DEFINITION

A problem is any significant, perplexing and

challenging situation, real or artificial, the
solution of which requires reflective hinking; a
perplexing situation after it has been
translated into a question or series of
questions that help determine the direction of
subsequent inquiry. The foregoing definitions
are according to Dewey.
ELEMENTS OF A RESEARCH PROBLEM
1. Aim or Purpose of the problem for investigation.
2. The subject matter or topic to be investigated.
3. The place or locale where the research is to be
conducted.
4. The period or time of the study during which the data
are to be gathered.
5. Population or universe from whom the data are to be
collected.
GUIDELINES IN THE SELECTION OF A RESEARCH
PROBLEM
1. The research problem or topic must be chosen by the
researcher himself.
2. It must be within the interest of the researcher.
3. It must be within the specialization of the researcher.
4. It must be within the competence of the researcher to
tackle.
5. It must be within the ability of the researcher to
finance, otherwise he must be able to find funding for
his research.
GUIDELINES IN THE SELECTION OF A RESEARCH
PROBLEM
6. It is researchable and manageable, that is:
a. Data are available and accessible.
b. The data must meet the standards of
accuracy, objectivity, and verifiability.
c. Answers to the specific questions
(subproblems) can be found.
d. The hypotheses formulated are testable,
that is, they can be accepted or rejected.
e. Equipment and instruments for research
are available and can give valid and reliable
results.
GUIDELINES IN THE SELECTION OF A RESEARCH
PROBLEM
7. It can be completed within a reasonable period of time
unless it is a longitudinal research which takes a long
time for its completion.
8. It is significant, important, and relevant to the present
time and situation, timely, and of current interest.
9. The results are practical and implementable.
10. It requires original, critical, and reflective thinking to
solve it.
11. It can be delimited to suit the resources of the
researcher but big or large enough to be able to give
significant, valid, and reliable results and
generalizations.
GUIDELINES IN THE SELECTION OF A RESEARCH
PROBLEM
12. It must contribute to the national development goals
for the improvement of the quality of human life.
13. It must contribute to the fund of human knowledge.
14. It must show or pave the way for the solution of the
problem/s intended to be solved.
15. It must not undermine the moral and spiritual values
of the people.
16. It must not advocate any change in the present order
of things by means of violence but by peaceful means.
GUIDELINES IN THE SELECTION OF A RESEARCH
PROBLEM
17. There must be a return of some kind to the
researcher, either one or all of the ff if the research
report is completed:
a. Monetary
b. Advancement of position, promotion
c. Improved specialization, competence and skill in
professional work
d. Enhanced prestige and reputation.
e. Satisfaction of intellectual curiosity and interest, and
being able to discover the truth.
18. There must be a consideration of the hazards
involved, either physical, social or legal.
GUIDELINES IN WRITING THE TITLE
1. The title is formulated before the start of the research
work.
2. The title must contain the subject matter of the study,
the locale of the study, the population involved, and
the period when the data were gathered.
3. It must be broad enough to include all aspects of the
subject matter studied.
4. It must be brief and concise as possible.
5. Avoid using the terms “An Analysis of”, “A Study of”,
“An Investigation of” and the like.
6. If the title contains more than one line, it must be
written like an inverted pyramid, all words in capital
letters.
EXAMPLE OF A COMPLETE TITLE

THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS OF PROVINCE A

AS PERCEIVED BY THE SCIENCE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS
DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR 1989-1990
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

1. The general statement of the problem and the

specific sub-problems or questions should be
formulated first before conducting the
research.
2. It is customary to state specific subproblems
in the interrogative form.
3. Each specific question must be clear and
unequivocal, that is, it has only one meaning.
4. Each specific question is researchable apart
from the other questions, that is, answers to
each specific question can be found even
without considering the other questions.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

5. Each specific question must be based

upon known facts and phenomena.
6. Answers to each specific question can
be interpreted apart from the answers to
other specific questions.
7. Answers to each specific question must
contribute to the development of the
whole research problem or topic.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

8. Summing up the answers to all the specific

questions will give a complete development of
the entire study.
9. The number of specific questions should be
enough to cover the development of the whole
research problem or study.
10. Generally, there should be a general
statement of the problem and then this should
be broken up into as many subproblems or
specific questions as necessary.
ASSUMPTIONS

An assumption is a self-evident truth

which is based upon a known fact
or phenomenon. Generally, every
specific question is implicitly based
upon an assumption, expressed or
implicit, there can be no specific
question.
GUIDELINES IN THE USE OF BASIC
ASSUMPTIONS
1. You cannot assume the value of your study. Such an
argument should have been made under the section,
significance of the study.
2. You cannot assume the reliability of the instruments
you propose to use in your research. Such a rationale
and defense should be made under methodology.
3. You cannot assume the validity of basic data. Validity
is established under methodology.
4. You cannot assume that your population is typical.
This point is to be made under methodology.
5. An assumption is not tested, neither it is defended nor
argued.
HYPOTHESES

A hypothesis is a tentative conclusion

or answer to a specific question
raised at the beginning of the
investigation. It is an educated
guess about the answer to a
specific question.
FORMS OF HYPOTHESES

Operational form is stated in the

affirmative while the null form is
stated in the negative. The
operational form states that there is
a difference between two
phenomena while the null form
states that there is no difference
between the two phenomena.
GUIDELINES IN THE FORMULATION OF EXPLICIT
HYPOTHESES
1. In experimental investigations, hypotheses
have to be explicit, they have to be expressed.
2. In descriptive and historical investigations,
hypotheses are seldom expressed if not
entirely absent.
3. Hypotheses are usually stated in the null form
because testing a null hypothesis is easier
than a hypothesis in the operational form,
4. Hypotheses are formulated from the specific
questions upon which they are based.
PURPOSES, FUNCTIONS, AND IMPORTANCE OF
HYPOTHESES OR SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
1. They help the researcher in designing his study: what
methods, research instruments, sampling design, and
statistical treatments to use, what data to gather, etc.
2. They serve as bases for determining assumptions.
3. They serve as bases for determining the relevance of
data.
4. They serve as bases for the explanation or discussion
about the data gathered.
5. They help or guide the researcher in consolidating his
findings and in formulating his conclusions.