within the context of your study. This requires careful and measured interpretation and writing in which you synthesize and bring together the materials that you have read. Insufficient data: Insufficiency of data is a potential problem. Most of the business establishments are of the opinion that researchers may misuse the data provided by them, This affects the purpose of research studies for which that particular data may be of utmost importance. Lack of confidence: Lack of confidence is one of the most common problems among researchers. Researchers with low self-esteem feel less motivated thereby affecting the quality of the work. Concern that your focus is either still too broad or too narrow: This concem is inevitable. Be prepared to adapt your research as you look through the literature. This might require you to either increase its focus or narrow down so that the research is manageable. A broad focus for research might be narrowed down by adding an appropriate context or by looking for another variable within the research question or by focusing upon a theoretical viewpoint. Library management: Library management and functioning is not satisfactory in many Universities A lot of time and energy is spent on tracing appropriate books, journals, reports etc. Also, many of the libraries are not able to get copies of new reports and other publications on time Research demands immediate action on the part pf the concerned authorities or personnel at national levels, 50 as to transform these challenges into major opportunities, RESEARCH PROCES s Research process consists of a number of closely related activities. But such activities overlap continuously and do not follow a strictly prescribed sequence. Various steps involved in a research process are not mutually exclusive; nor are they separate and distinct. 1 they do not necessarily follow each other in any specific order, However the following order conceming various steps provides useful procedural guidelines regarding the research process Process 1 Defining research problem 2 Extensive literature survey 3. Formulation of Hypothesis 4. Preparing the Research Design 5. Determining Sample Design6. Collecting the Data 7. Execution of the project 8 Analysis of Data 9. Testing of hypothesis, 10. Generalization and interpretations u. Preparation of the report and presentation of the results. L.Defining Research Problem ‘The first step in research is defining a research problem. It is most important stage in applied research, as poorly defined problems will not yield useful results. It is rightly said that, “A problem well defined is half solved”. Poorly defined problems cause confusions and do not allow the researcher 0 develop a good research design 2.Extensive literature survey: Once the problem is formulated, the next step is to write down a brief summary. For this the researcher should undertake extensive literature survey connected with the problem. This can be carried down by abstracting and indexing journals and published and unpublished bibliographies can be reviewed. Academic journals, conference proceedings, government reports, books must be aped depending on the nature of the problem, 3.Formulation of Hypothesis: Now the researcher should state in clear terms the working hypothesi Working hypothesis is the tentative assumptions made in order to draw out and test its logicalor empirical consequences. As such the manner in which research hypothesis are developed is particularly important since they provide the focal point for research. Hypothesis should be very specific and limited to the piece of research in hand because it has to be tested. 4, Preparing the Research Design: Research design is the conceptual structure within which research should be conducted, A research design specifies the methods and procedures for conducting a particular study. The researcher should specify the approach he intends to use with respect to the proposed study. Research design can be grouped into three categories:‘* Exploratory Research: An exploratory research focuses on the discovery of ideas and is, generally based on secondary data. It is preliminary investigation, which does not have rigid design. ‘+ Descriptive Research: A descriptive study is undertaken when the researcher wants to know the characteristies of certain groups as age, sex, educational level, occupation ete ‘© Causal Research: A causal research is undertaken when the researcher isinterested in knowing the cause and effect relationship between two or more variable 5. Deternmining Sample design All the items under consideration in any field of inquiry constitute a universe or population. A complete enumeration of all the items in the population is known as census inquiry. In such an inquiry when all the items are covered no element of chance is left and highest accuracy is obtained, A sample design id s definite plan determined before any data are actually collected for obtaining a sample from a given population. Samples can be either probability samples nor non probability samples, 6.Collecting the Data: The next step is to determine the sources of data to be used. The researcher has to decidewhether he has to collect primary data or depend exclusively on secondary data, Sometimes, theresearch study is based on both secondary and primary data. The primary data are those, which are collected afresh and for the first time, and thus happen to be original in character. The secondary data, on the other hand, are those which have already been collected by someoneelse and which have already been passed through the statistical process. 7. Execution of the project: The researcher should see that the project is executed in a systematic manner and intime. If the survey is to be conducted by means of structured questionnaire, data can be readily machine- processed. In such a situation, ques jons as well as the p ssible answers may becoded. 