This document discusses various aspects of developing a research project, including identifying an area of interest, forming a research question, conducting a literature review, planning and implementing the project, collecting and analyzing data, and reporting findings. It provides guidance on writing a clear research question, noting it is one of the most important initial steps. Examples are given of developing research questions from real-world problems or gaps identified in previous literature. The document stresses the importance of systematically preparing the topic, problem, solution, audience and sub-questions when developing the research question.

1. Phases of Research Project
1) Area identification
2) Question formation, problem, or
hypothesis
3) Literature review
4) Planning and implementation
5) Data collection
6) Data analysis & interpretation
7) Reporting

2. Research Question
 The first step is to pose a question. Getting
the research question right is one of the most
important things to do in beginning a
research project.
 The question is typically written in question
form, but it may be posed as a particular
form of sentence called a hypothesis.

3. Research Questions
 Research questions can come from many
different sources –
1. a problem that arises in a classroom,
2. an interesting article,
3. discussions with colleagues,
4. a journal of research ideas that one has
kept over time etc.
One advantage of reading about the topic in
question is that we may well find a study that
can help us take our research interests
forward.

4. Writing a research question

5. Strategy 1:
Identify a real-life problem and
argue for a change that would
solve the problem

6. Preparing a topic systematically
 Problem
 Solution
 Audience
 Research Question
 Sub-questions

7. Example 1A
 Problem: A large number of children in
Afghan schools are not learning how to read
well.
 Solution: We should change the instructional
method.
 Audience: Minister of Education

8.  Research question: Is GT language a better
method for teaching reading in Afghan schools?
 Sub-questions:
 What is the current condition of Afghan schools?
 What is “whole language”?
 What are its advantages and disadvantages?
 What does the research say about its effectiveness
with English speakers?
 Is whole language a better method for teaching
reading in Afghan schools?

9. Example 1B
 Problem: Most Kabul University English
Department students have poor English
skills by the time that they graduate.
 Solution: The English Department should
provide more opportunities for interaction
in English during English classes.
 Audience: English Department professors

10.  Research Question: Will increasing opportunities
for interaction result in improved English
proficiency for Kabul University graduates?
 Sub-Questions:
 What is the level of English of the KU students when
they graduate?
 What theories of SLA are relevant to university-aged
students?
 Which theory is the best?
 According to this theory, what could be the reasons
for the KU graduates’ poor performance?
 According to the theory, will increased opportunities
for interaction produce graduates with higher
proficiency?

11. Example 1C
 Problem: The Pashto language is
endangered. If present trends continue,
there will be no more native speakers in
50 years’ time.

12. Strategy 2:
Check the conclusion of a
literature review
or research report

13. “Sustained Silent Reading: An
update of the research”
by Manning, Lewis, and Lewis (2010)
 Recommendations for Future Research
 Although the majority of studies discussed in
this chapter show that independent reading is
a positive and constructive instructional
practice, there are still questions and issues
that need to be addressed…

14. Manning, Lewis, & Lewis (2010),
continued
 (continued)
 More research needs to be done that
examines…
 the effects of prereading activities, such as
the availability of and guidance selecting
appropriate books…
 And reading response activities such as
writing, discussion, and teacher conference in
conjunction with independent reading time.

15. Manning, Lewis, & Lewis (2010),
continued
 (continued)
 Teachers deal with a wide variety of students and
issues in classrooms today. Future studies need to
look at the effects of independent reading programs
for students at all grades and reading abilities.
 Ongoing research is needed with students who have
reading and learning disabilities, the deaf and hearing
impaired, second-language learners in the United
States as well as abroad, high-ability students, and
other special-needs groups.

16. Manning, Lewis, & Lewis (2010),
continued
 (continued)
 What materials, reading activities, and practices are
most effective?
 Is there an optimum reading time?
 Additional research that examines varying amounts of
reading time, along with other activities and
practices, is especially critical in today’s schools,
where every minute counts, and teachers are faced
with increasing expectations for student success and
achievement.

17. Manning, Lewis, & Lewis (2010),
continued
 (continued)
 Finally, teachers are as essential a component
of reading research as their students and
should be included in reading research. What
teacher characteristics, education, training,
collaboration, mentoring, and professional
practices contribute to effective learning and
reading achievement? (p. 124-125)

18.  First, this topic is interesting to your academic field.
 Second, include a statement of the problem using the present
tense. Why this problem is important. This step has several
possible versions. If you see a gap in the literature, your
paper fills that gap. You can begin with words such as
“however,” or “nevertheless.”
 If you are raising a question, your paper answers this
question, if your are continuing a tradition, your paper is
making a contribution, and if you are refuting a claim, your
paper substantiates a counter claim.
 Many research papers put their purpose next followed by a
literature review and research questions (RQs). Figure two
shows the structure on the left and an example of the
structure on the right.

20. Kinds of Research
Once you have formulated research question,
you should begin thinking about what kind of
research you will need to do to address the
question. This can, generally, be done based
on either primary/empirical/experimental
research, or secondary/library research or
a combination of both(Miller, 2015).