reforming research question

Original Question: What are the causes of achievement gaps of children from different ethnic/cultural backgrounds and how can these gaps be closed?

Problem/Solution Form

New Question: How can schools reform to eliminate the difference in literacy between children of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds?

This new form turns the issue into an identifiable problem/solution form. I can list the problem first and then spend the rest of the paper addressing several different solutions OR it might be better to list all the problems out, along with a solution for every problem. In my head I am thinking:

      I.        Intro/Thesis

     II.        Problems

    III.        Solution #1

   IV.        Solution #2, 3, 4, etc.

    V.        Conclusion

OR

I.              Intro/Thesis

II.             1^st problem and a solution

III.            2^nd problem and a solution

IV.           3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, etc. and their solutions

V.            Conclusion

Appearance/Reality Form

New Question: Is the home life of children in poverty or low-income to blame for illiteracy in school?

This new form shines a light on the fact that many believe the background of children (home, social, economical, parenting, etc.) play a major role in how that child performs in school. This can easily be turned into an argument because research shows that schools also play a major role in how children perform. I think that schools are to blame for the achievement gap so I would show what appears to be the issue and then what the reality really is.

I.              Intro/thesis

II.             Appearance

III.            Reality #1

IV.           Reality #2

V.            Reality #3, 4, 5, etc.

VI.           Conclusion