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- How to Define a Research Problem | Ideas & Examples
How to Define a Research Problem | Ideas & Examples
Published on November 2, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on May 31, 2023.
A research problem is a specific issue or gap in existing knowledge that you aim to address in your research. You may choose to look for practical problems aimed at contributing to change, or theoretical problems aimed at expanding knowledge.
Some research will do both of these things, but usually the research problem focuses on one or the other. The type of research problem you choose depends on your broad topic of interest and the type of research you think will fit best.
This article helps you identify and refine a research problem. When writing your research proposal or introduction , formulate it as a problem statement and/or research questions .
Table of contents
Why is the research problem important, step 1: identify a broad problem area, step 2: learn more about the problem, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research problems.
Having an interesting topic isn’t a strong enough basis for academic research. Without a well-defined research problem, you are likely to end up with an unfocused and unmanageable project.
You might end up repeating what other people have already said, trying to say too much, or doing research without a clear purpose and justification. You need a clear problem in order to do research that contributes new and relevant insights.
Whether you’re planning your thesis , starting a research paper , or writing a research proposal , the research problem is the first step towards knowing exactly what you’ll do and why.
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As you read about your topic, look for under-explored aspects or areas of concern, conflict, or controversy. Your goal is to find a gap that your research project can fill.
Practical research problems
If you are doing practical research, you can identify a problem by reading reports, following up on previous research, or talking to people who work in the relevant field or organization. You might look for:
- Issues with performance or efficiency
- Processes that could be improved
- Areas of concern among practitioners
- Difficulties faced by specific groups of people
Examples of practical research problems
Voter turnout in New England has been decreasing, in contrast to the rest of the country.
The HR department of a local chain of restaurants has a high staff turnover rate.
A non-profit organization faces a funding gap that means some of its programs will have to be cut.
Theoretical research problems
If you are doing theoretical research, you can identify a research problem by reading existing research, theory, and debates on your topic to find a gap in what is currently known about it. You might look for:
- A phenomenon or context that has not been closely studied
- A contradiction between two or more perspectives
- A situation or relationship that is not well understood
- A troubling question that has yet to be resolved
Examples of theoretical research problems
The effects of long-term Vitamin D deficiency on cardiovascular health are not well understood.
The relationship between gender, race, and income inequality has yet to be closely studied in the context of the millennial gig economy.
Historians of Scottish nationalism disagree about the role of the British Empire in the development of Scotland’s national identity.
Next, you have to find out what is already known about the problem, and pinpoint the exact aspect that your research will address.
Context and background
- Who does the problem affect?
- Is it a newly-discovered problem, or a well-established one?
- What research has already been done?
- What, if any, solutions have been proposed?
- What are the current debates about the problem? What is missing from these debates?
Specificity and relevance
- What particular place, time, and/or group of people will you focus on?
- What aspects will you not be able to tackle?
- What will the consequences be if the problem is not resolved?
Example of a specific research problem
A local non-profit organization focused on alleviating food insecurity has always fundraised from its existing support base. It lacks understanding of how best to target potential new donors. To be able to continue its work, the organization requires research into more effective fundraising strategies.
Once you have narrowed down your research problem, the next step is to formulate a problem statement , as well as your research questions or hypotheses .
If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
Methodology
- Sampling methods
- Simple random sampling
- Stratified sampling
- Cluster sampling
- Likert scales
- Reproducibility
Statistics
- Null hypothesis
- Statistical power
- Probability distribution
- Effect size
- Poisson distribution
Research bias
- Optimism bias
- Cognitive bias
- Implicit bias
- Hawthorne effect
- Anchoring bias
- Explicit bias
All research questions should be:
- Focused on a single problem or issue
- Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources
- Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints
- Specific enough to answer thoroughly
- Complex enough to develop the answer over the space of a paper or thesis
- Relevant to your field of study and/or society more broadly
Research questions anchor your whole project, so it’s important to spend some time refining them.
