This is something that is an emerging concept to me as I move forward in this post graduate level of study (and of thinking).

  • The word focused is the first word that comes to mind.
  • What kind of research are you trying to do?  Basic? Applied? Evaluation? Action? Orientational?  (I’m sure there are more) This will have an enormous influence on how the question is developed.

After completing the Unit 1 readings, I also feel an effective research question is:

  • something that doesn’t lead to a number of other questions that then need to be answered before being able to proceed with the the initial one.

It is really a path that can take an infinite number of directions, which makes it all the more difficult.

  • It needs to be specific, but not pigeonholing.
  • It needs to be non biased.
  • The researcher needs to have considered what method they plan to use to collect data – qualitative, quantitative or mixed
  • How will generalizations affect it?
  • Is there evidence (not proof!!) that can be trusted?

I feel that like writing a thesis statement for an academic paper, formulating a research question is something that must be very carefully considered, and not taken lightly.  It is everything.  I can only imagine the frustration from not choosing wisely and then having to go back to the drawing board after months of data collection and research.

Asking a question frequently just results in more questions coming up…….