Fix on the Research Topic and Research Problem You have made your own preliminary assessment of research topics. You have completed the broad scan, developing your knowledge base. You have also gotten input from objective sources. All that data should enable you to select a research topic. Once you have settled on a research topic, you will be ready to identify the research problem. The research problem is only one of many possible approaches to a research topic; the research problem may be considered one “slice” of the topic “pie.” If you have difficulty moving from topic to problem, apply these questions to the topic you have in mind. They may suggest some profitable angles for you to explore. • What causes it? • Who is especially involved in it? • When does it occur? • What effects does it have? • What types are there? • How do various groups perceive it? • At what stages does it occur? • What will make it better? • What makes it effective? • What relationship does it have to other phenomena? You can use that statement of the research problem in several of the next steps you take in the dissertation process. #researchtopic #researchproblem #fix #literature #dissertation #research #students