ECTURE 4 : RESEARCH PROBLEM, QUESTIONS, AND HYPOTHESIS
- LECTURE 4 : RESEARCH PROBLEM, QUESTIONS, AND HYPOTHESIS
6.1. Formulating a research problem
In our lives, we face many problems which can be as trivial as losing a car key to more acute ones like building a new house. Although both can be addressed by answering questions of how and what, the former does not require elaborate research. Yet, building a new house is a complex endeavor that calls for scientific knowledge on how such a task is carried out. Probably, it is unachievable by one person as it needs a combination of efforts from different personals. In academia, science advances by asking and addressing questions and problems. Some are within the reach and can be solved easily while others can prove to be so hard. For example, the question that is puzzling the world right now is how we can stop Covid-19.
Therefore, embarking on the journey of research has to start from a problem or a researchable question. In this regard, Powers et al (1985, p.38) see that “Potential research questions may occur to us on a regular basis, but the process of formulating them in a meaningful way is not at all an easy task”. The complexity emanates from the unknown variables and obstacles that will confront the researcher. Thus, having considerable knowledge about the subject area and research methodology is critical.
6.2. The importance of formulating a Research Problem
One of the most common questions university students ask when starting to think about their dissertation is “what title should I choose for my research?”. Simple, in this case, a student is starting with a solution before finding the problem. According to Thomas, (2015, p.66 ) “ 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.”
Formulating a problem is the first step and it is the most crucial one. The way the latter is formulated has repercussions on all the steps of the research process. The way the problem is formulated determines research questions, the hypothesis, the sample, data gathering tools, and how analysis is done. Consequently, it is imperative for a researcher to mind all these aspects even before starting research.
6.3. Considerations in selecting a research problem
Kumar (2011) sees that there are seven points that need to be minded before delving into research: Interest- Magnitude- Measurement of concepts- Level of expertise - Relevance - Availability of data - Ethical issues.
6.3.1. Interest
Research is a daunting task that can be time-consuming and requires tremendous effort. Often these become sources of frustration to researchers. Therefore, a topic has to help the researcher to sustain his/ her interest and motivation throughout the whole period of the work. Therefore, the best choice of a topic would be a problem that reflects felts needs. It could be an issue that the investigator suffers from personally. For instance, a student may feel that his shyness prevents him from performing well in class, thus, tries to make systemic research on the issue, either to solve or just to shed light on it.
6.3.2. Magnitude
The size or the extent of the research is an aspect that has to be carefully minded. One does not want to pursue an endeavor that simply he/she can not finish. Thinking of the magnitude of the research has to start from the question asked. A researcher has to make sure that he /she has sufficient knowledge about the topic. Sometimes, even with the required information to answer the question, time becomes a hindering factor. Thus, the time allocated for the research has to be considered. Furthermore, there are resources that have to be included in planning such as financial ones and permissions required to enter places and having access to certain individuals.
6.3.3. Measurement of Concepts and Operationalization
Research is about yielding reliable knowledge which is accurate and precise. Therefore, the idea of measurement is at the heart of any practical research. According to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2000), "Measurement is the assignment of a numerical value to an attribute of an object, such as the length of a pencil. At more-sophisticated levels, measurement involves assigning a number to a characteristic of a situation”. Crano and Brewer (2002, p.114) define the concept from a more scientific perspective avowing “that measurement can provide a consistent yardstick for gauging differences. It thereby enables precise estimates of the degree of relationship between variables”.
Some concepts researchers deal with already have units of measurements for example the kilogram is for mass, the second for time, and the kelvin for temperature. However, there are other concepts which are detached from physical, or concrete reality. For instance, if research tries to establish the relationship between university students’ happiness and scholastic performance, it would use probably marks as a way to quantify performance but the idea of happiness remains hard to work with. In this regard, the concept of operationalization is used to designate the process of rendering abstract terms into variables that can be measured at an empirical level. In this vein, happiness can be associated with health, social status, and financials. Thus, a researcher would use these variables to quantify the concept of happiness which is hard to measure directly.
6.3.4. Level of expertise
The researcher’s prior knowledge and expertise are crucial when starting a new project. While the journey of seeking knowledge begins with asking questions about unknowns, prior knowledge about the field is necessary to design new research as often that would begin at missing or insufficient information that in turn makes it impossible to answers certain questions. In other words, having adequate information about a field helps a researcher determines research gaps and has a state-of-the-art review of the topic.
6.3.5. Availability of data and materials
Research is all about collecting data to answer particular questions. Therefore, it is crucial for a researcher to ensure the availability of data. First, information can come from primary sources such as events, records, unpublished or published documents, interviews, surveys, and observation. Data comes from secondary sources such as books and articles. Often those are used as a starting point for a literature review. Furthermore, even the process of collecting data may require a different type of knowledge such as the use of specific machinery without which experiments cannot function. Thus, all these have to be minded before starting an inquiry.
6.3.6. Relevance
The relevance of a topic can be simply seen in its usefulness. First, the more the topic is related to the researcher professionally and even personally the more it can sustain enough interest through the time of the research. Second, it has to hold some significance for the local community or the establishment the research belongs to. Furthermore, the ultimate goal of research is to contribute to the already existing body of literature.
6.3.7. Ethical issues
Collecting and obtaining knowledge also involve ethical issues and considerations that go beyond the ethics of conducting the research itself. Before starting any research, one has to guarantee the legality of the work as any scientific endeavor has to adhere to the regulations of the scientific institution and also the government. Second, human subjects’ protection has to be considered and taken into account. On this, often asking questions can involve information that might endanger informants. Therefore, respect for human dignity, privacy, and autonomy have to be of utmost importance. Research also has a social responsibility towards his / her community by mitigating social harms through research, public education, and advocacy.
