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The essence of research design is the ability to articulate your research question. The research question is the precursor to the study, and a well-crafted question encapsulates all of the design elements for that study. Based on more than 20 years of conducting research, collaborating with colleagues to formulate research projects, and experience advising doctoral students, author Dr. Elizabeth (Betsy) A. Baker forged a research design heuristic which she introduces in this book. She starts by dissecting the anatomy of a qualitative research question, outlines the role of paradigms in research design, describes strategies to use the anatomy as a design heuristic, and provides sample cases that track the decisions two researchers made while formulating a qualitative question. The book concludes with advice on how to move from the research question to the proposal. Throughout, the author provides handy worksheets that readers can complete as they work on crafting their own research question.


 
Chapter 1: The Anatomy of Qualitative Research Questions
 
Chapter 2: The Role of Paradigms in Research Design
 
Chapter 3: Using Metacognitive Strategies to Bring the Anatomy to Life
 
Chapter 4: Sample Conversations: Formulating Research Questions
 
Chapter 5: Proceed from Question to Proposal

A very useful resource for both new and experienced researchers. Highly experienced herself, the author guides the reader through the process of crafting a research question that brings the process into clarity and demystifies it.

Kathryn Herr
Montclair State University
Key features
  • Breaks down the anatomy of a qualitative research question.
  • Shows how paradigms influence research design.
  • Describes strategies to use the anatomy as a design heuristic.
  • Provides sample cases that track the decisions two researchers made while formulating a qualitative question.
  • Concludes with advice on how to move from the research question to the proposal.
  • Includes handy worksheets that readers can complete as they work on crafting their own research question.

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ISBN: 9781071819111

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