THE STATEMENT OF THE

PROBLEM

CHAPTER 5
 OBJECTIVES

At the end of this chapter, the students will be

able to:
1. Differentiate the general problem from the
specific problems;
2. Compare the different types of research
questions; and
3. Formulate the general problem as well as the
specific problems.
 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

 It will be difficult to conduct any research unless

a clear problem is initially stated.

 Stating the problem helps the researcher clarify

various essential elements of research such as
the major variables, the general and specific
objectives and the appropriate methodology.
 The opening paragraph of this part of the
research paper contains the general problem of
the study.

 It has to be restated with specific details on the

participants, setting and period of study.
 The important elements in the statement
of the general problem are:
1. Main tasks – they satisfy the question, “what to
do” with the major variables such as to associate,
to relate, to assess, to measure, to determine, etc.

2. Main or major variables

3.Participants; subjects or respondents

4. The specific setting

5. Coverage date of the conduct of the study

6. For developmental research, the intended outputs

such as an intervention program, module, policies,
among others.
Examples of a General Problem:
 1. The main problem of this research is to look
for into the influence of video games and the
utilization of social media on the language
proficiency of the freshman students of Leyte
National High School for the first semester of
academic year 2014-2015. The result of this
investigation will be the basis of the
formulation of the guidelines in the
development, organization, and
implementation of effective study habits.
2. This study aims to assess the behavioral
traits of Senior High School students and to
relate them to the productivity level in
reviewing lessons and passing the long
examinations. This study is to be conducted
during the first semester of SY 2016-2017 in
the Division of Palo, Leyte.
3. This investigation aims to assess the level of
performance of technical-vocational instructors
and relate it to the efficiency level of senior
high school management students undergoing
on-the-job training in selected businesses in
Palo, Leyte during the SY 2014-2015.
4. The general problem of this study is: How
do student, teacher and school-related
factors affect the performance of secondary
students in Chemistry Laboratory among
schools in Balanga City during SY 2008-2009?
5. The general problem of this study is to
determine the relationship of the intrapersonal
and interpersonal competencies of school
managers which will become the basis of a
human relation intervention program.
 The general problem is followed by an
enumeration of the specific problems.

 The specific problems are usually stated

as questions that the researcher seeks
to answer.
The specific problems must meet the
following criteria:
1. They must be in question form;
2. They must define the population and the
sample (that is, the respondents or subjects)
of the study;
3. They must identify the variables being
studied; and
4. They must be empirically tested.
GENERAL TYPES OF QUESTIONS
1.Non-researchable questions

 are questions of value.

 These are questions that are answerable

by “yes” or “no”.
 Examples:

a. Will the students from a broken family prove

their worth in the community?
b. Should all mothers breastfeed their babies?
c. Should master teachers be watchful over
their new students?
d. Do all high school teachers have a Master’s
degree?
 2.Researchable questions

 are questions of value, opinions, or policy

raised to gather data.

 Formulating clear and significant questions

prepares the researcher for subsequent
decision-making over research, data
collection and data analysis.
TYPES OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Factor-Isolating Questions

 (‘What is this?”)

 They are sometimes called factor naming

questions.

 They isolate, categorize, or name factors

and situations.
 Example:
 1. What is the profile of school managers in
terms of:
1.1 age;
1.2 management experience;
1.3 educational attainment;
1.4 management training;
1.5 home atmosphere;
1.6 home management styles;
1.7 hobbies;
1.8 health conditions;
1.9 involvement in civic and cultural
organizations;
1.10work values;
1.11human virtues; and
1.12level of religiosity?
2. What is the level of description of the study
habits of senior high school students in terms
of:
2.1 review time;
2.2 place of review;
2.3 techniques in studying?
 3. What is the level of school effectiveness in
terms of:
3.1 teacher’s performance;
3.2 school performance;
a. drop-out rate,
b. completion rate,
c. survival rate,
d. achievement rate, and
e. awards received by students?
4. What is the extent of transactional and
transformational leadership behaviors of
secondary school principals as perceived by:
4.1 principal-respondents
4.2 school directors / supervisors;
4.3 teachers; and
4.4 PTA Officers?
5. How are the following laboratory-related
factors be described in terms of:
5.1 adequacy, usability and availability of
equipment;
5.2 facilities; and
5.3 laboratory manual?
 Factor-Relating Questions

 (“What is happening here?)

 Their goal is to determine the relationship

among factors that have been identified.

 These are usually questions for a non-

experimental type of research.
 Examples:

1. How does the study habits influence the

achievement level of the Grade 11 students in
their major subjects?
2. What is the significant association between
the nature and economic status of the family
and the social status of the junior students?
3. What relationships are observed between
and among the following variables:
a. Intrapersonal competency;
b. Interpersonal competency;
c. School effectiveness?
4. What is the relationship of the level of
performance of the college instructors to the OJT
performance of the HRM students of the
Tacloban School of Business?
5. What is the significant difference in the
assessment of the college coordinator’s
competencies in the curriculum delivery as
assessed by the Level III and IV students, college
instructors, and academic coordinators in four
selected colleges in the City of Manila?
 Situation-Relating Questions.

 (“What will happen if?”).

 These questions usually yield hypotheses

testing or experimental study designs in
which the researcher manipulates the
variables to see what will happen.
 Examples:

1. What are the effects of the traditional

methods of teaching on the level of
performance of the ABM students?
2. How does the management procedures
applied by the store managers affect the level
of customer satisfaction as experienced by
selected regular clients of Jollibee stores in
the Province of Leyte?
3. What is the difference between the degree of
assistance extended by the male and female
high school students in the foundation day
celebration of MQCPI?
4. How significantly different is the performance
of the morning call center agents to that of the
evening call center agents?
5. What is the most effective food
supplements to be given to increase the
productivity of tilapia farming?
 Situation-Producing Questions.

 (“How can I make it happen?”)

 These questions establish explicit goals for

actions, develop plans or prescriptions to
achieve goals, and specify the conditions
under which these goals will be accomplished.
 Examples:

1. Based on the findings, what human relation

intervention program can be adopted to
enhance or improve school effectiveness?
2. How can counseling services be organized
to promote family bonding among parents
and elementary school pupils?
3. What policy is to be formulated to manage
the effective involvement of high school
students in social media?
4. What part of the curriculum should be
enhanced or improved to prepare the senior
high school students for the workplace?
5. What faculty development activities could
be developed based on the results of the
study?