What characteristic of research is described when it starts with a problem and ends with a problem?

I.  Types and Content

There are four general conceptualizations of a research problem in the social sciences:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Descriptive Research Problem -- typically asks the question, "what is...?" with the underlying purpose to describe a situation, state, or existence of a specific phenomenon.
4. Relational Research Problem -- suggests a relationship of some sort between two or more variables to be investigated. The underlying purpose is to investigate qualities/characteristics that are connected in some way.

A problem statement in the social sciences should contain:

• A lead-in that helps ensure the reader will maintain interest over the study
• A declaration of originality [e.g., mentioning a knowledge void, which would be supported by the literature review]
• An indication of the central focus of the study, and
• An explanation of the study's significance or the benefits to be derived from an investigating the problem.

II.  Sources of Problems for Investigation

Identifying a problem to study can be challenging, not because there is a lack of issues that could be investigated, but due to pursuing a goal of formulating a socially relevant and researchable problem statement that is unique and does not simply duplicate the work of others. To facilitate how you might select a problem from which to build a research study, consider these three broad sources of inspiration:

Deductions from Theory
This relates to deductions made from social philosophy or generalizations embodied in life in society that the researcher is familiar with. These deductions from human behavior are then fitted within an empirical frame of reference through research. From a theory, the research can formulate a research problem or hypothesis stating the expected findings in certain empirical situations. The research asks the question: “What relationship between variables will be observed if theory aptly summarizes the state of affairs?” One can then design and carry out a systematic investigation to assess whether empirical data confirm or reject the hypothesis and hence the theory.

Interdisciplinary Perspectives
Identifying a problem that forms the basis for a research study can come from academic movements and scholarship originating in disciplines outside of your primary area of study. A review of pertinent literature should include examining research from related disciplines, which can expose you to new avenues of exploration and analysis. An interdisciplinary approach to selecting a research problem offers an opportunity to construct a more comprehensive understanding of a very complex issue than any single discipline might provide.

Interviewing Practitioners
The identification of research problems about particular topics can arise from formal or informal discussions with practitioners who provide insight into new directions for future research and how to make research findings increasingly relevant to practice. Discussions with experts in the field, such as, teachers, social workers, health care providers, etc., offers the chance to identify practical, “real worl” problems that may be understudied or ignored within academic circles. This approach also provides some practical knowledge which may help in the process of designing and conducting your study.

Personal Experience
Your everyday experiences can give rise to worthwhile problems for investigation. Think critically about your own experiences and/or frustrations with an issue facing society, your community, or in your neighborhood. 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.

Relevant Literature
The selection of a research problem can often be derived from an extensive and thorough review of pertinent research associated with your overall area of interest. This may reveal where gaps remain in our understanding of a topic. 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 to different study sample [i.e., different groups of people]. Also, authors frequently conclude their studies by noting implications for further research; this can also be a valuable source of problems to investigate.

III.  What Makes a Good Research Statement?

A good problem statement begins by introducing the broad area in which your research is centered and then gradually leads the reader to the more narrow questions you are posing. The statement need not be lengthy but a good research problem should incorporate the following features:

Compelling topic Simple curiosity is not a good enough reason to pursue a research study. The problem that you choose to explore must be important to you and to a larger community you share. The problem chosen must be one that motivates you to address it.

Supports multiple perspectives

Researchable

NOTE:  Do not confuse a research problem with a research topic. A topic is something to read and obtain information about whereas a problem is something to solve or framed as a question that must be answered.

IV.  Mistakes to Avoid

Beware of circular reasoning. Don’t state that the research problem as simply the absence of the thing you are suggesting. For example, if you propose, "The problem in this community is that it has no hospital."

This only leads to a research problem where:

• The need is for a hospital
• The objective is to create a hospital
• The method is to plan for building a hospital, and
• The evaluation is to measure if there is a hospital or not.

This is an example of a research problem that fails the "so what?" test because it does not reveal the relevance of why you are investigating the problem of having no hospital in the community [e.g., there's a hospital in the community ten miles away] and because the research problem does not elucidate the significance of why one should study the fact that no hospital exists in the community [e.g., that hospital in the community ten miles away has no emergency room].

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.

The ten important characteristics of a good research problem for a thesis are summarized bellow. The list enables one to examine any research problem and see the extent to which it measures up. Obviously, few problems will achieve all ten characteristics but good problems should fulfill most of these requirements. A few words are in order about each of them.

Characteristics of a good thesis research problem

1     The problem can be stated clearly and concisely. 2     The problem generates research questions. 3     It is grounded in theory. 4     It relates to one or more academic fields of study. 5     It has a base in the research literature. 6     It has potential significance/importance. 7     It is do-able within the time frame, budget. 8     Sufficient data are available or can be obtained. 9     The researcher’s methodological strengths can be applied to the problem.

10   The problem is new; it is not already answered sufficiently.

Fundamentals of Educational Research

1    The Problem Can Be Stated Clearly and Concisely

Unless the problem can be stated clearly and concisely it is probably a poor problem or a non-problem. The best way to test the problem statement is to write it into a concise sentence or paragraph and to share it with others. If the problem cannot be stated in a clear paragraph it has difficulties and will not endure as a suitable problem. Of course, it is not easy to express complex issues in simplistic terms and it may take many weeks and countless drafts before the statement is satisfactory. Good critics are essential. If your spouse or mother cannot understand it, it is probably flaky.

2    The Problem Generates Research Questions

The problem should generate a number of more specific research questions. These turn the problem into a question format and represent various aspects or components of the problem. The research questions make the more general statement easier to address and provide a framework for the research. Formulating these questions can be a challenge, particularly specifying them at the right level of abstraction.

3    It Is Grounded in Theory

Good problems have theoretical and/or conceptual frameworks for their analysis. They relate the specifics of what is being investigated to a more general background of theory which helps interpret the results and link it to the field.

4    It Relates to One or More Academic Fields of Study

Good problems relate to academic fields which have adherents and boundaries. They typically have journals to which adherents relate. Research problems which do not have clear links to one or two such fields of study are generally in trouble. Without such a field it becomes impossible to determine where, in the universe of knowledge, the problem lies.

5    It Has a Base in the Research Literature

Related to the former points, a well-stated problem will relate to a research literature. Tight problems often relate to a well-defined body of literature, written by a select group of researchers and published in a small number of journals. With some problems, it might at first be difficult to establish the connections and literature base, but there should be a base somewhere.

6    It Has Potential Significance/importance

This is the important ‘so what’ question: Who cares once you solve the problem? Assume that you have solved the problem and answered the questions and then ask yourself if you are any further ahead. At the very least, the problem must have importance to the researcher, but ideally it should also be of consequence to others.

7    It Is DoableWithin the Time Frame, Budget

There are logistic factors in terms of your ability actually to carry out the research. There is no point pursuing a problem which is not feasible to research. Do not do a study of education in India unless you have the means to go there and collect data ̶ which may require years to collect. This factor helps explain why few theses relate to longitudinal data. The only exceptions come from research shops where there is a long history of collecting and studying data on a defined population. Terman’s study of genius (1954) in which a defined sample was traced over 30 years, is a good example.

8    Sufficient Data Are Available or Can Be Obtained

In some cases, there are insufficient data to address the problem. Historical persons may have died, archival materials may be lost, or there may be restrictions on access to certain environments. As noted, it is difficult to conduct research on a distant country unless you can go there and collect local data. One under-used approach is to use an existing database. Some data banks have been developed over many years and contain many opportunities for exploration of new questions and issues.

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