Preparation for research activities in professional practice: Analysis and assessment of students’ ability to formulate research questions

Introduction. The article focuses on the problem of preparing students for research activities in professional practice. The purpose of the study is to identify the specifics of formulating research questions by students. Materials and Methods. In order to achieve the purpose of the study, the authors used complementary methods. Theoretical ones were employed to analyze and systematize the provisions of Russian and international scholars on the issues of students’ research activities, the competence to formulate research questions, as well as the analysis of regulatory documents of the Russian Federation regarding students’ research competencies. Empirical methods included a professional test aimed at formulating research questions (for limited time) for the proposed research topic. Results. The organization of students’ research work requires an understanding of the content of their competence in formulating questions. It was found that the students showed an average level of productivity in terms of the number of questions asked. It is recorded that the content of the questions does not sufficiently reflect the subject of the research topic. The analysis within the framework of B. Bloom’s taxonomy showed that most of the questions are formulated in the context of the “application/use” level. Conclusions. Based on the results of the study, conclusions were drawn about the need for systematic activities to develop students’ competence in formulating research questions.