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Research Questions – Types, Examples and Writing Guide

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Research Questions

Research Questions

Definition:

Research questions are the specific questions that guide a research study or inquiry. These questions help to define the scope of the research and provide a clear focus for the study. Research questions are usually developed at the beginning of a research project and are designed to address a particular research problem or objective.

Types of Research Questions

Types of Research Questions are as follows:

Descriptive Research Questions

These aim to describe a particular phenomenon, group, or situation. For example:

  • What are the characteristics of the target population?
  • What is the prevalence of a particular disease in a specific region?

Exploratory Research Questions

These aim to explore a new area of research or generate new ideas or hypotheses. For example:

  • What are the potential causes of a particular phenomenon?
  • What are the possible outcomes of a specific intervention?

Explanatory Research Questions

These aim to understand the relationship between two or more variables or to explain why a particular phenomenon occurs. For example:

  • What is the effect of a specific drug on the symptoms of a particular disease?
  • What are the factors that contribute to employee turnover in a particular industry?

Predictive Research Questions

These aim to predict a future outcome or trend based on existing data or trends. For example :

  • What will be the future demand for a particular product or service?
  • What will be the future prevalence of a particular disease?

Evaluative Research Questions

These aim to evaluate the effectiveness of a particular intervention or program. For example:

  • What is the impact of a specific educational program on student learning outcomes?
  • What is the effectiveness of a particular policy or program in achieving its intended goals?

How to Choose Research Questions

Choosing research questions is an essential part of the research process and involves careful consideration of the research problem, objectives, and design. Here are some steps to consider when choosing research questions:

  • Identify the research problem: Start by identifying the problem or issue that you want to study. This could be a gap in the literature, a social or economic issue, or a practical problem that needs to be addressed.
  • Conduct a literature review: Conducting a literature review can help you identify existing research in your area of interest and can help you formulate research questions that address gaps or limitations in the existing literature.
  • Define the research objectives : Clearly define the objectives of your research. What do you want to achieve with your study? What specific questions do you want to answer?
  • Consider the research design : Consider the research design that you plan to use. This will help you determine the appropriate types of research questions to ask. For example, if you plan to use a qualitative approach, you may want to focus on exploratory or descriptive research questions.
  • Ensure that the research questions are clear and answerable: Your research questions should be clear and specific, and should be answerable with the data that you plan to collect. Avoid asking questions that are too broad or vague.
  • Get feedback : Get feedback from your supervisor, colleagues, or peers to ensure that your research questions are relevant, feasible, and meaningful.

How to Write Research Questions

Guide for Writing Research Questions:

  • Start with a clear statement of the research problem: Begin by stating the problem or issue that your research aims to address. This will help you to formulate focused research questions.
  • Use clear language : Write your research questions in clear and concise language that is easy to understand. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that may be unfamiliar to your readers.
  • Be specific: Your research questions should be specific and focused. Avoid broad questions that are difficult to answer. For example, instead of asking “What is the impact of climate change on the environment?” ask “What are the effects of rising sea levels on coastal ecosystems?”
  • Use appropriate question types: Choose the appropriate question types based on the research design and objectives. For example, if you are conducting a qualitative study, you may want to use open-ended questions that allow participants to provide detailed responses.
  • Consider the feasibility of your questions : Ensure that your research questions are feasible and can be answered with the resources available. Consider the data sources and methods of data collection when writing your questions.
  • Seek feedback: Get feedback from your supervisor, colleagues, or peers to ensure that your research questions are relevant, appropriate, and meaningful.

Examples of Research Questions

Some Examples of Research Questions with Research Titles:

Research Title: The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health

  • Research Question : What is the relationship between social media use and mental health, and how does this impact individuals’ well-being?

Research Title: Factors Influencing Academic Success in High School

  • Research Question: What are the primary factors that influence academic success in high school, and how do they contribute to student achievement?

Research Title: The Effects of Exercise on Physical and Mental Health

  • Research Question: What is the relationship between exercise and physical and mental health, and how can exercise be used as a tool to improve overall well-being?

Research Title: Understanding the Factors that Influence Consumer Purchasing Decisions

  • Research Question : What are the key factors that influence consumer purchasing decisions, and how do these factors vary across different demographics and products?

Research Title: The Impact of Technology on Communication

  • Research Question : How has technology impacted communication patterns, and what are the effects of these changes on interpersonal relationships and society as a whole?

Research Title: Investigating the Relationship between Parenting Styles and Child Development

  • Research Question: What is the relationship between different parenting styles and child development outcomes, and how do these outcomes vary across different ages and developmental stages?

Research Title: The Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in Treating Anxiety Disorders

  • Research Question: How effective is cognitive-behavioral therapy in treating anxiety disorders, and what factors contribute to its success or failure in different patients?

Research Title: The Impact of Climate Change on Biodiversity

  • Research Question : How is climate change affecting global biodiversity, and what can be done to mitigate the negative effects on natural ecosystems?

Research Title: Exploring the Relationship between Cultural Diversity and Workplace Productivity

  • Research Question : How does cultural diversity impact workplace productivity, and what strategies can be employed to maximize the benefits of a diverse workforce?

Research Title: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

  • Research Question: How can artificial intelligence be leveraged to improve healthcare outcomes, and what are the potential risks and ethical concerns associated with its use?

Applications of Research Questions

Here are some of the key applications of research questions:

  • Defining the scope of the study : Research questions help researchers to narrow down the scope of their study and identify the specific issues they want to investigate.
  • Developing hypotheses: Research questions often lead to the development of hypotheses, which are testable predictions about the relationship between variables. Hypotheses provide a clear and focused direction for the study.
  • Designing the study : Research questions guide the design of the study, including the selection of participants, the collection of data, and the analysis of results.
  • Collecting data : Research questions inform the selection of appropriate methods for collecting data, such as surveys, interviews, or experiments.
  • Analyzing data : Research questions guide the analysis of data, including the selection of appropriate statistical tests and the interpretation of results.
  • Communicating results : Research questions help researchers to communicate the results of their study in a clear and concise manner. The research questions provide a framework for discussing the findings and drawing conclusions.

Characteristics of Research Questions

Characteristics of Research Questions are as follows:

  • Clear and Specific : A good research question should be clear and specific. It should clearly state what the research is trying to investigate and what kind of data is required.
  • Relevant : The research question should be relevant to the study and should address a current issue or problem in the field of research.
  • Testable : The research question should be testable through empirical evidence. It should be possible to collect data to answer the research question.
  • Concise : The research question should be concise and focused. It should not be too broad or too narrow.
  • Feasible : The research question should be feasible to answer within the constraints of the research design, time frame, and available resources.
  • Original : The research question should be original and should contribute to the existing knowledge in the field of research.
  • Significant : The research question should have significance and importance to the field of research. It should have the potential to provide new insights and knowledge to the field.
  • Ethical : The research question should be ethical and should not cause harm to any individuals or groups involved in the study.

Purpose of Research Questions

Research questions are the foundation of any research study as they guide the research process and provide a clear direction to the researcher. The purpose of research questions is to identify the scope and boundaries of the study, and to establish the goals and objectives of the research.

The main purpose of research questions is to help the researcher to focus on the specific area or problem that needs to be investigated. They enable the researcher to develop a research design, select the appropriate methods and tools for data collection and analysis, and to organize the results in a meaningful way.

Research questions also help to establish the relevance and significance of the study. They define the research problem, and determine the research methodology that will be used to address the problem. Research questions also help to determine the type of data that will be collected, and how it will be analyzed and interpreted.

Finally, research questions provide a framework for evaluating the results of the research. They help to establish the validity and reliability of the data, and provide a basis for drawing conclusions and making recommendations based on the findings of the study.

Advantages of Research Questions

There are several advantages of research questions in the research process, including:

  • Focus : Research questions help to focus the research by providing a clear direction for the study. They define the specific area of investigation and provide a framework for the research design.
  • Clarity : Research questions help to clarify the purpose and objectives of the study, which can make it easier for the researcher to communicate the research aims to others.
  • Relevance : Research questions help to ensure that the study is relevant and meaningful. By asking relevant and important questions, the researcher can ensure that the study will contribute to the existing body of knowledge and address important issues.
  • Consistency : Research questions help to ensure consistency in the research process by providing a framework for the development of the research design, data collection, and analysis.
  • Measurability : Research questions help to ensure that the study is measurable by defining the specific variables and outcomes that will be measured.
  • Replication : Research questions help to ensure that the study can be replicated by providing a clear and detailed description of the research aims, methods, and outcomes. This makes it easier for other researchers to replicate the study and verify the results.

Limitations of Research Questions

Limitations of Research Questions are as follows:

  • Subjectivity : Research questions are often subjective and can be influenced by personal biases and perspectives of the researcher. This can lead to a limited understanding of the research problem and may affect the validity and reliability of the study.
  • Inadequate scope : Research questions that are too narrow in scope may limit the breadth of the study, while questions that are too broad may make it difficult to focus on specific research objectives.
  • Unanswerable questions : Some research questions may not be answerable due to the lack of available data or limitations in research methods. In such cases, the research question may need to be rephrased or modified to make it more answerable.
  • Lack of clarity : Research questions that are poorly worded or ambiguous can lead to confusion and misinterpretation. This can result in incomplete or inaccurate data, which may compromise the validity of the study.
  • Difficulty in measuring variables : Some research questions may involve variables that are difficult to measure or quantify, making it challenging to draw meaningful conclusions from the data.
  • Lack of generalizability: Research questions that are too specific or limited in scope may not be generalizable to other contexts or populations. This can limit the applicability of the study’s findings and restrict its broader implications.

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Research Question 101 📖

Everything you need to know to write a high-quality research question

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewed By: Dr. Eunice Rautenbach | October 2023

If you’ve landed on this page, you’re probably asking yourself, “ What is a research question? ”. Well, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll explain what a research question is , how it’s differen t from a research aim, and how to craft a high-quality research question that sets you up for success.

Research Question 101

What is a research question.

  • Research questions vs research aims
  • The 4 types of research questions
  • How to write a research question
  • Frequently asked questions
  • Examples of research questions

As the name suggests, the research question is the core question (or set of questions) that your study will (attempt to) answer .

In many ways, a research question is akin to a target in archery . Without a clear target, you won’t know where to concentrate your efforts and focus. Essentially, your research question acts as the guiding light throughout your project and informs every choice you make along the way.

Let’s look at some examples:

What impact does social media usage have on the mental health of teenagers in New York?
How does the introduction of a minimum wage affect employment levels in small businesses in outer London?
How does the portrayal of women in 19th-century American literature reflect the societal attitudes of the time?
What are the long-term effects of intermittent fasting on heart health in adults?

As you can see in these examples, research questions are clear, specific questions that can be feasibly answered within a study. These are important attributes and we’ll discuss each of them in more detail a little later . If you’d like to see more examples of research questions, you can find our RQ mega-list here .

Free Webinar: How To Find A Dissertation Research Topic

Research Questions vs Research Aims

At this point, you might be asking yourself, “ How is a research question different from a research aim? ”. Within any given study, the research aim and research question (or questions) are tightly intertwined , but they are separate things . Let’s unpack that a little.

A research aim is typically broader in nature and outlines what you hope to achieve with your research. It doesn’t ask a specific question but rather gives a summary of what you intend to explore.

The research question, on the other hand, is much more focused . It’s the specific query you’re setting out to answer. It narrows down the research aim into a detailed, researchable question that will guide your study’s methods and analysis.

Let’s look at an example:

Research Aim: To explore the effects of climate change on marine life in Southern Africa.
Research Question: How does ocean acidification caused by climate change affect the reproduction rates of coral reefs?

As you can see, the research aim gives you a general focus , while the research question details exactly what you want to find out.

Need a helping hand?

five key research questions

Types of research questions

Now that we’ve defined what a research question is, let’s look at the different types of research questions that you might come across. Broadly speaking, there are (at least) four different types of research questions – descriptive , comparative , relational , and explanatory . 

