02 researchtopic

Formulating and clarifying the research

topic

Lecture -2

“The formulation of the problem is often more essential than its

solution”

Albert Einstein

The Research Problem

» “In the beginning is the problem. A problem is an intellectual stimulus calling for an answer in the form of scientific inquiry”

(Nachmias, 1990, p. 55).

Whether the problem identified requires a scientific investigation depends on three conditions:

1. There should be a perceived difference or discrepancy between what exists and the ideal or planned situation;

2. The reason(s) for this difference should be unclear (so that it makes sense to develop research questions); and

3. There should be more than one possible answer to a question or more than one solution to the problem.

Formulating and Clarifying the Research Topic

The most important factor to remember is that the subject must be of interest to you.The subject must be achievable; i.e. accessible within time and monetary limits.Ideally it should allow you to utilize your insight, knowledge, and contacts without limiting your access due to ethical problems. The research topic must also be focused to facilitate a dissertation of the required length, but not so much that it overwhelms you.

While Choosing a Topic…

Identifying the attributes of a good research topic

Generating ideas that help select a suitable topic

Turning research ideas into research projects:

o Writing research questions and objectiveso Importance of theory

Formulating and clarifying the research topic: The important

steps...............

Capability: is it feasible?

» Are you fascinated by the topic?

» Do you have the necessary research skills?

» Can you complete the project in the time available?

» Will the research still be current when you finish?

» Do you have sufficient financial and other resources?

» Will you be able to gain access to data?

Attributes of a good research topic

Appropriateness: is it worth doing?

» Will the examining institute's standards be met?» Does the topic contain issues with clear links to theory?» Are the research questions and objectives clearly

stated?» Will the proposed research provide fresh insights into

the topic?» Are the findings likely to be symmetrical?» Does the research topic match your career goals?

Attributes of a good research topic

And - if relevant

Does the topic relate clearly to an idea

you were given -

possibly by your organisation ?

Attributes of a good research topic

Useful Techniques Rational thinking Creative thinking• examining your strength * keeping an ideas

and interest notebook

• looking at past project titles * exploring personal preferences using past projects

* discussion * relevance tree

* searching the literature: * brainstormingarticles in academic journalsreportsbooks

Generating and refining research ideas

Useful techniques

Using the Delphi technique:

Brief the group about research idea,

ask them to generate independently up to three specific research ideas based on the original research idea with justification,

collect from them the so developed research ideas and redistribute in an unedited form amongst all group-members.

Repeat the above cycle so that group-members improve their own contribution in light of what others have said.

Repeat the cycle till the time that group reaches on some consensus on the research idea;

this either follows a similar cycle or group discussion, voting or some other method.

Generating and refining research ideas

Useful techniques» Conducting a preliminary study

This may consists of a review of some of the relevant literature,

informal discussion with people who have experience of and knowledge about the research topic/area, having good understanding of the host organization, research population and research site, and practically doing a small test study.

» Continually testing out your ideas

» Integrating ideas

Generating and refining research ideas

Useful techniques

» Jankowicz (2000) suggests ‘working up and narrowing down’ approach, meaning that classifying research idea first into its area, then its field and finally the precise aspect in which researcher is interested. An example is: Improving research culture in MAJUImproving M Phil PhD research programsHow scholars can be motivated to avoid plagiarism in

their research assignments?

Generating and refining research ideas

If you do not know where you are going, any road will take you there.

14

Turning research ideas into research projects

Write research questions, e.g.

» Consistent with expected standards» Able to produce clear conclusions» Able to generate new insights » At the right level (beware of research questions that

are too easy or too difficult)» Not too descriptiveNote: begin with one general focused question that

originates in you; this may lead to several more detailed questions or the definition of research objectives.

Turning research ideas into research projects

Examples of research ideas

and their derived focus questions their derived focus research questions

Writing research objectives Check your examining body’s preferences for stated

objectives Use a general focus research question as a base to

write a set of research objectives Objectives are more generally acceptable to the

research community as evidence of the researcher’s clear sense of purpose and direction

Objectives are likely to lead to greater specificity than research or investigative questions

Research objectives require more rigorous thinking, and use of more formal language

Turning ideas into research projects (2.4)

Phrasing research question as research objective:

an example

Research question: How scholars can be motivated to avoid plagiarism in their research assignments?

