From research topic to research question

1. If critiquing research the question provides brief, important information on the topic to allow the reader to decide if the topic is relevant, researchable and an issue of significance

2. It might also indicate the methodology/methods

Research findings

Research conclusions and recommendations only have value if they answer in a a coherent, consistent and reasoned manner a specific research question

Research question

A statement of the specific query the researcher wants an answer to address the research problem

Guides the type of date to be collected

Polit D & Hungler B 1997 Essentials of nursing research Lippincott. New York

Shotgun approach

If the ? Is too broad, too narrow, too simplistic or insufficiently focussed the results will be many but trivial, insufficient, lack direction and impact

Parahoo 2006

Research projects produce meaningful, insightful and sophisticated answers, ONLY when explicit research questions are posed

Good research question Who Where How When What

PICO

Problem Interventions Comparisons Outcomes

Clinical research questions Seeking causative relationships/links

Start where you are

‘…Leaving a nunnery…’ Requires background reading (quick

& dirty lit search) to enable narrowing focus

Discover what has been done already

Where controversy or doubt still exists

Research problem

A situation with a perplexing or enigmatic condition

The purpose of research is to solve the problem/contribute to its solution

Accumulating sufficient information to lead to an explanation/solution

Polit D & Hungler B 1997 Essentials of nursing research Lippincott. New York

The research problem

2. Narrow your interest/issue down to a plausible topic

Hourglass approach Russian doll test - cut it down to

size Clarify ambiguities What do the terms mean Interesting

Map/know the area

1. Identify sub problems What are the parts of your topic What is its history What can you use it for – what’s

its purpose2. Second literature review3. Define a rationale for your project

Question

Focused Relevant Answerable Leads somewhere General aim Focussed objectives

Clear Specific Answerable Interconnected Substantively relevant

Purpose

Find out what’s happening Ask questions Seek new insights Generate ideas Portray events/situations Explaining a

situation/problem/patterns Social action

Qualitative question

Understanding through phenomenology (how) students’ (who) experiences in completing a portfolio formal assessment (what) for a contemporary (when) university course in UK (where)

Research question framework

CONTENT COHERENCE STRUCTURE

Content

Should provide a clear focus on the issue

Coherence

Commence with an active verb: exploring, constructing, understanding

Incorporate relevant nouns: experiences, feelings, views

Indicate the methodology: action research, ethnography, case study

Structure

1. Who2. When3. Where4. What5. How

Why do 2nd year (when) medical students (who) at Glasgow University (where) prefer learning about ethics (what) in small groups (how) than large groups?

Hypothesis A specific tentative prediction of a research

answer To be tested empirically ie quantitative study Specify relationships between measurable

variables A priori EG older patients are more at risk of

experiencing a fall than younger patients Independent variable – cause/antecedent ie AGE Dependent variable – effect or aspect of

interest ie FALLS

Question evaluation

1. Does the question deal with a topic or issue that interests me enough to spark my own thoughts and opinions?

2. Is the question easily and fully researchable? Goldilocks test3. What type of information do I need to answer the research question?

E.g., The research question, "What impact has deregulation had on commercial airline safety?," will obviously require certain types of information:

statistics on airline crashes before and after statistics on other safety problems before and after information about maintenance practices before and after information about government safety requirements before and after

4. Is the scope of this information reasonable?5. Given the type and scope of the information that I need, is my question too

broad, too narrow, or okay? Russian doll test6. What sources will have the type of information that I need to answer the research

question (journals, books, Internet resources, government documents, people)? 7. Can I access these sources? 8. Given my answers to the above questions, do I have a good quality research

question that I actually will be able to answer by doing research?