Writing Research Questions
Lesson objective
• Write research topic
• Formulate research questions
Where are we…
Observation/
Background
survey
Broad area of
research
Literature
review
Theoretical
framework
Problem
definition
Variables clearly
identified
Research
design
Topic
Problem
statement
Research
questions
Hypothesis
generation
Deduction
Methods
Hypothesis
substantiated?
Data
collection
RQ answered?
Analysis
Interpretation
Research Topics -Examples
• Research topics 1
• Research topics 2
• Research topics 3
• http://www.manchesteruniversit
ypress.co.uk/
Research questions
• Guides your purpose
• Each research question give clear idea
of your research
 Quantitative or qualitative?
Experimental? Survey?
Should you interview people, or would the
data from a survey answer it?
• With RQs, easier to identify the
assumptions underlying the question,
and the “theories” behind it
Writing research questions
• Basically
• Re-formulate your topic as a research
question - one that ends with “…?”
• Ask preliminary questions about this title
• Ask as many
• Generate several questions
• Formulate a direct question - be precise
How to derive research questions..
• Questions you can ask
• What are the characteristics of this thing?
• What happens?
• And in what order do things happen?
• When does it happen? To whom?
• When does it NOT happen?
• For whom is it a problem? Why is it a
problem for them?
• How can one tell it is a problem?
• Keep those you can answer
EXAMPLES
Topic
Disruptive
behaviour
among PreTESL
Students
Preliminary questions
What are the “ disruptive
behaviours”?
What happens? When does it
happen? To whom?
When does it NOT happen?
For whom is it a problem? Why is
it a problem for them?
How can one tell it’s a problem?
How to derive research questions..
• Shortlist the questions
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What exactly IS the research problem here?
Why is it important?
Why does it need to be solved?
How could I go about solving it?
What exactly would I have to do, to solve it?
If I did that, what would my data look like?
What would my findings look like?
• Answer the last three as precise as you can
Ask what you would have to do
to solve the research problem
• What or who will form my sample?
• Why those/that, rather than others?
• How will I select them?
• How will I gain access to them?
• What exactly will I use?
• Why that/those, rather than other
equipment/instruments/analytical
methods?
EXAMPLE -Research Questions
• What are the factors that contribute
towards the disruptive behaviours of
Pre-TESL students?
• What are the Pre-TESL students’ (with
disruptive behaviours) attitudes
towards authority?
• Is there a relationship between
disruptive behaviour and previous
schooling of Pre-TESL students ?
Differences Among Area, Problem,
Purpose and Questions
General
Topic/ Area
Pre TESL Students
with disruptive behaviour
Research
Problem
Pre TESL students display
disruptive behaviour
Purpose
Statement
Specific
Research
Question
To study why Pre TESL students
display disruptive behaviour
What are the factors that contribute
towards the disruptive behaviours
of Pre TESL students?
Differences Among Area, Problem,
Purpose and Questions
General
Topic Area
Science Education
Research
Problem
Anxiety in science classes
Purpose
Statement
Research
Question
Specific
To study the anxiety among
students who attend Physics
classes?
What is the anxiety level of students
who attend Physics classes at the
UiTM Faculty of Education,?
Is there a difference between the
anxiety level of male and female
students attending Physics classes at
the UiTM Faculty of Education,?
Differences Among Area, Problem,
Purpose and Questions
General
Specific
Topic Area
Online Learning
Research
Problem
Isolation in the online learning
environment
Purpose
Statement
To study how students perceive
social presence in the online
learning environment
Research
Question
What is the online learners’
perception of social presence in an
online learning community?
Questions into hypothesis
• Strategy to unpack the question
• highlight some of its different aspects
• make it easier to identify an angle from
which the research question can be
answered
• Deriving a statement that can be true
or false
EXAMPLES
Topic
Questions
Hypotheses
Disruptive
behaviour in
religious high
schools
Is there a
relationship
between parents’
educational level
and disruptive
behaviours of
religious high
school students?
There is a
relationship
between parents’
educational level
and the religious
high school
student’s display
of disruptive
behaviour
More Examples : RQs
• How does group discussion facilitate
concept formation?
• Do individual motivational
characteristics affect cognitive learning
outcomes?
• What can international students tell
about the impact of culture on their
experiences in education courses
designed and delivered by a Malaysian
university?
Examples of hypotheses
• There is a relationship between
individual motivational characteristics
and cognitive learning outcomes
Fitting things together
Problems
Issues
Research
problem
Concerns
RESEARCH
INTEREST/
AREA
Research questions
Background
survey
Theoretical
framework
Next- Literature review
Observation/
Background
survey
Broad area of
research
Literature
review
Theoretical
framework
Problem
definition
Variables clearly
identified
Research
design
Problem
statement
Research
topic
Research
questions
Hypothesis
generation
Deduction
Methods
Hypothesis
substantiated?
Data
collection
RQ answered?
Analysis
Interpretation
Tasks
• Task 1
• Write your problem statement
• Write your research questions
• Write hypothesis if you are studying
relationship/differences
• Task 2
• Read the reflection
• Identify one researchable problem
• Write two(2) research questions