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Writing Strong Research Questions | Criteria & Examples

Writing Strong Research Questions | Criteria & Examples

Published on October 26, 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on November 21, 2023.

A research question pinpoints exactly what you want to find out in your work. A good research question is essential to guide your research paper , dissertation , or thesis .

All research questions should be:

Focused on a single problem or issue
Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources
Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints
Specific enough to answer thoroughly
Complex enough to develop the answer over the space of a paper or thesis
Relevant to your field of study and/or society more broadly

How to write a research question, what makes a strong research question, using sub-questions to strengthen your main research question, research questions quiz, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research questions.

You can follow these steps to develop a strong research question:

Choose your topic
Do some preliminary reading about the current state of the field
Narrow your focus to a specific niche
Identify the research problem that you will address

The way you frame your question depends on what your research aims to achieve. The table below shows some examples of how you might formulate questions for different purposes.

Using your research problem to develop your research question

Note that while most research questions can be answered with various types of research , the way you frame your question should help determine your choices.

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Research questions anchor your whole project, so it’s important to spend some time refining them. The criteria below can help you evaluate the strength of your research question.

Focused and researchable

Feasible and specific, complex and arguable, relevant and original.

Chances are that your main research question likely can’t be answered all at once. That’s why sub-questions are important: they allow you to answer your main question in a step-by-step manner.

Good sub-questions should be:

Less complex than the main question
Focused only on 1 type of research
Presented in a logical order

Here are a few examples of descriptive and framing questions:

Descriptive: According to current government arguments, how should a European bank tax be implemented?
Descriptive: Which countries have a bank tax/levy on financial transactions?
Framing: How should a bank tax/levy on financial transactions look at a European level?

Keep in mind that sub-questions are by no means mandatory. They should only be asked if you need the findings to answer your main question. If your main question is simple enough to stand on its own, it’s okay to skip the sub-question part. As a rule of thumb, the more complex your subject, the more sub-questions you’ll need.

Try to limit yourself to 4 or 5 sub-questions, maximum. If you feel you need more than this, it may be indication that your main research question is not sufficiently specific. In this case, it’s is better to revisit your problem statement and try to tighten your main question up.

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If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Methodology

Sampling methods
Simple random sampling
Stratified sampling
Cluster sampling
Likert scales
Reproducibility

Statistics

Null hypothesis
Statistical power
Probability distribution
Effect size
Poisson distribution

Research bias

Optimism bias
Cognitive bias
Implicit bias
Hawthorne effect
Anchoring bias
Explicit bias

The way you present your research problem in your introduction varies depending on the nature of your research paper . A research paper that presents a sustained argument will usually encapsulate this argument in a thesis statement .

A research paper designed to present the results of empirical research tends to present a research question that it seeks to answer. It may also include a hypothesis —a prediction that will be confirmed or disproved by your research.

As you cannot possibly read every source related to your topic, it’s important to evaluate sources to assess their relevance. Use preliminary evaluation to determine whether a source is worth examining in more depth.

This involves:

Reading abstracts , prefaces, introductions , and conclusions
Looking at the table of contents to determine the scope of the work
Consulting the index for key terms or the names of important scholars

A research hypothesis is your proposed answer to your research question. The research hypothesis usually includes an explanation (“ x affects y because …”).

A statistical hypothesis, on the other hand, is a mathematical statement about a population parameter. Statistical hypotheses always come in pairs: the null and alternative hypotheses . In a well-designed study , the statistical hypotheses correspond logically to the research hypothesis.

Formulating a main research question can be a difficult task. Overall, your question should contribute to solving the problem that you have defined in your problem statement .

However, it should also fulfill criteria in three main areas:

Researchability
Feasibility and specificity
Relevance and originality

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Creating a Good Research Question

Advice & Growth
Process in Practice

Successful translation of research begins with a strong question. How do you get started? How do good research questions evolve? And where do you find inspiration to generate good questions in the first place? It’s helpful to understand existing frameworks, guidelines, and standards, as well as hear from researchers who utilize these strategies in their own work.

In the fall and winter of 2020, Naomi Fisher, MD, conducted 10 interviews with clinical and translational researchers at Harvard University and affiliated academic healthcare centers, with the purpose of capturing their experiences developing good research questions. The researchers featured in this project represent various specialties, drawn from every stage of their careers. Below you will find clips from their interviews and additional resources that highlight how to get started, as well as helpful frameworks and factors to consider. Additionally, visit the Advice & Growth section to hear candid advice and explore the Process in Practice section to hear how researchers have applied these recommendations to their published research.

Naomi Fisher, MD , is associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School (HMS), and clinical staff at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH). Fisher is founder and director of Hypertension Services and the Hypertension Specialty Clinic at the BWH, where she is a renowned endocrinologist. She serves as a faculty director for communication-related Boundary-Crossing Skills for Research Careers webinar sessions and the Writing and Communication Center .
Christopher Gibbons, MD , is associate professor of neurology at HMS, and clinical staff at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and Joslin Diabetes Center. Gibbons’ research focus is on peripheral and autonomic neuropathies.
Clare Tempany-Afdhal, MD , is professor of radiology at HMS and the Ferenc Jolesz Chair of Research, Radiology at BWH. Her major areas of research are MR imaging of the pelvis and image- guided therapy.
David Sykes, MD, PhD , is assistant professor of medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), he is also principal investigator at the Sykes Lab at MGH. His special interest area is rare hematologic conditions.
Elliot Israel, MD , is professor of medicine at HMS, director of the Respiratory Therapy Department, the director of clinical research in the Pulmonary and Critical Care Medical Division and associate physician at BWH. Israel’s research interests include therapeutic interventions to alter asthmatic airway hyperactivity and the role of arachidonic acid metabolites in airway narrowing.
Jonathan Williams, MD, MMSc , is assistant professor of medicine at HMS, and associate physician at BWH. He focuses on endocrinology, specifically unravelling the intricate relationship between genetics and environment with respect to susceptibility to cardiometabolic disease.
Junichi Tokuda, PhD , is associate professor of radiology at HMS, and is a research scientist at the Department of Radiology, BWH. Tokuda is particularly interested in technologies to support image-guided “closed-loop” interventions. He also serves as a principal investigator leading several projects funded by the National Institutes of Health and industry.
Osama Rahma, MD , is assistant professor of medicine at HMS and clinical staff member in medical oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI). Rhama is currently a principal investigator at the Center for Immuno-Oncology and Gastroenterology Cancer Center at DFCI. His research focus is on drug development of combinational immune therapeutics.
Sharmila Dorbala, MD, MPH , is professor of radiology at HMS and clinical staff at BWH in cardiovascular medicine and radiology. She is also the president of the American Society of Nuclear Medicine. Dorbala’s specialty is using nuclear medicine for cardiovascular discoveries.
Subha Ramani, PhD, MBBS, MMed , is associate professor of medicine at HMS, as well as associate physician in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary Care at BWH. Ramani’s scholarly interests focus on innovative approaches to teaching, learning and assessment of clinical trainees, faculty development in teaching, and qualitative research methods in medical education.
Ursula Kaiser, MD , is professor at HMS and chief of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, and senior physician at BWH. Kaiser’s research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms by which pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone regulates the expression of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone genes.

Insights on Creating a Good Research Question

Play Junichi Tokuda video

Play Ursula Kaiser video

Start Successfully: Build the Foundation of a Good Research Question

Start Successfully Resources

Ideation in Device Development: Finding Clinical Need Josh Tolkoff, MS A lecture explaining the critical importance of identifying a compelling clinical need before embarking on a research project. Play Ideation in Device Development video .

Radical Innovation Jeff Karp, PhD This ThinkResearch podcast episode focuses on one researcher’s approach using radical simplicity to break down big problems and questions. Play Radical Innovation .

Using Healthcare Data: How can Researchers Come up with Interesting Questions? Anupam Jena, MD, PhD Another ThinkResearch podcast episode addresses how to discover good research questions by using a backward design approach which involves analyzing big data and allowing the research question to unfold from findings. Play Using Healthcare Data .

Important Factors: Consider Feasibility and Novelty

Refining Your Research Question

Play video of Clare Tempany-Afdhal

Play Elliott Israel video

Frameworks and Structure: Evaluate Research Questions Using Tools and Techniques

Frameworks and Structure Resources

Designing Clinical Research Hulley et al. A comprehensive and practical guide to clinical research, including the FINER framework for evaluating research questions. Learn more about the book .

Translational Medicine Library Guide Queens University Library An introduction to popular frameworks for research questions, including FINER and PICO. Review translational medicine guide .

