HNRS 110: Research Methods

Watch the videos below to hear from fellow Mason students about conducting research.

There are many different kinds of questions you can ask about a topic:

1. Process question is all about you and your research process. It is not a research question. Example: “Are their enough sources out there for me to write on the effects of exercise programs in the workplace?”
2. Factual question has only one correct answer. For example, “What was the first soap opera to be broadcast on the radio?” However, you want to move beyond an informative report to an analytical research project.
3. Evaluative question requires you to use your own knowledge, experience, and values in judging an issue. Require you to use your own judgment BUT your paper should be analytical and account for multiple perspectives. Suspending judgment is the first step to thinking analytically.
4. Interpretive question is the kind of open-ended question you should strive to write. It is open to interpretation and has a range of possible answers

Understanding how information is created and distributed is a critical part of research; this ensures that you always are looking in the right places for information about your topic. Watch this video below to learn more about this process.