Statement • The problem itself, stated clearly & with enough contextual detail to establish why it is important. • The informed critical/analytical discussion of previous studies related to the topic. • Identification of gap(s) in the literature with justification for your study. • The method of solving the problem, often stated as a claim or a working thesis. • The purpose, statement of objective and scope of the project being proposed. • Clearly indicate what is to be investigated.
- 11. Criteria for Research Problem Statement • Should clearly indicate what is to be investigated through proper argumentative claims to support the problem statement instead of showing “nobody has investigated this area yet and so this research will be investigated”…… • Include up-to-date references to indicate insufficiencies in past studies • Should indicate the variables of interest & the specific relationship between the variables to be studied (quantitative study). • Indicate/discuss the aspects related to the topic of investigation (qualitative study). • Classify the literature gap according to research question • Should draw the attention of the readers regarding the gap in the literature. • Main idea – tell the specific problem being identified and tell why there is need for you to pursue the present study/project.
- 12. The CARS model (Swales, 1990 .141) A theoretical framework is needed to define, organize, and classify the rhetorical structure of a text. A well- established model that has been used in many studies to identify and analyze the content and organization of a written text, is Swales’ (1990) Create-a-research-space (CARS) model. Based on the model, in order to write a well-organized piece, a writer is required to make a number of moves and take a number of steps. Move 1 Establishing a territory: · Step 1 Claiming centrality and/or · Step 2 Making topic generalization(s) and/or · Step 3 Reviewing items of previous research Move 2 Establishing a niche: · Step 1A Counter-claiming or · Step 1B Indicating a gap or · Step 1C Question-raising or · Step 1D Continuing a tradition Move 3 Occupying the niche: · Step 1A Outlining purposes or · Step 1B Announcing present research · Step 2 Announcing principal findings · Step 3 Indicating Research Article structure
- 14. Gaps in Research • Literature/Knowledge Gap – What have been discussed and what have not/should be discussed? • Practice Gap – What is practice now and what have not/should have been practiced? • Policy Gap – What are the existing policies and what should have been considered? • To date however, various research have shown that … OR ………………….. has been debatable because ……………. OR ………………….. there is still a lack in …………
- 15. Identify Gaps in the Research Using negative openings: However, little information, few research, few attempts, very few investigations….. Using contrastive statements: The research has tended to focus on..., rather than on... However, much of the attention has been focused on X rather than Y. Raising questions, hypotheses or needs If these results could be confirmed, they would provide strong evidence for... It would seem, therefore, that further investigations are needed in order to... Recommended: Manchester University’s Academic phrasebank(2018): Google: manchesteruniversity + academic phrasebank
- 16. The research gap is derived from the research question which has not been addressed properly from the previous studies (Farooq, 2017). Usually for every study, there should be a gap to be covered. As stated in the previous sections, the gap may be contextually, methodologically, geographically and theoretically. Researchers should explain clearly what gaps will be covered in their studies. Moreover, studies may be conducted to verify the previous studies where weaker methodologies may be replaced with stronger ones. In order to fill the gap, students may wish to increase the sample size or expand their studies into broader coverage to validate the previous studies.
- 17. Sample of Research Gap The problem of burnout among teachers has received increasing attention in Malaysia. For example, the study by Ghani, Ahmad, and Ibrahim (2014) found that five factors contribute to teacher stress, they are: pupil misbehavior, teacher workload, time and resources difficulties, recognition and interpersonal relationships. The teaching profession is a profession that is under pressure (Borg and Riding, 1991). This problem has been widely discussed in European countries; and one of the models that have been used to examine teacher stress among the teaching profession is the job demands- resources model by Hakanen et al. (2006). In Malaysia, studies examining both teachers and work engagement are limited. So far only Ghani, Ahmad, and Ibrahim (2014) have examined teachers’ burnout and work engagement.
- 18. Previous research studies on reading comprehension strategies have focused on several themes. For instance, several studies have examined the effectiveness of particular reading comprehension strategies on improving reading comprehension of students with learning disabilities. Taylor, Alber, and Walker (2002) examined the effectiveness of both self- questioning and story-mapping strategies on reading comprehension of elementary students with learning disabilities. The study was conducted in a special education resource room. The findings indicated that both self-questioning and story-mapping strategies were effective interventions to improve the students’ literal and inferential comprehension. Also, Stagliano and Boon (2009) examined the impact of utilizing story-mapping strategy to improve reading comprehension of fourth graders with learning disabilities. Investigators utilized a multiple-probe design across participants to evaluate the influence of using story-mapping strategy to enhance the students’ understanding of an expository text. The finding of this study displayed that story- mapping is an effective strategy that helped to improve the students’ comprehension of an expository text.
- 19. However, few studies have examined the effective reading comprehension strategies for students who have difficulty with reading in the second and third grades (Gooden, 2012; Williams, 2005). Also, a minimal research attention has been directed toward examining the effective reading comprehension strategies experienced special education teachers use in order to improve reading comprehension level of lower level elementary students with learning disabilities (Chatman, 2015; Gersten et al., 2001; Reid & Lienemann, 2006; Swanson, 2000). While a previous qualitative research study has examined the reading comprehension strategies that experienced special education teachers utilized in inclusive settings and self-contained classrooms for second and third grade students with learning disabilities (Chatman,2015), for the best of my research knowledge there is no study have investigated the effective reading comprehension strategies that special education teachers use to improve reading comprehension strategies for their students with disabilities in a resource room setting. Therefore, the deficiency that I have identified concerning this researchable problem is that the topic has not been explored with experienced special education teachers who use reading comprehension strategies to teach reading to third graders with learning disabilities in the resource room setting.
