Research question

One or more research question(s) commonly guide the conduct and reporting of research studies.

Developing research questions

1. In the early stages of research projects, brainstorm a series of possible research questions for discussion.
2. Consider open-ended research questions (e.g., What is the effect of s on t?) and closed-ended questions (e.g., Is u better w?).
3. Once research question(s) are established, consider generating hypotheses, which are generally more specific statements to be tested.
4. A well-developed research question provides a clear focus for the design and conduct of the study. However it may be necessary to revise the question during the conduct of a study.
5. Research questions can be written in sentences and paragraphs. They can also be numbered.

Example generic forms

• What is the nature of the relationship between a and b?
• What is the difference between f and g?
• What is the effect of x on y?

Example research questions

• Which wikis have the least and most amount of vandalism as a percentage of edits?
• Can the life span of a soap bubble be extended in different temperatures and atmospheric conditions?
• What role do online social networking services play in providing social support?

See also

• Hypothesis
• Research question (Wikipedia)