HMPYC80:
CHAPTERS 4-8
RESEARCH AT
GRASSROOTS
(5TH EDITION)
,4 : Framing the proposed study
C.B. Fouché
1. INTRODUCTION
2. IDENTIFY A RESEARCHABLE TOPIC
Before we can conduct or even design a research study, we must have a clear
picture of the direction of the study, which can then be refined in the form of a
research problem, problem statement and/or research question. The literature is
confusing in the terms used to assist you as researcher in shaping this first phase of
the research journey, and those unfamiliar with writing about research may struggle
with this.
Some authors refer to this phase as “focus the question” (Neuman, 2014: 18) or
“getting started” (Babbie, 2016: 114), while others propose very distinct activities in
identifying a general topic area and refining this into a research question and, in the
case of quantitative research, hypotheses (Leavy, 2017). Yet others prefer “problem
formulation” (Monette, Sullivan, DeJong & Hilton, 2014: 9) as the terminology to
frame the first phase of the research process. It may be helpful to think of a problem
statement or a research question. It may even be necessary in some studies to
make a clear distinction between the two. Essentially, this first phase is about the
need for the study – i.e. What do you want to know? The statement about exactly
what you want to achieve by undertaking the research will flow from a general
problem area or topic of interest.
It is not uncommon for this initial formulation to be rather vague and imprecise, and
thus it needs to be narrowed down to specific issues for which empirical data can be
gathered. When researchers start out with their research, they display enthusiasm
about a topic of particular interest and want to get into it. However, the first phase of
selecting, defining and refining a research topic may soon become a frustrating and
time-consuming activity, not quite as anticipated. It is, nevertheless, vital to keep in
mind that this phase is one of the most important in the research journey and, if
executed properly, will ensure a smooth implementation and scientific rigour.
If, however, this phase is rushed, you may easily find the need to revert to it later in
the process to enable a better focus. It is much the same as undertaking a trip to an
exotic, unknown destination. First, you need to identify a destination from the many
on offer before selecting a particular area at that destination that is more appealing.
You then have to decide what you want to do/know/experience about that particular
area before developing the best route to get there. It is rather senseless to plan the
route before you know where you are going. In this chapter, we will try to assist you
with choices related to the selection of a topic and to refine this topic in what we refer
to as formulation.
,The motivations for doing research are varied and not always purely tied to
knowledge development as we would want to believe. In the broadest sense,
motives for undertaking research are associated with the type of research – i.e.
whether it is basic (or theory-orientated) research or whether it is applied (or
practice/policy-orientated) research. The former is concerned with producing
knowledge for understanding, or as is sometimes referred to as knowledge for the
sake of knowledge, and the latter with producing knowledge for action, or for practice
and policy purposes.
Basic (or pure) research seeks empirical observations that can be used to formulate
or refine theory. It is not concerned with solving the immediate problems of the
discipline, but rather with extending the knowledge base of the discipline. This aim
does not preclude the practical application of the findings of basic research, but such
is not the investigator’s primary intent. Applied research, on the other hand, most
often is the scientific planning of induced change in a troublesome situation.
Basic and applied research are complementary: the advancement of knowledge and
the solution of problems are both scientific necessities. As such, basic research
provides a foundation for knowledge and understanding. Therefore, it is also referred
to as pure research. Applied research, however, is aimed at solving specific policy
problems or at helping practitioners accomplish tasks. It has a strong emphasis on
application and solving problems in practice. The distinction between theoretical
results and practical results marks the principal difference between pure and applied
research studies. Nevertheless, in practice the goals of pure and applied research
overlap. Many supposedly pure research findings (especially in the area of human
relations) have practical implications. Conversely, most applied research findings
have implications for knowledge development.
On a more pragmatic level, there are other motives underpinning the decision to do
research. Often, and for the purposes of this book, it may be to satisfy the
requirements for a course of study or a thesis towards a qualification – either at
undergraduate or postgraduate level. Research may also be undertaken as
contracted research with public or other investor funding, in which case the research
starts as a directive from others within a certain budget. Organisation-based
research is normally shaped to satisfy a need in practice or to gather information to
determine a course of action, but if the organisation is a university, the kind of
research undertaken may be aided by the academic freedom to inquire about certain
topics, afforded to researchers by virtue of being university-based academics.
What is more – and increasingly so – is that researchers need to be accountable for
the time and money used to engage in research and, more often, research projects
will only be supported where clear benefits and measurable outcomes can be
demonstrated. Debates regarding the impact of research (especially externally
funded or taxpayer-supported research) places expectations on researchers to link
the motivation of their research to societal benefits. In practice, these motives are
seldom mutually exclusive, and research tends to be underpinned by a combination
of motives. Generating research topics can sometimes be purely the result of
serendipity or managerial decisions.