Descriptive questions ask what is happening. In other words, they seek to describe a phenomena or situation . An example of a descriptive research question could be something like “What types of exercise do high-performing UK executives engage in?”. This would likely be a bit too basic to form an interesting study, but as you can see, the research question is just focused on the what – in other words, it just describes the situation.

Comparative research questions , on the other hand, look to understand the way in which two or more things differ , or how they’re similar. An example of a comparative research question might be something like “How do exercise preferences vary between middle-aged men across three American cities?”. As you can see, this question seeks to compare the differences (or similarities) in behaviour between different groups.

Next up, we’ve got exploratory research questions , which ask why or how is something happening. While the other types of questions we looked at focused on the what, exploratory research questions are interested in the why and how . As an example, an exploratory research question might ask something like “Why have bee populations declined in Germany over the last 5 years?”. As you can, this question is aimed squarely at the why, rather than the what.

Last but not least, we have relational research questions . As the name suggests, these types of research questions seek to explore the relationships between variables . Here, an example could be something like “What is the relationship between X and Y” or “Does A have an impact on B”. As you can see, these types of research questions are interested in understanding how constructs or variables are connected , and perhaps, whether one thing causes another.

Of course, depending on how fine-grained you want to get, you can argue that there are many more types of research questions , but these four categories give you a broad idea of the different flavours that exist out there. It’s also worth pointing out that a research question doesn’t need to fit perfectly into one category – in many cases, a research question might overlap into more than just one category and that’s okay.

The key takeaway here is that research questions can take many different forms , and it’s useful to understand the nature of your research question so that you can align your research methodology accordingly.

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How To Write A Research Question

As we alluded earlier, a well-crafted research question needs to possess very specific attributes, including focus , clarity and feasibility . But that’s not all – a rock-solid research question also needs to be rooted and aligned . Let’s look at each of these.

A strong research question typically has a single focus. So, don’t try to cram multiple questions into one research question; rather split them up into separate questions (or even subquestions), each with their own specific focus. As a rule of thumb, narrow beats broad when it comes to research questions.

Clear and specific

A good research question is clear and specific, not vague and broad. State clearly exactly what you want to find out so that any reader can quickly understand what you’re looking to achieve with your study. Along the same vein, try to avoid using bulky language and jargon – aim for clarity.

Unfortunately, even a super tantalising and thought-provoking research question has little value if you cannot feasibly answer it. So, think about the methodological implications of your research question while you’re crafting it. Most importantly, make sure that you know exactly what data you’ll need (primary or secondary) and how you’ll analyse that data.

A good research question (and a research topic, more broadly) should be rooted in a clear research gap and research problem . Without a well-defined research gap, you risk wasting your effort pursuing a question that’s already been adequately answered (and agreed upon) by the research community. A well-argued research gap lays at the heart of a valuable study, so make sure you have your gap clearly articulated and that your research question directly links to it.

As we mentioned earlier, your research aim and research question are (or at least, should be) tightly linked. So, make sure that your research question (or set of questions) aligns with your research aim . If not, you’ll need to revise one of the two to achieve this.

FAQ: Research Questions

Research question faqs, how many research questions should i have, what should i avoid when writing a research question, can a research question be a statement.

Typically, a research question is phrased as a question, not a statement. A question clearly indicates what you’re setting out to discover.

Can a research question be too broad or too narrow?

Yes. A question that’s too broad makes your research unfocused, while a question that’s too narrow limits the scope of your study.

Here’s an example of a research question that’s too broad:

“Why is mental health important?”

Conversely, here’s an example of a research question that’s likely too narrow:

“What is the impact of sleep deprivation on the exam scores of 19-year-old males in London studying maths at The Open University?”

Can I change my research question during the research process?

How do i know if my research question is good.

A good research question is focused, specific, practical, rooted in a research gap, and aligned with the research aim. If your question meets these criteria, it’s likely a strong question.

Is a research question similar to a hypothesis?

Not quite. A hypothesis is a testable statement that predicts an outcome, while a research question is a query that you’re trying to answer through your study. Naturally, there can be linkages between a study’s research questions and hypothesis, but they serve different functions.

How are research questions and research objectives related?

The research question is a focused and specific query that your study aims to answer. It’s the central issue you’re investigating. The research objective, on the other hand, outlines the steps you’ll take to answer your research question. Research objectives are often more action-oriented and can be broken down into smaller tasks that guide your research process. In a sense, they’re something of a roadmap that helps you answer your research question.

Need some inspiration?

If you’d like to see more examples of research questions, check out our research question mega list here .  Alternatively, if you’d like 1-on-1 help developing a high-quality research question, consider our private coaching service .

five key research questions

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Qualitative Research Questions: Gain Powerful Insights + 25 Examples

We review the basics of qualitative research questions, including their key components, how to craft them effectively, & 25 example questions.

Einstein was many things—a physicist, a philosopher, and, undoubtedly, a mastermind. He also had an incredible way with words. His quote, "Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted," is particularly poignant when it comes to research. 

Some inquiries call for a quantitative approach, for counting and measuring data in order to arrive at general conclusions. Other investigations, like qualitative research, rely on deep exploration and understanding of individual cases in order to develop a greater understanding of the whole. That’s what we’re going to focus on today.

Qualitative research questions focus on the "how" and "why" of things, rather than the "what". They ask about people's experiences and perceptions , and can be used to explore a wide range of topics.

The following article will discuss the basics of qualitative research questions, including their key components, and how to craft them effectively. You'll also find 25 examples of effective qualitative research questions you can use as inspiration for your own studies.

Let’s get started!

What are qualitative research questions, and when are they used?

When researchers set out to conduct a study on a certain topic, their research is chiefly directed by an overarching question . This question provides focus for the study and helps determine what kind of data will be collected.

By starting with a question, we gain parameters and objectives for our line of research. What are we studying? For what purpose? How will we know when we’ve achieved our goals?

Of course, some of these questions can be described as quantitative in nature. When a research question is quantitative, it usually seeks to measure or calculate something in a systematic way.

For example:

  • How many people in our town use the library?
  • What is the average income of families in our city?
  • How much does the average person weigh?

Other research questions, however—and the ones we will be focusing on in this article—are qualitative in nature. Qualitative research questions are open-ended and seek to explore a given topic in-depth.

According to the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry , “Qualitative research aims to address questions concerned with developing an understanding of the meaning and experience dimensions of humans’ lives and social worlds.”

This type of research can be used to gain a better understanding of people’s thoughts, feelings and experiences by “addressing questions beyond ‘what works’, towards ‘what works for whom when, how and why, and focusing on intervention improvement rather than accreditation,” states one paper in Neurological Research and Practice .

Qualitative questions often produce rich data that can help researchers develop hypotheses for further quantitative study.

  • What are people’s thoughts on the new library?
  • How does it feel to be a first-generation student at our school?
  • How do people feel about the changes taking place in our town?

As stated by a paper in Human Reproduction , “...‘qualitative’ methods are used to answer questions about experience, meaning, and perspective, most often from the standpoint of the participant. These data are usually not amenable to counting or measuring.”

Both quantitative and qualitative questions have their uses; in fact, they often complement each other. A well-designed research study will include a mix of both types of questions in order to gain a fuller understanding of the topic at hand.

If you would like to recruit unlimited participants for qualitative research for free and only pay for the interview you conduct, try using Respondent  today. 

Crafting qualitative research questions for powerful insights

Now that we have a basic understanding of what qualitative research questions are and when they are used, let’s take a look at how you can begin crafting your own.

According to a study in the International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, there is a certain process researchers should follow when crafting their questions, which we’ll explore in more depth.

1. Beginning the process 

Start with a point of interest or curiosity, and pose a draft question or ‘self-question’. What do you want to know about the topic at hand? What is your specific curiosity? You may find it helpful to begin by writing several questions.

For example, if you’re interested in understanding how your customer base feels about a recent change to your product, you might ask: 

  • What made you decide to try the new product?
  • How do you feel about the change?
  • What do you think of the new design/functionality?
  • What benefits do you see in the change?

2. Create one overarching, guiding question 

At this point, narrow down the draft questions into one specific question. “Sometimes, these broader research questions are not stated as questions, but rather as goals for the study.”

As an example of this, you might narrow down these three questions: 

into the following question: 

  • What are our customers’ thoughts on the recent change to our product?

3. Theoretical framing 

As you read the relevant literature and apply theory to your research, the question should be altered to achieve better outcomes. Experts agree that pursuing a qualitative line of inquiry should open up the possibility for questioning your original theories and altering the conceptual framework with which the research began.

If we continue with the current example, it’s possible you may uncover new data that informs your research and changes your question. For instance, you may discover that customers’ feelings about the change are not just a reaction to the change itself, but also to how it was implemented. In this case, your question would need to reflect this new information: 

  • How did customers react to the process of the change, as well as the change itself?

4. Ethical considerations 

A study in the International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education stresses that ethics are “a central issue when a researcher proposes to study the lives of others, especially marginalized populations.” Consider how your question or inquiry will affect the people it relates to—their lives and their safety. Shape your question to avoid physical, emotional, or mental upset for the focus group.

In analyzing your question from this perspective, if you feel that it may cause harm, you should consider changing the question or ending your research project. Perhaps you’ve discovered that your question encourages harmful or invasive questioning, in which case you should reformulate it.

5. Writing the question 

The actual process of writing the question comes only after considering the above points. The purpose of crafting your research questions is to delve into what your study is specifically about” Remember that qualitative research questions are not trying to find the cause of an effect, but rather to explore the effect itself.

Your questions should be clear, concise, and understandable to those outside of your field. In addition, they should generate rich data. The questions you choose will also depend on the type of research you are conducting: 

  • If you’re doing a phenomenological study, your questions might be open-ended, in order to allow participants to share their experiences in their own words.
  • If you’re doing a grounded-theory study, your questions might be focused on generating a list of categories or themes.
  • If you’re doing ethnography, your questions might be about understanding the culture you’re studying.

Whenyou have well-written questions, it is much easier to develop your research design and collect data that accurately reflects your inquiry.

In writing your questions, it may help you to refer to this simple flowchart process for constructing questions:

five key research questions

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25 examples of expertly crafted qualitative research questions

It's easy enough to cover the theory of writing a qualitative research question, but sometimes it's best if you can see the process in practice. In this section, we'll list 25 examples of B2B and B2C-related qualitative questions.

Let's begin with five questions. We'll show you the question, explain why it's considered qualitative, and then give you an example of how it can be used in research.

1. What is the customer's perception of our company's brand?

Qualitative research questions are often open-ended and invite respondents to share their thoughts and feelings on a subject. This question is qualitative because it seeks customer feedback on the company's brand. 

This question can be used in research to understand how customers feel about the company's branding, what they like and don't like about it, and whether they would recommend it to others.

2. Why do customers buy our product?

This question is also qualitative because it seeks to understand the customer's motivations for purchasing a product. It can be used in research to identify the reasons  customers buy a certain product, what needs or desires the product fulfills for them, and how they feel about the purchase after using the product.

3. How do our customers interact with our products?

Again, this question is qualitative because it seeks to understand customer behavior. In this case, it can be used in research to see how customers use the product, how they interact with it, and what emotions or thoughts the product evokes in them.

4. What are our customers' biggest frustrations with our products?

By seeking to understand customer frustrations, this question is qualitative and can provide valuable insights. It can be used in research to help identify areas in which the company needs to make improvements with its products.

5. How do our customers feel about our customer service?

Rather than asking why customers like or dislike something, this question asks how they feel. This qualitative question can provide insights into customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction with a company. 

This type of question can be used in research to understand what customers think of the company's customer service and whether they feel it meets their needs.

