Social Science

The possibilities are endless:

• Assigned by the instructor?
• A topic discussed in class?
• What interests you?
• What is viral on the Internet now?
• What is a hot topic in the news now?

Research question: Will the legal restriction of cell phone use while driving reduce auto accidents caused by texting or talking while driving?

Focus the topic:

• Geographic
  • United States
  • South Carolina
  • Pickens County
• Age group 
  • Adult drivers
  • College aged drivers
  • Older drivers
• Gender or ethnicity
  • Caucasian females
  • Native American males
  • African Americans

Example: Restrict research to information and data about college aged drivers in the United States.

Strategies:

• Aspect: look at just one facet of your topic
• Time: shorter time period
• Place: smaller area of analysis
• Relationship: cause/effect, compare/contrast
• Type: specific type, class of people
• Combination: combine any of these areas

Construct a research question or hypothesis

Research question: Will the legal restriction of cell phone use by drivers reduce auto accidents caused by texting while driving?

Hypothesis: The research presented here will demonstrate how new laws restricting or forbidding cell phone use by drivers will reduce auto accidents caused by texting while driving.

Identify different words for each of your concepts

• Auto accidents:
  • Car accidents
  • Car crashes
  • Automobile acciden
• Cell phones
  • Cellular phones
  • Mobile phones