: “What are the factors influencing employee job satisfaction and turnover intentions in the hospitality industry during the COVID-19 pandemic?”
: “What is the favorite color of employees in the hospitality industry?”
The good research question addresses a timely and relevant issue (employee job satisfaction and turnover intentions) within the context of a specific industry (hospitality) and a current global event (COVID-19 pandemic). In contrast, the bad research question focuses on a trivial aspect (favorite color) that is unrelated to the field of study and lacks relevance or significance.
Understanding research questions is essential for any successful research endeavor. We’ve explored the various research questions – quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods – each with unique characteristics and purposes.
Through various examples, tips, and strategies, we’ve seen how research questions can be tailored to specific fields of study.
By following these guidelines, we are confident that your research questions will be well-designed, focused, and capable of yielding valuable insights.
What are some good research question examples.
Good research questions are clear, specific, relevant, and feasible. For example, “How does childhood trauma influence the development of personality disorders in adulthood?”
Good research questions are focused and relevant, such as “What factors influence employee job satisfaction in the hospitality industry?” Bad research questions are vague or trivial, like “What is the favorite color of employees in the hospitality industry?”
Watch: How to Create a Survey Using ProProfs Survey Maker
About the author
Emma David is a seasoned market research professional with 8+ years of experience. Having kick-started her journey in research, she has developed rich expertise in employee engagement, survey creation and administration, and data management. Emma believes in the power of data to shape business performance positively. She continues to help brands and businesses make strategic decisions and improve their market standing through her understanding of research methodologies.
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Cecilia is living through a tough situation in her research life. Figuring out where to begin, how to start her research study, and how to pose the right question for her research quest, is driving her insane. Well, questions, if not asked correctly, have a tendency to spiral us!
Questions lead everyone to answers. Research is a quest to find answers. Not the vague questions that Cecilia means to answer, but definitely more focused questions that define your research. Therefore, asking appropriate question becomes an important matter of discussion.
A well begun research process requires a strong research question. It directs the research investigation and provides a clear goal to focus on. Understanding the characteristics of comprising a good research question will generate new ideas and help you discover new methods in research.
In this article, we are aiming to help researchers understand what is a research question and how to write one with examples.
Table of Contents
A good research question defines your study and helps you seek an answer to your research. Moreover, a clear research question guides the research paper or thesis to define exactly what you want to find out, giving your work its objective. Learning to write a research question is the beginning to any thesis, dissertation , or research paper. Furthermore, the question addresses issues or problems which is answered through analysis and interpretation of data.
A strong research question guides the design of a study. Moreover, it helps determine the type of research and identify specific objectives. Research questions state the specific issue you are addressing and focus on outcomes of the research for individuals to learn. Therefore, it helps break up the study into easy steps to complete the objectives and answer the initial question.
Research questions can be categorized into different types, depending on the type of research you want to undergo. Furthermore, knowing the type of research will help a researcher determine the best type of research question to use.
Qualitative questions concern broad areas or more specific areas of research. However, unlike quantitative questions, qualitative research questions are adaptable, non-directional and more flexible. Qualitative research question focus on discovering, explaining, elucidating, and exploring.
This form of question looks to understand something without influencing the results. The objective of exploratory questions is to learn more about a topic without attributing bias or preconceived notions to it.
Research Question Example: Asking how a chemical is used or perceptions around a certain topic.
Predictive research questions are defined as survey questions that automatically predict the best possible response options based on text of the question. Moreover, these questions seek to understand the intent or future outcome surrounding a topic.
Research Question Example: Asking why a consumer behaves in a certain way or chooses a certain option over other.
This type of research question allows the study of people in the natural setting. The questions help understand how a group makes sense of shared experiences with regards to various phenomena. These studies gather feedback on a group’s behavior without affecting the outcome.
Research Question Example: How do you feel about AI assisting publishing process in your research?
Quantitative questions prove or disprove a researcher’s hypothesis through descriptions, comparisons, and relationships. These questions are beneficial when choosing a research topic or when posing follow-up questions that garner more information.
It is the most basic type of quantitative research question and it seeks to explain when, where, why, or how something occurred. Moreover, they use data and statistics to describe an event or phenomenon.
Research Question Example: How many generations of genes influence a future generation?
Sometimes it’s beneficial to compare one occurrence with another. Therefore, comparative questions are helpful when studying groups with dependent variables.
Example: Do men and women have comparable metabolisms?
This type of research question answers influence of one variable on another. Therefore, experimental studies use this type of research questions are majorly.
Example: How is drought condition affect a region’s probability for wildfires.
The first step towards writing a good research question is to choose a broad topic of research. You could choose a research topic that interests you, because the complete research will progress further from the research question. Therefore, make sure to choose a topic that you are passionate about, to make your research study more enjoyable.
After finalizing the topic, read and know about what research studies are conducted in the field so far. Furthermore, this will help you find articles that talk about the topics that are yet to be explored. You could explore the topics that the earlier research has not studied.
The most important aspect of writing a good research question is to find out if there is audience interested to know the answer to the question you are proposing. Moreover, determining your audience will assist you in refining your research question, and focus on aspects that relate to defined groups.
The best way to generate potential questions is to ask open ended questions. Questioning broader topics will allow you to narrow down to specific questions. Identifying the gaps in literature could also give you topics to write the research question. Moreover, you could also challenge the existing assumptions or use personal experiences to redefine issues in research.
Once you have listed few of your questions, evaluate them to find out if they are effective research questions. Moreover while reviewing, go through the finer details of the question and its probable outcome, and find out if the question meets the research question criteria.
There are two frameworks to construct your research question. The first one being PICOT framework , which stands for:
The second framework is PEO , which stands for:
How did you write your first research question ? What were the steps you followed to create a strong research question? Do write to us or comment below.