20 more examples to refer to when writing your question

Now that you’re aware of what makes certain questions qualitative, let's move into 20 more examples of qualitative research questions:

  • How do your customers react when updates are made to your app interface?
  • How do customers feel when they complete their purchase through your ecommerce site?
  • What are your customers' main frustrations with your service?
  • How do people feel about the quality of your products compared to those of your competitors?
  • What motivates customers to refer their friends and family members to your product or service?
  • What are the main benefits your customers receive from using your product or service?
  • How do people feel when they finish a purchase on your website?
  • What are the main motivations behind customer loyalty to your brand?
  • How does your app make people feel emotionally?
  • For younger generations using your app, how does it make them feel about themselves?
  • What reputation do people associate with your brand?
  • How inclusive do people find your app?
  • In what ways are your customers' experiences unique to them?
  • What are the main areas of improvement your customers would like to see in your product or service?
  • How do people feel about their interactions with your tech team?
  • What are the top five reasons people use your online marketplace?
  • How does using your app make people feel in terms of connectedness?
  • What emotions do people experience when they're using your product or service?
  • Aside from the features of your product, what else about it attracts customers?
  • How does your company culture make people feel?

As you can see, these kinds of questions are completely open-ended. In a way, they allow the research and discoveries made along the way to direct the research. The questions are merely a starting point from which to explore.

This video offers tips on how to write good qualitative research questions, produced by Qualitative Research Expert, Kimberly Baker.

Wrap-up: crafting your own qualitative research questions.

Over the course of this article, we've explored what qualitative research questions are, why they matter, and how they should be written. Hopefully you now have a clear understanding of how to craft your own.

Remember, qualitative research questions should always be designed to explore a certain experience or phenomena in-depth, in order to generate powerful insights. As you write your questions, be sure to keep the following in mind:

  • Are you being inclusive of all relevant perspectives?
  • Are your questions specific enough to generate clear answers?
  • Will your questions allow for an in-depth exploration of the topic at hand?
  • Do the questions reflect your research goals and objectives?

If you can answer "yes" to all of the questions above, and you've followed the tips for writing qualitative research questions we shared in this article, then you're well on your way to crafting powerful queries that will yield valuable insights.

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Asking the right questions in the right way is the key to research success. That’s true for not just the discussion guide but for every step of a research project. Following are 100+ questions that will take you from defining your research objective through  screening and participant discussions.

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How to Write a Research Question: Types and Examples 

research quetsion

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’anesthĂ©sie ,  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. 
  • KyngĂ€s, 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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Transitive and Intransitive Verbs in the World of Research

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How to Develop a Good Research Question? — Types & Examples

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Cecilia is living through a tough situation in her research life. Figuring out where to begin, how to start her research study, and how to pose the right question for her research quest, is driving her insane. Well, questions, if not asked correctly, have a tendency to spiral us!

Image Source: https://phdcomics.com/

Questions lead everyone to answers. Research is a quest to find answers. Not the vague questions that Cecilia means to answer, but definitely more focused questions that define your research. Therefore, asking appropriate question becomes an important matter of discussion.

A well begun research process requires a strong research question. It directs the research investigation and provides a clear goal to focus on. Understanding the characteristics of comprising a good research question will generate new ideas and help you discover new methods in research.

In this article, we are aiming to help researchers understand what is a research question and how to write one with examples.

Table of Contents

What Is a Research Question?

A good research question defines your study and helps you seek an answer to your research. Moreover, a clear research question guides the research paper or thesis to define exactly what you want to find out, giving your work its objective. Learning to write a research question is the beginning to any thesis, dissertation , or research paper. Furthermore, the question addresses issues or problems which is answered through analysis and interpretation of data.

Why Is a Research Question Important?

A strong research question guides the design of a study. Moreover, it helps determine the type of research and identify specific objectives. Research questions state the specific issue you are addressing and focus on outcomes of the research for individuals to learn. Therefore, it helps break up the study into easy steps to complete the objectives and answer the initial question.

Types of Research Questions

Research questions can be categorized into different types, depending on the type of research you want to undergo. Furthermore, knowing the type of research will help a researcher determine the best type of research question to use.

1. Qualitative Research Question

Qualitative questions concern broad areas or more specific areas of research. However, unlike quantitative questions, qualitative research questions are adaptable, non-directional and more flexible. Qualitative research question focus on discovering, explaining, elucidating, and exploring.

i. Exploratory Questions

This form of question looks to understand something without influencing the results. The objective of exploratory questions is to learn more about a topic without attributing bias or preconceived notions to it.

Research Question Example: Asking how a chemical is used or perceptions around a certain topic.

ii. Predictive Questions

Predictive research questions are defined as survey questions that automatically predict the best possible response options based on text of the question. Moreover, these questions seek to understand the intent or future outcome surrounding a topic.

Research Question Example: Asking why a consumer behaves in a certain way or chooses a certain option over other.

iii. Interpretive Questions

This type of research question allows the study of people in the natural setting. The questions help understand how a group makes sense of shared experiences with regards to various phenomena. These studies gather feedback on a group’s behavior without affecting the outcome.

Research Question Example: How do you feel about AI assisting publishing process in your research?

2. Quantitative Research Question

Quantitative questions prove or disprove a researcher’s hypothesis through descriptions, comparisons, and relationships. These questions are beneficial when choosing a research topic or when posing follow-up questions that garner more information.

i. Descriptive Questions

It is the most basic type of quantitative research question and it seeks to explain when, where, why, or how something occurred. Moreover, they use data and statistics to describe an event or phenomenon.

Research Question Example: How many generations of genes influence a future generation?

ii. Comparative Questions

Sometimes it’s beneficial to compare one occurrence with another. Therefore, comparative questions are helpful when studying groups with dependent variables.

Example: Do men and women have comparable metabolisms?

iii. Relationship-Based Questions

This type of research question answers influence of one variable on another. Therefore, experimental studies use this type of research questions are majorly.

Example: How is drought condition affect a region’s probability for wildfires.  

How to Write a Good Research Question?

good research question

1. Select a Topic

The first step towards writing a good research question is to choose a broad topic of research. You could choose a research topic that interests you, because the complete research will progress further from the research question. Therefore, make sure to choose a topic that you are passionate about, to make your research study more enjoyable.

2. Conduct Preliminary Research

After finalizing the topic, read and know about what research studies are conducted in the field so far. Furthermore, this will help you find articles that talk about the topics that are yet to be explored. You could explore the topics that the earlier research has not studied.

3. Consider Your Audience

The most important aspect of writing a good research question is to find out if there is audience interested to know the answer to the question you are proposing. Moreover, determining your audience will assist you in refining your research question, and focus on aspects that relate to defined groups.

4. Generate Potential Questions

The best way to generate potential questions is to ask open ended questions. Questioning broader topics will allow you to narrow down to specific questions. Identifying the gaps in literature could also give you topics to write the research question. Moreover, you could also challenge the existing assumptions or use personal experiences to redefine issues in research.

5. Review Your Questions

Once you have listed few of your questions, evaluate them to find out if they are effective research questions. Moreover while reviewing, go through the finer details of the question and its probable outcome, and find out if the question meets the research question criteria.

6. Construct Your Research Question

There are two frameworks to construct your research question. The first one being PICOT framework , which stands for:

  • Population or problem
  • Intervention or indicator being studied
  • Comparison group
  • Outcome of interest
  • Time frame of the study.

The second framework is PEO , which stands for:

  • Population being studied
  • Exposure to preexisting conditions
  • Outcome of interest.

Research Question Examples

  • How might the discovery of a genetic basis for alcoholism impact triage processes in medical facilities?
  • How do ecological systems respond to chronic anthropological disturbance?
  • What are demographic consequences of ecological interactions?
  • What roles do fungi play in wildfire recovery?
  • How do feedbacks reinforce patterns of genetic divergence on the landscape?
  • What educational strategies help encourage safe driving in young adults?
  • What makes a grocery store easy for shoppers to navigate?
  • What genetic factors predict if someone will develop hypothyroidism?
  • Does contemporary evolution along the gradients of global change alter ecosystems function?

How did you write your first research question ? What were the steps you followed to create a strong research question? Do write to us or comment below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Research questions guide the focus and direction of a research study. Here are common types of research questions: 1. Qualitative research question: Qualitative questions concern broad areas or more specific areas of research. However, unlike quantitative questions, qualitative research questions are adaptable, non-directional and more flexible. Different types of qualitative research questions are: i. Exploratory questions ii. Predictive questions iii. Interpretive questions 2. Quantitative Research Question: Quantitative questions prove or disprove a researcher’s hypothesis through descriptions, comparisons, and relationships. These questions are beneficial when choosing a research topic or when posing follow-up questions that garner more information. Different types of quantitative research questions are: i. Descriptive questions ii. Comparative questions iii. Relationship-based questions

Qualitative research questions aim to explore the richness and depth of participants' experiences and perspectives. They should guide your research and allow for in-depth exploration of the phenomenon under investigation. After identifying the research topic and the purpose of your research: ‱ Begin with Broad Inquiry: Start with a general research question that captures the main focus of your study. This question should be open-ended and allow for exploration. ‱ Break Down the Main Question: Identify specific aspects or dimensions related to the main research question that you want to investigate. ‱ Formulate Sub-questions: Create sub-questions that delve deeper into each specific aspect or dimension identified in the previous step. ‱ Ensure Open-endedness: Make sure your research questions are open-ended and allow for varied responses and perspectives. Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." Encourage participants to share their experiences, opinions, and perceptions in their own words. ‱ Refine and Review: Review your research questions to ensure they align with your research purpose, topic, and objectives. Seek feedback from your research advisor or peers to refine and improve your research questions.

Developing research questions requires careful consideration of the research topic, objectives, and the type of study you intend to conduct. Here are the steps to help you develop effective research questions: 1. Select a Topic 2. Conduct Preliminary Research 3. Consider Your Audience 4. Generate Potential Questions 5. Review Your Questions 6. Construct Your Research Question Based on PICOT or PEO Framework

There are two frameworks to construct your research question. The first one being PICOT framework, which stands for: ‱ Population or problem ‱ Intervention or indicator being studied ‱ Comparison group ‱ Outcome of interest ‱ Time frame of the study The second framework is PEO, which stands for: ‱ Population being studied ‱ Exposure to preexisting conditions ‱ Outcome of interest

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five key research questions

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4.4 Is It a Question?

Learning objectives.

  • Identify and explain the five key features of a good research question.
  • Explain why it is important for sociologists to be focused when designing a research question.
  • Identify the differences between and provide examples of strong and weak research questions.

Now that you’ve thought about what topics interest you and identified a topic that is both empirical and sociological, you need to form a research question A way of framing a scientist’s particular problem of interest. about that topic. For many researchers, forming hypotheses comes after developing one’s research question. We’ll discuss hypotheses in Chapter 5 "Research Design" . Here our focus is just on identifying a topic and a question. So what makes a good research question? First, it is generally written in the form of a question. To say that your research question is “child-free adults” or “students’ knowledge about current events” or “movies” would not be correct. You need to frame a question about the topic that you wish to study. A good research question is also one that is well focused. Writing a well-focused question isn’t really all that different from what the paparazzi do regularly. As a sociologist you need to be as clear and focused as those photographers who stalk Britney Spears to get that perfect shot of her while she waits in line at Starbucks. OK, maybe what we do as sociologists isn’t exactly the same, but think about how the paparazzi get paid. They must take clear, focused photographs in order to get paid for what they do. Likewise, we will not hit the sociological jackpot of having our research published, read, or respected by our peers if we are not clear and focused. I’ll say a little more about this after we consider three more features of good research questions.

In addition to being written in the form of a question and being well focused, a good research question is one that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. For example, if your interest is in gender norms, you could ask, “Does gender affect a person’s shaving habits?” but you will have nothing left to say once you discover your yes or no answer. Instead, why not ask, “ How or to what extent does gender affect a person’s feelings about body hair?” By tweaking your question in this small way, you suddenly have a much more fascinating question and more to say as you attempt to answer it.

