1. Preparatory stages of
research
Where do research questions come
from?

2. Phase 1: The General Question
O The General Question
Sources for questions:
Experience and interest, Other
researches, Sources outside second
language.

3. Focusing the question
Is the general question is feasible? Should
be approached synthetically or analytically?
O How?
O Prerequisite knowledge
O The consistent definition of content and
terms
O Logistical and practical problems

4. Synthetic or analytic
O The synthetic approach
Based on the nature of the factors to be
studied is better to use a holistic point of
view.
O The analytic approach
The phenomenon is analysed based on its
constituent parts and one of these parts is
examined greater detail.

5. Phase 2: Deciding on an objective or
purpose
O Heuristic
Description of research
procedures, observation; some operational
definition of terms.
O Deductive
Operational definitions of terms or
factors, formulations of research questions
or hypothesis.

6. Phase 4: Formulating the research
plan or the hypothesis
The research hypothesis and the null hypothesis:
O H1 learners who exhibit high levels of practice will
acquire at a faster than those who do not.
O H2 learners who exhibit high level of practice will acquire
at a slower rate than learners who do not.
O H3 learners who exhibit high levels of practice will
acquire at the same rate as those who do not.
O In this example we can see that the first two are
directional and the problem with the directional is that is
very difficult to argue unambiguously for a specific factor
causing the directional effect. These both hypotheses
are rejected but the statement of the third one support
the first one. So the null hypothesis will be the second
one.