Criteria for Problem Selection

Usually many potential problems have been investigated. Your problem will be how to choose the most suitable for the investigation at a given time. Most of the beginning of the researchers is confronted with this difficult situation, part of the time; they start with a problem and leave it for others. They can try or test for many other problems before they choose one. This results in unnecessary delays in research practice. To avoid such pitfalls, you should investigate research problems to choose the most useful ones, according to the following criteria; -

1. Importance

You have heard earlier in this course that the ultimate goal of research is to enrich knowledge. Therefore, when choosing your problem, you must choose one in which the solution will make the most significant contribution to the whole of organized knowledge. This contribution can be in the field of procedure, theory, practice or replication of existing findings to provide more reliable knowledge or to improve the generalization of previous findings. Contribution can be used to adjust, refine or replace existing theories and relationships, to influence educational skills.

2. Researchability

To make a problem searchable, it must relate to variables that can be defined and measured. There are problems that can not be subjected to systematized research. Many philosophical and ethical problems can not be analyzed empirically; otherwise, findings can only provide useful information that can be used to find answers to ethical and philosophical questions. How do you, for example, study the influence of spiritual power on the pastor's academic success? Note that unreliable results are the result of unnecessary measuring instruments and the inability of researchers to formulate and validate new instruments.

3. Structure

The problem of the research must be appropriate for the differentiated research. The problem is suitable if:

•      It is relevant for your professional purpose. It should make you better informed and superior in your career;

•      It is useful and interesting. In that case you have to be diligent enough to thoroughly investigate the problem and continue until the end of the investigation;

•      The solution must be within your skill level. You must have knowledge of the use of relevant instruments; otherwise you have to get the expertise within a reasonable time. In other words, you must have relevant skills, experience, expertise and competence and identify existing theories and concepts in the area;

•      You need to consider personnel, equipment, finances and other resources. Avoid problems with many variables where only large studies can be tackled by a team of researchers with large amounts of funding;

•      You should consider that the time needed to find the right solution to the problem is realistic for your program. A time limit for research has been performed for the degree objectives. You must take this time limit into account when selecting a problem;

•      You must take into account the arrival of respondents or subjects and data. For example, if you use governors, ministers or commissioners as subjects, you should consider how you can achieve them with ease.

4. Viability

A research problem is survival. In this case, the additional research can expand or follow. It should not be a dead end. As you answer research questions, additional questions need to be asked that require research. The validity summarized in these standards on four points:

•      What are the / relationship (s) between two or more variables?

•      Clear the problem.

•      Make sure you collect data to solve the problem.

•      Avoid moral and ethical issues.