6.4. Statement of the problem
A research problem is the area of concern addressed by the study, it emanates from a gap in the existing knowledge, a controversy, or a deviation in norms or standards, all of which point to the need for further investigation. Consequently, research endeavors to solve a research problem which can be translated into arriving at the answer of a question, address a situation, or explain a phenomenon. Therefore, a research study has to being with identifying and stating the problem in a clear way to delimit the task of the researcher by isolating the specific problem before carrying out the research. Singh (2006) sees that there are three criteria that a research statement needs to satisfy. He avows that “ 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.” (p.29). There criteria are :
- A problem should be concerned with relation between two or more variables.
- It should be stated “clearly and unambiguously in question form.”
- It should be amenable to empirical testing.
Problem statement is a concise statement about the problem in which the researcher puts the problem in context by descriving the issue he/ she will attempt to solve. The primary function of a statement of the problem is to render the abstract idea of the problem into a targeted , well-defined problem that can be investigated throught scientific methodology. It starts usually with an ideal situation then the researcher describes the gap or the problem. By doing that, he/she tried to describe consequence of the problem. Part of the problem statement, often found within the statemet of the probem, is the purpose statement, a statement that advances the overall direction or the main focus of the study. In a one or more succinctly formed sentences, the purpose statement describe the purpose pf the study
6.4.1. Example
In the last twenty years, there have been many breakthroughs in electronics, from a simple calculator watch in the 1980s to more advanced smartphones and tablets nowadays. In the same way industry marked the Industrial Age, advanced technology is defining this era as the Information Age. We live in a time where everything is connected whether through phones, internet, or satellites. In other words, technology has infiltrated every aspect of our life, whether social or cultural. Almost in every workplace, the use of technology is a defining criterion of high productivity. It is hard for anyone to think about hospitals without different probes and scanners, and architects without advanced printing machines. Technology at their disposal eases difficulties and increases efficiency. However, teaching as a profession seems to lack this chance. Classrooms have not changed much in schools often are simple bearbone walls. A situation that often results in boredom and demotivation among learners.
This paper emphasizes that the solution is to start harnessing the tremendous advantages of the integration of technology inside the classroom. Rather than simulating a problemverbally, learners should perceive the problem first hand, and this could be done only by using technology to create authentic contexts for learners to interact with. In this way, a school will be an extension for the outside environment not a place that hinders the natural learning process.
6.5. Research Questions
A problem statement is persuasive in nature with the primary goal to convice the reader that the problem is relevant and worth considering. It is written in a general way for better understanding, an attribute that goes against the principles of writing a scientific paper in which specificity is a key element. Hence, it is imperative for the researcher to narrow the scope of the problem and limit the purpose of the study to arrive at specific questions that the research will address.
A research question reflects the scientificity of the study as it has to researchable, precise and concise,original, interesting, ethical, and relevant. First, a researchable question would be one for which data could be collected for analysis either qualitatively or quantitatively. The inability to do that would render the question non-researchable. A precise question is that which has an exact and accurate meaning which is not open to interperation. Concise question is stated succinctly, thus, in a brief and clearly expressed manner with few words.
Orginality is rather a debatable criterion when it comes to a research question as it is open to discussion and argument. In this lecture, the idea of originalty is linked with the production of new knowledge. However, the latter has to be clarified. A new knowledge in science does not always come as new ground breaking theory but even the smallest contribution to an existing knowledge is important. For instance, originality can be attained by a simple change in the sample, a slight change in the methodology to yield better result, or even an attempt to test previous findings.
Ethicality is to be minded when rasining questions , even with no answer, a provocative question can have unwanted repercussion and the mere asking may call forth unethical topics. Next, an interesting question in acdemia has to be a one that tackles contemprray , urgent, problems that pose issues in first the community of the researcher. Finally, the relevance of the question lies in the ability of the researcher to arrive at answers to the problem he/she seeks to address.
A research question is of a paramount importance in any study, and a researcher has to mind and be scrupulously carefuly when asking questions since the latter dictate methodology of the study. Thus, every step of the research is related to the research questions from the way data will be collected and analyzed to the final conclusion. In fact, an alignment bwteen all the elements in a study and the research question raised has to be established without which a research will lack coherence.
6.6. Hypotheses
According to (Kumar, 2011, p.265) , a hypothesis is “ is a tentative statement of the relationship between two or more variables and its validity remains to be tested and becomes the basis for further investigation”. The definition suggests that the researcher must have knowledge about certain variables involved in the study and how these might corrolate. Thus, a hypothesis is a precise and concise statement in which the research make prediction, hence, narrowing down the range of outcomes. Hypotheses should not be perceived as a mere hunch or “ educated guess”. Instead, as stated by (Creswell, 2012, p.111), a hypothesis is the product of the researcher’s investigations of past research and literature.
There is always the question of whether one should advance a hypothesis or not. While research question are pivotal in all studies, hypotheses are not found in all research papers. The reason is due to the difference bwteen the two. First, research questions are inquisitive in nature allowing the researcher to explore unseen variables and open-ended queries, rendring them more favourable in qualitative studies. On the other hand, the use of hypothesis is often related with experiments and quantitative data.
Therefore, the use of hypotheses can be beneficial for the following reasons:
1- It keeps the research oriented to a specific goal which is proving the hypothesis.
2- It controls the researchers and guide the thinking process preventing blind research.
3- Without a hypothesis, it is likely the researcher will gather data that might well turn out to be irrlavant.
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