Research questions*

What are research questions? These are general questions about the topic in which you are interested and they should include your variables of interest. They are not interview questions and they are not hypotheses. The Writing Center (2011; slide 10) states that the "research question(s) form the foundation of the dissertation. Everything done in dissertation should relate to the research question(s). Research questions will generate hypotheses in quantitative studies, provide framework for methodology in qualitative studies." They then give some examples:

The research question should not be

Too narrow (“What is the mean number of …”)

Too broad (“What is the effect of discipline on children?”)

A question that is not researchable (“Is helping behavior selfishly or unselfishly motivated?”)

A yes-no question (Does parental divorce cause depression in children?) 

While this gives us an idea of what a research question is, it doesn’t help us form them. One way to develop research questions is to read the literature in your area of interest, and then to brainstorm (in your research journal) ideas about your topic and how variables might interact. Let's use an example of older adults (people over 65). I am interested in their satisfaction with their physicians. What might be factors that would affect the interaction? Perhaps length of time with the physician, maybe the physician's expression of empathy, and perhaps the age and gender of the physician could be factors. So let's write up some possible research questions about these:

             How does the amount of time spent with the physician affect patient satisfaction?

             How does physician empathy affect patient satisfaction?

             How does the physician's age and gender influence patient satisfaction? 

Some things to notice about these questions, they are not hypotheses (an hypothesis might be: as time with physician increases, patient satisfaction increases): they do not predict how we hypothesize the results will come out. They lead to some issues related to my research method- I will need a way to determine patient satisfaction and physician empathy.  

Rudestam and Newton (2007) provide three questions to determine if your research questions are appropriate (p. 20). 

1) Is the question clear and researchable, and will the answer to the question extend knowledge in your field of study?

2) Have you located your question within a context of previous study that demonstrates that you have mastered and taken into consideration the relevant background literature?

3) Is the proposed method suitable for exploring your question? 

*My thanks to Jamie, for suggesting this topic. Next time we will look at theory. Do you have an issue or a question that you would like me to discuss in a future post? Would you like to be a guest writer? Send me your ideas! Send me an email with your ideas. leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu 

Rudestram, J. E. & Newton, R. R. (2007). Surviving your dissertation: A comprehensive guide to content and process, 3^rd edition. Sage. 

Walden Writing Center (2011). Powerpoint: An Introduction to Writing the Methodology Chapters. Available on writing center website.