GRASP - Graduate Research Advanced Skills Program

CANDIDACY PROPOSAL SERIES

2 Developing & refining your research questions

In this workshop, students will

clarify their understanding of the
differences between topic,
hypothesis, research question
and thesis statement, and learn
how to develop and refine a
clear, provocative and
researchable question.
 2 Develop & refine your research question

AIMS OF TODAY’S CLASS

By the end of the workshop, participants will

 have considered how to move from research problem to research question

 understand the criteria for making and evaluating an effective research question

 have practiced refining their own problem statement and research question

 appreciate that the research question can (and perhaps should?) change over time
 2 Develop & refine your research question

“ The PhD question…is an elusive thing.

It’s an intellectual horizon; the closer you approach, the further it recedes.

The more I read (and read and…) the more detail and controversy appears

from which I could fashion a specific, unique, significant question.

Which naturally makes it all the more difficult to select one! ”

Paula Hanasz (Dec. 4. 2013, The thesis whisperer)

You don’t want to be metaphorically hitting at the piñata, to see what research questions might happen to ‘fall out’.
It’s necessary to be more systematic than that.
 2 Develop & refine your research questions

What is a research question?

To think about how to answer this, a certain process is first elaborated:

 A problem statement is a response to a particular situation, state of affairs,

idea or understanding of the state of affairs.

 A research question is a response to a problem statement.

 A hypothesis or thesis statement is a response to a research question.

2 Develop & refine your research questions

What is a research question?

Use the Q and A format

Q. “To what extent have primary land-use decisions, surface characteristics and anthropogenic
activities contributed to climate variability in global megacities over the past 50 years?”

R. “ Despite the relative importance of surface characteristics and anthropogenic activities,

this research shows that primary land-use decisions have had the greatest impact on climate
variability in global megacities over the past 50 years.”
2 Develop & refine your research questions

“A good research question helps to:

Why is a
research • guide the research process
question so
• construct a logical argument
important?
• write a literature review

• plan thesis chapters

• devise efficient search strategies.”

https://airs.library.qut.edu.au/docs/AIRS_1_EngagePreliminarySearchRetrieve_20180206.pdf
 2 Develop & refine your research questions

Why is a
research
question so
important?

Focusing Your Literature Review | The Learning Centre – Online Programs

http://studyskills.curtin.edu.au/better-writing/literature-review/focusing-your-literature-review/
 2 Develop & refine your research questions

NAMING THE PROBLEM

Jacobs (2013), three-part problem statement

1. Principle proposition a statement that is true/generally accepted

2. Interacting proposition - contradicts the principal proposition

3. Speculative proposition juxtaposes the previous two findings

2 Develop & refine your research questions

NAMING THE PROBLEM

Jacobs’ three-part problem statement -
an example

1. Principle proposition “On the whole, the literature shows that

anthropogenic activities have had a significant impact on

climate variability in global megacities over the last 50

years”.

2. Interacting proposition “In recent years, however, the methodologies and

assumptions used for measuring the climate variability
effects of anthropogenic activities in global
megacities have been questioned by researchers in a
number of disciplines.”

3. Speculative proposition “Rather than anthropogenic activities, it is hypothesised

that land-use decisions have had the greatest impact on
climate variability in global megacities over the last 50
2 Develop & refine your research questions

PROBLEMATIZATION as a methodology

for generating research questions

(Alvesson & Sandberg, 2011.)

• ‘Gap-spotting’ is the most common way of generating questions

• ‘Gap-spotting’ often does not lead to development of more interesting or

influential theories and findings

• ‘Gap-spotting’ criticizes the literature for a deficiency, but usually

does not challenge the underlying assumptions of the literature
2 Develop & refine your research questions
PROBLEMATIZATION as a methodology

for generating research questions

(Alvesson & Sandberg, 2011.)

• Problematization challenges assumptions upon which the literature is built

• Problematization and ‘gap-spotting’ are not necessarily mutually exclusive

• Problematization involves taking a meta-theoretical perspective

• Problematization requires the ability for reflexivity

2 Develop & refine your research questions

PROBLEMATIZATION as a methodology for generating research questions

CHALLENGE ASSUMPTIONS

‘Assumptions work as a starting point for knowledge production since they always
involve some suppositions or…prejudices about the subject matter in question.’
(Alvesson & Sandberg, 2011, p.253.)

AIM

‘to [generate] novel research questions through a dialectical

interrogation of one’s familiar position, other stances, and the
literature domain targeted for assumption challenging.’
(Alvesson & Sandberg, 2011, p.260.)
 2 Develop & refine your research questions

A TYPOLGY OF ASSUMPTIONS OPEN TO PROBLEMATIZATION

(Alvesson & Sandberg, 2011.)

