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Types And Key Element's Of Research Question

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Content Outline

  1. Introduction
  2. What is a Research Question?
  3. .Identification of research questions
  4. Types of research questions
  5. Elements of good research questions
  6. Tips for writing good research questions
  7. Summary

Introduction

A research question presents the problem(s) to be addressed in the research study.

What is a Research Question?

Kerlinger (1973) defines theory as:
A set of interrelated constructs (concepts), definitions, and propositions that present a systematic view of phenomena specifying relations among variables, with the purpose of explaining and predicting the phenomena
In other words, a theory is a set of connected or interdependent variables (related to the phenomenon under study) that form statement/s which states or describes the relationship between these variables in a methodical or organised manner in order to explain or describe or better understand the phenomenon being studied. The statement which presents the relationship between the variables is known as the hypothesis. A research study could have one or more hypotheses that will be tested during the study.

Identification of research questions

Researchers do not simply make up research questions, but rather identify research questions from a number of different sources. Some of these sources are as follows: 
  • Practical experience: Practitioners working in the different settings may be inspired to take up research on a particular issue or problem that concerns them; the research questions may emerge from their daily work. For example, a teacher or social worker working in a preschool setting may decide to study the impact of the preschool program on children’s primary school achievement. Alternatively, another social worker working on vocational training programs may want to check if the program was successful in ensuring that the rained youth found employment. Therefore, real life work situations can be an excellent source for identifying research questions.
  • Literature review: Literature reviews can also be a good source for research questions. As we learned in a previous module, a literature review involves a critical appraisal of the concerned literature on a said topic. While reviewing the literature, a researcher has a good opportunity to examine previously conducted researches on a given subject in order to understand the findings, the limitations and any emerging trends. This process can give the researcher a good idea of what questions or issues remain unanswered or unexplored. For example, while reading the literature, a reviewer may find that little research exists about children’s perceptions of domestic violence. The researcher can then choose this topic for a research study and draft a research question. A review of literature may also help uncover untested theories which provide a good opportunity to identify research questions. Researchers may use existing theories to test their applicability in various situations. For example, the “Broken Window” theory asserts that crime rates increase in neighborhoods that are in a poor and shabby condition. A researcher may be interested in applying this theory to school settings, to see if the theory is verifiable in that context. 

Types of research questions

There are three types of research questions, each of which reflect the type of research study. These types are as follows:
  1. Descriptive questions: these questions generally look at descriptions of a particular issue or situation. Descriptive questions usually have just one variable, but in cases where there are multiple variables, the direction of the relationship is not specified in descriptive studies. An example of a descriptive question is “What percentage of low income children complete primary school in communities of Mumbai?”
  2. Exploratory questions: these questions explore a particular issue or phenomenon and usually involve two or more variables. Example: “Is there a relationship between maternal education and children’s school completion in rural Bihar?”
  3. Explanatory questions: these questions seek to establish causal effects between two or more variables. Example: “Do parents who have completed their bachelor’s degree have the same aspirations for their daughters as parents with education levels less than SSC?
The type of question you ask will determine the type of study you are conducting, and will relate to the methods you will use during your study

Elements of good research questions

Any good research question has four elements which are:
  • The research question must be significant: It must have the potential to contribute to and extend significant learning on an issue. In other words, the study results should address a knowledge gap, and the new knowledge generated will be theoretically valid and/or practically relevant. If a particular question has been answered before, it is pertinent to ask if it is worth exploring again, and if so, in what contexts. When explaining the significance of your project, connect your research to larger issues in order to demonstrate its relevance to larger contexts.
  • The research question must be feasible. In other words, it takes into account the availability of required resources such as money, time, and research subjects. Therefore, consider your resource limitations when defining and finalizing your questions. If the question is exploratory or explanatory, the researcher would also need to take into account whether it is possible to manipulate the desired variables. 
  • The research question must be clear and concise. It must be grounded in updated theoretical or empirical knowledge. This will make your research study relevant, and will connect your study to existing knowledge. Use simple language to frame your question because questions that are abstract or overly complex can make it difficult to assess significance or relevance.
  • The research question must be ethically sound. The researcher needs to consider whether the research question could cause any potential harm to the research subjects. Further, researchers also need to make sure that questions do not inadvertently lead to a breach in confidentiality procedures.  

Elements of good research questions

  • Remember the research question is a question. Therefore, do not draft it as a statement. 
  • Ensure that your question is specific. If the question is too broad, it may confuse and may contain other questions within it. If the question is too narrow, it can be answered in a simple sentence. Both these types of questions are not appropriate research questions. 
  • Make sure the question is practical and can be investigated empirically. It may not be possible to investigate some questions. 
  • Make sure your questions relate one variable to another because that is what your study will test. 
  • Be sure to conduct a thorough literature review because this process can help you in deciding and framing good research question/s.
  • Articulate your question clearly and make sure the terms are well defined. For example, instead of saying “How does teacher training influence students?” it might be better to say “How does teacher training influence student performance in annual exams?” 
  • Be sure to specify the population of your study in your research question. For example, instead of saying “preschoolers” it would be more appropriate to be specific and state “3-5 year old children.” 
  • Make your question as interesting as possible! 
  • Frame your question in a provocative way. For example: “Why has the incidence of smoking increased even though the frequency of anti-smoking campaigns has increased?” 
  • Limit your variables. Too many variables may result in a study that is too large or too complicated. 
  • Keep your research questions objective – your questions should avoid value judgments. For example, it would be wrong to state a question like “Does the bad habit of smoking cause lung cancer?” 
  • Make sure your questions are ethical. For example, it might be feasible to do a study with child abuse victims but it may not be ethical to do so if the study is going to raise painful memories and experiences. 
Clear, concise and well framed research questions will make it easier to conduct an effective study that results precise and accurate knowledge. Research questions link to other parts of a research proposal such as defining the hypothesis and selecting the methods for the study. The research questions also serve to keep you focused during the process of research; it is a good idea to refer back to them periodically (or even when you are confused) to make sure you are on the right track.  

Summary

  • Quantitative research questions explore the relationships between variables in a research study. 
  • Research questions are identified through practical experience, literature reviews or untested theories. 
  • There are three types of research questions – descriptive, exploratory and explanatory. 
  • Research questions need to be Significant, Feasible, Clear and Ethical
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