, 2.1 Sources of research topics
There are various sources for the identification of research topics and, in fact, almost
anything can be a source of useful ideas. In some respects, it is more the extent of
possible topics than the absence of one that makes the selection such a hard
decision (So many interests, so little time!). Regardless of the force behind the
selection of a research topic, it is important to bear in mind that any research project
requires commitment in terms of time, money, energy and other resources, and
unless it is underpinned by a level of excitement, interest or passion, the project is
bound to fail on some level or another.
For the purposes of this context, the sources of research topics will be broadly
classified, namely: (i) practice; (ii) theory; (iii) previous research; and (iv) personal
interest or intellectual curiosity.
2.1.1 Practice
Most research problems arise from a concrete problem observed in reality. In
selecting a topic, we often need to look no further than the daily newspaper, which is
filled with numerous social problems that we face and subsequently encompass a
range of issues for study. Professional practitioners – who are routinely involved with
many of these problems – often discover research topics during their daily practice.
This is quite natural for applied disciplines where the pursuit of knowledge meshes
with the goal of improving practice. As a researcher, you might become aware of
certain challenges in service delivery, and also gaps in the knowledge base
underlying the delivery of certain services. Your feeling of professional responsibility
to enhance the underlying knowledge base of the profession may then be stimulated.
A common trap for researchers in practice, however, is that they are sometimes
looking for a solution to a practice problem, rather
than knowledge to inform a practice response. A practice solution in and of itself is
not a researchable topic and you can spend a lot of time trying to formulate a
research question, only to find that you are in fact pursuing a problem that requires a
practice or practical solution. According to Rubin and Babbie (2016), in the applied
disciplines the impetus for selecting a topic should come from decisions that confront
agencies or be aimed at the information needed to solve practice problems. In fact, a
study is more likely to have value if it is selected because it addresses the
information needed to guide policy, planning or practical decisions.
Discussions with colleagues, managers or supervisors may be very helpful in this
regard. Programme and practice effectiveness evaluations have become
increasingly important activities for human services professionals. Organisations that
fund services typically demand that evaluation research be conducted. Even thinking
about the site of service delivery and the issues and people in it will foster ideas
about what research topics are likely to be significant for practice. It is unfortunate
that the experience of practitioners is rarely documented and evaluated in a way that
make it available to others. If these “hunches” are respected, they do become a
valuable topic for research as evidenced by many of the developments in the
practice-based research field.
CHAPTERS 4-8
RESEARCH AT
GRASSROOTS
(5TH EDITION)
,4 : Framing the proposed study
C.B. Fouché
1. INTRODUCTION
2. IDENTIFY A RESEARCHABLE TOPIC
Before we can conduct or even design a research study, we must have a clear
picture of the direction of the study, which can then be refined in the form of a
research problem, problem statement and/or research question. The literature is
confusing in the terms used to assist you as researcher in shaping this first phase of
the research journey, and those unfamiliar with writing about research may struggle
with this.
Some authors refer to this phase as “focus the question” (Neuman, 2014: 18) or
“getting started” (Babbie, 2016: 114), while others propose very distinct activities in
identifying a general topic area and refining this into a research question and, in the
case of quantitative research, hypotheses (Leavy, 2017). Yet others prefer “problem
formulation” (Monette, Sullivan, DeJong & Hilton, 2014: 9) as the terminology to
frame the first phase of the research process. It may be helpful to think of a problem
statement or a research question. It may even be necessary in some studies to
make a clear distinction between the two. Essentially, this first phase is about the
need for the study – i.e. What do you want to know? The statement about exactly
what you want to achieve by undertaking the research will flow from a general
problem area or topic of interest.
It is not uncommon for this initial formulation to be rather vague and imprecise, and
thus it needs to be narrowed down to specific issues for which empirical data can be
gathered. When researchers start out with their research, they display enthusiasm
about a topic of particular interest and want to get into it. However, the first phase of
selecting, defining and refining a research topic may soon become a frustrating and
time-consuming activity, not quite as anticipated. It is, nevertheless, vital to keep in
mind that this phase is one of the most important in the research journey and, if
executed properly, will ensure a smooth implementation and scientific rigour.
If, however, this phase is rushed, you may easily find the need to revert to it later in
the process to enable a better focus. It is much the same as undertaking a trip to an
exotic, unknown destination. First, you need to identify a destination from the many
on offer before selecting a particular area at that destination that is more appealing.
You then have to decide what you want to do/know/experience about that particular
area before developing the best route to get there. It is rather senseless to plan the
route before you know where you are going. In this chapter, we will try to assist you
with choices related to the selection of a topic and to refine this topic in what we refer
to as formulation.
