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The Research Problem

The Research Problem. PE 357. Selecting the problem. Can be for research or a literature review To break the problem down more … needs to be of interest to you can ask professors go with your own hunches read text books. Once the basic problem is defined.. .

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The Research Problem

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  1. The Research Problem PE 357

  2. Selecting the problem • Can be for research or a literature review • To break the problem down more … • needs to be of interest to you • can ask professors • go with your own hunches • read text books

  3. Once the basic problem is defined.. • You need to do a literature search for background information • Search conceptual literature – written material by experts or authorities • Search related research – studies to learn what is known on the subject

  4. Does the problem need further study? • 1) Is it still interesting? • 2) is it worthwhile? • 3) is it manageable? • Best way to do research is to develop an outline

  5. A research proposal consists of three chapters • 1) Introduction • 2) Review of Literature • 3) Methodology

  6. Title • often the last decision • takes crafting • can’t be too long but also needs to be long enough to get the content across

  7. General rules for titles • 1) Keep it clear and descriptive for indexing • 2) Identify key variables and scope • (I.e., does the title precisely identify the problem • 3) Avoid unnecessary phrases: “effect of”, “relationship between”, “analysis of”, “a review of”

  8. Introducing the problem • leader paragraphs • hour glass approach • specify the problem • provide rationale (why is it important?)

  9. Introducing the Problem Cont... • use broad references but leave the literature review to the literature review section • the introduction can be quite short • provide the purpose (why) and problem (what) statement • watch the term “the study investigated…”

  10. Developing the hypotheses • Expected results based on theory or experience • Stated as outcomes • Null hypotheses • No significant differences or relationships • Used for statistical tests

  11. More on Hypotheses • 1) should be based on theory or previous findings • 2) should state a relationship between at least two variables • 3) simple statement • 4) can be tested • 5) can be refuted • 6) related to design, procedures, and statistical technique

  12. Writing the Introduction • Omit technical jargon. • Know who you are writing for. • Write introduction after the problem, purpose, and hypotheses. • Catch the reader’s attention!

  13. significance of the study(I.e., why?) • knowledge gaps • more and better knowledge is needed • present knowledge needs validation • present knowledge needs clarification • solution to the problem needs to be found

  14. Define • Independent variables (IV) • Dependent variables (DV) • Extraneous variables (EV)

  15. Making Your Problem and Hypotheses Clear • Operational definitions • Key terms with specific meaning • Assumptions • Limitations • Possible shortcomings • Delimitations • Characteristics imposed by the researcher

  16. Examples of limitations • Research design • sampling problems • uncontrolled variables • faulty independent variables • faulty dependent variables

  17. How do we control for Extraneous Variables? • Random Selection • Matching • Removal • Statistical Control

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