Research Questions & Hypotheses

RESEARCH QUESTIONS WHAT IS A RESEARCH PROBLEM

1. RESEARCH PROBLEMS This is the focus of the research. It is the problem the researcher would like to investigate. Depending on your choice you may state this directly or situate it in a brief review of what others have done or said.

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RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Usually, to make the focus of the research clearer, researchers break down the research problem into a question or a series of questions. These questions then become the focus of the study. They are stated as questions as the name implies.

QUALITIES OF GOOD RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1. They must be feasible i.e., it can be investigated without undue amount of time, energy and cost 2. A good research question should be clear. No ambiguities; most people in the field will agree what the key words in the question mean 3. The questions must be significant i.e., it must be worth investigating since it will contribute to knowledge in the field. 4. The questions must be ethical i.e., will not involve physical or psychological harm to those who participate in the study

ETHICS AND RESEARCH Protecting Participants from Harm Ensuring Confidentiality of Research Data. Should Participants be Deceived?

EXAMPLES OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1. What is the performance level of students in Mathematics at the Junior High School and Senior High School examinations in the Central Region of Ghana?

2. Is the type of unit item the child is capable of creating restricted to only one of the five unit items; perceptual, figural, motor, verbal and abstract units? 3. Is a childs adding scheme restricted to only one of the four developmental levels; the sensorimotor, preoperational, operational or arithmetic level? 4. Will the developmental progression in the levels proposed in the theoretical framework be confirmed by observed sequence of sophistication in the schemes used by the children in the study?

HYPOTHESES
WHAT IS A HYPOTHESIS? A prediction of some sort about the possible outcome of the study. A hypothesis is a restatement of the research question in a form that shows possible outcomes of the study. Note that a single research question may suggest more than one hypothesis.

STATISTICAL HYPOTHESES Null Hypothesis (H0) A mathematical statement to the effect that there is no significant difference between specified population parameters. Note that the null hypothesis is a statement about population parameters (e.g. H0: 1=2) The probability that a true null hypothesis is rejected is referred to as the level of significance, ( = 5% in educational research). Alternate Hypothesis (H1) This is the hypothesis that is retained any time the null hypothesis is rejected (e.g. H1: 12)

EXAMPLES OF HYPOTHESES There is no significant difference between students performance in schools having one or more specialist teachers teaching Mathematics and students performance in schools having one or more non-specialist teachers teaching the subject in SSC examinations. There is no significant difference between students attitude towards Mathematics in single sex schools and students attitude towards Mathematics in mixed schools. There is no significant difference between students attitude towards Mathematics in urban schools and students attitude towards Mathematics in rural schools. ADVANTAGES OF HYPOTHESES 1. Stating hypotheses compels researchers to think deeply about the possible outcomes of the study 2. It is easier and more acceptable way of verifying the outcome(s) of a study 3. It helps us to see if we are studying a relationship

DISADVANTAGES OF HYPOTHESES 1. Committing too much to hypotheses may lead to biases or distortions 2. Sometimes, hypotheses may be unnecessary or inappropriate 3. Focusing attention on hypotheses may prevent researcher from noticing other phenomena