This document discusses formulating research questions for quantitative research studies. It provides examples of good characteristics for research questions such as being feasible, clear, significant, and ethical. Research questions can be general or specific, with general questions derived from the research problem and specific questions focusing on answering the general problem. The document also provides examples of research questions for different quantitative research designs, including descriptive research, correlational research, ex post facto research, experimental research, and quasi-experimental research.
This document discusses formulating research questions for quantitative research studies. It provides examples of good characteristics for research questions such as being feasible, clear, significant, and ethical. Research questions can be general or specific, with general questions derived from the research problem and specific questions focusing on answering the general problem. The document also provides examples of research questions for different quantitative research designs, including descriptive research, correlational research, ex post facto research, experimental research, and quasi-experimental research.
This document discusses formulating research questions for quantitative research studies. It provides examples of good characteristics for research questions such as being feasible, clear, significant, and ethical. Research questions can be general or specific, with general questions derived from the research problem and specific questions focusing on answering the general problem. The document also provides examples of research questions for different quantitative research designs, including descriptive research, correlational research, ex post facto research, experimental research, and quasi-experimental research.
• Once a person encountered uncertainty, being inquisitive, you will find ways for answers or solution. Ignited by interest, curiosity, or need you will find yourself pondering about the current problem you are facing. When you are thinking and behaving this way, you are then confronted by a problem that can be a source of a research problem. • A research problem is simple as a problem you would like to research. Quantitative Research Problem dealt more with the precision and specificity of the problem. Furthermore, the quantitative research problem describes trends and patterns of a phenomenon. • When you have identified your quantitative research problem, you can now state it and make sure to establish its place in your study. In your written paper, this can be found as Statement of the Problem, where it formally introduces the problem that you want to investigate or address. Then you will start specifying what you want to answer in your study. • Research Problem and Research Questions The research questions help to clarify and specify the research problem. Research questions are also considered as sub-problems of your research problem. These questions are informative in nature. It specifies the method of collecting and analyzing data and the type of data to be collected since you are exploring a quantitative research problem. • What Is It Characteristics of Good Research Questions Once you have already enumerated your research questions for your study, it is important that you consider its quality to answer and explain your research problem. The following are good characteristics of research questions, as described by Fraenkel and Wallen (2020). • Feasible. Consider the amount of time, energy, money, respondents, and even your current situation as a student- researcher. Is the research problem possible? Will it not spend unreasonable amount? Consider these examples: “How do parents feel about the blended learning modality for elementary learners?” and “How would giving each learner their own laptop to be used in this blended learning modality affect their performance tasks?” The first example is definitely a more feasible research question. Considering the resources, it is more possible to gather the data needed to answer the question. • Clear. The clarity of how the questions stated lead to agreement of meaning of the readers of your study. Since your research questions are also considered as the main focus in the gathering and analyzing the data, it is therefore very important that these are stated clearly. • Significant. Ask if your research questions are relevant or important to ask. Will answering these questions provide an additional contribution to address the given research problem? In other words, are the research questions really worth investigating? • At this point, you do not just consider the time and money that you will spend, but more importantly, the value of what you are trying to investigate. So aside from the reason that your chosen research problem is within your interest, you should also provide a sound justification of your choice as a researcher. • Ethical. Always consider the welfare of people, animals or who so ever involve in your study. Look into ways of answering the research questions without inflicting physical and psychological harm to persons involved. • Formulating Research Questions Research questions can be generally classified into two: general and specific. The general question of the study is derived from the research problem while the specific questions are anchored on the general research problem. • For example: This study aims to determine the relationship between the types learning delivery mode and students’ learning styles. Furthermore, it seeks to answer the following research questions: (1) What are the different learning delivery modes of the school? (2) What the various learning styles of the students? (3) Is there a significant relationship between the different learning delivery modes of the school and the learning styles of its students? • Notice that a general problem was presented first. Then it was followed by the specific questions considered as research questions of the study. In stating quantitative research questions, you should also consider the design of your quantitative research. Quantitative research designs will be elaborated in Module 4. For the purpose of writing your research question, here’s a quick guide of research questions for descriptive research, correlational research, Ex Post Facto research, Experimental, and Quasi- experimental research. • Research Questions for Descriptive Research focuses on observing and reporting factors or aspects of the research problem. Phrases such as how often/frequently, how many/much, what is/are, to what extent/degree, and the likes are used in these questions. For example, you study the use of social media among Senior High School Students, you can ask the following questions: • What are the various social media platforms used by Senior High Students? • How many hours students spend on social media per week? • Research Questions for Correlational Research aim to determine the relationships among two or more variables in your research problem. Correlational research questions usually begin with the phrases “Is there a significant relationship” or “What is the relationship between/among”. In the study of use of social media and level of digital literacy of students following questions can be asked: • What is the relationship between the length of hours spent on social media and level of digital literacy of students? • Is there a significant relationship between the type of social media used and the level digital literacy of students? • Research Questions for Ex Post Facto Research attempt to identify the causes of the phenomenon in the context of your research problem. It is also assumed that no control or manipulation of variable has been done in order to cause the effect. It is understood that the cause of the problem already exists before you conducted your study. For example, ex post facto study on family background and digital literacy of students, the following questions can be asked: •Is there a difference in the literacy level of students between their cultural and educational family background? • Research Questions for Experimental and Quasi-experimental Research suggests that answers to these questions are brought about by manipulation or control of a certain variable during the conduct of the study. These questions provide explanation to the causal relationship of variables. The following research questions can be asked on studies on elementary student’s remedial sessions and academic performance of students: •Is there a significant difference in the posttest scores of the control group and experimental group?