- 20. Origin of a Problem Statement • A good problem originates from a research question formulated out of observation/reality (but substantiated by the literature). • Previous related studies are good sources of research questions that are converted to a problem statement.
- 21. Personal Experience • Don't undervalue your everyday experiences or encounters as worthwhile problems for investigation. • Think critically about your own experiences and/or frustrations with an issue facing society, your community, or your personal life. • This can be derived, for example, from deliberate observations of certain relationships for which there is no clear explanation or witnessing an event that appears harmful to a person or group or that is out of the ordinary.
- 22. Relevant Literature • The selection of a research problem can be derived from a thorough review of pertinent research associated with your overall area of interest. • This may reveal where gaps exist in understanding a topic or where an issue has been understudied. Research may be conducted to: • 1) fill such gaps in knowledge; 2) evaluate if the methodologies employed in prior studies can be adapted to solve other problems; or, 3) determine if a similar study could be conducted in a different subject area or applied in a different context or to different study sample [i.e., different setting or different group of people]. • Authors frequently conclude their studies by noting implications for further research; read the conclusion of pertinent studies because statements about further research can be a valuable source for identifying new problems to investigate. • The fact that a researcher has to identify a topic worthy of further exploration validates that becomes worth of pursuing.
- 23. Four General Conceptualizations of a Research Problem • Casuist Research Problem -- this type of problem relates to the determination of right and wrong in questions of conduct or conscience by analyzing moral dilemmas through the application of general rules and the careful distinction of special cases. • Difference Research Problem -- typically asks the question, “Is there a difference between two or more groups or treatments?” This type of problem statement is used when the researcher compares or contrasts two or more phenomena. This a common approach to defining a problem in the clinical social sciences or behavioral sciences. • Descriptive Research Problem -- typically asks the question, "what is...?" with the underlying purpose to describe the significance of a situation, state, or existence of a specific phenomenon. This problem is often associated with revealing hidden or understudied issues. • Relational Research Problem -- suggests a relationship of some sort between two or more variables to be investigated. The underlying purpose is to investigate specific qualities or characteristics that may be connected in some way.
- 24. What Makes a Good Research Statement? • A good problem statement begins by introducing the broad area in which your research is centered, gradually leading the reader to the more specific issues you are investigating. The statement need not be lengthy, but a good research problem should incorporate the following features: Compelling Topic • The problem chosen should be one that motivates you to address it but simple curiosity is not a good enough reason to pursue a research study because this does not indicate significance. The problem that you choose to explore must be important to you, but it must also be viewed as important by your readers and to a the larger academic and/or social community that could be impacted by the results of your study.
- 25. Supports Multiple Perspectives The problem must be phrased in a way that avoids dichotomies and instead supports the generation and exploration of multiple perspectives. A general rule of thumb in the social sciences is that a good research problem is one that would generate a variety of viewpoints from a composite audience made up of reasonable people.
- 26. Gap/Problem Academic phrase Bank This is often signaled by words such as however, although, while, nevertheless, despite, but. Here are some examples of how these are used: • Few researchers have addressed the problem of… • Th ere remains a need for an efficient method that can… • However, light scattering techniques have been largely unsuccessful to date. • Th e high absorbance makes this an impractical option in cases where… • Unfortunately, these methods do not always guarantee… • An alternative approach is necessary. • Th e function of these proteins remains unclear. • Th ese can be time-consuming and are often technically difficult to perform. • Although this approach improves performance, it results in an unacceptable number of… • Previous work has focused only on… • However, the experimental configuration was far from optimal.
- 27. Selection of a Research Problem 1) Interest: Pose a problem that you find it fascinating so that you will be motivated to investigate it further. 2) Knowledge: Do a background study of your research problem so that you can discuss it with conviction and authority. 3) Conceptual frame work: Your research problem must be theoretically and conceptually sound. 4) Data availability: Investigate a problem that you can find materials and sources to support your investigation.
- 28. References Alvesson, Mats and Jörgen Sandberg. Constructing Research Questions: Doing Interesting Research. London: Sage, 2013; Chapter 1: Research and the Research Problem. Nicholas Walliman. Your Research Project: Designing and Planning Your Work. 3rd edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2011. Choosing and Refining Topics. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Ellis, Timothy J. and Yair Levy Nova Framework of Problem-Based Research: A Guide for Novice Researchers on the Development of a Research-Worthy Problem. Informing Science: the International Journal of an Emerging Transdiscipline 11 (2008); How to Write a Research Question. The Writing Center. George Mason University; Invention: Developing a Thesis Statement. The Reading/Writing Center. Hunter College; Problem Statements PowerPoint Presentation. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Procter, Margaret. Using Thesis Statements. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Trochim, William M.K. Problem Formulation. Research Methods Knowledge Base. 2006; Thesis and Purpose Statements. The Writer’s Handbook. Writing Center. University of Wisconsin, Madison; Thesis Statements. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University. https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/researchproblem