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how do you make a good research question

by Prof. Aimee Grady Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Steps to developing a research question:

  • Choose an interesting general topic. Most professional researchers focus on topics they are genuinely interested in...
  • Do some preliminary research on your general topic. Do a few quick searches in current periodicals and journals on your...
  • Consider your audience. For most college papers, your audience will be academic, but...

In general, however, a good research question should be:
  1. Clear and focused. In other words, the question should clearly state what the writer needs to do.
  2. Not too broad and not too narrow. ...
  3. Not too easy to answer. ...
  4. Not too difficult to answer. ...
  5. Researchable. ...
  6. Analytical rather than descriptive.

Full Answer

How to formulate a good research question?

Aug 08, 2018 · Steps to developing a research question: Choose an interesting general topic. Most professional researchers focus on topics they are genuinely interested in... Do some preliminary research on your general topic. Do a few quick searches in current periodicals and journals on your... Consider your ...

What is necessary to answer a good research question?

Question? What is a Research Question? A research question guides and centers your research. It should be clear and focused, as well as synthesize multiple sources to present your unique argument. Even if your instructor has given you a specific assignment, the research question should ideally be something that you are interested in or care about. Be

How to formulate good research questions?

1 A high-quality qualitative study, just like any other study, should have a clear and justified research question that implies that the study is timely, original, rigorous and relevant. 2 A ...

How to write great questions for your research?

How to develop a research question Begin by identifying a broader subject of interest that lends itself to investigate, for example, hormone levels among hypospadias Do preliminary research on the general topic to find out what research has already …

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What is a good research question examples?

Good vs. Bad Research QuestionsGood Research QuestionsBad Research QuestionsOften begin with - how, why, what, which?Often begin with - who, when, where, how much, how many?Pass the so what test - are interesting to othersDo not pass the so what test - no one really cares about the answer3 more rows

What are 5 good research questions?

Five Questions for Good ResearchWhat is the problem to be solved? Every good research project solves some particular problem. ... Who cares about this problem and why? ... What have others done? ... What is your solution to the problem? ... How can you demonstrate that your solution is a good one?

How do you structure a research question?

There are six steps required to construct a descriptive research question: (1) choose your starting phrase; (2) identify and name the dependent variable; (3) identify the group(s) you are interested in; (4) decide whether dependent variable or group(s) should be included first, last or in two parts; (5) include any ...

What are the 3 types of research questions?

There are three basic types of questions that research projects can address:Descriptive. When a study is designed primarily to describe what is going on or what exists. ... Relational. When a study is designed to look at the relationships between two or more variables. ... Causal.

What are the 7 types of research questions?

Qualitative Research Question TypesExploratory Questions. Questions that are designed to understand more about a topic are exploratory questions. ... Predictive Questions. ... Interpretive Questions. ... Descriptive Questions. ... Comparative Questions. ... Relationship-Based Questions.

What is a good qualitative research question?

The key qualities of a good qualitative research question are: Being able to discover problems and opportunities from respondents. Open-ended in nature. Easy to understand and digest with no need for clarification.

What is a basic research question?

Fundamental research answers the initial question of how things work. This fundamental knowledge is then used by applied scientists and engineers, for example, to make improvements on existing products, technologies and processes.

How do you explain a research question?

A research question is a specific inquiry which the research seeks to provide a response to. It resides at the core of systematic investigation and it helps you to clearly define a path for the research process. A research question is usually the first step in any research project.Aug 13, 2020

How do you question examples?

How is a very useful question word. Let's look at some of the ways it can be used.How can I stay healthy?How do you use a public bus? ... How big is your room? ... How long does it take to get to your job each day? ... How many people do you know who can speak English? ... How much fun do you have each day?Aug 8, 2016

How do you write a research question for a literature review?

Develop your research questionconsidering a broad topic of research interest and then write it down.considering specific areas you wish to examine within this topic.considering key themes and elements of these specific topics to investigate in depth.More items...

What should be the answer to a research question?

The answer to your research question should be your thesis statement. Keep in mind that you will most likely continue to refine your thesis statement as you conduct and write about your research. A good research question, however, puts you well on your way to writing a strong research paper.

Do all research questions need to take a stand?

