CHAPTER TWO

Defining Research Problem and Hypothesis Formulation

What is a research problem?

All research is set in motion by the existence of a problem. A problem might be defined as the
issue that exists in the literature, theory, or practice that leads to a need for the study. The
problem identification and explanation affect the quality, usefulness, effectiveness, and
efficiency of the research, more than any other part of the research plan. The prospective
researcher should think on what caused the need to do the research (problem identification).

The question that he/she should ask him/herself is: Are there questions about this problem to
which answers have not been found up to the present? we have the problem only if we do not
know what course of action is best, and must be in doubt about the solution.

A problem is a perceived difficulty, a feeling of discomfort about the way things are or a
discrepancy between what some one believes should be the situation and what the situation is in
reality. While problems are initiating forces behind research, not all problems require research. A
researcher must examine all the symptoms (presented to him or observed by him) concerning a
problem before he can diagnose correctly.

A potential research situation arises when three conditions exist

 A perceived discrepancy exists between what is & what should be.

 A question exists about why there is a discrepancy.

 At least two possible & plausible answers exist to the question.

“Problem clearly stated is half solved”

The components of a research problem:

(i) There must be an individual or a group which has some difficulty or the problem.

(ii) There must be some objective(s) to be attained at.

(iii) There must be alternative means. This means that there must be at least two means available
to a researcher.

(iv) There must remain some doubt in the mind of a researcher with regard to the selection of
alternatives.

Why is it important to state & define the problem?

 Is the foundation for further development of the research proposal (objectives,

methodology, work plan, budget, etc.)
 Makes it easier to find information & reports of similar studies from which your own
study design can benefit.
 Enables you to systematically point out why the proposed research on the problem
should be undertaken & what you hope to achieve with the study results.
Selecting a Research Problem:

i. Subject which is overdone should not be normally chosen

ii. Provocative subject should not become the choice of an average researcher.

iii. Too narrow or too vague problems should be avoided.

iv. The subject selected for research should be familiar and feasible.

v. The importance of the subject, the qualifications and the training of a researcher, the
costs involved, the time factor must also be considered.

In other words, before the final selection is made a researcher must ask himself the following
questions:

(a) Whether you are well equipped in terms of your background to carry out the research?

b) Whether the study falls within the budget he can afford?

(c) Whether the necessary cooperation can be obtained from those who must participate in
research as subjects?

vi. The selection of a problem must be preceded by a preliminary study.

This may not be necessary when the problem requires the conduct of a research closely similar to
one that has already been done.

How to write a problem statement?

Problem statement should be:

 Precise & concise, while not forgetting to mention essential points.

Example: Ambiguous definition: “Find out how much, sales have declined recently”. Let
us suppose that, the research problem is defined in broad and general way as follows:

“Why is the productivity in Korea is very much higher than in India”?

In this type of question, a number of ambiguities are there, such as:

1. What sort of productivity is to be specified; Is it men, machine, materials?

Etc.

2. To which type of industry, the productivity is related to?

3. What period of time, the productivity is being talked about?

What information should be included in the problem statement?

 Nature of the problem

 Major factors that may influence the problem
 Justification for the study
 Type of information expected

 NATURE OF THE PROBLEM

 Description of the discrepancy between what is & what should be.

 Description of the size, distribution & severity of the problem

 Who is affected, where, since when & what are the consequences for those
affected.
  For a descriptive or evaluation study the different components of the problem
should be elaborated.

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE PROBLEM

 An analysis of the major factors that may influence the problem &

 if the problem is to be fully understood A discussion of why certain factors need

more investigation.

JUSTIFICATION FOR THE STUDY

 A brief description of any solutions to the problem that have been tried in the past

 How well they have worked, and

 Why is the problem important and further research is needed

Convince others about the importance of the problem and identifying deficiencies in the past
literature,

 Identify specifically the deficiencies of other studies (e.g. methodological flaws,

variables overlooked).
 Write about areas overlooked by past studies, including topics, special statistical
treatments, significant implications, and so forth.
 Discus how a proposed study will remedy these deficiencies and provide a unique
contribution to the scholarly literature

TYPE OF INFORMATION EXPECTED

 A description of the type of information expected to result from the project and

 How this information will be used to help solve the problem.

 Techniques and Approaches to Problem Definition:

1. Statement of the problem in a general way: First of all the problem should be stated in a
broad general way, keeping in view either some practical concern or some scientific or
intellectual interest.

