Lesson Report:
# Lesson Title: **Formulating Research Questions and Operationalizing Concepts for Research Design**
### Synopsis:
This class focused on refining student research questions and delved into concepts critical for developing research projects, such as hypothesis formulation, conceptualization, and operationalization. The primary objectives were to help students clarify their research questions by focusing on the dependent and independent variables while also conceptualizing and operationalizing key terms in their projects. This class emphasized the importance of clear definitions and measurable variables in research and guided students in refining their project direction and preparing them for research design.
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### Attendance:
– **Present:** Mesra, Elina, Sana, Rashad, Akhtar, Bobur, Esra, Hafasa (remotely engaged but with technical difficulties),
– **Absent:** Najla, Hafasa (informed absence)
### Topics Covered:
#### 1. **Introduction and Class Objectives**
– Brief overview provided by the instructor about advancing from the previous week’s lesson: forming hypotheses from variables.
– Students were told to finalize research questions, focusing on independent and dependent variables, followed by conceptualization and operationalization.
#### 2. **Review of Research Questions**
– Students were asked to submit their working research questions in a Google Doc.
– Emphasis was placed on ensuring that every research topic was framed as a question, not merely a statement.
– Clarification of variables: Students needed to correctly identify and list their independent and dependent variables.
**Instructor Input:**
– Reviewed and provided feedback for each student’s project individually:
– **Rashad and Akhtar** needed to define economic concepts more clearly (e.g., “economic insecurity”).
– **Sana and Bobur** were reminded to rework and better specify general terms, especially around governance and tribal dynamics.
– **Akhtar** received feedback on defining security aspects of CSTO and its impact on Armenia.
– **Esra** was advised to define abstract terms (e.g., “radicalization”) clearly.
#### 3. **Conceptualization**
– **Definition:** Process of explicitly defining variables and terms used within a research question.
– Students were guided through how to conceptualize terms in their research questions.
– **Examples provided:**
– Defining economic inequality, voter turnout, and media coverage in detail.
– Suggested that conceptualization should break down abstract and potentially ambiguous keywords (e.g., “economic insecurity” or “public diplomacy”).
– Instructor reviewed these with each student’s project: students were tasked to define core terms like “public diplomacy,” “security policy,” “media coverage,” “economic insecurity.”
**Examples from student projects:**
– **Mesra:** Advised to define the “evolution” of Turkey’s foreign policy.
– **Sana:** Tasked with breaking down women’s roles into “social,” “political,” and “economic” categories across Afghan history.
– **Elina:** Focused on defining economic/political consequences if Turkey joins BRICS.
#### 4. **Operationalization**
– **Definition:** Determining how abstract concepts or ideas will be measured in the research. Operationalization includes choosing quantifiable indicators.
– Instructor emphasized that operationalization follows conceptualization and aims to establish measurable elements for all key terms.
– **Example provided:** “Voter turnout” could be measured as the percentage of eligible voters who participate in national elections.
– Students were encouraged to think critically about how to quantify terms such as “diplomatic impact” or “public approval.”
– Students began working on measuring their already defined concepts.
– **Esra** was close to finishing her operationalization for measuring radicalization by using indices.
– **Akhtar** was prompted to think about how Armenia’s security might empirically be measured with CSTO membership.
**Summary of Student Exercises:**
– Guidance on defining their terms and measuring these through operationalized variables. Each student worked for a few minutes individually to develop these elements, which would set the foundation for their upcoming detailed research designs.
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### Actionable Items:
#### By Next Class Session:
– **Meet With Advisors:**
– Some students (**Esra, Sana, Mesra**) have not yet met with their assigned advisors/groups. Urged to meet/schedule ASAP.
– **Submit Refined Research Questions:**
– **Multiple students** (Mesra, Sana, Bobur) were asked to further refine their research questions and make them more specific before the next class.
– **Operationalize Variables:**
– All students have been tasked with completing operationalization; ensure that each concept in their research is paired with a measurable variable.
– **Camera Policy Reminder:**
– Instructor reminded students to keep cameras on throughout the entire virtual session unless a pre-approved notice is sent via email before class.
#### For Future Consideration:
– **Finalize Research Design:**
– Students were informed that they’ll need to build their whole research design in upcoming weeks, and a solid research question is key.
– **Receive Feedback on Conceptualized Terms:**
– Students should aim to conceptualize fully and seek advice if any confusion over definitions arises.
Homework Instructions:
NO HOMEWORK
Justification: The lesson focuses on in-class activities and discussions, including defining research questions, conceptualizing key terms, and operationalizing them. There is no mention of a specific homework assignment being provided to students either during the discussions, after, or in any concluding remarks of the transcript.