Defining your research question ANZMAC DOCTORAL COLLOQUIUM ADELAIDE, 2003 Prof. Geoff Soutar

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Defining your research questionANZMAC DOCTORAL
COLLOQUIUMADELAIDE, 2003Prof. Geoff Soutar
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Every research study is unique

• So it is impossible to develop a set of rules
  that ensure a successful research program
• Theres no such thing as right or wrong in
  formulating a research plan or in getting a
  good research question
• There are some useful guidelines, however

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The doctoral process some relevant quotes To
the deepest, darkest part of the forest So that
we can all find our way out together! Lost in
the wilderness A Sisyphean struggle Like
learning a Martian language Yours???
Mine!!! Keep focused on a happy ending!
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A Sisyphean struggle
In Greek legend Sisyphus was punished in Hades
for his misdeeds in life by being condemned
eternally to roll a heavy stone up a hill. As he
neared the top, the stone rolled down again, so
his labour was everlasting and futile.
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Research should be
A disciplined approach to inquiry A tool for
testing, as well as generating, theories A method
to confirm our hunches A systematic way of
defining and answering research questions A
blueprint for subjecting work to proper
examination
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What is and what isnt research?
Research Is Research Is Not Disciplined
Editorialising  Systematic
Opinionated Objective
Subjective Conclusions based upon Evidence
Conclusions based on beliefs
or conjecture Scientific
Observation Dogmatic Structured
Unstructured Seeking to disprove the
researchers Seeking to
defend researchers assumption
assumption Meaningful, productive, and useful
research depends on the development of
appropriate research questions, the
identification of appropriate constructs and the
confidence we can have in our findings.
Confidence is related to the extent to which we
can control or eliminate bias, error and
extraneous or interfering variables.
Experts good researchers know good research
when they see it!
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Most research builds on what has come before
Research isnt usually done in a vacuum
Even ground-breaking research usually relies on
previous work in that field or in a related
field Good science is usually incremental there
are not many major breakthroughs especially in a
doctorate

• Know your subject!
• A thorough literature search is essential
• Identify seminal papers understand their
  results
• Pay attention to the details
• Are there simplifying assumptions that need to be
  tested?
• Are connections between key results by different
  researchers being ignored?

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Try for incremental progress (think small!)

• Brainstorm or deconstruct the state of the art
  in your very specific area and choose ONE OR
  MAYBE TWO GOOD IDEA(S) to pursue
• Doctorates are generally not rejected for being
  too narrowly focused, but may be rejected for
  being too broad in scope and, hence, unfocused
• Reduce the scope of your project to the minimum
  necessary to make progress
• However be clear on the importance of your
  incremental progress in improving our
  understanding of the Big Picture
• But, how do we find the ONE OR TWO GOOD IDEAS

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First there is a creative phase

• THIS IS HARD TO TEACH
• WE NEED INSIGHT
• We want to discover
• NEW IDEAS,
• NEW INSIGHTS OR NEW THEORIES (IDEAS)

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Finding a research problem to investigate

• Current events
• Suggestions from past dissertations
• Suggestions from research by authorities in your
  field
• Theories and concepts without research (in your
  field)
• Different approaches to testing important results
  that have already been found

Talk to your supervisor and others in your School
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Can think of process as an hour glass
Source http//trochim.human.cornell.edu/kb/strucr
es.htm
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Use the problem solving logic of some Nobel Prize
Winners

• Steps to come up with new knowledge our
  research question

• Identify what is KNOWN
• Identify what is UNKNOWN
• Do the KNOWNS tell us anything about the
  UNKNOWNS? (make a list)
• COMBINE the KNOWNS with UNKOWNS
  to see if there is a new and important
  research question that is worth a doctorate

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Booth et al. - From Topics to Questions

• Look at the area from a number of view points
• Identify its parts and wholes
• Trace its history and changes
• Identify its categories and characteristics
• Determine its value to you as well
• Review and rearrange your answers