A good research question should also have more than one plausible answer. The student who studied the relationship between gender and body hair preferences had a specific interest in the impact of gender, but she also knew that preferences might vary on other dimensions. For example, she knew from her own experience that her more politically conservative friends were more likely to shave every day and more likely to only date other regular shavers. Thinking through the possible relationships between gender, politics, and shaving led that student to realize that there were many plausible answers to her questions about how gender affects a person’s feelings about body hair. Because gender doesn’t exist in a vacuum she, wisely, felt that she needed to take into account other characteristics that work together with gender to shape people’s behaviors, likes, and dislikes. By doing this, the student took into account the third feature of a good research question: She considered relationships between several concepts. While she began with an interest in a single concept—body hair—by asking herself what other concepts (such as gender or political orientation) might be related to her original interest, she was able to form a question that considered the relationships among those concepts.

In sum, a good research question generally has the following features:

  • It is written in the form of a question.
  • It is clearly focused.
  • It is not a yes/no question.
  • It has more than one plausible answer.
  • It considers relationships among multiple concepts.

Sociologists as Paparazzi?

As noted earlier, there are some similarities between the goals of sociologists and those of the paparazzi. A few years ago, shortly before leaving on a trip to New Orleans, I received one of those letters that most of us professional sociologists both dread and receive on a pretty regular basis: a rejection letter. The letter informed me that the paper I had recently submitted, while timely and well written, was being rejected. Apparently the paper lacked focus. In particular, the research question around which the paper was organized was not well focused. As I began to think about how to better focus my research question, and why such focus was so important in the first place, I licked my wounds and boarded a plane to join couple of friends in the Big Easy.

When our taxi pulled up to our lodging in the French Quarter, we noticed the street was lined with cars—and with people who appeared to be living in those cars. On closer examination, we also noticed that most of the car dwellers had cameras, all with very long, wide lenses. Our taxi driver explained that they were paparazzi who were there because Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were in town—and that their house was right next to the building where we’d be staying. As the titleholder to the world’s longest crush on Brad Pitt, I was, needless to say, giddy. If you’ve found yourself asking what any of this has to do with research methods, fear not, we’re getting there. But presumably there are others of you out there who, like me, won’t complain about a brief diversion so long as it involves Brad Pitt.

One of my friends was giddy too—but not for the same reason as me. She decided that she would try to pay for her trip by taking the perfect photograph of Brad and Angelina and selling it to the highest bidder. She reasoned that the paparazzi had chosen our street because it must be the best location to photograph the superstars and their kids. In fact, we did see Brangelina a few times. Now I respect every person’s right to privacy, be they my long-standing crush or anyone else. Thus each time we saw Brangelina and kids, I’d jump in front of the camera while my friend tried to snap the perfect shot. As a result, instead of focusing in on Brad and Angelina, her camera always focused on my head. Needless to say, my friend never got a shot worthy of selling to pay for her trip. She did, however, get several of shots of my gigantic melon (my mother didn’t call me pumpkin head for nothing), with Brad, Angelina, and the kids usually blurred in the background. Figure 4.6 "Blocking the Shot" shows one such shot; Figure 4.7 "The Least-Blurry Photo My Friend Was Able to Get" shows the least-blurry photo she was able to get thanks to my sabotage.

Figure 4.6 Blocking the Shot

five key research questions

Figure 4.7 The Least-Blurry Photo My Friend Was Able to Get

five key research questions

So why am I sharing this story and these terribly unflattering photos? The point is that as a sociological researcher, your job is like that of the paparazzi. Just as the paparazzi don’t get paid unless they point their camera in the right direction and focus in on their subjects in exactly the right way, you will not hit the sociological jackpot unless you aim your sociological lens in the right direction and clearly focus your research question. You could be the most eloquent writer in your class, or even in the world, but if the research question about which you are writing is unclear, your work will ultimately fall flat. As I learned right before my trip to New Orleans, a poorly focused research question trumps all. The good news is that much of this text is dedicated to learning how to write, and then answer, a good research question. We’ve done this throughout the text and will continue to do so by considering specific research questions that sociologists have successfully asked and answered in the past. We’ll also do some brainstorming about questions that are of interest to you and consider ways of framing different questions about the same topic by exploring the variety of methodologies that sociologists use to answer their research questions.

Some Specific Examples

Throughout this chapter, you have seen a number of examples of research questions, and you’ve read about features that distinguish good sociological research questions from not-so-good questions. Putting all this advice together, let’s take a look at a few more examples of possible sociological research questions and consider the relative strengths and weaknesses of each. Table 4.2 "Sample Sociological Research Questions: Strengths and Weaknesses" does just that. While reading the table, keep in mind that I have only noted what I view to be the most relevant strengths and weaknesses of each question. Certainly each question may have additional strengths and weaknesses not noted in the table. Also, it may interest you to know that the questions in Table 4.2 "Sample Sociological Research Questions: Strengths and Weaknesses" all come from undergraduate sociology student projects that I have either advised in the course of teaching sociological research methods or have become familiar with from sitting on undergraduate thesis committees. The work by thesis students is cited.

Table 4.2 Sample Sociological Research Questions: Strengths and Weaknesses

Key Takeaways

  • Most strong sociological research questions have five key features: written in the form of a question, clearly focused, beyond yes/no, more than one plausible answer, and consider relationships among concepts.
  • A poorly focused research question can lead to the demise of an otherwise well-executed study.
  • Name a topic that interests you. Now keeping the features of a good research question in mind, come up with three possible research questions you could ask about that topic.
  • Discuss your topic with a friend or with a peer in your class. Ask that person what sorts of questions come to mind when he or she thinks about the topic. Also ask that person for advice on how you might better focus one or all the possible research questions you came up with on your own.

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Research questions, hypotheses and objectives

Patricia farrugia.

* Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, the

Bradley A. Petrisor

† Division of Orthopaedic Surgery and the

Forough Farrokhyar

‡ Departments of Surgery and

§ Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont

Mohit Bhandari

There is an increasing familiarity with the principles of evidence-based medicine in the surgical community. As surgeons become more aware of the hierarchy of evidence, grades of recommendations and the principles of critical appraisal, they develop an increasing familiarity with research design. Surgeons and clinicians are looking more and more to the literature and clinical trials to guide their practice; as such, it is becoming a responsibility of the clinical research community to attempt to answer questions that are not only well thought out but also clinically relevant. The development of the research question, including a supportive hypothesis and objectives, is a necessary key step in producing clinically relevant results to be used in evidence-based practice. A well-defined and specific research question is more likely to help guide us in making decisions about study design and population and subsequently what data will be collected and analyzed. 1

Objectives of this article

In this article, we discuss important considerations in the development of a research question and hypothesis and in defining objectives for research. By the end of this article, the reader will be able to appreciate the significance of constructing a good research question and developing hypotheses and research objectives for the successful design of a research study. The following article is divided into 3 sections: research question, research hypothesis and research objectives.

Research question

Interest in a particular topic usually begins the research process, but it is the familiarity with the subject that helps define an appropriate research question for a study. 1 Questions then arise out of a perceived knowledge deficit within a subject area or field of study. 2 Indeed, Haynes suggests that it is important to know “where the boundary between current knowledge and ignorance lies.” 1 The challenge in developing an appropriate research question is in determining which clinical uncertainties could or should be studied and also rationalizing the need for their investigation.

Increasing one’s knowledge about the subject of interest can be accomplished in many ways. Appropriate methods include systematically searching the literature, in-depth interviews and focus groups with patients (and proxies) and interviews with experts in the field. In addition, awareness of current trends and technological advances can assist with the development of research questions. 2 It is imperative to understand what has been studied about a topic to date in order to further the knowledge that has been previously gathered on a topic. Indeed, some granting institutions (e.g., Canadian Institute for Health Research) encourage applicants to conduct a systematic review of the available evidence if a recent review does not already exist and preferably a pilot or feasibility study before applying for a grant for a full trial.

In-depth knowledge about a subject may generate a number of questions. It then becomes necessary to ask whether these questions can be answered through one study or if more than one study needed. 1 Additional research questions can be developed, but several basic principles should be taken into consideration. 1 All questions, primary and secondary, should be developed at the beginning and planning stages of a study. Any additional questions should never compromise the primary question because it is the primary research question that forms the basis of the hypothesis and study objectives. It must be kept in mind that within the scope of one study, the presence of a number of research questions will affect and potentially increase the complexity of both the study design and subsequent statistical analyses, not to mention the actual feasibility of answering every question. 1 A sensible strategy is to establish a single primary research question around which to focus the study plan. 3 In a study, the primary research question should be clearly stated at the end of the introduction of the grant proposal, and it usually specifies the population to be studied, the intervention to be implemented and other circumstantial factors. 4

Hulley and colleagues 2 have suggested the use of the FINER criteria in the development of a good research question ( Box 1 ). The FINER criteria highlight useful points that may increase the chances of developing a successful research project. A good research question should specify the population of interest, be of interest to the scientific community and potentially to the public, have clinical relevance and further current knowledge in the field (and of course be compliant with the standards of ethical boards and national research standards).

FINER criteria for a good research question

Adapted with permission from Wolters Kluwer Health. 2

Whereas the FINER criteria outline the important aspects of the question in general, a useful format to use in the development of a specific research question is the PICO format — consider the population (P) of interest, the intervention (I) being studied, the comparison (C) group (or to what is the intervention being compared) and the outcome of interest (O). 3 , 5 , 6 Often timing (T) is added to PICO ( Box 2 ) — that is, “Over what time frame will the study take place?” 1 The PICOT approach helps generate a question that aids in constructing the framework of the study and subsequently in protocol development by alluding to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and identifying the groups of patients to be included. Knowing the specific population of interest, intervention (and comparator) and outcome of interest may also help the researcher identify an appropriate outcome measurement tool. 7 The more defined the population of interest, and thus the more stringent the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the greater the effect on the interpretation and subsequent applicability and generalizability of the research findings. 1 , 2 A restricted study population (and exclusion criteria) may limit bias and increase the internal validity of the study; however, this approach will limit external validity of the study and, thus, the generalizability of the findings to the practical clinical setting. Conversely, a broadly defined study population and inclusion criteria may be representative of practical clinical practice but may increase bias and reduce the internal validity of the study.

PICOT criteria 1

A poorly devised research question may affect the choice of study design, potentially lead to futile situations and, thus, hamper the chance of determining anything of clinical significance, which will then affect the potential for publication. Without devoting appropriate resources to developing the research question, the quality of the study and subsequent results may be compromised. During the initial stages of any research study, it is therefore imperative to formulate a research question that is both clinically relevant and answerable.

Research hypothesis

The primary research question should be driven by the hypothesis rather than the data. 1 , 2 That is, the research question and hypothesis should be developed before the start of the study. This sounds intuitive; however, if we take, for example, a database of information, it is potentially possible to perform multiple statistical comparisons of groups within the database to find a statistically significant association. This could then lead one to work backward from the data and develop the “question.” This is counterintuitive to the process because the question is asked specifically to then find the answer, thus collecting data along the way (i.e., in a prospective manner). Multiple statistical testing of associations from data previously collected could potentially lead to spuriously positive findings of association through chance alone. 2 Therefore, a good hypothesis must be based on a good research question at the start of a trial and, indeed, drive data collection for the study.

The research or clinical hypothesis is developed from the research question and then the main elements of the study — sampling strategy, intervention (if applicable), comparison and outcome variables — are summarized in a form that establishes the basis for testing, statistical and ultimately clinical significance. 3 For example, in a research study comparing computer-assisted acetabular component insertion versus freehand acetabular component placement in patients in need of total hip arthroplasty, the experimental group would be computer-assisted insertion and the control/conventional group would be free-hand placement. The investigative team would first state a research hypothesis. This could be expressed as a single outcome (e.g., computer-assisted acetabular component placement leads to improved functional outcome) or potentially as a complex/composite outcome; that is, more than one outcome (e.g., computer-assisted acetabular component placement leads to both improved radiographic cup placement and improved functional outcome).

