Defining research problem and setting objectives Essay

1. Defining Research Problem and Setting Objectives The Research Problem. The problem identified might be too broad in coverage; therefore it has to be narrowed down to a specific research problem in a specific setting. Question relative to the problem may be raised: a. Are the problems on the youth’s undesirables values also felt in the local setting of the study? b. To what extent are these problems felt? c. What may be their causes? d. What recommendations can be proposed to minimize, if not solve the problems? Thus, from the problem statement, research questions are formulated. Sources of a Problem. Research problem may be derived from the following: a. Experiences and observations b. Vast amount of literature in your own field c. Courses that you have taken d. Journals, books, magazines, or abstracts e. Theses and dissertations (focused on recommendation) f. Professors and classmates g. Internet Formulating the Research Problem Reviewing what is already known about a problem situation through the search for related literature and studies is an essential part of the research process. A good review of information will suggest the social, economic, political, cultural and historical aspects of the problem. This wille help to narrow the focus of the proposed investigation. IT will indicate the major theoretical concepts and operational variables other researchers have considered important. It will suggest possible research hypotheses that need to be tested and it will help the researcher avoid the areas of study which have already been explored by other researchers many times over. a. Defining Research Problem (Non-developmental research) Title is used as â€Å"guide† in the search for literature and developing the outline of your paper. Example: â€Å"THE ACCEPTABILITY OF HUMAN RESOURCE INFORMATION SYSTEM (HRIS) USING BIOMETRICS AT QUEZON CITY POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY: BASIS FOR IMPLEMENTATION† Having chosen the specific topic for your thesis, it is definite that you have something in mind that is finding a solution. It must be something which can be a technological need or problem. The problem must be well-defined. It is important that you identify the Main Problem or the overall problem and the Specific Problems relating to your thesis proposal. In defining your research problem, it is necessary that you create interest in your reader. The introduction in your problem definition or statement of the problem should present why you choose a particular topic or subject. There are various ways on how you can present the introduction. Some do it by asking questions which would lead to the presentation of the identified problem. Others start with a narrative story on how the problem came about or how it was discovered. There are people who begin with current and relevant issues in their introduction. But although there are different approaches in writing the introduction, the objective remains the same –to show that the problem being considered for research really exists. Examples are: Main problem: How to determine the acceptability of the HRIS using biometrics for QCPU, if it will totally eliminate the inaccuracies and/or inconsistencies of the present attendance/time monitoring system of the faculty and staff? Specific Problems: 1) The time/attendance record of the faculty and staff which is the basis of salary computation is unreliable. 2) The available commercial computer software for attendance monitoring is very expensive. 3) The computation of salaries/honorarium is done manually which is a very slow process. b. Setting the Research Objectives (Developmental research) Title is used as â€Å"guide† in the search for literature and developing the outline of your paper. Example: â€Å"HUMAN RESOURCE INFORMATION SYSTEM USING BIOMETRICS FOR QUEZON CITY POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY† It is equally important that the objectives why you are pursuing this particular thesis proposal must be established. The objectives are identified as to General or Main Objectives and Specific Objectives. General Objective: The general objective of the study is to develop and evaluate accurate and reliable employees’ time/attendance capturing system for QCPU faculty and staff using Biometrics. Specific Objectives: The study has the following specific objectives: 1) To design a system that would capture the time/attendance of faculty and staff using biometrics. 2) To construct a computer-based system of attendance monitoring that is cost-effective and is capable of generating daily, weekly, monthly reports. 3) To design a centralized database using Vb.Net and MySQL 4) To evaluate the performance of the developed system. 2. The Research Title Characteristics of a research title: a. The title signifies a very timely and significant contribution to the needs of society in general and to the agency in particular. b. The title of a thesis should be a specific and concise statement of the topic c. It should refer to the major variables or theoretical issues investigated; d. Its principal function is to inform the reader about the study, therefore, it should be explanatory by itself; e. The title should focus on the topic investigated and the main variables studied. f. The recommended maximum length for the title is 10 to 20 substantive words. Formulate the Research Title Title is used as â€Å"guide† in the search for literature and developing the outline of your paper. Example: a. â€Å"ACCEPTABILITY OF HUMAN RESOURCE INFORMATION SYSTEM USING BIOMETRICS AT QUEZON CITY POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY: BASIS FOR IMPLEMENTATION† (non-developmental research) b. â€Å"HUMAN RESOURCE INFORMATION SYSTEM USING BIOMETRICS FOR QUEZON CITY POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY† (developmental research)