Research question feature: originality

Name:

Date:

Class:

Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. Which best describes an original research question?

A It explores something new or from a fresh angle

B It repeats a question someone else has already answered

2. What should you do first to check whether your research question is original?

A Look at existing work on the topic

B Start collecting data straight away

3. Which question is more original for a student who found a 2019 study of Year 12 sleep habits in Melbourne?

A What are the sleep habits of Year 12 students in Melbourne?

B How do the sleep habits of Year 9 students in regional Victoria compare on school nights?

4. True or false: Changing the time period of an existing study can make a research question more original.

A False

B True

5. Which approach avoids copying others?

A Building on existing work with a new group, place or time period

B Reusing another student's research question word for word

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1Originality		AIt copies another person's work instead of exploring something new, so it is not original. Rewrite it with a new group, place or time period.
2Checking existing work		BSearching for studies, reports and datasets on your topic first, so you know what has already been done and can find a gap to explore.
3An original question can take an existing topic and apply it to a new group, place or time period.		CDo Year 12 students in Geelong spend more time on social media than Year 12 students in Melbourne?
4An original question is your own idea and does not copy a question that others have already answered.		DHow has the number of bike riders on the Yarra Trail changed since 2020 compared with before 2020?
5Research question copied word for word from an online report: What are the most popular streaming services in Australia?		EThe student did not check existing work first. This topic has been widely studied, so the question may repeat what is already known and have no fresh angle.
6Question chosen without searching for existing studies: How does sleep affect exam marks?		FA research question feature: it explores something new or looks at a topic from a fresh angle instead of repeating existing work.

Definitions

originality

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

Feature: ___________ = new or fresh angle

Step 1: check ________ work on the topic

Fresh angle: new group, _____ or time period

Copying others' work is not ________

__ matches existing work THEN change group, place or time END IF

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A existing ← search_reports()

B if question in existing then

C keep(question)

D end if

Question 2

A checked ← search(topic)

B old_group ← 'Year 7 students'

C new_group ← 'VCE students'

D question ← ask(old_group)

Question 3

A old_place ← 'Sydney'

B place ← 'Sydney'

C isNew ← place ≠ old_place

Question 4

A if copied = true then

B output 'Original question'

C end if

Question 5

A step 1: read existing studies

B step 2: copy a past question

C step 3: write your question

Answer Key

Research question feature: originality

Section A: Quick Questions

A — It explores something new or from a fresh angle

A — Look at existing work on the topic

B — How do the sleep habits of Year 9 students in regional Victoria compare on school nights?

B — True

A — Building on existing work with a new group, place or time period

Section B: Match the Pairs

Originality → A research question feature: it explores something new or looks at a topic from a fresh angle instead of repeating existing work.

Checking existing work → Searching for studies, reports and datasets on your topic first, so you know what has already been done and can find a gap to explore.

An original question can take an existing topic and apply it to a new group, place or time period. → Do Year 12 students in Geelong spend more time on social media than Year 12 students in Melbourne?

An original question is your own idea and does not copy a question that others have already answered. → How has the number of bike riders on the Yarra Trail changed since 2020 compared with before 2020?

Research question copied word for word from an online report: What are the most popular streaming services in Australia? → It copies another person's work instead of exploring something new, so it is not original. Rewrite it with a new group, place or time period.

Question chosen without searching for existing studies: How does sleep affect exam marks? → The student did not check existing work first. This topic has been widely studied, so the question may repeat what is already known and have no fresh angle.

Section C: Definitions

originality — A research question feature: it explores something new or from a fresh angle, such as a new group, place or time period, after checking existing work, instead of copying others.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

Feature: originality = new or fresh angle

Step 1: check existing work on the topic

Fresh angle: new group, place or time period

Copying others' work is not original

IF matches existing work THEN
  change group, place or time
END IF

Section E: Spot the Error

C — If the question already appears in existing work, it is not original. It should be revised to a new angle, so the line should be revise(question).

D — An original question targets a new group. Asking the old group repeats existing work, so it should be ask(new_group).

B — The place is the same as the existing study, so the question is not new. It should be a different place, such as 'Ballarat'.

A — A question is only original when it has not been copied. The condition should be copied = false.

B — Originality means avoiding copying others. After checking existing work, you should pick a new angle, not copy a past question.