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Research Project Guide

How To Create A Research Question In 6 Simple Steps

Learn how to create a research question in 6 simple steps. Transform your ideas into focused inquiries that drive your research forward!

Oct 26, 2024

Starting a research project can feel like staring at a blank canvas—intimidating and endless. Whether you’re a student or a seasoned researcher, the first step can be the hardest. A well-crafted research question is your guiding star, transforming chaos into clarity. So, how to create the research question ? This guide breaks down the process, helping you conduct fast research and write efficiently to skip the confusion and get straight to discovery.  If you need extra help, Otio’s AI research and writing partner is here to assist you. It’s like having a research buddy that helps you stay organized and efficient every step of the way.

Table Of Contents

What is a research question, types of research questions, key elements of a strong research question, mistakes to avoid while creating a research question, supercharge your researching ability with otio — try otio for free today.

A research question is the centerpiece of any study. It's the specific query your research aims to answer, guiding every decision you make. Think of it like a marked destination on a map—you're just wandering without it. This question determines your focus and directs your efforts throughout the project.

The Archery Analogy: Why Clarity Matters

consider you're an archer. Without a clear target, where do you aim? The research question is your bullseye. It ensures you don’t waste time or resources on irrelevant information. With a straightforward question, you know exactly where to direct your energy and keep your study on track.

Real-Life Examples That Hit the Mark

Consider these examples.

"What impact does social media usage have on the mental health of teenagers in New York?" or "How does the introduction of a minimum wage affect employment levels in small businesses in outer London?" These questions are clear, precise, and achievable. They don’t leave room for ambiguity, and that’s crucial.

The Essence of a Good Research Question

A solid research question is specific and realistic. It’s not vague or overly broad. Instead, it zeroes in on a particular issue or phenomenon, making it possible to find concrete answers. The more precise your question, the smoother your research journey will be.

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2. Make It Specific and Focused

A robust research question needs to be clear and specific. If your question needs to be narrower, it can lead to a sprawling study that requires more direction. Focus on a particular aspect of your topic to ensure that your data and observations align with your hypothesis. This clarity will help you avoid getting lost in the weeds and make it easier to communicate your findings.

3. Choose What Interests You

When selecting a topic , pick something that piques your interest. This will make the research process more enjoyable and increase your chances of producing a compelling paper. Talk to your instructor if you’re unsure about the assignment’s requirements or need guidance. They can help ensure your chosen topic aligns with the assignment’s goals.

4. Do Some Initial Research

Before you write your research question, familiarize yourself with the existing literature. Focus on recent publications and critical works in the field. This will help you get a sense of the primary debates and identify gaps in the literature. Remember, you’re not trying to answer your research question at this stage—you’re just gathering information to help you refine it.

5. Narrow Your Focus

Once you’ve done preliminary research, it’s time to narrow your topic. Focus on a specific issue or debate within the broader topic. This will allow you to cover your chosen subject in greater depth. Consider factors such as period, location, organization, or group of people when narrowing your focus. This will help you zero in on the most relevant aspects of your topic and make your research question more manageable.

6. Craft Your Research Question

With your narrowed topic, you can now focus on crafting your research question . Ensure that your question outlines a straightforward task you must complete. This will help you stay focused as you research and write your paper. Generally, a substantial research question requires analyzing an issue or problem. Use words such as “how,” “why,” “critique,” “argue,” “examine,” and “evaluate” to frame your question. These questions will help you dig deeper into your topic and produce a more nuanced analysis.

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Research questions guide your study and dictate its trajectory. They can be qualitative or quantitative, depending on your goals and the nature of your research.

1. Qualitative Research Questions: Discover and Explore

Qualitative questions are about uncovering, explaining, and exploring phenomena. They are often broad and open-ended.

Exploratory Questions

These aim to understand a topic without influencing the results. They’re about learning more without bias. 

Research example

How is a specific chemical utilized in various industries?

Predictive Questions

These seek to understand future outcomes or intentions.