Asking a Good T3/T4 Question Niteesh K. Choudhry, MD, PhD This video explains the PICO framework in practice as participants in a workshop propose research questions that compare interventions. Play Asking a Good T3/T4 Question video

Introduction to Designing & Conducting Mixed Methods Research An online course that provides a deeper dive into mixed methods’ research questions and methodologies. Learn more about the course

Network and Support: Find the Collaborators and Stakeholders to Help Evaluate Research Questions

Network & Support Resource

Bench-to-bedside, Bedside-to-bench Christopher Gibbons, MD In this lecture, Gibbons shares his experience of bringing research from bench to bedside, and from bedside to bench. His talk highlights the formation and evolution of research questions based on clinical need. Play Bench-to-bedside.

Research Aims, Objectives & Questions

The “Golden Thread” Explained Simply (+ Examples)

By: David Phair (PhD) and Alexandra Shaeffer (PhD) | June 2022

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 you navigate your way through the fog.

Overview: The Golden Thread

What is the golden thread
What are research aims ( examples )
What are research objectives ( examples )
What are research questions ( examples )
The importance of alignment in the golden thread

What is the “golden thread”?

The golden thread simply refers to the collective research aims , research objectives , and research questions for any given project (i.e., a dissertation, thesis, or research paper ). These three elements are bundled together because it’s extremely important that they align with each other, and that the entire research project aligns with them.

Importantly, the golden thread needs to weave its way through the entirety of any research project , from start to end. In other words, it needs to be very clearly defined right at the beginning of the project (the topic ideation and proposal stage) and it needs to inform almost every decision throughout the rest of the project. For example, your research design and methodology will be heavily influenced by the golden thread (we’ll explain this in more detail later), as well as your literature review.

The research aims, objectives and research questions (the golden thread) define the focus and scope ( the delimitations ) of your research project. In other words, they help ringfence your dissertation or thesis to a relatively narrow domain, so that you can “go deep” and really dig into a specific problem or opportunity. They also help keep you on track , as they act as a litmus test for relevance. In other words, if you’re ever unsure whether to include something in your document, simply ask yourself the question, “does this contribute toward my research aims, objectives or questions?”. If it doesn’t, chances are you can drop it.

Alright, enough of the fluffy, conceptual stuff. Let’s get down to business and look at what exactly the research aims, objectives and questions are and outline a few examples to bring these concepts to life.

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Research Aims: What are they?

Simply put, the research aim(s) is a statement that reflects the broad overarching goal (s) of the research project. Research aims are fairly high-level (low resolution) as they outline the general direction of the research and what it’s trying to achieve .

Research Aims: Examples

True to the name, research aims usually start with the wording “this research aims to…”, “this research seeks to…”, and so on. For example:

“This research aims to explore employee experiences of digital transformation in retail HR.” “This study sets out to assess the interaction between student support and self-care on well-being in engineering graduate students”

As you can see, these research aims provide a high-level description of what the study is about and what it seeks to achieve. They’re not hyper-specific or action-oriented, but they’re clear about what the study’s focus is and what is being investigated.

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Research Objectives: What are they?

The research objectives take the research aims and make them more practical and actionable . In other words, the research objectives showcase the steps that the researcher will take to achieve the research aims.

The research objectives need to be far more specific (higher resolution) and actionable than the research aims. In fact, it’s always a good idea to craft your research objectives using the “SMART” criteria. In other words, they should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound”.

Research Objectives: Examples

Let’s look at two examples of research objectives. We’ll stick with the topic and research aims we mentioned previously.

For the digital transformation topic:

To observe the retail HR employees throughout the digital transformation. To assess employee perceptions of digital transformation in retail HR. To identify the barriers and facilitators of digital transformation in retail HR.

And for the student wellness topic:

To determine whether student self-care predicts the well-being score of engineering graduate students. To determine whether student support predicts the well-being score of engineering students. To assess the interaction between student self-care and student support when predicting well-being in engineering graduate students.

As you can see, these research objectives clearly align with the previously mentioned research aims and effectively translate the low-resolution aims into (comparatively) higher-resolution objectives and action points . They give the research project a clear focus and present something that resembles a research-based “to-do” list.

The research objectives detail the specific steps that you, as the researcher, will take to achieve the research aims you laid out.

Research Questions: What are they?

Finally, we arrive at the all-important research questions. The research questions are, as the name suggests, the key questions that your study will seek to answer . Simply put, they are the core purpose of your dissertation, thesis, or research project. You’ll present them at the beginning of your document (either in the introduction chapter or literature review chapter) and you’ll answer them at the end of your document (typically in the discussion and conclusion chapters).

The research questions will be the driving force throughout the research process. For example, in the literature review chapter, you’ll assess the relevance of any given resource based on whether it helps you move towards answering your research questions. Similarly, your methodology and research design will be heavily influenced by the nature of your research questions. For instance, research questions that are exploratory in nature will usually make use of a qualitative approach, whereas questions that relate to measurement or relationship testing will make use of a quantitative approach.

Let’s look at some examples of research questions to make this more tangible.

Research Questions: Examples

Again, we’ll stick with the research aims and research objectives we mentioned previously.

For the digital transformation topic (which would be qualitative in nature):

How do employees perceive digital transformation in retail HR? What are the barriers and facilitators of digital transformation in retail HR?

And for the student wellness topic (which would be quantitative in nature):

Does student self-care predict the well-being scores of engineering graduate students? Does student support predict the well-being scores of engineering students? Do student self-care and student support interact when predicting well-being in engineering graduate students?

You’ll probably notice that there’s quite a formulaic approach to this. In other words, the research questions are basically the research objectives “converted” into question format. While that is true most of the time, it’s not always the case. For example, the first research objective for the digital transformation topic was more or less a step on the path toward the other objectives, and as such, it didn’t warrant its own research question.

So, don’t rush your research questions and sloppily reword your objectives as questions. Carefully think about what exactly you’re trying to achieve (i.e. your research aim) and the objectives you’ve set out, then craft a set of well-aligned research questions . Also, keep in mind that this can be a somewhat iterative process , where you go back and tweak research objectives and aims to ensure tight alignment throughout the golden thread.

The importance of strong alignment

Alignment is the keyword here and we have to stress its importance . Simply put, you need to make sure that there is a very tight alignment between all three pieces of the golden thread. If your research aims and research questions don’t align, for example, your project will be pulling in different directions and will lack focus . This is a common problem students face and can cause many headaches (and tears), so be warned.

Take the time to carefully craft your research aims, objectives and research questions before you run off down the research path. Ideally, get your research supervisor/advisor to review and comment on your golden thread before you invest significant time into your project, and certainly before you start collecting data .

Recap: The golden thread

In this post, we unpacked the golden thread of research, consisting of the research aims , research objectives and research questions . You can jump back to any section using the links below.

As always, feel free to leave a comment below – we always love to hear from you. Also, if you’re interested in 1-on-1 support, take a look at our private coaching service here.

Psst… there’s more (for free)

This post is part of our dissertation mini-course, which covers everything you need to get started with your dissertation, thesis or research project.

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37 Comments

Thank you very much for your great effort put. As an Undergraduate taking Demographic Research & Methodology, I’ve been trying so hard to understand clearly what is a Research Question, Research Aim and the Objectives in a research and the relationship between them etc. But as for now I’m thankful that you’ve solved my problem.

Well appreciated. This has helped me greatly in doing my dissertation.

An so delighted with this wonderful information thank you a lot.

so impressive i have benefited a lot looking forward to learn more on research.

I am very happy to have carefully gone through this well researched article.

Infact,I used to be phobia about anything research, because of my poor understanding of the concepts.

Now,I get to know that my research question is the same as my research objective(s) rephrased in question format.

I please I would need a follow up on the subject,as I intends to join the team of researchers. Thanks once again.

Thanks so much. This was really helpful.

i found this document so useful towards my study in research methods. thanks so much.

This is my 2nd read topic in your course and I should commend the simplified explanations of each part. I’m beginning to understand and absorb the use of each part of a dissertation/thesis. I’ll keep on reading your free course and might be able to avail the training course! Kudos!

Thank you! Better put that my lecture and helped to easily understand the basics which I feel often get brushed over when beginning dissertation work.

This is quite helpful. I like how the Golden thread has been explained and the needed alignment.

This is quite helpful. I really appreciate!

The article made it simple for researcher students to differentiate between three concepts.

Very innovative and educational in approach to conducting research.

I am very impressed with all these terminology, as I am a fresh student for post graduate, I am highly guided and I promised to continue making consultation when the need arise. Thanks a lot.

A very helpful piece. thanks, I really appreciate it .

Very well explained, and it might be helpful to many people like me.

Wish i had found this (and other) resource(s) at the beginning of my PhD journey… not in my writing up year… 😩 Anyways… just a quick question as i’m having some issues ordering my “golden thread”…. does it matter in what order you mention them? i.e., is it always first aims, then objectives, and finally the questions? or can you first mention the research questions and then the aims and objectives?

