Art and Design: Creating research questions
How do you know when you have a good research question?
Whatever your career-related subject area, all research questions for the reflective project follow certain rules to allow the greatest opportunity for success. The dilemma is clear, the question is not overly complicated, and it is balanced and unbiased. Lastly, whilst 'Should' questions are by no means compulsory, they do allow the opportunity for an interrogative RP and avoid going down a descriptive pathway.
Spotting the potential in questions
Here we are going to do something quite simple. We are going to consider a range of past Art and Design questions and explore the opportunities the question provides. Even if a student starts out with a solid, well-constructed question, it's good to consider the pitfalls that could occur along the way. After all this is a process.
Many experienced RP coordinators will tell you, many projects start out very similarly with enthusiasm at the start but it's a long road and we want questions that can allow for multiple perspectives with enough sources to keep the interest but not overwhelm.
A reminder of good questions
There is no universal set of criteria for a good research question. Different disciplines have different priorities and requirements. A good research question for a history paper will differ from a good research question for a biology paper. In general, however, a good research question should be:
- Clear and focused. In other words, the question should clearly state what the writer needs to do.
- Not too broad and not too narrow. The question should have an appropriate scope. If the question is too broad it will not be possible to answer it thoroughly within the word limit. If it is too narrow you will not have enough to write about and you will struggle to develop a strong argument (see the activity below for examples).
- Not too easy to answer. For example, the question should require more than a simple yes or no answer.
- Not too difficult to answer. You must be able to answer the question thoroughly within the given timeframe and word limit.
- Researchable. You must have access to a suitable amount of quality research materials, such as academic books and refereed journal articles.
- Analytical rather than descriptive. In other words, your research question should allow you to produce an analysis of an issue or problem rather than a simple description of it (more on this below).
From Monash University (Melbourne, Australia) library' s resource pages.
This is a really interesting dilemma that is relevant to the world now. Whilst it might seem straightforward initially with the notion that museums need to make money to keep going and artists need public spaces it does raise some interesting sub questions which might help shape this. What do we mean by 'profit'? And is it how museums have interpreted this that is the issue? Does profit mean that they own the artwork in any way? Does this lead to the wider question of charging audiences to see art and that being elitist? Should art be free as a cultural necessity?
As will be repeated, the parameters of this question need to be tightened and the examples need to each shed a new angle on this dilemma to make clear exactly why this is a dilemma and not just an issue.
This is a great example of a question that might seem to broad to start with but do not be put off. The student will need now to set out the parameters of their argument in their introduction so it is seen in different contexts (plot spoiler - the student did indeed do this). In short, this is a question with an exciting, difficult dilemma at the heart of it with the presumption that the student will make it user-friendly and focused in the introduction.
Further questions:
Are we considering controversial works of art? Or are we considering artists whose personal attributes, whilst accepted or tolerated in their lifetime, have proven to be unpalatable and upsetting for modern audiences? How do we value art as a culture?
This is a good example of a question where the ethical dilemma is not immediately obvious but it does not mean there isn't one. We delve deeper and start considering the opportunities these professions have and we realise that this is a fascinating question as it very much considers the ethics at the heart of a career at the centre of society and how it might function as a community. This certainly gives opportunities to explore how architecture and urban planning are seen in different societies and how cultural attitudes might impact this.
Questions that arise from this. Have there been cases where architects and urban planners have been given freedom to a detrimental effect? Might we discover that architects and urban planners often have the opposite experience and government legislation binds their artistic freedom? Does the profession of architecture and urban planning entitle you to such a responsibility?
Next steps: This could be too broad so the next step is to find the edge: that means the interesting case studies that is going to allow to explore this dilemma in a really interesting and diverse way. We want the student to have examples that allow them to consider their own position and have a voice.
Full disclosure - I have had NFTs explained to me many times and I cannot fully admit to understanding what they really are. HOWEVER, I fully endorse that they are a controversial development that has challenged how we see and value art. This is a very interesting dilemma by the very fact that many people might not see it as a dilemma: 'of course they're not art!' However this question allows the student to explore how a disruptor like NFTs might have the potential for a paradigm shift in how we view art. It also allows this student to explore a wider question of the function of art in our society? Where it could fall down is the reflective project becoming unbalanced and one-sided in favour or either for or against. Where are the multiple perspectives on this?
Interestingly, with a tweak, this could be an interesting Computer Science or Business question as well. Not to mention Sustainability and Business Management when considering the environmental implications of NFTs as well.S
Should fashion designers be required to alter their brand images to be more inclusive of different communities?
This is a great question for an Art and Design student with a particular interest in Fashion. It might well have been a question that evolved from a particular example that could have captured the very real ethical dilemma. We need to take care here to establish the clash that there is a general ethical issue and that it was not a stand alone situation. In this case, however, there is an interesting cultural pull that might take the student globally in the examples they find - I am intrigued with how they are going to establish 'communities'. This might also be an interesting case of a reflective project challenging assumptions that nowadays brands are of course more inclusive of representation. Is it a case of smoke and mirrors and actually the fashion industry still has to go a long way. Or has there been much progress in some areas but in others far less? Are there cultural biases?