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2022 Framing Research Questions

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Ndaba William Dlamini
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32 views21 pages

2022 Framing Research Questions

Uploaded by

Ndaba William Dlamini
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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2022-2023 GROW Workshop Series

Framing Research Questions


Joshua C. Watson, Ph.D., NCC, LPC-S, ACS
Ontology
• Philosophical study that focuses on identifying and understanding the
kinds of things that exist in our known world

• Addresses the question… what is reality?

• Ontology is the starting point of all research

• It is important for all researchers to be mindful of their ontological


persuasion before engaging in research activities
Ontological Persuasions
The Blind Men and the Elephant
Epistemology
• Branch of philosophy that investigates the origin, nature, methods,
and limits of human knowledge and understanding

• Used to differentiate between true (adequate) knowledge and false


(inadequate) knowledge

• Key epistemological questions:


• What is knowledge?
• What is the nature of knowledge?
• Is our knowledge valid?
Why Framing is Important?
• Framing a clear research question is a critical part of the research
design process
Theoretical and Empirical
Antecedents

Research Question

Research Design
What Are Research Questions?
• A research question helps researchers define what they hope to learn
when they conduct a study

• Research questions establish which part of the (previously identified)


problem a study will try to solve for the reader/audience

• Developing research questions is an essential element of both


quantitative and qualitative research designs
Research Question Origins

Literature
Studies

Experience

Information Gaps
Types of Research Questions (General)
• Descriptive – studies designed to simply describe what is going on or
what exists

• Relational – studies designed to look at the relationships between two


or more variables

• Causal – studies designed to determine whether one or more variables


cause or affect one or more outcome variables
Research Question Hierarchy

Implied
Implied Question
Question Implied
General Question
Question
Implied Implied
Question Question
Types of Research Questions (Implied)
• Descriptive – Existence • Causality

• Descriptive – Classification • Causality – Comparative

• Descriptive – Comparative • Causality – Comparative Interaction

• Relational – Composition

• Relational – Simple Interaction


Framing Quantitative Research Questions

P I C O T
Framing Qualitative Research Questions
1. If I could discover the meaning of one person’s lived experience, I
would ask (individual) about .
2. If I could discover the shared lived experiences of one quality or
phenomenon in others, I would want to know about .
3. If I could experience a different culture by living/observing it, I
would choose to experience .
4. If I could discover what occurred and was experienced in a single
lived event, that event would be .
5. If I could discover a theory for a single phenomenon of living as
shared by others, I would choose to discover the theory of .
What Makes a Good Research Question?

F I N E R
Feasible Interesting Novel Ethical Relevant

M A P S
Manageable Appropriate Publishable Systematic
Addressing Problems and Challenges
Problem Solution
Too broad Include fewer variables, narrow the question
Not enough Expand inclusion criteria, modify exclusion criteria, add
participants other recruitment sources
Requires methodology Collaborate with others, seek educational opportunities
you do not have
training on
Too expensive Use fewer participants, low/no cost measures, fewer
follow-ups or data collection periods
Not Consult with mentors, peers, re-engage with the literature
interesting/relevant
Research Question Writing Considerations
• Reference the population to whom your results will be generalized
• Make research questions as specific as possible
• Avoid using words or terms that do not substantively add to the
meaning of the stated question
• Focus on what will be studied – avoid discussing implications
• Name the variables/constructs in the order they occur or will be
measured in your study design
• Avoid using words such as signficiant and prove in research questions
• More than a “yes” or “no” response
Check with Your Advisor/Chair
Every discipline is slightly different and doctoral committees may have specific recommendations

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