,The motivations for doing research are varied and not always purely tied to
knowledge development as we would want to believe. In the broadest sense,
motives for undertaking research are associated with the type of research – i.e.
whether it is basic (or theory-orientated) research or whether it is applied (or
practice/policy-orientated) research. The former is concerned with producing
knowledge for understanding, or as is sometimes referred to as knowledge for the
sake of knowledge, and the latter with producing knowledge for action, or for practice
and policy purposes.
Basic (or pure) research seeks empirical observations that can be used to formulate
or refine theory. It is not concerned with solving the immediate problems of the
discipline, but rather with extending the knowledge base of the discipline. This aim
does not preclude the practical application of the findings of basic research, but such
is not the investigator’s primary intent. Applied research, on the other hand, most
often is the scientific planning of induced change in a troublesome situation.
Basic and applied research are complementary: the advancement of knowledge and
the solution of problems are both scientific necessities. As such, basic research
provides a foundation for knowledge and understanding. Therefore, it is also referred
to as pure research. Applied research, however, is aimed at solving specific policy
problems or at helping practitioners accomplish tasks. It has a strong emphasis on
application and solving problems in practice. The distinction between theoretical
results and practical results marks the principal difference between pure and applied
research studies. Nevertheless, in practice the goals of pure and applied research
overlap. Many supposedly pure research findings (especially in the area of human
relations) have practical implications. Conversely, most applied research findings
have implications for knowledge development.
On a more pragmatic level, there are other motives underpinning the decision to do
research. Often, and for the purposes of this book, it may be to satisfy the
requirements for a course of study or a thesis towards a qualification – either at
undergraduate or postgraduate level. Research may also be undertaken as
contracted research with public or other investor funding, in which case the research
starts as a directive from others within a certain budget. Organisation-based
research is normally shaped to satisfy a need in practice or to gather information to
determine a course of action, but if the organisation is a university, the kind of
research undertaken may be aided by the academic freedom to inquire about certain
topics, afforded to researchers by virtue of being university-based academics.
What is more – and increasingly so – is that researchers need to be accountable for
the time and money used to engage in research and, more often, research projects
will only be supported where clear benefits and measurable outcomes can be
demonstrated. Debates regarding the impact of research (especially externally
funded or taxpayer-supported research) places expectations on researchers to link
the motivation of their research to societal benefits. In practice, these motives are
seldom mutually exclusive, and research tends to be underpinned by a combination
of motives. Generating research topics can sometimes be purely the result of
serendipity or managerial decisions.
, 2.1 Sources of research topics
There are various sources for the identification of research topics and, in fact, almost
anything can be a source of useful ideas. In some respects, it is more the extent of
possible topics than the absence of one that makes the selection such a hard
decision (So many interests, so little time!). Regardless of the force behind the
selection of a research topic, it is important to bear in mind that any research project
requires commitment in terms of time, money, energy and other resources, and
unless it is underpinned by a level of excitement, interest or passion, the project is
bound to fail on some level or another.
For the purposes of this context, the sources of research topics will be broadly
classified, namely: (i) practice; (ii) theory; (iii) previous research; and (iv) personal
interest or intellectual curiosity.
2.1.1 Practice
Most research problems arise from a concrete problem observed in reality. In
selecting a topic, we often need to look no further than the daily newspaper, which is
filled with numerous social problems that we face and subsequently encompass a
range of issues for study. Professional practitioners – who are routinely involved with
many of these problems – often discover research topics during their daily practice.
This is quite natural for applied disciplines where the pursuit of knowledge meshes
with the goal of improving practice. As a researcher, you might become aware of
certain challenges in service delivery, and also gaps in the knowledge base
underlying the delivery of certain services. Your feeling of professional responsibility
to enhance the underlying knowledge base of the profession may then be stimulated.
A common trap for researchers in practice, however, is that they are sometimes
looking for a solution to a practice problem, rather
than knowledge to inform a practice response. A practice solution in and of itself is
not a researchable topic and you can spend a lot of time trying to formulate a
research question, only to find that you are in fact pursuing a problem that requires a
practice or practical solution. According to Rubin and Babbie (2016), in the applied
disciplines the impetus for selecting a topic should come from decisions that confront
agencies or be aimed at the information needed to solve practice problems. In fact, a
study is more likely to have value if it is selected because it addresses the
information needed to guide policy, planning or practical decisions.
Discussions with colleagues, managers or supervisors may be very helpful in this
regard. Programme and practice effectiveness evaluations have become
increasingly important activities for human services professionals. Organisations that
fund services typically demand that evaluation research be conducted. Even thinking
about the site of service delivery and the issues and people in it will foster ideas
about what research topics are likely to be significant for practice. It is unfortunate
that the experience of practitioners is rarely documented and evaluated in a way that
make it available to others. If these “hunches” are respected, they do become a
valuable topic for research as evidenced by many of the developments in the
practice-based research field.