Thank you for a very simple explanation that builds upon the concepts in a very logical manner. Just prior to this, I read the research hypothesis article, which was equally very good. This met my primary objective.

My secondary objective was to understand the difference between research questions and research hypothesis, and in which context to use which one. However, I am still not clear on this. Can you kindly please guide?

In research, a research question is a clear and specific inquiry that the researcher wants to answer, while a research hypothesis is a tentative statement or prediction about the relationship between variables or the expected outcome of the study. Research questions are broader and guide the overall study, while hypotheses are specific and testable statements used in quantitative research. Research questions identify the problem, while hypotheses provide a focus for testing in the study.

Exactly what I need in this research journey, I look forward to more of your coaching videos.

This helped a lot. Thanks so much for the effort put into explaining it.

What data source in writing dissertation/Thesis requires?

What is data source covers when writing dessertation/thesis

This is quite useful thanks

I’m excited and thankful. I got so much value which will help me progress in my thesis.

where are the locations of the reserch statement, research objective and research question in a reserach paper? Can you write an ouline that defines their places in the researh paper?

Very helpful and important tips on Aims, Objectives and Questions.

Thank you so much for making research aim, research objectives and research question so clear. This will be helpful to me as i continue with my thesis.

Thanks much for this content. I learned a lot. And I am inspired to learn more. I am still struggling with my preparation for dissertation outline/proposal. But I consistently follow contents and tutorials and the new FB of GRAD Coach. Hope to really become confident in writing my dissertation and successfully defend it.

As a researcher and lecturer, I find splitting research goals into research aims, objectives, and questions is unnecessarily bureaucratic and confusing for students. For most biomedical research projects, including ‘real research’, 1-3 research questions will suffice (numbers may differ by discipline).

Awesome! Very important resources and presented in an informative way to easily understand the golden thread. Indeed, thank you so much.

Well explained

The blog article on research aims, objectives, and questions by Grad Coach is a clear and insightful guide that aligns with my experiences in academic research. The article effectively breaks down the often complex concepts of research aims and objectives, providing a straightforward and accessible explanation. Drawing from my own research endeavors, I appreciate the practical tips offered, such as the need for specificity and clarity when formulating research questions. The article serves as a valuable resource for students and researchers, offering a concise roadmap for crafting well-defined research goals and objectives. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced researcher, this article provides practical insights that contribute to the foundational aspects of a successful research endeavor.

A great thanks for you. it is really amazing explanation. I grasp a lot and one step up to research knowledge.

I really found these tips helpful. Thank you very much Grad Coach.

I found this article helpful. Thanks for sharing this.

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Imperial College London Imperial College London

For PhD students - how to formulate a research question

Different students enter the PhD program with different backgrounds. Some students take research-oriented modules (courses in US) at undergraduate level. Some other do a research masters before doing a PhD. However, the kind of research questions we address in a PhD are very new and requires a long period of deeper investigation. Therefore, it is important to know how to find a good question that gets you excited.

Direct encounter : Usually, a good question comes from an experience. In my case, I experienced how hard it is to derive the dynamics of a robot with high degrees of freedom (DoF). I actually tried to manually derive dynamics of a 4-DoF manipulator called Mark-II from Yasakawa Corporation, and then ran a Mathematica program to do a symbolic derivation for a 7-DoF robot manipulator called PA-10. I experienced how long the equations grew and thought how the brain might be dealing with a body of about 37 DoFs for model based predictive control. This direct encounter with the problem is very important, because it gives you a cause to work towards.

Look around : After finding a problem worthy of addressing, look around to see how others have approached to solve it. This is where you will see different schools of thought. Be careful. There are glaring band-waggons out there. It is so tempting to get in one of them. Don’t blindly follow them unless you have a good reason. Usually following is tiring. Think carefully trying out simple derivations and doing simulations or even doing simple physical experiments to see what kind of approaches get you excited. Some approaches appear very exciting, but direct usage will prove to be not so effective. At this point, it is very important to consult your supervisor. The supervisor may have a favorite approach. Most experienced supervisors are open for change and a good reasoned discussion will help you to benefit from their experience to polish up your research question and the method you want to address it. You should always check if there are quantifiable methods to address your research question. For instance, if you want to test whether there is a particular class of mechanisms available to minimise the size of collision force when a robot is dropped from a height, you should think about testing methods, candidate mechanisms, and the range of design paramaters to assess the scope of analysis. Sometimes, your laboratory may not have the full capacity to help you. This is where you can look for collaborations. Try to reach this level of planning logistics within the first 4-6 months in your PhD.

First experiment is important : Once you know your cause for the PhD and once the approach and collaborations are established, break your approach down to smaller steps. Don’t worry too much about how the last experiment will be done. Worry about your first experiment. Distill out a refined research question that needs a novel answer that you can reach in about 6 months. This is important to boost confidence. Temptations will be high to find the ultimate answer to bring your field to a conclusion, but even in that case, it is important to make a first firm step. In this first step, master the tools and techniques involved in your field. In my lab, students take this time to master robot design and fabrication skills, coding skills, data analysis skills, and cool math you can use to solve difficult problems. Develop the habit of reading at least one paper a week that empowers you with powerful tools to solve problems.

Documentation : It is important to develop the habit of keeping things in a well sorted file structure. Open a folder for each project. Have sub-folders for data, reports, codes, papers you read (using a repository like Madeley is also great), designs, and other resources. This is going to save time when you write a paper at some point. Now you have cloud resources like Box and Onedrive. Back up everything securely.

Writing the first paper : If everything works out, after about one year into the PhD, you will have some new results worthy of publishing. Sometimes, the first attempt doesn’t work out. But all failed attempts teach us lessons. Don’t get discouraged if the first experiment doesn’t work out. Develop the resilience to come back with a different approach or to formulate the question in a different way. Then when you write the first paper, you will have comparative results. The importance of reading papers at least one per week is that in 6 months, you would have read at least 25 papers. This is enough to write your first paper. Start writing why the question you addressed is new and important, and back it up with papers you read. Write down your methods very clearly keeping in mind that somebody should be able to read your paper and be able to replicate it for independent verification. Results and interpretations need to be as sharp and consistent as possible. Plan to go through several rounds of revisions with your supervisor and lab mates before any submission deadlines. I ask my PhD students to have the paper in a reasonable level for revision at least one month before the deadline. Have this as a ballpark period for revision in your first paper. This is the time where you develop the skills of articulating a concept clearly, present it to an audience, receive criticisms, and develop good habits of critical reflection.

Completing the cycle : You will of course get review feedback. Some suggestions I have given in this note can be useful to go the rest of the journey. Once you get your first paper published, you will have your next research questions coming up easily. The advantage of taking an approach you are passionate about to serve the cause you selected is that it will naturally line up the next set of questions and methods you should be pursuing. My advise is to go through this full cycle of raising a question to publishing results at least 3 times during your PhD. It will give you a seasoned experience of the art of formulating good research questions.

The A-Z of the PhD Trajectory pp 75–87 Cite as

Formulating Your Research Question

Eva O. L. Lantsoght 2 , 3
First Online: 26 May 2018

193k Accesses

Part of the book series: Springer Texts in Education ((SPTE))

In this chapter, the research question is studied. We focus on how to find a research question that is specific enough, so that you are not tempted to explore paths that are only tangentially related to your research question. The literature review identifies gaps in the current knowledge, and you will learn how to frame a research question within these gaps. We then explore how to subdivide the research question into subquestions. These subquestions become the chapters of your dissertation. We also look at creative thinking, a skill necessary to think out of the box to formulate your research question. This chapter discusses how to convince your supervisor of your research question. It can happen that your supervisor already has an idea of the direction in which your research should be going, but if you can provide technically sound arguments based on your literature review why this approach is not ideal, and why you propose a different road, you should be able to have the freedom to explore your proposed option. Once you have outlined your research question, it is necessary to turn the question and subquestions into practical actions. These practical actions link back to the planning skills you learned in Chap. 3 .

Research question
Research methods
Research design

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Time blocks of 25 minutes during which you concentrate on one single task. You can find more information about the Pomodoro technique in the glossary of Part II.

I often work with noise-cancelling headphones.

The course is sweet and short, and runs frequently. I highly recommend it!

Refer to Chap. 4 for examples on how I use mindmaps to structure documents, such as a literature review report.

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Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador

Eva O. L. Lantsoght

Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands

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Lantsoght, E.O.L. (2018). Formulating Your Research Question. In: The A-Z of the PhD Trajectory. Springer Texts in Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77425-1_5

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How to Write a Research Question: Types and Examples

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

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

What is a research question?

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

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

A good research question has the following features:

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

A poorly formulated research question poses several risks. 1

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

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

Types of research questions

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

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

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

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

Qualitative research questions

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

Mixed-methods studies

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

What makes a good research question

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

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

Steps for developing a good research question

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

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

How to write a research question

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

Sample Research Questions

The following are some bad and good research question examples

Example 1
Example 2

References:

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

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Writing Strong Research Questions | Criteria & Examples

Writing Strong Research Questions | Criteria & Examples

Published on 30 October 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on 12 December 2023.

