Defining Research Problems
Preparation Activity: From Questions to a Problem
Reading: Chapter 2: From Questions to a Problem
Instructions:
Review Your Research Questions: Revisit the research questions you developed in the previous class. Select one or two that you are most interested in pursuing for your thesis.
Identify the Problem: For each selected research question, articulate the underlying research problem. What is the knowledge gap or misunderstanding that your question seeks to address? Is it a practical problem (requiring action) or a conceptual problem (requiring understanding)?
Articulate the Consequences: Explain the consequences of not addressing the research problem. What is the larger significance of your question? How does answering it contribute to a better understanding of your field or topic?
Consider Practical Applications (if relevant): If your research problem has potential practical applications, briefly describe them. How might your research inform or improve real-world practices or situations?
Submission: Based on your analysis, refine your research questions and problem statements to ensure clarity, specificity, and significance. Reflect on the potential challenges and opportunities you foresee in addressing this research problem. Length: No specific word count, but provide detailed and well-developed responses.
Class Outline: From Questions to a Problem
Objectives:
Deepen students' understanding of research problems in the humanities.
Guide students in transforming their research questions into well-defined problems.
Foster critical thinking and discussion around the significance and implications of research problems.
Activities:
Recap and Review
Briefly review the concept of research questions from the previous week.
Connect research questions to the broader concept of research problems.
Understanding Research Problems
Introduce the distinction between practical and conceptual problems.
Explain the two-part structure of research problems: condition and consequences.
Provide examples of research problems from various humanities disciplines.
Facilitate discussion on the characteristics and significance of strong research problems.
Activity: Identifying the Problem
Students work individually or in pairs to identify the research problems underlying their selected research questions.
Professor circulates to provide guidance and feedback.
Encourage students to articulate the knowledge gap or misunderstanding their research seeks to address.
Group Discussion: Articulating Consequences and Significance
Students share their research problems and discuss the consequences of not addressing them.
Focus on articulating the larger significance and potential impact of their research.
Encourage students to consider both conceptual and practical implications (if relevant).
Wrap-up and Preview
Summarise key takeaways from the session, emphasising the importance of clearly defining research problems.
Preview the topics for the next class: "Finding and Evaluating Sources."
Reading for Next Week: Chapter 3: Finding and Evaluating Sources