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Inquiries

The Inquiry is both an outcome and a process. Here at TBC we take 3 weeks (15 school days) to go through a demanding process that produces a report that investigates a complex issue.

“True inquiry engages researchers in the exploration of some puzzle, mystery, problem, challenge, issue, conundrum, quandary or dilemma that provokes curiosity, wonder and (normally) some degree of passion. The purpose of gathering information is to wrestle with the challenge at hand, not to fill up empty pages and electronic buckets or build heaps of stuff. The researcher hopes to unlock or solve the puzzle, so the investigation is conducted with the suspense and excitement we normally associate with detectives probing into murder mysteries.”

Source: McKenzie, J. Replacing Faux Inquiry with the Real Thing. (2010.). Retrieved June 22, 2016, from http://questioning.org/oct2010/faux.html

Order of Operations

The first week of your inquiry is your planning week. You need to develop your fertile question and identify your research questions. You will also set milestones that you will need to complete at different points of your inquiry. It is important that your plan (timeline) is detailed and specific enough to ensure that you will complete each aspect of an effective inquiry well.

Towards the end of the first week of an inquiry you will be ready to start your research. The order in which you do this will affect the effectiveness of your report. Below is the order of operations that budding inquiry experts have established in order to complete an awesome inquiry.

Step One: Establish the Issue

Consider things like:

• How bad is it?
• What/who does it affect?
• What causes it?
• How do we compare to other parts of the world?

Make sure that you have research questions that will help you establish the extent of the problem.

Step Two: Possible Solutions

Consider things like:

• What is currently being done?
• What is being done in other parts of the world?
• What can be done?

Make sure that your research questions for this step help you identify a wide range of options.

Step Three: Evaluating the Solutions

Develop some criteria to evaluate each solution:

• Cost effectiveness
• Practicality
• Effectiveness

This is where using tools like a PMI are often very useful.

Step Four: Deciding – Thesis

What is the answer to your fertile question?

• What option is best?
• Why?
• How would it be implemented?
• How much would it cost?
• Where would the money come from?

Make sure that your solution is detailed. It will only be valuable and credible if it is supported with details of how it will be implemented and evidence that it is viable.

Step Five: Write your report!

It’s very important that you don’t start writing your report until after you have completed the first four steps in order. The purpose of your report is to develop your argument. Every point that you make in your report should be shaped to intentionally support your thesis statement. Here’s the checklist that you should use everytime you writing a report. Make these things a habit and writing will become easy for you and you’ll always do a good job.

Some criteria for a great report come from Jamie McKenzie – a well known authority on education.

A great report:

• Creates something new
• Grapples with a big challenge
• Explores the unknown
• Shares insights and understandings that are perceptive and original
• Awakens curiosity
• Entertains, delights and illuminates

More specific, have a look at this checklist of what an Inquiry report should have.

Credit: TBC Inquiry blog