A research question pinpoints exactly what you want to find out in your work. A good research question is essential to guide your research paper , dissertation , or thesis .

All research questions should be:

Focused on a single problem or issue
Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources
Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints
Specific enough to answer thoroughly
Complex enough to develop the answer over the space of a paper or thesis
Relevant to your field of study and/or society more broadly

How to write a research question, what makes a strong research question, research questions quiz, frequently asked questions.

You can follow these steps to develop a strong research question:

Choose your topic
Do some preliminary reading about the current state of the field
Narrow your focus to a specific niche
Identify the research problem that you will address

The way you frame your question depends on what your research aims to achieve. The table below shows some examples of how you might formulate questions for different purposes.

Using your research problem to develop your research question

Note that while most research questions can be answered with various types of research , the way you frame your question should help determine your choices.

Prevent plagiarism, run a free check.

Research questions anchor your whole project, so it’s important to spend some time refining them. The criteria below can help you evaluate the strength of your research question.

Focused and researchable

Feasible and specific, complex and arguable, relevant and original.

A research paper designed to present the results of empirical research tends to present a research question that it seeks to answer. It may also include a hypothesis – a prediction that will be confirmed or disproved by your research.

This involves:

Reading abstracts , prefaces, introductions , and conclusions
Looking at the table of contents to determine the scope of the work
Consulting the index for key terms or the names of important scholars

An essay isn’t just a loose collection of facts and ideas. Instead, it should be centered on an overarching argument (summarised in your thesis statement ) that every part of the essay relates to.

The way you structure your essay is crucial to presenting your argument coherently. A well-structured essay helps your reader follow the logic of your ideas and understand your overall point.

A research hypothesis is your proposed answer to your research question. The research hypothesis usually includes an explanation (‘ x affects y because …’).

A statistical hypothesis, on the other hand, is a mathematical statement about a population parameter. Statistical hypotheses always come in pairs: the null and alternative hypotheses. In a well-designed study , the statistical hypotheses correspond logically to the research hypothesis.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, December 12). Writing Strong Research Questions | Criteria & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 1 April 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/the-research-process/research-question/

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

What is a Research Question?

A research question is the main question that your study sought or is seeking to answer. A clear research question guides your research paper or thesis and states exactly what you want to find out, giving your work a focus and objective. Learning how to write a hypothesis or research question is the start to composing any thesis, dissertation, or research paper. It is also one of the most important sections of a research proposal .

A good research question not only clarifies the writing in your study; it provides your readers with a clear focus and facilitates their understanding of your research topic, as well as outlining your study’s objectives. Before drafting the paper and receiving research paper editing (and usually before performing your study), you should write a concise statement of what this study intends to accomplish or reveal.

Research Question Writing Tips

Listed below are the important characteristics of a good research question:

A good research question should:

Be clear and provide specific information so readers can easily understand the purpose.
Be focused in its scope and narrow enough to be addressed in the space allowed by your paper
Be relevant and concise and express your main ideas in as few words as possible, like a hypothesis.
Be precise and complex enough that it does not simply answer a closed “yes or no” question, but requires an analysis of arguments and literature prior to its being considered acceptable.
Be arguable or testable so that answers to the research question are open to scrutiny and specific questions and counterarguments.

Some of these characteristics might be difficult to understand in the form of a list. Let’s go into more detail about what a research question must do and look at some examples of research questions.

The research question should be specific and focused

Research questions that are too broad are not suitable to be addressed in a single study. One reason for this can be if there are many factors or variables to consider. In addition, a sample data set that is too large or an experimental timeline that is too long may suggest that the research question is not focused enough.

A specific research question means that the collective data and observations come together to either confirm or deny the chosen hypothesis in a clear manner. If a research question is too vague, then the data might end up creating an alternate research problem or hypothesis that you haven’t addressed in your Introduction section .

The research question should be based on the literature

An effective research question should be answerable and verifiable based on prior research because an effective scientific study must be placed in the context of a wider academic consensus. This means that conspiracy or fringe theories are not good research paper topics.

Instead, a good research question must extend, examine, and verify the context of your research field. It should fit naturally within the literature and be searchable by other research authors.

References to the literature can be in different citation styles and must be properly formatted according to the guidelines set forth by the publishing journal, university, or academic institution. This includes in-text citations as well as the Reference section .

The research question should be realistic in time, scope, and budget

There are two main constraints to the research process: timeframe and budget.

A proper research question will include study or experimental procedures that can be executed within a feasible time frame, typically by a graduate doctoral or master’s student or lab technician. Research that requires future technology, expensive resources, or follow-up procedures is problematic.

A researcher’s budget is also a major constraint to performing timely research. Research at many large universities or institutions is publicly funded and is thus accountable to funding restrictions.

The research question should be in-depth

Research papers, dissertations and theses , and academic journal articles are usually dozens if not hundreds of pages in length.

A good research question or thesis statement must be sufficiently complex to warrant such a length, as it must stand up to the scrutiny of peer review and be reproducible by other scientists and researchers.

Research Question Types

Qualitative and quantitative research are the two major types of research, and it is essential to develop research questions for each type of study.

Quantitative Research Questions

Quantitative research questions are specific. A typical research question involves the population to be studied, dependent and independent variables, and the research design.

In addition, quantitative research questions connect the research question and the research design. In addition, it is not possible to answer these questions definitively with a “yes” or “no” response. For example, scientific fields such as biology, physics, and chemistry often deal with “states,” in which different quantities, amounts, or velocities drastically alter the relevance of the research.

As a consequence, quantitative research questions do not contain qualitative, categorical, or ordinal qualifiers such as “is,” “are,” “does,” or “does not.”

Categories of quantitative research questions

Qualitative research questions.

In quantitative research, research questions have the potential to relate to broad research areas as well as more specific areas of study. Qualitative research questions are less directional, more flexible, and adaptable compared with their quantitative counterparts. Thus, studies based on these questions tend to focus on “discovering,” “explaining,” “elucidating,” and “exploring.”

Categories of qualitative research questions

Quantitative and qualitative research question examples.

stacks of books in black and white; research question examples

Good and Bad Research Question Examples

Below are some good (and not-so-good) examples of research questions that researchers can use to guide them in crafting their own research questions.

Research Question Example 1

The first research question is too vague in both its independent and dependent variables. There is no specific information on what “exposure” means. Does this refer to comments, likes, engagement, or just how much time is spent on the social media platform?

Second, there is no useful information on what exactly “affected” means. Does the subject’s behavior change in some measurable way? Or does this term refer to another factor such as the user’s emotions?

Research Question Example 2

In this research question, the first example is too simple and not sufficiently complex, making it difficult to assess whether the study answered the question. The author could really only answer this question with a simple “yes” or “no.” Further, the presence of data would not help answer this question more deeply, which is a sure sign of a poorly constructed research topic.

The second research question is specific, complex, and empirically verifiable. One can measure program effectiveness based on metrics such as attendance or grades. Further, “bullying” is made into an empirical, quantitative measurement in the form of recorded disciplinary actions.

Steps for Writing a Research Question

Good research questions are relevant, focused, and meaningful. It can be difficult to come up with a good research question, but there are a few steps you can follow to make it a bit easier.

1. Start with an interesting and relevant topic

Choose a research topic that is interesting but also relevant and aligned with your own country’s culture or your university’s capabilities. Popular academic topics include healthcare and medical-related research. However, if you are attending an engineering school or humanities program, you should obviously choose a research question that pertains to your specific study and major.

Below is an embedded graph of the most popular research fields of study based on publication output according to region. As you can see, healthcare and the basic sciences receive the most funding and earn the highest number of publications.

2. Do preliminary research

You can begin doing preliminary research once you have chosen a research topic. Two objectives should be accomplished during this first phase of research. First, you should undertake a preliminary review of related literature to discover issues that scholars and peers are currently discussing. With this method, you show that you are informed about the latest developments in the field.

Secondly, identify knowledge gaps or limitations in your topic by conducting a preliminary literature review . It is possible to later use these gaps to focus your research question after a certain amount of fine-tuning.

3. Narrow your research to determine specific research questions

You can focus on a more specific area of study once you have a good handle on the topic you want to explore. Focusing on recent literature or knowledge gaps is one good option.

By identifying study limitations in the literature and overlooked areas of study, an author can carve out a good research question. The same is true for choosing research questions that extend or complement existing literature.

4. Evaluate your research question

Make sure you evaluate the research question by asking the following questions:

Is my research question clear?

The resulting data and observations that your study produces should be clear. For quantitative studies, data must be empirical and measurable. For qualitative, the observations should be clearly delineable across categories.

