AN INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH METHODS

Refining The Focus For Research And Formulating A Research Question
Refining The Focus For Research And Formulating A Research Question
FORMULATING THE RESEARCH QUESTION
FORMULATING THE RESEARCH QUESTION
Moving from a research topic to a research question
Moving from a research topic to a research question
The first stage of moving from a topic to a research question will be informed by your
The reading first so stage finding of moving out what from is a written topic to about a research your area question of interest will be will informed not only by your help you
reading to crystallize so finding your out thinking what is but written will also about suggest your area potential of interest methodological will not only approaches help you for
to your crystallize chosen your area thinking of study. but Chapter will also 3 will suggest explain potential how to methodological search for literature approaches to help foryou
your understand chosen the area key of themes study. Chapter about your 3 will chosen explain topic how and to search how to for organize literature your to findings help you into
understand coherent themes.
key themes about your chosen topic and how to organize your findings into
coherent Having themes. decided on and refined your research area, it helps if you can hone this into
Having a succinct decided researchable on and refined question. your For research example, area, talk it to helps if learning you can would hone be this a into really good
a area succinct for researchable but ‘What question. sort of For talk example, do students talk to engage help learning during would group be work a really in science good
area lessons?’ for research would be but a much ‘What more sort helpful of talk starting do students point engage for a small in during scale group school work based in research science
lessons?’ project. would be a much more helpful starting point for a small scale school based research
project.
To think about your project then ask yourself the following questions:
1. What 1. What is known is known already already about about this area, this what area, what have have experts experts already already written written about about this this
area area and and how how have have they they undertaken undertaken research? research? (See (See Chapter Chapter 3 on 3 reviewing on reviewing literature.) literature.)
2. What 2. What are my are colleagues my colleagues in my school in my views’ school about views’ this about area this and area what and does what my does my
higher-degree tutor tutor advise advise me to me do? to do?
3. Why 3. am Why I doing am I doing this research? this research?
Figure 1.2 Stages of formulating a research question
Figure 1.2 Stages of formulating a research question
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