However, when formally testing statistical significance, the hypothesis should be stated as a “null” hypothesis. 2 The purpose of hypothesis testing is to make an inference about the population of interest on the basis of a random sample taken from that population. The null hypothesis for the preceding research hypothesis then would be that there is no difference in mean functional outcome between the computer-assisted insertion and free-hand placement techniques. After forming the null hypothesis, the researchers would form an alternate hypothesis stating the nature of the difference, if it should appear. The alternate hypothesis would be that there is a difference in mean functional outcome between these techniques. At the end of the study, the null hypothesis is then tested statistically. If the findings of the study are not statistically significant (i.e., there is no difference in functional outcome between the groups in a statistical sense), we cannot reject the null hypothesis, whereas if the findings were significant, we can reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternate hypothesis (i.e., there is a difference in mean functional outcome between the study groups), errors in testing notwithstanding. In other words, hypothesis testing confirms or refutes the statement that the observed findings did not occur by chance alone but rather occurred because there was a true difference in outcomes between these surgical procedures. The concept of statistical hypothesis testing is complex, and the details are beyond the scope of this article.

Another important concept inherent in hypothesis testing is whether the hypotheses will be 1-sided or 2-sided. A 2-sided hypothesis states that there is a difference between the experimental group and the control group, but it does not specify in advance the expected direction of the difference. For example, we asked whether there is there an improvement in outcomes with computer-assisted surgery or whether the outcomes worse with computer-assisted surgery. We presented a 2-sided test in the above example because we did not specify the direction of the difference. A 1-sided hypothesis states a specific direction (e.g., there is an improvement in outcomes with computer-assisted surgery). A 2-sided hypothesis should be used unless there is a good justification for using a 1-sided hypothesis. As Bland and Atlman 8 stated, “One-sided hypothesis testing should never be used as a device to make a conventionally nonsignificant difference significant.”

The research hypothesis should be stated at the beginning of the study to guide the objectives for research. Whereas the investigators may state the hypothesis as being 1-sided (there is an improvement with treatment), the study and investigators must adhere to the concept of clinical equipoise. According to this principle, a clinical (or surgical) trial is ethical only if the expert community is uncertain about the relative therapeutic merits of the experimental and control groups being evaluated. 9 It means there must exist an honest and professional disagreement among expert clinicians about the preferred treatment. 9

Designing a research hypothesis is supported by a good research question and will influence the type of research design for the study. Acting on the principles of appropriate hypothesis development, the study can then confidently proceed to the development of the research objective.

Research objective

The primary objective should be coupled with the hypothesis of the study. Study objectives define the specific aims of the study and should be clearly stated in the introduction of the research protocol. 7 From our previous example and using the investigative hypothesis that there is a difference in functional outcomes between computer-assisted acetabular component placement and free-hand placement, the primary objective can be stated as follows: this study will compare the functional outcomes of computer-assisted acetabular component insertion versus free-hand placement in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. Note that the study objective is an active statement about how the study is going to answer the specific research question. Objectives can (and often do) state exactly which outcome measures are going to be used within their statements. They are important because they not only help guide the development of the protocol and design of study but also play a role in sample size calculations and determining the power of the study. 7 These concepts will be discussed in other articles in this series.

From the surgeon’s point of view, it is important for the study objectives to be focused on outcomes that are important to patients and clinically relevant. For example, the most methodologically sound randomized controlled trial comparing 2 techniques of distal radial fixation would have little or no clinical impact if the primary objective was to determine the effect of treatment A as compared to treatment B on intraoperative fluoroscopy time. However, if the objective was to determine the effect of treatment A as compared to treatment B on patient functional outcome at 1 year, this would have a much more significant impact on clinical decision-making. Second, more meaningful surgeon–patient discussions could ensue, incorporating patient values and preferences with the results from this study. 6 , 7 It is the precise objective and what the investigator is trying to measure that is of clinical relevance in the practical setting.

The following is an example from the literature about the relation between the research question, hypothesis and study objectives:

Study: Warden SJ, Metcalf BR, Kiss ZS, et al. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound for chronic patellar tendinopathy: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Rheumatology 2008;47:467–71.

Research question: How does low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) compare with a placebo device in managing the symptoms of skeletally mature patients with patellar tendinopathy?

Research hypothesis: Pain levels are reduced in patients who receive daily active-LIPUS (treatment) for 12 weeks compared with individuals who receive inactive-LIPUS (placebo).

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of LIPUS in the management of patellar tendinopathy symptoms.

The development of the research question is the most important aspect of a research project. A research project can fail if the objectives and hypothesis are poorly focused and underdeveloped. Useful tips for surgical researchers are provided in Box 3 . Designing and developing an appropriate and relevant research question, hypothesis and objectives can be a difficult task. The critical appraisal of the research question used in a study is vital to the application of the findings to clinical practice. Focusing resources, time and dedication to these 3 very important tasks will help to guide a successful research project, influence interpretation of the results and affect future publication efforts.

Tips for developing research questions, hypotheses and objectives for research studies

  • Perform a systematic literature review (if one has not been done) to increase knowledge and familiarity with the topic and to assist with research development.
  • Learn about current trends and technological advances on the topic.
  • Seek careful input from experts, mentors, colleagues and collaborators to refine your research question as this will aid in developing the research question and guide the research study.
  • Use the FINER criteria in the development of the research question.
  • Ensure that the research question follows PICOT format.
  • Develop a research hypothesis from the research question.
  • Develop clear and well-defined primary and secondary (if needed) objectives.
  • Ensure that the research question and objectives are answerable, feasible and clinically relevant.

FINER = feasible, interesting, novel, ethical, relevant; PICOT = population (patients), intervention (for intervention studies only), comparison group, outcome of interest, time.

Competing interests: No funding was received in preparation of this paper. Dr. Bhandari was funded, in part, by a Canada Research Chair, McMaster University.

5 key questions to help you choose a research methodology

Five Key Questions To Help You Choose A Research Methodology

This simplified approach to choosing the right methodology uses five questions to guide researchers in determining whether to opt for secondary, qualitative or quantitative research and emphasizes the importance of aligning the chosen method with the target audience and research goals.

Plotting your next move

David Lyndon is head of operations at Reputation Leaders Ltd. He can be reached at [email protected] .

Here at our firm, our team was recently asked to recommend a research approach by a client without previous research experience. Our conversations revolved around five key questions and eventually turned into the accompanying flowchart. Use these five questions to simplify the research methodology decision-making:

  • Has the same research already been done?
  • How hard is it to reach my target respondents?
  • What sort of answers do I need?
  • Are my respondents in one specific location?
  • How reactive does the research need to be as it continues?

Doubtless, each situation will need more thought than the simple diagram shown in the flowchart but I hope that common sense can fill in the gaps.

If you’re in the same situation as our stick figure in the flowchart – wanting to do some research but uncertain of the best methodology – work through the questions in the flowchart and see if the resulting strategy makes sense. (Perhaps it’s more than one!)

Principles should be clear  

This is a broad-brushstroke look at reasons to use different research methodologies and why you might choose one over the other but the principles should be clear.

The proper methodology is found at the intersection of who you want to talk to and what you want to know. The five questions, asked in the right way, can guide your decision-making. 

We’ve explained more about each methodology below and how the answers to the five questions can cause you to choose them.

Secondary research. Secondary research takes many forms but primarily consists of finding and reading what other researchers have already done. Using the internet, what used to take weeks can be completed in minutes. Academic reviews, social media searches and basic web searches can quickly tell you if someone else has already answered your questions or gathered the data to allow you to do so.

Choose this type of research if you know the work’s already been done. If you’re not sure, take the time to do some secondary research and find out. It may save you weeks of effort and thousands of dollars.

After this review, you can think about some primary research if there are still unanswered questions or if the available data is out of date.

Primary research.  Necessary when you need to get data that is not readily available, primary research is usually more demanding, more prolonged and more expensive than secondary research. However, it can be much more valuable. Primary research is often split into two types – qualitative and quantitative.

Qualitative research. Qualitative research is descriptive rather than definitive. Digging deeper into experiences, reasons and opinions, qualitative researchers use observation and conversation to understand the answers to questions like why and how.

In-depth one-on-one interviews

In-depth interviews allow researchers to dig deep into a topic with a few people. We often use these to reach experts who can bring their experience and observations to bear on complex subjects that only a few people understand.

We choose in-depth interviews when the people who can answer our questions are hard to reach. Because of their expertise, their time is valuable, so scheduling interviews and compensating these individuals takes effort and money.  

We often use in-depth interviews to talk to CEOs in specific industries, members of think tanks or political policy experts.

In-person focus groups

Focus groups are a tried and proven method if you need to explore a particular topic and discover ideas you’ve not yet considered. Get a small number of people (six-to-10) in the same room and have a guided conversation. The strength of focus groups is when different members connect and spark new avenues to explore. Multiple groups with different demographics or opinions round out the results.

A well-moderated focus group is an excellent choice if you can gather these people in one place and want to dig into the why and how of a subject. There’s also a chance to do some small quantitative exercises and ask about who, what, where, when and how much, but the small number of responses means these results are guidelines at best.

Online focus groups

If you want the benefits of focus groups but can’t gather everyone in one place, don’t despair. Online focus groups have come of age. Either chat-based or video-based groups can work. Chat-based groups can even be better when discussing emotionally challenging topics to help respondents feel free to share without having to face other people.

These groups still aim to understand a subject’s why and how and need experienced moderators. Polls and ranking exercises can also add quantitative data but the small number of responses still means these results are guidelines at best.

Online communities

Unlike focus groups, online communities run asynchronously and last for days or weeks. Think of online communities like a temporary Facebook group with message boards, comments, polls, photos, videos and almost anything else you can imagine, guided by your research questions.

Because participants don’t all need to be online simultaneously, you can include many more people than a focus group. We’ve done communities as small as 12 people and as large as 200.

And with the extended time frame, you have time to think about what you want to ask and adjust as time goes on or dig into particular topics with subgroups. Online communities are one of the most agile forms of research. They are mainly used like focus groups to explore subjects qualitatively but can also be large enough to achieve quantitative results.

Quantitative research . You need to do quantitative research if you’re trying to prove a hypothesis or get statistics to drive PR and media headlines. This is all about the numbers, but unlike qualitative research, you only really get out what you put in. If you forget to include a question, there’s no chance to correct it. Quantitative researchers use predefined answer choices to answer who, what, when and where. This type of data then allows for analyses like segmentation, driver and principal components.

Basic online consumer surveys

If you want to know what general consumers in your market think and do, an online survey is quick, simple and cost-effective. You can ask a lot of single-choice or multiple-choice questions and gather hundreds of data points in a matter of hours or days.

Even better, if you’re reaching people across different languages, you can translate your survey into their language but get the answers back in your language. Truly global research is possible for everyone.

Whereas phone-based research used to be preferable, with internet penetration rising and well over 90% in places like the U.K. and the U.S., you can easily reach a representative sample. Good screeners, quotas and weighting strategies also minimize natural bias.

Advanced online consumer surveys

If simple answers to closed-end questions can’t meet your needs but you still need to reach many people across languages, geographies and the social spectrum, more advanced online survey options exist.

You can incorporate video, audio, interactive communications, gamification, message highlighting and other next-gen tools into a laptop or mobile-device survey. Find out what people look at in stores, what they hate about your planned advertisement or what draws their attention when they see your new website.

Setting up an online survey experience like this can be a lot of work but the results can be invaluable.

Online specialist surveys

Sometimes your target audience is smaller and more defined. Perhaps you’re trying to reach decision-makers in companies using AI or part-time workers who spend their spare time making YouTube videos. These niche audiences can usually be found in a specialist panel. They are more expensive to reach because the panel company must spend more to attract and engage them and you won’t be able to reach as many of them as general consumers. Still, you can get robust data from specialist groups worldwide through online surveys.

In other cases, you might have access to your audience yourself. They might be your customers or your employees. Perhaps there’s a hybrid approach, where you get some of your audience from a panel and some from your own database. You can set up an online survey and do quantitative research with this audience in these cases.

On-location surveys

Sometimes there’s no better way to reach your audience and find out what they think than to go to them in person. Whether you’re finding shoppers at the mall, workers in a factory or voters outside the polls, going and doing the research on-site is a guaranteed way to gather your data.

Interviewers can ask respondents to take a survey on a dedicated iPad, snap a QR code to take the survey on their own device or talk the respondent through the survey and record the answers.

