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Introduction:

This is my lesson plan and low-stakes assignment that introduces students to the concept of the research question. Students read the OER materials before class, complete the majority of the work of discussing and developing research questions in class, and conclude the assignment by posting and explaining their questions on the course blog. (I use the CUNY Academic Commons) This assignment is part of the larger, high-stakes research paper.

Resources:

Readings from OER Textbooks:

• The Process of Research Writing by Steven D. Krause
  • Chapter 1: Thinking Critically about Research
• Informed Arguments: A Guide to Writing and Research, by Terri Pantuso; Sarah LeMire; and Kathy Anders
  • Introduction to Research Writing
  • Developing a Research Question by Emilie Zickel and Terri Pantuso
• Choosing & Using Sources: A Guide to Academic Research by Teaching & Learning, Ohio State University Libraries
  • Chapter 1: Research Questions (This links to the first section of Chapter 1, but be sure to read the entire chapter.)

Procedure:

1. Students write for about 5-10 minutes on the question, “according to the reading you did for class today, what are some of the purposes of using research in your essays?”
2. Discuss the students’ responses to the question.
   • I lead the students to these major points from the textbooks:
     • “Think of a research paper as an opportunity to deepen (or create) knowledge about a topic that matters to you.” (Zickel and Pantuso)
     • “Research, at its best, is an act of knowledge creation, not just an extended book report. This knowledge creation is the essence of any great educational experience.: (Zickel and Pantuso)
   • “The best research topics are meaningful to you; therefore, you should:
     • Choose a topic that you want to understand better;
     • Choose a topic that you want to read about and devote time to;
     • Choose a topic that is perhaps a bit out of your comfort zone;
     • Choose a topic that allows you to understand others’ opinions and how those opinions are shaped;
     • Choose something that is relevant to you, personally or professionally;
     • Do not choose a topic because you think it will be “easy” – those can end up being quite challenging.” (Zickel and Pantuso)
   • Next, I ask the students “What is a research question?” and “Why are research questions important?” (Depending on the level of participation, I may have them do a quick freewrite or a “think, pair, share” exercise.)
     • I lead the students to these major points from the textbooks:
     • My definition: “A research question is a specific inquiry which the research seeks to provide a response to. It should be a single question you want to answer through the course of your research.”
     • “Research always begins with the goal of answering a question. In your quest to answer basic research questions, you turn to a variety of different sources for evidence:  reference resources, people, evaluative and opinionated articles, and other sources.  All along the way, you continually evaluate and re-evaluate the credibility of your sources.” (Krause)
     • The reasons academics and scholars conduct research are essentially the same as the reasons someone does research on the right computer to buy:  to find information and answers to questions with a method that has a greater chance of being accurate than a guess or a  “gut feeling.” (Krause)
     • “Research questions are more than handy tools; they are essential to the research process.” (Ohio State University Libraries)
     • “By defining exactly what the researcher is trying to find out, these questions influence most of the rest of the steps taken to conduct the research. That’s true even if the research is not for academic purposes but for other areas of our lives.” (Ohio State University Libraries)
   • I then provide students with examples of research questions, and we discuss them.
   • After this discussion, I have students draft their own questions and exchange them with their peers. Here are the instructions I give the students for this exercise:
     • Write a research question: Think about what you have written about this semester, and consider what you are most curious about. Formulate an analytical question based on this interest. (It should not be a “yes or no” question.)
     • Trade questions with a partner. Look at your partner’s question and think of three aspects and issues related to this question. Write them underneath your partner’s question.Comment on the question. Are there ways that it could be more specific? Are there topics the writer should consider?
     • Return your partner’s research question. Look at the comments on your question. Revise your question to be more specific. Brainstorm at least 5 search terms related to your topic and write them under your question`
     • Tonight, post your research question to the course blog and describe how and why you arrived at this question.