Creating a good research question is the foundation of a successful research project, so it is an excellent investment and worth spending time and effort developing a good question. A research question is a clear, focused, concise, complex, arguable question around which the research is centred. It provides a path through the research and the writing process (Johnson & Christensen, 2010).
A research question can be answered objectively, at least partially. Questions that are purely values-based, such as “Should be euthanasia made legal?”, cannot be answered objectively because the answer varies depending on someone’s values. Questions that include “should” or “ought” words often indicate a values-based question. However, most values-based questions can be turned into legitimate research questions by using a “what are” frame. This step moves it out of the world of debate into the world of investigation.
Example: “Should be euthanasia made legal?” >>>>> “What are the ethical implications of legalizing euthanasia?”
A good research question is one that can be answered using information that already exists or that can be collected. If the data collection is not yet possible with current technology, the question is not (yet) a research question.
Example: “Does carbon-based life exist outside of Earth’s solar system?” fulfills the requirements that it is not a value-based question, but it is not (now) possible to obtain the data.
A good research question is a question that hasn’t already been answered, or thoroughly answered, or not for the specific context of our particular research. If the answer is already available in encyclopedia, textbook, or reference book, then it turns our research question into a simple homework question. It could have been a research question in the past, but if the answer is thoroughly known and one can quickly look it up and find it, then it is no longer an open question.
Hulley et al. (2013) have suggested the use of the FINER criteria which highlights useful points that can increase the chances of developing a good research question:
F —- Feasible – Adequate technical expertise, Affordable in time and money, Manageable in scope
I —- Interesting – Getting the answer intrigues investigator, peers and community
N —- Novel – Confirms, refutes or extends previous findings
E —- Ethical
R —- Relevant – To scientific knowledge and future research
All illustrations are created by the author.
Resources
Hulley, S. B., Cummings, S. R., Browner, W. S., Grady, D., & Newman, T. B. (2013). Designing clinical research (4th ed.). LWW.
Johnson, R. B., & Christensen, L. B. (2010). Educational research: quantitative, qualitative, and mixed approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.