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Topic Identification

We assist our customers in identification of research topics

Consultation fee: Ksh500

IDENTIFICATION OF THE RESEARCH TOPIC/PROBLEM

The identification of research problem is the first and foremost step that every researcher has to undertake. At times, it becomes rather difficult for an inexperienced researcher or a novice/beginner in research to conceptualize a research problem. In general, a research problem should be understood as some difficulty, unclear situation which a researcher experiences in practical or theoretical context and wants to obtain a tangible explanation, clarification or offer solution to it. For students, this problem may be as a result of theoretical encounter in the area of specialization. As such, before embarking on any research, you should identify the major research area of your interest, mostly the area of your specialization. For instance from:

  • Education

  • Social sciences

  • Humanities

  • Business administration

Planning and management of development projects

Once you have the broad area, you narrow down the area by selecting a particular topic. This should be done after going through most of the literature related to the area. The topic should further be narrowed down to a specific researchable problem.

Components of a research problem
For a research problem to exist, there are a number of core elements that have to be inherent. There must be:

1. An individual or community or an organization/institution to whom the problem could be attributed.

These occupy a certain geographical area. For instance, teacher/parental factors affecting students performance in private secondary schools in Embu Municipality. In this study, there are individuals (parents, teachers, students), there are institutions (private secondary schools), and there is the area of study (Embu Municipality).

2. Some Objectives for pursuing the problem
There must be some objectives pursuing the problem, otherwise it would be repugnant to reason and common understanding to undertake the research. For example: To find out teacher/parental factors affecting the students academic performance in private secondary schools in Embu Municipality.

3. Some lines of action to be taken
There must be at least two lines of action to be taken to attain the objective. For example, poor academic performance may be attributed to negative teacher and parental factors. Thus altering negative teacher factors and parental factors become the lines of action to be pursued. Here, the underlying question is “what is the cause of this problem – poor academic performance?” It is in answering this question that you must pursue some lines of action through stating some variables (teacher factors and parental factors).

Steps in defining a research problem
Once you identify your research problem, it is right and fitting to define the problem properly and clearly to avoid more problems later on during the course of the study. The problem should be in a systematic manner, considering all the related points. As such, you should undertake in sequence the following steps:

  • Stating the problem in a general way

  • Understanding the nature of the problem

  • Surveying the available literature

  • Developing the idea through discussions

  • Rephrasing the research problem into a workable proposition

In general, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Can information be gathered locally?

  • Are my in a position to travel to use various sources?

  • What are my interests and will this interest be maintained for the duration of the research?

  • Who will be interested in this research?

  • Is my research sufficiently interesting to keep me, the researcher, working for the next 2 or 3 or 4 years?

  • Is the scope wide enough to be able to ascertain a particular niche?

  • Is the scope so broad that it will lose direction?

  • Does it involve technology that is readily available?

  • Is training in technology and / or software readily available?

In the early stages it is probably wise to give all topics under consideration a title and write them down.  Include a brief description of the content of each idea and a plan of how each topic could be developed.  Writing sometimes helps define ideas and helps you to plot a course of action.  Although the topic may change or aspects of it may change, it is still useful to record thoughts.  It is also interesting to look back once the research has been completed and see how the topic evolved!

While thinking about research topics:

  • Discuss ideas with colleagues

  • Browse the literature, especially journals

  • Discuss ideas with your supervisor - he/she is an expert within the discipline and can help you decide on an appropriate topic.

  • When placing your topic in context it is often useful to think about the following:

  • What is the scope of the topic?

  • What is the purpose of the research?

  • Who is the intended audience?

  • What is the time period?

  • What is the geographical coverage?

  • What are the relevant/related disciplines?

Examples of some defined research problems in education and social sciences:

  • Teacher-parental factors affecting students' performance in secondary schools in private secondary schools in Embu Municipality, Kenya

  • Involving prefects in governance of public secondary schools in Nyeri Municipality, Kenya

  • The implementation of teacher education programs in primary teacher training colleges in central Province of Kenya

  • The effective implementation of HIV/AIDS curriculum in Public Primary Schools in Lang’ata Division, Nairobi Province of Kenya

  • The relationship existing between adolescent boys and girls and their peers in Mburutani Area, in Eastern province of Kenya

  • How to handle pupils’ misbehavior in classroom at Highway Secondary School in Nairobi

  • Causes of Witchcraft amongst women of Southern Sudan

  • Knowledge regarding sexual issues amongst students in schools of Eastern Province of DR Congo

  • The sustainability of pre-school feeding programme in Magadi Zone, Kajiado District of Kenya

  • The challenges facing CBOs in planning and management of development projects in Mbeere district of Kenya

Note: All these topics have already been researched on and the research reports can be accessed from www.geocities.com/kenproresearchers, an online research and projects consultancy.

Sources of research problem
There are varied sources of research problems. The following are some of the most common sources:

  • Direct observation

  • Knowledge and experience of the problem

  • Related literature, which could be from journals, web articles, thesis and dissertations.

Characteristics of a good research problem
According to Ogula (1998), the following are some of the characteristics of a good research problem:

  • It should be one that can be investigated through the collection and data analysis

  • The problem can be stated clearly and concisely.

  • It generates a number of more specific research questions

  • It relates to academic discipline

  • It has basis in research literature

  • It should have potential significance.

  • It should be one that can be carried out within the set time frame and budget

  • It should be the one that has sufficient data

  • It should be the one that you can adequately investigate given your research skills, available resources and time.   

Place your request via [email protected]

Contacts
Kenya Projects Options (KENPRO)
P.O Box 3029-00200 - Nairobi (KENYA)
 Mob: +254725788400
E-mail: [email protected]

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