Writing Qualitative Research Purpose

and Questions

A Cheat Sheet

Dr. Kakali Bhattacharya

Research Purpose

The purpose of this research is to…. Explore Understand Investigate Identify Evaluate Describe Interrogate

Contextual Details

• How many participants?• Where (use pseudonyms)• What will you explore? – be specific• If exploring experience, then experience

of what? Be narrowly focused• If exploring perception, then perception

of what? Be narrowly focused• Avoid jargon use as much as possible

Operationalize Jargon

• What is it that you are trying to measure?

• What are your indicators for that measure?

• How will you know that you have measured X?

• Break down your jargon to easily verifiable constructs

Tips for Research Questions• Make sure they are aligned with the

research purpose• Generate research questions from the

operationalization of jargons• One question can be the conversion of

the purpose statement into a question• Keep it simple. Don’t try to solve

everything within the topic of your interest

Tips for Research Questions• Pursue one point of inquiry in one

question i.e. don’t ask how does the participant describe experiences of belongingness and the effects it has on her self esteem?

Tips for Research Questions• Ask questions that have open-ended

possibilities for answers – such as– What are the experiences of …– How does a participant describe X…– In what ways does X play a role in Y– How does the participant identify X…

Tips for Research Questions• Do not ask closed ended research

questions – those are quantitative questions. (examples below)– Does this program benefit

learning experiences of students?– Do the participants like X more

than Y?– Does X cause Y?

Sample Research Questions• In what ways do 5 survivors of

Katrina who stayed in the Superdome describe their strategies for surviving?

• How do students perceive the value of the new math program in relation to standardized testing?

Sample Research Questions• What are the experiences of

belongingness of 5 female African American graduate students in the College of Education in a mid-southern university?

• How does participating in a professional development workshop regarding technology integration influence the teaching practices of 5 middle school teachers in a mid-southern town?

Sample Research Questions• What is the role of the TV show

“America’s Next Top Model” in informing diet choices of 4 teenage girls (13-17) who watch the show regularly?