Thesis Proposal

Handbook of Research Design & Social Measurement

FORMULATING A RESEARCH PROBLEM

Contributors: Delbert C. Miller & Neil J. Salkind Editors: Delbert C. Miller & Neil J. Salkind Book Title: Handbook of Research Design & Social Measurement Chapter Title: "FORMULATING A RESEARCH PROBLEM" Pub. Date: 2002 Access Date: May 26, 2016 Publishing Company: SAGE Publications, Inc. City: Thousand Oaks Print ISBN: 9780761920465 Online ISBN: 9781412984386 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412984386.n7 Print pages: 15-17

©2002 SAGE Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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FORMULATING A RESEARCH PROBLEM

The firststepin the design of research is the selection of a question that has its roots in an interesting theoretical argument. The range of potential topics for social research is as broad as the range of social behavior, and although this fact does not make it easier for the researcher to make a choice, it does represent a very large universe of ideas to explore. In addition, no researcher ever ignores his or her personal life and professional experiences as the source for an idea that leads to a research question. [p. 15 ↓ ] The greatest of discoveries often begin as ideas formulated not in the confines of the classroom or laboratory but on the trail during a walk or during the solitary early morning hours.

Selection of a problem represents a commitment of time, money, and energy, and it is not unusual for a researcher to dedicate 6 months to a year to finding a specific problem and formulating the question that will then lead to a research study. It may take many years to conduct the research and even longer to see it through to publication.

The significance of a problem and the precision with which the research question is formulated cannot be underestimated in the role they both play for helping to contribute to the body of knowledge in a particular field. The obvious question is “How can this significance be foreseen for research not yet undertaken?” To a great extent, this is the challenge that faces all researchers and why the quality of the research question initially asked is so important. The competent and experienced researcher is very familiar with the research literature and can identify what needs to be done next to further answer the more general and theoretical questions. A rich array of theory and methodology is available in which the proposed problem can be cast.

The student (or any researcher, for that matter) should be led through the process of identifying interesting and potentially productive problems during training. The following set of general points provides suggestions for how to find a research topic (including master's thesis or dissertation research activities) and the accompanying research design.

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• Identify interesting topics in the first set of courses that you take (which are usually core or required courses).

• Ask questions and incorporate the answers into the body of knowledge you acquire during your coursework.

• Consider your own experiences and personal characteristics and qualities, such as your potential professional growth and future career interests, the ability and interests of the faculty with whom you are working, your ability and desire to work with a specific professor, and the availability of resources (money, equipment, etc.) to complete your work.

As you continue your coursework and begin to feel more comfortable as an aspiring researcher, be sure to do the following:

• Enroll in seminars through which you hope to experience intellectual growth. • Examine carefully how others (especially more advanced graduate students)

have approached research problems and the steps they have taken to get where they are in their careers.

• Initiate small research projects in the direction of your interests (usually under the supervision of a faculty member, either as an original study or one related to what the faculty member might be doing).

• Discuss suggested topics with your adviser, examining which unexplored areas of the field should be studied, what previous research has been done, and what relevant literature bears upon the specific question being asked.

• Attend professional conferences whenever possible; although these might be in distant cities and your resources might be limited, remember that graduate students for years have been sharing rooms (and having a great deal of fun) and learning at the same time.

This set of suggestions assumes that the student takes his or her work seriously and is not simply going through the motions to “knock out a thesis,” but instead is planning a scholarly career. From a thesis may emerge published articles that will provide the base for the researcher's reputation in the field and the springboard for future growth and contributions.

There are no shortcuts to becoming a competent researcher. It involves a great deal of time and practice in every sense of the word. An increasing number of experiences in

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different settings leads to enhanced competence. A suggested place to start, especially for the naïve researcher, is a replication of existing work. Social science needs this kind of research badly in acquiring cumulative evidence, especially when the results of previous research are equivocal. The student may utilize secondary data to enrich research and to minimize expenditures of time and other resources.

[p. 16 ↓ ]

Several books can help novice researchers select important problems worthy of research. Two of them are identified below.

Further Readings on Formulating a Research Problem

Creswell, John W (1994). Research design: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Denzin, Norman K., & Lincoln, Yvonna S. (2000). Handbook of qualitative research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

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