Research skills & methods- lecture 2- defining a research problem
Why conduct research?
To investigate an existing problem
To provide solutions to a problem
To explore & analyse general issues
To construct a new procedure
To explain a new phenomenon
To generate new knowledge
What is a research problem?
A research problem can be defined as a gap in the current knowledge- it is a
‘problem’ because we don’t understand:
Anything surrounding the issue
The issue fully (only partial knowledge)
Within certain contexts or populations
the gap suggests research problems are difficult to find, however they can be found
almost everywhere.
Finding the gap
Some researchers suggest future directions for research, giving an obvious indicator
of gaps in the knowledge, however not all do this. The gap could include a new idea
or theory, or use an existing idea or theory in a new way. The gap could be:
Geographical
Social specific
Population specific
Temporal
Contextual
Methodological
Basic approach:
Select a broad problem area of interest is the problem experienced by people?
read from general to specific write out a final working problem. Additional step
after read may be reformulate, which circles back to is the problem experienced.
A research problem must add value to current knowledge. Can the question ‘so
what?’ be answered?
Reading
Why conduct research?
To investigate an existing problem
To provide solutions to a problem
To explore & analyse general issues
To construct a new procedure
To explain a new phenomenon
To generate new knowledge
What is a research problem?
A research problem can be defined as a gap in the current knowledge- it is a
‘problem’ because we don’t understand:
Anything surrounding the issue
The issue fully (only partial knowledge)
Within certain contexts or populations
the gap suggests research problems are difficult to find, however they can be found
almost everywhere.
Finding the gap
Some researchers suggest future directions for research, giving an obvious indicator
of gaps in the knowledge, however not all do this. The gap could include a new idea
or theory, or use an existing idea or theory in a new way. The gap could be:
Geographical
Social specific
Population specific
Temporal
Contextual
Methodological
Basic approach:
Select a broad problem area of interest is the problem experienced by people?
read from general to specific write out a final working problem. Additional step
after read may be reformulate, which circles back to is the problem experienced.
A research problem must add value to current knowledge. Can the question ‘so
what?’ be answered?
Reading
