FRAMING A CRITICAL QUESTION: A REFLECTIVE PROCESS TO GET SUCCESS IN RESEARCH

By

Leidy Marcela Chacón Vargas

What is it to set a critical question when conducting research? It means a question that leads a research process that contributes to the society. Initially, questions are part of our nature as human beings; we are always curious and willing to get knowledge from our reality. In that respect we as teachers wonder to know, to understand and to make sense of the different issues that take place in our daily practices. When doing that we start consciously observing and reading what is going on and the initial queries start to emerge. It is clear that these are not the final version but the point of departure for conducting a research study. In is related to what Bissex states in terms of her research process, “What attracts my attention as I observe and what I find myself observing is information  that helps me answer questions that I may not yet have consciously asked” (Morgan N. & Saxton, J.  2006: 33).

It means that the setting where we as teachers perform is full of sources of inspiration to state queries first, and then critical questions. Of course it may occur only when the topic of interest is clearly and narrowly defined. “It involves taking the problem, as something, as a situation or circumstance that can be defined in terms of something for which we seek a solution or an answer” (Lankshear & Knobel, 2004: 44). In spite of the fact that we have a particular research problem stated and a preliminary version of a research question it is still needed to continue polishing it. This process is framed within several aspects like pertinence and significance. Regarding the first one the question must be that one whose answer is unknown and that is challenging enough to be answered. In regards to the second aspect, Yes-No, and value-laded questions must be avoided.  It is clear that framing a critical question is a step by step activity at the initial stage of a research study from which the upcoming processes quality depends. So once the question is set, it becomes the spinal for the theoretical framework, the research design, as well as for the data analysis and findings which will constitute both the answer and the success of the research process. 

REFERENCES

·  Lankshear, C. & Knobel, M. (2004) A handbook for teacher research From design to implementation. Glasgow: Open University Press. Chapter 2 & 3.

·         Morgan N. & Saxton, J.  2006. Asking Better Questions. Chapter 3

NOTE: A REFLECTION ORIGINATED IN MY RESEARCH SEMINAR APLICABLE TO MY RESEARCH PROCESS IN LINGUISTICS