Lesson 7 stating research questions
- 2. IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS The research questions you formulate gives focus to the research, as well as guide the appropriacy of the decisions make. If the research questions are not clearly formulated, or have no direction, you will find yourself with too much data and yet not knowing what to do with them. The research question express clearly the specific direction or focus of your research problem or inquiry.
- 3. Types of Research Questions 1. Problem Questions-are general and explanatory and have a crucial influence on the form and content of topic questions. 2. Topic Questions- are specific and descriptive.
- 4. EXAMPLE OF PROBLEM QUESTIONS 1. How are a person’s identity, feelings, ideas and attitudes related to his or her social environment? A research project tackling this questions might focus on the individual’s attitudes towards emotions and intimacy in friendship or romantic partnerships, and how they are influenced by TV programmes, films and magazines. Another project might concentrate on whether or not certain individuals, such as those with low self-esteem are more susceptible than others to drug addiction.
- 5. EXAMPLE OF PROBLEM QUESTIONS 2. How do people influence each other’s behavior in social interaction either face to face or mediated through text, emails and mobile phones? Consider the following scenario: Two friends meet up and one reveals for the first time that they find the other attractive. A routine peck on the cheek suddenly becomes full-blown, passionate kiss, thus changing forever their relationship and their feelings towards one another.
- 6. EXAMPLE OF PROBLEM QUESTIONS 3. How does power influence human behavior and social activity? Power is everywhere in social life in different shapes and sizes and is an especially fruitful theme for small scale research. Thus, a research on intimacy might focus on the way the balance of control in close relationship determines whether or not they survive in the longer term.
- 7. TOPIC QUESTIONS Topic questions involve specific issues about the topic or the area of research interest. So topic questions about family for instance might include such things as how particular individuals define their roles or how family members relate to one another.