Writing a Research Question Criteria and Practice

Why have a question? It guides your research It allows you to seek what others have written It allows you to relate the needs of your students to techniques for analyzing where they are and what they need.

Something to stay away from… Correlation studies (These are studies that compare variables that already exist such as: –Does age affect grades? –Does poverty affect motivation?

What makes a good question? Is it interesting? Is it researchable? Is it significant? Is it manageable?

Samples. For each one of these determine if it is a good question? Does the use of rewards increase students’ fluency in writing? Is it interesting? Is it researchable? Is it significant? Is it manageable?

Sample Does the use of pictures influence student motivation to learn chemistry? Is it interesting? Is it researchable? Is it significant? Is it manageable?

Sample Do students from single parent families write more than children from intact families? Is it interesting? Is it researchable? Is it significant? Is it manageable?

Sample Do the rewards increase the performance of a worker? Is it interesting? Is it researchable? Is it significant? Is it manageable?

Sample Do video clips of Civil War documentaries influence students’ long term memory of facts? Is it interesting? Is it researchable? Is it significant? Is it manageable?

Sample Does a teacher’s appearance increase students’ reading ability? Is it interesting? Is it researchable? Is it significant? Is it manageable?

Sample Do choices influence the quality of projects in a 5 th grade social studies class? Is it interesting? Is it researchable? Is it significant? Is it manageable?

Sample Do games improve 3 rd grade students’ motivation and math achievement? Is it interesting? Is it researchable? Is it significant? Is it manageable?

Sample Does “intake” (the opportunity to eat and drink while learning) increase students’ attention span? Is it interesting? Is it researchable? Is it significant? Is it manageable?

Sample Do children who have dogs have higher IQs than children who do not have dogs? Is it interesting? Is it researchable? Is it significant? Is it manageable?

Sample Do field trips to the different regions of the state influence children’s attendance? Is it interesting? Is it researchable? Is it significant? Is it manageable?

Sample Does MBA curriculum need to change to prepare the managers for future economic crisis Is it interesting? Is it researchable? Is it significant? Is it manageable?

Sample Do the international students come to UK with the genuine purpose of education? Is it interesting? Is it researchable? Is it significant? Is it manageable?

Sample Does paying students for good behavior improve behavior? Is it interesting? Is it researchable? Is it significant? Is it manageable?

When designing a study Choose an issue or problem Look at the demographics of your class Examine research and studies that relate to the problem Write the question