Writing a Research Paper
Step One
Select your Topic
Select your Topic
You should choose a topic that is:
- not too general (Animals) - not too specific (my cat)
- not trivial (walking as an important sport).
Step Two
Narrow Down your Topic
How to narrow a topic Down?
What are the strategies that one should consider?
Strategy no 1
Strategy: Explanation: Topic:
Internet Security Time Since 1990? This year? In the
future? Current Internet security
initiatives.
Place Local social norms & values, economic & political systems, or languages.
Internet security initiatives
in the U.S
Population Gender, age, occupation, ethnicity, nationality,
educational attainment, species, etc.
Filtering software and
children's access to Internet pornography
Viewpoint Social, legal, medical, ethical, biological, psychological,
economic, political,
philosophical? A viewpoint allows you to focus on a single aspect
The constitutionality of
Internet filtering technology
Strategy no 2
Wh Questions:
One of the first things writers do when they realize that they need to narrow the scope of their topic is to ask themselves the "w" questions so familiar to
journalists: Who? What? Where? When? and Why? (and oftentimes, How?)
These questions can help you locate your specific points of interest within your general topic area. For example, to narrow a topic like "foreign languages," you could begin with the "what" and "when" questions and decide you are interested in "foreign language studies in the Intermediate school" Asking the "where"
question, you might arrive at "foreign language studies in the intermediate school in Saudi Arabia" And asking the "who" question might cause you to limit the topic again to “The Kingdom’s policy regarding foreign language studies in the intermediate school in Saudi Arabia." Each time you add something specific to your topic, you place "restrictors" on it, thereby narrowing it. Then, when you conduct a library or Internet search, you can use these "restrictors" as key words.
(c) Dr. Noora Al-Malki 2011Original source :
Strategy no 3
(c) Dr. Noora Al-Malki 2011
Mind Map
Step Three
Find your Research Questions
Viable RQ is a vital part of the research process.
Start with a problem or phenomenon which requires solving or explaining.
RQ must be answerable with a specific period of time and scope.
A RQ is not just a question…
Type of Questions:
Eternal questions
Library research questions
Research Questions (RQs)
Eternal Questions
The key concerns at the start of any
research are defining a research topic and defining research questions. It is important to avoid ‘eternal questions’ for they are too big in their scope.
For example:
Is thought possible without language?
Library Research Questions
Library research questions, in the other hand, are of the sort that are easily
answered by careful reading of what has already been published.
For example:
What are the current views on the teaching and testing of grammar?
Research Questions (RQs)
potential research question should have the following characteristics:
1. promise new insight into an area,
confirm/corroborate existing findings by taking a new approach, or study an
unresolved problem in a way that is
substantially different from previous studies.
Questions to ask yourself:
a. Why do I want to research this topic?
b. Are the fact/evidence on which I shall rely old or new?
c. Will my research add to what is already known in this area?
2. it should be concrete and have a reasonable scope.
3. it should be feasible
4. It should avoid bias and unproven assumptions
How does test influence learners? (am I sure that test does influence learners? I need to prove that before I ask how or in what ways this happens)
Research Questions (RQs)
5. It should interest you as a researcher.
Questions to ask yourself:
a.What have I always wondered about?
b.What have I come across in my reading that I would like to look into further?
Research Questions (RQs)
A well-framed RQ should:
1. Make clear that it is answerable
2.Indicate that you have a clear idea of how it will be answered
3.Not include assumptions which are not proven
4.Include concepts which can easily relate to each other
What role do teacher gestures play in vocabulary explanation sequences?