Is my research question focused and specific?

A strong research question should be specific enough that your methodology or testing procedure produces an objective result, not one left to subjective interpretation. Open-ended research questions or those relating to general topics can create ambiguous connections between the results and the aims of the study.

Is my research question sufficiently complex?

The result of your research should be consequential and substantial (and fall sufficiently within the context of your field) to warrant an academic study. Simply reinforcing or supporting a scientific consensus is superfluous and will likely not be well received by most journal editors.

reverse triangle chart, how to write a research question

Editing Your Research Question

Your research question should be fully formulated well before you begin drafting your research paper. However, you can receive English paper editing and proofreading services at any point in the drafting process. Language editors with expertise in your academic field can assist you with the content and language in your Introduction section or other manuscript sections. And if you need further assistance or information regarding paper compositions, in the meantime, check out our academic resources , which provide dozens of articles and videos on a variety of academic writing and publication topics.

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Developing research questions

As I mentioned in one of my recent blog posts, I have PhD students at all stages (about to defend their PhD proposal, about to go on to the field, about to finish) and therefore I have been reading a lot of books on the PhD journey . I’ve also been participating in several events associated with PhD students’ performance: dissertation proposal defense, comprehensive exams, etc., both my own students and those on whose doctoral committees I sit on.

What I have been finding is that there’s a lot of variation in how doctoral students are mentored and what they learn and how they approach their research. So I tweeted about this, and complained that we do a poor job of training students at all three levels (undergraduate, masters and doctoral) on how to craft and develop good research questions.

I had a meeting with a student yesterday and I was reminded that we don't seem to teach how to design and ask research questions. #PhDChat — Dr Raul Pacheco-Vega (@raulpacheco) June 22, 2018

Regardless of whether you’re writing a book-length, cohesive manuscript or 3 papers, you should have a driving/leading research question. I also think we do a poor job of reminding students and even early career scholars: our job is to EXPLAIN phenomena. We are looking for answers to puzzles . And to explain phenomena and look for answers we need to ask good questions: WHAT matters is different to WHETHER it matters to HOW it does.

One of the main problems we face is teaching our students how to find puzzles . What drives your work, what motivates your research, what makes what you’re studying important? What’s the puzzle you are seeking to solve? This is a big problem – a lot of students and researchers don’t seem to know strategies to find a puzzle worth examining.

With one of my recent graduates, I used this piece: “what is the point? teaching graduate students how to construct political science research puzzles” https://t.co/gmNE4Xfi67 to help him devise what the puzzle was. What is it that makes you wonder/ponder about a phenomenon? — Dr Raul Pacheco-Vega (@raulpacheco) June 26, 2018

The truth is that we need to help our students follow a systematic process for undertaking research. This is my own strategy:

The way I think about research is usually as follows – Reflecting on a Puzzle – Drafting a Research Question – Creating a Research Design – Choosing Methods and a Methodological Strategy – Implementation (Conducting the Research) – Reporting — Dr Raul Pacheco-Vega (@raulpacheco) June 26, 2018

To me, finding a puzzle to solve is about pondering. Why, instead of getting X response to Y variable, we are getting Z? . It’s about finding something head scratching. It’s about going “huh?”. I have been using the framework I posit below to help my students frame their own research based on a puzzle that drives the research, and also based on positing specific research questions for each paper.

I'm working with my doctoral students and testing this framework (3 papers model). Comments as always, welcome. pic.twitter.com/Eve9nTYgND — Dr Raul Pacheco-Vega (@raulpacheco) June 26, 2018

A FEW RESOURCES TO HELP STUDENTS AND RESEARCHERS DEVELOP RESEARCH QUESTIONS :

Alvesson and Sandberg (2011) Generating Research Questions Through Problematization . Academy of Management Review
Gustafsson and Hagström (2017) what is the point? teaching graduate students how to construct political science research puzzles . European Political Science
Schafer — Questions about Causes . — this is a great handout on examining causality and research questions
Vandenbroucke and Pearce (2018) From ideas to studies: how to get ideas and sharpen them into research questions Clinical Epidemiol. 2018; 10: 253–264.
Lauren Horn Griffin (2015) Puzzling It Out: Teaching Marketable Skills in History Courses with the Jigsaw Technique Perspectives on History . American Historian Associations
Agee (2009) Developing qualitative research questions: a reflective process International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education
Lipowski (2008) Developing great research questions. American Journal of Health System Pharmacy.

If you liked this blog post, you may also be interested in my Resources for Graduate Students page, and on my reading notes of books I’ve read on how to do a doctoral degree.

You can share this blog post on the following social networks by clicking on their icon.

Posted in academia .

Tagged with methodology , research methods , research questions , research strategy .

By Raul Pacheco-Vega – June 27, 2018

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Continuing the Discussion

[…] one contributes by adding bits and pieces to a broader, larger global puzzle. See, for example, my earlier post on developing solid research questions. In my case, I have studied and researched some of the key obstacles to robust wastewater […]

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“The central question that you ask or hypothesis you frame drives your research: it defines your purpose.” Bryan Greetham, How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation

This page gives some help and guidance in developing a realistic research question. It also considers the role of sub-questions and how these can influence your methodological choices.

Choosing your research topic

You may have been provided with a list of potential topics or even specific questions to choose from. It is more common for you to have to come up with your own ideas and then refine them with the help of your tutor. This is a crucial decision as you will be immersing yourself in it for a long time.

Some students struggle to find a topic that is sufficiently significant and yet researchable within the limitations of an undergraduate project. You may feel overwhelmed by the freedom to choose your own topic but you could get ideas by considering the following:

Choose a topic that you find interesting . This may seem obvious but a lot of students go for what they think will be easy over what they think will be interesting - and regret it when they realise nothing is particularly easy and they are bored by the work. Think back over your lectures or talks from visiting speakers - was there anything you really enjoyed? Was there anything that left you with questions?

Choose something distinct . Whilst at undergraduate level you do not have to find something completely unique, if you find something a bit different you have more opportunity to come to some interesting conclusions. Have you some unique experiences that you can bring: personal biography, placements, study abroad etc?

Don't make your topic too wide . If your topic is too wide, it will be harder to develop research questions that you can actually answer in the context of a small research project.

Don't make your work too narrow . If your topic is too narrow, you will not be able to expand on the ideas sufficiently and make useful conclusions. You may also struggle to find enough literature to support it.

Scope out the field before deciding your topic . This is especially important if you have a few different options and are not sure which to pick. Spend a little time researching each one to get a feel for the amount of literature that exists and any particular avenues that could be worth exploring.

Think about your future . Some topics may fit better than others with your future plans, be they for further study or employment. Becoming more expert in something that you may have to be interviewed about is never a bad thing!

Once you have an idea (or even a few), speak to your tutor. They will advise on whether it is the right sort of topic for a dissertation or independent study. They have a lot of experience and will know if it is too much to take on, has enough material to build on etc.

Developing a research question or hypothesis

Research question vs hypothesis.

First, it may be useful to explain the difference between a research question and a hypothesis. A research question is simply a question that your research will address and hopefully answer (or give an explanation of why you couldn't answer it). A hypothesis is a statement that suggests how you expect something to function or behave (and which you would test to see if it actually happens or not).

Research question examples

How significant is league table position when students choose their university?
What impact can a diagnosis of depression have on physical health?

Note that these are open questions - i.e. they cannot be answered with a simple 'yes' or 'no'. This is the best form of question.

Hypotheses examples

Students primarily choose their university based on league table position.
A diagnosis of depression can impact physical health.

Note that these are things that you can test to see if they are true or false. This makes them more definite then research questions - but you can still answer them more fully than 'no they don't' or 'yes it does'. For example, in the above examples you would look to see how relevant other factors were when choosing universities and in what ways physical health may be impacted.

For more examples of the same topic formulated as hypotheses, research questions and paper titles see those given at the bottom of this document from Oakland University: Formulation of Research Hypothesis

Which do you need?

Generally, research questions are more common in the humanities, social sciences and business, whereas hypotheses are more common in the sciences. This is not a hard rule though, talk things through with your supervisor to see which they are expecting or which they think fits best with your topic.

What makes a good research question or hypothesis?

Unless you are undertaking a systematic review as your research method, you will develop your research question as a result of reviewing the literature on your broader topic. After all, it is only by seeing what research has already been done (or not) that you can justify the need for your question or your approach to answering it. At the end of that process, you should be able to come up with a question or hypothesis that is:

Clear (easily understandable)
Focused (specific not vague or huge)
Answerable (the data is available and analysable in the time frame)
Relevant (to your area of study)
Significant (it is worth answering)

You can try a few out, using a table like this (yours would all be in the same discipline):

A similar, though different table is available from the University of California: What makes a good research topic? The completed table has some supervisor comments which may also be helpful.

