Writing Qualitative Research Purpose and Questions A Cheat Sheet Dr. Kakali Bhattacharya.
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Writing Qualitative Research Purpose
and Questions
A Cheat Sheet
Dr. Kakali Bhattacharya
Research Purpose
The purpose of this research is to…. Explore Understand Investigate Identify Evaluate Describe Interrogate
Contextual Details
• How many participants?• Where (use pseudonyms)• What will you explore? – be specific• If exploring experience, then experience
of what? Be narrowly focused• If exploring perception, then perception
of what? Be narrowly focused• Avoid jargon use as much as possible
Operationalize Jargon
• What is it that you are trying to measure?
• What are your indicators for that measure?
• How will you know that you have measured X?
• Break down your jargon to easily verifiable constructs
Tips for Research Questions• Make sure they are aligned with the
research purpose• Generate research questions from the
operationalization of jargons• One question can be the conversion of
the purpose statement into a question• Keep it simple. Don’t try to solve
everything within the topic of your interest
Tips for Research Questions• Pursue one point of inquiry in one
question i.e. don’t ask how does the participant describe experiences of belongingness and the effects it has on her self esteem?
Tips for Research Questions• Ask questions that have open-ended
possibilities for answers – such as– What are the experiences of …– How does a participant describe X…– In what ways does X play a role in Y– How does the participant identify X…
Tips for Research Questions• Do not ask closed ended research
questions – those are quantitative questions. (examples below)– Does this program benefit
learning experiences of students?– Do the participants like X more
than Y?– Does X cause Y?
Sample Research Questions• In what ways do 5 survivors of
Katrina who stayed in the Superdome describe their strategies for surviving?
• How do students perceive the value of the new math program in relation to standardized testing?
Sample Research Questions• What are the experiences of
belongingness of 5 female African American graduate students in the College of Education in a mid-southern university?
• How does participating in a professional development workshop regarding technology integration influence the teaching practices of 5 middle school teachers in a mid-southern town?
Sample Research Questions• What is the role of the TV show
“America’s Next Top Model” in informing diet choices of 4 teenage girls (13-17) who watch the show regularly?
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