The Method of Problems versus the Method of Topics

Abstract

Confused students researching papers not knowing where they are going. Articles, lectures, and books on exciting topics that turn out to be boring. Such familiar phenomena are symptoms of a widespread, largely unconscious methodological habit of focusing on topics rather than problems. This habit rests on views about knowledge that are deeply ingrained in commonsense knowledge and in the methodology of mainstream social science. Such views saturate the understanding of scientific inquiry assumed by most methods textbooks. This article criticizes the method of topics and contrasts it with the method of problems. The word "topic" suggests that there is some surface to cover, but not why covering it might be interesting. Interesting research is problem-driven. It begins with a sense that something is amiss with existing knowledge and requires explanation. Problem-driven research begins, not with collection of data or facts, or with clarification of concepts, but with identification of inconsistencies or gaps in existing knowledge. It seeks to solve problems through free invention and severe criticism of hypotheses.

Research Methodology in Kurdish Studies

“…First, there is a specific challenge (topicism) found in area studies, like Middle Eastern studies, if the research is only defined by a topic, society or geography and ignores social, cultural or political problems. Questionoriented research rather than topic-oriented research will enable a better formulation of a scientific problem (Eidlin 2011;Evans-Pritchard 1951;Katz 2001). An extensive and in-depth knowledge of the entire society and how its internal dynamics, such as culture and politics, intersect is needed to handle specific social questions.…”

The Qualitative Case Study Research Strategy as Applied on a Rural Enterprise Development Doctoral Research Project

“…Merriam (2002, p. 8) opines that “the unit of analysis, and not the topic of investigation, characterises a case study”. This is indeed a very important observation by Merriam (2002) as it is easy to get swayed to focus on the topic of study (Eidlin, 2011) instead of the case.…”

Writing to Get Published: The Necessary Elements of Scholarly Journal Articles

“…While this approach of identifying a knowledge gap is certainly an acceptable approach, a more interesting approach is curiosity driven or problem-solving research-the "method of problem" (Eidlin, 2011). This approach requires a researcher to identify an interesting problem worth solving.…”