Using the 5Ws to Develop a Research Question

New Literacies Alliance

3 Aug 201502:57

Summary

TLDRThe video explains how using the 5W criteria—who, what, when, where, and why—can help refine a topic into a research question. By identifying these elements, researchers can narrow or broaden their scope effectively. For example, an investigation about mandatory flu vaccines for schoolchildren in Kansas can be adjusted by changing the 5Ws to suit broader or narrower research needs. This method helps focus searches and manage information, preventing overwhelming or limited results. The video encourages refining research questions before starting investigations to ensure relevance and clarity.

Takeaways

🔍 The 5W criteria help add context to investigations and turn topics into research questions.
👤 'Who' describes the individual or population under investigation.
❓ 'What' focuses on the specific aspect or element impacting the 'Who'.
🕒 'When' refers to the time frame of the investigation.
🌍 'Where' focuses on the geographical location of the study.
🤔 'Why' explains the importance or significance of the investigation, though it's not necessarily part of the final research question.
💉 Example: For a research topic on mandatory flu vaccines for schoolchildren in Kansas, the research question becomes: 'Should the flu vaccine be required for schoolchildren in Kansas?'
📏 If a research question is too broad, it can lead to an overwhelming amount of information; if too narrow, it may lack sufficient data.
🎯 Refining a research question helps focus the search and narrow down relevant information.
🚀 The 5W criteria can also be adjusted to broaden or narrow the scope, making the investigation manageable and task-appropriate.

Q & A

What are the '5W' criteria in research?
-The '5W' criteria consist of Who, What, When, Where, and Why, which are used to add context to an investigation and turn a topic into a research question.
How does the 'Who' aspect contribute to a research question?
-The 'Who' describes the individual or population being investigated, focusing the research on a specific group.
What does the 'What' element specify in a research question?
-The 'What' describes a specific aspect or element that directly impacts the 'Who,' narrowing down the investigation's focus.
Why is the 'When' important in shaping a research question?
-The 'When' provides a time frame for the investigation, helping limit the scope to a specific period, such as the present or historical context.
How does the 'Where' influence a research question?
-The 'Where' pinpoints a geographical location for the research, narrowing the investigation to a specific area, such as a city or country.
What is the purpose of the 'Why' in research planning?
-The 'Why' explains the reason the investigation is important or meaningful. While not always part of the final research question, it informs the scope of the project.
How can the 5W criteria help in narrowing or broadening a research question?
-The 5W criteria can be adjusted to either broaden or narrow the scope of a research question, making it more appropriate for the length and depth of the investigation.
What is an example of a research question created using the 5W criteria?
-An example is: 'Should the flu vaccine be required for schoolchildren in Kansas?' This question is formulated by considering the 'Who' (schoolchildren), 'What' (mandatory flu vaccines), 'When' (the present), and 'Where' (Kansas).
Why is it important to refine your research question before starting an investigation?
-Refining the research question helps focus the search, making the flow of information more manageable and ensuring the scope fits the task.
What are the consequences of having a research question that is too broad or too narrow?
-If a research question is too broad, it may overwhelm the researcher with information. If it's too narrow, there may not be enough relevant information available.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Understanding the 5W Criteria for Research

This paragraph explains how the 5W criteria (Who, What, When, Where, Why) can help shape an investigation into a well-defined research question. The 'Who' refers to the population being studied, the 'What' highlights the specific element impacting that population, the 'When' focuses on the time frame, and the 'Where' emphasizes the geographical location. While the 'Why' informs the significance of the research, it may not always appear directly in the final research question. The example of vaccine requirements is used to show how the 5W criteria can refine the scope of an investigation.

💉 Narrowing Down a Research Question with 5W

This paragraph provides an example of how the 5W criteria can refine a broad topic into a specific research question. By considering schoolchildren in Kansas and focusing on mandatory flu vaccines in the present, the research question becomes 'Should the flu vaccine be required for school children in Kansas?' It highlights how the scope can become too broad or too narrow depending on the research needs and gives advice on refining the question to fit tasks, like writing a book versus a 5-page paper.

