Developing Research Questions

In order to be effective in your research you need to have an effective set of research questions to guide you in your studies.  These questions must be informed.  They should be based on your research so far along with your hypothesis. 

Step One:  Look over your material

Before you can begin creating research questions you should look over your research so far to see where you are going.

Step Two:  Creating your questions

Your questions are very important to your research because they are your guide to getting the answers you need.  They must be focused and insightful.  Below are the four major types of questions you can ask in your research.  You may also refer to page 98 in your text book for this information.

Factual Questions

These questions have right and wrong answers that tend to be accepted by most people in the field.  These questions usually begin with, “who,” “what,” “where,” or “when.”  They provide a good base for information on the subject you are pursuing.  These questions are quite effective for background information.

Clarification Questions

These questions attempt to narrow the focus of the research and eliminate misunderstandings about the meaning of terms being used. 

Interpretive Questions

Researchers use these questions to focus on the meaning of their research.  Quite often these questions allow the researcher to take a side on the issue.  It is important to note that the same question could be answered quite differently by two different researchers depending on their hypothesis and their research so far.  The important part however, is ensuring that the researcher backs their answer up with information from their research. 

Inquiry Questions

Researchers often develop these questions to look for related factors within their research.  These questions often have more than one correct answer, and normally require considerable research to answer properly.  Eg. What are some of the major factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency in society?

Step Three: Have your questions checked by a partner

In this step you will have a partner check your questions for you to ensure they are focused and appropriate to your topic.  They will look to see if you have the appropriate types of questions and if they are concise with a clear direction.

Due Date: ___________________________

RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

You should have two questions of each type for your research.  These questions should be clear and relate to your hypothesis.  Remember, they should guide you in your research not confuse you.

Ø      Factual Questions

Ø      Clarification Questions

Ø      Interpretive Questions

Ø      Inquiry Questions