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: 

1. It is relevant to the chosen field of study.

2. The question posed is arguable and open for debate, requiring synthesizing and analysis of ideas.

3. It is focused and concisely framed.

4. 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 quantitative² and qualitative research³ questions differ significantly. The quantitative study looks at causal relationships, whereas the qualitative study aims at exploring a phenomenon. 

1. 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. 

Research Questions	Explanation
Descriptive research questions	These measure the responses of a study’s population toward a particular question or variable. Common descriptive research questions will begin with “How much?”, “How regularly?”, “What percentage?”, “What time?”, “What is?”   Research question example: How often do you buy mobile apps for learning purposes?
Comparative research questions	These investigate differences between two or more groups for an outcome variable. For instance, the researcher may compare groups with and without a certain variable.   Research question example: What are the differences in attitudes towards online learning between visual and Kinaesthetic learners?
Relationship research questions	These explore and define trends and interactions between two or more variables. These investigate relationships between dependent and independent variables and use words such as “association” or “trends.  Research question example: What is the relationship between disposable income and job satisfaction amongst US residents?

2. 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: 

Research Questions	Explanation
Exploratory Questions	These question looks to understand something without influencing the results. The aim is to learn more about a topic without attributing bias or preconceived notions.   Research question example: What are people’s thoughts on the new government?
Experiential questions	These questions focus on understanding individuals’ experiences, perspectives, and subjective meanings related to a particular phenomenon. They aim to capture personal experiences and emotions.   Research question example: What are the challenges students face during their transition from school to college?
Interpretive Questions	These questions investigate people in their natural settings to help understand how a group makes sense of shared experiences of a phenomenon.   Research question example: How do you feel about ChatGPT assisting student learning?

3. 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.

1. You have the expertise
2. 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.

1. Based on some sort of rational physics
2. 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.

1. Novel
2. Based on current technologies.
3. Important to answer current problems or concerns.
4. 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. 

Steps	Explanation
Topic selection	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. List subtopics under the main topic. List possible research questions for each subtopic. Consider the scope of research for each of the research questions. Select research questions that are answerable within a specific time and with available resources. If the scope is too large, repeat looking for sub-subtopics.
Audience	When choosing what to base your research on, consider your readers. For college papers, the audience is academic. Ask yourself if your audience may be interested in the topic you are thinking about pursuing. Determining your audience can also help refine the importance of your research question and focus on items related to your defined group.
Generate potential questions	Ask open-ended “how?” and “why?” questions to find a more specific research question. Gap-spotting to identify research limitations, problematization to challenge assumptions made by others, or using personal experiences to draw on issues in your industry can be used to generate questions.
Review brainstormed questions	Evaluate each question to check their effectiveness. Use the FINER5 model to see if the question meets all the research question criteria.
Construct the research question	Multiple frameworks, such as PICOT6 and PEA, are available to help structure your research question. The frameworks listed below can help you with the necessary information for generating your research question.

Framework	Attributes of each framework
FINER	Feasible Interesting Novel Ethical Relevant
PICOT	Population or problem Intervention or indicator being studied Comparison group Outcome of interest Time frame of the study
PEO	Population being studied Exposure to preexisting conditions Outcome of interest

Sample Research Questions

The following are some bad and good research question examples 

• Example 1

Unclear: How does social media affect student growth?

Clear: What effect does the daily use of Twitter and Facebook have on the career development goals of students?

Explanation: The first research question is unclear because of the vagueness of “social media” as a concept and the lack of specificity. The second question is specific and focused, and its answer can be discovered through data collection and analysis.

• Example 2

Simple: Has there been an increase in the number of gifted children identified?

Complex: What practical techniques can teachers use to identify and guide gifted children better?

Explanation: A simple “yes” or “no” statement easily answers the first research question. The second research question is more complicated and requires the researcher to collect data, perform in-depth data analysis, and form an argument that leads to further discussion.

References: 

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. Kyngäs, H. (2020). Qualitative research and content analysis. The application of content analysis in nursing science research, 3-11.

4. Mattick, K., Johnston, J., & de la Croix, A. (2018). How to… write a good research question. The clinical teacher, 15(2), 104-108.

5. Fandino, W. (2019). Formulating a good research question: Pearls and pitfalls. Indian Journal of Anaesthesia, 63(8), 611.

6. 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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