🔄 Expanding or Narrowing Scope for Different Research Needs

This section illustrates how the 5W framework can be adjusted to either broaden or narrow the research scope based on the task. For example, if the investigation shifts from focusing on schoolchildren in Kansas to flu prevention across the United States, the 'Who' changes to 'Americans,' and the 'What' broadens from 'mandatory vaccines' to 'flu prevention.' It also suggests adjusting the timeline (When) to include past, present, and future flu outbreaks to fit larger projects.

⚖️ Balancing Scope: Too Broad vs. Too Narrow

This paragraph stresses the importance of avoiding research questions that are too broad or too narrow. A topic that is too broad can lead to overwhelming amounts of information, while a narrow topic might not yield enough data. It advises refining the research question before beginning an investigation to focus searches and manage the 'firehose' of available information using the 5W criteria.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡5W criteria

The 5W criteria is a method used to develop context in an investigation or research question by focusing on 'Who,' 'What,' 'When,' 'Where,' and 'Why.' In the video, it is emphasized as a tool for refining research questions, such as turning the broad topic of 'vaccine requirements' into a specific investigation about mandatory flu vaccines for schoolchildren in Kansas.

💡Who

'Who' refers to the individual or population being studied in the research. It plays a crucial role in narrowing the scope of an investigation. For example, in the video, 'Who' becomes 'schoolchildren' when investigating mandatory flu vaccines in Kansas, providing a clear focus for the research.

💡What

'What' defines the specific issue or element being investigated that directly impacts the 'Who.' In the script, the 'What' is identified as 'mandatory flu vaccines,' which directly pertains to schoolchildren. The video explains how this helps in clearly defining the subject of research.

💡When

'When' sets a time frame or period for the investigation. In the example provided, the 'When' is set in the present, which helps to limit the scope of research. By focusing on a current time period, researchers can avoid becoming overwhelmed by historical or future data.

💡Where

'Where' identifies the geographical location where the investigation takes place. In the video, the 'Where' is Kansas, helping the research focus on a specific region. This limits the scope of information to be gathered and analyzed, making the research question more manageable.

💡Why

'Why' explains the significance or importance of the research question, though it may not always be part of the final question. In the video, the 'Why' refers to understanding why studying flu vaccines for schoolchildren is relevant, contributing to the overall importance of the research. The 'Why' provides depth but is described as more informative of the scope rather than directly shaping the research question.

💡Research question

A research question is a specific query that guides an investigation. The video demonstrates how the 5W criteria are used to transform a general topic into a well-defined research question, such as 'Should the flu vaccine be required for schoolchildren in Kansas?' This question reflects a narrowed and focused investigation based on the 5Ws.

💡Broad scope

A broad scope refers to a research question or investigation that is too general, which can lead to an overwhelming amount of information. The video warns that a broad question, such as 'Should my five-year-old get the flu vaccine?' may make it difficult to gather relevant information efficiently.

💡Narrow scope

A narrow scope refers to a research question that is too specific, which can limit the amount of available information. The video provides an example of how a question that is too narrow may make it difficult to gather sufficient data. It explains that finding a balanced scope is key to effective research.

💡Information overload

Information overload occurs when a topic is too broad, resulting in an overwhelming amount of data. The video uses the analogy of water escaping from a firehose to illustrate how an overly broad research question can flood the researcher with too much information. The 5W criteria are presented as a method to manage and control this flow of information.

Highlights

The 5W criteria can add context to your investigation and turn a topic into a research question.

The 'who' describes an individual or select population you are investigating.

The 'what' describes a specific aspect or element that directly impacts the 'who'.

'When' is the time frame in which you limit your investigation.

'Where' refers to the geographical location where you might focus your investigation.

'Why' explains the importance or meaning behind the investigation, even if it's not part of the final research question.

Using the 5Ws helps to refine the scope of an investigation, making it more focused and manageable.

An example of the 5Ws is investigating mandatory flu vaccines for schoolchildren in Kansas.

In this example, the 'who' is schoolchildren, and the 'what' is mandatory flu vaccines.

The 'when' is the present, and the 'where' is Kansas.

The research question becomes 'Should the flu vaccine be required for schoolchildren in Kansas?'

If your research question is too broad, you might be overwhelmed with information.

If your research question is too narrow, you may not find enough relevant information.

Adjusting the 5W criteria can help you broaden or narrow the scope of your investigation to fit your task.

Refining your research question helps to focus your search and make the information more manageable.