Why do consumers favor certain products over others?

Interpretive Questions

These focus on understanding behaviors in natural settings and how groups make sense of shared experiences.

How do researchers feel about AI assisting in the publishing process?

2. Quantitative Research Questions: Prove or Disprove Hypotheses

Quantitative questions test hypotheses by expressing relationships between variables.

Descriptive Questions

These are the most basic types, explaining when, where, why, or how something occurs.

How many generations of genes influence a future one?

Comparative Questions

These study groups with dependent variables by comparing one variable to another.

Do men and women have comparable metabolisms?

Relationship-Based Questions

These determine whether one variable affects another and are often used in experimental research.

How does drought affect a region's wildfire probability?

3. Frameworks for Crafting Research Questions

Crafting a research question can be streamlined using established frameworks, each suited to different research areas.

PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome)

This framework breaks a problem into searchable components, making it ideal for health research.

PICOT (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Timeframe)

It emphasizes the time needed for outcomes and is suited for clinical studies.

PICOC (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Context)

Includes context for questions about interventions in various settings.

PPSE (Problem, Population, Setting, Evaluation)

This is a standard method of assessment in education research. It assesses the effectiveness of educational interventions.

DPC (Decision, Problem, Context, Criteria)

Used in business research, focusing on decision-making processes.

PEO (Population, Exposure, Outcome)

Utilizes 'Exposure' instead of 'Intervention', which is used in health research for disease causes.

SPICE (Setting, Population, Intervention, Comparison, Evaluation)

This method, suitable for social science, evaluates interventions' impacts on groups.

SPIDER (Stakeholders, Problem, Intervention, Design, Evaluation, Results)

A newer framework for qualitative evidence synthesis across fields.

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Zero in on Focus

When crafting a research question , the focus is your best friend. A vital question should center around a single idea. Avoid cramming multiple questions into one. If you have numerous focuses, break them into separate questions or subquestions. Narrow is better than broad here.

Clarity and Specificity Are Essential

A good research question is clear and specific. Avoid vague and broad questions. Clearly state what you want to find out. This way, anyone reading your question knows what you aim to achieve. Steer clear of bulky language and jargon. Aim for clarity.

Keep It Feasible

Even a fascinating question is only helpful if you can answer it. Consider the methods needed to tackle your question. Know what data you'll need—primary or secondary—and how to analyze it. This will save you headaches later on.

Root It is a Research Gap

Your question should be rooted in a clear research gap and problem . With this, you can save time on a question already answered. Ensure you've clearly articulated your gap and that your question links directly to it.

Ensure Alignment with Your Aim

Your research question should align with your research aim. If they don’t align, you'll need to revise one. This will ensure a smooth and cohesive study.

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Craft Your Research with Precision

Mistakes happen, but some can derail your entire project. Here’s how to avoid common pitfalls when writing a research question .

1. Keep It Structured

A research paper without structure is like a car without wheels. Stick to a precise format: introduction, methodology, data analysis, results, and conclusion. Place every part systematically. Diagrams and tables can also help illustrate your points.

2. Write Smoothly

Your sentences should flow like a gentle stream, not a bumpy road. Avoid complex sentences that confuse readers. Keep your writing simple, direct, and easy to follow.

3. Focus Your Data

Your research should be laser-focused on proving your hypothesis. Add only data that supports your argument. Exceeding word limits can frustrate your audience and cost you points.

4. Cite Your Sources

Citations are like a map for your research. They guide readers to the sources and enhance your work’s credibility. Forget to cite, and you risk losing trust.

5. Avoid Plagiarism

Plagiarism can sink your research like a stone. Use your own words, or use quotation marks for direct quotes. Passing off someone else’s work as your own is punishable and unethical.

6. Maintain a Formal Tone

A research paper isn’t a casual chat. Use a serious, academic tone and write in the third person. Avoid abbreviations and explain things scientifically. Your work should reflect the scholarly nature of your research.

