9/17/2017

Unit 3

Research questions and

hypothesis

• By the end of this unit, you should:

– Know how to develop appropriate research questions
– Understand the difference between qualitative and
quantitative approaches to research questions
– Understand the notion of hypotheses
• By the end of this unit, you should:
– Have thought through a research question to the point
where it is clear in its intent and meaning
– Be able to defend the educational significance of the
question

The development of a research idea

1
 9/17/2017

Research Topic

Research Problem

Research Question(s)

Hypothesis

• Research problem

– A research topic is the broad area in which you are

interested
– A research problem is an educational issue or
problem within the broad topic area

Developing research questions

2
 9/17/2017

• Research questions in a quantitative study

– An interrogative sentence that asks a question about

the relationship that exists between two or more
variables
– Make sure that you formulate the question in very
specific terms and ensure that you have a good
understanding of the variables you are investigating

• Examples of research questions in a

quantitative study
– “What is the effect of participation in extra-
curricular activities on academic performance?”

Contrast this question with the following:

– “What effect does playing the piano have on
students’ overall grade point average during the
Kiwanis festival season?”

• Examples of research questions in a

quantitative study

• Seek to answer “How much?”, “How often?”

or “What changes over time or over different
situations?”
– “How frequently do music students go to their
instrument to practice without being reminded?”

3
 9/17/2017

• Examples of research questions in a

quantitative study

• Seek to determine whether one or more

variables can be used to predict some future
outcome
– “Does parental educational level predict students’
propensity to drop out of music lessons?”

• Examples of research questions in a

quantitative study

• Seek to compare different variations of some

phenomenon to identify the cause of something
– “Does variation in the amount of practice produce a
change in students’ exam results?”

• Research questions in a qualitative study

– An interrogative sentence that asks a question about

some process, issue, or phenomenon that is to be
explored

4
 9/17/2017

• Example of research questions in a qualitative

study

– Research question: “How does the socio-

economical context influence the perception that
children might have towards music lessons?”

• Characteristics of good research questions

1. The question is feasible (it can be investigated

without an undue amount of time, energy, or
money)
2. The question is clear (most people would agree
as to what the key words in the question mean)
3. The question is significant (it is worth
investigating because it will contribute important
knowledge about the human condition)

• Defining terms
– Terms necessary to ensure that the research
question is sharply focused

– Terms that individuals outside the field of study

may not understand

– Terms that have multiple meanings

5
 9/17/2017

• Operational definitions
– The activities necessary to measure or identify the
term must be specified

– Which of the following possible definitions of the

term "motivated to learn mathematics" do you
think are operational?

1. As shown by enthusiasm in class

2. As judged by the student’s math teacher using a rating scale
she developed
3. As measured by the ʺMath Interestʺ questionnaire
4. As shown by attention to math tasks in class
5. As reflected by achievement in mathematics
6. As indicated by records showing enrollment in mathematics electives
7. As shown by effort expended in class
8. As demonstrated by number of optional assignments completed
9. As demonstrated by reading math books outside class
10. As observed by teacher aides using the ʺMathematics Interestʺ
observation record.

Developing hypothesis

6
 9/17/2017

• What is a hypothesis?
A hypothesis is a prediction of the possible outcomes of a
study. Here is a research question followed by its
restatement in the form of a possible hypothesis:
Question: Will students who are taught music by a teacher of
the same gender like the lessons more than students taught
by a teacher of a different gender?

Hypothesis: Students taught music by a teacher of the same

gender will like the lessons more than students taught
music by a teacher of a different gender.

• Formulating a hypothesis

– The hypothesis typically emerges from the

literature review: specific predictions based on
prior evidence or theories

– A hypothesis must be capable of being either

refuted or confirmed

• Nondirectional hypothesis
- Sometimes it is difficult to make specific
predictions
- Researcher suspects that a relationship exists but
has no basis for predicting the direction of the
relationship

- A nondirectional hypothesis does not make a

specific prediction about what direction the
outcome of a study will take

7
 9/17/2017

• The importance of hypotheses exist primarily in

quantitative studies because the goal is to
identify the relationships that exist between sets
of variables
• In quantitative research, we not only specify the
variables being investigated, but also make a
prediction about the relationship that exists
between these variables

• Qualitative research attempts to discover,

explore, or describe a given setting, event, or
situation
• We often do not have knowledge of the variables
• The study is generally conducted to describe or
discover significant variables

• In summary
Research topic – the broad subject matter area
to be investigated

Research problem - the Educational issue or

problem within a broad topic area

Research question(s) –
In quantitative research it is an interrogative
sentence that asks a question about the relation
between two or more variables.
In qualitative research, it is an interrogative
sentence that asks a question about some
process, issue, or phenomenon to be explored.

Hypothesis – a prediction or best guess of the

relation that exists among the variables being
investigated

8
 9/17/2017

• Summary
– Research questions should flow logically from the
literature review
– Research questions are the purpose of the project
(what you want to understand)
– Research questions will influence every other part
of the design, and often only emerge as the
research progresses

• Summary
– Good research question must be feasible – they
must be questions that permit a researcher to
collect enough information to provide at least a
partial answer to them
– They should be clear, they should be significant,
they should suggest a relationship of some sort,
and they should be ethical
– Research questions can be rephrased as hypotheses

• Key concepts developed in this unit

– Research problem
– Quantitative research questions
– Qualitative research questions
– Hypothesis
– Operational definition

9
 9/17/2017

• Exam questions
– What are the differences between qualitative and
quantitative research questions?
– What are the characteristics of good research questions?
– What are hypothesis and how are they formulated?

• What should you understand at this point?

– You know how to develop your research question for your
own study to the point where it is clear in its intent and
meaning
– You should be able to defend the significance and
importance of the question
• What’s next?
– You will learn what are the elements of a research method

10