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Crafting Research Purpose and Questions

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9 views2 pages

Crafting Research Purpose and Questions

Uploaded by

shahinaah369
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

1

Writing Your Research Problem, Purpose and Question(s)

The problem statement illustrates what’s wrong, what’s missing, what we


don’t know or need to know better, and what needs to be done. It is
Research Problem grounded in literature and goes beyond a gut feeling. The problem
Why? statement may refer to current political/social issues. It provides a
rationale for the study. This should be synthesized in 1-2 paragraphs
followed by your research purpose. research question(s).

A purpose statement conveys the overall intent of your research in a single


Research Purpose sentence. It indicates what you intend to accomplish and establishes the
How? central direction for your research. The purpose statement should flow
logically from your problem statement.

Example purpose statement script:


The purpose of this study is to ___________ (understand, describe, compare, etc.) how educators
(specify your study participants) ___________ (experience, describe, facilitate, etc.) topic X (a broad
social phenomenon). For the purpose of this study, topic X will be defined as ___________ (a general
definition of the social phenomenon central to your study).*
*This script does not need to be used verbatim.

Example of a draft research problem statement (research problem and purpose)


Despite Canada’s pronounced commitment to diversity and inclusion, research suggests that not only
are English language learners commonly excluded from meaningful teaching and learning
opportunities and classroom community, but exclusionary practices impact ELL engagement in school,
their mental health, and their academic success (Gilbert, 1999; Michaels, 2001; Royce, 2005). While
effective approaches for being responsive to the needs of ELLs have been identified (Storm, 2014;
Verner, 2016), research has found that a key barrier to their implementation is teacher assumptions
about what ELLs are capable of (Morton, 2012; Patterson, 2015; Telmon, 2018). In light of this, the
purpose of my research is to learn what key experiences contribute to teacher beliefs about ELLs and
their academic abilities.

A research question guides and centres your research. It restates the


Research purpose of your research in more specific terms; it narrows it. A research
Question(s) question can consist of a single, overarching central question and up to
three sub-questions.
2
Research Question Checklist

Please use this checklist when crafting/considering your research question(s):

 Is your question clear, focused and specific? Does it focus on a single phenomenon, idea or
concept?
 Is your question in an inquiry mode? E.g., How… In what ways… What range of…
 Is your question overly simplistic? Research questions should not be answerable with a simple
‘yes’ or ‘no’ or via easily-found facts. They should, instead, require both research and analysis
on the part of the researcher.
 Is your question researchable within our course time frame?
 Does your question avoid being ‘loaded’ or ‘leading’? In other words, have you removed your
(personal) assumptions from the question?
 Does your question outline the research context? The question should indicate your sample,
for example, your study participants (e.g., teachers, school administrators, etc.), or research
objects (e.g., textbooks, curriculum guidelines, etc.), as well as the setting in which your
study will be conducted (e.g., elementary/secondary, rural, Ontario).
 Does your question pass the ‘so what’ test? Is the question meaningful to you and the
education community?
 If applicable, is each sub-question connected to your central question? Do the sub-questions
help to manage the exploration of your central question?

Common questions

Powered by AI

Exclusionary practices present challenges such as reduced engagement, deteriorating mental health, and lower academic success for ELLs. However, they also present opportunities to investigate and reform teacher beliefs and educational practices, fostering a more inclusive and supportive learning environment .

A purpose statement conveys the overall intent of the research and establishes its central direction, while a research question restates this purpose in more specific terms, providing focus. Alignment is achieved as the research question flows logically from the problem and purpose statements, ensuring coherence and clarity in research goals .

A well-structured research problem statement should identify what is wrong or missing in the current understanding, grounded in existing literature. It sets the rationale and necessity for the study, establishing a foundational basis for subsequent research direction and purpose .

Understanding teacher beliefs is crucial as these beliefs significantly influence classroom practices and attitudes towards ELLs. By addressing and reshaping these beliefs, educators can develop more inclusive strategies that cater to the diverse needs of ELLs, promoting better engagement and academic success .

Teacher assumptions about the capabilities of English language learners are identified as a key barrier to implementing effective educational approaches. These assumptions contribute to exclusionary practices, impacting ELL engagement, mental health, and academic success .

Specific and focused research questions guide the study efficiently, narrowing down the phenomenon under investigation. This specificity facilitates targeted data collection and analysis, ultimately leading to clearer and more conclusive research outcomes .

Ensuring research questions pass the 'so what' test is crucial as it makes questions meaningful to the researcher and the education community. It ensures the research addresses significant issues, enhancing its impact and relevance .

Sub-questions should be directly connected to the central question, addressing different aspects to facilitate comprehensive exploration. Each should be designed to fill in specific knowledge gaps and collectively build towards answering the main question .

A research question avoids being loaded or leading by removing personal assumptions and biases from its formulation. This ensures the question is objective and does not guide the researcher toward a predetermined conclusion .

Defining the context and sample provides clarity on the scope and boundaries of the research. This precise understanding helps formulate research questions that are relevant and tailored to the specific environment and participants, thus enhancing the study’s validity and applicability .

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