Lesson 2: Research Problems and Questions

To begin research, you need a good topic that interests you and is relevant to IT. Look for real problems or trends you notice around you, like an app or system that doesn't work well. Your topic should be focused and feasible to study in one semester, and enough data or resources should be available. For example, instead of studying "social media in the Philippines" (too broad), you might narrow it to something like "how high school students in Manila use online learning apps." A specific topic helps you stay focused and find useful information.

A problem statement is a concise description of the issue your research will address. It clearly explains what is wrong or what gap exists, and why it matters. For example: "Local software developers lack a standard task management tool, causing inefficiency in team collaboration." This tells us who (local developers), what (lack a tool), and why it matters (inefficiency). A clear problem statement guides your research direction and helps readers immediately understand the purpose of your study.