Ultimately, your final research question will be mutually agreed between yourself and your supervisor - but you should always bring your own ideas to the conversation.

The role of sub-questions

Your main research question will probably still be too big to answer easily. This is where sub-questions come in. They are specific, narrower questions that you can answer directly from your data.

So, looking at the question " How much do online users know and care about how their self-images can be used by Apple, Google, Microsoft and Facebook? " from the table above, the sub-questions could be:

What rights do the terms and conditions of signing up for Apple, Google, Microsoft and Facebook accounts give those companies regarding the use of self-images?
What proportion of users read the terms and conditions when creating accounts with these companies?
How aware are users of the rights they are giving away regarding their self-images when creating accounts with these companies?
How comfortable are users with giving away these rights?

The main research question is the overarching question with the subquestions filling in the blanks

Together, the answers to your sub-questions should enable you to answer the overarching research question.

How do you answer your sub-questions?

Depending on the type of dissertation/project your are undertaking, some (or all) the questions may be answered with information collected from the literature and some (or none) may be answered by analysing data directly collected as part of your primary empirical research .

In the above example, the first question would be answered by documentary analysis of the relevant terms and conditions, the second by a mixture of reviewing the literature and analysing survey responses from participants and the last two also by analysing survey responses. Different projects will require different approaches.

Some sub-questions could be answered from the literature review and others from empirical study

Some sub-questions could be answered by reviewing the literature and others from empirical study.

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What makes a good research question, published by dr. david banner on november 4, 2022 november 4, 2022.

Last Updated on: 4th March 2024, 06:04 am

Creating a good research question is vital to successfully completing your dissertation. Here are some tips that will help you formulate a good research question.

These are the three most important qualities of a good research question:

#1: Open-Ended (Not Yes/No)

You do NOT want a question that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” That is a dead end for a question. There needs to be something beyond a simple yes/no” or the research has nowhere to go!

asian grad student taking notes from a laptop

#2: Addresses a Gap in Literature

Secondly, you want a question, ideally, that fits into a niche of questions that have not been addressed yet in peer reviewed research yet is worthy of scholarly study. If you wish to address a topic that has been researched before, you may use different subjects or time periods of study; this is called a replication and is acceptable in most universities.

#3: Holds Your Interest

This last point is especially crucial for dissertation research. You will be thinking about and studying a particular question for at least a year, so you want it to be something that you are REALLY interested in learning about. This will hold your interest throughout the process. The research question is really the heart of the research process. A good research question will hold your interest and contribute to the body of scholarly knowledge about a subject.

How Do You Find a Good Research Question?

Look to your interests.

Problems that can use research are everywhere. Where do your interests lie? Pick an area that you are excited about. It needs to engage your interest and, ideally, your passion.

Identify the Type of Research

There are basically two kinds of research; applied research and basic research. Applied research is meant to inform decision making about practical problems, while basic research can advance theoretical conceptualizations about a particular topic. Both are useful, but chances are you will find an applied research topic.

Review the Existing Literature

Over 50% of doctoral candidates don’t finish their dissertations..

Start your search by looking at what other scholars have studied. Go look at dissertation abstracts in the library; see if anything grabs your interest. But self-enlightenment is not the goal of research. Gathering information about a certain topic is fine, but it doesn’t lead to new knowledge. The same is true for comparing two sets of data; you can go to the library and do this (e.g. comparing men and women over 100 years as to the number of each employed during that span of years).

Chapter 2 of a dissertation proposal usually is called the literature review and this needs to be done early on. This is where you discover what has been studied in your chosen area of interest. If you find a topic that grabs your interest, think through the feasibility that the project implies.

You want something that is doable in a reasonable amount of time. A project that is too ambitious can lead to frustration and heartache. Remember; you want a question that leads you to new research but too big a topic can wait until you complete the PhD!

Develop Your Research Question

A statement of the research question needs to be precise. You need to say exactly what you mean. You cannot assume that others will be able to read your mind. If you cannot state the problem clearly and succinctly, then your data gathering might be sloppy, too.

Develop Your Problem Statement

Occasionally a researcher talks about a problem, but never states exactly what the problem is – avoid this at all costs. Be sure to edit your work.

You may wish to subdivide the problem into sub-problems, so that the sub-problems add up to the totality of the problem. But sub-problems need to be small in number (ideally, 2-5 subproblems will do.) Having too many sub-problems is not helpful in designing a research project. If you come up with too many sub-problems, see if any are just procedural issues and not really sub-problems.

Final Thoughts

Remember, you need to find a question that really energizes you and, ideally, one that fills a gap in the existing research in this area. Make sure the problem statement is concise and doable; the scope of the problem needs to be something that you can do in a reasonable amount of time. And, above all, keep in mind that your job is to increase the body of knowledge in this field. You are providing fertile ground for future research. Get going!

Dr. David Banner

David Banner is the author of 6 books, 40 journal articles, and 35 conference papers on transformational leadership, Dr. David Banner received his PhD in Policy and Organizational Behavior from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University in Illinois. He worked for the DePaul College of Commerce, The University of the Pacific School of Business, and the University of New Brunswick (Canada) School of Management; he was tenured at all 3 universities and was voted “Outstanding Professor” at all three. He also worked at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wi, where he was the Director of the values-based MBA program, which he designed, recruited students, mentored faculty, set up an Advisory Board and got the program accredited (2003-07). He also worked for 16 years as a faculty mentor for the Leadership and Organizational Change PhD students (2005-21); in his 16 years, he graduated 82 PhDs in his roles as Committee Chair, Committee Member and URR (University Research Reviewer). Mentoring PhD students gives him the most joy and satisfaction. He offers his services to help people complete their PhDs, find good academic jobs, get published in peer-reviewed journals and find their place in the academic environment. Book a Free Consultation with Branford McAllister

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How to Develop a Research Question?

A Complete Guide to Frame Research Questions

Characteristics of the ideal research question, how to formulate the research question (step-by-step procedure), examples of good research questions:.

Formulation of the research questions is an important task before starting any research work. The main objective of framing the research question is to understand the existing research gaps in any field of research and to identify the need for extensive investigation. Therefore, it is significant to formulate good research questions.

The very first step in developing a research question is to identify the area of research and then carry out the preliminary study. The researcher needs to do an extensive literature survey to identify gaps in existing research, and based on this gap, research questions can be framed and investigated. Moreover, formulation of a research question is a systematic process and has to be done meticulously as these questions have more impact on the successful completion of your novel research.

Therefore, in this article, iLovePhD discussed how to frame a research question that is specific enough to explore the paths related to your research.

A good research question:

Elaborates the problem statement
Describes the problem under investigation
Improves focus on the problem statement
Guides data collection and analysis
Enhances the importance of research.

Ratan et al., 2019 listed ten characteristics of a good research question which is presented below. It is expressed by the acronym ‘FINERMAPS’.

“Successful and novel research topics are carefully defined and focused but are parts of a broad-ranging, complex problem.” ilovephd.com

Before framing a research question, the researcher needs to have a broad and deep understanding of the field of research. The formulation of the research question is the result of extensive reading, thinking, and discussing the ideas with the supervisor. It is an iterative process, so, the research question gets revised periodically.

Step 1: Start by identifying a wider area of research for investigation ( For example Wastewater treatment )

Step 2: Do a gap analysis on that topic to understand the existing research works and what is to be investigated further. ( Example: Novel technique for the treatment of wastewater ).

Step 3: What is to be understood still? ( Example: Advantages and limitations of other existing wastewater treatment technologies ).

Step 4: What are the implied questions? ( Example: How this novel technique is unique from other technologies with respect to efficiency and cost ).

Step 5: Narrow down the scope and focus of research ( Example: A pilot-scale study on the treatment of wastewater by a novel technique for reuse ).

Once the research question is framed, the researcher should evaluate it. This is done to understand whether the questions framed are meaningful or need further revision. Helen Kara, 2015 presented the technical requirements to assess the research question as follows:

Is the research question clear and specific?
Is the research question simple or complex?
Is the research question researchable?
Is the research question relevant?
Is the research question have social importance?
Is the research question narrow or broad?
Is the research question measurable?

The following questions fulfill the criteria of good research questions , that is, feasible, novel, interesting, ethical, relevant, and social importance.

What are the novel, safe, and cost-effective methods to transport hydrogen gas to use it as fuel?
What are the sustainable ways of producing green hydrogen?
What are the novel methods to treat emerging contaminants in wastewater?
How to mitigate active security attacks in the Internet of Medical Things?
What are the economical methods to recycle used batteries?
How to minimize the impact of macroeconomic conditions such as inflation on essential goods and services?
What kind of framework is needed to dynamically update the existing university syllabus in-line with emerging technologies?
How to design and develop pollution-free vehicles to minimize air pollution?

