Issue framing and research questions

Think of issue framing like choosing the right camera lens for a photo. If you want to take a picture of a tiny flower, you'd use a macro lens to get up close and show all the details. If you want to photograph a huge landscape, you'd use a wide-angle lens to capture everything. You wouldn't use the wrong lens, would you?

In Global Perspectives, an issue is a big problem or topic, like 'access to clean water' or 'the impact of social media'. Framing an issue means deciding how you're going to look at that problem. Are you going to focus on how it affects one country, or the whole world? Are you going to look at the causes, or the solutions? It's about narrowing down a huge topic into something manageable and specific.

Once you've framed your issue, you need research questions. These are like the specific questions you type into a search engine (like Google) when you're trying to find information. They are clear, focused questions that your research will try to answer. For example, if your framed issue is 'the impact of plastic pollution on marine life in the Pacific Ocean', a research question might be: 'What are the main sources of plastic pollution entering the Pacific Ocean?'

Let's say the big, general problem (the 'issue') is 'Fast Fashion'. This is a huge topic, covering everything from how clothes are made to how they're sold and thrown away. It's too big to research all at once!

Step 1: Framing the Issue. Instead of 'Fast Fashion' generally, you might decide to frame it more specifically. You could choose to focus on:

• Environmental Impact: "The environmental consequences of fast fashion production in Bangladesh."
• Worker Rights: "The ethical treatment of garment factory workers in fast fashion supply chains."
• Consumer Habits: "The role of social media in encouraging overconsumption of fast fashion among teenagers."

Let's pick the first one: "The environmental consequences of fast fashion production in Bangladesh." This is now your framed issue – it's specific and manageable, like focusing your camera on one part of the big picture.

Step 2: Developing Research Questions. Now that you have your framed issue, you can ask specific questions that will help you find information. For our framed issue, you might ask:

• "What chemicals are commonly used in fast fashion textile dyeing in Bangladesh?" (This helps you understand how it's bad for the environment).
• "How does the disposal of textile waste from fast fashion factories in Bangladesh affect local water sources?" (This focuses on a specific environmental consequence).
• "What government regulations exist in Bangladesh to control pollution from fast fashion manufacturing?" (This looks at potential solutions or challenges).

See how these questions are much easier to answer than trying to research 'Fast Fashion' generally?

Here's how you go from a big idea to clear research questions, just like planning a treasure hunt:

1. Identify the Broad Issue: Start with a general topic that interests you, like 'food waste' or 'internet safety'. This is your starting point, like knowing there's treasure somewhere on the island.
2. Brainstorm Different Angles: Think about all the different ways you could look at this issue. Who does it affect? What causes it? What are the solutions? This is like looking at your treasure map and seeing different paths.
3. Frame Your Specific Issue: Choose one specific angle that you can realistically research. Make it focused and clear, like deciding to look for treasure only in the 'Skull Cave' area of the island.
4. Draft Initial Research Questions: Based on your framed issue, write down a few questions you want to answer. These are your clues to finding the treasure.
5. Refine Your Questions (SMART Check): Make sure your questions are Specific, Measurable (you can find information to answer them), Achievable (you can answer them with available resources), Relevant (they relate directly to your framed issue), and Time-bound (you can answer them within your project's timeframe). This ensures your clues are good ones and will actually lead you to the treasure.