ABSTRACT
This chapter describes some of the ways by which a potential research problem can be identified and developed into a suitable research question. Sources for ideas are presented, such as books, journals, social concerns and popular issues, and methods to ensure the originality of a question are presented. The importance of focusing a research question is highlighted, and techniques for focusing a question are presented. The chapter then discusses some of the means by which the strengths and weaknesses of a research question can be assessed. The chapter concludes by describing the content of a research proposal and identifying some of the common weaknesses in such proposals.