In general, they should be:
- Focused and researchable
- Answerable using credible sources
- Complex and arguable
- Feasible and specific
- Relevant and original
Your research objectives indicate how you’ll try to address your research problem and should be specific:
A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.
Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.
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Research Techniques pp 15–22 Cite as
Research Problem and Questions
- Habeeb Adewale Ajimotokan 2
- First Online: 20 September 2022
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The objectives of this chapter are to
Describe the research problem and questions;
Identify appropriate research problems and questions;
Specify the different sources for research problems;
Enumerate the criteria for selecting a problem for research; and
Describe the statement of problem.
- Researchable problem
- Research question
- Research problem selection
- Problem statement
- Phrasing research questions
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Kothari, C. R. (2004). Research methodology: Methods and techniques . New Age International (P) Ltd.
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Walliman, N. (2011). Research methods: The basics . Routledge—Taylor and Francis Group.
Pandey, P., & Pandey, M. M. (2015). Research methodology: Methods and techniques . Bridge Center.
Walliman, N. (2011). Your research project: Designing and planning your work . Sage Publications Ltd.
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Ajimotokan, H.A. (2023). Research Problem and Questions. In: Research Techniques. SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-13109-7_2
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Research Problem: Identification and Formulation
Research is an investigation or experimentation that is aimed at a discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of theories or laws or practical application of the new or revised theories or laws. Identification of research problem leads in conducting a research. To initiate a research, the necessity for the research, to be carried out should be generated.The ideas and topics are developed while consulting literatures, discussions with experts and continuation of activities related to the subject matter. These ideas/topics generally called research problems and are statements about areas of concern, a condition to be improved, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or in practice that points to the 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. The problem must be significant researchable lead to further research and suitable for the researcher. Formulation of the problem should lead to empirical investigation. Formulation of research problem should depict what is to be determined and scope of the study.It also involves key concept definitions questions to be asked. The objective of the present paper highlights the above stated issues.
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IMAGES
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COMMENTS
Research is a systematic way to find things that were previously unknown to people, which starts simply by identifying a research problem and then following a clear and well-thought process ...
A research problem, or phenomenon as it might be called in many forms of qualitative methodology, is the topic you would like to address, investigate, or study, whether descriptively or experimentally. It is the focus or reason for engaging in your research. It is typically a topic, phenomenon, or challenge that you are interested in
This is the focus of the eBook. It demonstrates a step-by-step process of conceptualizing and conducting excellent research. It will ease your challenges in coming up with a researchable topic and ...
The Role of Research Problems in the Research Process The problems of everyday life are difficulties to be avoided, if possible. Research problems are eagerly sought after. The difference is that research problems represent opportunities as well as trouble spots. Because 39 03-Brewer-4721.qxd 5/18/2005 5:03 PM Page 39
The answer is yes, for at least three reasons. 1) branding is important - a good title will help the reviewer establish a connection with your proposal 2) a negative first impression will likely linger with the reviewer while reading the rest of the problem statement, and 3) if the title is confusing, chances are the rest of the problem ...
problem or issue being addressed, the researchers' personal experiences, and the audiences for the study. Thus, in this book, philosophical assumptions, research approaches, research designs, and research methods are four key terms representing a perspective about research flow from broad constructions of
A research problem is a specific issue or gap in existing knowledge that you aim to address in your research. You may choose to look for practical problems aimed at contributing to change, or theoretical problems aimed at expanding knowledge. Some research will do both of these things, but usually the research problem focuses on one or the other.
This paper aims to provide an understanding of designing a problem statement thatmust be present in every research proposal or other scientific work. A study, from proposalsto scientific papers ...