This is slower and more time-intensive than reaching people online but it can be the best alternative when the target audience is difficult to reach and their usual location is known.

Navigate the maze of choices

Selecting the right research methodology is a crucial step in any research endeavor. The five key questions outlined in the flowchart serve as a valuable compass, helping you navigate through the maze of choices and ultimately guiding you to the methodology that best suits your objectives. While the decision-making process may often require additional consideration and nuance, the principles remain clear: your choice should be at the intersection of your target audience and your research goals. Whether you opt for secondary research to leverage existing knowledge, delve into qualitative research for deeper insights or harness the power of quantitative research for statistical validation, the method should align with your unique circumstances. Furthermore, the emergence of online tools and communities has expanded the horizons of research possibilities, offering flexibility and scalability. So, remember to weigh the options carefully, use these questions as your guide and embark on your research journey with confidence, knowing that the right methodology is within your reach. 

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Five Questions for Good Research

1. what is the problem to be solved, 2. who cares about this problem and why, 3. what have others done, 4. what is your solution to the problem, proposal stage, publication stage, 5. how can you demonstrate that your solution is a good one.

Mentorship Programs are Key to Student Involvement, Success in STEM

Study of two engineering student programs explains how they generate beneficial outcomes for participants– particularly participants underrepresented in stem.

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Engineering and computer science undergraduate students who take part in mentorship programs are more involved in campus communities than those who don’t, according to a study at the University of California San Diego. The study establishes an empirical–and quantifiable–connection between mentoring programs and campus involvement. 

A growing body of research has shown that having a social support system and a sense of belonging is particularly beneficial to student success for students from groups underrepresented in STEM fields. The assumption was that  mentoring programs would encourage students to get involved in the communities of practice–student organizations or research opportunities, for example–that would provide this social support network, but no studies had actually shown whether students’ community involvement was stronger with a mentoring program than without it. 

Now, a study of two undergraduate engineering mentorship programs at the University of California San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering confirms that assumption. The study shows that underrepresented students in engineering and computer science who participated in these programs were more likely to be involved in research opportunities, peer leadership roles and student organizations than demographically similar peers who did not participate in these programs. The study found that mentors, and particularly peer leaders, provided the necessary social support to encourage student involvement. 

The paper was published in Studies in Engineering Education. 

“ It was important to examine assumptions about how mentoring programs promote community involvement, and our findings have particular value for STEM education researchers and practitioners,” said Lisa Trahan, first author of the paper and the former Director of Strategic Initiatives & Assessment at the IDEA Engineering Student Center at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. “Articulating how programs are expected to yield desired changes or student outcomes is key to both designing and operationalizing effective initiatives. These findings help illuminate key components of impactful programs, including implicit features that deserve greater attention.”

The study looked at students in the IDEA Scholars and ACES Scholars programs run by the IDEA Engineering Student Center at the Jacobs School of Engineering. The IDEA Engineering Student Center works to foster an inclusive and welcoming community, increase retention rates, and promote a sustainable culture of academic excellence among all engineering students at UC San Diego with a particular focus on students from groups underrepresented in engineering. 

The IDEA Scholars and ACES Scholars programs both serve high numbers of first-generation and low-income students, with ACES Scholars serving almost exclusively low-income students who are Pell Grant eligible. IDEA Scholars is an ongoing program while ACES Scholars was funded by a National Science Foundation S-STEM grant that ran from 2016–2022. The programs share many features, including beginning with the Summer Engineering Institute, weekly discussions during the first fall quarter, one-on-one advising with program coordinators, and various professional development opportunities.

The Summer Engineering Institute is a five-week, residential, credit-bearing summer transition program for incoming first-year students in an engineering major to foster community and prepare students for the rigors of university study.

The study looked at students involved in both the IDEA Scholars and ACES Scholars programs, as well as students who participated in the Summer Engineering Institute but did not participate further in either scholar program, and a comparison group of students who participated in neither the summer program nor the scholar programs. 

All 383 SEI participants from summers 2016–2019, including scholars and non-scholars, were invited to participate in the study. Additionally, a random sample of 986 peer non-participants from first-time engineering students in the 2016–2019 cohorts were invited to participate. Ultimately, 256 students participated in the survey, with 29 students then interviewed with follow-up questions. 

Ultimately, ACES and IDEA Scholars were more likely to be involved with a professional or student group for women or minority engineers, IDEA Center sponsored activities (primarily leadership roles affiliated with the IDEA Center), and undergraduate research experiences compared to students who did SEI only and students in the Comparison group. The data is even more striking for first-generation, Pell Grant eligible, and Latinx scholars.

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"We spent a lot of time within the IDEA Center evaluating how we could improve our retention programs, from the moment students stepped on campus for the Summer Engineering Institute, through graduation," said Ruben Rodriguez, IDEA Scholars Program Coordinator. "When I first started, both the IDEA and ACES programs were focused on retention. As retention improved, we asked if the programs could evolve into a support system beyond retention - can we make a program that not only helps engineering students graduate, but graduate with options? I believe the study demonstrates we're on the right track."

The researchers found that the most supportive program elements for scholars were the Summer Engineering Institute, a cohort of peer scholars, and staff advising. In follow-on interviews asking how the program elements relate to involvement in communities of practice, they found that mentors, including peer leaders, program coordinators, and faculty, provided the necessary social support to encourage participants’ involvement. 

“This study’s findings show the important role that student support and mentorship programs provide, particularly for student groups underrepresented in STEM,” said paper co-author Darren Lipomi, a professor of nanoengineering at UC San Diego and faculty director of the IDEA Engineering Student Center. “We now have data to back up what we long suspected– that these programs do indeed increase student involvement in the crucial groups and experiences that are critical to supporting underrepresented students through to a degree in engineering and computer science.”

At the time of the study, leadership of the IDEA Engineering Student Center included Olivia Graeve, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and IDEA Center faculty director, and Gennie Miranda, the IDEA Center director of operations.  Learn more about the IDEA Center and its programming here.

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Thirty years later, the Women’s Health Initiative provides researchers with key messages for postmenopausal women

A physician shows a medical tablet to a patient in a clinical setting.

Researchers from the NHLBI-supported Women’s Health Initiative , the largest women’s health study in the U.S., published findings from a 20-year review that underscores the importance of postmenopausal women moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach to making medical decisions. Through this lens, the researchers encourage women and physicians to work together to make shared and individualized decisions based on a woman’s medical history, age, lifestyle, disease risks, symptoms, and health needs and preferences, among other factors. These findings support the concept of “whole-person health” and published in  JAMA .  After reviewing decades of data following clinical trials that started between 1993 and 1998, the researchers explain that estrogen or a combination of estrogen and progestin, two types of hormone replacement therapies, had varying outcomes with chronic conditions. The evidence does not support using these therapies to reduce risks for chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, and dementia. However, the authors caution that the study was not designed to assess the effects of FDA-approved hormone therapies for treating menopausal symptoms . These benefits had been established before the WHI study began.  Another finding from the study is that calcium and vitamin D supplements were not associated with reduced risks for hip fractures among postmenopausal women who had an average risk for osteoporosis. Yet, the authors note women concerned about getting sufficient intake of either nutrient should talk to their doctor. A third finding was that a low-fat dietary pattern with at least five daily servings of fruits and vegetables and increased grains did not reduce the risk of breast or colorectal cancer, but was associated with reduced risks for breast cancer deaths. 

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Will Clemson's lawsuit vs ACC win? One legal expert answers this and more key questions

five key research questions

CLEMSON —  Clemson University and the Atlantic Coast Conference are continuing their litigation against each other.

The legal battle started after Clemson filed their initial complaint against the ACC in Pickens County, South Carolina, over the conference's grant of rights deal and withdrawal penalty on March 19. The ACC responded a day later with its countersuit in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.

Clemson is now seeking damages from the ACC over alleged false statements regarding its media rights in an amended complaint that was filed on April 17 in Pickens County.

A Pickens County judge ordered an interim ruling on May 3 that the ACC must provide an unredacted copy of its ESPN contract to Clemson within seven days, but the contract must remain confidential and only be used for litigation. Both parties have also exchanged motions to dismiss each other's complaints over the past week.

With more moves expected, The Greenville News spoke to attorney Kevin Paule to answer five key questions regarding Clemson and the ACC's lawsuits.

Is Clemson's lawsuit really a legal step in potentially leaving the ACC?

Like with Florida State, when Clemson filed its complaint against the conference, it was viewed as an initial step to potentially leave the ACC.

"It's definitely an attempt by these schools to attempt to leave, and they've decided that filing these lawsuits may help give them more leverage if they're going to try to negotiate that with the ACC," Paule said.

Will Clemson's lawsuit be successful against the ACC?

Paule said it is very early in the litigation process to determine if Clemson's lawsuit will win, but he estimates that the complaint will end in a settlement.

"Using litigation and filing these lawsuits is one way to try to, perhaps, negotiate a reduced exit fee or some sort of settlement," Paule said. "Now the risk on the part of the ACC is if you allow one team to leave, or allow two teams to leave, then what happens when more ask to leave or go somewhere else."

Paule added it would be surprising if there's a ruling before the 2025 college football season because of how long these cases take to proceed.

Why does Clemson want to view the ACC's grant-of-rights agreement?

Both Clemson and Florida State have emphasized wanting a copy of the ACC's grant of rights, which is the media rights agreements between the conference and its TV partner — ESPN — that runs through 2036. The ACC doesn't allow copies of its grant of rights to protect confidentiality and trade secrets.

Paule says both schools have argued that if the contract is binding, and they must follow the terms, then the ACC needs to provide them with a copy of the agreement. With the documents, both would dissect and use them to support their arguments in court.

"The calculus for both these schools is if we're going to leave — we're both obviously very big brand names, have very large and passionate fan bases — (we) want to be able to bring our TV rights with us, so that can be included with the new conference," said Paule.

In its original complaint, Clemson argued the ACC only owns its media rights if it is in the conference, not if it departs. The ACC disagreed in its countersuit, arguing it owns Clemson's media rights until 2036 even if it exits the conference.

MORE ON CLEMSON: Clemson's lawsuit makes clear that its exit from the ACC is not a question of if but when

Why did Clemson choose Pickens County to file its lawsuit?

Clemson, Florida State and the ACC filed their respective lawsuits in their own states with each hoping to get a favorable result from their state's court.

"Since they're fighting so hard to litigate these in a particular jurisdiction, they think they might get a better outcome in one place over another," Paule said.

This is evident with Clemson filing its motion to dismiss the ACC's complaint in North Carolina on May 6, and the league filing its motion to dismiss Clemson's complaint in South Carolina on May 7.

What would happen if Clemson and the ACC win their respective suits?

Paule admits it would be unclear how things would play out if this scenario occurred.

"The strategy for the schools and for the conference is to move forward as quickly as possible in the state where you brought your suit and hope that you get the first ruling before there's a ruling elsewhere," Paule said. "But, it's certainly possible that you could have — if this were to go the distance — a situation where you have different results in different courts."

Paule added that a ruling in one court in a different state would not be binding to the other state. For example, if the South Carolina complaint's decision is made first, it may not impact how the North Carolina's complaint plays out.

Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at  [email protected]  and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00

IntelyCare for Healthcare Facilities > Resources > Nurse Hiring > How to Interview Someone in Healthcare: 5 Tips for Facilities

How to Interview Someone in Healthcare: 5 Tips for Facilities

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In healthcare, finding workers who can meet standards of care is key to delivering quality services . While a candidate’s resume provides a snapshot of their work history, the interview is where you can really figure out whether they embody the values of a strong healthcare provider. This is why it’s crucial to understand how to interview someone when hiring for your facility.

Certain technical skills can be improved on the job, but professionalism, integrity, and compassion are qualities that a candidate should already bring to the role. In this article, we’ll discuss what to look for when hiring healthcare staff and outline five tips to help you get the most out of your next interview.

What Traits to Look for in a Healthcare Candidate

There are many unique considerations to make when interviewing healthcare professionals.

