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PROBLEM FORMULATION

Defining a Researchable Problem

Ahmad Safuan A Rashid

0197201279
ahmadsafuan@[Link]

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PROBLEM
FORMULATION

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LEARNING OUTCOME
At the end of the session, participants will be able to

•Identify elements of good problem statement

•Analyses a problem statement (an approach)
•Develop a basic problem statement
•To impart the skills on how to formulate and structure a
research problem

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OBJECTIVE
To impart the skills on how to formulate and structure a
research problem

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Application of the scientific approaches

Finding out to study a problem

Controlled inquiry concerning a

certain event or events

Problem solving

What is Research?

Systematic, controlled, empirical, and

critical investigation of natural
phenomena guided by theory and
hypothesis about the presumed relations
among such phenomena

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RESEARCH PROCESS
Process is the means accountable to the end results.
Begin with two important questions:
• What problems can be solved?
• How can problem be solved?
• Why

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RESEARCH PROCESS
Three phases of research process (in engineering)
PHASE ONE - Starting the research, choosing a
general topics, narrowing the topic
and collecting information.
PHASE TWO - Recording information, organizing
ideas and analysis.
PHASE THREE - Writing and documentation and
presentation.

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RESEARCH PROCESS
Research is systematic, because
it follows certain steps that are
logical in order

Inductive reasoning
Scientific method
Deductive reasoning

Explaining/predicting
phenomena

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RESEARCH PROCESS
Examples:
The major focus of this research is to analyse. The central
problem of this study is to predict. The principle goal of this
Definite study is to identify.
Statement

Statement of the
Research Problem

Examples:
Is A related to B?
How are A and B related to C?
How A is related to B under condition C and D?

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PLANNING RESEARCH
Ask the following questions:

• Is the idea viable?

• Is it practical?
• The time factor!
• Has it been done before?
• What result is expected?
• What do colleagues think?
• Will an expert be needed?
• What component of work?

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DECIDING ON A TOPIC
To interpret the gathered information, some initial
questions about a topic might include:
• What additional areas of the topic should I
investigate?
• What background information should I read?
• Should I concentrate my information- gathering
more on one areas of the subject than on other
areas?

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PROBLEM OF STUDY
Four classes of problems:

• Those in which both data and method necessary

for solution are known.
• Those in which the necessary data, but not the
method, are known.
• Those in which the method is known, but not the
data.
• Those in which neither the method nor the data
are known.

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PROBLEM OF STUDY
• Thus research problems include only those problems
which the method and data necessary to bridge gap and
achieve the goal are not known simultaneously.
• Select a problem if it is viable (in terms of interest, size,
economy) and realistic (in term of time spend).

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PROBLEM AND SOLUTION

To solve a problem, one should know what the problem
is?
In other words,
A solution to the problem comes after knowing
precisely what the problem is in the first place.

Thus,
Before the research can begin to take shape. A
problem must be identified by analyzing and specifying
its exact dimensions.

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APPROACHES OF IDENTIFICATION OF
PROBLEM
• Ask experts in area of interest
• Become specialist
• Search the literature
• Explore areas of dissatisfaction
• Study current developments and trends
• Maintain an idea note book
• Examine the theoretical structure of the field

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HOW DO YOU SELECT A PROBLEM?

• Personal (practical) experiences.

• Critical study of the literature.
• Interaction with others.
• Feasibility.

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QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE

FEASIBILITY OF THE STUDY
1. Is the problem researchable?
 Has the problem been specified?
 Is the problem amenable (subject) to research?
 Is the problem too large?
 How available are the data?
 Am I capable of solving the problem?

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QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE

FEASIBILITY OF THE STUDY
2. Is the problem worthwhile?
i.e. Usefulness of the findings and contributing to the
existing body of knowledge. Thus, a proper
assessment on significant of the results is
important or the worthwhileness of research
problem.
 Will the results advance knowledge?
 Will the research have some value?
 Will the results be of interest to others?

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FORMULATING THE PROBLEM

Objectives:
• To focus on a subject for research
• To examine a subject in multi facets (to apply
creativity)

Methods or processes:
• Subdividing
• Free association
• Asking Questions
• Combined approach

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FORMULATING THE PROBLEM

Subdividing
Divide the general area into progressively small units,
subdividing it until one reaches a subject that is
interested in researching.

