Generating researchable questions and starting to ask Dr Fiona Beals

Lecture Aims Explore the generation of research questions Locate research questions in evaluation research Locate research questions into research paradigms Generate some questions Learn some big terminology

Generating Research Questions

Applying One Method to Another Observation methods (Spradley, 1980) Qualitative Analysis Coding (Abstracting and Comparing) (Punch, 1998)

Phase One: Scoping Brainstorming every possible question you would like answered on your topic through reflecting on: – Personal experiences – Personal ambitions – Scoping observations in the field – Reviewing current literature – Reviewing programme plans and objectives

Phase Two: Refining Grouping scoping questions – Locate central themes – Put aside outliners – Organise each question along the development lines Open to closed Broad to detailed

Phase Three: Generating the Question/s Locate the aim of your research through finding an encompassing theme for your scoping questions – This may be simply a hypothesis or a specific aim (e.g. to develop … ) Turn this aim into one, two, or three overarching questions

Where to next …. Locating your questions within a paradigm of research Outlining the constraints of your research – Time, money, contextual etc Selecting an appropriate methodology Make sure there is fusion between the questions, paradigm (theory), constraints, and methodology

Six Paradigms PARADIGMFOCUSQUESTION Positivist/PostpostivistStatistics – Establishing truth and differences How many … What quantifiable differences exist … ConstructivistExploring and constructing truths How do … FeministExploring gendered differences and perspectives What are the experiences of boys and girls … How do girls … EthnicExploring ethnic differences and perspectives What are the experiences of Maori and Pakeha … How do Maori … MarxistExploring class differences and perspectives What are the experiences of lower socio- economic and middle-class … How do the poor … Cultural StudiesTo critique and question current truths and critically examine differences What knowledges/ideas … What are the implications of this particular knowledge …

Paradigm One: Positivist/Postpositivist Aim – To track gender/culture/socioeconomic differences – To measure the effectiveness of boot camps as an intervention Question/s – Are there any differences? – What are these differences? – quantified Constraints – Numbers/Cash – Statistical knowledge Methodology – Textual analysis – Survey research

Paradigm Two: Constructivist (1) Aim – To explore why some young people dislike school – To understand the experiences of young people in an initiative Question/s – How do young people experience school? – What were the experiences of youth in the initiative? Constraints – Purpose is quite contained – Confusion over roles (esp youth workers and youth – if involved) Methodology – Ethnographic case study

Paradigm Two: Constructivist (2) Aim – To construct an Asian theory of youth development – To construct an understanding of the elements needed for successful mentoring Question/s – How do Asian young people experience adolescence? – What elements exist in successful mentoring programmes? Constraints – External validity – Finances Methodology – Ethnographic case study

Paradigm Three: Feminist Aim – To explore gendered experiences of boot camps Question/s – What are the experiences of boys and girls involved in boot camps? Constraints – External validity – Finances Methodology – Narrative storytelling – Ethnographic case study

Paradigm Four: Ethnic Aim – To explore ethnic experiences of boot camps Question/s – What are the experiences of Pakeha and Maori involved in boot camps? – How are these experiences linked to their lived contexts? Constraints – External validity – Finances Methodology – Ethnographic case studies (post-colonial in nature) – Kaupapa research

Paradigm Five: Marxist Aim – To explore the ways mentoring reinforces/opposes structural inequalities Question/s – What are the outcomes of mentoring programmes? – What structural differences exist? – How does mentoring work/not work as a hegemonic tool? Constraints – Finances, Resources etc – External validity Methodology – Discourse analysis – Survey research

Paradigm Six: Cultural Studies Aim – To critique the forms of knowledge promoted by youth development initiatives Question/s – What knowledges do youth development initiatives focus on? – How is this knowledge conveyed and implemented? – What are the implications? Constraints – Time and knowledge – Knowledge capital Methodology – Post-structural discourse analysis

Paradigm Seven: Mixed Aim – To measure student success in boot camps and find the factors which lead to success Question/s – To what rate do young people reduce offending after boot camps? – What factors led to evidence of improvement? Constraints – External validity Methodology – Survey research – Case study

Theory and the Paradigms Theory before – Can sit within all the paradigms Theory after – Positivist – Constructivist Reflexive theory – Can sit within all the paradigms

Methods and the Paradigms Textual analysis – Positivist, feminist, ethnic, Marxist, cultural studies, mixed Survey – Positivist, Marxist, cultural studies, mixed Observation – Positivist, constructivist, cultural studies, mixed Interviews – Across all – however differs moving from closed to completely open

Methods and the Paradigms Textual analysis – Positivist, feminist, ethnic, Marxist, cultural studies, mixed Survey – Positivist, Marxist, cultural studies, mixed Observation – Positivist, constructivist, cultural studies, mixed Interviews – Across all – however differs moving from closed to completely open

Going onto Methods