Writing Research Questions

Ponder..

Where are we… Observation/ Background survey Broad area of research Literature review Problem definition Topic Problem statement Research questions Theoretical framework Variables clearly identified Hypothesis generation Research design Methods Data collection Analysis Interpretation Deduction Hypothesis substantiated? RQ answered?

Lesson objective Write research topic Formulate research questions

Research Topics -Examples

What do you think? A CROSS-NATIONAL COMPARISON OF SEX-TYPING AND SELECTED PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF AMERICAN COLLEGIATE FOOTBALL PLAYERS AND ENGLISH SOCCER PLAYERS A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE BEHAVIOR OF GRADUATE STUDENTS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION, FOLLOWING THE RECENT INGESTION OF LARGE QUANTITIES OF ALCOHOL BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 9:00 PM AND 10:00 PM ON TUESDAY EVENINGS DURING WINTER QUARTER

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 Preliminary questions Disruptive behaviour among Pre- TESL Students 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 ?

Remember A research topic is the broad subject matter being addressed in a study. A research problem is an educational issue or problem in the study A purpose is the major intent or objective of the study. Research questions are questions the researcher would like answered or addressed in the study. These are not survey questions

Differences Among Area, Problem, Purpose and Questions General Specific Topic/ Area Research Problem Purpose Statement Question Pre TESL Students with disruptive behaviour Pre TESL students display disruptive behaviour 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 Online Learning Research Problem Isolation in the online learning environment To study how students perceive social presence in the online learning environment Purpose Statement What is the online learners’ perception of social presence in an online learning community? Research Question Specific

Differences Among Area, Problem, Purpose and Questions General Topic Area Science Education Research Problem Anxiety in science classes To study anxiety of students who attend Physics classes? Purpose Statement 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,? Research Question Specific

Differences Among Area, Problem, Purpose and Questions General Topic Area School leadership Teachers are less competent; Pahang registered a high percentage of teacher incompetency Research Problem To study the level of competence of secondary school teachers in Pahang Purpose Statement Is there ______? Research Question Specific

Differences Among Area, Problem, Purpose and Questions General Topic Area Teacher motivation Teachers in religious schools are demotivated. SMA….. reported a high number of teachers leaving Research Problem To study the factors that contribute to the lack of motivation among teachers of SMA …… Purpose Statement To what extent does_____? How does extrinsic reward influence teacher’s motivation to teach in SMA ….? Research Question Specific

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? To what extent does family structure influence academic self efficacy? How do international students perceive the local community’s acceptance of their culture ?

Examples of hypotheses There is a relationship between self efficacy and cognitive learning outcomes Null hypothesis Alternate hypothesis

Cross-cultural Analysis of Artistic Development http://www.csuchico.edu/~mtoku/vc/Articles/toku/Toku_Cross-cultural_VAR01.html

TRY ONE Statement of Problem Distance education students generally tend of be adults who have a fully time or part time job, with predetermined financial and family commitments. They will have preset social obligations to fulfil. Entry requirements into distance education programs differ somewhat from those of full time students on campus students. In addition the mode of instructional delivery is different to their on campus cohorts. These factors in isolation or in combination have a bearing on student retention rates for distance education students.

TRY ONE Statement of Problem It is also estimated that dropout rates from online courses were higher than their counterparts in traditional classes, with as many as 25-40% students in online courses dropping compared to 10-20% of students in on-campus courses dropping these courses (Parker, 1999). However, attrition has been reported to be as high as 70% to 80% (Dagger & Wade, 2004; Flood, 2002). Additional publications cite online attrition to be 10% to 20% higher than traditional on-campus programs (Angelino, Williams & Natvig, 2007; Carr, 2000). Notwithstanding, the extant research on retention and online programs have been sparse (Roach, 2002). Roach suggested that research studies for online programs were limited due to the “newness of online education” (Roach, 2002). Extant research has indicated that a better understanding of student dropout would enable educators and administrators to design courses which promote student progress (Kember, 1995; and Sweet, 1986). Garrison (1987) posits there is no area of research in distance education that has received more attention than the study of dropout. The purpose of this research is to study the issues surrounding retention of adult learners in distance education in Malaysia. The setting will be in a Malaysian Public University’s Distance Education arm.

Fitting things together Problems RESEARCH INTEREST/AREA Issues Concerns Research problem Research questions Background survey Theoretical framework

Your task Refine your research problem State the purpose of your research Write your research questions

Next- Literature review Observation/ Background survey Broad area of research Literature review Problem definition Problem statement Research topic Research questions Theoretical framework Variables clearly identified Hypothesis generation Research design Methods Data collection Analysis Interpretation Deduction Hypothesis substantiated? RQ answered?