A problem statement is a concise description of an issue to be addressed or a condition to be improved upon.

It
identifies the gap between the current (problem) state and desired (goal) state of a process or product.
Focusing on the facts, the problem statement should be designed to address the Five Ws. The first condition of
solving a problem is understanding the problem, which can be done by way of a problem statement.

Problem statements are widely used by businesses and organizations to execute process improvement projects.
A simple and well-defined problem statement will be used by the project team to understand the problem and
work toward developing a solution. It will also provide management with specific insights into the problem so
that they can make appropriate project-approving decisions. As such, it is crucial for the problem statement to
be clear and unambiguous.

Research is a careful, detailed and systematic study of a specific problem, concern, or issue to
establish facts This is best accomplished by turning the issue into a question, with the intent of the
research to answer the question.

When is a research practical?

Practical research means actual doing or using of something rather than theories and ideas. It
involves inquiry methods and immersion activities in order to achieve the correct information.

The Scientific Method

Ask a question- state the problem

Research- collect sources

Hypothesis- an educated guess (If I will…it will…)

Experiment- design and perform to test hypothesis and variables

Data/Analysis- record observations, analyze the data, prepare a graph or table

Conclusion- accept or reject hypothesis, communicate results

Questions that Delimits Research

What is the meaning of life?

What is the origin of God?

Is the universe finite or infinite?

When did time begin?

Why is the future unknowable?

Why do we fear the unknowable?

Why are there exceptions to every rule?

Types of Research

Qualitative- used to gain an understanding of underlying reasons, opinions, and motivations. Used in
social science and natural sciences

Quantitative- deals in numbers, logic, and an objective stance. Quantitative research focuses on
numeric and unchanging data and detailed, convergent reasoning rather than divergent reasoning.
Used in psychology, marketing and political science

Characteristics of Quantitative Research

Objective- impartial, unbiased and neutral

Clearly defined questions (What, Which, how much)

Structured research instruments (surveys, questionnaires, software)

Numerical data and statistical treatment (unbiased results)

Large sample size (represents a population)

Replication (high reliability—stable and consistent)

Future outcomes (new concepts and further studies)

Kinds of Quantitative Research

Causal-comparative research attempts to determine the cause or consequences of differences that

already exist between or among groups of individuals.

Female and male employees and their job satisfaction

Gender causes on differences in abilities

Correlational research determines the extent of a relationship between two or more variables using
statistical data.

Relationship between intelligence and friendliness

Student’s hours of study and their stress level

Descriptive research provides systematic information about a phenomenon.

The attitudes of scientists regarding global warming

Impacts of Qatari diplomatic crisis on OFWs

Evaluation research provide a means to judge actions and activities in terms of values, criteria and
standards

Performance of newly-hired SH teachers in MMC for S.Y. 2017-2018

Water quality assessment of Boac River

Experimental research uses the scientific method to establish the cause-effect relationship among a
group of variables

Levels of heavy metal bioaccumulation of Nypa fruticans from Boac River

Solar purification for water potability

A survey is a brief interview or discussion with individuals about a specific topic

Acceptance of Boakenos to Boac cityhood

Approval rate for Duterte Cabinet members

Strengths

Fast speed data collection (sampling methods)

Findings can be generalized (if sample is from a population)

Easy to analyze data (use of statistical data)

Consistent and reliable data (use of research manipulations—experiment, surveys etc)

Can be anonymous (for sensitive topic)

Weaknesses

Requires a large number of respondents

Costly and expensive

Secondary data may be unavailable

Many info are difficult to answer (sensitive topic)

More structured research instruments

Importance of Quantitative Research Across Fields

Business- estimates consumer attitudes and behavior, market sizing, and marketing tactics

Political science- measures political behavior and attitudes of citizens and politicians

Psychology- measures human attributes/beahvior and analyzes psychological processes

Medicine- measures clinical and methodologic standards in medicinal prescription and composition
and laboratory experimentations

Economics- evaluates economic behavior and designs economic policies and techniques

Demographics- discover patterns, associations, correlations, and other features of a population

Education- discover solutions to issues in educational research, assessment, and program evaluation
and curriculum implementation

Quantitative Research Variables

Variables refer to factors or conditions that can change during the course of an experiment.

