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1. RESEARCH QUESTION
Defining the research question is a particularly
significant step in research as it narrows the
research aim and objective down to specific
area the study will address (Creswell 2014)
cited in (Doody O. Bailey 2016).
Research question guides the choice of
methodology, methods, sample, sample size,
data collection instruments, and data analysis
techniques.

2. Research question…..
Thabane et al (2019) posited that good
research questions do not appear
spontaneously and the ability to pose good
questions is a skill that can be refined and
developed with direction and collaboration
from colleagues and supervisors.
Research questions are developed from
theoretical knowledge, previous research,
experience, or a practical need at work
(Parahoo 2014).

3. Research question….
Research question plays the role of identifying
the importance of the research, providing a
framework, direction and cohesion, and setting
the limits by reviewing the boundaries of the
study and highlighting the types of data to be
collected (white 2009).

4. Quantitative Research Questions
They tend to be precise and can be categorized
as descriptive, comparative, or relationship .
e.g. Descriptive seek to quantify responses to
one or more variables.
It often begins with: what is …? What are …?
Comparative seeks to compare two or more
groups for some outcome variables.
It often uses words such as “compare”.
e.g. what is the difference in (dependent
variable) between (group 1) and (group 2).

5. Quantitative research questions….
Relationship often uses words such as ‘relate’
‘relationship’ ‘association’ and ‘trend’.

6. Qualitative Research Questions
Are flexible, adaptable, and non-directional (Creswell
2013) cited in (Doody O. Baily 2016). They seek to
determine or discover a process, or define experiences.
They are normally used to try to understand particular
educational, familiar, or social processes or experiences
that happen in a specific location and or context.
e.g. Contextual describes the form or nature of what
exist.
Explanatory examines the reason for or associations
between what exist.
Evaluative appraise the effectiveness of what exist.

7. LANGUAGE OF RESEARCH
The science or study of methods of
research, otherwise called research
methodology, has its own language and
key words. It is appropriate to briefly
highlight the meaning of words we will
continue to encounter as we study and
apply the scientific method.
These include population (or universe),
sample, subject, parameter, statistics,
concept, variable, hypothesis and theory.

8. Language of research…….
 Population or universe refers to the entire group of
people, events, institutions, issues, countries that is
the target or subject of investigation.
 Sampling involves any procedure that draws
conclusions base on measurements of a portion of
the population.
 Sample refers to any sub-set or sub-group of the
population.
 A subject is a single member of a sample.
 A Variable anything that varies or changes from one
instance to another; can exhibit differences in value
usually in magnitude or strength, or in direction.

9. Language of research…….
A variable is also any dimension with two or more
changing values. Examples- sex (male or female),
self-esteem (low, average, high), socioeconomic
status ( lower, middle, upper), prior knowledge (
none, some, extensive).
 Dependent Variable is the variable whose
value depends on the value of the other variable.
 Independent Variable is the variable which
influences the dependent variable.

10. Language of research…….
• A hypothesis is an unproven proposition or
possible solution to a problem. It is also the
researcher’s best guess about the outcome of the
research study which is base on theory or
understanding, often stated as if A, then B.
E.g. If first year students start attending more
lectures, then their exam scores will improve.
If teachers earn master’s degrees, then their job
satisfaction will increase.

11. Language of research…….
• Primary data are the first hand information
gathered through interaction or interview.
• Secondary data are the information collected
from the sources where it is already available.
E.g. internet, peer review journals, articles,
reports, magazines etc.