We hope, this article helped you to learn how to formulate your research questions based on the knowledge gained from the literature review. A good research question requires complete gap analysis and deep insight into the problem to be studied. Research work carried out by such questions can have a good impact in the field of social and health sectors for taking policy decisions for the benefit of our society.

Also Read: Top 38 Possible PhD Viva Questions

How to Develop a Research Question A Complete Guide

Characteristics of Research Question
Example Research Questions
Research Methodology
Research Question

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How to Choose a PhD Research Topic
Finding a PhD

Introduction

Whilst there are plenty of resources available to help prospective PhD students find doctoral programmes, deciding on a research topic is a process students often find more difficult.

Some advertised PhD programmes have predefined titles, so the exact topic is decided already. Generally, these programmes exist mainly in STEM, though other fields also have them. Funded projects are more likely to have defined titles, and structured aims and objectives.

Self funded projects, and those in fields such as arts and humanities, are less likely to have defined titles. The flexibility of topic selection means more scope exists for applicants to propose research ideas and suit the topic of research to their interests.

A middle ground also exists where Universities advertise funded PhD programmes in subjects without a defined scope, for example: “PhD Studentship in Biomechanics”. The applicant can then liaise with the project supervisor to choose a particular title such as “A study of fatigue and impact resistance of biodegradable knee implants”.

If a predefined programme is not right for you, then you need to propose your own research topic. There are several factors to consider when choosing a good research topic, which will be outlined in this article.

How to Choose a Research Topic

Our first piece of advice is to PhD candidates is to stop thinking about ‘finding’ a research topic, as it is unlikely that you will. Instead, think about developing a research topic (from research and conversations with advisors).

Consider several ideas and critically appraise them:

You must be able to explain to others why your chosen topic is worth studying.
You must be genuinely interested in the subject area.
You must be competent and equipped to answer the research question.
You must set achievable and measurable aims and objectives.
You need to be able to achieve your objectives within a given timeframe.
Your research question must be original and contribute to the field of study.

We have outlined the key considerations you should use when developing possible topics. We explore these below:

Focus on your interests and career aspirations

It is important to choose a topic of research that you are genuinely interested in. The decision you make will shape the rest of your career. Remember, a full-time programme lasts 3-4 years, and there will be unforeseen challenges during this time. If you are not passionate about the study, you will struggle to find motivation during these difficult periods.

You should also look to your academic and professional background. If there are any modules you undertook as part of your Undergraduate/Master degree that you particularly enjoyed or excelled in? These could form part of your PhD research topic. Similarly, if you have professional work experience, this could lead to you asking questions which can only be answered through research.

When deciding on a PhD research topic you should always consider your long-term career aspirations. For example, as a physicist, if you wish to become an astrophysicist, a research project studying black holes would be more relevant to you than a research project studying nuclear fission.

Read dissertations and published journals

Reading dissertations and published journals is a great way to identify potential PhD topics. When reviewing existing research ask yourself:

What has been done and what do existing results show?
What did previous projects involve (e.g. lab-work or fieldwork)?
How often are papers published in the field?
Are your research ideas original?
Is there value in your research question?
Could I expand on or put my own spin on this research?

Reading dissertations will also give you an insight into the practical aspects of doctoral study, such as what methodology the author used, how much data analysis was required and how was information presented.

You can also think of this process as a miniature literature review . You are searching for gaps in knowledge and developing a PhD project to address them. Focus on recent publications (e.g. in the last five years). In particular, the literature review of recent publications will give an excellent summary of the state of existing knowledge, and what research questions remain unanswered.

If you have the opportunity to attend an academic conference, go for it! This is often an excellent way to find out current theories in the industry and the research direction. This knowledge could reveal a possible research idea or topic for further study.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

Discuss research topic ideas with a PhD supervisor

Discuss your research topic ideas with a supervisor. This could be your current undergraduate/masters supervisor, or potential supervisors of advertised PhD programmes at different institutions. Come to these meetings prepared with initial PhD topic ideas, and your findings from reading published journals. PhD supervisors will be more receptive to your ideas if you can demonstrate you have thought about them and are committed to your research.

You should discuss your research interests, what you have found through reading publications, and what you are proposing to research. Supervisors who have expertise in your chosen field will have insight into the gaps in knowledge that exist, what is being done to address them, and if there is any overlap between your proposed research ideas and ongoing research projects.

Talking to an expert in the field can shape your research topic to something more tangible, which has clear aims and objectives. It can also find potential shortfalls of your PhD ideas.

It is important to remember, however, that although it is good to develop your research topic based on feedback, you should not let the supervisor decide a topic for you. An interesting topic for a supervisor may not be interesting to you, and a supervisor is more likely to advise on a topic title which lends itself to a career in academia.

Another tip is to talk to a PhD student or researcher who is involved in a similar research project. Alternatively, you can usually find a relevant research group within your University to talk to. They can explain in more detail their experiences and suggest what your PhD programme could involve with respect to daily routines and challenges.

Look at advertised PhD Programmes

Use our Search tool , or look on University PhD listing pages to identify advertised PhD programmes for ideas.

What kind of PhD research topics are available?
Are these similar to your ideas?
Are you interested in any of these topics?
What do these programmes entail?

The popularity of similar PhD programmes to your proposed topic is a good indicator that universities see value in the research area. The final bullet point is perhaps the most valuable takeaway from looking at advertised listings. Review what similar programmes involve, and whether this is something you would like to do. If so, a similar research topic would allow you to do this.

Writing a Research Proposal

As part of the PhD application process , you may be asked to summarise your proposed research topic in a research proposal. This is a document which summarises your intended research and will include the title of your proposed project, an Abstract, Background and Rationale, Research Aims and Objectives, Research Methodology, Timetable, and a Bibliography. If you are required to submit this document then read our guidance on how to write a research proposal for your PhD application.

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Examples of Research Questions

Phd in nursing science program, examples of broad clinical research questions include:.

Does the administration of pain medication at time of surgical incision reduce the need for pain medication twenty-four hours after surgery?
What maternal factors are associated with obesity in toddlers?
What elements of a peer support intervention prevent suicide in high school females?
What is the most accurate and comprehensive way to determine men’s experience of physical assault?
Is yoga as effective as traditional physical therapy in reducing lymphedema in patients who have had head and neck cancer treatment?
In the third stage of labor, what is the effect of cord cutting within the first three minutes on placenta separation?
Do teenagers with Type 1 diabetes who receive phone tweet reminders maintain lower blood sugars than those who do not?
Do the elderly diagnosed with dementia experience pain?
How can siblings’ risk of depression be predicted after the death of a child?
How can cachexia be prevented in cancer patients receiving aggressive protocols involving radiation and chemotherapy?

Examples of some general health services research questions are:

Does the organization of renal transplant nurse coordinators’ responsibilities influence live donor rates?
What activities of nurse managers are associated with nurse turnover? 30 day readmission rates?
What effect does the Nurse Faculty Loan program have on the nurse researcher workforce? What effect would a 20% decrease in funds have?
How do psychiatric hospital unit designs influence the incidence of patients’ aggression?
What are Native American patient preferences regarding the timing, location and costs for weight management counseling and how will meeting these preferences influence participation?
What predicts registered nurse retention in the US Army?
How, if at all, are the timing and location of suicide prevention appointments linked to veterans‘ suicide rates?
What predicts the sustainability of quality improvement programs in operating rooms?
Do integrated computerized nursing records across points of care improve patient outcomes?
How many nurse practitioners will the US need in 2020?

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Top Female Scientist in the U.S. recognized for the second year in a row

Media contact:.

Patricia Brandt Manager, Public Relations and Communications, Huntsman Mental Health Institute University of Utah Health Email: Patricia.Brandt @hsc.utah.edu

Deborah A. Yurgelun-Todd, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and vice chair for research at Huntsman Mental Health Institute at University of Utah Health has been named as one of the U.S.’ top female scientists, for the second year in a row.

The list of U.S. Top Female Scientists from Research.com is based on the number of peer-reviewed publications and citations throughout the scientist’s career. For Yurgelun-Todd, that means a career total (and counting) of 424 publications and 33,647 citations.

Yurgelun-Todd is recognized as a leader in studying brain activity as it relates to behavior. Her laboratory has applied a variety of magnetic resonance imaging techniques to identify brain changes in mood processing and neurocognitive functions. For example, in people who use Cannabis and in children as they develop into adolescence. Using a variety of imaging techniques has led to an improved understanding of both developmental and brain changes that lead to altered behavior. This knowledge may eventually result in better and more personalized treatments for patients who have or are vulnerable to psychiatric disorders.

In addition to her role at Huntsman Mental Health Institute, Yurgelun-Todd serves as the director of the Salt Lake City VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center for Suicide Prevention. Her work there is focused on veteran suicide prevention through the application of neuroimaging approaches and neurocognitive assessments.

