Writing Research Questions

Writing Research Questions
Lesson objective
Write research topic
Formulate research questions
Where are we
Observation/
Background
survey
Broad area of
research
Literature
review
Theoretical
framework
Problem
definition
Variables clearly
identified
Research
design
Topic
Problem
statement
Research
questions
Hypothesis
generation
Deduction
Methods
Hypothesis
substantiated?
Data
collection
RQ answered?
Analysis
Interpretation
Research Topics -Examples

Research topics 1
Research topics 2
Research topics 3
http://www.manchesteruniversit
ypress.co.uk/
Research questions
Guides your purpose
Each research question give clear idea
of your research
Quantitative or qualitative?
Experimental? Survey?
Should you interview people, or would the
data from a survey answer it?
With RQs, easier to identify the

assumptions underlying the question,
and the theories behind it
Writing research questions

Basically
Re-formulate your topic as a research
question - one that ends with ?
Ask preliminary questions about this title
Ask as many
Generate several questions
Formulate a direct question - be precise
How to derive research questions..

Questions you can ask
What are the characteristics of this thing?
What happens?
And in what order do things happen?
When does it happen? To whom?
When does it NOT happen?
For whom is it a problem? Why is it a
problem for them?
How can one tell it is a problem?
Keep those you can answer
EXAMPLES
Topic
Disruptive
behaviour
among PreTESL
Students
Preliminary questions
What are the disruptive
behaviours?
What happens? When does it
happen? To whom?
When does it NOT happen?
For whom is it a problem? Why is
it a problem for them?
How can one tell its a problem?
How to derive research questions..

Shortlist the questions
What exactly IS the research problem here?

Why is it important?
Why does it need to be solved?
How could I go about solving it?
What exactly would I have to do, to solve it?
If I did that, what would my data look like?
What would my findings look like?
Answer the last three as precise as you can
Ask what you would have to do

to solve the research problem
What or who will form my sample?
Why those/that, rather than others?
How will I select them?
How will I gain access to them?
What exactly will I use?
Why that/those, rather than other
equipment/instruments/analytical
methods?
EXAMPLE -Research Questions

What are the factors that contribute
towards the disruptive behaviours of
Pre-TESL students?
What are the Pre-TESL students (with
disruptive behaviours) attitudes
towards authority?
Is there a relationship between
disruptive behaviour and previous
schooling of Pre-TESL students ?
Differences Among Area, Problem,

Purpose and Questions
General
Topic/ Area
Pre TESL Students

with disruptive behaviour
Research
Problem
Pre TESL students display

disruptive behaviour
Purpose
Statement
Specific
Research
Question
To study why Pre TESL students

display disruptive behaviour
What are the factors that contribute

towards the disruptive behaviours
of Pre TESL students?

General
Topic Area
Science Education
Research
Problem
Anxiety in science classes
Purpose
Statement
Research
Question
Specific
To study the anxiety among

students who attend Physics
classes?
What is the anxiety level of students
who attend Physics classes at the
UiTM Faculty of Education,?
Is there a difference between the
anxiety level of male and female
students attending Physics classes at
the UiTM Faculty of Education,?

General
Specific
Topic Area
Online Learning
Research
Problem
Isolation in the online learning

environment
Purpose
Statement
To study how students perceive

social presence in the online
learning environment
Research
Question
What is the online learners

perception of social presence in an
online learning community?
Questions into hypothesis

Strategy to unpack the question
highlight some of its different aspects
make it easier to identify an angle from
which the research question can be
answered
Deriving a statement that can be true

or false
EXAMPLES
Topic
Questions
Hypotheses
Disruptive
behaviour in
religious high
schools
Is there a
relationship
between parents
educational level
and disruptive
behaviours of
religious high
school students?
There is a
relationship
between parents
educational level
and the religious
high school
students display
of disruptive
behaviour
More Examples : RQs

How does group discussion facilitate
concept formation?
Do individual motivational
characteristics affect cognitive learning
outcomes?
What can international students tell
about the impact of culture on their
experiences in education courses
designed and delivered by a Malaysian
university?
Examples of hypotheses
There is a relationship between
individual motivational characteristics
and cognitive learning outcomes
Fitting things together

Problems
Issues
Research
problem
Concerns
RESEARCH
INTEREST/
AREA
Research questions
Background
survey
Theoretical
framework
Next- Literature review

Observation/
Background
survey
Broad area of
research
Literature
review
Theoretical
framework
Problem
definition
Variables clearly
identified
Research
design
Problem
statement
Research
topic
Research
questions
Hypothesis
generation
Deduction
Methods
Hypothesis
substantiated?
Data
collection
RQ answered?
Analysis
Interpretation
Tasks
Task 1
Write your problem statement
Write your research questions
Write hypothesis if you are studying
relationship/differences
Task 2
Read the reflection
Identify one researchable problem
Write two(2) research questions

Writing Research Questions

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Writing Research Questions

Research Topics -Examples

With RQs, easier to identify the

Writing research questions

Formulate a direct question - be precise

How to derive research questions..

Keep those you can answer

How to derive research questions..

What exactly IS the research problem here?

Answer the last three as precise as you can

Ask what you would have to do

EXAMPLE -Research Questions

Differences Among Area, Problem,

Pre TESL Students

Pre TESL students display

To study why Pre TESL students

What are the factors that contribute

Differences Among Area, Problem,

Anxiety in science classes

To study the anxiety among

Differences Among Area, Problem,

Isolation in the online learning

To study how students perceive

What is the online learners

Questions into hypothesis

Deriving a statement that can be true

More Examples : RQs

Fitting things together

Next- Literature review

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