We often think we understand problems when we don’t.

As another example, when students do not

hand in homework assignments or participate in class, some might be inclined to think that the students
are not motivated. While there may be motivational issues, motivation may not be the only factor. A
high school student may have an evening job that demands considerable time and energy. A younger
student may be trying desperately to camouflage poor or nonexistent skills. In some cases, the chosen
instructional strategy may not be well matched to the student’s cognitive or attention level. Therefore, it
is crucial that researchers accurately identify the problem they want to study.

What Is a Research Problem?

It is a question that the researcher wants to answer or a problem that the researcher wants to
solve.

According to R S Woodworth “ A problem is a situation for which we have no ready made

solution.”

It is the fuel that drives the scientific process and is the foundation of any research study.

A research problem, or phenomenon as it might be called in many forms of qualitative research, is the
topic you would like to address, investigate, or study, whether descriptively or experimentally.

It is the focus or reason for engaging in your research.

It is typically a topic, phenomenon, or challenge that you are interested in and with which you are at
least somewhat familiar.

Characteristics of a Research Problem

 Clear and unambiguous

 Logical and systematic
 Empirical
 Verifiable
 Interesting

Sources

 Personal,professional & Academic experience

 Review of literature
 Conferences & Seminars
 Imagination & Creativity
 New technical & social changes

Formulating the problem

Internal Criteria:

1. Researcher’s interest
2. ReseaRCHER’S own resources : time and money
3. Researcher’s competence

External Criteria:

1. Researchability of the problem

2. Novelty of the problem (originality)
3. Faciilities : library,data analysis
4. Feasibility
5. Usefulness and social relevance
6. Importance and Urgency

Source: http://www.academia.edu/8227326/Research_Problem_Identification_and_Formulation

Considerations in selecting a research problem

 Interest
 Level of expertise
 Relevance
 Manageable (time and money)
 Ethical issues
 Availability of data

Identification of a research Problem

 Interest
 Daily problems
 Technological changes
 Recent trends
 Unexplored areas
 Discussions with other people

Suppose one is interested in the theory of nonlinear differential equations or quasicrystals or fullerenes.
Then he can find a research guide who is working in this field or interested to work in this field and then
choose a problem for research.
Our daily experiences and day to affairs have rich openings on various aspects such as the daunting tasks
of AIDS, air pollution, afforestation and deforestation, child labor, problems of aged citizens, etc.

Technology in various branches of science, business and marketing changes rapidly. For example, in the
early years, computers were built in larger size with vacuum tubes. Then evolution in electronic
technology replaced them by integrated circuits. Recently, scientists have developed quantum dots.
Now the interest is in developing efficient, super-fast and miniaturized computing machine made up of
material whose particle size of the order of nano (10−9 ) meter or even smaller. Similarly, another
fascinating topic namely, thin film has multiple fields of applications. Recent research on fullerenes
resulted in many practical applications.

Choosing a topic of current interest or recent trends provides bright and promising opportunities for
young researchers to get post-doctoral fellowship, position in leading institutions in our nation and
abroad. In each subject there are several topics which are not explored in detail even though the topic
was considered by scientists long time ago. For example, string theory, quantum computing, nano-
particles, quantum cloning and quantum cryptography and gene immunology are fascinating topics and
are in preliminary stages.

The supervisors and experts are working on one or few fields over a long time and they are the
specialists in the field considered and well versed with the development and current status of the field.
Therefore, a young researcher can make use of their expertise in knowing various possible problems in
the topic the solving of which provide better opportunities in all aspects.

Don’t choose a topic simply because it is fascinating. In choosing a topic one should take care of the
possibility of data collection, quantity of gain, breadth of the topic and so on. The topic should not be
too narrow. For example, the study of social status and sexual life of married couples of same sex (man-
man marriage and woman-woman marriage) is interesting and of social relevance. But the intricate
problem here is that we do not find enough number of such couples to study. This is a very narrow topic
at the same time we will not get enough data to analyze. On the other hand, the changes in the social
life of aravanis in recent times is a valuable social problem and one can collect enough data.

Further, one has to study advanced level text books and latest research articles to identify problems. Is it
necessary to know all the methods, techniques, concepts in a research topic before identifying a
problem for investigation? This is not necessary. After learning some fundamental concepts, recent
developments and current trends of a topic, one can identify a problem for research. Then he can learn
the tools necessary to solve it.

Definition and Formulation of a Problem

After identifying a problem, in order to solve it, it has to be defined and formulated properly. For this
purpose, one can execute the following
• State the problem in questionnaire form or in an equivalent form

• Specify the problem in detail and in precise terms

• List the assumptions made

• Remove the ambiguities, if any, in the statement of the problem

 Examine the feasibility of a particular problem

Criteria of a good research problem

 Originality
 Interesting
 Importance
 Immediate application
 Feasibility : Availability of data, guidance, experience and creativity
 Time factor (Can it be completed in the limited time available?)

Steps/Techniques for formulating a Research problem

1. Stating the problem in a general way

2. Understanding the nature of the problem
3. Surveying the available literature
4. Developing the ideas through discussions
5. Rephrasing the research problem

How to narrow a research problem?

WHO, WHAT,WHEN, WHERE, WHY ?

AND THEN “MIX ‘N’ MATCH”

Combine any number of elements that your derive from asking these questions until you find an
interesting topic to research.