Research

Step One Narrow Down your Topic

Internet Security: How to narrow this topic Down? What are the strategies that one should consider?

Current Internet security initiatives. Strategy: Explanation: Topic: Internet Security Time Since 1990? This year? In the future? Current Internet security initiatives. Place Local social norms & values, economic & political systems, or languages. Internet security initiatives in the U.S Population Gender, age, occupation, ethnicity, nationality, educational attainment, species, etc. Filtering software and children's access to Internet pornography Viewpoint Social, legal, medical, ethical, biological, psychological, economic, political, philosophical? A viewpoint allows you to focus on a single aspect The constitutionality of Internet filtering technology

Find your Research Question Step Two Find your Research Question

What is the Research Question? Research requires a question for which no ready answer is available. It is answered in your thesis & throughout your paper Whenever a yes / no question lies behind a research question, an assumption has been made; therefore, you should: Identify the assumption Support it in your paper (introduction)

1- Questions require answers RQ: Why is it important? Asking a topic as a question (or series of related questions) has several advantages: 1- Questions require answers They are not like general topics or statements that are too broad to be answered and sometimes they are confusing.

2-A clear open-ended question calls for real research and thinking. Assuming that your research may solve significant problems or expand the knowledge base of a discipline involves you in more meaningful activity of community and scholarship.

Examples of RQs. Topic Question Drugs and Crime Could liberalization of drug laws reduce crime in the U.S.? University Education in Egypt To what extent is university education in Egypt preparing students for the workplace? foreign aid for agricultural development in India To what extent is foreign aid for agricultural development in India benefiting the country?

Now…What Are The Topics of these Questions? Why has the Egyptian government failed to overhaul the education curriculum? Why is European aid for industrial development to India ineffective?

Example I:

Exercise I: Put two Research Questions for each of the following topics: Laws regarding divorce in Egypt AIDS awareness campaign held in Egypt Political Participation in Egypt

Exercise II : Look at question markers for clues, and Consider how you would form the question