Developing Your

Research Question

I know what general area, but

I’m not sure of my research question?

O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage.

Chapter Three 1
The Importance of Good Questions
A good research question:

 Defines the investigation

 Sets boundaries
 Provides direction

O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage.

Chapter Three 2
Defining Your Topic
If you are finding it a challenge to
generate a research topic you can:

 Hone in on your passions

 Use your curiosity
 Look for inspiration from the creative arts
 Develop ‘right brain’ skills such as concept
mapping
O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage.
Chapter Three 3
Concept Map of Potential
Research Topics

O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage.

Chapter Three 4
Minding Practicalities
Research directions are not always at the
full discretion of the researcher.
Practicalities include:

 Appropriateness of the topic

 Your ability to get supervisory support
 Funding opportunities and commitments

O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage.

Chapter Three 5
From Interesting Topics to
Researchable Questions
An ‘angle’ for your research can come
from insights stemming from:

 personal experience
 theory
 observations
 contemporary issues
 engagement with the literature

O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage.

Chapter Three 6
Narrowing and Clarifying
 Narrowing, clarifying, and even
redefining your questions is essential to
the research process.
 Forming the right ‘questions’ should be
seen as an iterative process that is
informed by reading and doing at all
stages.

O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage.

Chapter Three 7
Cycles of Research
Question Development

O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage.

Chapter Three 8
The Concept Map Revisited
Do parents teach
their daughters that You’re
worth is dependent so You look so
on external beauty? pretty!! nice in that!
Attraction to
opposite sex

Compliments

Desire to be
popular Peers
Poor Self Parents
Image in Weight
School Young Girls obsessed
ridicule mother

Diet ads
Do young girls Media
have an unrealistic
perception of
normal? Size of ‘stars’
is newsworthy
Thin TV
Stars Magazine
Models

O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage.

Chapter Three 9
The Hypothesis Dilemma
 Hypotheses are designed to express
relationships between variables. If this
is the nature of your question, a
hypothesis can add to your research
 If your question is more descriptive or
explorative, generating a hypothesis
may not be appropriate

O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage.

Chapter Three 10
The Hypothesis Dilemma
A hypothesis may not be appropriate if:
 You do not have a hunch or educated guess about a
particular situation
 You do not have a set of defined variables.
 Your question centres on phenomenological
description (see Chapter 9)
 Your question centres on an ethnographic study of a
cultural group (see Chapter 9) 
 Your aim is to engage in, and research, the process
of collaborative change (see Chapter 10)

O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage.

Chapter Three 11
Good Question Checklist
 Is the question right for me?

 Will the question hold my interest?

 Can I manage any potential
biases/subjectivities I may have?

O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage.

Chapter Three 12
Good Question Checklist
  Is the question right for the field?

 Will the findings be considered

significant?
 Will it make a contribution?

O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage.

Chapter Three 13
Good Question Checklist
 Is the question well articulated?

 Are the terms well-defined?

 Are there any unchecked assumptions?
 

O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage.

Chapter Three 14
Good Question Checklist
 Is the question doable?

 Can information be collected in an attempt to answer the

question?
 Do I have the skills and expertise necessary to access this
information? If not, can the skills be developed?
 Will I be able to get it all done within my time constraints?
 Are costs likely to exceed my budget?
 Are there any potential ethics problems?
 
O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage.
Chapter Three 15
Good Question Checklist
 Does the question get the tick of
approval from those in the know?

 Does my supervisor think I am on the

right track?
 Do ‘experts’ in the field think my
question is relevant/ important/ doable?
O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage.
Chapter Three 16