Caribbean Studies Stages/Steps in the Research Process
CARIBBEAN STUDIES
Stages/Steps in the Research Process
1. Identifying a problem
In identifying a research problem, one should keep in mind the following:
- Is it important to Caribbean Development and can I justify it as a significant piece of research?
- Can I obtain information on it easily or with minimum inconvenience?
- Will I be able to research this issue in an ethical way?
- Can this problem be studied empirically – Can I collect information “in the field” about it?
- Is the issue or problem written as clearly so that readers understand what my focus is?
The process of identifying a problem that is researchable ends when we write it and, it then becomes a problem statement.
Problem Statement (Research Problem)
- This is a clear, concise description of the focus of your research. The problem statement identifies the problem and the relationships that the researcher would like to know more about.
- Problem statements can be written in declarative (as a statement) or problem forms (as a question).
- Writing a Problem Statement can help you clearly identify the purpose of your research.
- Research problems must demonstrate a relationship between at least two variables in a study. A variable is a concept, condition or characteristic of the study. Variables can be classified in two (2) ways:
Independent variable – a characteristic or condition whose changes are not affected by a change in another characteristic. Eg. Age, sex, height.
Dependent variable – a characteristic that is interrelated, changes, or is impacted by the change(s) in another characteristic or condition. Eg. Number of cigarettes smoked in a day, weight, temperature. Statement of the Problem
- This is a further statement that clarifies the problem we want to study and includes the variables, relationships, and specific aspects you wish to study as well as the need for the study.
- It is a concise description of the nature of the problem you
Stages/Steps in the Research Process
1. Identifying a problem
In identifying a research problem, one should keep in mind the following:
- Is it important to Caribbean Development and can I justify it as a significant piece of research?
- Can I obtain information on it easily or with minimum inconvenience?
- Will I be able to research this issue in an ethical way?
- Can this problem be studied empirically – Can I collect information “in the field” about it?
- Is the issue or problem written as clearly so that readers understand what my focus is?
The process of identifying a problem that is researchable ends when we write it and, it then becomes a problem statement.
Problem Statement (Research Problem)
- This is a clear, concise description of the focus of your research. The problem statement identifies the problem and the relationships that the researcher would like to know more about.
- Problem statements can be written in declarative (as a statement) or problem forms (as a question).
- Writing a Problem Statement can help you clearly identify the purpose of your research.
- Research problems must demonstrate a relationship between at least two variables in a study. A variable is a concept, condition or characteristic of the study. Variables can be classified in two (2) ways:
Independent variable – a characteristic or condition whose changes are not affected by a change in another characteristic. Eg. Age, sex, height.
Dependent variable – a characteristic that is interrelated, changes, or is impacted by the change(s) in another characteristic or condition. Eg. Number of cigarettes smoked in a day, weight, temperature. Statement of the Problem
- This is a further statement that clarifies the problem we want to study and includes the variables, relationships, and specific aspects you wish to study as well as the need for the study.
- It is a concise description of the nature of the problem you