What is Research Question?

Something around which your whole research revolves is called a research question. A question that you want to get answered via your research is called a research question.  It may include questions or questions that can be answered by analyzing and interpreting the research data. Several study’s research questions give ideas about different aspects of the study for example two variables are studied population and inflation and your research is answering it by results that what co-relation they have.

Research Question: A Pathway for Research:

• In many ways, a research problem is similar to an archery target.
• With clear goals, you will know where to focus your energy and attention.
• Essentially, your research question guides your entire project and informs every choice you make.

A research question can be modified as we progress further in our research as with time, we get more and more information and in light of that information if needed we can change the research question.  Notably, some projects that are being carried out on a smaller level have one research question because they have to focus on one thing while some big projects that are working on multiple things have multiple research questions.

Why you need a research question:

The most important aspect of developing a question in research is to shrink down your topic of interest among the vast topics.

• Research question leads your research because it provides you with a map and pathway that you will follow throughout your research.
• These questions keep you inbound to the research topic and prevent you from distracting here and there when you are progressing with your project.
• Additionally, research questions can have a domino effect on other studies.
• There is a direct effect of a research question on the method that you will select to conduct your research, the sample size of your research and how will you collect the data.

Kinds of research questions:

Depending on the purpose of research it can be divided into different kinds. Having good knowledge about your research you can select the best kind of research question for your project. Let us discuss various kinds.

• Research question that involves numbers (Quantitative):
• It is a kind of question that deals with the quantity and numbers of the product that is in the question.
• For example: It usually starts with how many, like how many units are consumed if you use air conditioning for 8 hours. What is the average income of a gatekeeper in Namibia?
• The student’s goal is to find a research question that sheds light on specific trends. This type of research is used when you have to find specific trends in certain areas like how many people are coming with seasonal flu in April to the hospital.
• Qualitative questions are measurable, and specific and can be tested over time again and again.
• Qualitative research question:
• Qualitative research questions focus more on why the numbers and quantity of products are in question.
• For example: How is social media effective life of students? Why do people with long duty hours end up having backaches more frequently than those who have a more active life?
• Good Qualitative research questions are specific, Open ended as we have to take out more and more information and are feasible to the current settings.
• Therefore, this type of research is often used when you want to jump to the depth of information about something that you are researching.

Mixed-methods studies:

• Mixed methods research typically both types of studies.
• Questionaries’ designed in this type studies often include both part that covers numbers as well as the “why” of research is also answered.
• This type of method is applied when we want to have more information and results from one project.

Conclusion:

The research question depends upon the methodology of your research. Always work hard on the building block of research that is a research question. If this section is strengthened and solid, your research will also be solid and last longer.