U4D1-68 - Choose a research topic & present the need for the research. Please follow all instructions given.

The research question must be a question. Qualitative studies are guided by one open-ended question. The question that leads the qualitative study must match the research methodology to be used to conduct the qualitative investigation. The question should name the phenomena that you want to investigate. The question should be written in such a way that it can be turned into a title using same or similar words, which makes it useful as keywords for someone else's search.

The following table offers examples of the type of questions that can be used for each of the five methodologies. 

Types of Questions for Each Methodology

Type of Question Methodology

Descriptive questions about values, beliefs, and practices of members of a cultural group under inquiry.

What are the behavioral patterns of . . .? What is the culture of . . .?

Example questions:

What is the culture of an all-girl public school? What is the culture of street corner life?

Ethnography.

Unit 4

Topic Selection and Development of a Qualitative Research Question

INTRODUCTION

Choosing a research topic is not as easy as it might seem. It is unacceptable for the researcher to study something simply because it is personally interesting or because it is something he or she has witnessed in the workplace. A research topic, especially a dissertation research topic, must be firmly situated within the existent body of knowledge in a particular discipline, or it must contain interrelated knowledge from several disciplines. Therefore, the researcher must have a thorough grounding in the relevant literature.

Because of how intimately a topic is tied to current literature in the field, some excellent places to look for potential topics are in recent dissertations (within the past 5 years) and recently published journal articles. All dissertations must have a section delineating suggestions for future research. In addition, many journal articles address the next logical steps for future researchers. If you are in need of a topic, these are two places to start looking.

Qualitative studies are guided by one open-ended question. This open-ended question provides an initial framework that directs the qualitative study and maintains its focus on the topic under inquiry. The question that leads the qualitative study must match the research methodology that will be used to conduct the qualitative investigation. When designing a qualitative study, the research question is focused on before selecting a methodology.

Once the researcher has selected a research topic, question, and methodology, the next step is to identify the need for the study supported by the psychological literature. These initial steps will assist the researcher in developing an appropriate research design.

Writing a Good Question for Qualitative Research

You should keep the following in mind while writing a good question for qualitative research:

Type of Question Methodology

Case study questions involve an intense study of an individual or an organization. The case to be studied is often chosen due to its uniqueness. The case is a single research subject—a person, a program, an event, an activity.

Example questions:

What are the dimensions of job burnout for community college professors? What is the experience of parents that are raising a child that has an emotional behavior disorder? What are the issues that impact family traditions for Latino individuals living in a culture in which they are the minority? (This question could also be ethnographic). What is the impact of 360-degree feedback on U.S. Air Force personnel? What is the experience of military families during the deployment of the husband or father to a combat zone? What are the characteristics of the parent-teacher programs in the Wayne County school district?

Case study.

Process questions about changing experience over time or its stages and phases:

What is the process of becoming . . .?

Understanding questions:

What are the dimensions of this experience . . . ?

In grounded theory, the researcher may ask understanding questions to elicit the understanding of the participants about their experiences:

How do college students describe the process of persisting academically? How do adolescents that have completed an intensive outpatient treatment program describe the experience of recovery? What is the process of falling in love?

Grounded theory.

Type of Question Methodology

Questions about meaning, experience, lived experience, and about the core or essence of phenomena or experiences:

What is the meaning of . . .? What is the experience of . . .? What is the lived experience of . . .? How do people experience and describe . . .? What is the essence of . . .?

Example questions:

What is the meaning of anxiety? How do people experience and describe romantic love? What is the essence of loneliness? What is the mature woman's lived experience of divorce? What is it like to experience betrayal?

Phenomenology.

Focus of our attention outwardly on experiences:

What was experienced? What happened? To what does the belief point to in the outer world?

Example questions: What are common post-graduate experiences in becoming a licensed psychologist? What are the attitudes and opinions of teachers toward the No Child Left Behind Act? What experiences lead to the development of trust in interpersonal relationships? What experiences of support are most important to women that are undergoing treatment for breast cancer?

Generic qualitative inquiry.

OBJECTIVES

To successfully complete this learning unit, you will be expected to:

1. Distinguish among a research problem, the purpose of the research, and research questions.

2. Describe a topic suitable for qualitative methodology.

3. Draft a research project statement that fully describes the problem or need being addressed.

Readings

Use your Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design text to read Chapter 6, "Introducing and Focusing the Study," pages 127–146. Focus on the subsection "The Research Problem Statement."

Use the library to read Moerrer-Urdahl and Creswell's 2004 article, "Using Transcendental Phenomenology to Explore the 'Ripple Eff ect' in a Leadership Mentoring Program," from International Journal of Qualitative Methods, volume 3, issue 2, pages 1–28.

Multimedia

Complete the following:

READ Research Questions and Research Designs to listen to the presentation. READ Qualitative Research Proposal to launch the illustration. This illustration appears throughout the course to help guide you as you develop the various components of your course project. Boxcars will continue to be added to the train as you progress through the course. Each boxcar provides information regarding the development of individual components of a research proposal.

Sample Research questions

Following are examples of research questions for PSY learners

Heuristics. What is the essence of the mother-daughter relationship? What is the experience of growing up in a fatherless home? What is the nature and meaning of self-doubt? What is the experience of being sensitive? What is the experience of feeling unconditionally loved?

Unit 4 Discussion 1

Topic Endorsement Peer Review Note: You are required to complete this discussion before submitting the unit assignment.

For this discussion, complete the following:

Choose a research topic that is appropriate for qualitative research. Present the need for this research in relation to the field. Support your conclusions with relevant sources from the academic literature. Develop a research question. Define the terms of the question citing the academic literature.

Once you have received feedback from other learners, complete the unit's assignment based on your revised discussion post.

Ethnography. What are the cultural values of women in a networking for success group? What is the culture of a professional addictions counselor support group? What is the culture of an all-girl high school? What is the culture of colloquia?

Phenomenology. What is the meaning of anxiety? What is the experience of expressing will? How do people experience and describe romantic love? What is the essence of loneliness? What is the mature woman's lived experience of divorce? What is it like to experience betrayal?

Case study. What are strategies used by counselors who integrate spirituality in their therapeutic work? What are the shared features of successful addictions counselors? How do parents of children with disabilities think about and practice discipline?

Grounded theory. How can object relations theory be re-conceptualized when working with clients who have had long-term sobriety? How can Erickson's stage of generativity versus stagnation be redefined to reflect today's middle-age professionals? What best practices do clinicians rely on for self-care? (This could also be a generic qualitative question.) What are the developmental stages of parenting daughters among African-American adult males who experienced domestic violence as adolescents?

Generic qualitative approach. What are the reasons for human behavior professionals pursuing doctoral studies? What are the treatment experiences of adults who engaged in hypnotherapy for smoking cessation?