While all research questions need to take a stand, there are additional requirements for research questions in the sciences and social sciences. That is, they need to have repeatable data. Unreliable data in the original research does not allow for a strong or arguable research question.

What is a good research question?

A good research question is essential to guide your research paper, project or thesis. It pinpoints exactly what you want to find out and gives your work a clear focus and purpose. All research questions should be: Focused on a single problem or issue. Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources.

What is the thesis statement in a research paper?

The answer that you develop is your thesis statement — the central assertion or position that your paper will argue for. In a bigger research project, such as a thesis or dissertation, you might have multiple research questions, ...

What to do if data is impossible to access?

If such data is impossible to access, you will have to rethink your question and ask something more concrete. Does not ask for a subjective value judgement. Avoid subjective words like good, bad, better and worse, as these do not give clear criteria for answering the question.

What is a feasible answer?

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. In a research paper or essay, you will usually write a single research question to guide your reading ...

How many degrees does Shona have?

Shona has a bachelor's and two master's degrees, so she's an expert at writing a great thesis. She has also worked as an editor and teacher, working with students at all different levels to improve their academic writing.

Is writing a research question hard?

Writing questions isn’t a difficult task in itself, but it can be hard to work out if you have a good research question. 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.

Can you have multiple research questions?

In a bigger research project, such as a thesis or dissertation, you might have multiple research questions, but they should all be clearly connected and focused around a central research problem. There are many types of research question that correspond to different types of research.

What are the three types of research questions?

They can be further categorized into three types: descriptive, comparative, and relationship . Descriptive research questions aim to measure the responses of a study’s population to one or more variables or describe variables that the research will measure. These questions typically begin with “what.”.

Why is it important to frame a research question?

The primary importance of framing the research question is that it narrows down a broad topic of interest into a specific area of study (Creswell, 2014). Research questions, along with hypotheses, also serve as a guiding framework for research.

What type of research questions can be classified into different categories?

Knowing what type of research one wants to do—quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods studies—can help in determining the best type of research question to use.

What is a research question?

The research question is one of the most important parts of your research project, thesis or dissertation. It’s important to spend some time assessing and refining your question before you get started. The exact form of your question will depend on on the length of your project, the type of research, the topic, and the research problem.

Why do you start with "why"?

Starting with “why” often means that your question is not focused enough: there are too many possible answers and no clear starting point for research. By targeting just one aspect of the problem and using more specific terms, the second question offers a clear path to finding an answer.

How many degrees does Shona have?

Shona has a bachelor's and two master's degrees, so she's an expert at writing a great thesis. She has also worked as an editor and teacher, working with students at all different levels to improve their academic writing.

Is the second question a comparative question?

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

Is it feasible to answer broad questions about what should be done?

It is generally not feasible for academic research to answer broad questions about “what should be done”. The second question is more specific, and aims to gain an understanding of possible solutions in order to make informed recommendations.

Is the first question original or relevant?

The first question is not original or relevant — it has been answered so many times that it would be very difficult to contribute anything new. The second question takes a specific angle with scope to make an original argument, and has more relevance to current social concerns and debates.

What is a research question?

Put simply, a research question is a question that a research project sets out to answer. Most research questions will lead to a project that aims to generate new insights, but the target audience and the methodology will vary widely. The term ‘evaluation question’ is used less commonly, but the same principles apply.

How to write a qualitative review?

... Typically, the authors then move into presenting a comprehensive literature review, which should map the existing and up-to-date research knowledge and explicate the research problem that the study at hand will address, as well as its significance to the audience. 1 A high-quality qualitative study, just like any other study, should have a clear and justified research question that implies that the study is timely, original, rigorous and relevant. 2 A further important marker for assessing the quality of a qualitative study is that the theoretical or conceptual framework is aligned with the research design, the research question (s) and the methodology used in the study, as well as with the reporting of the research findings. ...

What are the experiences of mothers in Korea?

The researchers investigated the mothers' experiences in caring for their children using a qualitative study design. Through interviews, the researchers identified five categories of experiences among participants, including, "Death anxiety," "Feeling guilty," "Fulfilling responsibilities as a mom," "Feeling overwhelmed by life," and "Feeling grateful." In the course of treatment, mothers tended to feel pressured to be a good mother, and sometimes felt overwhelmed by life. Healthcare providers need to grasp the difficulties faced by mothers taking care of their children hospitalized for treatment of leukemia, and must develop programs to reduce the burden on mothers and increase their families' functioning.

