Defining research objectives and research questions


In the process of designing a systematic research project, it is also useful to outline your objectives and to define key research questions. You may also wish to anchor your research by seeking to prove or disprove a hypothesis that you have articulated.


Task 9


• Look at Table 1 and review how the research objectives lead in to research questions and how these fit with the hypothesis which has been provided.


• Consider an area related to assessment in EAP that you would like to investigate and try to build objectives, research questions and


hypotheses which could help to anchor and structure your research. Table 1: Objectives, research questions and hypotheses for EAP assessment research


EAP assessment research topic


Objectives


Investigating the construct validity of EAP essay questions for students of Art History.


To investigate the extent to which essay titles, used in EAP classes for the purposes of developing skills in students of Art History, accurately reflect the constructs referred to in Stage 1 of Art History degrees and are similar to essay titles used for assessment purposes by Stage 1 Art History lecturers.


Research questions


1. How closely do the bank of ten essay titles, used in EAP for Art History EAP603, represent aspects of the syllabus studied by Stage 1 Art History students during the course of their study of the three core modules which contribute to Stage 1 of BA Art History?


2. How similar are the essay titles, in structure and theme, as used in EAP603, compared with the essay titles used by BA Art History core module lecturers?


Hypothesis


The essay titles used in EAP603 do not always accurately reflect the constructs (or aspects of Art History) as introduced in the Art History BA’s Stage 1 core modules. The essay titles also do not always compare favourably with the essay titles used in Stage 1 Art History core modules, in terms of both structure and theme.


Chapter 6: Encouraging engagement, collaboration and research in EAP assessment 73


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