As you might have already noticed I like acronyms, but, I found another acronym, just like S.M.A.R.T., that I really like for describing good research questions.
F.I.N.E.R.:
F. Feasible.
I. Interesting.
N. Novel.
E. Ethical.
R. Relevant.
I noticed from many of my MALAT classmates’ posts that a few of these points show up.
Feasible – points to many of the same themes as the S.M.A.R.T. acronym does.
Many other students mentioned the importance of making your research question something that interests you and others.
Novel, shows up in many places, probably because you should be researching something new and innovative – something no one else has done or interpreted the same way before.
Ethical was also mentioned and is important as well.
Enjoy another acronym for good research questions!
![Main features of FINER criteria (Feasibility, interest, novelty, ethics, and relevance) to formulate a good research question. Adapted from Cummings et al. [7]](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335068238/figure/tbl1/AS:789986035126274@1565358756350/Main-features-of-FINER-criteria-Feasibility-interest-novelty-ethics-and-relevance.png)
source: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Main-features-of-FINER-criteria-Feasibility-interest-novelty-ethics-and-relevance_tbl1_335068238
Fandino W. (2019). Formulating a good research question: Pearls and pitfalls. Indian journal of anaesthesia, 63(8), 611–616. https://doi.org/10.4103/ija.IJA_198_19
July 12, 2020
Both good what I would call a “mnemonic” rather than an acronym.
March 21, 2022
This is similar to how journalism qualifies a story as “news”.