Topic selection, problem formulation

and ethics in research

GEOG 316 JA Yaro

Selecting a Topic

Choose a topic that: • Is original in formulation - Addresses new issues • Is manageable and narrowly defined, one that can be

effectively presented within the parameters of the assignment. • Touches your life in a significant way and that you have a

natural interest in. • Allows you to bring insight to the situation and enlighten others. • Lends itself to questions. • Pick topics from courses/lectures and newspapers that touch

on contemporary issues • Talk to your supervisor or lecturer who has discussed an issue

of interest to you

Where do you see problems that can ignite your mind to think about research?

• Classroom• School• Community• Own teaching experiences• Classroom lectures• Class discussions• Seminars/workshops/paper presentations• Internet• Out-of-class exchanges of ideas with fellow students and professors• Reading assignments

– Textbooks– Special assignments– Research reports– Term papers

• Consultation with…– Course instructor– Advisor– Major Professor– Faculty member

Number ONE Requirement…

• You need to have an inquisitive and imaginative mind

• You need a Questioning attitude• Wonder why?

Characteristics of good topics?1. Interesting – keeps the researcher interested in it throughout the

research process

2. Researchable – can be investigated through the collection and analysis of data

3. Significant – contributes to the improvement and understanding of educational theory and practice

4. Manageable – fits the level of researcher’s level of research skills, needed resources, and time restrictions

5. Ethical – does not embarrass or harm participants

Is my project research?

• Does your project generate a research problem or a set of questions that are worth asking?

• Originality: don’t cook up old ideas and methods fashionable a decade ago

• Topicality: is your topic and subject of contemporary interest to academics or public?

• Is the project geographical: does place or space matter or make a difference? Show some spatial variation in distribution, experiences

• Is the project practical: in terms of cost, time and personnel

The research problem

• A research problem is the demarcation of a knowledge area within a certain context involving the WHO or WHAT, the WHERE, the WHEN and the WHY of the situation.

• The problem is the aspect the researcher worries about, thinks about, and wants to find a solution for. It explains in short the aim of the research

• Are there questions about this problem to which answers have not been found up to the present?

• Three sources usually contribute to problem identification:• Own experience or the experience of others may be a source of

problem supply. • Scientific literature: Look for gaps in the literature • Theories: Shortcomings in theories could be researched.

Your Problem should contain:

• Outline the general context of the problem area. • Highlight key theories, concepts and ideas

current in this area. • What appear to be some of the underlying

assumptions of this area? • Why are these issues identified important? • What needs to be solved? • State in such a way that it would lead to

analytical thinking with the aim of possibly concluding solutions to the stated problem.

An example of topic and problem identification

STEPS EXAMPLESTRATEGIES/SOURCES

Select a broad area of interest–a research topic

Costs of education Personal interestProfessional significanceReadingsConversations with faculty and peers

To move from topic to a manageable research problem, ask questions about the topic such as "who / what / where / when/ why / how?"

What are the issues in the costs of higher education? What is Ghana doing to control the costs of higher education?What are the factors responsible for tuition increases?How effective are cost sharing programs in controlling costs of higher education?

Read abstracts of literature for overview

Select one narrowly defined problem

Ask relevant questions that will help answer the problem

•Are government subsidies effective for holding down the costs of university education? •Which regions offer scholarship/loan programs?•What are potential savings realized by participating in a program? •What are the risks to individuals? •What is the cost to government to support such programs?

Read several articles on the narrower

focus; note possible methodologies that might be used in your project

Write a problem statement consisting of several sentences

that briefly frame the issues to be investigated, indicate the significance of the question, and includes a declaration of what you will do

The costs of higher education are escalating X times faster than the economy. Students

are graduating with SSNIT debt far surpassing earlier generations. Various sectors have proposed plans to minimize university costs. Among the potential solutions are loan programs offered by individual regions. Yet questions exist regarding the stability of tuition savings programs. "In this project I will..." or "This study will..."

Incorporate readings-to-date to

Determine this working statement. Of course, as your work progresses, you may need to modify this problem statement.

CHECKLIST FOR TESTING THE FEASIBILITY OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

• Is the problem of current interest? Will the research results have social, educational or scientific value?

• Will it be possible to apply the results in practice?

• Will the research opt new problems and lead to further research?

• Is the research problem important? Will you be proud of the result?

• Is there enough scope left within the area of research (field of research)?

• Can you find an answer to the problem through research? Will you be able to handle the research problem?

• Will it be possible for another researcher to repeat the research?

• Do you have the necessary knowledge and skills to do the research? Are you qualified to undertake the research?

• Is the problem important to you and are you motivated to undertake the research?

• Is the research viable in your situation? Do you have enough time, money and energy to complete the project?

• Will you be able to complete the project within the time available?

• Research involving human subjects in the Medical, Social and Behavioral Sciences poses complex ethical issues.

• It requires careful thought and consideration on the part of both researchers and research participants.

• Prospective participants must be given adequate information on both the possible risks and the potential benefits of their involvement to allow them to make informed decisions

It has its disadvantages

But it

pays well

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Ethics in research

Integrity of Research

• Research should be designed to meet clear objectives honestly

• Should not be subject to undue or improper influences…– including conflicts of interest

• …or falsified, or contain plagiarised material, or presented in ways that are designed to mislead

Ethical concerns

• Respect for persons• Informed consent

– understands what’s involved– knows what will be done with the data– can freely choose to take part or not

• Confidentiality; anonymity– whether or not assurances given– n.b. data protection implications

• Risk of other disadvantage or harm– distress, embarrassment, loss

• Some respondents or data collection environments may pose risks to the researcher (or other data gatherers)

• Foresees possible risks and provides a means of managing those risks

Ethical Issues

• Justification for the research

• Access to participants/Privacy

• Informed consent

• Potential harm

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• With research involving human subjects the risks and costs must be balanced against the potential benefits

• Trivial or repetitive research is may be unethical where the subjects are at risk

After years of experimentation the scientist proved that children become addicted to nicotine

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Autonomy

• The ethical principle of autonomy means that each person should be given the respect, time, and opportunity necessary to make his or her own decisions.

• Prospective participants must be given the information they will need to decide to enter a study or not to participate.

• There should not be pressure to participate. 18

Vulnerable participants

• Potentially vulnerable participants such as children, the elderly, the mentally ill may be incapable of understanding information that would enable them to make an informed decision about study participation.

• Consequently, careful consideration of their situation and needs is required, and extra care must be taken to protect them.

• For example, how will you assess the diminished capacity of an elderly individual, who will be the guardian, and how and when will you involve another individual as guardian in the process? 19

Sources for further Reading

• P. A. Twumasi 1986. Social research in rural communities: The problems of fieldwork in Ghana. Ghana Universities Press. Accra. Pages 1-11

• Robin Flowerdew and David Martin (eds) 1997. Methods in Human Geography. A guide for students doing research projects. Longman. Pages 31-56

• Rob Kitchin and Nicholas J. Tate 2000. Conducting research in Human Geography: Theory, Methodology and Practice. Pearson education limited. Singapore. Pages 1-44