Some guidelines on how to come up with a research topic and how to define it.

1. Research
The Research Topic

2. Problem Identification
• A problem is a perceived difficulty, a feeling of
discomfort with the way things are, a
discrepancy between what someone believes
should be and what is.
• A potential research situation arises wen three
conditions exists:
• A perceived DESCRIPANCY between what is and what
should be.
• A QUESTION about why the discrepancy exists
• At least TWO POSSIBLE AND PLAUSIBLE ANSWERS to
the question.

3. Example of a Non-Research
Problem
• A recent survey in District A found that 1,000
women were continuous users of contraceptive
pills. But last month’s service statistics
indicate that none of these women are using
contraceptive pills.

4. Example of a Non-Research
Problem
Discrepancy All 1,000 women should be using contraceptive pills,
but all 1,000 women are not using contraceptive
pills
Problem
Question
What factor or factors are responsible for 1,000
women discontinuing their use of contraceptive
pills?
Answer A monsoon flood has prevented all new supplies of
pills reaching District A, and all old supplies have
been exhausted

5. Example of a Research Problem
• District A is always flooded during the monsoon
season, Recognizing this problem, the national
family planning program established a new supply
logistics system for the district. Each pill user is
given a four-month supply before the monsoon
begins. During the monsoon, small motorboats are
available to transport new supplies to selected
distribution centres accessible to village-level
family planning workers. Despite these new
measures, this year’s service statistics indicated
that there are no pill supplies for District A.

6. Example of a Research Problem
Discrepancy The new logistics system should be able to assure a
continuous supply of pills, but this year there are
no supplies.
Problem
Question
Why has the new supply logistics system been
incapable of delivering contraceptive pills to users?
Answer 1. An order for new pill supplies was not placed in
time before the monsoon rains
2. The riverboats used to transport the supplies
are out of order
3. Field workers were not told about the new
system and failed to give users a four-month
supply of pills before the monsoon

7. Situations to avoid when considering
a problem for research

8. Situations to avoid when considering
a problem for research
• Research projects should not be a ruse for
achieving self-enlightenment
• Example:
• “The problem of this research is to learn more
about the way in which the Panama Canal was
built.”
• Note: the information gathering may add knowledge
but not “new” knowledge.
Leedy & Ormrod, 2005

9. Situations to avoid when considering
a problem for research
• A problem whose sole purpose is to compare
two sets of data is not a suitable research
problem.
• Example:
• This research project will compare the increase in
the number of women employed over 100 years –
from 1870 to 1970 – with the employment of men
over the same time span.
• Note: a simple table completes the project.
Leedy & Ormrod, 2005

10. Situations to avoid when considering
a problem for research
• Calculating a coefficient correlation between
two sets of data to show a relationship
between them is not acceptable as a problem
for research.
• Example:
• “Research has shown that the correlation between
the intelligence of the parents and that of their
children are such-and-such.”
• Note: This is mere statistical exercise and does not
include interpretation. The causes for the
correlation should be researched.
Leedy & Ormrod, 2005

11. Situations to avoid when considering
a problem for research
• Problems that result in a yes or no answer are
not suitable for research.
• Example:
• “Is homework beneficial to children?”
Leedy & Ormrod, 2005

12. “
“It can be said with complete confidence
that any scientist of any age who wants to
make important discoveries must study
important problems. Dull or piffling problems
yield dull or piffling answers. It is not enough
that a problem should be “interesting” –
almost all problem is interesting if it is
studied in sufficient depth.
”
P.B. Medawar (1979) – Nobel laureate who investigated causes of the human
body’s rejection of organ tissues transplanted from other human beings.
Leedy & Ormrod, 2005

13. Finding legitimate problems
Danilo B. Largo, Director, USC Research Office

14. Finding legitimate problems
• Look around you.
• Be more observant
• Question what is happening around you.
• Look at everything with intellectual curiousity.
Leedy & Ormrod, 2005