Free association
It is a practice of writing down words or phrases that
occur to us as they come to mind, without worrying
about order, spelling, usefulness, applicability, or any
other judgment.

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FORMULATING THE PROBLEM

Asking questions
The five Ws & one H:
Asking questions to which you want answers is still
another way of narrowing a topic to a subject
• The journalistic tradition that good reporting
include covering the five Ws and one H of a story,
WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY AND HOW.

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FORMULATING THE PROBLEM

Asking questions
These questions can help to select research problem:
WHO - people
WHAT* - problems, things, ideas
WHERE - places
WHEN - past, present, future
WHY* - causes, reasons, results
conditions
HOW* - methods, techniques,
mechanism
( * Most common)

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FORMULATING THE PROBLEM

Combined Methods
It is much more satisfactory practice to combine of the
above approaches in formulating problem.

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RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Good research questions have four essential
characteristics: feasible, clear, significant & ethical.
Generally written in question form, but they can be
written as a statement. It differs with the statement of
purpose.

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RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Developing Problem Questions Or Research Questions:
The significance:
A clear stated research question or research problem
would streamline a research effort.
Usefulness: Thus it focuses the efforts,
minimizes false starts, save
The research question should: time and unnecessary work
• Guide subsequent work
• Influence information gathering
• Guide data analyses
• Influence the content of the writing

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RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Developing Problem Questions Or Research Questions:
Approach:
Start with broad questions and as needed, develop more
narrowly phrased questions.
Note that based on new information and reading, we
would continue to develop research questions. It begins
with broad questions and narrowing down as it
progresses. Emphasis on the key variables (word or
phrases) as it develops.

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RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Constructing research questions:
Five possible approaches:
1. Examining or analyzing
2. Evaluating or criticizing
3. Comparing and contrasting
4. Relating (establish relationships among ideas)
5. Arguing or persuading (argue for or against
something)

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RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Key features of research questions:
• It is important to learn to shape answerable questions
and to estimate whether they will develop enough new
knowledge to justify the time, effort and expense of
investigating.
• Features of researchable questions:
• Answerable
• Not just one question!
• Defined operationally
• Need answering

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Examples of PROBLEM STATEMENTS

for a Variety of Audience

The following slides provide two example problem statements.

The 1st. example, by Bao and Li, appeared in a materials sciences
professional journal.

The 2nd. example, by Danigelis, appeared through a popular

media outlet (MSNBC).

These examples will be used to show how problem statements

differ depending on the context that they appear in.

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“Toward Textile Energy Storage from

Cotton T-Shirts”
• Written by Bao and Li (2012)
• Published in a professional journal, Advanced
Materials.
• The journal is a peer-reviewed journal aimed at an
audience familiar with current developments in
materials science, which includes “the chemistry and
physics of functional materials.”
• Their problem statement is found in the first
paragraph of the article.

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“Toward Textile Energy Storage from

Cotton T-Shirts”: Problem Statement

“ The three-dimensional (3D) high-surface-area

characteristic of such textiles facilitates the access of
electrolytes, enabling high electrochemical performance of
textile super-capacitors. However, the employment of
organic surfactant for preparing CNT ‘ink’ is not
environmentally benign. The other drawback is that the
use of CNTs increases the cost of the device, which more
or less deters their technological applications” (Bao & Li,
2012).

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“TOWARD TEXTILE ENERGY STORAGE FROM COTTON

T-SHIRTS”: FIELD SPECIFIC TERMINOLOGY
“ The three-dimensional (3D) high-surface-area
characteristic of such textiles facilitates the access of
electrolytes, enabling high electrochemical performance
of textile super-capacitors. However, the employment of
organic surfactant for preparing CNT ‘ink’ is not
environmentally benign. The other drawback is that the
use of CNTs increases the cost of the device, which more
or less deters their technological applications” (Bao & Li,
2012).

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“TOWARD TEXTILE ENERGY STORAGE FROM COTTON

T-SHIRTS”: ASSUMING SHARED BELIEFS/MINDSETS
“ The three-dimensional (3D) high-surface-area
characteristic of such textiles facilitates the access of
electrolytes, enabling high electrochemical performance
of textile super-capacitors. However, the employment of
organic surfactant for preparing CNT ‘ink’ is not
environmentally benign. The other drawback is that the
use of CNTs increases the cost of the device, which more
or less deters their technological applications” (Bao & Li,
2012).

