Strong research questions

People look for information to answer implied or explicit questions every day. A research question prompts the questioner to do more than find an answer. Consider the differences between the standard  and research questions below.

The influences of research questions
Producing a research question prompts writers to

• define the scope of their interest;
• evaluate the feasibility of the inquiry;
• determine what sources will be of value; and
• establish potential conclusions.

For academic purposes, research questions can be developed for both large and small assignments. A smaller assignment may be research for a class discussion or a blog post; larger assignments may involve conducting research and then delivering it in a lab report, poster, term paper, or article. For large projects, the research question (or questions) will define or at least heavily influence

• the topic, in that research questions effectively narrow the subject;
• any hypotheses under consideration;
• which information sources are relevant; and
• resulting claims or conclusions.

Influence on thesis
Within an essay, poster, or term paper, the thesis is the researcher’s response to the research question(s). Developing research questions is effectively specifying that thesis. While perhaps many research questions emerge from the original topic, the primary question addresses those the thesis will answer. For example, a topic that starts out as “desert symbiosis” could eventually lead to “How does the diversity of bacteria in the gut of the Sonoran Desert termite contribute to the termite’s survival?” In turn, the researcher’s thesis will answer that particular research question instead of the numerous other questions that could have come from the desert symbiosis topic. Developing research questions is part of the process establishing clear parameters.

Influence on hypothesis
A study that predicts how variables are related will have at least one hypothesis. The research questions will contain the variables that later appear in the hypothesis(es). Despite the strength of their influence on the overall project, research questions do not always appear in the final products (papers or articles) of the research.

Influence on resources
The research questions help divide all information sources into two groups: those that are relevant and those that are not.

Influence on research methods
Research questions are vital in determining appropriate field research. For instance, when the research question relates to describing the preferences of a group, survey methods may work well. In contrast, research questions that examine a laboratory practice will guide the development of a research method.

Influence on claims or conclusions
The research questions reflect whether the investigation is intended to describe a group or situation, to explain or predict outcomes, or to demonstrate cause-and-effect relationship(s) among variables. Those intentions and how comprehensive the inquiry is will determine what claims or conclusions can be made.^[1]