Research Project, Planning of

What Is the Research Question?

The first step of any research project is to determine the research question. Articulating a clear research question will help set the stage for the kind of research that will ultimately be performed. If a researcher is seeking to understand how organizational groups come to decisions then the methodology may encompass field observations of group meetings at various companies. If a researcher wants to investigate which type of message (funny or serious) leads to greater attitude change then the methodology might consist of an experiment with participants in a controlled setting. Because the research question helps to dictate much of how research will be performed, it is important to determine clearly and succinctly the [Page 1448]question to which a researcher would like to find the answer.

Has the Question Already Been Answered?

The primary purpose of conducting any research is to extend knowledge about a topic. It is important to conduct a thorough review of the literature to determine if someone has already answered the question the researcher has posed. If the researcher finds that his or her question already has sufficient research surrounding it, this does not necessarily mean the study the researcher would like to conduct is irrelevant or unimportant—it simply means the researcher will need to revise the research question to ensure the research extends what is already known. That might mean studying the question through the lens of a different theory, or conducting the research on a different audience. Published research articles usually contain discussion sections that present future directions for research on their particular topics. These suggestions are great places to find questions about a topic that has yet to be answered and are ripe for new research.

Will Human Subjects Be Involved?

If human subjects will be involved in the study, researchers will need to determine whether their project needs to obtain approval from an institutional review board (IRB), ethical review board (ERB), or research ethics board (REB). This safeguard is in place to ensure that researchers will treat participants ethically (e.g., not placing subjects at undue risk). Institutional review can take days and sometimes weeks to obtain, which is why it is important to plan a project well ahead of time to stay on any self-imposed deadlines the researcher may have.

...