Topic

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An Overview of Research Design: 1. The Topic

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See Also: Research Design

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1. Selecting a Topic:

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Finding the Topic is the first step in Research Design; the task is to pick the broad area of investigation,
which will be narrowed down in successive steps

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There are THREE questions for the Topic to answer:

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Is a question that is interesting to me, a worthy addition to the field?

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Should my research have a theoretical component, or can it merely be descriptive?

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How much info is needed to support the argument?

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Select a group of people or an individual, a set of behaviors, a set of attitudes
w/ which you have some personal interest

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Then ask, "What interests me most about the Topic?"
This narrows the topic down

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Purpose of the topic: "Why & to whom is it useful to have the answers to the questions being asked?"

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Sometimes the purpose of the topic is as important as the Topic

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Sometimes there is no purpose to the research, but other times, the purpose is very focused

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      The major types of research examine relationships btwn 2 individuals, an individual & a group,
           btwn groups ( groups being broadly defined here to include groups, complex organizations,
           institutions, social structures, etc. )

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A topic may be examined from any or all of these levels

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See Also: In-Class Project: Brain Storming

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See Also: Webbing & Brainstorming the Topic

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2. Formulate the Thesis

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