Scenario
In 1978 the New Yorker published a story about a young woman, Sarah, whose first job after college was to research public assistance programs. We have embellished Sarah’s story to point out the
problems that occur when a researcher starts with no clear direction and to allow you to practice selecting a research question and clarifying the research components.
Sarah’s Story (retold more than 30 years later)
Immediately after graduation Sarah applied for a job with a statewide community action agency. The successful candidate would conduct research on the state’s public assistance programs. The
position was funded for 12 months. Sarah was hired.
Sarah’s job interview was short and provided little guidance. The executive director told her not to spend too much time in the library. Rather she should explore and interpret what she saw when
she visited the county programs and met county residents who were receiving assistance. She was to submit quarterly reports; her final report would be due at the end of the year.
During the first quarter Sarah drove throughout the state and talked to hundreds of clients in 14 counties. For her first quarterly report she compiled their stories. The executive director called
her in and sharply criticized her report. Sarah had totally missed the questions she was expected to answer. The executive director expected a report that the agency could use to advocate with the
state legislature.

During the initial interview Sarah and the executive director could have explored the research questions that Sarah was expected to answer. Write three research questions for Sarah’s project. The
research questions must be focused on agency performance, client experiences, program evaluation, or assessing community needs. After Sarah was hired she should have met with agency stakeholders to
hear what research questions they would like her to answer. Write two research questions that you can imagine stakeholders would want answered. Assess each of your research questions for clarity of
purpose, appropriateness of scope, and their ability to be researched. Identify which of your research questions will yield the most valuable information and explain why.