How to formulate a research question. Ghebghoub

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Research Methods
Week 1: How to formulate a research question?
Dr. Souheyla Ghebghoub

Research Methods is designed to help you prepare
for your dissertation but it does not guarantee that
you will pass the dissertation.
How to formulate a research question?
Aims
To develop an understanding of
• How to formulate research questions
• Key features of good research questions
Learning Outcomes
• Develop research questions of an appropriate scale for a
masters dissertation
Research questions (RQs) aim to address and solve a problem
A good RQ defines exactly what you would like to find out
• I want to know what teachers think about exam questions.

• I want to know why my students make pronunciation mistakes when
giving presentations.
• I want to know what teachers think about the efficiency of language
labs in the department.
• I want to know how students’ perceptions towards their chosen
discipline change over the years (after 3 years of study).
One main area of
interest How can
we develop
1 or 2 broad a research
research questions
question?
2 or 3 specific
RQs for each
broad RQ
How to formulate a research question?
Gap in the research/literature
Problematization
• Narrow literature coverage
• In-depth readings of key texts
• Challenging existing literature
• Questioning what is taken for granted
Neglect
• Theoretical, i.e., not enough information in the literature
• Practical (personal experience) e.g., a new technology,
Examples of research questions 1
Research topic area
Online learning in educational institutions in Algeria
Research question (main)

What are the perceptions of EFL teachers on online learning in Algerian
universities?
Research question (specific)
What challenges did EFL university students in Algeria face when moving
from face-to-face learning to online instruction at the beginning of the
COVID-19 pandemic?
Research topic area
Use of target language in the classroom
Research questions
1. Are there any differences between more and less experienced
teachers’ use of the target language?
a. Do more experienced teachers use more target language

than less experienced teachers?
b. Do more experienced teachers use target language for
different functions in the classroom compared to less
experienced teachers?
Task 1 (3 minutes)
• Work with a partner
• Try to identify the features of research questions that might

lead to a successful dissertation
Task 2 (3 minutes)
You are a researcher and you would like to contribute to some
changes in primary education. You feel that teachers and
parents are unhappy about the current curriculum and
teaching materials in primary schools, and you want to find out
the reasons.
Design one research question based on this scenario.

Answerable Related Manageable
Original unambiguous
Purpose
Population
Variables Coherent
Research topic area
EFL University students’ critical thinking
Research questions
How does active participation in classroom discussions enhance EFL

university students’ critical thinking skills?
Task 3 (3 minutes)
• Work with a partner.
• From your ideas, formulate one research question in a topic

area of your choice
• Be prepared to share your example with us.

Characteristics of good research questions
They should be neither too broad (so that you would need a massive grant to
study them) nor too narrow (so that you cannot make a reasonably significant
contribution to your area of study).
They should be able to make an original contribution—however small—to the

topic.
They should be linked to each other.
They should have some connection(s) with established theory and research.
Bryman, A. (2015). Social research methods. (Fifth ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Characteristics of good research questions
They should guide the design of the study.
They should be formulated in a way that indicates the type of research.
They should explicitly state the specific issue you are addressing
What is
the difference
Between a
research question
and a hypothesis?
INDUCTIVE DEDUCTIVE
Observation Confirmation
Pattern
VS Observation
Hypothesis Hypothesis
Theory Theory
Research Hypothesis
Question • Predictive in nature
• Inquisitive in nature • A prediction about a
• A question relationship
• Can be used even with little • Developed based on previous
previous knowledge knowledge
• Qualitative and quantitative • Experimental, quantitative
nature nature
• Wide range of outcomes • Limited outcomes
Examples of hypotheses 1
Research Question
Are there differences in university admission for private school compared

to public school students?
Hypothesis
It was predicted that private school students would have
(a high probability of acceptance at universities)
(more likely to be enrolled in higher education)
than public school students.
Examples of hypotheses 2
Research Question
Do more experienced teachers use more target language than less

experienced teachers?
Hypothesis
It was predicted that teaching experience is positively related to the
use of the target language in the classroom.
Thank you! Questions?

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Dr. Souheyla Ghebghoub

• I want to know what teachers think about exam questions.

Research topic area

Online learning in educational institutions in Algeria

Research question (main)

Research topic area

Use of target language in the classroom

a. Do more experienced teachers use more target language

• Work with a partner

• Try to identify the features of research questions that might

Design one research question based on this scenario.

Research topic area

EFL University students’ critical thinking

How does active participation in classroom discussions enhance EFL

• Work with a partner.

• From your ideas, formulate one research question in a topic

• Be prepared to share your example with us.

They should be able to make an original contribution—however small—to the

They should be linked to each other.

They should guide the design of the study.

They should be formulated in a way that indicates the type of research.

Are there differences in university admission for private school compared

Do more experienced teachers use more target language than less

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