Remember these tips, and your research question will be on point.

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How to Write a Research Question: Types and Examples 

The first step in any research project is framing the research question. It can be considered the core of any systematic investigation as the research outcomes are tied to asking the right questions. Thus, this primary interrogation point sets the pace for your research as it helps collect relevant and insightful information that ultimately influences your work.   

Typically, the research question guides the stages of inquiry, analysis, and reporting. Depending on the use of quantifiable or quantitative data, research questions are broadly categorized into quantitative or qualitative research questions. Both types of research questions can be used independently or together, considering the overall focus and objectives of your research.  

What is a research question?

A research question is a clear, focused, concise, and arguable question on which your research and writing are centered. 1 It states various aspects of the study, including the population and variables to be studied and the problem the study addresses. These questions also set the boundaries of the study, ensuring cohesion. 

Designing the research question is a dynamic process where the researcher can change or refine the research question as they review related literature and develop a framework for the study. Depending on the scale of your research, the study can include single or multiple research questions. 

A good research question has the following features: 

• It is relevant to the chosen field of study. 
• The question posed is arguable and open for debate, requiring synthesizing and analysis of ideas. 
• It is focused and concisely framed. 
• A feasible solution is possible within the given practical constraint and timeframe. 

A poorly formulated research question poses several risks. 1   

• Researchers can adopt an erroneous design. 
• It can create confusion and hinder the thought process, including developing a clear protocol.  
• It can jeopardize publication efforts.  
• It causes difficulty in determining the relevance of the study findings.  
• It causes difficulty in whether the study fulfils the inclusion criteria for systematic review and meta-analysis. This creates challenges in determining whether additional studies or data collection is needed to answer the question.  
• Readers may fail to understand the objective of the study. This reduces the likelihood of the study being cited by others. 

Now that you know “What is a research question?”, let’s look at the different types of research questions. 

Types of research questions

Depending on the type of research to be done, research questions can be classified broadly into quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods studies. Knowing the type of research helps determine the best type of research question that reflects the direction and epistemological underpinnings of your research. 

The structure and wording of quantitative 2 and qualitative research 3 questions differ significantly. The quantitative study looks at causal relationships, whereas the qualitative study aims at exploring a phenomenon. 

• Quantitative research questions:  
• Seeks to investigate social, familial, or educational experiences or processes in a particular context and/or location.  
• Answers ‘how,’ ‘what,’ or ‘why’ questions. 
• Investigates connections, relations, or comparisons between independent and dependent variables. 

Quantitative research questions can be further categorized into descriptive, comparative, and relationship, as explained in the Table below. 

• Qualitative research questions  

Qualitative research questions are adaptable, non-directional, and more flexible. It concerns broad areas of research or more specific areas of study to discover, explain, or explore a phenomenon. These are further classified as follows: 

• Mixed-methods studies  

Mixed-methods studies use both quantitative and qualitative research questions to answer your research question. Mixed methods provide a complete picture than standalone quantitative or qualitative research, as it integrates the benefits of both methods. Mixed methods research is often used in multidisciplinary settings and complex situational or societal research, especially in the behavioral, health, and social science fields. 

What makes a good research question

A good research question should be clear and focused to guide your research. It should synthesize multiple sources to present your unique argument, and should ideally be something that you are interested in. But avoid questions that can be answered in a few factual statements. The following are the main attributes of a good research question. 

