defining your research question anzmac doctoral colloquium adelaide, 2003 prof. geoff soutar

1. Defining your research question

8. Most research builds on what has come before 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?

9. 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

10. 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)

13. Use the problem solving logic of some Nobel Prize Winners Steps to come up with �new knowledge� � our research question

14. 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 et al. - From Topics to Questions

15. 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 et al. - From Topics to Questions

16. 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)

17. Next, the preliminary research phase You need to learn about your topic SEARCH Library Online & Internet Other people�s 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 don�t seem to have been answered already?

18. 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?)

19. 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)

20. 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