1. Formulating a Research Problem
"Well begun is half done" --Aristotle, quoting an old proverb

2. Formulating a research problem
The first and the most important step
It identifies your destination
It tells what you intend to research
The more specific and the clearer the problem, the better you are
It is the seed of everything that follows
Decide what you want to find out about
Factors: finance, time, expertise and knowledge

3. Now you want to formulate a research problem (define areas, topics, problems/issues
How to start?????

4. Before formulating problems
How much do you know about the areas/topics?
Not much Review literature to learn more
Good Can you describe the issues/problems discussed to date

5. Where do research topics come from?
Experiences of practical problems in the field,
Learn from those experiencing the issues in the field,
Literature in your specific field,
Request for proposals
Think up the research topics of their own
Q: How about yours?

6. A Hierarchy of concepts
We can distinguish levels of concepts and questions, which vary in levels of abstraction, forming an inductive-deductive hierarchy:
Research area;
Research topic;
General research questions;
Specific research questions;
Data collection questions.
General
internal consistency
coherence
validity
Specific and Concrete

7. Research areas and topics
Research areas are usually stated in a few words, and sometimes just one word.
Research topics are a few words, but usually more than those describing the research areas

8. Research topics to General research questions

9. General to specific research questions

10. General to specific research questions
Specific Question1.1
General Question1
Specific Question1.2
Specific Question 2.1
General Question2
Specific Question 2.2

11. The three can be viewed as cumulative
Type of Questions
Descriptive
What is going on, what exist
Relational
Look at relationship between two or more variables
Causal
Study one or more variables causes or affects one or more outcome variables
The three can be viewed as cumulative

12. Consideration in selecting a research problem
Interest (give consistent motivation)
Magnitude (define the scope)
Measurement of concepts (concept to empirical)
Level of expertise (should be adequate)
Relevance (to your professional)
Availability of data (especially secondary data)
Ethical issues

13. Steps in research problem formulation
Broad areas
Dissect into subareas
Select the most interest
Raise research questions
Formulate objectives

17. The thematic areas of MI
Trade facilitation in the GMS
Transaction cost in transboundary trade
Agriculture and transboundary trade
Border community and transboundary trade
Labor migration
Remittance and labor migration
Rural development
Non-farm activities and rural development
Environment impact of agriculture in GMS