Pages 111-112 give the pattern for chapters or pages to be used in this process. The student is to find something that they would like to ask people questions about. Some of my classes have done projects on youth violence, perception of safety in a community, satisfaction with a school or program etc. The student does not need to really do a review of past literature or research on their topic, but a page with this designation does need to be in the project just showing that it would be in the project. The student then decides how they are going to go about finding this information out.
Variables are determined.
Who exactly their population will be. You for example would not ask al persons who look to be high school age, you would want to ask persons who regularly attend the particular high school that you are wondering about. The written format that discusses the variables and operationalization must be almost story like. Remember, that the people who read this know nothing about where you live, what the population looks like. A questionnaire is then devised using the variables that have been determined to be appropriate for this study.