By: Daisy Ann P. Rasonabe

Ways in Stating Research Problem

Research problem

- a statement about an area of concern, a condition to be improved, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or in practice that points to the need for meaningful understanding and deliberate investigation.

Suppose you're a politician running for re-election. A right-to-life organization is pressuring you to oppose abortion. You ask yourself, "Will I lose if I don't?" You take a poll. You discover, "My constituents support abortion rights." Now, decide whether to reject the right-to-life organization's request.

A practical problem happens in the real world. It costs you something in time, money, happiness, etc. You'll solve that problem by doing something to change something out there in the real world.

Propose a Research Problem 

To solve that real-world problem, you first must propose and solve a research problem. Of course, we're not always aware we are posing and resolving a research problem when we solve a practical problem. 

The knowledge gained from solving the research problem is applied toward finding the solution to the practical problem. 

Here's another example:

We would like to solve the practical problem of the AIDS epidemic. Medical researchers first must solve a research question about how the virus' mechanisms work. But, even with that problem resolved someday, governments will have to apply that knowledge in solving the practical problem in society.

• A problem statement is the description of an issue currently existing which needs to be addressed.

• It provides the context for the research study and generates the questions which the research aims to answer.

• A good problem statement is just one sentence It is written in a general problem statement followed by sub-problems.

STATEMENT

General Problem:

The study aims to assess the difference on the level of organizational commitment and its impact to job involvement between permanent and contractual instructors of BISU.

While this problem statement is just one sentence, it should be accompanied by a few paragraphs that elaborate on the problem.

Example:1. Is there a significant difference on the level of job involvement between permanent and contractual instructors in BISU :

1.1. affective commitment;1.2. continuance commitment;1.3. normative commitment?

Format of problem: how you state the �problem• Question – relationship between two or �

more variables Ex. “Is there a significant difference on the level of job involvement between permanent and contractual instructors in BISU?

• Statement – describes the scope of your �work

Ex. The difference on the level of job involvement between permanent and contractual instructors in BISU?

FORMAT

• Hypothesis -- relationships�Ex. “There is no significant difference on the level of job involvement between permanent and contractual instructors in BISU.”

• Objective – achieve, measure�Ex. “To determine the significant difference on the level of job involvement between permanent and contractual instructors in BISU.”

How to Write the Research Problem

• The problem statement should persuasively indicate that major variables can be measured in some meaningful way.

• The problem statement could close with a question. Typically, the question could contain two variables, a measurable relationship, andsome indication of population.

Example 1:“What is the difference on the level of organizational commitment between permanent and contractual instructors in BISU”?

Example 2:"What is the best way to attain optimum commitment from the instructors of BISU"?

Key Components of the Statement of the Problem

1. The problem itself, stated clearly and with enough contextual detail to establish why it is important

2. The method of solving the problem, often stated as a claim or a working thesis

3. The purpose, statement of objective and scope of the project being proposed.

These elements should be brief so that the reader does not get lost. One page is enough for a statement problem.

Criteria for Research Problem Statements:

• The statement of the problem should clearly indicate what is to be investigated.

• The actual statement may be in a declarative or in question form.

• The statement should indicate the variables of interest and the specific relationship between the variables that are to be studied.