Lesson Report:
### Class Summary Report
#### Title:
Structuring Research Questions and Strengthening Foundational Methodology for Senior Theses
*Synopsis:* This session focused on helping students refine their research questions, develop sub-research questions, and address operationalization challenges. The instructor emphasized the importance of creating strong theoretical foundations for data collection and analysis, guiding students on structuring their research projects effectively. The session also included individual check-ins and action planning to ensure students’ readiness for upcoming data collection stages.
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#### Attendance:
– **Absent Students:** None explicitly mentioned. However, attendance should be cross-verified with class or group rosters for possible discrepancies.
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#### Topics Covered:
1. **Introduction: Addressing Research Progress and Goals (5-10 minutes):**
– Acknowledgement of varied progress among students: two new students at the beginning stage of their projects and others preparing for data collection.
– Stressed the urgency of resolving issues in research design (e.g., research question limitations and operationalization shortcomings) before data collection begins in two weeks.
– Objective: Build a strong foundational structure to avoid vague findings or weak analyses.
2. **Common Issues in Research Submissions:**
– **Generating Sub-Research Questions:**
– Highlighted that most students had only one research question, lacking breakdowns into sub-research questions.
– Explained how to break a primary question into smaller, manageable queries to frame a stronger analysis. Example breakdown:
– *Primary Question:* “How did Russia and China run public diplomacy in Kyrgyzstan from 2010 to 2020?”
– *Sub-Questions:*
– “What actions constitute public diplomacy?”
– “What specific public diplomacy actions did Russia pursue in Kyrgyzstan?”
– “How do Russian and Chinese approaches to public diplomacy in Kyrgyzstan compare?”
– “Were these approaches successful? If so, how is success measured?”
– **Defining Core Concepts (Operationalization):**
– Revisited how to operationalize political science concepts like public diplomacy, legitimacy, and securitization.
– Explained the importance of using clear, scholarly-sourced definitions:
– What constitutes “public diplomacy”?
– How can actions that qualify as “public diplomacy” be measured (e.g., media outreach, economic aid)?
– Warned against using non-scholarly or ambiguous sources (e.g., Wikipedia or encyclopedia-style definitions).
– **Importance of Clear Verbs in Research Questions:**
– Discussed the ambiguity introduced by poorly defined action verbs like “run” or “operate.”
– Recommended refining verbs to clarify scope (e.g., processes vs. outcomes).
3. **Case Study Example (Asel’s Research Question):**
– Used a student’s research on Russia-China public diplomacy in Kyrgyzstan as a teaching example:
– Assessed strengths: clear concept (public diplomacy), comparative approach, temporal frame.
– Identified issues: undefined terms (“run public diplomacyâ€�), unclear focus on actions vs. outcomes.
– Developed sub-research questions and categorized elements (e.g., definitions, actions, processes, success metrics).
– Discussed analyzing through soft power indices and synthesizing findings to identify similarities, differences, and future implications.
4. **Activity 1: Visual Mapping of Research Questions (~15 minutes):**
– Task: Students mapped out their primary research question hierarchically into sub-components to clarify focus and reduce ambiguities.
– Purpose: To break down abstract tasks into actionable steps for a structured research analysis.
5. **Activity 2: Revisiting Bibliographies (~5 minutes):**
– Objectives:
– Link existing bibliography sources to sub-research questions.
– Identify unanswered sub-questions requiring additional sources or analysis.
– Instructions: Highlight sources answering specific questions, note gaps, and articulate unresolved issues as research priorities.
6. **Individual Consultations and Action Plans:**
– Students tasked with summarizing the state of their research, identifying accomplished goals versus areas needing improvement (conceptualization, operationalization, and methodology).
– Specific examples discussed for individual topics:
– A new student exploring medical systems in Uzbekistan was guided to redefine their broad theme into a clearer question about factors influencing specific public policy decisions.
7. **Break and Agenda for Next Session:**
– Short break followed by instructions to compile actionable plans based on consultations.
– Instructor emphasized that students should address feedback from previous coursework, continuing refinement of their introduction sections and research designs.
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#### Actionable Items:
**Immediate Preparations (High Priority):**
– **Develop Sub-Research Questions:**
– Students must expand their primary research questions into smaller, targeted queries to guide data collection and analysis. Aim for clarity and specificity.
– **Operationalize Concepts:**
– Define all core terms and concepts (e.g., public diplomacy, radicalization) based on relevant, credible scholarly sources.
– Confirm all definitions and measures are sourced from relevant political science literature, ready for inclusion in final drafts.
– **Revise Bibliographies & Frameworks:**
– Link all existing sources to one or more sub-research questions. Highlight bibliographic gaps for follow-up research.
**Next Steps (Before Data Collection Begins):**
– **Research Methodology Refinement:**
– Clarify process-oriented vs. variable-oriented approaches based on project goals.
– Specify whether qualitative or quantitative methods will be used, choosing the most appropriate framework.
**Issues to Address with Supervisor (As Needed):**
– **New Research Question Clearance:**
– Students needing to update their research topics must consult their supervisors for final approval.
**Preparation for Final Submission:**
– Finalize drafts of introductory sections including:
– Strong research justifications (theoretical and practical relevance).
– Clear, coherent conceptualizations and operationalizations.
– Organized, well-cited bibliographies to support introductory claims.
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This report ensures the instructor has a detailed account of the activities, discussions, and progress markers from the session, as well as actionable next steps for students to complete ahead of upcoming deadlines.
Homework Instructions:
NO HOMEWORK
Justification: The transcript does not assign any specific homework tasks to the students. Instead, the professor outlines a variety of in-class activities and discussions (such as breaking down research questions, evaluating bibliographies, and forming action plans) meant to help students progress on their senior thesis projects. While these activities could be expanded upon outside of class, no explicit homework instructions or tasks were given for independent completion.