How to Select a Research Problem

  1. Prevention of unnecessary duplication. The problem must not have been investigated before. If the problem is investigated before, it may be the subject of another study but with different assumptions, different methods, or different ways of analyzing data.
  2. Practical value of the problem. The result of the research study should use to improve practices and concepts.  It can use of those who may want to make use it.
  3. Researcher’s interest in the problem. The researcher should select a problem not because of research popularity or someone wants him to investigate it but because it appeals to his interest.
  4. Availability of data on the problem. A fruitful results yield if data on the problem is available.
  5. Special qualification of the researcher to attack the problem. The researcher whose field is medicine is eminently qualified to investigate problems in medicine; we cannot say that he is qualified to undertake research in other field.
  6. Time required to investigate the problem.  The research should be conducted within a reasonable period of time.
  7. Cost of investigating the problem. Conducting a research project needs the expenditure of money such as questionnaires, tools, xerox, etc. The cost should be reasonable meaning it is within the means of the researcher.