Researchable Questions
Read Chapter 2 in your TopHat Text. Particularly 2.7.1.1
From this chapter you can understand that in general, research starts with careful observations and typically first uses other Qualitative methods (and inductive reasoning) to generate interesting hypotheses (intuitions/guess) about what is going on. From that work, Quantitative studies can be designed to test those hypotheses (using deductive reasoning). Failure to disconfirm a hypothesis, does not “prove” things. Instead, Science relies on the (somewhat aggressive) approach of many scientists trying to disprove each hypothesis and only after repeatedly rejecting the idea that the results could happen by chance, are the hypotheses slowly and always tentatively accepted as workably true (for now).
Next, read through these sample broad research questions posted on the Dept of Education’s Research website for early childhood. Note particularly that these are all compound questions (not good for research). Also note none of them can be answered with a simple Yes-No answer (very good for research).
Note: you will also be using TopHat text Chapter 2 for the Module on Correlation (Week 8).
Now take a look at the suggestions for good research questions from the Grand Canyon U’s CIRT center. Use these to guide your creation of some new researchable questions related to your Fall practicum.
Building a good testable hypothesis is a process. Here’s an informative 15 min YouTube video on the process for you to use, building from what your instinct tell you, to a fully formed hypothesis (and associated null hypothesis) and replications of research findings.
Your idea/guess ==> Research Question ==> testable Hypothesis ==> (statistical) null hypothesis
Note: This process should result in questions you can add to your Fall Research Project.
Where do we get our “human subjects?”
As a somewhat related issue to the topic of researchable questions, I would like to add, for your consideration, the question of where do we get our subjects? Later in the module on Ethics, we’ll delve into the many things you should consider when you hold a power/authority position over someone and then ask them to “volunteer” for your research. Parents and students can feel coerced to participate… and can feel awkward telling the teacher/researcher “no.” So researchers must be careful to find participants (APA style prefers to call the study participants a name that recognizes what they actually do, so “respondents” for those who take a survey, “learners” for those who are in a class, and at least “participants” for everyone else) in creative ways that respect personal data, and the option of all to not join the study for whatever reasons they may have. We have to keep in mind that our work should contribute some value and have broader impact, and that participants should have as enjoyable an experience as possible. But what do you think about something like Mechanical Turk, Amazon’s paid service for crowdsourced study participants? Is paying participants for their data a reasonable option and does that introduce any threats to the study? Do we only want data from those who need the money? It’s an interesting sidebar topic.
Essential Understanding:
Researchable questions (about wise tech integration) are not just any questions. They cannot have simple yes/no or single value answers. Rather, good classroom tech integration questions must address issues at a broader level of interest to the target audience (teachers). The form of the question often dictates the type of research method (quantitative or qualitative). Further, specific forms of analysis (correlations vs t-test) are often worded precisely to ask the question in the form in which our statistical tools can address them. Composing a good research question is itself a complex exercise in research methods.
UConn Library resources & Other Readings:
If you need more details about forming a research question, the UConn library provides a very useful set of links and videos.
Duke U Writing Center Suggestions for Good Researchable Questions (pdf)
