Using Good Questions to Guide Your Research by Mary

Using Good Questions to Guide Your Research

Published on Nov 18, 2015

Topic to research questions and narrowing down a topic

View Outline

Narrowing a Topic and Developing a Research Question

WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THE ISSUE?

After choosing a topic and gathering background informatioN

Slide Notes

Using Good Questions to Guide Your Research

MORE DECKS TO EXPLORE

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

Using Good Questions

Measure your questions to see if they are an inch or a mile deep!

INCH DEEP Questions-Requires a yes or no answer-Do not make good research questions

Examples:Was the Declaration of Independence signed on July 4th, 1776?Is Baltimore the capital of Maryland?Did the United States win the World Cup in 2006?

FOOT DEEP Questions-Require short one or two word answers-Do not make good research questions

Examples: How many people live in Maryland? What is the average temperature in July?Who wrote the Star-Spangled Banner?

YARD DEEP Questions-Require you to read several paragraphs-Put the information in your own words-Good research questions

Examples:How does a model rocket fly?Which states have greater natural resources than Maryland?What caused the American Revolution?

MILE DEEP Questions-Require that you read several articles -Think deeply about what you have read-Synthesize what you learned with what you know-Great questions to guide your research

Examples: How do culture, religion, and geography affect world hunger?How can a schoolyard provide the living, non-living, and once-living factors necessary for the survival of a variety of native species?How do American citizens decide who to vote for in a presidential election?

Narrowing Your topic

May not know your research question right awayGather information on the broader topicExplore new possibilities to narrow your topic

Choose an interesting topic

Gather background information

Ask yourself:- What subtopics relate to the broader topic?- What questions do these sources raise?- What do you find interesting about the topic?

Consider Your audience

Add focus with a Research Question

EXPLORE QUESTIONS - Ask open-ended “how” and “why”- Consider the “so what” Why does this topic matter to you?Why should it matter to others?- Reflect on considered questions-Identify one or two questions for further research

DETERMINE and EVALUATE- What aspect of the more general topic you will explore?- Is your research question clear?- Is your research question focused?(Must be specific)- Is your research question complex?(Should be a simple yes/no answer and requires research and analysis)

HYPOTHESIZECome up with a questionConsider the path of your answer- If you are making an argument, what will you say?- Why does your argument matter?- How might others challenge your argument?- What kind of sources will you need to support your argument?

sample research questions

CLARITYUnclear: Why are social networking sites harmful?Clear: How are online users experiencing or addressing privacy issues on social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook?

FOCUSEDUnfocused: What is the effect on the environment from global warming?Focused: How is glacial melting affecting penguins in Antarctica?

SIMPLE vs. COMPLEXToo simple: How are doctors addressing diabetes in the U.S.?Appropriately complex: What are common traits of those suffering from diabetes in America, and how can these commonalities be used to aid the medical community in prevention of the disease?

Any Questions

Mary Petty

Error!

INCH DEEP Questions

-Requires a yes or no answer

-Do not make good research questions

Examples:

Was the Declaration of Independence signed on July 4th, 1776?

Is Baltimore the capital of Maryland?

Did the United States win the World Cup in 2006?

FOOT DEEP Questions

-Require short one or two word answers

-Do not make good research questions

Examples:

How many people live in Maryland?

What is the average temperature in July?

Who wrote the Star-Spangled Banner?

YARD DEEP Questions

-Require you to read several paragraphs

-Put the information in your own words

-Good research questions

Examples:

How does a model rocket fly?

Which states have greater natural resources than Maryland?

What caused the American Revolution?

MILE DEEP Questions

-Require that you read several articles

-Think deeply about what you have read

-Synthesize what you learned with what you know

-Great questions to guide your research

Examples:

How do culture, religion, and geography affect world hunger?

How can a schoolyard provide the living, non-living, and once-living factors necessary for the survival of a variety of native species?

How do American citizens decide who to vote for in a presidential election?

May not know your research question right away

Gather information on the broader topic

Explore new possibilities to narrow your topic

Ask yourself:

- What subtopics relate to the broader topic?

- What questions do these sources raise?

- What do you find interesting about the topic?

EXPLORE QUESTIONS

- Ask open-ended “how” and “why”

- Consider the “so what”

Why does this topic matter to you?

Why should it matter to others?

- Reflect on considered questions

-Identify one or two questions for further research

DETERMINE and EVALUATE

- What aspect of the more general topic you will explore?

- Is your research question clear?

- Is your research question focused?(Must be specific)

- Is your research question complex?
(Should be a simple yes/no answer and requires research and analysis)

HYPOTHESIZE

Come up with a question

Consider the path of your answer

- If you are making an argument, what will you say?

- Why does your argument matter?

- How might others challenge your argument?

- What kind of sources will you need to support your argument?

CLARITY

Unclear: Why are social networking sites harmful?

Clear: How are online users experiencing or addressing privacy issues on social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook?

FOCUSED

Unfocused: What is the effect on the environment from global warming?

Focused: How is glacial melting affecting penguins in Antarctica?

SIMPLE vs. COMPLEX

Too simple: How are doctors addressing diabetes in the U.S.?

Appropriately complex: What are common traits of those suffering from diabetes in America, and how can these commonalities be used to aid the medical community in prevention of the disease?