CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1The background to the Research Problem In the background to the research problem, the author should be concerned with two things:
¶ explaining the subject matter and
¶how interest in the subject matter has developed over the years.
1.2 The Problem Statement – The problem is a gap in literature. The statement of the problem may or may not commence as something wrong that the author or some other writer has observed in practice but what is important is that the author must additionally demonstrate that no one else has yet researched upon this area (that is, there is a gap in this area of literature). If he does not do so, his whole research may merely be repeating what some other author has already done which amounts to reinventing the wheel To identify this gap, the author must undertake a mini literature review. The literature review can be thematic: the author demonstrating that authors have researched on this and that theme in the past (mentioning examples of papers within each theme) with statements that the area which he (the author wishes to work on has not yet been addressed in the literature.
The problem statement would usually end with the generation of research questions. In some Universities such as FUTA Akure and the University of Lagos, the research questions occupy a separate subsection on their own (that is subsection 1.3), after the Problem statement and before the aim and objectives. The student should clarify which style is adopted in his or her University. The research questions should emanate from the problem statement and should contain issues that agitate the mind of the researcher within the gap that was identified in the problem statement. Usually, the research questions should correspond with the objectives of the study. However, it is not compulsory that there be a one on one correspondence, that is, if there are say seven research questions, that does not mean there should be seven objectives. Sometimes, two or more questions may be collapsed into one objective.
The research questions should be arranged in a logical and sequential fashion.
1.3 Aim & Objectives - The aim is a statement of the overall objective that the researcher wishes to achieve in his/her study. It is supposed to cover all the objectives/research questions.
Aims and objectives are usually defined by employing some verb words like to examine, to determine, to investigate, to identify, to analyse, to evaluate
It is also good practice to state what the achievement of the aim would likely achieve, for example, you may wish to investigate the accuracy of mortgage valuations in a study area with a view to providing information that would enhance valuation practice.
The objectives should be arranged sequentially and logically. If for example the study aim is to investigate the influence of x on y, then the researcher may in forming the objectives may proceed by first identifying and examining x, then identifying and examining y then analysing the relationship between x on y. A fourth objective may be to examine factors influencing the relationship of x on y.
In some Universities, the next section would be to form hypotheses on the objectives identified. Some other Universities like the Obafemi Awolowo University would prefer to form hypotheses sequel to the conceptual framework. In this handbook, the formulation of hypotheses would be treated as a stage in the conceptual framework.
1.4 Justification of the Study– A study should be justified from two perspectives:
the contribution it would make to practice (policy implications/advice) and
the contribution it would make to literature (the way it would fill the gap in literature)
1.4 The Scope of the Study the scope of the study or the delimitation of the study as it is sometimes called is a clarification of how the boundaries of the study would be defined, It should be accompanied by statements to justify the restriction of scope. The study could be restricted geographically (restricting the location of the study, that is, the geographical scope), or a restriction in terms of time boundaries such as a restriction to the ten year period 2001 to 2010 (a time scope) or a restriction of the subject matter of discussion such as a restriction to a consideration of the investment method of valuation rather than the entire spectrum of valuation methods (the subject scope) etc We would reiterate that the restriction of scope must be justified.
1.5 The Limitations of the Study – The limitations of the study are statements of issues or problems that came up in the study which portend to reduce the quality of the results. In many undergraduate and even some postgraduate dissertations there is a tendency to talk of financial or time constraints as the limitations of the study. However, these are just difficulties encountered in the process of conducting the work. They do not limit the results of the study. An example of a limitation of a study in valuation accuracy may be that the results given may be subject to question because the respondents valuation surveyors may provide lower selling prices that what actually transpired because of the wish to avoid paying large taxes.