Developing Student Researchers Part 2 Dr. Gene and Ms. Tarfa Al- Naimi Research Skills Development Unit Education Institute

Research Skills Development Unit Enquiry Cycle 1. Getting Ideas and Motivating Students 3. Collecting and Analyzing 2. Defining and Shaping Ideas 4. Reporting and Sharing Ideas

Research Skills Development Unit What Do Your Students Want to Research Exactly? The purpose of this session is to give you strategies for guiding students in choosing what exactly they want to research through asking a number of probing, sharply focused questions.

Research Skills Development Unit Moving from the “Big Idea” to a Research Question Research Topic Research Question Research Hypothesis The general subject or topic of the research Tells what you want to find out. States the purpose of the research in a question format. Is a tentative prediction or answer to the research question

Research Skills Development Unit Can you tell the difference? Research Topic Research Question Research Hypothesis Hmm.. Activity Sheet #l

Research Skills Development Unit How to Do That ? an area or topic in which you have an interest ideas or issues which you wish to explore in detail problems detected and needing a solution questions arising from experience Research Topic Research Question One focused answerable Question

Research Skills Development Unit My research question My big idea Types of pollution ? Causes of pollution? Solutions for pollution? Air pollution in Qatar What are the major sources of air pollution in Doha and what can be done about them? Pollution Big Idea: Ask questions to narrow the idea: Smaller idea: Research question

Research Skills Development Unit Why is a research question important? A research question is important because it helps you determine what type of information or data you need to collect. It points you in the right direction. A research question can also guide you in deciding what research methods to use and how to collect your data.

Research Skills Development Unit Build A Research Focus: Questions to Ask Students What are you really curious about? Why do you want to explore this topic? What do you know already? What do you need to find out ? How will you find out the information you need? How will you make sense of the data you discover? How will you share your finds with others?

Research Skills Development Unit Build a Research Focus

Research Skills Development Unit

Tip Students cannot ask many questions about a topic they don’t know much about. It is good to make them do a little search about the topic before coming up with a research question.

Research Skills Development Unit Do your students know how to use Google?

Research Skills Development Unit Where can I learn more about Google?

Research Skills Development Unit Other search engines

Research Skills Development Unit Other search engines

Research Skills Development Unit Other search engines

Research Skills Development Unit Other search engines

Research Skills Development Unit Let’s Practice: A Role-playing Activity StudentTeacher Observer(s) 1)Student gives a “big idea” 2)Teacher tries to guide the student to a research question by asking questions and dialoguing with student 3)Observers watch and listen without saying anything 4)When the teacher feels he/she has narrowed the topic, stop the activity. 5)Observers give feedback about what they observed 6)Repeat the process

Research Skills Development Unit Get the Right Question Webbing Question Chose a topic Write questions about what you want to know about this topic Continue developing questions about these questions.

Research Skills Development Unit Strategies for Shaping Ideas Concept Mapping Draw diagrams showing how concepts are related

Research Skills Development Unit

Research Skills Development Unit

Research Skills Development Unit Strategies for Shaping Ideas SWOT Analysis Analyze a topic or issue for  Strengths  Weaknesses  Opportunities  Threats

Research Skills Development Unit Strategies for Shaping Ideas Filter for Focus Students work in pairs or groups Agree on the top five most important words in a topic, theme, webpage... Groups take turns writing their key words on the board but can only add words that are not already there.

Research Skills Development Unit Research Question Should Be : Important Matter to me personally Clearly worded A question that can be answered Clear how it could be investigated See handout: “Six Good Questions to Ask About Your Research Question”

Research Skills Development Unit Research Hypothesises A research hypothesis is a tentative prediction or explanation of the answer to the research question. You now have a research question. What do you think will be the answer to this question? Be Careful You could be right or wrong. You are doing research to find the truth, not to prove your prediction.

Research Skills Development Unit How to Answer a Research Question What do I need to know ? Where can I find information? Think about what you need to do to answer the research question.

Research Skills Development Unit Thank you for listening! If you have questions about research or need additional information, feel free to contact us. Dr. Gene Office Phone: Mobile: Tarfa Office Pone: 456-0l69