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“TOWARD TEXTILE ENERGY STORAGE FROM COTTON

T-SHIRTS”: REFERENCES TO CANONICAL RESEARCH
“ The three-dimensional (3D) high-surface-area
characteristic of such textiles facilitates the access of
electrolytes, enabling high electrochemical performance
of textile super-capacitors. However, the employment of
organic surfactant for preparing CNT “ ink ” is not
environmentally benign. The other drawback is that the
use of CNTs increases the cost of the device, which more
or less deters their technological applications” (Bao & Li,
2012).

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“YOUR COTTON T-SHIRT COULD SOON CHARGE

YOUR PHONE”
• Written by Danigelis (2012)
• Published on a commercial tech blog, MSNBC’s Future of
Tech
• This blog is maintained by MSNBC Tech contributors and
commercial partners.
• Her problem statement is implicit and distributed across
the first and fourth paragraphs of the blog entry.

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“YOUR COTTON T-SHIRT COULD SOON CHARGE

YOUR PHONE”
In the Danigelis article, the problem statement is implicit
rather than explicit, like in Bao & Li (2012):

•“One day, donning a T-shirt could mean you‘re also

sporting a smart device charger.” (Danigelis, 2012).

•“ The engineers had to make the cotton highly

conductive, so they tried several ‘recipes,’ Li said. ”
(Danigelis, 2012).

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PROBLEM STATEMENT
CORROSION INHIBITOR OF REINFORCEMENT
Although, many of corrosion inhibitors are commercially available such as Calcium
nitrite, Ethanolamine, Sodium nitrite, Formaldehyde, Potassium dichromate,
Potassium chromate, Sodium benzoate, Phosphate and Borate, the compounds that
constitute these inhibitors tend to be non-biodegradable, poisonous, expensive to
produce and also frequently have the potential to cause short-term or long-term
damage to human health by causing detrimental effects to organs such as the liver
or kidneys.
Whilst there are few published studies of the successful used plant extracts as
corrosion inhibitors on steel reinforcement for only short time and specific
applications. In this regard, green nanoparticles being prospective corrosion
inhibitors for steel reinforcement in aggressive environments remains
unexplored.
Plant product extracted silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from combined silver nitrate
and plants are not only inexpensive but they display low toxicity and environmental
acceptability than those synthesized via chemical routes. Besides, AgNPs obtained
from combined silver nitrate and plants are beneficial in terms of their distinct
electrical conductivity, chemical resilience, as well as catalytic and anti-bacterial
abilities (Kummara et al., 2016).

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PROBLEM STATEMENT
LATEX IN CONCRETE
Even though, the inclusion of elastomeric latexes does not instinctively
neutralizes the action of the aggressive substances, but generally, polymers were
realized to protect the concrete through upgrading permeability, thus avoiding
significant contact between the reactive and aggressive substances (Eglinton,
1987). Thus, NRL with its highly deformable characteristics and void filling
qualities could be employed to enhance the persistent shortcomings identified
on normal concrete as well as tackling the mechanisms of moisture absorption
which forms the main avenue to aggressive attacks causing concrete and
reinforcement degradations. The inclusion of NRL into concrete, like other
elastomeric substances, is also expected to improve its tensile capacities among
other mechanical properties by raising inter-particle resistance to applied
tensile forces.

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PROBLEM STATEMENT
TROPICAL RAINFOREST CLIMATE ON CORROSION
Ignoring the impact of the tropical rainforest climate on reinforced concrete
corrosion and concrete properties assessment could cause inconsistent results,
since the climate is bound to influence the results because the climate is humid
and hot in nature.
Although BS EN 1990, BS EN 206 and ACI 318-05 specified conditions for selecting
quality of concrete by considering the intended working life of the concrete and
the exposure class, the codes did not give details about the responses of climate
parameters in the concrete microenvironment. Failure to consider the effect of
the climate on reinforcement corrosion could be disastrous, since the climate
influences deterioration and service life reduction of concrete structures.

