← VCE Data Analytics U3O2

What a research question is

One question that a data project sets out to answer using collected data. It is narrower than a topic and must be answerable with data the project can collect.

Part of: VCE Data Analytics - U3O2 - Analysis and Design — Module 3, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10 — Acquiring and Validating Data — Module 4

Understanding What a research question is in VCE Data Analytics U3O2

What it does: This question can be answered by collecting sleep hours and test scores, so it is a research question that data can answer. The first can be answered by counting. 'Best part of school life' is an opinion with no clear data to collect. A topic is a general area such as 'public transport'. A research question narrows it to one answerable question. A research question must be a question, for example 'Which canteen item sells the most each week?'.

Common mistakes: A research question must be answered using data the project collects. The data line should name collectable data, such as weekly sales by snack, not memory. The project links to the research question by analysing the collected data to answer it. It should read: Use: analyse data to answer RQ.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 3–31) and word search (Modules 3–146).

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Learning
Duo
Which one is a research question?
Student sleep and school resultsDo Year 11 students who sleep more than 8 hours score higher on Maths tests?
Matches
Research question: School canteens
↓
This is only a topic, not a question. It is too broad and gives no direction for what data to collect.
Applying
Meanings
Term
research question
Meaning
One question that a data project sets out to answer using collected data. It is narrower than a topic and must be answerable with data the project can collect.
Practice
Topic: Student canteen sales
Testing
Gaps
: Which house scores most?
Check Answer
Spots
2RQ: Which snack sells most?
3Data: none, answer from memory

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Quick Questions

1. Which one is a research question?
A. Do Year 11 students who sleep more than 8 hours score higher on Maths tests? ✓
B. Student sleep and school results
A research question is a single question that data can answer. 'Student sleep and school results' is only a topic area.
2. A research question is best described as...
A. A broad subject area that a project is interested in
B. One question that a data project sets out to answer using collected data ✓
A broad subject area is a topic. A research question is narrower and is answered with collected data.
3. Which one can be answered using data a project collects?
A. Is the canteen the best part of school life?
B. How many students at our school buy lunch from the canteen each week? ✓
The first can be answered by counting. 'Best part of school life' is an opinion with no clear data to collect.
4. Which statement about a topic and a research question is correct?
A. A topic is broader than a research question ✓
B. A topic is narrower than a research question
A topic is a general area such as 'public transport'. A research question narrows it to one answerable question.
5. How does a research question link to a data project?
A. It gives the project a clear aim that decides which data to collect ✓
B. It is written after the data is analysed to explain the results
The research question is set first. It guides what data is collected, how it is analysed and what the project shows.

Match the Pairs

research question → One question that a data project sets out to answer using collected data
Topic: Student sleep → A broad subject area that is too general to be a research question on its own
A research question can be answered using data the project collects, such as survey results → Do Year 11 students who sleep under 7 hours score lower on their Maths test?
A research question guides a data project by linking the data collected to the final solution → Project aim: collect survey data to answer 'Which canteen item do students buy most often?'
Research question: School canteens → This is only a topic, not a question. It is too broad and gives no direction for what data to collect.
Research question: Is the school canteen a nice place to be? → This cannot be answered with collected data because 'nice' is opinion-based and vague, with no clear data to gather.

Key Term

research question
One question that a data project sets out to answer using collected data. It is narrower than a topic and must be answerable with data the project can collect.

Fill in the Blanks

1. Topic: Student points Research question: Which house scores most?
Hint: Type the two-word label for the single question a data project sets out to answer.
2. Topic: School canteen spending Research question: Which product sells most?
Hint: Type the label for the broad subject area, which is wider than the research question.
3. Topic: House points Research question: Which house scores most?
Hint: Type the punctuation mark that shows this line is a question, not just a topic.
4. Research question: Which house scores most? SELECT house, SUM(points) FROM students GROUP BY house;
Hint: Type the aggregate function that totals the points in each house, linking the question to the data project.
5. Research question: Which house scores most? Data needed: students.house, students.points
Hint: Type the column name holding the measurable data that can answer the question.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A Topic: School canteen
B RQ: Which snack sells most?
C Data: none, answer from memory
Line C — A research question must be answered using data the project collects. The data line should name collectable data, such as weekly sales by snack, not memory.
Question 2
A Topic: Phone use
B RQ: Do teens use phones more?
C Data: daily screen time survey
D Use: skip data, guess answer
Line D — The project links to the research question by analysing the collected data to answer it. It should read: Use: analyse data to answer RQ.
Question 3
A Project: Library usage
B Topic: Books and borrowing
C RQ: Libraries and reading
Line C — This line is a topic, not a question. A research question is narrower, such as: Which day has most loans?
Question 4
A Project: Bike safety
B Topic: Cycling to school
C RQ: Who rides, and is it safe?
Line C — A research question is ONE question. This line asks two, so the project has no single focus. Keep one, such as: How many ride on Mondays?
Question 5
A Topic: Healthy eating
B RQ: Fruit is healthy
C Data: fruit eaten per day
D Collect: survey of 50 students
Line B — A research question must be a question. This is a statement, so it sets nothing to answer. It should be like: How often is fruit eaten?

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