Formulating Research Questions and Hypotheses

Active learning works here because research design is a skill that improves through practice, not just reading. Students need to test ideas, make mistakes, and revise their thinking in real time to grasp how a vague interest becomes a precise question or hypothesis.

• Year 12
• Geography
• 3 activities
• 25 min–45 min

Learning Objectives

1. Formulate a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) geographical research question related to the water or carbon cycle.
2. Differentiate between a research question and a testable hypothesis, providing examples for each in the context of geographical inquiry.
3. Critique the feasibility of a proposed geographical research question by considering data availability, time constraints, and ethical implications.
4. Design a simple fieldwork plan to collect data relevant to a chosen research question on the water or carbon cycle.

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Research Question Workshop

Students bring a broad topic (e.g., 'coastal erosion'). In small groups, they use the 'SMART' criteria to refine it into three specific, testable research questions, then present their best one to the class for feedback.

Prepare & details

Design a geographical research question that is both specific and measurable.

Facilitation Tip: During The Research Question Workshop, ask groups to post their draft questions on a wall and do a silent gallery walk before revising, so students see multiple examples of narrowing scope.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 25 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Which Sampling Method?

Students are given three different fieldwork scenarios (e.g., measuring pebble size on a beach vs. surveying shoppers in a town center). They discuss with a partner which sampling method they would use for each and why.

Prepare & details

Differentiate between a research question and a hypothesis in geographical inquiry.

Facilitation Tip: When running Which Sampling Method?, provide real-world examples of each type and have students physically move labeled cards into ‘fits best’ and ‘does not fit’ columns.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Simulation Game

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Simulation Game: The Bias Hunt

Students are shown a flawed research plan. They must work in teams to identify as many sources of bias as possible (e.g., only surveying people on a weekday morning) and propose ways to fix them.

Prepare & details

Evaluate the feasibility of a research question given available resources and time.

Facilitation Tip: In The Bias Hunt simulation, give students a short list of potential biases and have them collect evidence from their peers’ responses to identify which ones actually appear in practice.

Setup: Flexible space for group stations

Materials: Role cards with goals/resources, Game currency or tokens, Round tracker

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Teaching This Topic

Start by modeling how you move from a topic to a question and hypothesis yourself, thinking aloud about each decision. Avoid rushing to the right answer—instead, let students argue and revise. Research shows that students grasp sampling best when they compare flawed and strong methods side by side, so design tasks that force these comparisons.

What to Expect

Students will confidently turn broad topics into focused research questions and align hypotheses with clear sampling strategies. They will explain why a sampling method fits a research goal and evaluate others’ choices critically.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During The Research Question Workshop, watch for students who equate large sample sizes with better research. The correction is to hand them two maps: one showing a large, haphazard sample and one showing a smaller, stratified sample. Ask them to compare which is more useful for a study on microclimates in a city.

What to Teach Instead

During The Research Question Workshop, provide a list of sample sizes and sampling strategies for the same topic. Ask groups to rank them from most to least reliable and justify their choices.

Common Misconception

During The Research Question Workshop, watch for students who write broad questions like ‘How does urbanisation affect the environment?’ Correct this by introducing a ‘funnel’ diagram template. Students must fill in broad topic → narrowed focus → specific question before they proceed to brainstorming methods.

What to Teach Instead

During The Research Question Workshop, give each group a broad topic card and a funnel diagram worksheet. They must fill in the blanks before drafting their question.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After The Research Question Workshop, present students with three statements: ‘Does temperature affect evaporation rates?’, ‘If temperature increases, evaporation rates will increase.’, and ‘Measuring evaporation in the schoolyard.’ Ask students to identify which is a research question, which is a hypothesis, and which is a potential fieldwork activity.

Discussion Prompt

After Which Sampling Method?, provide students with a broad topic, such as ‘The impact of urbanisation on the water cycle’. In small groups, ask them to brainstorm two specific, measurable research questions and one testable hypothesis related to this topic. Each group should then present their ideas and justify why they are specific and measurable.

Peer Assessment

During The Research Question Workshop, students write a draft research question and a draft hypothesis for a mini-inquiry on the carbon cycle. They then exchange their work with a partner. The partner uses a checklist to evaluate: Is the research question specific and measurable? Is the hypothesis testable? Partners provide one written suggestion for improvement for both the question and the hypothesis.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask students to write a new research question and hypothesis for the same topic but switch to a different sampling method, then explain why the change matters.
• Scaffolding: Provide sentence starters like ‘How does [factor] affect [process] in [place]?’ and ‘I predict that [change in factor] will cause [specific change in process] because...’
• Deeper exploration: Have students design a short fieldwork plan that includes a justified sampling strategy, a risk assessment, and a data collection schedule for their research question.

Key Vocabulary

Research Question	A clear, focused, and interrogative statement that guides a research project, specifying what the researcher intends to investigate.
Hypothesis	A specific, testable prediction or statement about the expected relationship between variables, which can be supported or refuted by data collection and analysis.
Independent Variable	The factor that is intentionally changed or manipulated by the researcher in an experiment or fieldwork to observe its effect on another variable.
Dependent Variable	The factor that is measured or observed in a study; its changes are hypothesized to be caused by the independent variable.
Feasibility	The practicality and possibility of completing a research project successfully, considering factors such as time, resources, access to data, and ethical considerations.