Research Methodology

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Formulation of Research Topic

by

Nancy Chitera PhD

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 Research Questions: What do you
want to understand?
Most research approaches, research questions is
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the starting point

However, they need to be sensitive and adaptable
to the implications of other parts of the design

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 Functions of research questions
To explain specifically what your study will attempt
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to learn or understand
Help you to focus the study the questions
relationship to your purposes and conceptual
context
Gives you guidance on how to conduct your study
the relationship to methods and validity

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 Research Questions and other kinds
of questions
Research question is what you want to understand
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Other questions (practical questions) is what you

want to accomplish these should be part of your
purposes rather than part of your research
questions
Interview questions provide the data that you need
to understand things

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 3 specific distinctions among kinds
of research questions
Generalizing Question vs. particularizing questions
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Instrumentalist vs. realist questions

Variance vs. process questions

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 Generalizing Question vs.
particularizing questions
Belief that research questions be framed in general
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terms and then operationalize by means of specific

sampling and data collection
Example how do students deal with racial and
ethnic differences in multiracial schools vs. How do
students at North High School deal with racial and
ethnic difference?
Another example is How do kindergarten teachers
assess the readiness of children for first grade? Vs.
How do kindergarten teachers in this school assess
the readiness of children for first grade?
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 Instrumentalist vs. realist questions

Instrumentalist formulate their research questions in

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terms of observable or measurable questions

They are concerned with self-report bias like in this
e.g What if any are the effects on nurses of working
with rape victims?
Realist formulate their research questions in terms
of treating the data as fallible evidence about a
phenomenon (increased reliance on inference may
lead to draw on unwarranted conclusions)

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 Variance vs. process questions

Variance questions focus on difference and

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correlation e.g. Does, How much To what extent

and Is there
Process questions focus on how things happen
rather than a relationship between two variables.

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 Developing research questions
Begin by setting aside whatever research questions you
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already have and starting with your concept map

Next take your original research questions and compare
them to the map and the questions you generated from it
Next go through the same process with the memo you
wrote on your purposes
Now focus
Connect your questions to the methods you might use
Assess the potential answers to your research questions
in terms of validity

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 Characteristics of a good topic
must meet the requirements of the academic
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programme/ management and is pegged at the right

level.
must be from an area of your interest to ensure that
you remain motivated throughout the research study
period.
must be within the available resources (human, time
and finance).
must be chosen in an area where you are more
likely to access data easily.

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 Characteristics of a good topic..
must have clearly defined research questions and
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objectives and wherever possible must be linked to

a theory.
must match your career goals. A research project
may be considered as an opportunity to develop
expertise in a particular area.

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 Sources of research ideas
Everyday life : drawn from your experiences and
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come up with research topics.

Practical issues: drawn from problems or
opportunities;
Past research drawn from weaknesses/gaps in
previous research studies;
theory (i.e., explanations of phenomena) can be a
source of research ideas whereby you may be
interested to test the theory on another context,
validate the theory with new data set, modify the
theory for another set-up.
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 Practical and research problems
Practical (pragmatic) problems originate from real
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world and exert a cost in money, time, happiness

etc. Practical problems are solved by doing
something.
Research problems originate from our mind out of
incomplete knowledge or flawed understanding of a
phenomenon. Research problems are solved by
learning more about the issue or understanding it
better.

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 Relationship between practical and
research problems
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Practical
Helps to problem
solve motivates

Research Research
answers question

finds defines
Research
problem

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 Research question
Research question is researcher translation of the
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pragmatic problem into a specific need for inquiry.

The research question can be re-casted
appropriately into a hypothesis.
A hypothesis will take the form of a declaration.
Research questions are also pegged to the level of
the research.

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 Research objectives
This is the purpose of the research in measurable
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terms.
It is the definition of what the research should
accomplish.
It is linked to the research question or problem.
It specifies the information needed to make a
decision.
Normally, it is divided into two parts: overall
objective and specific objective.

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