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Research Question Development PowerPoint Presentation
- 1. Formulating a researchquestion and identifying literature Adapted from a Presentation by Luciano Rispoli
- 2. Formulating a research question Before you begin writing a research proposal, a necessary first step is to formulate a research question. • A Research Question is a statement that identifies the phenomenon to be studied. • A strong research question is: clear; focused; concise; complex; arguable
- 3. Literature review andresearch question • In order to come up with an original research question you need to know (very well) the literature in the area first! • Find out what has been done and how you can contribute to the existing academic debate.
- 4. I don’t havea research question, where do I start? Narrow down a research area of interest 1) Narrow down an area of interest 2) Within that area of interest try to answer a research question that: a) Has either not been addressed before; b) Or has been addressed but that you could extend in a significant way c) Or pioneer a new research area Note: before you identify a research question it is crucial that you narrow down a research area of interest!
- 5. When I don’thave a research question… Read as much as you can on the topic! Remember recent publications/studies will contain more updated ideas, so try collect these first! Then read backwards to the most dated studies. Make sure you read the most influential papers Ideas on the research topic often come from this exercise (i.e. author X has not included factor Y in his study, so maybe I could look into factor Y) The more you read the easier will be to come up with a research question.
- 6. When I thinkI have a research question… Reviewing the literature will enable you to understand whether your research question has been already answered / is a potentially valid one. Also, by reading previous studies you might get ideas on how to tweak your original research question into a brand new one. Again, start by reading recent publications/studies first. Bottom line, whether you have or do not have a research question it is crucial that you review the literature in the area FIRST! Many students commit the mistake of leaving the presearch as the last step, however this is very dangerous! As you might find that the question has already been addressed or discarded by the literature because not relevant/important/not feasible.
- 7. Where do Ilook for papers/relevant literature? Main sources: Google scholar Library (e-resources)
- 8. Common mistakes whenidentifying new research questions 1. Non originality 2. Non feasibility: a) Time constraint (don’t have enough time) b) Resources (lack of data, codes) c) Knowledge (Do I know how to apply model X ? Can I learn in the limited amount of time?) 3. Too broadly defined research question 4. Not well justified
- 9. What’s Wrong withThese Questions? How does pop culture affect people's relationship expectations? How have racial relations in the United States affected our history? Do children learn more effectively in science in practical sessions compared to lessons using worksheets and textbooks? Do K-12 educators in the United States make enough money to justify the amount of time and effort they're asked to put into their work? Do vaccines cause autism in children, and, if so, what can be done about it?
- 10. Sample Research Questions What role can peers play in mitigating cyber-bullying related depression in adolescents? How does the concept of Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) community members representing a ideal minority group, known as a “Model Minority,” affect the mental health of AAPI members? What impact does banning single-use plastics in coastal regions have on the marine environment? To what extent should public schools of the twenty-first century help combat the issue of the second digital divide forming among the growing number of digitally literate students? Given the negative environmental effects of gathering the resources needed to make and power both gas and electric cars, what changes can be made to reduce the environmental impact of automobile production?
- 11. Tips Start searchingfor a topic as early as possible! Once you narrow down a topic/area, look at the relevant literature Ask yourself: Is the question specific (not too broad?) Is it feasible in the allotted time? Do I have enough resources (codes, data) to answer this question? How about knowledge? If the answer is Yes to all the previous questions congratulations, you have a research question!
Editor's Notes
- #9 1. Clear: Avoid vague language or ideas that could be misinterpreted in the question. Unclear Question: How does pop culture affect people's relationship expectations? This is an interesting question, but there are a few things here that are to vague. What kind of pop culture are you referring to? Film, television, music? What kind of people do you mean? Children, teenagers, adults? And what do you mean by the phrase relationship expectations? How is that being defined? Clear Question: How do teen dramas such as Riverdale and The 100 affect expectations about romance, dating, and sex in adolescents? 2. Focused: Be sure that your question isn't too broad! You'll only have so much time to research and so much space to write, so don't choose something overwhelming. Unfocused Question: How have racial relations in the United States affected our history? This is an incredibly complex question, one that is perhaps unable to be fully answered without dedicated your entire academic life to it. Try to add some focusing points here to make this more accomplishable. Focused Question: How have the racial biases of the political and justice systems in the United States affected presidential elections of the past thirty years? 3. Concise: Don't add unnecessary language to your question! it should clean and concise, with no decorous, distracting content. Wordy Question: Do children learn more effectively in science in practical sessions compared to lessons using worksheets and textbooks? There's too much unnecessary language here - words that don't actually clarify the question, but instead make its intent difficult to find. Cut out anything redundant. Concise Question: How d oes scientific inquiry improve children’s learning in science? 4. Complex: Does your question allow for research and nuanced discussion, or is the answer obtainable through a quick Google search? Additionally, be sure to avoid yes-or-no questions that can be answered too easily and then ignored. Simple Question: Do K-12 educators in the United States make enough money to justify the amount of time and effort they're asked to put into their work? Though this could be a fascinating paper, the current question can simply be answered with one word: Yes or No. Make sure that you ask something more open-ended, usually a question that begins with a how or why. Complex Question: How has the historically poor treatment of K-12 educators in the US created a teacher shortage in this country, and what changes need to be implemented to fix this system? 5. Arguable: This is probably the most important of the five descriptors - does your question allow for argument? In other words, are there at least two opposing viewpoints in regards to the issue that both have reasonable, credible evidence to support them? Inarguable Question: Do vaccines cause autism in children, and, if so, what can be done about it? There are a couple of issues here. First, science has overwhelmingly answered this question, and thus, it would be a waste of time to attempt to write about it. Additionally, the phrasing here implies bias on the part of the author, which is something to avoid as well. Arguable Question: What are the side effects or possible negative outcomes of vaccine using, and do the benefits outweigh the negatives?