Any serious research should have a reliable and broad base. The first component of this base is the literature that scientists study to understand the topic. The second component is a research question, which determines the direction and details of the research (Laureate Education Producer, 2013). In my opinion, the first step in any study should be to find the literature on the topic. This will allow scientists to find out what works already exist and what has not yet been described. In addition, it will be useful to compose a research question based on other verified questions.
In the particular case of inadequate sex education at school, it is necessary to study works and manuals on birth control. Research on teen psychology and pregnancy statistics are also helpful. This will allow the researcher to form an opinion about the state of the problem and understand in which direction to move (Plummer, Makris, & Brocken, 2014b). Some of the best practices can be used in a new work, and other topics may not have been touched upon by scientists yet. After studying this data, it will be possible to formulate a research question fully covering the desired subject.
Developing a research question without first studying the literature can harm the research results. First, the scientist runs the risk of researching a topic that someone else has researched in the same way (Yegidis, Weinbach, & Myers, 2018). Second, this question will not be based on sufficient methodological information, which will make it unscientific. Third, without studying the literature, the researcher will not know the various details of the research topic. Thus, gathering information before starting work on any subject is a critical step in work. This allows researchers to collect reliable and useful data necessary for a high-quality study of the topic (Plummer, Makris, & Brocken, 2014a). This is the only way to create precious research that reveals the right topic.
References
Laureate Education Producer. (2013). Logan family (Episode 1) [Video file]. In Sessions. Web.
Plummer, S. B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. M. (Eds.). (2014). Social work case studies: Foundation year. Laureate International Universities Publishing.
Plummer, S. B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. (Eds.). (2014). Sessions: Case histories. Laureate International Universities Publishing.
Yegidis, B. L., Weinbach, R. W., & Myers, L. L. (2018). Research methods for social workers (8th ed.). Pearson.