1. Writing Research Questions

2. Ponder..

3. 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?

4. Lesson objective
Write research topic
Formulate research questions

5. Research Topics -Examples

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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?

11. 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

12. 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?

13. 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 ?

14. 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

15. 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?

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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 ?

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

24. Cross-cultural Analysis of Artistic Development

25. 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.

26. 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.

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

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

29. 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?