Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
researcher in sharpening a research program
and specifying the problem at hand.
(e) Rephrasing/Refining the Research Problem
The last step of the formation of a research
problem is rephrasing or refining a research
problem. The nature of the problem has been
clearly understood, environment under
which the research is to be carried out is
clearly exposed to the researcher, experience
from the experts has made it possible for the
researcher to intersect and dissect the
problems at hand, and the researcher is now
in a better position to reframe or refine his/
her research problem so as to make the
research problem operationally and analyti-
cally viable to reach the objective of the
program. While refining a research problem,
a researcher should be careful in defining and
using the technical terminologies, phrases,
and words. He/she should clearly state the
assumptions or the postulates relating to the
research problem. A straightforward state-
ment of the criteria for the selections of the
problem should be provided. While refining
the research problem, the time frame and the
sources of data should be taken into consid-
eration. Researcher should have clear idea
about the scope of the investigation,
limitations of the investigation, and prospects
of furthering the study.
Thus, though defining a research problem is a
herculean task, if properly followed, sequentially
arranged, and meticulously executed, it may lead
to the formulations of an ideal research problem.
Starting from the general statement of the prob-
lem to the rephrasing of the problem, in each and
every step, a researcher should be very careful
and objective in mind.
