Page 27 - SREENARAYANAGURU OPEN UNIVERSITY

gap or a research question that has not been sufficiently answered.
It should seek to expand the understanding of a specific topic or ◆ Precise focus
provide new insights.
b. It should be limited in scope and should be specific- The
research problem should be focused and well-defined, avoiding
broad or vague topics. A narrow scope allows for a more in-depth
investigation and increases the likelihood of producing meaningful ◆ Distinct aim
results.
c. It must have a goal- The research problem should have a
clear objective or goal that the researcher aims to achieve through
their investigation. This goal provides direction and purpose to the ◆ Ethical
research study. considerations

d. It must be free of ethical constraints- While research
must adhere to ethical guidelines, this criterion implies that the
research problem should not be inherently unethical or involve
any potential harm to participants or stakeholders. The researcher
should consider the ethical implications and ensure that the study
can be conducted ethically. ◆ Generating guiding
question
e. The research problem must be capable of generating
research questions- A good research problem should be open-
ended and capable of generating specific research questions.
These questions guide the research process, help in data collection
and analysis, and ultimately contribute to addressing the research ◆ Relevance across
problem. disciplines
f. It must be relevant to one or more academic fields of
study- The research problem should be relevant and significant
within one or more academic fields. It should align with the
existing knowledge and interests of the discipline(s) it relates ◆ Considering
to, ensuring that the research contributes to the advancement of practical constraints
knowledge in those areas.
g. It should be possible to conduct research within the time
frame or budget constraints- Practical considerations, such as
time and budget, should be taken into account when formulating
a research problem. It should be feasible to conduct the research ◆ Seek innovation
within the available resources and constraints, ensuring realistic
expectations.
h. The research problem should be new that is not yet
answered sufficiently by other researchers- The research
problem should bring novelty and originality to the field of study. It
should address a question or issue that has not been fully explored ◆ Drawing from
or adequately answered by previous research. literature

i. The research problem must base on the available research
literature- A good research problem should be grounded in the
existing literature. The researcher should review and analyse

SGOU - SLM - MCom Research Methodology 21