What is the writer's craft section?

In the writer’s craft section we offer simple tips to improve your writing in one of three areas: Energy, Clarity and Persuasiveness. Each entry focuses on a key writing feature or strategy, illustrates how it commonly goes wrong, teaches the grammatical underpinnings necessary to understand it and offers suggestions to wield it effectively. We encourage readers to share comments on or suggestions for this section on Twitter, using the hashtag: #how’syourwriting?

What is the difference between evaluation questions and evaluation questions?

The key difference is that evaluation questions are typically more focused on the immediate context: for example, the effectiveness of an educational intervention in a particular setting.

What is Tel in medical education?

Technology-enhanced learning (TEL) is now a common mode of educational delivery within medical education. Despite this upsurge, there remains a paucity in comprehensive evaluation of TEL efficacy. In order to make meaningful and evidence-informed decisions on ‘how’ and ‘when’ to utilise technology within a course, ‘useful knowledge’ is required to support faculty in these decision-making processes. In this monograph, a series of pragmatic and achievable approaches for conducting a holistic evaluation of a TEL resource intervention are detailed. These suggestions are based on an established TEL evaluation framework, as well as the author’s own experience and that of the broader literature. The approaches cover development of an appropriate research question that is based on the availability of existing TEL resources alongside the peer-reviewed literature; the development of an appropriate team as well as recommendations for navigating ethical approval; conducting small-scale quantitative and qualitative measure; and performing a large-scale mixed methods assessment to understand the holistic impact of the TEL resource.

Why is research important?

Research plays an important role in developing clinical practices and instituting new health policies. Hence, there is a need for a logical scientific approach as research has an important goal of generating new claims.[1] CHARACTERISTICS OFGOODRESEARCHQUESTION.

What is a RQ in research?

Formulation of research question (RQ) is an essentiality before starting any research. It aims to explore an existing uncertainty in an area of concern and points to a need for deliberate investigation. It is, therefore, pertinent to formulate a good RQ.

What is appropriate RQ?

Appropriate (A): RQ should be appropriate logically and scientifically for the community and institution. Potential value and publishability (P): The study can make significant health impact in clinical and community practices.

What is the conception of RQ?

Thus, conception to formulation of RQ is very systematic process and has to be performed meticulously as research guided by such question can have wider impact in the field of social and health research by leading to formulation of policies for the benefit of larger population. KEYWORDS:Health, hypothesis, policy, research.

What are the different types of RQ?

Based on this, there can be different types of RQ such as based on the existence of the phenomenon, description and classification, composition, relationship, comparative, and causality.

What are the characteristics of a good RQ?

The characteristics of good RQ are expressed by acronym “FINERMAPS” expanded as feasible, interesting, novel, ethical, relevant, manageable, appropriate, potential value, publishability, and systematic. A RQ can address different formats depending on the aspect to be evaluated.

What does Hs mean in RQ?

Once RQ is formulated, a Hs can be developed. Hs means transformation of a RQ into an operational analog .[1] . It means a statement as to what prediction one makes about the phenomenon to be examined.[4] . More often, for case–control trial, null Hs is generated which is later accepted or refuted.

What is the process of developing a research question?

Developing a research question is a developmental process . As you read the literature and gain a greater understanding about your research problem, you will rework your research question until you are able to focus more specifically on what you want to explore and learn about during the formal research process.

What is the research question?

The research question is what the researcher seeks to answer by collecting data. It is the foundation of the entire study, because the question embodies the method by which the research problem—called for by the existing literature—will be solved.

What can you tell from a well-formed research question?

Simply by reading a well-formed research question, you can usually tell: What concept(s), phenomena, or variables are going to be measured in quantitative research or described in qualitative research. What research design will be used. What the sample will consist of.

What is the conclusion of time on the school bus?

If a statistically significant difference is found and if that difference is reasonably strong, the conclusion might be that time on the school bus affects, influences, impacts, predicts, perhaps even causes differences in the reading scores. Quantitative Research Questions Measure Variables.

