RESEARCH

Research

Research

Research Question

The research question is one of the first methodological steps that a researcher must take when undertaking an investigation. The research question should be worded precisely and clearly. The selection of the research question is the central element of both, both the quantitative research such as qualitative research and in some cases can precede the construction of a conceptual framework of the study to be performed. In all cases, makes more explicit the theoretical assumptions of the framework, and moreover, indicates that in which the researcher focuses its main and primary concern. The research question seeks to clarify the ideas and give direction and definition to a project, allowing the researcher to construct, from their interests, the linchpin of the investigation. The research question can be a statement or question about a phenomenon , accurately and clearly, so that it will emit the methods, procedures and instruments. Jhon Creswell proposed that for a research to be conduct, the main role of researcher is to identify the topic for which he is going to research or draft a research question as a integral part of the research. There are some issues in relation to the research question which a researcher should keep in mind.

Choosing the Right Research Question

Choosing the right research question involves a number of decisions that will shape both the research project and process. The “right” question has to involve several issues: an adequate knowledge of the area being considered for research, constructive support from a supervisor, and the time a researcher has to carry out the research. First, the researcher must have knowledge of the general and specific subject area. This knowledge may have been obtained from previous study; otherwise, research evidence from recent, published literature has to be examined. The researcher needs to realize that the research to be undertaken contributes to ongoing debates within a subject area being researched. Some students and academics do not realize that the rules and regulations that apply to senior researchers also apply to students and novice researchers at the undergraduate level (termed junior researchers). Literature reviews have to begin at the earliest possible stage of research because this knowledge has to inform the development of the research question. The first evidence base in research is published and edited literature, and the application of key and core texts within the subject has to inform the creation and evolution of the research question. This strategy suggests that the research question might have to change when a researcher acknowledges what has been published in a subject area.

A supervisor plays a crucial role in directing or nudging the researcher in the right direction. As Thomas Murray and Dale Brubaker suggest, that identification of potential/helpful sources in good for a researcher along with their limitations and advantages. The sources of most value are usually fellow graduate students, academic advisers, experts outside one's own institution or department, the researcher him- or herself, and the professional ...