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8.2: Main Concepts

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    168273

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    Example: How are birds affected by wind turbines?

    The main concepts are birds and wind turbines. Avoid terms like affect (except the noun) and effect as search terms, even when you’re looking for studies that report effects or effectiveness.

    Example: What lesson plans are available for teaching fractions?

    The main concepts are lesson plans and fractions. Stick to what’s necessary. For instance, don’t include: children—nothing in the research question suggests the lesson plans are for children; teaching—teaching isn’t necessary because lesson plans imply teaching; available—available is not necessary.

    Sometimes your research question itself can seem complicated. Make sure you’ve stated the question as precisely as possible (as you learned in Research Questions). Then apply our advice for identifying the main concepts as usual.

    Example: Does the use of mobile technologies by teachers and students in the classroom distract or enhance the educational experience?

    Acceptable main concepts are teaching methods and mobile technology. Another possibility is mobile technologies and education.

    Watch out for overly broad terms. For example, don’t include:

    • Educational experience (it misses mobile technology).
    • Classroom distractions (too broad because there are distractions that have nothing to do with technology).
    • Technology (too broad because the question is focused on mobile technology).

    Exercise: Main Concepts – Select all that apply

    An interactive H5P element has been excluded from this version of the text. You can view it online here:
    https://minnstate.pressbooks.pub/ctar/?p=139#h5p-22

    An interactive H5P element has been excluded from this version of the text. You can view it online here:
    https://minnstate.pressbooks.pub/ctar/?p=139#h5p-24

    An interactive H5P element has been excluded from this version of the text. You can view it online here:
    https://minnstate.pressbooks.pub/ctar/?p=139#h5p-23

    This page titled 8.2: Main Concepts is shared under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Ohio State University Libraries via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.