‘In house’ assumptions exist within a school of thought: e.g. positivism –

knowledge is only constructed empirically and inductively
through sensory experience, observation, measurement and description of
phenomena

‘Root metaphor’ assumptions generalized public image of a subject matter; e.g.

organisations as ‘cultures’; climate change science as ‘left-wing’

‘Paradigm’ assumptions ontological, epistemological, methodological

assumptions underlying a particular literature; e.g.
‘interpretive’ versus ‘positivist’ conceptual framework

‘Ideology’ assumptions political, historical, ethical, gender, and class-related assumptions

‘Field’ assumptions shared by different schools of thought within a paradigm

*Be careful not to challenge assumptions in a superficial way!

 2 Develop & refine your research questions

PROBLEMATIZATION as a methodology for generating research questions

Principles for identifying and challenging assumptions

(Alvesson & Sandberg, 2011. p.260)

1. Identify a domain of literature ‘What main bodies of literature and key texts make up the domain?’

2. Identify and articulate assumptions ‘What major assumptions underlie the literature?’

3. Evaluate articulated assumptions ‘Are the identified assumptions worthy to be challenged?’

4. Develop alternative assumptions ‘What alternative assumptions can be developed?’

5. Relate assumptions to audience ‘What major audiences hold the challenged assumptions?’

6. Evaluate alternative assumptions ‘Are the alternative assumptions likely to generate an interesting theory?’
 2 Develop & refine your research questions

Criteria for a good research question (Foss, 2015)

 Clearly identifies the theoretical construct you are studying. (the phenomenon you want to learn about)

 Contains some suggestion of recognisability of the theoretical construct. ( the wording of the construct is specific & clear)

 Transcends your data. (the question should be more abstract than the specific data)

 Identifies your study’s contribution to an understanding of the theoretical construct. (name what happens to the theoretical

construct)

 Has the capacity to surprise. (if you already know the answer – you are not dong research)

 Can produce robust results (the capacity to produce complex results and multiple insights)
The Research Question: Video (AIRS – QUhttps://mediawarehouse.qut.edu.au/QMW/player/?dID=27746&dDocName=QMW_025702
2 Develop & refine your research questions
Foss’ criteria adapted by QUT ‘AIRS’ program

https://airs.library.qut.edu.au/docs/AIRS_1_EngagePreliminarySearchRetrieve_20
180206.pdf
 2 Develop & refine your research questions
Foss’ criteria adapted by QUT ‘AIRS’ program

QUT | media warehouse | Player

https://mediawarehouse.qut.edu.au/QMW/player/?dID=27746&dDocName=QMW_025702
 2 Develop & refine your research questions

“Examples of how to begin research questions which typically produce robust findings” (Foss, 2015. P.43):

“What is the nature of…” “How do…affect…”

“What are the functions of…” “What are the effects of…”

“What are the mechanisms by which…” “What is the relationship between…”

“How do….perceive…” “ How are…defined…”

“What factors affect…” “How do…differ…”

“What strategies are used…” “Under what conditions do…”

2 Develop & refine your research questions

KEEP IN MIND
 The response to the research question is the ‘thesis statement’ (central claim – the ‘big idea’)
of the thesis.

 An effective thesis statement may have ‘tension’ and complexity.

You could use an ‘A’ and ‘B’ structure, qualifying the claim:

“Although it has been widely claimed that ‘A’ is the case…this research will show that ‘B’
is a more accurate way of explaining/describing…”

 The question needs to match the length and scope of the thesis.

 Get the balance right - not too broad or narrow.

 2 Develop & refine your research questions

REFERENCES

Alvesson, M & Jorgen Sandberg, 2011. “Generating research questions through problematization.” Academy of
management review. 36 (2). 247-271.

Fielder, J. 2018. http://studyskills.curtin.edu.au/better-writing/literaturereview/focusing-your-literature-review/

Foss, S. 2015. “Developing your itinerary: the preproposal”. Destination dissertation: a traveller’s guide to a done
dissertation. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. 35-76.

Hanasz P. 2013. “The PhD piñata (or, groping for research questions)” The Thesis Whisperer (Dec. 4. 2013).
https://thesiswhisperer.com/2013/12/04/the-phd-pinata-or-groping-for-research-questions/
https://airs.library.qut.edu.au/docs/AIRS_1_EngagePreliminarySearchRetrieve_20180206.pdf

https://mediawarehouse.qut.edu.au/QMW/player/?dID=27746&dDocName=QMW_025702

Jacobs, R. 2013. “Developing a dissertation research problem: a guide for doctoral students in
human resource development and adult education”. New Horizons in Adult Education and Human
Resource Development. 25. 103-117.