2 Your research Project aims • To explain what research is, and what it is not, and the objectives of research • To outline the different types of research • To discuss the research process • To introduce the concept at the heart of any research project - the research problem - and to discuss what a researchable problem is • To warn of common mistakes
4.3 First Ask a Question to Start Formulating a Research Problem - 75. 4.4 Correctly Ask Research Questions - 77. 4.4.1 Try to Avoid Questions That Allow for Just "Yes" or "No". Answer - 77. 4.4.2 Phrase Questions to Deal with Cause-and-Efect Relationship - 77. 4.4.3 Avoid Phrasing Value Judgment Types of Questions - 78.
2.2 Research Problems. The research problem is the questions or challenges that the proposed research is posed to answer or solve to fill the knowledge gap in existing studies or contribute to the existing knowledge body in the study area. Generally, a research problem can be referred to as a specific issue, difficulty, or challenge that a ...
Research Problem Explanation of Each Criterion Significant A research problem should be extensive or important enough to merit scholarly consideration (i.e., serious academic study). Its worth is judged by the strength of the author's rationale for the study and its contributions to knowledge, practice, or theory. Researchable The problem ...
Chapter 2 27The Process and Problems of Social Research In this chapter, we will examine different social research strategies. We will also consider in some detail the techniques required to begin the research process: formulating research questions, finding informa - tion, reviewing prior research, and writing a research proposal.
2.1. WHAT IS A RESEARCH PROBLEM ? Defining a research problem is the fuel that drives the scientific process, and is the foundation of any research method and experimental design. Research Problem: A situation or circumstance that requires a solution to be described, explained, or predicted. The components of a research problem can be :
research problem you have to narrow it down to a highly specific research problem. You formulate the problem by stating specific questions for which you would seek answers through the application of scientific method. After the selection and formulation of a research problem, the derivation of Hypothesis(es) is the next and most important step
Unit 3 and Unit 4 intend to describe the research process in detail. Formulation of research problem, the first step in the research process, is considered as the most important phase of a research project. This step starts with the selection of a suitable problem from the field chosen by the researcher.
The nature of a research problem, where you might get ideas for a problem to investigate, narrowing down or focusing on a particular problem to address, and writing good research questions are discussed. L ong before you create a research proposal, let alone conduct your research, you need to identify a problem or phenomenon to address and then a question or questions to ask about the problem ...
A research problem, refers to some difficulty which a researcher identifies in the context of either a theoretical or practical situation and wants to obtain a solution/explanation for the same. It is the demarcation of a problem within a certain context involving the WHO or WHAT, the WHERE, the WHEN and the WHY of a problem situation.
research problem quite a challenging and time-consuming task. Many versions of formalised research problem presentations exist. Synopses are, for instance, statements of well formulated research problems which are submitted by students working towards research degrees. Also the academic part of project proposals represents another form of well ...
the problem. much literature - quantitative. Exploratory study, lacking theory base -- qualitative.
How the Problem Differs From Other Parts of Research •A research problem is an educational issue or problem in the study. •A research topic is the broad subject matter being addressed in a study. •A purpose is the major intent or objective of the study. •Research questions are those that the researcher would like answered or addressed ...
Research Problem: Identification and Formulation. Research is an investigation or experimentation that is aimed at a discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of theories or laws or practical application of the new or revised theories or laws. Identification of research problem leads in conducting a research.
3. Review the context of the information Reviewing the context of your research involves defining and testing the environmental variables in your project, which may help you create a clear and focused research problem. It may also help you note which variables are present in the research and how to account for the impact that they may have on it. By reviewing the context, you may easily ...
Research: The research is related to systematic investigation on the basis of the methodology of research and knowledge on a particular topic or subject, the user group, the research problem it ...
What is research? Research is an organized method and process to gain knowledge. Research is the systematic investigation and study of materials, sources, or people in order to establish facts and reach accurate conclusions. Research creates new knowledge and allows us to use what we already know in new and
The application of mathematics as a tool for understanding physical phenomena and problem-solving is well-established. The use of symbols and mathematical rigour is essential for effective problem ...