Identifying Barriers of Research Problem-Finding from the Perspective of Faculty Members of Tehran State University (A Qualitative Research)

Finding and formulating the problem is the basis of scientific research. Determining the problem requires fundamental questioning and it is not an impromptu thing, but rather a dynamic, regular, systematic, and logical process that takes place before determining the title of the research by going through the nested and systematic layers of the phenomena. In studies, researches, and scientific productions that take place in universities and educational centers, problem-solving is considered the first and most important step. In fact, it can be said that problem-solving is the recognition and application of knowledge, skills, and abilities that lead to the correct response to the situation or to achieve goals.. When we reach a goal, we are able to solve a challenge or a problem or achieve a better situation, which is problem-solving. By identifying and categorizing obstacles to problem-solving, it is possible to help students identify important and necessary problems. If the problem-finding obstacles are identified and subsequently removed, problems such as lack of progress in scientific productions and repetitive and invalid researches will be avoided. Therefore, the main goal of the current research is to "identify the obstacles of research problem solving".

Literature Review:

Fotis Kasoulas and Georgia Mega (2007) in a research titled "Creative and critical thinking in the form of problem-finding and problem-solving: a study among elementary school students" found that factors such as relevance and reasoning which are related to critical thinking in problem solving by students play a role. Frank Labanka (2008) in his research entitled "The effect of problem-solving on the quality of scientific research projects arising from an authentic research environment using an open problem" found that factors such as the use of expertise and previous experiences and creative thinking such as flexibility, adaptability, new approach, play a role in the problem-solving process. In Krista Ritchie's (2009) research entitled "Problem-finding Process in Research Education: Focusing on Students' Experiences", it was shown that personality traits such as lack of motivation, lack of interest, anxiety, and other negative emotions affect students' problem-finding performance. In the research of the Guardian (2013) with the title "Research Problem Solving; Undeniable Necessity in Postgraduate Theses", it was shown that obstacles such as collecting information without having a research plan, without examining the background and existing research and not recognizing the limitations of the research, determining the research method before determining the subject, disregarding the appropriate theories and available resources in formulating the research problem, are common mistakes that threaten researchers in setting up the research topic. Problem solving is not a one-dimensional process and the researcher must consider all aspects uniformly to choose the right problem. Mira Begi (2015) in a research entitled "Problem-finding in research; Limitations and solutions focusing on thesis writing and indigenous theorizing in Iranian sociology" stated that problem solving requires critical and creative thinking and in a word, it requires a set of personality traits. In addition to this, the necessary infrastructure for problem solving should also be provided. Baghmirani (2016) in his research entitled "Development of the Conceptual Model of Research Problem-Finding Using Directional Content Analysis Method" found that the concept of problem-finding is in personality characteristics in five dimensions, in behavioral characteristics in four dimensions, in thinking characteristics (Creative) can be developed in six dimensions, (critical) thinking in two dimensions and educational feature in five dimensions.

This research is fundamental in terms of its purpose and in terms of gathering information, it is library research that has also benefited from field techniques. In terms of method, this research is a kind of content analysis which was done with the Claysey method. The statistical population of this research was made up of the faculty members of the public universities of Tehran province. 10 people were selected as a sample using the sequential pooled sampling method. A semi-structured interview method was used to collect data. Four criteria of validity or acceptability, certainty of stability, confirmability, and transferability or fit were used to evaluate the validity and accuracy and robustness of the data.

The result of the analysis of 10 interviews was 16 general themes or categories and 77 primary concepts. Of course, 386 primary concepts were obtained at the beginning, and after careful examination and removal of synonyms, the number of concepts was reduced to 77 codes. Identified classes include self-deprecation, passive linearity, lack of motivation, lack of work, lack of skills, ignorance, negative consensus, inferential analysis, superficiality, weak intelligence related to individual obstacles, dry educational management, inefficient human resources, weak content related to educational obstacles, family scientism, individualism related to cultural barriers; structural instrumental gap related to structural barriers; and institutional instability is related to institutional barriers to problem solving.

Evidences and surveys showed that a set of obstacles prevent a person from choosing an important and necessary issue. The analysis showed that there are problems and obstacles in the five personal, educational, cultural, structural, and institutional dimensions that fuel the individual's inability to solve problems. In the context of individual obstacles, it can be pointed out that novice researchers have characteristics of self-deprecation, passive linearity, lack of creativity, sufficient purpose and motivation, unfamiliarity with domestic and international databases, and relative lack of proficiency in English, ignorance and knowledge gaps, lack of analytical power and inference power, as well as the negative correlation of inference analysis that can make a person face problems in problem solving. Along with personal obstacles, a set of non-personal obstacles can be seen; some of these obstacles are related to educational obstacles. The inappropriateness of university research regulations and guidelines and the managers' approach to problem solving and research is a linear and binary approach; an approach that destroys creative thinking. The weakness of human resources (inexperience of professors and faculty members) of the university can also be a problem. Familiarity with the research method can be considered as the alphabet of problem solving. Until the course units of the research seminar and research method are not taught correctly, we cannot hope for the success of the students in problem solving. The weakness of the course content, which refers to the provision of inappropriate teaching resources, non-native and not up-to-date resources, is one of the educational obstacles. In the field of cultural barriers, we can mention the avoidance of science and insufficient education of parents, which fuel the individual's weakness in problem solving. Facilities and infrastructures are needed for problem solving. Failure to provide equipment indicates the existence of a structural tool gap, which in turn is considered a potential risk for the problem-solving process. The lack of problem-solving institutions is another obstacle to research problem-solving. If these institutions are created in the heart of the library, information science specialists serve the scientific communities through a new channel by identifying and classifying the important and necessary issues of society.

It can be concluded that problem-solving is a conscious, creative, and meticulous process of searching, identifying, refining, finding, and choosing a research problem among several problems; a set of individual and non-individual factors (educational, cultural, structural, and institutional) make this process difficult. This research helped to identify and categorize research problem-finding obstacles with an interpretive approach. Considering the limited literature of scientific communities in the field of problem-solving obstacles, it can be claimed with a high confidence factor that a significant part of the scientific community's knowledge gap in the field of problem-solving obstacles was filled with the new information of this research. Also, this research has shown the interdisciplinary nature of information science and epistemology.