Worksheet 1.

3: Selecting a good research problem and research

questions/hypotheses

The following plan of eight steps will help you to formulate relevant, clear and
realistic research problem and research questions:

Step 1: Formulation
When you are in the process of formulating a research question, you will always
be torn between two extremes: What do I want to know What can I know?
Always begin with the more qualitative research question: what do I want to
know?
Write down here what you would want to know.

Step 2: Time frame

In section 2.3 you can find help to make a time schedule. Ask yourself what you
are going to do when your available time is too short.

Step 3: Creative and critical questions

Your research question should enable you to be critical and creative, otherwise
the research project will always suffer from a lack of social relevance. Try to
answer the following five W-questions:
What is the problem?

Why is this a relevant problem?

Whom does the problem relate to?
Where does the problem exist?
When does the problem appear in particular?

What:
Why:
Whom:
Where:
When:

Step 4: List of key words

Compile a list of keywords which you think best covers your research topic. This
has two functions: it helps you to focus on the most important research topics
that you address, and it also makes it easier to find relevant sources in the
library or in databases.
Write down some keywords you think of the first five minutes. Then subscript the
most important keywords and give an operationalisation of your key concepts.

Step 5: Clearest value

Decide what you consider to be the clearest value of your research. The practical
relevance of a research project often lies in one summary, one table, a figure or a
line of argument. Increase the added value of your research by focusing on one
concrete end- product.

Step 6: Kind of questions

There are five kinds of research problems/questions. You can find them in
document 1.3-B.
Look at some other research projects. What kind of research questions do you
prefer to read yourself? One that:
stimulates your mind and attracted your attention?
confirms your own preconception on a topic?
is related to a theoretical problem in the literature?
is related to a practical problem of individual actors?

Formulate your own research question in the same manner.

Step 7: Audience

If you write a research paper or an essay for a supervisor, never assume that the
supervisor will be the only audience. Think about different kinds of people who
will probably read your work.

Step 8: Reflection
Think about the story that you want to tell. Without careful reflection upon the
intended outcome of the research project you cannot specify the problem and
research arguments. In the initial phase of a project it is very useful to collect
stories from people who are directly involved while considering the theories
available. Talk to different people and write down some useful stories.

My research problem

My research questions/hypotheses