• Specific: The research question should not be a fishing expedition performed in the hopes that some new information will be found that will benefit the researcher. The central research question should work with your research problem to keep your work focused. If using multiple questions, they should all tie back to the central aim. 
• Measurable: The research question must be answerable using quantitative and/or qualitative data or from scholarly sources to develop your research question. If such data is impossible to access, it is better to rethink your question. 
• Attainable: Ensure you have enough time and resources to do all research required to answer your question. If it seems you will not be able to gain access to the data you need, consider narrowing down your question to be more specific. 
• You have the expertise 
• You have the equipment and resources 
• Realistic: Developing your research question should be based on initial reading about your topic. It should focus on addressing a problem or gap in the existing knowledge in your field or discipline. 
• Based on some sort of rational physics 
• Can be done in a reasonable time frame 
• Timely: The research question should contribute to an existing and current debate in your field or in society at large. It should produce knowledge that future researchers or practitioners can later build on. 
• Novel 
• Based on current technologies. 
• Important to answer current problems or concerns. 
• Lead to new directions. 
• Important: Your question should have some aspect of originality. Incremental research is as important as exploring disruptive technologies. For example, you can focus on a specific location or explore a new angle. 
• Meaningful whether the answer is “Yes” or “No.” Closed-ended, yes/no questions are too simple to work as good research questions. Such questions do not provide enough scope for robust investigation and discussion. A good research question requires original data, synthesis of multiple sources, and original interpretation and argumentation before providing an answer. 

Steps for developing a good research question

The importance of research questions cannot be understated. When drafting a research question, use the following frameworks to guide the components of your question to ease the process. 4  

• Determine the requirements: Before constructing a good research question, set your research requirements. What is the purpose? Is it descriptive, comparative, or explorative research? Determining the research aim will help you choose the most appropriate topic and word your question appropriately. 
• Select a broad research topic: Identify a broader subject area of interest that requires investigation. Techniques such as brainstorming or concept mapping can help identify relevant connections and themes within a broad research topic. For example, how to learn and help students learn. 
• Perform preliminary investigation: Preliminary research is needed to obtain up-to-date and relevant knowledge on your topic. It also helps identify issues currently being discussed from which information gaps can be identified. 
• Narrow your focus: Narrow the scope and focus of your research to a specific niche. This involves focusing on gaps in existing knowledge or recent literature or extending or complementing the findings of existing literature. Another approach involves constructing strong research questions that challenge your views or knowledge of the area of study (Example: Is learning consistent with the existing learning theory and research). 
• Identify the research problem: Once the research question has been framed, one should evaluate it. This is to realize the importance of the research questions and if there is a need for more revising (Example: How do your beliefs on learning theory and research impact your instructional practices). 

How to write a research question

Those struggling to understand how to write a research question, these simple steps can help you simplify the process of writing a research question. 

Sample Research Questions

The following are some bad and good research question examples 

• Example 1 
• Example 2 

References:  

• Thabane, L., Thomas, T., Ye, C., & Paul, J. (2009). Posing the research question: not so simple.  Canadian Journal of Anesthesia/Journal canadien d’anesthésie ,  56 (1), 71-79. 
• Rutberg, S., & Bouikidis, C. D. (2018). Focusing on the fundamentals: A simplistic differentiation between qualitative and quantitative research.  Nephrology Nursing Journal ,  45 (2), 209-213. 
• Kyngäs, H. (2020). Qualitative research and content analysis.  The application of content analysis in nursing science research , 3-11. 
• Mattick, K., Johnston, J., & de la Croix, A. (2018). How to… write a good research question.  The clinical teacher ,  15 (2), 104-108. 
• Fandino, W. (2019). Formulating a good research question: Pearls and pitfalls.  Indian Journal of Anaesthesia ,  63 (8), 611. 
• Richardson, W. S., Wilson, M. C., Nishikawa, J., & Hayward, R. S. (1995). The well-built clinical question: a key to evidence-based decisions.  ACP journal club ,  123 (3), A12-A13 

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Educational resources and simple solutions for your research journey

How to Craft a Strong Research Question (With Research Question Examples)

A sound and effective research question is a key element that must be identified and pinned down before researchers can even begin their research study or work. A strong research question lays the foundation for your entire study, guiding your investigation and shaping your findings. Hence, it is critical that researchers spend considerable time assessing and refining the research question based on in-depth reading and comprehensive literature review. In this article, we will discuss how to write a strong research question and provide you with some good examples of research questions across various disciplines.

