What is a Research Question?

  • Section 2.1 p. 9-12, Section 2.3 p. 15-16

  • When answered, will improve understanding of how the world works.

  • There exists data when found results in believable answer

  • Can be Answerable with evidence: Avoid ambiguous questions such as “best”

  • It should inform theory: answer something broader than itself

  • Theory

    • Tells us why
    • May be True or False - but explains why we might see outcomes

  • Good Question takes us from Theory to Hypothesis

    • When answered improves ability to explain why
    • If this is how the world works, what should I expect to observe?
    • Gives us something new about why

  • Theory -> Research Question or Research Question -> Theory

  • Right data for right questions

  • Two Checks for Condition for Research Question:

    1. Could we answer the question?
    2. Does the question tell us about how the world works?

  • Checks if Research Question Informs Theory:

    1. Would unexpected result change your understanding of the world?
    2. If unexpected result doesn’t change understanding, then bad question
    3. If answered, hard to explain away if inconvenient