Research objective: To identify compelling factors forcing scholars to plagiarize in their research assignments?

Turning ideas into research projects

Research objectives must be

‘SMART’

Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Realistic

Timely

Turning ideas into research projects

Problem situation: Market determinants for safe drinking water Discrepancy: Majority of the households should have safe drinking

water facility, but only a few do have it.Research question: What factors can explain this difference?Possible answers:Service-related factors, such as forgetting to adequately inform and

involve the population, bottlenecks in the supply, etc.Population-related factors, such as situations where community

members lack understanding of the relationship between disease and safe water or have other problems, for example due to poverty, which they consider more important.

Physical factors/ecosystems, such as hard soil, or land subjected to frequent flooding.

Formulating and Clarifying a Research Topic

LETS DISCUSS THE TOPICS SELECTED BY VARIOUS GROUPS

The team leaders of the groups are invited to come forward and present the topic

selected by their group.The class is requested to provide their input

on the topics selected, in light of the“ATTRIBUTES OF A GOOD RESEARCH TOPIC”

on Slides 7-9

Discussion on last week assignment

Capability: is it feasible?Are you fascinated by the topic?Do you have the necessary research skills?Can you complete the project in the time available?Will the research still be current when you finish?Do you have sufficient financial and other resources?Will you be able to gain access to data?

Appropriateness: is it worthwhile?Will the examining institute's standards be met?Does the topic contain issues with clear links to theory?Are the research questions and objectives clearly stated?Will the proposed research provide fresh insights into the topic?Are the findings likely to be symmetrical?Does the research topic match your career goals?

RelevancyDoes the topic relate clearly to an idea you were given - possibly by your organisation ?

ATTRIBUTES OF A GOOD RESEARCH TOPIC

» Assignment – 2

The research topic: writing research questions and objectives

Student’s Individual Assignment:

* Read Case 2a (provided in ‘Additional Reading Materials; pp.8-9), * study questions given at the end, think about the answers, compare your answers-in-mind with the ones provided on next page of the case (pp.10-12), and be ready for making your contribution in your group meetings, as well as, in the discussions to be held in next class.

* Group’s assignment: After participating in discussion on your topic in today’s class, and having learned how researchers can write research question(s) and research objectives through materials, you are now in a position to write research questions and research objectives of your own research topic.

This is your next group assignment.Hold meetings of your group, finalize research topic, research question(s) and research objectives for your group assignment – Assignment 2. Be ready to defend your research objectives in next class (Send a one or two slides presentation to this instructor two-days prior of your next class).

SPSS Exercise 2 (a)

In addition to the data entry in direct way as we did in

the last week’s exercise, SPSS provides the facility to

data entry with codes for some variables as gender,

educational status, marital status etc.Let’s enter data on these variables for 10 respondents.Steps for data entry (with Codes)

+ Open SPSS’s ‘Data Editor’+ Go to the ‘Variable View ‘first, and type Gender

under column Name and Gender of employee under column Labels, in Row 1.

…….continued on the next slide

Data Entry with Codes

Continued from the previous slide+ Click column Values; you will get a small box, clicking that

box, you will reach ‘Value Label’ entry box. Type 1 for Value and Male for Value label, and click Add. Repeat the process for code 2 for Female and add. Click OK.

+ Go to row 2 , type Education and Educational status under columns Name and labels. Repeat the process for coding: 0 for Uneducated, 1 for Primary, 2 for Matriculate, 3 for Bachelor, 4 for Master and 5 for PhD.

+ Go to ‘Data View’ and check whether the two columns created above (Gender and Education) are there. Enter codes as per data of next slide.

Data Entry with Codes

SPSS Exercise 2 (c)

RespondentNumber

Gender Education Marital Status

Profession

1 2 1 1 8

2 1 3 1 6

3 1 5 2 5

4 1 3 2 9

5 2 2 4 3

6 2 0 2 2

7 1 1 3 6

8 1 3 4 5

9 1 2 3 2

10 2 3 1 1

SPSS Exercise 2 (d)

Analysis of the data1. (a) Click ‘Analyze’ ….’Descriptive Statistics’…. ‘Frequencies’.

(b) Check the output.2. (a) Click ‘Analyze’ ….’Descriptive Statistics’…. ‘Crosstabs’.

(b) Transfer ‘Gender’ to Rows box and ‘Educational Status’ to columns box, and click OK (b) Check the output.