Considerations in Formulating

the Research Problem

“A RESEARCH GUIDE IN NURSING

EDUCATION”
(BARRIENTOS-TAN, 1997)
 External Criteria

1. Novelty

2. Availability of Subjects

3. Support of the academic community

4. Availability and adequacy of facilities and

equipment
5. Ethical considerations
 Internal Criteria

1. Experience, training, and qualifications of the

researcher
2. Motivation, interest, intellectual curiosity, and
perceptiveness of the researcher

3. Time factor
4. Costs and returns
5. Hazards, penalties, and handicaps
Possible Aspects to be Studied
Using Qualitative Research

AC C O R DI N G TO J O N AN D LYN
L O F L A ND
( I N BA B BI E, 2 0 0 5 , P. 2 9 6 ) ,
F I E L D RE S E AR C H C AN B E U TI L I Z ED
B E S T I N S TU D Y I N G T H E F O LL O W I N G
A S P EC T S :
 Practices

Habits, customs, traditions,

and behaviors such as washing
hands, storytelling, and
tattooing.
 Episodes

Life events or scenarios such as

marriage, and sickness or to
societal events such as ouster,
revolutions or prosperity.
 Encounters

Meetings between or among

people and their interactions.
 Roles

A look into people, the

“positions” they take on and
“the behavior associated with
those positions” such as in the
family, work space or in
indigenous groups.
 Relationships

Action and expressions

between “pairs or sets of roles”
such as mother – child,
politician – constituents, and
supervisor – employee.
 Groups

A set of people sharing a

common characteristic or
interest such as clubs and
working groups.
 Organizations

“formal organizations, such as

hospital and schools”
 Settlements

Refers to smaller units of

society like communities,
villages ad neighborhoods
 Social Worlds

“ambiguous social entities”

with vague boundaries and
populations such as “the sport
world” and “Wall Street”
Lifestyles or sub-cultures

Way of living of a certain group

of people such as elites,
marginalized groups or those
with unique practices such as
bikers, gamers or nerds
Choosing the Research Problem

A S A S EN I O R H I G H S C H O O L
S TU D EN T
 Remember:

Your BACKGROUND as a researcher

is an important factor.
You FOCUS on more practical and
relatable topics for research.
Take your TRACK as your guide.
 Remember:

•The FEASIBILITY of the research

study.

•EXTERNAL SUPPORT for the study.

•The INNOVATIVE quality of the topic

should be considered.
 WHO?
•Who are the information providers for the
topic?
•Who is affected by this topic?
•Do you know the organizations affiliated
with this topic?
WHAT?
•What are the major questions about this topic?
•Is there a debate about the topic?
•What are some different viewpoints
you can consider during your
research?

WHY?
• Why did you choose this
topic?
• What interests you about
it?
• Do you have an opinion
about the issues involved?
•Is your topic important
• When was or is your
Locally, nationally, or
topic important?
Internationally?
Is your topic currently relevant or
•Are there certain places that have been
does it have historical context?
directly affected by the
Can you investigate how this topic’s relevance
topic you chose?
has changed over time?

WHERE? WHEN?