A good research question: Requires a judgement to be made (is it of global or local importance) Allows for debate between different perspectives Allows for the answer to be in the middle ground or to synthesise different perspectives Is simple – one idea rather than many Can be answered with the resources available to the learner in the word limit allowed. Really interests the learner

Initially the teacher will need to assist learners in: Finding a suitable subject and then refining it into a formal question Identifying the main issues and possible research strands in their topic Identifying and locating appropriate sources of information/evidence Encouraging them to show originality in their choice of investigation, approach and conclusion (s) Steering them towards a final researchable question.

The planning research sheet Motivation (a) Why is this an interesting/important question to answer? (b) Why is this research question interesting/important to you? Points of View (a) What is your initial view on this question? (b) Outline one or more important alternative points of view. Resources Indicate sources you have already identified and explain how and where you expect to gather more evidence for your research.

Questions the learner should ask of themselves: Is it relevant? Is it manageable? Is it clear and simple? Is it interesting? Can I move plans into action? Is it fit for assessment?

Is it relevant? The question will be of academic and intellectual interest. The question arises from issues raised in the literature or in practice. You should be able to establish a clear purpose for your research in relation to the chosen field. For example, are you filling a gap in knowledge, analysing academic assumptions or professional practice, questioning a development in practice, comparing different approaches or testing theories within a specific field etc.?

Is it manageable? You need to be realistic about the scope and scale of the project. The question you ask must be within your ability to tackle. For example, are you able to access people, statistics, or documents from which to collect the data you need to address the question fully? Sometimes a research question appears feasible, but when you start your fieldwork or library study, it proves otherwise. In this situation, it is important to write up the problems honestly and to reflect on what has been learnt.

Is it clear and simple? The complexity of a question can frequently hide unclear thoughts and lead to a confused research process. A very elaborate research question, or a question which is not differentiated into different parts, may hide concepts that are contradictory or not relevant. If you create a clear and simple research question, you may find that it becomes more complex as you think about the situation you are studying and undertake the literature review. Having one key question with several sub-components will guide your research and a mind map approach could be useful.

Is it interesting? The question needs to be one that interests you. Make sure that you have a real, grounded interest in your research question, and that you can explore this and back it up by research and debate. It is your interest that will motivate you to keep working and to produce a good report.

Can you move plans into action? Make sure you note anything you read that is relevant to your study. Where (i.e. in what settings) does the work you are interested in take place? What access do you have to it? Will there be ethical issues? Having thought about these things, try narrowing down your ideas again to the sort of research you can do. Make a list of the skills and knowledge you bring to the research task. Do you like interviewing? Will you be able to get interviews transcribed? Are you keen to do surveys? Are there sources of secondary data that you could access?

Is it fit for assessment? Remember, you must satisfy the learning outcomes of your course Your question must be open to assessment, as well as interesting Keep referring back to the assessment objectives throughout the process

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