The nature of this work requires staff to uphold strong integrity, clinical competence, and the ability to put patients first.

While mistakes can happen even among the best providers, there is little room for reckless errors or professional misconduct in the healthcare field, as this can have grave impacts on patient outcomes. Here are some more specific traits and qualities of a good healthcare provider:

  • Detail-oriented: Healthcare staff juggle many tasks while attending to multiple patients throughout the day, and they must be thorough in their work to avoid preventable errors.
  • Adaptability: Healthcare can be an unpredictable environment, and staff must be comfortable adapting to rapid changes in workflow or a patient’s condition.
  • Resilience: It can be taxing to care for patients on a daily basis. Healthcare staff must know how to practice self-care and build resilience to difficult situations.
  • Compassion: Healthcare providers should have a strong desire to help patients, conveying empathy and real concern for each individual’s situation.
  • Communicative: The healthcare environment is heavily driven by teamwork, and staff must know how to communicate honestly and effectively to deliver high quality care.

How to Interview Someone in Healthcare: 5 Tips

Before conducting an interview, it’s crucial to have a list of questions that are tailored to the role you’re hiring for. As you formulate these questions and prepare to meet your next candidate, these five tips for interviewers will help you get the most out of the interaction.

1. Account for the Candidate’s Background

Some healthcare positions are suitable for candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds. For example, individuals applying to be caregivers or medical schedulers may not have formal healthcare experience. However, this doesn’t mean that they lack qualities suited for the role.

For these roles, tailor questions that assess qualities without centering around the fact that a candidate lacks healthcare experience. For instance, has the candidate gone through schooling or volunteer work that would translate well to the role? Are they transitioning from a career that requires similar skills and qualities? These are just a few things to factor in.

2. Consider the Candidate’s Experience Level

It’s also important to consider each candidate’s level of experience. For certain types of nursing specialties , you may get a mix of new graduates and seasoned applicants — and you should take this into account when figuring out how to interview a nurse.

A new graduate may not have as much formal experience to draw from, but their willingness to develop their skills can indicate future success. If a new graduate struggles to answer technical questions, gauge their honesty and eagerness to learn, as these are traits of a good nurse.

3. Ask Situation-Based and Behavioral Questions

Things move quickly in healthcare, and staff are often expected to have strong critical thinking and decision-making skills. Since you can’t actually observe how candidates function on the floor, asking them how they’d respond in specific scenarios is your next best option.

Situation-based and behavioral questions can be helpful indicators of how candidates might carry out essential tasks. As the candidate formulates their answers, listen for how they might bring some key qualities (e.g., integrity, honesty, and empathy) into their work.

4. Watch for Non-Verbal Signs of Professionalism

Knowing what non-verbal signs of professionalism to look for is also key to understanding how to interview someone. Example questions you might ask yourself include:

  • Did the candidate show up well-dressed and on time?
  • Did they treat the receptionists with respect?
  • Are they calm, confident, and friendly in their demeanor?

If a nurse consistently shows up late to their shifts, this can have significant impacts on workflow. Similarly, if a provider is being rude to their team, this will get in the way of the collaboration needed to deliver quality care. While the interview is a one-time interaction, a candidate’s demeanor throughout the process can hint at how they might behave on the job.

5. Pay Attention to What a Candidate Asks and How They Listen

At the end of each interview, it’s important to leave time for the candidate to ask questions. This is also a critical point in the interview that can tell you more about who they are as a person.

Healthcare is a difficult industry, and candidates must have genuine passion and interest in the field to be successful. If a candidate seems apathetic and has no questions, or they’re more focused on asking about pay and benefits, they might not have the right intentions.

Additionally, observe how a candidate listens to you as you answer their questions. Active listening is a crucial skill for healthcare providers. The way they engage with you can clue you into how they might interact and consider the perspectives of patients.

Are You Ready to Build Your Healthcare Talent Pool?

Now that you understand how to interview someone in healthcare, you may be wondering where to find qualified applicants. Need help building your talent pool? IntelyCare’s job board is optimized to connect you with quality healthcare professionals who are ready to work.

Related Articles

7 key nurse educator interview questions to ask, top 7 home health nurse interview questions, healthcare interview questions by position: a comprehensive guide, 7 key public health nurse interview questions to ask, top 7 pacu nurse interview questions, related jobs, reach 1 million+ nursing professionals, with the intelycare job board.

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Answering 'how do you define success' in a job interview.

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By preparing to answer the question, “How do you define success?” you’ll learn more about yourself.

Due to rapid changes transforming the workplace, soft skills like critical thinking , adaptability and emotional intelligence are increasingly valued by employers. So, it's no wonder the question, "How do you define success?" is commonly asked in job interviews. How you define success influences your priorities, goals and worldview. Employers introduce this question because they want an insight into your personality to determine if you're a good culture fit. They also want to know how you set and motivate yourself to achieve goals. Hiring managers love this question because it’s open-ended. That means you can’t simply provide a “yes” or “no” answer. Your response must be detailed and honest enough to make a stellar first impression.

Determining culture fit is just as important for you, the interviewee. In a McKinsey survey , 70% of employees said that their work defines their sense of purpose. The more you feel aligned with the organization's purpose, the more productive and happier you will be in your job. By answering truthfully, you’ll be more likely to identify a winning team that appreciates your unique talents.

The key to any successful job interview is preparation. But even if you don’t get asked this question, formulating a response will force you to determine your priorities and articulate your thoughts. Here are a few tips to effectively answer the question, “How do you define success?”

Tip #1: Invest In Time To Self-Reflect

Job interview preparation is an exercise in self-reflection. When thinking about how to answer, “How do you define success?” look back at your proudest accomplishments. Then, look for patterns among them. For example, if your most notable achievements center on coaching and mentoring direct reports, you may define success as developing others. Or perhaps your achievements focus on overcoming obstacles. In that case, success for you may be defined as maintaining a winning mindset amid setbacks.

Tip #2: Focus On Your Soft Skills

Soft skills are in demand more than ever. According to a study by business school professor Peter Cardon, one reason is the rise of AI. Contrary to popular belief, many experts believe AI will transform companies into more human-centered organizations. As a result, qualities like character and communication will be highly valued in the workplace. So, if you define success as being a collaborative team player, don’t stop there in the job interview. Describe how you used effective communication to build strong relationships with co-workers and creativity to brainstorm innovative solutions.

iOS 17 5 Apple Issues Update Now Warning To All iPhone Users

Biden vs trump 2024 election polls trump leads biden by 1 point latest survey shows, ios 17 5 iphone update now live with important new features, tip #3: consider how the company defines success.

Before any job interview, research the company thoroughly. When you answer the question, “How do you define success?” consider the organization’s goals and mission statement. For example, a large corporation may heavily emphasize the bottom line, while a non-profit will focus more on exerting a positive influence in the community. Using that knowledge, formulate a response reflecting your and the company's values.

Tip #4: Provide Specific Examples

Storytelling can be a great tool during a job interview. Start by understanding your audience and their biggest challenges. Then, craft a narrative using your most notable accomplishments. Lean into a storytelling approach by following a few simple steps:

  • Identify the most critical data you’d like to share
  • Use names and details to establish an emotional connection
  • Practice in advance so your delivery is as natural as possible

Explain to the employer what you bring and how your skills perfectly align with the company's needs. The right narrative will not only help you get noticed but also help you land the job.

Example Answers: “How Do You Define Success?”

Because success is a subjective concept, every individual views it a bit differently. Here are three sample responses to inspire you as you prepare for your job interview .

Example 1: A large company

I define success as being part of a team that can meet and exceed their goals. One of the reasons I was attracted to this position is that your organization shares the same values. For example, my primary focus this past quarter was leading the team to launch our new product by the end of June. With focus and hard work, we successfully launched by the end of May, resulting in a 20% revenue boost. At the same time, we came in substantially under budget. I'm most proud of the fact that I also created a tracking system to monitor and measure key product launch metrics that were ultimately deployed company-wide. That achievement ultimately earned me a corporate innovation award.

Example 2: A non-profit organization

For me, success is about helping others grow and thrive. When I read the press release about your recent community initiative, I knew my values aligned with your mission statement. In my current role, I developed an international strategy to increase global impact and influence to accelerate fundraising and engagement. I expanded the affiliate network, resulting in 25% growth and more than $60M in additional revenue. Even more exciting was that we were able to build another 10 primary schools in Africa to improve the lives of thousands of children.

Example 3: A start-up firm

I feel successful when I can create value, add to the culture and brainstorm new ideas. I would describe myself as a "build and grow" person who thrives in ambiguous environments. Over the last year, my role has focused on creating processes and procedures that didn’t previously exist. As a result, we've doubled the size of the marketing team in less than a year. We also just landed our first multi-million-dollar account. I love creating order out of chaos.

Everyone's concept of achievement is different. By preparing to answer the interview question, “How do you define success?” you’ll learn more about yourself and be more likely to impress your future employer.

Are you a woman who needs help changing careers? Download my FREE 22-page e-book: How Professional Women Can Master Career Change!

Caroline Castrillon

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REVIEW article

Carbon footprint research and mitigation strategies for rice-cropping systems in china: a review provisionally accepted.

  • 1 Rice Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
  • 2 College of Agriculture, Yangtze University, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and quantifying the carbon footprint (CF) of rice-cropping systems in the context of food security is an important step toward the sustainability of rice production. Exploring the key factors affecting emission reduction in rice production is important to properly evaluate the impact of China's rice-cropping systems on global climate change. This review provides an overview of the direct and indirect CF in rice-cropping systems; analyzes the influencing factors in terms of rice-based cropping systems, varieties and agronomic practices; and proposes mitigation strategies. Different studies have shown that direct and indirect GHG emissions in rice-based cropping systems accounted for 38.3% to 95.5% and 4.5% to 61.7% of total emissions, respectively. And the CFs of ratoon rice, rice-wheat, rice-maize, rice-rapeseed, and rice-fish systems ranged from 316,9 kg CO2-eq kg -1 to 258,47 kg CO2-eq kg -1 , which are lower than that in a double-rice planting system. High-yielding rice, drought-resistant rice, and other hybrids can mitigate GHG emissions from paddy fields by 3.7~21.5%. Furthermore, organic matter, water, tillage, straw incorporation, conservation tillage, reduced nitrogen fertilizer use, and added biochar and methane inhibitors could reduce emissions. Therefore, through reasonable agronomic measures, variety selection and optimal layout of rice-based rotation systems, the carbon neutral rate of rice production can be improved to help the national carbon sequestration and emission reduction target.

Keywords: Rice-cropping system, Carbon Footprint, Greenhouse gas emissions, emission reduction, China

Received: 31 Jan 2024; Accepted: 09 May 2024.

Copyright: © 2024 Ji, Zhou, Li, Feng, Sun, Xu, Wu and Zou. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Prof. Wenge Wu, Rice Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, China Prof. Huawen Zou, College of Agriculture, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, 434000, Hubei Province, China

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What time do Maryland polls open and close for the 2024 primary? Key voting hours to know

By Christian Olaniran

Updated on: May 14, 2024 / 4:45 AM EDT / CBS Baltimore

BALTIMORE -- Registered voters will head to the polls on Tuesday for Maryland's 2024 primary elections.  

Candidates for both local and state races will be on the ballot.

Mayor Brandon Scott is running against former mayor Sheila Dixon and businessman Bob Wallace for the mayoral seat.

Democrats Nick Mosby, Zeke Cohen, Shannon Sneed, and republican Emmanuel Digman are competing for Baltimore City Council President.

Angela Alsobrooks, David Trone, and Larry Hogan are competing for the U.S. Senate seat, which opened after U.S. Senator Ben Cardin announced his retirement. 

In addition, three of Maryland's eight congressional seats are up for grabs. 

When do the polls open in Maryland?

Maryland polls open at 7 a.m. on May 14.

To vote on election day, you'll need to head to your assigned polling place.

To find your assigned polling location, you can visit the Maryland State Board of Elections website .  You can find more information about where to vote here .

If you're a first-time voter, you may be asked to show a valid photo ID before voting.

