10. Stating and Evaluating Research Problem

Stating the Research Problem

Once the problem area is chosen, the researcher must define it unambiguously.

• State the Hypotheses or Research Questions: Indicate the major independent variables (treatments/causes) and dependent variables (effects). A hypothesis specifically predicts the relationship between these variables.
• Note: Exploratory or descriptive studies might lack a solid hypothesis and exist solely on heavily defined research questions.

Defining Aims and Objectives

To evaluate a problem properly, its targets must be declared.

• Aims: A broad statement of the desired outcomes or the general intention of the research project. Typically, a project has one or two overarching aims.
• Objectives: The specified, broken-down tasks the researcher undertakes to accomplish the overall aim. Objectives must be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. Being overly ambitious with objectives guarantees failure.

Presentation and Evaluation of Proposals

Funding agencies severely evaluate stated research problems. A proposal must actively answer:

• What do I want to do? (The Plan)
• How am I going to do it? (The Method)
• What do I need? (The Resources)

Review Criteria

Review panels use strict criteria to judge the merit of a research problem statement:

1. Is the idea genuinely important?
2. Can it realistically be done?
3. Is the applicant highly competent enough to do the work?
4. Can it be completed within the specified time?
5. Are the costs realistic?

Reasons for Rejection

If a problem is poorly stated or evaluated, it gets rejected due to:

• The researchable idea not being important enough.
• The applicant failing to take sufficient care in planning.
• An over-dependence on outside personnel to do the heavy lifting.
• The budget drastically exceeding acceptable limits.

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