What are quantitative questions?

Quantitative questions that are appropriate for a dissertation are worded to seek verification of a hypothesis, that is, a prediction. These predictions are based on the existing literature, and should be entirely consistent with the research problem (which comes from the literature).

What are the two hypotheses?

There are always two hypotheses for each research question, the. Null hypothesis, which is conventionally stated first and declares that there will be no statistically significant finding, and the. Alternate hypothesis, which declares that there will be a statistically significant finding.

What is grounded theory?

In only one qualitative design, namely Grounded theory, the researcher seeks to explain a process by relying on verbal descriptions of that process by participants who have undergone it.

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What Is A Research Question?

  • A research question is a question that a study or research project aims to answer. This question often addresses an issue or a problem, which, through analysis and interpretation of data, is answered in the study’s conclusion. In most studies, the research question is written so that it outlines various aspects of the study, including the population and variables to be studied and th…
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Types of Research Questions

  • Research questions can be classified into different categories, depending on the type of research to be done. Knowing what type of research one wants to do—quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods studies—can help in determining the best type of research question to use. Doody and Bailey (2016) suggest a number of common types of research questions, as outlined below.
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Steps to Developing A Good Research Question

  • Broadly, a good research question should be relevant, decided, and meaningful (Stone, 2002). Creating a research question can be a tricky process, but there is a specific method you can follow to ease the process. The steps to this method are outlined below:
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Examples of Good and Bad Research Questions

  • The following examples of good and bad research questions can further guide researchers on properly constructing a research question. Example no. 1 Bad: How does social media affect people’s behavior? Good:What effect does the daily use of YouTube have on the attention span of children aged under 16? The first research question is considered bad because of the vaguenes…
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Important Points to Keep in Mind in Creating A Research Question

  • Developing the right research question is a critical first step in the research process. The key points outlined below should help researchers in the pursuit: 1. The development of a research question is an iterative process that involves continuously updating one’s knowledge on the topic and refining ideas at all stages (Maxwell, 2013). 2. Remain updated on current trends, state-of-th…
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1.How to Write a Research Question - The Writing Center

Url:https://writingcenter.gmu.edu/guides/how-to-write-a-research-question

28 hours ago Aug 08, 2018 · Steps to developing a research question: Choose an interesting general topic. Most professional researchers focus on topics they are genuinely interested in... Do some preliminary research on your general topic. Do a few quick searches in current periodicals and journals on your... Consider your ...

2.What Makes a Good Research Question? - Duke …

Url:https://twp.duke.edu/sites/twp.duke.edu/files/file-attachments/research-questions.original.pdf

35 hours ago Question? What is a Research Question? A research question guides and centers your research. It should be clear and focused, as well as synthesize multiple sources to present your unique argument. Even if your instructor has given you a specific assignment, the research question should ideally be something that you are interested in or care about. Be

3.Videos of How Do You Make a Good Research Question

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24 hours ago 1 A high-quality qualitative study, just like any other study, should have a clear and justified research question that implies that the study is timely, original, rigorous and relevant. 2 A ...

4.Developing Strong Research Questions | Criteria and …

Url:https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-questions/

30 hours ago How to develop a research question Begin by identifying a broader subject of interest that lends itself to investigate, for example, hormone levels among hypospadias Do preliminary research on the general topic to find out what research has already …

5.How to Write a Research Question: Types, Steps, and ...

Url:https://research.com/research/how-to-write-a-research-question

28 hours ago Simply by reading a well-formed research question, you can usually tell: What concept (s), phenomena, or variables are going to be measured in quantitative research or described in qualitative research. What research design will be used. What the sample will consist of. As we proceed you will need to have knowledge of a variety of research terms.

6.10 Research Question Examples to Guide your Research …

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7.(PDF) How to…write a good research question

Url:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324140563_How_towrite_a_good_research_question

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8.Formulation of Research Question – Stepwise Approach - …

Url:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6322175/

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9.How to Craft a Research Question - Capella University

Url:https://campustools.capella.edu/BBCourse_Production/PhD_Colloquia_C4C/Track_2/phd_t2_u04s3_craftrq.html

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