Formulating research questions Dr Alexandra Allan

Overview Why are research questions important? What makes a good research question? What types of research questions exist? How do I begin to formulate my own questions?

Introduction Research as a journey... That takes you to unexpected places That you have to carefully prepare for Where you move through different stages

‘ Students have been heard to exclaim before deciding on a topic and research questions that they are interested in the use of ‘qualitative methods’ of data collection or analysis, or that they are committed to the idea of a questionnaire...Don’t fit your proposed study to your favourite approach (a case of the cart pulling the horse), and then try to disguise this as a philosophical rather than a methodological decision. This is why all researchers need some knowledge of all methods.’ (Gorard and Taylor 2004: 16)

The bad news... This is one of the hardest parts of the research project requiring real intellectual work and constant refinement Education is also messy because it is: Not a distinct discipline, Multi-disciplinary, Focused on pedagogy, practice and policy, A contested and value-oriented terrain, A multi-faceted discipline, A differentiated domain, Socially, historically and culturally located

Discuss ‘The research question is central to the design of a research project as a whole, and a crucial step in the process of carrying out a research project’ (Punch 2005) Why do you think this is?

Some answers... 2. Delimits the project and creates boundaries 1. Direction and coherence 4. Provides a framework for writing up 3. Helps maintain the researcher’s focus

What is a good research question?

Some answers... A good research question will be: In line with the researcher’s interests Feasible (political, academic and manageable) Ethical Answerable Concise

A hierachy of questions Research Area Research Topic Main Research Question Research Sub-Questions Data Collection Questions

Examples... Main research question:   How do female secondary school English language teachers perceive of curriculum change in the United Arab Emirates? (Troudi and Alwan 2010)

Examples... Sub-questions: What do English language teachers understand by ‘curriculum’ in the UAE context? How do English language teachers feel about ‘curriculum change’ in the UAE context? (Troudi and Alwan 2010)

Formulating research questions The Funnel Process Research Area Research Questions Research Data

Formulating questions in four easy stages 1. Go large! Begin by locating your own research area and topic and write down all of the related research questions that you can think of. (Adapted from Green 2005)

Formulating questions in four easy stages 2. Exclude and Refine Try to narrow the list by excluding some questions and refining others. Return to the ‘good research question’ check list in order to ensure that they match the criteria (Adapted from Green 2005)

Formulating questions in four easy stages 3. Refine the terminology used Work through each question in order to carefully examine the terminology that you have used. Try to examine the assumptions that have been made through the terminology that has been used. (Adapted from Green 2005)

This step also includes ensuring that your research questions follow on from your paradigmatic assumptions: E.g. Positivist= ‘Variables’, ‘Factors that affect’, ‘What’, ‘Relationship’, ‘Determinants’ Interpretivist = ‘Discover’, ‘Perceive’, ‘Seek to understand’, ‘How’, ‘Explore’ Blakie (2000) suggests first considering if you are using a how, a why or a what question: What = requires description Why = concerned with reasons How = concerned with processes

An example... How do female secondary school English language teachers perceive of curriculum change in the United Arab Emirates?

Some questions that you may ask yourself during this process are: What do I mean by the terms I have used? What references to the sample have I used? Which groups/organisations/individuals/departments etc have you included as part of the question? What methods do these questions entail?

An example... How do female secondary school English language teachers perceive of curriculum change in the United Arab Emirates?

Formulating questions in four easy stages 4. Reviewing the final list of questions Do they meet the criteria for good research questions? To check you might want to: Share your ideas with a peer/supervisor, Draft your first introductory paragraph Examine how your question fits with others in the research literature (Adapted from Green 2005)

Conclusions... Research questions can’t be rushed – they require work, time and patience But researchers rarely get them right first time And researchers may refine them throughout the entire research process

References Silverman, D. (2001) Interpreting Qualitative Data. London: Sage. Gorard, S. and Taylor, C. (2004) Combining Methods in Educational and Social Research. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Mills, C.W. (1959) The Sociological Imagination. Harmandsworth: Pelican. Punch, K. (2009) Introduction to Research Methods in Education. London: Sage. Gilbert, N. (2005) Researching Social Life. London: Sage. Green, N. (2005) ‘Formulating and refining a research question’, in N. Gilbert (Ed) Researching Social Life. London: Sage. Blaikie (2000) Designing Social Research: The Logic of Anticipation. Cambridge: Polity Press. Bryman, A. (2004) Social Research Methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Delamont, S. (2002) Fieldwork in Educational Settings: Methods, Pitfalls and Perspectives. London: Routledge Falmer. Hartas, D. (2011) Educational Research and Inquiry: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. London: Continuum. Fielding, N. (1981) The National Front. London: Routledge Kegan Paul. Troudi, S. and Alwan, F. (2010) ‘Teachers’ feelings during curriculum change in the United Arab Emirates: opening Pandora’s box’, Teacher Development , 14 (1), pp107-121.