problem conception and formulation

7/30/2019 Problem Conception and Formulation

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PROBLEM

CONCEPTION AND

FORMULATIONBY

DR. ROBERT MUDIDA, LECTURERINSTITUTE OF DIPLOMACY AND INTERNATIONAL

STUDIES,UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI


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PROBLEM CONCEPTION

THE RESEARCH PROCESS STARTS BYTHE CONCEPTION OF A RESEARCHPROBLEM WHICH CAN BE

INVESTIGATED THROUGH RESEARCHPROCEDURES.

THIS IS OFTEN ONE OF THE MOST

CHALLENGING ASPECTS OF THERESEARCH PROCESS.


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STEPS IN CONCEIVING OF A

RESEARCH PROBLEM

IDENTIFY THE BROAD AREA THAT ONE IS INTERESTED IN.THIS SHOULD BE FIRSTLY RELATED TO THE AREA OFSTRATEGIC OR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES WHICH AREDISCIPLINES OF THE INSTITUTE.

THESE INCLUDE THE AREAS OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS,INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OF AFRICAN STATES,INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT MANAGEMENT, THEORY ANDPRACTICE OF PEACEKEEPING, THE LAW OF ARMED CONFLICT,POLITICAL ECONOMY, INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS.

OUT OF THESE BROAD AREAS, SEVERAL OF WHICH MAY HAVEPOTENTIAL, THE RESEARCHER SHOULD NARROW DOWN TO ASPECIFIC PROBLEM.


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FINDING AN IMPORTANT

RESEARCH PROBLEM

For a research problem to be important itshould be:

i) Lead to possible findings that have widespread

implications in a particular area.ii) It should challenge some commonly held

beliefs in that field.

iii) It should cover a reasonable scope: Thisimplies it should not be too narrow or toogeneral.


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FACTORS THAT DETERMINE

THE SCOPE OF THE RESEARCH

PROBLEM

THE TIME AVAILABLE TO CARRY IT OUT. IN THECASE OF RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT UNDER

THE INSTITUTE THESE ARE CARRIED OUT BETWEENJANUARY AND AUGUST OF EACH YEAR.

THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES: IF FINANCIALRESOURCES ARE LIMITED, STUDIES THAT REQUIRESUBSTANTIAL FIELDWORK SHOULD BE LIMITED.

RESEARCHERS SHOULD ENSURE THAT THE TOPICCHOSEN MATCHES THE SKILLS THEY POSSESS OR

WILL HAVE TIME TO DEVELOP DURING THE

COURSE OF THEIR STUDY. THE ACCESS AND AVAILABILITY OF DATA AND

INORMATION SHOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED.


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WAYS OF NARROWING TO A

SPECIFIC RESEARCH PROBLEM

EXISTING THEORIES: THESE USUALLY CONTAIN GENERALISATIONSAND HYPOTHESISED PRINCIPLES WHICH CAN BE TESTED. THESETESTS ARE CARRIED OUT THROUGH THE RESEARCH PROCESS.

EXISTING LITERATURE: A SYSTEMATIC READING OF LITERATURE INTHE AREA OF GENERAL INTEREST IS A GOOD WAY TO PROVIDE A

BACKGROUND AND INSIGHT INTO VARIOUS ISSUES THAT COULD BESTUDIED. IT IS POSSIBLE TO EXAMINE TWO TYPES OF LITERATURE-THE CONCEPTUAL LITERATURE CONCERNING THE CONCEPTS ANDTHEORIES AND THE EMPIRICAL LITERATURE CONSISTING OFSTUDIES MADE EARLIER WHICH ARE SIMILAR TO THE ONEPROPOSED. THIS IS ALSO IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT ENABLES THERESEARCHER TO FRAME THE PROBLEM IN A MEANINGFUL CONTEXT.

IT MAY BE USEFUL HERE TO ALSO LOOK AT CONFERENCESPROCEEDINGS AND REPORTS GENERALLY. MANY ARE AVAILABLE ONTHE INTERNET WHICH IS SOMETIMES A USEFUL WAY TO GET ABROAD IDEA OF PUBLISHED WORKS IN A GIVEN AREA.


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DISCUSSIONS IN EXPERTS IN THE AREA: THESE CAN ARISEFROM CLASS OR SEMINAR DISCUSSIONS OR THE RESEARCHERMAKING TIME TO TALK TO EXPERIENCED AND WELL-INFOMED INDIVIDUALS IN SPECIFIC FIELDS. THE EXPERTSWILL OFTEN PUT THE PROBLEM IN GENERAL TERMS ANDTHEN IT IS UP TO THE RESEARCHER TO PUT IT IN MORE

SPECIFIC TERMS. THE RESEARCHER CAN ALSO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH

POTENTIAL USERS OF THE RESEARCH FINDINGS. LOOK AT PREVIOUS RESEARCH STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN

CARRIED OUT ESPECIALLY PAST THESES AND DISSERTATIONS.THIS PROVIDES ONE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDING TO

THE KNOWLEDGE BUILT UP BY OTHER RESEARCHERS.


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THE MEDIA: ISSUES RELATED TO STRATEGICAND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES ARE

FREQUENTLY REPORTED IN THE MEDIA.SINCE THESE ISSUES ARE DISCUSSED IN THEPUBLIC FOR A THEY ARE IMPORTANT TO AMAJORITY OF PEOPLE.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES: MANY OF YOUHAVE HAD USEFUL FIRST-HANDOBSERVATIONS AND HAVE REFLECTED ONEXPERIENCES YOU HAVE FOUNDINTRIGUING.


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FORMULATING AND STATING

THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

The statement of the problem presupposes that the researcher has alreadybriefly introduced the general area of study.

A good problem statement should have the following characteristics:i) It should be written clearly and in such a way that the readers interest is

captured immediately.

ii) The specific issues identified in the problem statement should beobjectively researchable.iii) The scope of the specific research problem should be indicated.iv) The importance of the study in adding to new knowledge is expressed

clearly.v) There is a clear correlation with the title of the research. Indeed variables,

case study and time frame used in the study should be clearly explained.vi) The researcher should clearly state what he/she wants to investigate in the

variables under study. This entails that the researcher understands theproblem thoroughly including how the problem originally came about.


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vii) The researcher should delve directly into the research problemsince the background will have already been provided.

viii) Formulation of the research problem is sometimes a gradualprocess and the researcher may begin by stating the problem in

a general way and then the ambiguities, if any, can be graduallyresolved.

ix) The statement of the problem should be concise. Ideally itshould not be more than one page in length.

x) It is sometimes useful to conclude the statement of theproblem in question form to capture the essence of theproblem, for example, Why do many internal conflicts havetrans-boundary effects?


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xi)The researcher should ensure that the researchproblem is also in line with the objectives,justification and hypotheses of the study.

xii)The sources of data must also be considered bythe researcher in defining the problem.

xiii)The scope of investigation or the limits withinwhich the problem is to be studied must bementioned explicitly in the research problem.


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THE END

THANK YOU

problem conception and formulation

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