Clarification on Research Problem, Gap, Question, and Objectives

[Twinkle Shukla]

Dear All,

I am seeking some clarification regarding the distinction between research problem, research gap, research question, and research objectives. I often notice that some papers discuss only research questions without explicitly stating objectives, while others emphasize objectives but not questions.

Could you please help me understand:

1. The precise difference between these four concepts,

2. The logical sequence in which they should appear, and

3. Whether there are any key citations that justify this sequence and distinction, so that one can defend their reasoning during proposal submission.

Your guidance will be very helpful in resolving this confusion.

Thanks and regards,
Twinkle Shukla

[amitcms]

Dear Twinkle,

Based on a book by Professor Andrew Van De Ven (if you want, you can go through his course in detail (https://sites.google.com/a/umn.edu/avandeven/course-websites/mgmt-8101-theory-building-and-research-design?authuser=0), it can be explained as follows:

1. When you start researching literature, you will understand what is known in the literature or what research conversations are happening. There could be multiple known research conversation clusters. However, there would also be unknown areas in those research clusters or unknown research fields in those dominant research conversations. So if something is not discovered or a phenomenon is not known, it becomes a Research Gap.
2. However, the existence of a research gap doesn't mean that it needs to be examined. It may be that the gap is not important or interesting.
3. If the gap is interesting and important, try to examine it in a more succinct manner. Can it be reframed as a problem that is important and interesting enough to advance the existing knowledge?  This reframing problem is known as the Research Problem.
4. Solving the problem required asking the right questions and examining the broader phenomenon. Please look into Chapter 3 of the book for more details, which are enclosed as an attachment (Also, a problem formulation exercise is attached for more clarity).
5. Based on the research question, you are now explicitly defining the relationship between variables, which is the objective you want to study and pursue.

Hope it helps you.

Dr. Amit Kumar Agrawal
Associate Professor
Department of Management & Business Informatics
IIIT-Naya Raipur 
Chhattisgarh, India

[Neeraj Kaushik]

Dear Twinkle

I've discussed about Formulation of Research Question in this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uiU59Vp5ps&list=PLzUJUtTJcj8Sp3sGX3-QOHeG-aIpxFMho&index=12&t=234s

and objectives in

Obj wise analysis Part-1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2NkP-HJRPc&list=PLzUJUtTJcj8Sp3sGX3-QOHeG-aIpxFMho&index=12

Obj wise analysis Part-2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGfurPQmqM0&list=PLzUJUtTJcj8Sp3sGX3-QOHeG-aIpxFMho&index=13

Obj wise analysis-3 To study the IMPACT of ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iltlUt9Fcc&list=PLzUJUtTJcj8Sp3sGX3-QOHeG-aIpxFMho&index=14

Obj wise analysis-4 Writing Multivariate Objectives
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkDBOxDcxJQ&list=PLzUJUtTJcj8Sp3sGX3-QOHeG-aIpxFMho&index=15

and few days back I wrote in detail on Research Gaps

https://groups.google.com/g/dataanalysistraining/c/_b0AvsbwpV0/m/WEn0kfanAgAJ

Best wishes

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