In what ways does formulation of research questions lead to the development of compulsive and influential theories?
The most common ways in which researchers find study questions is by establishing the foreseen gaps in the literature. For instance, a dominant field will guide a researcher in developing the research questions. Gap spotting varies in the complexity of the study and size of the research. The gap ranges from the incremental extension of an existing theory to establishing more serious rifts in literature (Sandberg, Jörgen, and Alvesson, 23). Gap spotting leads may not lead to a specific theory in practice because of the questions which underlie the specific literature in any significant method.
Gap spotting is most likely to revise or back a challenge in the chosen study rather than reinforcing the influential theories. The superiority of gap spotting makes a theory interesting since it increases the perception of the given theory by challenging the assumptions made when formulating the theory. Putting into consideration the ideas and perceptions that influence problematization, it is more interesting to note that the challenging the assumptions in an existing theory contributes to deducing research questions (Sandberg, Jörgen, and Alvesson, 23). As a way of understanding the criteria of testing the assumptions in a given theory, the social norms help the researchers to find the gaps and hence lead them to the formulation of research questions.
My understanding of formulating research questions is dependent on the underlying assumptions in a particular theory, which guides the researchers in challenging the theory. In the account that most theories make various assumptions depending on the hypothesis they test, researchers take advantage of challenging the given assumptions, where they deduce research questions (Sandberg, Jörgen, and Alvesson, 29). For instance, the functionalism theory in sociology makes the assumption that different parts of the society contribute positively to the operations of the society as a whole. A researcher may challenge this assumption and develop research questions seeking to establish the position of the dependent or dormant parts of the society.
Work cited
Sandberg, Jörgen, and Mats Alvesson. "Ways of constructing research questions: gap-spotting or problematization?" Organization 18.1 (2011): 23-44.