Table of Contents

The importance of a research question

A research question plays a crucial role in driving scientific inquiry, setting the direction and purpose of your study, and guiding your entire research process. By formulating a clear and focused research question, you lay the foundation for your investigation, ensuring that your research remains on track and aligned with your objectives so you can make meaningful contribution to the existing body of knowledge. A well-crafted research question also helps you define the scope of your study and identify the appropriate methodologies and data collection techniques to employ.

Key components of a strong research question

A good research question possesses several key components that contribute to the quality and impact of your study. Apart from providing a clear framework to generate meaningful results, a well-defined research question allows other researchers to understand the purpose and significance of your work. So, when working on your research question, incorporate the following elements:

• Specificity : A strong research question should be specific about the main focus of your study, enabling you to gather precise data and draw accurate conclusions. It clearly defines the variables, participants, and context involved, leaving no room for ambiguity.
• Clarity : A good research question is clear and easily understood, so articulate the purpose and intent of your study concisely without being generic or vague. Ensuring clarity in your research question helps both you and your readers grasp the research objective.
• Feasibility : While crafting a research question, consider the practicality of conducting the research and availability of necessary data or access to participants. Think whether your study is realistic and achievable within the constraints of time, resources, and ethical considerations.

How to craft a well-defined research question

A first step that will help save time and effort is knowing what your aims are and thinking about a few problem statements on the area or aspect one wants to study or do research on. Contemplating these statements as one undertakes more progressive reading can help the researcher in reassessing and fine-tuning the research question. This can be done over time as they read and learn more about the research topic, along with a broad literature review and parallel discussions with peer researchers and supervisors. In some cases, a researcher can have more than one research question if the research being undertaken is a PhD thesis or dissertation, but try not to cover multiple concerns on a topic.

A strong research question must be researchable, original, complex, and relevant. Here are five simple steps that can make the entire process easier.

• Identify a broad topic from your areas of interest, something that is relevant, and you are passionate about since you’ll be spending a lot of time conducting your research.
• Do a thorough literature review to weed out potential gaps in research and stay updated on what’s currently being done in your chosen topic and subject area.
• Shortlist possible research questions based on the research gaps or see how you can build on or refute previously published ideas and concepts.
• Assess your chosen research question using the FINER criteria that helps you evaluate whether the research is Feasible, Interesting, Novel, Ethical, and Relevant. 1
• Formulate the final research question, while ensuring it is clear, well-written, and addresses all the key elements of a strong research question.

Examples of research questions

Remember to adapt your research question to suit your purpose, whether it’s exploratory, descriptive, comparative, experimental, qualitative, or quantitative. Embrace the iterative nature of the research process, continually evaluating and refining your question as you progress. Here are some good examples of research questions across various disciplines.

Exploratory research question examples

• How does social media impact interpersonal relationships among teenagers?
• What are the potential benefits of incorporating mindfulness practices in the workplace?

Descriptive research question examples

• What factors influence customer loyalty in the e-commerce industry?
• Is there a relationship between socioeconomic status and academic performance among elementary school students?

Comparative research question examples

• How does the effectiveness of traditional teaching methods compare to online learning platforms in mathematics education?
• What is the impact of different healthcare policies on patient outcomes in various countries?

Experimental research question examples

• What are the effects of a new drug on reducing symptoms of a specific medical condition?
• Does a dietary intervention have an impact on weight loss among individuals with obesity?

Qualitative research question examples

• What are the lived experiences of immigrants adapting to a new culture?
• What factors influence job satisfaction among healthcare professionals?

Quantitative research question examples

• Is there a relationship between sleep duration and academic performance among college students?
• How effective is a specific intervention in reducing anxiety levels among individuals with phobias?

With these simple guidelines and inspiring examples of research questions, you are equipped to embark on your research journey with confidence and purpose. Here’s wishing you all the best for your future endeavors!

References:

• How to write a research question: Steps and examples. Indeed Career Guide. Available online at https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-write-research-questions

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