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RECAP: PROBLEM STATEMENTS

Problem statements can be either:
• formal, like a thesis statement
• Informal, like a explanatory sentence

Their primary functions are to help the reader:

• see why your document is important
• help create raise awareness of an issue

To write strong problem statements you should keep in mind:

• terminology
• shared beliefs and mindsets
• canonical works

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THE BODY OF A RESEARCH REPORT

The body of the report follows the preliminary information. It contains four logical
divisions:
1. Introduction
i. Introduction
ii. Background of Research/problem
iii. Problem Statement
iv. Aim and Objectives
v. Scope of Research
2. Literature Review
3. Methodology (Materials and Method)
4. Results and Analysis of Data (How many result chapter?)
5. Summary, Conclusion,
6. and Recommendations (also very important to show your maturity)

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THE BODY OF A RESEARCH REPORT

1. INTRODUCTION
• Background and Brief Review of Related
Literature
• Statement of the Problem
• Aim and Objectives
• Statement of Hypotheses or Research
Questions
• Limitations (Scope of work)
• Definition of Terms

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THE BODY OF A RESEARCH REPORT

2. METHODOLOGY
Procedures for Collection and Treatment of Data,
Materials used (properties), Equipment used,
Procedure of testing

3. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

Presentation of Data
Describe and Analysis the Data

4. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND

RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary, Conclusions

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PROBLEM FORMULATION:
SOURCES OF IDEAS
News Stories
Personal Experiences
Review of Research
Electronic Databases
Library Indexes
Web pages
Internet Libraries
Authorities
Opinion Leaders
Funding Sources

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PROBLEM FORMULATION:
FOCUSING (DEFINING) THE PROBLEM
Ways of Defining Problem:
Formal (nominal), defining with words
Example (epistemic), defining by example
Procedural (operational), defining a method to recognize
examples

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SOURCES OF DEFINITIONS
Articles in Professional Journals
Electronic Abstracts and Indexes
Web Searches
Books, Monographs, Government Reports
Professional Standards
Legislation
Regulations
Journalistic Sources
Advocacy Groups

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WHAT MAKES A GOOD RESEARCH

QUESTION?
Focused
Empirical
Clear
Based on prior research or theory
Important to answer
Does not use “should”
Has intuitive appeal

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PROBLEM FORMULATION:
TYPES OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Exploratory
Descriptive
Explanatory
Predictive

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EXPLORATORY QUESTIONS
Clarifying Questions
Clarifying Populations
Clarifying Ideas
Open-ended

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DESCRIPTIVE QUESTIONS
Obtaining specific facts
Obtaining facts to describe issue
Summarizing population
characteristics
Examining non-causal relationships

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EXPLANATORY QUESTIONS

Examines causal relationships

Tests causal hypotheses
Explains relationships
Builds theories

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PREDICTIVE QUESTIONS
Predicts events
Predicts characteristics
Uses Theory and Description
Develops predictive equations

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NICHE AREAS OF UTM’S RESEARCH

1. Bioproduct & 1. Advancement 1. Sustainable & 1. Water & 1. Education

Biomanufacturing in Materials Resilient Wastewater 2. Social
2. Bioenergy &
Engineering Urbanization 2. Energy
Environmental Economic &
3. 2. Advanced 2. Next 3. Resource
Medical Devices & Wellbeing
Health Informatics Filtration Generation Recovery
Technology Networks & 4. Sustainable
3. Smart Systems Practices
Manufacturing 3. Smart 5. Ecosystem
& Artificial Mobility Services
Intelligence 6. Climate
Change

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10-10 STRATEGIC PLAN: CROSS-CUTTING TECHNOLOGY DRIVERS & SOCIOECONOMIC DRIVERS

Business Smart Smart
Financial Technology Cities
Culture, & Systems Agriculture Environment
5G/ 6G Services & Water
Arts & Medical & (Next Gen. Transpor & Forestry &
Energy & Food
Security Tourism Healthcare Eng. & Mfg.) tation Biodiversity
Security
Education
Sensor Technology
------------------TECHNOLOGY DRIVERS -----------------------

---------SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDG)-------

4/5D Printing

Advanced
Materials ----------------------------------SOCIOECONOMIC DRIVERS----------------------------------

Advanced
Intelligence
Systems

Cyber-Security &
Encryption

Augmented
Analytics & Data
Discovery

Blockchain

Neuro Technology

Gene-Editing &
Modification

Key sectors leveraging on the technology drives will move up the global innovation value chain and
contribute to nation building and economic wealth of the country

