Determining Your Need to Know
“Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose,” according to Zora Neal Hurston, an award-winning writer. That’s a good way to think about it, but what if you are not sure about your purpose or what you are curious about? The next activity, the research proposal, will help you figure that out.
A good research project begins with a need to know. You may need to know what it would take to make a change in your personal life or a new way of approaching a problem or issue you or someone you know is experiencing. You may need to find the answer to a burning question about history, society, or life, or you may simply need to find out more information about a topic that interests you. Or, you may need to know a new skill or concept.
Academic research projects have led to such diverse discoveries as the connection between pesticides that are used in traditional farming methods and cancer and the best way to change a bad habit. The process you are going to learn in this section of the course is the same process that was used to uncover the secrets of metamorphosis in the field of lepidoptery (the study of butterflies and moths) and the best methods for training to win the Tour de France bicycle race. Research provides the foundation for all academic disciplines and the basis for all academic writing. So, that is why, no matter what your area of study, it is important that you learn how to construct an academic argument and find credible information to provide reasons and evidence for your assertions.
To begin thinking of a research topic, make a list of things you need to know. Here are a few questions to get you started:
- Do any of the current issues that are in the news right now affect you? For instance:
- Do you need to learn more about the Affordable Care Act regulations and how to obtain insurance?
- Have you or anyone you know been affected by gun violence? Would you like to know more about what is being done to end the violence?
- Were you affected by the No Child Left Behind Act? Would you like to know about new measures that are being enacted to compensate for NCLBA?
- Are you curious about the Electoral College and how it affects the election process?
- Take a look at any newspaper, news website, or watch a news program and think about how the issues that are being discussed affect you personally. Do you have a need to know about any of those issues?
- Do you need to know about any current legislation that affects your personal life? For instance:
- Are you concerned about the new tax proposal passed by Congress?
- Do you need to know about your rights if you are caught speeding or running a red light by a camera?
- Are you affected by regulations on coal, fracking, or other issues related to the environment?
- Are you affected by climate change? global warming?
- Did you know you have a choice about who manages your utilities services? Want to know more about it?
- Do you have a health issue that you need to learn more about?
- Do you have a relationship issue you would like to resolve?
- Are you having problems studying?
- Have you always wondered if there are galaxies outside our own galaxies? Or how space explorers are trained or funded?
- Do you have a need to know about the viability of harnessing wind power or the impact of climate change?
- Have you been affected by poverty or homelessness? Do you have a need to know about programs that can help? Do you need to know why there are so many people living in poverty or without homes?
- Do you need to know why people go hungry while so many people have more food than they know what to do with?
- Do you need to know where the water you drink comes from and whether or not it is safe?
- Are you in the market for a major purchase? Do you need to know the best method for getting the best quality for your money?
- Are you in the process of choosing or changing careers? Do you need to know more about how prepare for your “dream job” or how much money you would make if you chose a certain career?
- Are you depressed? Do you have a need to know how to overcome depression or how to deal with any other mental health issues?
- Do you have a habit you would like to break? Do you have a need to know what is the best way to break that habit?
- Are you or anyone you know struggling with addiction issues? Would you like to know the best treatments or intervention programs?
- Have you every been a victim of a crime or been convicted of a crime? Do you need to know more about how the justice system works?
- Would you like to know about the ecological impacts of the industries in our area? Or, would you like to know how endangered species are being saved?
- Would you like to learn how to plant a garden? Do you need to find out the best amendments for your soil or when to plant? Do you need to know what plants grow best in your area?
Once you identify a list of possible things you need to know, look over the list and think about which of those topics would interest you enough that you could study the topic for the next twelve or thirteen weeks.
NOTE: YOUR TOPIC NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN PROFESSIONALLY STUDIED BY ACADEMICS, AND SO YOU CANNOT CHOOSE A TOPIC ABOUT FAITH OR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OR THE BIBLE UNLESS YOU APPROACH THOSE TOPICS FROM AN ACADEMIC PERSPECTIVE. For instance, let’s say you want to study the Bible. You cannot choose a topic that explores what the author of the Bible intended if you believe the author was God; however, you could research who were the people who wrote the Bible and what was the historical context of different versions. You could research the different beliefs of different religions such as the difference between Catholicism and Protestantism, or Buddhism and Sufism, but you cannot research which belief is correct, because that is based on someone’s beliefs or faith, and that cannot be verified through academic studies or academic research. In fact, you cannot write about any topic from a moral perspective because morals are based on beliefs. Research papers are based on facts and verified data that originated from well-designed and administered studies at universities. Therefore, you cannot write about the moral issues related to abortion or your personal beliefs about global warming. In fact, if you decide on a topic concerning religion or some other controversial subject, run it by your instructor before you dive in or you may end up having trouble meeting the requirements for some assignments.
Once you have decided on a possible topic, the next step is to frame what you need to know in such a way that you have a question or two you can use to begin your research. For example, if you need to make better grades, you might ask, “How can I improve my study habits?” Or you might ask, “Which study habits result in the best grades?” The questions you propose will determine your direction and focus, so be sure to complete the activities in this lesson that will help you determine how to write good questions for research.
You may find this Sinclair Library tutorial on choosing a good research topic helpful, as it explains how to learn background information about your topic and when to narrow or broaden your scope.
And click on the following links to access two presentations on writing good research questions. The first presentation is a YouTube video from George Mason University titled “Writing a Research Question.” The second prezi is from Paul Cagio. His prezi talks about Fat and Skinny Research Questions. Both prezis provide valuable information to help you write a good research question, and as Cagio says, “Good research starts with good research questions.”