When do the polls close in Maryland?

Maryland polls close at 8 p.m. 

Anyone still in line at 8 p.m. will still be allowed to vote.

If you aren't already registered to vote, you can register at your assigned polling location.

If you chose to receive your ballot by mail, you can drop your completed ballot off at a ballot drop box location , take it to your polling place, or mail your ballot to your local board of elections.

You can find the address of your local board of elections by county  here .

Ballot drop boxes will be open until 8 p.m. May 14. 

For general information on voting in Maryland, you can visit our election guide . 

Christian Olaniran is a Digital Producer for CBS News Baltimore, where he writes stories on diverse topics including politics, arts, culture, and more. With a passion for storytelling and content creation, he produces engaging visual content for social media, and other platforms.

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Research Specialist

  • Madison, Wisconsin
  • VC FOR RESEARCH AND GRADUATE EDUCATION/BIOTECHNOLOGY CENTER-GEN
  • Staff-Full Time
  • Opening at: May 14 2024 at 13:50 CDT
  • Closing at: May 29 2024 at 23:55 CDT

Job Summary:

The Anderson Lab within the UW-Madison Center for Genomic Science Innovation (CGSI) and the Department of Medical Genetics seeks an ambitious and highly motivated research specialist to support research activities. This is an outstanding opportunity for researchers interested in bolstering existing skills. The lab is housed within the CGSI, which serves as a vibrant and collegial environment for inclusive and collaborative science. The Center and the University are located in Madison, WI, which is frequently voted among the best places to live. The position described here will contribute to ongoing work on the microbiome, and its general role in health and disease. This position will continue in building out a study of SAIL: Studies of Autoimmunity In the Lakota. As part of this study, we will be looking for microbiome correlates with diagnosed RA in individuals in a Northern Plains Tribe. Additional work to expand the scope and impact of microbiome research in this and neighboring Tribal Nations will be expected to continue from this work.

Responsibilities:

  • 70% Conducts research experiments according to established research protocols with moderate impact to the project(s). Collects data and monitors test results
  • 5% Operates, cleans, and maintains organization of research equipment and research area. Tracks inventory levels and places replenishment orders
  • 15% Reviews, analyzes, and interprets data and/or documents results for presentations and/or reporting to internal and external audiences
  • 5% Participates in the development, interpretation, and implementation of research methodology and materials
  • 5% Provides operational guidance on day-to-day activities of unit or program staff and/or student workers

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world. For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

Required Bachelor's Degree Degree in Molecular and/or chemical biology preferred.

Qualifications:

Well qualified candidates will have the required qualifications: Required: The applicants should have molecular biology and microbiology experience. This involves the basics of molecular biology such as liquid handling, preparation of stock solutions, PCR, and/or sequencing approaches. This area of expertise will be complemented with training in microbiome approaches and analysis of next generation sequencing data. Integral to this project will be engagement of Tribal Nations in research programs and consideration of how research is directed by Tribal partners, conducted as partners, and redirected back to the partner community. Preferred: Individuals with interests or experience in engaging Tribal Nations in research processes to promote public health. Experience in microbiology will be of benefit.

Full Time: 100% It is anticipated this position requires work be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location.

Appointment Type, Duration:

Ongoing/Renewable

Minimum $44,543 ANNUAL (12 months) Depending on Qualifications The minimum salary for a Research Specialist position is $44,543 annually. Salary will be determined based on qualifications and experience.

Additional Information:

A successful applicant will be responsible for ensuring eligibility for employment in the United States on or before the effective date of the appointment. University sponsorship is not available for this position.

How to Apply:

To apply for the position, please click on the "Apply Now" button. You will be required to submit a cover letter and resume highlighting your qualifications as they relate to this position. Cover letters will be used as a writing sample to determine the best-qualified applicants.

Jennifer Reed [email protected] 608-262-3978 Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

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Research Specialist(RE047)

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  2. How to Write a Good Research Question (w/ Examples)

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  3. Key research questions in five major areas.

    five key research questions

  4. Research Questions

    five key research questions

  5. Research Question: Definition, Types, Examples, Quick Tips

    five key research questions

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    five key research questions

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COMMENTS

  1. 10 Research Question Examples to Guide your Research Project

    The first question asks for a ready-made solution, and is not focused or researchable. The second question is a clearer comparative question, but note that it may not be practically feasible. For a smaller research project or thesis, it could be narrowed down further to focus on the effectiveness of drunk driving laws in just one or two countries.

  2. Research Question Examples ‍

    A well-crafted research question (or set of questions) sets the stage for a robust study and meaningful insights. But, if you're new to research, it's not always clear what exactly constitutes a good research question. In this post, we'll provide you with clear examples of quality research questions across various disciplines, so that you can approach your research project with confidence!

  3. Research Questions

    Applications of Research Questions. Here are some of the key applications of research questions: Defining the scope of the study: Research questions help researchers to narrow down the scope of their study and identify the specific issues they want to investigate.; Developing hypotheses: Research questions often lead to the development of hypotheses, which are testable predictions about the ...

  4. Research Questions, Objectives & Aims (+ Examples)

    The research aims, objectives and research questions (collectively called the "golden thread") are arguably the most important thing you need to get right when you're crafting a research proposal, dissertation or thesis.We receive questions almost every day about this "holy trinity" of research and there's certainly a lot of confusion out there, so we've crafted this post to help ...

  5. PDF What Makes a Good Research Question?

    In essence, the research question that guides the sciences and social sciences should do the following three things:2. 1) Post a problem. 2) Shape the problem into a testable hypothesis. 3) Report the results of the tested hypothesis. There are two types of data that can help shape research questions in the sciences and social sciences ...

  6. Research Question: Definition, Types, Examples, Quick Tips

    There are two types of research: Qualitative research and Quantitative research. There must be research questions for every type of research. Your research question will be based on the type of research you want to conduct and the type of data collection. The first step in designing research involves identifying a gap and creating a focused ...

  7. Research Question 101

    Types of research questions. Now that we've defined what a research question is, let's look at the different types of research questions that you might come across. Broadly speaking, there are (at least) four different types of research questions - descriptive, comparative, relational, and explanatory. Descriptive questions ask what is happening. In other words, they seek to describe a ...

  8. Qualitative Research Questions: Gain Powerful Insights + 25 Examples

    Qualitative research questions focus on the "how" and "why" of things, rather than the "what". They ask about people's experiences and perceptions, and can be used to explore a wide range of topics. The following article will discuss the basics of qualitative research questions, including their key components, and how to craft them effectively.

  9. How to Write a Research Question: Types and Examples

    Choose a broad topic, such as "learner support" or "social media influence" for your study. Select topics of interest to make research more enjoyable and stay motivated. Preliminary research. The goal is to refine and focus your research question. The following strategies can help: Skim various scholarly articles.

  10. How to Craft a Strong Research Question (With Research Question

    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.

  11. How to Develop a Good Research Question?

    Moreover, these questions seek to understand the intent or future outcome surrounding a topic. Research Question Example: Asking why a consumer behaves in a certain way or chooses a certain option over other. iii. Interpretive Questions. This type of research question allows the study of people in the natural setting.

  12. What are the characteristics of a good research question?

    Learn how to formulate a good research question for your academic project with tips and examples from George Mason University Library.

  13. PDF Research Questions and Hypotheses

    study) Describe the experiences (e.g., phenomenology) Report the stories (e.g., narrative research) Use these more exploratory verbs that are nondirectional rather than directional words that suggest quantitative research, such as "affect," "influence," "impact," "determine," "cause," and "relate.".

  14. A Practical Guide to Writing Quantitative and Qualitative Research

    INTRODUCTION. Scientific research is usually initiated by posing evidenced-based research questions which are then explicitly restated as hypotheses.1,2 The hypotheses provide directions to guide the study, solutions, explanations, and expected results.3,4 Both research questions and hypotheses are essentially formulated based on conventional theories and real-world processes, which allow the ...

  15. How to Write a Research Question in 2024: Types, Steps, and Examples

    Aside from being interesting and novel, the research question should be relevant to the scientific community and people involved in your area of study. If possible, your research question should also be relevant to the public's interest. 5. Construct your research question properly.

  16. Is It a Question?

    Most strong sociological research questions have five key features: written in the form of a question, clearly focused, beyond yes/no, more than one plausible answer, and consider relationships among concepts. A poorly focused research question can lead to the demise of an otherwise well-executed study.

  17. Research questions, hypotheses and objectives

    The development of the research question, including a supportive hypothesis and objectives, is a necessary key step in producing clinically relevant results to be used in evidence-based practice. A well-defined and specific research question is more likely to help guide us in making decisions about study design and population and subsequently ...

  18. 5 key questions to help you choose a research methodology

    Selecting the right research methodology is a crucial step in any research endeavor. The five key questions outlined in the flowchart serve as a valuable compass, helping you navigate through the maze of choices and ultimately guiding you to the methodology that best suits your objectives. While the decision-making process may often require ...

  19. Five Questions for Good Research

    This question is answered in two ways depending on your stage of research. Proposal stage You should try to sketch 3-5 key insights that you believe will allow you to solve your problem better than what has been done before. Publication stage You should have 3-5 key ideas that address the problem.

  20. PDF 5 Five Key Questions That Can Change the World

    In the 25 lesson plans we cover a variety of content topics and explore a mix of media formats, from printed newspapers and magazines to television, movies, the internet, radio, even maps and money! Each chapter begins with a short background essay for teachers to explore the richness conveyed in each Key Question.

  21. Five key questions educators ask about SEL

    Five key questions educators ask about SEL. Christi Bergin ... Shannon B. Wanless, researchers who have studied and designed SEL for decades, respond to questions frequently asked by educators as they consider an SEL approach for their school. ... Benbenishty R. (2017). A research synthesis of the associations between socioeconomic background ...

  22. Mentorship Programs are Key to Student Involvement, Success in STEM

    A growing body of research has shown that having a social support system and a sense of belonging is particularly beneficial to student success for students from groups underrepresented in STEM fields. ... The Summer Engineering Institute is a five-week, residential, credit-bearing summer transition program for incoming first-year students in ...

  23. Thirty years later, the Women's Health Initiative provides researchers

    Researchers from the NHLBI-supported Women's Health Initiative, the largest women's health study in the U.S., published findings from a 20-year review that underscores the importance of postmenopausal women moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach to making medical decisions. , the researchers explain that estrogen or a combination of estrogen and progestin, two types of hormone ...

  24. Answering five key questions regarding Clemson and ACC's lawsuits

    Here are answers to five key questions regarding the lawsuits. Clemson and the ACC have been in litigation against each other since March. News Sports Downtown TALK Advertise Obituaries eNewspaper ...

  25. How to Interview Someone in Healthcare: 5 Tips

    Situation-based and behavioral questions can be helpful indicators of how candidates might carry out essential tasks. As the candidate formulates their answers, listen for how they might bring some key qualities (e.g., integrity, honesty, and empathy) into their work. 4. Watch for Non-Verbal Signs of Professionalism

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    Tip #2: Focus On Your Soft Skills. Soft skills are in demand more than ever. According to a study by business school professor Peter Cardon, one reason is the rise of AI. Contrary to popular ...

  27. Frontiers

    Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and quantifying the carbon footprint (CF) of rice-cropping systems in the context of food security is an important step toward the sustainability of rice production. Exploring the key factors affecting emission reduction in rice production is important to properly evaluate the impact of China's rice-cropping systems on global climate change.

  28. What time do Maryland polls open and close for the 2024 primary? Key

    In addition, three of Maryland's eight congressional seats are up for grabs. When do the polls open in Maryland? Maryland polls open at 7 a.m. on May 14.

  29. Research Specialist

    Job Summary: The Anderson Lab within the UW-Madison Center for Genomic Science Innovation (CGSI) and the Department of Medical Genetics seeks an ambitious and highly motivated research specialist to support research activities. This is an outstanding opportunity for researchers interested in bolstering existing skills. The lab is housed within the CGSI, which serves as a vibrant and collegial ...