Post by account_disabled on Mar 12, 2024 4:14:52 GMT
Let anyone who has never heard a supervisor question their research problem cast the first stone. Despite being a crucial part of our work, formulating a problem is one of the biggest difficulties for students and researchers, mainly because many start thinking about it before even researching the topic. So, it is quite common to deal with criticism such as “you already know the answer to this problem”, “this is not a scientific research problem” or even not being able to respond objectively when asked what the research problem of the work is. But did you know that there are amazing books and articles just to help us define the research problem? With this in mind, I decided to share with you valuable lessons that I learned reading José Luiz Braga (2005). Therefore, today we will cover: What is a research problem? 5 steps to formulate a research problem; Which is not a research problem; Examples of research problems. What is a research problem? Contrary to what many think, the research problem is not the topic of the work. To begin with, it is important to know how to differentiate these two.
Theme: It is a more comprehensive proposition of the subject that you want to prove or develop in your research. Research problem: It is an explicit way of saying what the difficulty or gap found in the topic of the work is. Therefore, the problem is a question not answered by the topic and must be clear, understandable, operational and specific. Therefore, it is often just a question in the format of “How…?”, “In what way…?”, “What differences are there between…?”, and so on. So, this research problem will be the starting point that will define: The methodology : That is, how will you answer Brazil Phone Number Data his question; The objectives: Why you want to answer this question; The hypotheses: What you expect to find in the answer. -> Find out more: learn how to start writing a TCC! From then on, your work is very well directed and both your research and your writing will be more fluid and direct. 5 steps to formulate your research problem First of all, I need to warn you that these are tips just to guide you, but the most important thing is to feel free when formulating your questions and writing.
Therefore, try to follow the steps in the way that makes the most sense for you, without rigidity, obstacles or judgments. Remember: this step is not yet part of your research project, so there is no burden of a grade or someone correcting your work. Download Research Project template Of course, constructing a research problem is not simply about discovering questions, so it is very important to know your topic well before following the steps. 1. Write down everything you already know about the topic First, you need to know what you don't know and then want to look for an answer. Therefore, our tip is to focus on the topic that interests you. To start, you can use the readings and make summary sheets . In addition, also look for other references and write down any questions that the content leaves open or anything else that catches your attention. Reading scientific articles is a good alternative to stay up to date with the most recent discussions. Furthermore, articles commonly propose future developments that could be good insights into your research problem.