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10-10 STRATEGIC PLAN: CROSS-CUTTING TECHNOLOGY DRIVERS & SOCIOECONOMIC DRIVERS

1 2 3 1 2 3
Smart Smart Cities 1 3
Business 1 2 Technology & & Transportation Environment &
1 2 1 3 Financial
Medical &
Systems (Next Agriculture Biodiversity
5G/ 6G
Energy Services 1 Gen. Eng. & & Forestry
Culture, Healthcare 1
Mfg.)
Security
Arts & Water & Food
1 2
1Sensor
2 3Technology Tourism Security Education

4/5D Printing

---------SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDG)-------

------------------TECHNOLOGY DRIVERS -----------------------

Advanced Materials
----------------------------------SOCIOECONOMIC DRIVERS----------------------------------
1 3
Advanced Intelligence
Systems

Cyber-Security &
Encryption
1 2
Augmented Analytics
& Data Discovery 1 2 3
1 2
Blockchain

2Neuro Technology Sustainable &

Resilient Urbanization Next Generation Smart Mobility
Gene-Editing & System & Networks
Modification

1 2

Key sectors leveraging on the technology drives will move up the global innovation value chain and
contribute to nation building and economic wealth of the country

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1 2

3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2

1 2 3

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General public & technical communities visibility

1 A general writing program to be implemented for specific program
published in specific magazine for general audience
RESOLUTIONS (KFA2)

Specific Focus Area & detailed execution plan

2 A long term, phase-by-phase plan is needed with detailed resources
allocation (similar to HICoE program), complete with execution &
implementation

Commercialization Effort(s)
3 A need for establishing a dedicated unit for marketing, marketing survey,
fundraising with sole purpose of pushing UTM commercialization
agenda

Targeted, High Return Engagement

4 Focused engagement with specific industries on specific focus
areas, with deep collaboration and consistent following-up

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UTM at a Glance: Our Principal Guidance

Frontier Resource Innovative Health & Smart Digital

Materials Sustainability Engineering Wellness Community

Stay committed in providing Working towards Striving to create a Focusing on data-driven

Focusing on filtration
local solutions to water, strengthening & knowledge-based bio- innovation for autonomous
system for F&B business, revolutionizing established
seek to modernize energy security and climate economy platform which learning experience and
change, developing technology while turning leverages the existing effortless living through next
manufacturing industries
affordable technologies for ideas into reality in the field bioresources integrated with generation educational
towards 4IR & developing
industry and communities, of sustainable and resilient life sciences, engineering framework and
3D printing technology
promoting sustainable infrastructure, high and computer science infrastructure, and social-
using laser deposition.
practices, resource performance networking and knowledge for human well- impact-oriented economic
recovery and realisation of telecommunication & green being of the nation. platform
liveable and smart cities. vehicle.

Foreign objects Low Carbon

Multi disciplinary group of
debris Education
research joined effort to
detection Workbook which
implement in-house technologies
system won the
in accordance to the Living Lab
(FODDS) Okayama ESD
concept.
ensure better Award in 2018.
airplane
landing DERMAGSTM
Desalination System using procedure and research based
Membrane Technology safety. cosmeceutical
deployed in Kg. Pantai product based on
Senok, benefitting 3,300 natural extract
people.

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Our Next Course:

AIMS4STAR
“ Effort in
consolidating
experts, synergizing
units & coordinated
marketing

“ Pushing the
boundaries of our Consortium of
research to solve Academia Industry
Government Society
common problems for Synergistic
using the quadruple Transformation
helix model

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Academia
Output

Talent Knowledge
Commercialization Job Creation Sustainable Economy
Development Transfer

Common goals, Demand-driven

Solutions
Government

Society
UTM UTM
Niche Niche
Areas Socioeconomic Drivers
Areas

Financial Contribution (Packages)

Input
Industry

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AIMS4STAR: High Impact Program of 2020

Society Industry

• Job Creation • Double Tax Deduction

• Access to Education & • IP Rights
Healthcare • New innovative
• Socioeconomic Impact solutions
• Technology Transfer • Capacity building
• Innovative
product/process
• ROI Increment

Government
WHO BENEFITS • IP Commercialization
AND HOW? • Publications
• Wealth Creation • Talent Development
• New Market • Knowledge Generation
Segments • Knowledge transfer
• Foreign Direct Academia • Research Funding
Investments • Research Endowment
• Tax Returns

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