How to Formulate Research Questions (in both Quali and Quanti Research) - Practical Research 1

Research questions are the backbone of a thesis or dissertation because they turn broad research aims into focused, answerable work. They are derived directly from the research aims and research objectives, and once properly framed, they set boundaries for what will be investigated, how data will be gathered, and how findings will be interpreted. Without clear research questions, a study risks becoming an “endless undirected” collection of observations—background writing may read like scattered ideas, and the research process can lose scientific rigor across data collection, analysis, conclusions, and recommendations.

The lecture emphasizes that research questions do more than guide the project on paper; they actively shape the researcher’s decisions throughout the study. By narrowing a complex phenomenon into specific questions, they help researchers focus their efforts and avoid drifting into irrelevant data. In qualitative work especially, the questions determine what to look for in interview transcripts and how to organize analysis—for example, identifying themes through thematic analysis. In quantitative work, the questions guide what variables to measure and how to structure instruments such as surveys or questionnaires. In both cases, research questions function as navigation tools: they help researchers select relevant data, interpret it coherently, and write conclusions that directly respond to the problem stated in the study’s background.

Four core types of research questions are presented. Exploratory research questions are used when little is known about a phenomenon or when the topic is complex, ambiguous, or poorly understood. They gather preliminary information to help define the research problem or hypothesis, and case studies are highlighted as a common fit for exploratory inquiry. Descriptive research questions aim to portray a situation or phenomenon by identifying its characteristics and often quantify a single variable—making descriptive research designs especially common in quantitative studies. Correlational (causal/relationship-based) research questions focus on identifying relationships between variables, typically framed as cause-and-effect or impact questions that examine how one variable relates to another outcome variable. Comparative research questions seek differences between two or more groups on a variable, such as comparing time spent on video games across age groups or differences in attitudes toward online shopping across generations.

To make research questions practical, the lecture offers a technique for formulating “strong, valid, researchable” questions by aligning aims, objectives, and questions. The method starts by stating the research aim, then writing objectives using action verbs like “identify” or “determine,” and finally converting those objectives into research questions using “what” or “how” phrasing. Two examples illustrate the approach: a qualitative case-study example where objectives about factors affecting implementation and challenges are transformed into corresponding questions, and a quantitative correlational example where an overarching aim about restorative practices and school climate becomes a single correlational research question.

A key takeaway is that having one well-crafted research question can be sufficient—especially in correlational studies—because sub-questions may still appear inside instruments and data collection tools, while the overarching research question remains the anchor for the study’s logic and analysis.