2. Understanding the nature of the problem: The next step in defining the problem is to
understand its origin and nature clearly. The best way of understanding the problem is to
discuss it with those who first raised it in order to find out how the problem originally
came about and with what objectives in view.

3. Surveying the available literature: All available literature concerning the problem at hand
must necessarily be surveyed and examined before a definition of the research problem is
given.

4. Developing the ideas through discussions: Discussion concerning a problem often

produces useful information.

5. Rephrasing the research problem: Finally, the researcher must sit to rephrase the research
problem into a working proposition.

Problem Formulation, Research Question and Hypothesis:

The research problem typically takes the form of a concise question regarding the relationship
between two or more variables. When articulating a research question, it is critically important to
make sure that the question is specific enough to avoid confusion and to indicate clearly what is
being studied.

A vague research question often results in methodological confusion & does not clearly indicate
what or who is being studied.

Example

(1)What effect does weather have on memory? (2) Does exercise improve physical and mental
health?

(3) Does taking street drugs result in criminal behavior?

 HYPOTHESIS

Hypothesis could be termed as tentative answers to a research problem. A statistical hypothesis

is an assumption or a statement which may or may not be true concerning one or more
populations. Eg. 1) The mean height of the DBU students is 1.63m.

A hypothesis is a tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables. A
hypothesis is a specific, testable prediction about what you expect to happen in your study.

Eg. 2) a study designed to look at the relationship between sleep deprivation and test
performance might have a hypothesis that states, "This study is designed to assess the hypothesis
that sleep deprived people will perform worse on a test than individuals who are not sleep
deprived.

The structure of a hypothesis involves conjectural statements relating to two or more variables.
They are deduced from theories, directly from observation, intuitively, or from a combination of
these. Hypothesis deduced from any of the means would have four common characteristics. They
should be clear, value-free, specific and amenable to empirical testing.
Hypothesis could be viewed as statements that indicate the direction of the relationship or
recognition of differences in groups. However, the researcher may not be able to frame
hypotheses in all situations. It may be because that a particular investigation does not warrant a
hypothesis or sufficient information may not be available to develop the hypotheses.

It is simply an educated—and testable—guess about the answer to your research question. A

hypothesis is often described as an attempt by the researcher to explain the phenomenon of
interest. A hypothesis represents a declarative statement of the relations between two or more
variables. Hypotheses attempt to explain, predict, and explore the relationship between two or
more variables. Hypotheses can take various forms, depending on the question being asked and
the type of study being conducted. A key feature of all hypotheses is that each must make a
prediction. These predictions are then tested by gathering and analyzing data, and the hypotheses
can either be supported or refuted. Hypothesis is optional.
Reasons for using hypotheses:

 Provides specific focus

 Provides for testing of the relationships between variables
 Directs the investigation
 Allows the investigator to confirm or not confirm relationships
 Provides a framework for reporting the results and explanations deriving from them
 When supported provides empirical evidence of the predictive nature of the relationships
between variables
 Provides a useful framework for organizing and summarizing the results and conclusions

TWO TYPES OF HYPOTHESIS:

A. The Null Hypothesis (H0)

• The main hypothesis which we wish to test is called the null hypothesis.

• It commonly implies “no effect” or “ no difference.” It is denoted by the symbol HO

• HO is always a statement about a parameter (mean, proportion, etc. of a population). It is

not about a sample, nor are sample statistics used in formulating the null hypothesis. The
null hypothesis always predicts that there will be no differences between the groups being
studied

Eg. Ho: The mean height of the DBU students is 1.63m. This is expressed in equality
(µ = 1.60m) rather than an inequality (µ ³ 1.60m or µ < 1.60m)

Examples

1) HO : m = 1.63 m.
 B. ALTERNATIVE HYPOTHESIS (Ha)

• Is a statement of what we will believe is true if our sample data causes us to reject Ho.

• Is generally the hypothesis that is believed (or needs to be supported) by the researcher.

It is a statement that disagrees (opposes) with Ho. Alternate hypothesis predicts that there
will be a difference between the groups.

• It is a statement that will be accepted if HO is rejected.

Example

Ho: Ho: The mean height of the DBU students is 1.63m.

Ha: The mean height of the DBU students is not equal to 1.63m

Ho: The exercise group and the no-exercise group will not differ significantly on levels of
cholesterol.

Ha: The two groups will differ significantly on cholesterol levels.