HOW TO FORM A GOOD RESEARCH QUESTION

Group 5

Outline 1. INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH QUESTION2. CHARACTERISTICS FOR A RESEARCH QUESTION3. DEVELOPING A RESEARCH QUESTION4. IDENTIFY A GOOD RESEARCH QUESTION5. TRANSFORM RESEARCH QUESTION TO TESTABLE

HYPOTHESES6. COMMON MISTAKES IN FORMING A RESEARCH

QUESTION7. CONCLUSION

Introduction to Research QuestionPRESENTER: HUU LOC

Definition of research question

• A research question is the methodological point of departure of scholarly research in both the natural and social sciences.

• The research will answer any question posed

• At an undergraduate level, the answer to the research question is the thesis statement

The importance of research question

• The RQ is one of the first methodological steps the investigator has to take when undertaking research.

• The RQ must be accurately and clearly defined.

• The central element of both quantitative and qualitative research

• Most of all it indicates what the researcher wants to know most and first.

• A good research question defines the focus of your research project.

• Your research question helps readers to know the specific subject matter you will be addressing within the large topic.

Characteristics for a Research QuestionPRESENTER: MINH SANG

1 ) Answers something new! Replications, by themselves, are not good enough. The point of conducting research is to advanced knowledge.

The best kinds of research studies both replicate previous research while incorporating something new.

2) Research question is based on and builds upon previous research. A good research question tests the prediction of a theory.

3) Research question is often simple, just add a little piece to existing research. A good piece of advice when conducting research is "Keep it simple!”

4) Research question is practical (e.g., Can you really do this study this semester? Do you have the equipment/resources to sufficiently answer your question?

5) Research question is based on primary (not secondary) sources. A secondary source, on the other hand, is a summary or description of the primary source. Newspapers, magazines, and topic books are secondary sources; journal articles are usually primary sources.

6) Research question is specific. If you're conducting an experiment or doing a study, the research question should state a relationship between variables and say something about testing those relations. It must be specific without being too wordy.

Developing a research questionPRESENTER: NGOC CAM

TOPIC / ISSUE

• One major topic per essay or research paper => a coherent piece of writing

• An issue is a concept upon which you can take a stand.

E.g Topic: nuclear waste

---> Issue: "safe and economic disposal of nuclear waste"

EXERCISE 1 : CAN THE TOPIC BE RESEARCHED?

• Is Prozac a good way to treat clinical depression in certain cases?

• Does MacDonald's or Burger King make a better burger?

• Is there a link between hours of television viewing and violent behavior in children aged 8-14?

Ask interesting questions• Based on personal experiences, not data

• Include the following:

Have others faced a similar practice problem?

Is this a routinely observed occurrence?

What circumstances would make the situation controllable?

Identify a good research questionPRESENTER: NGAN GIANG

• A good research question has to be a logical statement that is known or believed to be true and requires recognition.

• Research generates conclusions based on an analysis of evidence.

• For example:

Do you think getting university graduation is the only way to succeed in the future?

→ Not a research question

→Depends on individual attitudes and beliefs

Some questions are too broad and must be broken down.

• What can be done to raise the awareness to protect the environment?

• What should the city’s authority do to raise the awareness of primary students to protect the environment?

→ Clear object and scope.

• Research has a purpose and objectives.

• Both the purpose and objectives are clear and unambiguous: What do we need to know and why?

• Examine the four S:

- Size refers to the magnitude of the effect that can be produced by an intervention.

- Scope is concerned with the extent to which existing program activities could be affected.

- Scalability suggests that the results have the potential for expansion.

- Sustainability takes the potential for long-term support of a program into account.

Transform research question to testable hypotheses

PRESENTER: TO NGAN

• A declarative sentence predicting the results of a research study based on existing scientific knowledge and stated assumptions.

• Hypothesis specifies a relationship between two or more variables.

• Hypothesis can be assumption of research question, and won’t be changed during research.

• Ex:

Patients who receive medication counseling will have greater adherence to the medication regimen.

Dependent variable: adherenceIndependent variable : medication counseling

• A project should have no more than three hypotheses.

• Researchers must be prepared for unexpected results which represent the possibility of learning something new about the phenomenon under study.

• Research should not be embarked upon with the idea that the empirical evidence will prove “truth”.

• Importance of hypotheses:

Deeply acknowledging the research question, or research’s aim.

Limiting research issues.

• Disadvantage of hypotheses:Researcher’s view is not objective

Common mistakes in forming a research questionPRESENTER: MINH DANG

Common mistakes

• Too broad

• Too subjective

• Too controversial

• Too familiar

• Too technical

• Too broad: Lots of things to consider take lots

of time, know nothing precisely of what you wish

to investigate

• Too subjective: A personal topic unsuitable

because we probably won't be able to support it

from library sources or from the data surveyed

• Too controversial: Avoid any subject about which

we can't write objectively

• Too familiar: a research should lead to discovery

of things we don't already know

• Too technical: Don't write about a topic that we

still don't understand thoroughly after we have

completed our research.

CONCLUSION

• Importance of a good research question.

• Characteristic of a good research question

• Steps to make a good research question

• Must be avoided mistakes

THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

• Group members: 1. Dinh Quoc Minh Dang2. Vo Huu Loc3. Nguyen Dinh Minh Sang4. Nguyen Hong To Ngan5. Nguyen Ngoc Cam6. Tran Thi Ngan Giang