INTRODUCTION
In the last two units, you were exposed to the different techniques for collecting data in research. But before you think of data collection, you would have selected a research problem or topic in your area of specialization. In this unit, we are going to discuss how to select a research topic. This is because you have to select your own research topic and write the research project report as a requirement for the award of the degree to you. In very few cases, and thats if you are very lucky, your supervisor may help you choose a topic but the final choice of topic is yours. This is why you have to carefully study this unit, so as to scale with ease, the first hurdle which will confront you in your research.
At the end of this unit, you should be able to:-
In a research process, you have to select a topic of study from your area of study. After this you
narrow down this topic for your study.
In the last two units, you were exposed to the different techniques for collecting data in research. But before you think of data collection, you would have selected a research problem or topic in your area of specialization. In this unit, we are going to discuss how to select a research topic. This is because you have to select your own research topic and write the research project report as a requirement for the award of the degree to you. In very few cases, and thats if you are very lucky, your supervisor may help you choose a topic but the final choice of topic is yours. This is why you have to carefully study this unit, so as to scale with ease, the first hurdle which will confront you in your research.
OBJECTIVES
At the end of this unit, you should be able to:-
- Explain the concept of problem in research
- Enumerate the characteristics of a research problem.
- Identify the various sources of suitable research problems.
- Select a research topic for investigation.
- Shape and refine the problem.
THE CONCEPT OF PROBLEMS IN RESEARCH
In a research process, you have to select a topic of study from your area of study. After this you
narrow down this topic for your study.
The next concern is to define the problem which you are focusing on. Kerlinger (1979) defines a research problem in two ways. The first is in a general sense in which he regards a research problem as a question that states situation needing discussion, inquiring, decision or solution. The second one which is a more satisfactory definition, he regards a research problem as a question that asks for how two or more variables are related.
It means therefore that a research problem must state and show how two or more variables are related. This may be stated in a question form. The most important fact here is that the relationship between two or more variables must be specified in the research problem.
Look at these problems. Does the social class/status of parent play significant role in the academic achievement of secondary school students in Abia state of Nigeria? Does intelligence differ in the children from the middle and lower income class families? Does the size of a hotel play significant role in the type of services rendered to customers? Do customers satisfactions depend on hotel management styles? Looking at these definitions and examples of problems in research, you should be able to identify some key characteristics of problems in research. Now let us look at the characteristics of research problem.
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