Research Discussion Guide No.

2
What is a RESEARCH PROBLEM?
One fundamental principle in research is: If one wants to solve a problem, one must generally know what the
problem is. A research problem is the focus of a research investigation. It is exactly what its name implies a problem
that a researcher wishes to investigate. A problem can be anything that a person finds unsatisfactory or unsettling, a
difficulty of some sort, a state of affairs that needs to be changed, anything that is not working as well as it might.
Research problems are frequently stated as research questions. A problem is an interrogative statement that
asks: What relation exists between two or more variables?
The formulated research problem defines the scope and sets the limits of the problem. Defining the scope
and setting the limits of a problem help determine the feasibility of doing the actual study.
Sources of Research Problem
There are several sources of research problems that a researcher can investigate. It is said that research was
born out of mans problems and mans major problem demands research.

(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)

The following situations may manifest a problem:

When there is an absence of information resulting as a gap in our knowledge.
When there are contradictory results.
When the solution can be answered by using statistical methods and techniques.
When there are probable solutions, but they have not yet been tested.
When the occurrence of phenomena requires scientific investigation at precise solutions.

What are the possible sources of ideas when you scout for a problem? You can tap several sources within
your immediate environment. You need not look very far. Usually, these sources are within your reach. These sources
may be classified into the following categories:
People

Places

Things

Friends
Teachers
Family
Scientist
Experts
Community

Library
Research
institutions
School
Internet
Home

Soil
Water
Air
Plants
Animals
Books

Characteristics of Research Problem

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5.

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5.

The characteristics of a good problem possesses the acronym S-M-A-R-T (Zulueta & Costales,2006):
Specific. The problem should be specifically stated.
Measurable. It is easy to measure by using research instruments in collecting data.
Achievable. The data are achievable using correct statistical techniques to arrive at precise results.
Realistic. Real results are not manipulated.
Time-bound. Timeframe is required in every activity because the shorter the completion of the activity is the
better.
Characteristics of a good research problem (Mercado, 1971):
It should be specific dealing only on one specific aspect.
The problem should be empirically testable.
The problem should always state a relationship between two or more variables. This means that the study
should have at least one independent variable and one dependent variable.
It should be link to a certain theory or at least have a certain theoretical framework.
A good research problem should (i) be relevant with time; (ii) be related to a practical problem; (iii) fill a
research gap; (iv) permit generalization; (v) sharpen the definition of an important concept or relationship;
and (vi) create or improve an instrument for gathering and analyzing data.

Kerlinger (1973), on the other hand, outlines the following criteria for good problems and problem
statements:
1. The problem should express a relationship between two or more variables.
2. The problem should be stated clearly and unambiguously in question form. This is because questions have
the virtue of posing the problem directly.
3. The problem and problem statement should be such as to imply possibilities of empirical testing.

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2.
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4.
5.

Calmorin & Calmorin (1995) emphasized that a good research problem is:
Interesting
Relevant to the needs of the people
Innovative
Cost effective
Measurable and time-bound

Once a research questions has been formulated, researchers want to turn it into as good a question as
possible. Good research questions possess four essential characteristics (Fraenkel & Wallen, 1993):
1. The question is FEASIBLE. It can be investigated without an undue amount of time, energy, or money.
2. The question is CLEAR. Most people would agree as to what the key words in the question mean.
3. The question is SIGNIFICANT. It is worth investigating because it will contribute important knowledge about
the human condition.
4. The question is ETHICAL. 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.
Writing Your Research Problem
In making a statement of the problem, there are several things that must be considered:
1. clarity
2. organization
3. specificity
4. well-defined scope
5. conciseness
6. measurability
For the research problem to be significant one, it must:
o help answer a problem/need of the people, community and country.
o contribute to the generation of new information.
o develop or improve an existing process
o contribute to the development of your scientific skills.
We often hear students complaining that the most difficult problem in research is having no problem. This might
be due to any of the following reasons:
(a) Not all field problems are empirically testable.
These are metaphysical problems like finding out if there is life after death or what preoccupies the minds
of mentally-retarded individuals.
(b) We dont know the sources of research problems.
(c) We are faced with so many research problems that we could not decide which one to pursue.
(d) Some problems are very interesting but the data needed are very hard to obtain.
(e) We do not know what specific purposes we have in mind in choosing a problem.
Study this sample research problem:
RESPONSE OF OKRA TO HORSE MANURE AND UREA: A COMPARATIVE STUDY
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
This study aims to compare the effect of horse manure and urea to the growth of okra. Specifically, the
study will answer the following questions:
1. How will the use of horse manure and urea affect the following:
a. height of the okra plants?
b. time of flowering per okra plant?
c. number of pods per okra plant?
d. final weight of each of the okra plants?
e. final total weight of the pods per okra plants?
2. How will the effect of horse manure and urea on the growth of okra plants in terms of:
a. average height per plant;
b. time of flowering per plant;
c. number of pods per plant;
d. number of leaves per plant; and
e. total weight of plants per plot