Booth, Wayne, Gregory Colomb, and Joseph Williams
(1995) "Ch. 3 From Topics to Questions Quick
Tip Finding Topics," The Craft of Research,
Chicago, Ill The University of Chicago Press,
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Booth et al. - From Topics to Questions

• 4. Define a rationale for your project.
• Name your topic
• I am learning about/working on.
• Suggest the question
• Because I want to find out
• Motivate the question
• In order to understand how or why

Booth, Wayne, Gregory Colomb, and Joseph Williams
(1995) "Ch. 3 From Topics to Questions Quick
Tip Finding Topics," The Craft of Research,
Chicago, Ill The University of Chicago Press,
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IDENTIFY A PRELIMINARY RESEARCH TOPIC

• Make a list of relevant ideas or concepts (2)
• LINK the various ideas and concepts
• WRITE the link as a QUESTION (if possible)

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Next, the preliminary research phase

• You need to learn about your topic
• SEARCH
• Library
• Online Internet
• Other peoples minds
• for insights

• You also need to determine
• What are the key questions in your area?
• Any relevant findings?
• What concepts theories are important?
• Who are the key researchers?
• What key questions dont seem to have been
  answered already?

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End goals of preliminary research phase

• A literature survey not yet a review
• A revised (or refined) research question
• A theoretical perspective (a model!)
• One or more testable hypotheses (in the model!)
• Some sense of the feasibility of the study that
  is needed to answer the research question (e.g.
  are data sources available?)

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Criteria of a good research question

• Explicit (distinct testable concepts)
• Clear (Meaning obvious and clear
  relationships between concepts)
• Original
• Testable
• Has theoretical significance or managerial
  relevance (can be basic or applied research)

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You should restate problem in a testable form

• Should be a grammatically complete question
• We need one or more hypotheses phrased as
  grammatically complete sentences
• Should be phrased as a positive, empirical
  assertion, Such as there is a relationship
  between X Y
• As brand loyalty weakens, market shares will
  become more volatile

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Davis Parker - Selection of a dissertation topic

• Factors to consider
• The research is needed and is interesting
• There is a theory base for the research
• Research methods are available to solve problem
• Achievable in a reasonable time
• Matches your capabilities and interest
• May get some funding

Gordon and Parker (1997) "Ch. 4, The Selection,
Ch. 6, Selection of a Topic," Writing the
Doctoral Dissertation, 2nd ed., Hauppauge, NY
Barron's Educational Series
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Glatthorn (Writing the Winning Dissertation)
makes some useful points

• Make a Personal Assessment about the problem you
  want to investigate need to look at
• Professional Significance
• Personal Interest
• Career Advancement Possibilities
• Likely Support
• Time Required
• Professional Knowledge, Experience, and Skills

Glatthorn (1998) "Ch. 2 Finding a Research
Problem," Thousand Oaks, CA Corwin Press (A
Sage Publication)
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After this phase you should look at the problem
you now have and ask
Is it YOU? Is it interesting to your supervisor
and/or prospective employers? Are you well
grounded in the literature so you can position
yourself in the field? Is it manageable, given
your time frame, resources and the availability
of data sources? Is it within your range of
competence? Is it significant in theoretical
and/or practical terms? Is it original? Does it
take you where you want to go?
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You want a SMART research problem Specific,
Manageable, Achievable, Realistic
Time-bound You also want a research problem that
Excites you Turns you on Creates passion You
will be living with this problem for some years,
so you had better choose something that will last
for you
The best thesis is a done thesis!
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START WRITING! KEEP WRITING!

• W R I T E!
• Write daily (think of it as exercise!)
• Dont be embarrassed!
• Dont be discouraged!
• Quantity first, quality later!
• Refine and update Continuously!
• Your enemies are procrastination perfectionism
• The worst enemy is yourself!
• KEEP WRITING!

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You might find these books useful reading
Frost, P. and Stablein, R. (eds.) (1992). Doing
Exemplary Research. Sage Publications Thousand
Oaks, CA. Frost, P. and Taylor, M. S. (eds.)
(1996). Rhythms of Academic Life. Sage
Publications Thousand Oaks, CA.