15. Finding legitimate problems
• Read the literature
• Find out what things are already known about your
topic of interest
• There is no need to reinvent the wheel
• The existing literature is likely to tell you what is
“not” known in the area – in other words, what still
needs to be done
• Reading also gives you a theoretical base on which
to build a rationale for your study.
Leedy & Ormrod, 2005

16. Finding legitimate problems
• Attend professional conferences
• Most experienced researchers are happy to talk with
people who are just starting out. In fact, they may
feel flattered that you are familiar with their work
and that you would like to extend or apply it in
some way.
Leedy & Ormrod, 2005

17. Finding legitimate problems
• Seek the advise of experts
• Ask: what needs to be done? What burning questions
are still out there? What previous research findings
seemingly don’t make sense?
Leedy & Ormrod, 2005

18. Finding legitimate problems
• Choose a topic that intrigues and motivates
you
• Remember, the problem you’re about to undertake
will take you many months, quite possible a couple
of years or even longer. So it should be something
that you truly believe is worth your time and effort.
• “You’re going to be married to it, so you might as
well enjoy it.” (Peter Leavenworth, doctoral
student in history)
Leedy & Ormrod, 2005

19. Finding legitimate problems
• Choose a topic that others will find interesting
and worthy of attention.
• Conference coordinators and journal editors are
often quite selective about the papers they accept
for presentation or publication, and they are most
likely to choose those papers that will have more
broad appeal.
Leedy & Ormrod, 2005

20. Defining the research problem

21. Defining the problem
• From the available research literature, current
service statistics, educated opinions, and
other sources of information, try to add
details to the problem situation you have just
identified.
• Look for theoretical concepts and operational
variables that you may have missed.
• List these concepts and variables on a piece of
paper as you come across them.

22. Questions
• What is the incidence and prevalence of the problem?
• What geographic areas are affected by the problem?
• What population groups are affected by the problem?
• What are the findings of other research studies?
• What has been done to overcome the problem in the
past?
• How successful were past efforts to overcome the
problem?
• What seem to be major unanswered questions about the
problem?

23. Defining the problem
• From the information you have collected from a
literature review and other sources, rewrite your
statement identifying and defining the problem.
• Use the format of Problem Situation, Discrepancy,
Problem Question, and Possible Answers.
• Add details that help to define the problem, but
organize the information.
• Try to establish the boundaries of the problem.
• Focus your attention on the most important,
researchable aspects of the problem.
• Be clear and be specific.

24. Defining the problem
• Have one or more friends read your final
statement identifying and defining the
problem situation.
• Have the friend tell you what he or she thinks
the problem is.
• If your friend is unclear about the problem
situation, if your friend cannot describe the
discrepancy between what is and what should
be, then go back to the beginning and start all
over.

25. Additional guidelines in stating
the problem

26. Guidelines in stating the
problem
• State the problem clearly and completely.
• Incorrect: “Welfare of children”
• Correct: “What effect does welfare assistance to
parents have on the attitudes of their children
toward work?”
Leedy & Ormrod, 2005

27. Guidelines in stating the
problem
• Think through the feasibility of the project
that the problem implies
• Incorrect: “This study proposes to study the science
programs in the secondary schools in the United
States for the purpose of…”
• Correct: “This study proposes to survey the science
programs in selected secondary schools throughout
the United States.”
Leedy & Ormrod, 2005

28. Guidelines in stating the
problem
• Say precisely what you mean
• Do not assume that others will read your mind.
People will always take things at face value.
• Absolute honesty and integrity are assumed in every
statement a scholar makes.
Leedy & Ormrod, 2005

29. Guidelines in stating the
problem
• Edit your work
• Editing is sharpening a thought to a gemlike point
and eliminating useless verbiage.
• Unedited: “We have been discussing several
common difficulties relating to the statement of the
problem. These can be improved or remedied
through a careful editing of your words.”
• Edited: “You can avoid the difficulties we have been
discussing by carefully editing your words.”
Leedy & Ormrod, 2005

30. References
• Paul Leedy and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod,
PRACTICAL RESEARCH: PLANNING AND DESIGN,
Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005, New Jersey