8. Analysis of Data:After the data have been collected, the researcher tums to the task of analysing them. The analysis of data requires a number of closely related operations such as establishment ofcategories, the application of these categories to raw data through coding, tabulation and then drawing statistical inferences. Researcher should classify the raw data into some purposeful andusable categories. 1. Coding : This operation is usually done at this stage through which thecategories of data are transformed into symbols that may be tabulated and counted. 2. Editing: It is the procedure that improves the quality of the data for coding. With, coding the stage is ready for tabulation. 3. Tabulation: It is a part of Technical procedure where in the classified data areput in the form of tables. 9. Testing of hypothesis: After analysing the data the researcher has to test the hypothesis, various test, such as Chi square test, T test, st, have been developed by statisticians for the purpose. The hypothesis may be tested through the use of one or more such tests, depending upon the nature and object of research inquiry. 10.Generaliz: n and interpretations: If a hypothesis is tested and upheld several times, it may be possible for the researcherto arrive at generalization .ie., to build a theory, If the researcher had no hypothesis to startwith, he might seek to explain his findings on the basis of some theory. 11 Preparation of the report and presentation of the results. Although report writing needs some skill, which can be developed with practice, the researcher should follow the main principles of writing a report. Some of the principles are as follows: ¥ There should be objectivity, coherence, clarity in the presentation of ideas. Y Report should be written in a concise and objectives style in simple language. Charts and illustrations in the main report should be used only if they present theinformation more clearly and forcibly. Y The layout of the report should be as follows: 1. The preliminary pages 2. Main text 3. The end matter.RESEARCH PROBLEM( IN DETAIL) : The initial step in the research process is the identification of the research problem. A research problem refers to some difficulty which a researcher experiences in the context of either a theoretical or conceptual situation and wants a solution for it. A research problem exists when the individual or the group having one or more desired outcomes are confronted with two or more courses of action that have some but not equal efficiency for the desired objectives and are in doubt about which course of action is best. It is important to define the problem in a precise manner. A well defined problem gives he researcher a proper direction for carrying out investigation. It also helps in utilizing the resources provided for he research effectively. A researcher can focus his efforts on collecting relevant information, if the problem is defined properly. ‘Need for Defining a Problem: The definition of a problem serves the following purposes: + The definition of problem sets the direction of the study ‘* The definition reveals the methodology of the study + The definition helps the researcher to control subjectivity of theresearcher ‘+ The definition of the problem suggests and specifies the variables to be taken into the investigation, * The definition makes the research work practicable, Components of Research Problem: * There must be an individual or a group , which has some difficulty or the problem. + There must be some objectives to be attained at + There must be alternative means for obtaining the objectives one wishes to attain, * There must remain some doubt in the mind of as researcher with regard to the selection of alternatives. ‘+ There must be some environment to which the difficulty pertains. Sources of research problem: There is rarely any literature available regarding the procedure for identifying a rescarchproblem, while there is no dearth of literature on how to conduct research on a problemidentified. A research problem does not state how to do something, offer a vague or broad proposition, or present a value questionThe following are the sources of research problem: * Deductions from theory © Interdisciplinary Perspectives © Interviewing practioners © Personal experiences © Relevant literature PROCESS OF IDENTIFICATION OF RESEARCH PROBLEM: It is evident that problem formulation is very important for planning and implementing research Though the nature of formulation pro will mostly depend on the type of problem, objectives of the organizations, aptitude of the decision maker and researcher, but some common components are observed in general. The following are the steps involved in the process of identification of res arch problem: ‘* Decision maker Policies:Researcher should make every effort to learn about the goals and attitude ofthe indi jual responsible to take the final decision and for whom the information is tocollected. ‘© Objectives of the Decision maker: In spelling out the objectives of the investigation the researcher must explore the answer of the question “What is the purpose of the study”? * Determining Alternative Course of Action: Exploratory research is one way to leam more about a problem or opportunities as well as ing and identifying alternative course of actions, Evaluation of the consequences of various alternatives: Formalizing a decision process is vital for understanding a problem. It should benefit both the researcher and the decision maker. Conclusive research can beused in the evaluation of the various alternatives determined. Preparation of the list of information needed