Lesson 3:
Identifying the
Inquiry &
Stating the
Problem
Prepared by Mary Jean P. Banga,LPT
Identifying the Inquiry & Stating the
Problem
• Unlike quantitative research, qualitative
research design does not use hypotheses.
• They merely state a problem or pose
questions, the answers to which are exposed
lengthily & deeply.
Identifying the Inquiry & Stating the
Problem
• After data have been gathered through
procedures like interview, participant
observation, group discussions and a lot more,
data are subjected to analysis that requires
categorizing of data.
Step 1
Subject Matter
of the
Research
Step 1: Subject Matter of the Research
• Research must begin with a problem.
• A topic is researchable if the knowledge and
information about it is supported by evidence
that is observable, factual and logical.
Guidelines in
Choosing a
Research
Topic
Guidelines in Choosing a Research Topic
1. Interest in the Subject Matter
• Your real interest in a subject push you to
research, investigate or inquire about it with full
motivation, enthusiasm and energy.
Guidelines in Choosing a Research Topic
2. Availability of Information
• In any research work, collecting a lot of
information as evidence to support your claims
about your subject matter from varied forms of
literature like books, journals and newspapers is
vital.
Guidelines in Choosing a Research Topic
3. Timeliness & Relevance of the Topic
• The topic is relevant if it yields results that are
instrumental in societal improvement.
Guidelines in Choosing a Research Topic
4. Personal Resources
• Assess your research abilities in terms of your
financial standing, health condition, mental
capacity, needed facilities and time allotment and
effort.
Research
Topics to be
Avoided
Research Topics to be Avoided
1. Highly Technical Subjects
• for a beginner, researching on topics that require
an advanced study, technical knowledge and vast
experience is a very difficult task.
Research Topics to be Avoided
2. Hard to investigate subjects
• a subject is hard to investigate if there are no
available reading materials about it and if such
materials are not up-to-date.
Research Topics to be Avoided
3. Too broad subjects
• topics that are too broad will prevent you from
giving a concentrated or an in-depth analysis of
the subject matter of the paper. The remedy is to
limit the topic into smaller one.
Research Topics to be Avoided
4. Vague subjects
• choosing topics like these will prevent you from
having a clear focus on your paper. - titles
beginning with “several, many, some”. “Some
Remarkable Traits of a Filipino”, “Several
People’s Comments on the RH Law
Sources of
Research
Problems
Research problems are commonly found in
places where there is/are:
1. A feeling of discomfort;
2. Perceived difficulties in the management and
leadership system;
3. Gap between the theory and practice;
Research problems are commonly found in
places where there is/are:
4. Daily experiences of a person that require
further inquiry, especially if improvements are
desired; and/or
5. A procedure that requires technologically
advanced equipment which need to function
properly.
Likewise, a discerned problem is said to be
researchable when it meets the following criteria:
1. Solutions are available but not yet tested and
not known by the practitioner.
2. No solutions are available to answer the
problem assessed.
Likewise, a discerned problem is said to be
researchable when it meets the following criteria:
3. Answers, solutions, or results are seemingly not
tested or are factually contradictory.
4. A phenomenon exists which requires
explanation.
Likewise, a discerned problem is said to be
researchable when it meets the following criteria:
5. There are several possible and plausible
explanations for the existence of an undesirable
condition.
Research
Title
Generally, the title:
1. Should summarize the main idea of the paper;
2. Should be a concise statement of the main topic;
3. Must include the major variable/s;
4. Should show the relationship of the main variables under
study; and
5. Must be self-explanatory.
The researcher must be reminded of the
following:
1. In formulating the title, the researcher should
avoid using words that serve no useful purposes
and can misled indexers.
The researcher must be reminded of the
following:
2. In many cases, the general problem or even the
specific question that the researcher intends to
answer, when rewritten in a statement from, can
serve as the title.
3. The title must have 10 to 15 words.
Broad Topics
• Lack of Self-confidence
• Smoking Hazards
• Marketable Popular Garment Brand
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
Specific Topics
• Lack of Self-confidence in Adolescents
• Root Causes, Manifestations and Intervention
• Health Hazards of Direct and Indirect Smoking: Prevention
and Cure
• Marketability of a Popular Garment Brand: A Case Study
• HIV: Causes, Prevention, Treatment and Care
Other Topics of Interest
• Issues like poverty, informal settling in congested
areas, traffic issue, transportation problems,
human rights, etc.
• Online Games (positive & negative effects
• Social and Behavioral problems
Q&A
Week 5 Learning Task 3:
A. Directions: Enumerate possible problems you
may encounter in the different setting below:
1. Personal Life (Family and Social)
2. School
3. Community.
4. Government
5. Relationship with significant others (classmates,
friends, professors, etc.)
Week 5 Learning Task 3:
B. Directions: Based on the enumerated possible
problems, identify one researchable problem and
answer the following questions/statements:
6. My field/area of specialization is ________ and I
would like to concentrate in the area of
7. A possible topic or problem that I am thinking is:
8. It is because of the following reasons:
Week 5 Learning Task 3:
B. Directions: Based on the enumerated possible
problems, identify one researchable problem and
answer the following questions/statements:
9. My possible research questions are:
10. The possible variables that might affect my study
include:
11. My sources of information are:
Assignment #2 Preparation for Title Defense
Directions: Using your individual learning task three
letter b output this week, together with your group,
brainstorm and choose one possible researchable topic
and create a research title. Prepare for your title defense
next week.
