Research Questions

Part 1: Research Questions

Develop at least four focused research questions prior to beginning your research.
These questions must be reviewed and approved by me before you continue to the next
phase.
The types of questions you may choose from are listed below. Remember to form
complete sentences, and make your wording clear, concise, and unbiased. Once you have
created the questions, label them according to what type they are.
Questions of Fact
Questions of Definition
Questions of Interpretation
Questions of Consequence
Questions of Value
Questions of Policy
List your research questions here:
1. Why is plastic the most common waste to be found in the ocean? (fact)
2. What is water pollution? (definition)
3. What are the dangers of not helping prevent water pollution? (consequence)
4. How can we improve our recycling system to prevent further damage to the
ocean? (policy)
Once you have created your initial questions, you must determine if the questions are
objective and unbiased. Remember, your goal in the Literature Review/Primary Research
Report is not to pick which side of the issue you agree with; instead, you must create
questions that will allow you to compile quality research on multiple sides of the issue.
Answer the following questions to review the effectiveness of your initial questions:
Word choice: Does each question contain terminology that allows for an overall
examination of the issue? Or, does the word choice clearly identify and support only one
side of the issue? Explain your answers and revise your questions if necessary.
Yes, each question does, it helps explain and let the audience know about the
topic/issue. It also lets me, the author, know their response about the issue.
Research Viability: Does each question allow for a full examination of the issue,
providing you with ways to discover various factors, motives, results, etc.? Or do the
questions steer you toward only one possible outcome, thereby limiting your research?
Explain your answers and revise your questions if necessary.
Yes, each question is open ended, which allows for more information to be put
through and given out rather than there being a stop in the research.
On Question 1: Plastic is the main waste because, its what everything is made of,
and people are using plastic for a short amount of time and throwing it away
instead of recycling it.

Research Questions

Question 2: water pollution is when waste, such as chemicals, human waste, oil
and gas spills, make it into the ocean. In other words, anything man-made going
into our oceans.
Question 3: The dangers of not helping prevention is that many species in the
ocean can become extinct. Also the damaging of an entire ecosystem. There is
also the cause in which is can start to affect us, by eating and ingesting whatever
the fish have eaten, there is also the case it would start to effect those who rely on
fish as part of their diet.
Question 4: We can improve our recycling system, by teaching our kids how to
recycle rather than throwing it away. Also we have to come up with ways it can
benefit others, even big companies to take action. whats in it for me?
Of course each question can vary in the answer on who I interview.

Part 2: Citation Analysis

The purpose of citation analysis is to identify articles, journals/ books published on the
subject, and organizations, as well as scholars in the field of study. Essentially, citation
analysis is gathering as much detailed information about your potential sources as
possible.
Complete the following table:
Journals/ Journal Articles
New York times: Water pollution
Elsevier: Environmental pollution
Books/ Magazines/ Newspapers
Natural News
National Geographic: water pollution
Organizations
World Nature organization
Water Education Foundation

Publisher/ Author
NY TIMES
E.Y. Zeng
Publisher/ Author
David Gutierrez
Laura Nicholas
Website Address

Professors on Campus who

specialize in this area
Mrs. Michelle Pena

Contact Information

Professionals who work in this area/

with this topic
Ms. Rice
Mrs. Barragan
People in the community who are
directly impacted by the issue
Afsaneh Hamed-Zanjani

Contact Information

(may have another person, still getting

back to me)

http://www.wno.org/water-pollution
http://www.watereducation.org/post/poll
ution-prevention

915-747-6673 (penam@utep.edu)

915-203-5841
915-345-2119
Contact Information
ahamedzanjani@miners.utep.edu

Research Questions