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Developing Strong Research Questions Handout

The document discusses how to develop strong research questions. It notes that a good research question guides a research project by pinpointing what is to be found out and providing focus and purpose. Research questions should be focused on a single issue, researchable using sources, feasible to answer in the given timeframe, specific yet complex enough to develop over a paper or thesis, and relevant to the field of study. The process of developing a question involves choosing a broad topic, preliminary reading, narrowing a niche, and identifying a practical or theoretical research problem to address. Examples of good and bad research questions are provided.

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Ralph Espejo
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211 views11 pages

Developing Strong Research Questions Handout

The document discusses how to develop strong research questions. It notes that a good research question guides a research project by pinpointing what is to be found out and providing focus and purpose. Research questions should be focused on a single issue, researchable using sources, feasible to answer in the given timeframe, specific yet complex enough to develop over a paper or thesis, and relevant to the field of study. The process of developing a question involves choosing a broad topic, preliminary reading, narrowing a niche, and identifying a practical or theoretical research problem to address. Examples of good and bad research questions are provided.

Uploaded by

Ralph Espejo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DEVELOPING

STRONG RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
A good research question is essential
to guide your research paper, project
or thesis.
 It pinpoints exactly what you want to
find out and gives your work a clear
focus and purpose.
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
Relevant to your field of study and/or society more
broadly
How to write a research question
The process of developing your research question
follows several steps:
1.Choose a broad topic
2.Do some preliminary reading to find out about topical
debates and issues
3.Narrow down a specific niche that you want to focus
on
4.Identify a practical or theoretical research problem that
you will address
Example Research Problem:
“The teachers at school X do not have the
skills to recognize or properly guide gifted
children in the classroom”

Example Research Question/s:


What practical techniques can teachers at
school X use to better identify and guide gifted
children?
Example Research Problem:
“Under-30s increasingly engage
in the “gig economy” instead of
traditional full-time employment, but
there is little research into young
people’s experiences of this type of
work.”
Example Research Question/s:
What are the main factors that influence
young people’s decisions to engage in the
gig economy?
What do workers perceive as its
advantages and disadvantages?
Do age and education level have an
effect on how people experience this type of
work?
WRONG
What effect does social media have
on people’s minds?
CORRECT
What effect does daily use of Twitter
have on the attention span of under-
16s?
WRONG
Why is there a housing crisis in the
Netherlands?
CORRECT
What impact have university
internationalisation policies had on the
availability and affordability of housing
in the Netherlands?
WRONG
Does the US or the UK have a better
healthcare system?
CORRECT
How do the US and the UK compare
in health outcomes and patient
satisfaction among low-income
people with chronic illnesses?
WRONG
What should political parties do about
low voter turnout in region X?
CORRECT
What are the most effective
communication strategies for
increasing voter turnout among under-
30s in region X?

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