Discrete- variable that can only take on a certain number of values. In short, these are variables that
are countable where the range of specified values is complete.

Classroom attendance

Grade level of students

Number of cars in a parking lot

Baby’s age in months

Continuous- a variable that has an infinite number of possible values. In short, these are variables
that are obtained by measuring.

Person’s weight/age/height

Travel time from Boac to Gasan

Price of commodities

Family income

Independent variable is a variable in research that causes a change esp. on other variables. It can be
controlled to monitor such changes.
Dependent variables result from the independent variables. It the variable being tested and
monitored.

A. The effect of temperature on plant pigmentation

IV= temperature DV= plant pigmentation or color
B. Effects of fertilizer on plant growth
IV= brand/amount of fertilizer DV= height/weight/no. of leaves of plants
C. Brightness of light has any effect on a moth being attracted to the light
IV= brightness of light DV=reaction of moth
D. Time spent studying and its effects the test scores of students
IV= time spent studying DV=test scores
E. relationship between disposable income and location amongst young adults
IV=location DV=disposable income
F. Salary and job satisfaction among Gasan residents
IV=salary DV=job satisfaction

Research Topic
An area of focus that falls within the perimeter of a niche area or research environment, which
directly relates to a particular discipline (field of study).
Example: Effects of climate change

Research Problem
A research problem is a definite or clear expression [statement] about:
an area of concern
a condition to be improved upon
a difficulty to be eliminated, or
a troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or within existing practice that points
to a need for meaningful understanding and deliberate investigation.

Pertains to a particular problem within the research environment, which will form the primary focus of
a research study (a real-life problem which can be mitigated and/or solved)
Example: How do the Philippines respond to the effects of Climate Change?

Remenyi, Williams, Money and Swartz (2009:46) intonate that the research problem should be a clear,
unambiguous statement (perception) that is relevant to the research title, research topic, the
identified niche area and respected discipline alike.

CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH PROBLEM

the variables in the problem must be clear
it should be limited in scope and should be specific,
It must have a goal
it should be free from ethical constraints
good research problem must be researchable
SOURCES OF RESEARCH PROBLEMS / TOPICS

Research Title
A specialised area of focus that falls both within the boundaries of a research (delineation) and
the perimeter of a niche area, which directly relates to a particular discipline. The title
summarizes the main idea or ideas of your study (USC, 2017)
Example: The Case of Climate Change in the Philippines: Responses and Measures to its
Effects

According to Watkins (2008:23) a research title should have the following characteristics:
Short, descriptive and to the point
Identify the main variables of the research
Allude to the area of study
Attract the attention and interest of the reader
Make academic sense
Background of the Research
It identifies and describes the history and nature of a well-defined research problem with
reference to the existing literature.
It indicates the root of the problem being studied, appropriate context of the problem in
relation to theory, research, and/or practice, its scope, and the extent to which previous studies
have successfully investigated the problem, noting, in particular, where gaps exist that your
study attempts to address.

Statement of the Problem

reflected to the research title
The problem must not be answerable by yes or no
must be arranged in the flow of the study
Introduces the reader to the importance of the topic being studied
Places the topic into a particular context that defines the parameters of what is to be
investigated
Provides the framework for reporting the results
Indicates what is probably necessary to conduct the study
Explain how the findings will present the information.

Research Questions
Good research questions possess four essential characteristics as stated by Fraenkel and Wallen
(2007, p.29). They are as follows:
The question is feasible (i.e. it can be investigated without an undue of time, energy, or money)
The question is clear (i.e. most people would agree as to what the key words in the question
mean).
The question is significant (i.e. it is worth investigating because it will contribute important
knowledge about the human condition).
The question is ethical (i.e. it will not involve physical or psychological harm or damage to
human beings or to the natural or social environment of which they are part.

Significance of the Study

The significance of the study will mainly focus on the question “Who will benefit from the
study?”
This states the contribution of your study and the usefulness of your study in the society.

Scope and Delimitations of the Study

Parameters that prevent researchers from pursuing further studies due to time and budgetary
constraints
Scope- the coverage, range and period of the study
Delimitations- weaknesses of the study beyond the control of the researcher

Definition of Terms
Terms used either operationally or technically in a research study
Operational- definition based on how a word/s are used in the research study
Technical- definition based on how a word/s are used in a particular field or specialization