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Statement of The Problem (Sop)

The document discusses the key components of a statement of the problem (SoP) for research, including defining the problem, research questions, scope and delimitations of the study, importance of the study, and definition of terms. The SoP serves to introduce and provide context for the research problem and questions.

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sunny soneja
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226 views

Statement of The Problem (Sop)

The document discusses the key components of a statement of the problem (SoP) for research, including defining the problem, research questions, scope and delimitations of the study, importance of the study, and definition of terms. The SoP serves to introduce and provide context for the research problem and questions.

Uploaded by

sunny soneja
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Statement of

the problem
(SoP)
Statement of the Problem
A problem statement is a concise and concrete summary of
the research problem you seek to address. It should
contextualize the problem. What do we already know? What
do we want to know? Describe the exact issue your research
will address.
In research, the problem statement articulates the issue
that the researcher is attempting to find an answer to. It is a
set of questions that require answers.
Statement of the Problem
Should be:
a. stated precisely, accurately and clearly
b. stated whether in the declarative of interrogative form
c. either one main statement/question, or a series of
statements/questions or a combination of these forms
d. defined in terms of the data that can be obtained
e. The number of specific questions should be enough to cover
the development of the whole research problem of the study.
Statement of the Problem
The questions should have a reciprocal linkage with
the designing of the research tool to be used in
securing the data which should accrue to proper
statistical treatment to pronounce it as reliable and
valid true work of science ( Zulueta & Perez, 2010).
SoP vs. Research Questions
A thesis statement presents the position that you intend
to argue within your paper, whereas a research question
indicates your direction of inquiry in your research.
The SoP defines and describes the research hypothesis
or question, along with the broad method that will be
used to solve the problem. It serves as the basis for the
introductory of your paper. While a research question is
a question that a study or research project aims to
answer.
Research Questions
The knowledge of the 3 levels of inquiry is important to know the standard
of the research paper:

Level 1 – questions asked when the researcher has limited


knowledge of the topic.
It usually start with “what” and are explanatory in nature.
They are prominent in descriptive research like in profile
studies.
Level 1
Example 1. What is the socio-demographic profile of CSC
Laboratory High School Students in terms of:
a. Sex d. occupation of parents
b. Age e. monthly income of the family
c. No. of children in the family
Example 2. What is the performance of CSC Laboratory High
School Students in the UP college admission test for the last
five schools years?
Research Questions
Level 2 – questions of relationships/differences or
effects of variables.
Ex. Is there a relationship between the students’ socio-
demographic profile and their performance in the UP
College Admission Test?
Research questions
Level 3 – questions which assume relationship and effects
and asks the “how’s” and the “why’s” of the results.
They involve more variables, outcomes and
predictions.
Ex. How effective is the CSC College Admission Test in
predicting students’ performance in their respective
course?
Task to do by group:
Revisit your Statement of the Problem. Identify the level of
inquiry of each question.
Research questions Level of Inquiry
Scope and
Delimitation
of the Study
Scope and Delimitation
This section should be stated specifically:
a) purpose of the study f ) Types and size of the respondents
b) Time coverage of the investigation g) Data collection tools
c) Geographical coverage of the inquiry h) Reasons for exclusion of other
members in the population
d) Variables to be studied
e) Specific indicators of the variables

(Zulueta & Perez, 2010)


Importance of the Study
 This section should state why the problem investigated is
important, and what significance the results will bring out.
 It should include discussion of the timeliness and relevance to
felt needs, the potential contribution of the research to new
knowledge, and policy implementations and other possible uses
of its results

(Zulueta & Perez, 2010)


Importance of the Study
 Some questions that should be answered in this section are:
1. Who shall benefit from the study of the problem?

2. What benefits can be derived from the study?

3. How they shall benefit from the results of the inquiry?

4. What contribution to human knowledge can it bring about?


Importance of the Study
 Therefore, it indicates the significance of the results of the study,
not only in the specific concern for which the research has been
made, but on the other fields of endeavor, maybe in philosophy,
agriculture, and so on, which the data may bear some meaningful
connection, its relevance to felt need, the knowledge that the
researcher contributed to specific concerns, and its winding out to
other concerns
Definition of Terms
 This includes the operational and conceptual definition of basic
terms/variables used in the study.
Basically, the list of key terms in the SoP and those used in the
study are defined operationally.
In arranging the terms/ variables defined, the presentation may
be chronologically presented ( as term appears in the text/title) or
alphabetically, or by concepts or constructs.
Definition of Terms
 The common practices is to state first the conceptual then the
operational definitions, although using one of them is already
acceptable.
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION – is the researcher’s own definition
of the terms as used in the study.
CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION – definition quoted by the
researcher from books, magazines, etc. It is the
academic/universal meaning given to a word or group of words.

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