This is where we will add material about and discuss the research problem that will form the basis of term 2’s project. You may recall the process of developing a research problem from term 1 (see below), which we argued consisted of a cycle of defining and refining a problem based on reading and also considerations of how ‘ethical’ it might be (for some famous ‘unethical’ problems – such as levitating frogs – check out the Ig Nobel awards).

Our session(s) on developing a research problem will follow the steps indicated below. If you find relevant literature and have ideas about how to develop the problem between classes, please add the links and comments by commenting on this page.

1. Offer a series of initial problems, based on task 2 examples.
2. Using the CAFE acronym (complexity, access, facilities, expertise), determine which problem is the most realistic to pursue.
3. Read around the problem to ensure that it is novel and of value.
4. Formulate the final working problem.