PAMELA M. VEROY RN, MAN

RESEARCH PROBLEM

What is a research problem?

A problem that someone would like to research

Anything that a person find unsatisfactory or unsettling, a difficulty of some sort, a state of affairs that need to be changed.

A problems involve areas of concerns to researchers, for condition they want to improve, difficulties they want to eliminate, questions for which they want to seek answers.

Examples of possible research questions:

Does client-centered therapy produce more satisfaction in clients than traditional therapy? (traditional-experimental research).

Does behavior modification reduce aggression in autistic children? (single-subject experimental research)

Are the descriptions of people in social studies discussions biased? (grounded theory research)

Other examples of research problem…..

What goes on in an elementary school classroom during an average work? (ethnographic research)

Do teachers behave differently towards students of different gender? (causal-comparative research)

How can we predict which students have trouble learning certain kinds of subject matter? (correlational research)

More examples of research problems…

How do parents feel about the school counseling program? (survey research)

How can a principal improve a faculty morale? (Interview research)

Why these questions researchable?

NOTE: What makes these questions researchable is that some sort of information can be collected to answer them.

Some questions cannot be answered by collecting and analyzing data….

Should philosophy be included in the high school curriculum?

What is the meaning of life?WHY?Why can’t these questions be researched?What prevents us from collecting information

to answer them?Answer: Both questions are in final analysis..

Reasons why can’t be researchable….

Should philosophy be included in the high school curriculum?

- It is a question of value and does not have any observable reference.

- The verb “should”: How can we observed or determine whether or not something “should” be done? What data could we collect?

- How about this: “Do people think philosophy should be

included in high school curriculum?”

Reasons why can’t be researchable….

What is the meaning of life?

- This question is metaphysical in nature – beyond the physical, transcendental.

- It lies beyond the accumulation of information.Hhm… what

is earth? Is there a

creature called

HUMAN BEING??

ALIEN

Which ones (if any) do you think are researchable?

Is God good?Are children happier when taught by a

teacher of the same gender?Does high school achievement influence the

academic achievement of university students?

What is the best way to teach grammar?What would schools be like today if World

War II had not occurred?Answer: Question 2 & 3 are researchables;

1, 4 & 5 aren’t.

Let’s identify which are/aren’t researchable:

No: Not researchab

le

Yes: researcha

ble

Should I put my

youngster in pre-school?

Do children enrolled in pre-school develop

better social skills than children not

enrolled?

What is the best way to

learn to read?

At which age is it better to introduce

phonics to children-age 5, 6

or 7?

Let’s identify which are/aren’t researchable:

No: Not researchabl

e

Yes: researcha

ble

Are some people born bad?

Who commits more crimes-poor people

or rich people?

Yes: researcha

ble

4Characteristics of Good Research Questions

1. The question is feasible (i.e., It can be investigated without an undue amount of time, energy, or money)

2. The question is clear (i.e., most people would agree as to what the key words in the question mean)

3. The question is significant (i.e., it is worth investigating; it contribute important knowledge about human condition)

4. The question is ethical (i.e., it will not involve physical or psychological harm or damage to human feelings, or to natural or social environment of which they are part)

1. Research problem should be feasible….

An important issue in designing studies is that of feasibility…

The lack of feasibility often seriously limits research efforts.

EXAMPLE:Feasible: How do the students in Davao City

High School feel about the new guidance program recently instituted in the district?

Not so feasible: How would giving each student his pr her own laptop computer to use for a semester affect achievement?

2. Research question should be clear….

Example 1: “Is a humanistically oriented classroom effective?

What is humanistically oriented classroom?- Do teachers use certain kinds of strategies?- Do they lecture?- In what sorts of activities do students

participate?- What do such classroom look like-how is the

seating arranged?- What kind of materials are used?

“Inexpensive” car…

“I want to buy an Inexpensive car..”

Hello!!

“Under P30,00

0

“Up to P50,000

What does the term “effective” mean?- Does it results in increased academic

proficiency?- Does it results in happier children?- Makes life easier for teacher?- It costs less money?Example 2: “How do teachers feel about

special classes for the educationally handicapped?

The first term that needs clarification is “teachers”.

- What age group does this involve?- What level of experience? (i.e., are

probationary teachers included?)

Continuation……

- Are teachers in both private and public schools included?

- Are teachers nationwide or just in locality included?

The phase “feel about” is also ambiguous.- Does it mean opinions?- Does it mean emotional reaction?- Does it suggest actions? Or what?The terms “special classes” and

“educationally handicapped” also need to be clarified.

Example of a legal definition of “educationally handicapped”..

A minor who, by reason of marked learning or behavioral disorders, is unable to adapt to a normal classroom situation. The disorder must be associated with a neurological handicap or an emotional disturbance and must not be due to mental retardation, cultural deprivation, or foreign language problems.

NOTE: the definition itself contains some ambiguous words.

DEFINING TERMS

There are 3 ways to clarify important terms in a research question.

1. Use a constitutive definition – to use what is often referred to as the dictionary approach. It uses additional terms to clarify meaning

- A humanistic classroom might defined as; A classroom in which;a) the needs and interest of students have the highest priorityb) students work on their own for a considerable amount of time in each class periodc) the teacher acts as a guide and a resource person rather than an informant.

Cont. Defining terms….

2. A term or phrase is need to define by examples - Example term, “nondirective therapy” - learning disability- bilingual education- home-centered health care

- Here are 3 definitions of the term “motivated to learn”. Which do you think is the clearest?

a) Works hardb) Is eager and enthusiasticc) Sustains attention to a task.

Which of these class can be called motivated to learn?

A. Those who are very eager to recite?

B. Those who are very attentive to listen?

Cont. Defining terms….

3. To define important terms operationally. - Operational definition require that researchers specify the actions or operations necessary to measure or identify or identify the term.- describes how examples of a term are to be measured or identified.- Any classroom identified by specified experts as constituting an example of a humanistic classroom- Any classroom judged (by an observer spending at least 1 day/wk for 4-5 weeks) to possess all following characteristics;

Cont. Defining terms….

- a) no more than 3 children working with the same materials at the same time- b) the teacher never spending more than 20 minutes per day addressing the class as a group- c) at least half of every class period open for students to work on projects of their own choosing at their own pace.

TRIVIA: “Motivated to learn mathematics”Define operationally…..

Operational definition…..

Is Jamie smart?

“He does get really good

grades.”

“He knows how to please

people, that’ s for sure”

“Jamie is really a smart

isn’t he?”

“No way! He was the only one who got lost on our camping

trip.”

3. Research questions should be significant…

We need to consider whether a question is worth spending time and energy (and often money) to get an answer.

3 guidelines1. How might answers to this question

advance knowledge in my field?2. How might answers to this question

improve educational practice?How might answers to this question improve

the human condition?

4. Research Questions often investigate relationship…..

A suggested relationship means that two qualities or characteristics are tied together or connected in some way…

Are motivation and learning related? If so, how?

What about age and attractiveness?Speed and weight?Height and strength?A principal administrative policies and

faculty morale?

-----END----

What is now my problem

to research

?