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It is likely that at some point during your degree you will be required to create your own research question. The research question states the specific issue or problem that your assignment will focus on. It also outlines the task that you will need to complete. There is no universal set of criteria for a good research question. Different disciplines have different priorities and requirements. A good research question for a history paper will differ from a good research question for a biology paper. In general, however, a good research question should be:
Activity: Is the question too broad or too narrow?Imagine that you have been asked to write a 2000 word essay about nuclear power in Australia. Which of these three options is the best in terms of its scope? Drag and drop to match each question with the most accurate description of its scope. How to create a research question1. Determine the requirementsBefore you can construct a good research question you will need to determine the requirements of your assignment. What is the purpose of this assignment? Is it to test a proposition? Is it to evaluate a set of data? Is it to state and defend an argument? Check the assignment instructions and discuss the purpose with your tutor or lecturer. Determining the purpose will help you to choose the most appropriate topic and word your question in the most useful way. 2. Choose a topicHave you been given a list of topics to choose from or can you choose your own? Check the assignment instructions and if you are still in doubt discuss the requirements with your tutor or lecturer. The best approach is to choose a topic that you are interested in. If you are interested in your topic you are more likely to invest more time, effort, and creativity into your research and writing. The greater your interest, the more likely it is that you will produce an assignment that is interesting to read. 3. Conduct preliminary researchBefore you write your question it is advisable to read a small number of relevant academic sources. Limit your reading to recently published material and perhaps one or two influential works on the topic. The goal here is to familiarise yourself with the key debates in academic writing on the topic. Reading in order to develop a research question is different from reading in order to answer it. Focus on the main ideas and arguments (these are usually found in the introduction and the conclusion). You don’t need to read every word or take down extensive notes at this stage, as you will probably come back to the text at a later date. 4. Narrow down your topicHaving conducted some preliminary research you should now be in a position to narrow down your topic. In most cases you will need to narrow down your focus to a specific issue or debate within the broader topic. This is because it is much more effective to cover a single issue or dimension of a topic in depth than to skim the surface of several. There are several ways that you might go about narrowing down your topic:
Activity: Narrowing down your topic
If you get stuck use the example below to guide you. 5. Write your questionNow that you have narrowed down your topic you can turn your attention to the wording of your research question. As mentioned previously, the research question must outline a clear task that you will need to complete. Remember that you will need to keep the purpose of your assignment in mind when thinking about the wording of your question and that the purpose will differ from discipline to discipline (see 1: Determine the Requirements). In general, however, a good research question requires you to analyse an issue or problem. How and why questions are therefore more useful than what or describe questions. Other useful words that you might use are critique, argue, examine and evaluate. For definitions of these terms see Instruction Words. Activity: Which is the best worded question?Imagine that you have been asked to write an essay about earthquakes. The broad topic that you have chosen is the social impact of earthquakes. You have narrowed down your topic and decided to focus on the issue of homelessness caused by the Haitian earthquake of 2010. You are particularly interested in why there were high levels of homelessness several years after the earthquake. Which of these three options is the best research question? Drag and drop to match each question with the most accurate description of its effectiveness as a research question. Which objectives should be considered when developing a research question?All research questions should be:. Focused on a single problem or issue.. Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources.. Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints.. Specific enough to answer thoroughly.. Complex enough to develop the answer over the space of a paper or thesis.. What are the 3 types of research questions?Types of Research Questions. Qualitative Research Question. Qualitative questions concern broad areas or more specific areas of research. ... . Quantitative Research Question. Quantitative questions prove or disprove a researcher's hypothesis through descriptions, comparisons, and relationships.. Why objectives and research questions are important?They are important because they not only help guide the development of the protocol and design of study but also play a role in sample size calculations and determining the power of the study.
How do you develop a research question?Tips for Writing a Research Question
A good research question should: Be clear and provide specific information so readers can easily understand the purpose. Be focused in its scope and narrow enough to be addressed in the space allowed by your paper.
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