“Dr. Yurgelun-Todd serves as an excellent role model for our institution, inspiring critical psychiatric brain research, and educating future mental health professionals,” said Mark H. Rapaport, MD, CEO, of Huntsman Mental Health Institute. “Her leadership has been foundational to creating a global nexus of mental health and brain research right here in Utah.”

In addition to her research, Yurgelun-Todd works to narrow the gender gap in science by tackling obstacles to obtaining funding, developing leadership roles, and establishing national collaborations.

“As one of the few women around the table in the early years of my career, I recognize both the effort it took to reach this milestone, and the work to be done to create research opportunities for all”, said Yurgelun-Todd.

Yurgelun-Todd is currently working to bring a new mental health and brain Translational Research Building— which will house the only 7 Tesla MRI in the world dedicated to the study of the brain and behavioral disorders—to life at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute. Her team is bringing together experts across law, ethics, architecture, art, genetics, neurosciences, and others on the campus of University of Utah to collaborate and bring research-backed practices into patient care.

About Huntsman Mental Health Institute

Huntsman Mental Health Institute at University of Utah Health brings together 75 years of patient care, research, and education into one of the nation's leading academic medical centers focused on mental health. Nestled in the campus of University of Utah, Huntsman Mental Health Institute serves the community with 1,600 faculty and staff in 20 locations providing inpatient and outpatient services for youth, teens, and adults as well as a comprehensive crisis care model which includes the nationally recognized SafeUT app and the 988 Crisis hotline for Utah. Our mission is to advance mental health knowledge, hope, and healing for all. Learn more at: healthcare.utah.edu/HMHI and join the conversation on Instagram , Facebook , TikTok , X and LinkedIn .

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COMMENTS

Writing Strong Research Questions
A good research question is essential to guide your research paper, dissertation, or thesis. All research questions should be: Focused on a single problem or issue. Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources. Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints. Specific enough to answer thoroughly.
How to Write a Research Question in 2024: Types, Steps, and Examples
Mixed-methods studies. Mixed-methods studies typically require a set of both quantitative and qualitative research questions. Separate questions are appropriate when the mixed-methods study focuses on the significance and differences in quantitative and qualitative methods and not on the study's integrative component (Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2010).
Creating a Good Research Question
Insights on Creating a Good Research Question. Junichi Tokuda, PhD, focuses on how to start successfully, and divulges the unique approach he has as a basic scientist when developing a good research question. Play Junichi Tokuda video. Ursula Kaiser, MD, encourages drawing on an already established interest in your subject matter to showcase ...
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!
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 ...
How to craft a strong research question (with research question
Specificity: A strong research question should be specific about the main focus of your study, enabling you to gather precise data and draw accurate conclusions. It clearly defines the variables, participants, and context involved, leaving no room for ambiguity. Clarity: A good research question is clear and easily understood, so articulate the ...
The Writing Center
Research questions should not be answerable with a simple "yes" or "no" or by easily-found facts. They should, instead, require both research and analysis on the part of the writer. They often begin with "How" or "Why.". Begin your research. After you've come up with a question, think about the possible paths your research ...
For PhD students
Different students enter the PhD program with different backgrounds. Some students take research-oriented modules (courses in US) at undergraduate level. Some other do a research masters before doing a PhD. However, the kind of research questions we address in a PhD are very new and requires a long period of deeper investigation.
Formulating Your Research Question
2.1 Identifying Gaps in the Knowledge. Before you define your research question, you need to have a broad and deep understanding of your research field. In Chap. 4, you learned how to develop the literature review as your starting point for understanding, and then engaging with, the scientific output in your field.When you have read broadly and deeply in your field and tangentially related ...
PDF Formulating a Research Question
Formulating a Research Question. Every research project starts with a question. Your question will allow you to select, evaluate and interpret your sources systematically. The question you start with isn't set in stone, but will almost certainly be revisited and revised as you read. Every discipline allows for certain kinds of questions to be ...
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.
Developing a Good Research Question
Be Robust. A research question that is robust has the capacity to generate complex results. Your question should have the capacity to produce multiple insights about various aspects of the theoretical construct you are exploring. It should not be a question to which the answer is "yes" or "no" because such an answer is not a complex result.
Writing Strong Research Questions
A good research question is essential to guide your research paper, dissertation, or thesis. All research questions should be: Focused on a single problem or issue. Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources. Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints. Specific enough to answer thoroughly.
How to Write a Good Research Question (w/ Examples)
It can be difficult to come up with a good research question, but there are a few steps you can follow to make it a bit easier. 1. Start with an interesting and relevant topic. Choose a research topic that is interesting but also relevant and aligned with your own country's culture or your university's capabilities.
Developing research questions
The way I think about research is usually as follows - Reflecting on a Puzzle - Drafting a Research Question - Creating a Research Design - Choosing Methods and a Methodological Strategy - Implementation (Conducting the Research) - Reporting. — Dr Raul Pacheco-Vega (@raulpacheco) June 26, 2018. To me, finding a puzzle to solve is ...
Dissertations & projects: Research questions
First, it may be useful to explain the difference between a research question and a hypothesis. A research question is simply a question that your research will address and hopefully answer (or give an explanation of why you couldn't answer it). A hypothesis is a statement that suggests how you expect something to function or behave (and which ...
What Makes a Good Research Question?
Remember; you want a question that leads you to new research but too big a topic can wait until you complete the PhD! Develop Your Research Question. A statement of the research question needs to be precise. You need to say exactly what you mean. You cannot assume that others will be able to read your mind.
How to Develop a Research Question?
It is an iterative process, so, the research question gets revised periodically. Step 1: Start by identifying a wider area of research for investigation ( For example Wastewater treatment) Step 2: Do a gap analysis on that topic to understand the existing research works and what is to be investigated further.
How to Choose a PhD Research Topic
Consider several ideas and critically appraise them: You must be able to explain to others why your chosen topic is worth studying. You must be genuinely interested in the subject area. You must be competent and equipped to answer the research question. You must set achievable and measurable aims and objectives.
PhD Interview Questions and Answers
The exact focus of this question will depend on whether you're applying for an advertised PhD project (more common in Science, Engineering and Medicine) or proposing your own research within a department's PhD programme (more common in Arts, Humanities and some branches of the Social Sciences).
Examples of Research Questions
Examples of some general health services research questions are: Does the organization of renal transplant nurse coordinators' responsibilities influence live donor rates? What activities of nurse managers are associated with nurse turnover? 30 day readmission rates? What effect does the Nurse Faculty Loan program have on the nurse researcher ...
Best Online Ph.D. In Finance Programs Of 2024
A Ph.D. in finance equips you for a role in research or academia. Learn about the best schools offering online Ph.D. in finance programs.
Top Female Scientist in the U.S. recognized for the second year in a
Deborah A. Yurgelun-Todd, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and vice chair for research at Huntsman Mental Health Institute at University of Utah Health has been named as one of the U.S.' top female scientists, for the second year in a row. The list of U.S. Top Female Scientists from Research.com is based on the number of peer-reviewed publications and citations throughout the scientist's ...

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Writing Strong Research Questions | Criteria & Examples

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Using your research problem to develop your research question

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Focused and researchable

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Shona McCombes

Creating a Good Research Question

Insights on Creating a Good Research Question

Start Successfully: Build the Foundation of a Good Research Question

Important Factors: Consider Feasibility and Novelty

Refining Your Research Question

Frameworks and Structure: Evaluate Research Questions Using Tools and Techniques

Network and Support: Find the Collaborators and Stakeholders to Help Evaluate Research Questions

Research Aims, Objectives & Questions

Overview: The Golden Thread

What is the “golden thread”?

Research Aims: What are they?

Research Aims: Examples

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Research Objectives: What are they?

Research Objectives: Examples

Research Questions: What are they?

Research Questions: Examples

The importance of strong alignment

Recap: The golden thread

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Formulating Your Research Question

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How to Write a Research Question: Types and Examples

What is a research question?

Types of research questions

What makes a good research question

Steps for developing a good research question

How to write a research question

Sample Research Questions

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Transitive and Intransitive Verbs in the World of Research

Have a language expert improve your writing

Writing Strong Research Questions | Criteria & Examples

Table of contents

Using your research problem to develop your research question

Prevent plagiarism, run a free check.

Focused and researchable

Cite this Scribbr article

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

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

What is a Research Question?

Research Question Writing Tips

The research question should be specific and focused

The research question should be based on the literature

The research question should be realistic in time, scope, and budget

The research question should be in-depth

Research Question Types

Quantitative Research Questions

Categories of quantitative research questions

Categories of qualitative research questions

Good and Bad Research Question Examples

Research Question Example 1

Research Question Example 2

Steps for Writing a Research Question

1. Start with an interesting and relevant topic

2. Do preliminary research

3. Narrow your research to determine specific research questions