Research questions guide the focus and direction of a research study. Here are common types of research questions: 1. Qualitative research question: Qualitative questions concern broad areas or more specific areas of research. However, unlike quantitative questions, qualitative research questions are adaptable, non-directional and more flexible. Different types of qualitative research questions are: i. Exploratory questions ii. Predictive questions iii. Interpretive questions 2. Quantitative Research Question: Quantitative questions prove or disprove a researcher’s hypothesis through descriptions, comparisons, and relationships. These questions are beneficial when choosing a research topic or when posing follow-up questions that garner more information. Different types of quantitative research questions are: i. Descriptive questions ii. Comparative questions iii. Relationship-based questions
Qualitative research questions aim to explore the richness and depth of participants' experiences and perspectives. They should guide your research and allow for in-depth exploration of the phenomenon under investigation. After identifying the research topic and the purpose of your research: • Begin with Broad Inquiry: Start with a general research question that captures the main focus of your study. This question should be open-ended and allow for exploration. • Break Down the Main Question: Identify specific aspects or dimensions related to the main research question that you want to investigate. • Formulate Sub-questions: Create sub-questions that delve deeper into each specific aspect or dimension identified in the previous step. • Ensure Open-endedness: Make sure your research questions are open-ended and allow for varied responses and perspectives. Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." Encourage participants to share their experiences, opinions, and perceptions in their own words. • Refine and Review: Review your research questions to ensure they align with your research purpose, topic, and objectives. Seek feedback from your research advisor or peers to refine and improve your research questions.
Developing research questions requires careful consideration of the research topic, objectives, and the type of study you intend to conduct. Here are the steps to help you develop effective research questions: 1. Select a Topic 2. Conduct Preliminary Research 3. Consider Your Audience 4. Generate Potential Questions 5. Review Your Questions 6. Construct Your Research Question Based on PICOT or PEO Framework
There are two frameworks to construct your research question. The first one being PICOT framework, which stands for: • Population or problem • Intervention or indicator being studied • Comparison group • Outcome of interest • Time frame of the study The second framework is PEO, which stands for: • Population being studied • Exposure to preexisting conditions • Outcome of interest
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Published on 30 October 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on 12 December 2023.
A research question pinpoints exactly what you want to find out in your work. A good research question is essential to guide your research paper , dissertation , or thesis .
All research questions should be:
How to write a research question, what makes a strong research question, research questions quiz, frequently asked questions.
You can follow these steps to develop a strong research question:
The way you frame your question depends on what your research aims to achieve. The table below shows some examples of how you might formulate questions for different purposes.
Research question formulations | |
---|---|
Describing and exploring | |
Explaining and testing | |
Evaluating and acting |
Example research problem | Example research question(s) |
---|---|
Teachers at the school do not have the skills to recognize or properly guide gifted children in the classroom. | What practical techniques can teachers use to better identify and guide gifted children? |
Young people increasingly engage in the ‘gig economy’, rather than traditional full-time employment. However, it is unclear why they choose to do so. | What are the main factors influencing young people’s decisions to engage in the gig economy? |
Note that while most research questions can be answered with various types of research , the way you frame your question should help determine your choices.
Research questions anchor your whole project, so it’s important to spend some time refining them. The criteria below can help you evaluate the strength of your research question.
Criteria | Explanation |
---|---|
Focused on a single topic | Your central research question should work together with your research problem to keep your work focused. If you have multiple questions, they should all clearly tie back to your central aim. |
Answerable using | Your question must be answerable using and/or , or by reading scholarly sources on the topic to develop your argument. If such data is impossible to access, you likely need to rethink your question. |
Not based on value judgements | Avoid subjective words like , , and . These do not give clear criteria for answering the question. |
Criteria | Explanation |
---|---|
Answerable within practical constraints | Make sure you have enough time and resources to do all research required to answer your question. If it seems you will not be able to gain access to the data you need, consider narrowing down your question to be more specific. |
Uses specific, well-defined concepts | All the terms you use in the research question should have clear meanings. Avoid vague language, jargon, and too-broad ideas. |
Does not demand a conclusive solution, policy, or course of action | Research is about informing, not instructing. Even if your project is focused on a practical problem, it should aim to improve understanding rather than demand a ready-made solution. |
Criteria | Explanation |
---|---|
Cannot be answered with or | Closed-ended, / questions are too simple to work as good research questions—they don’t provide enough scope for robust investigation and discussion. |
Cannot be answered with easily-found facts | If you can answer the question through a single Google search, book, or article, it is probably not complex enough. A good research question requires original data, synthesis of multiple sources, and original interpretation and argumentation prior to providing an answer. |
Criteria | Explanation |
---|---|
Addresses a relevant problem | Your research question should be developed based on initial reading around your . It should focus on addressing a problem or gap in the existing knowledge in your field or discipline. |
Contributes to a timely social or academic debate | The question should aim to contribute to an existing and current debate in your field or in society at large. It should produce knowledge that future researchers or practitioners can later build on. |
Has not already been answered | You don’t have to ask something that nobody has ever thought of before, but your question should have some aspect of originality. For example, you can focus on a specific location, or explore a new angle. |
The way you present your research problem in your introduction varies depending on the nature of your research paper . A research paper that presents a sustained argument will usually encapsulate this argument in a thesis statement .
A research paper designed to present the results of empirical research tends to present a research question that it seeks to answer. It may also include a hypothesis – a prediction that will be confirmed or disproved by your research.
As you cannot possibly read every source related to your topic, it’s important to evaluate sources to assess their relevance. Use preliminary evaluation to determine whether a source is worth examining in more depth.
This involves:
An essay isn’t just a loose collection of facts and ideas. Instead, it should be centered on an overarching argument (summarised in your thesis statement ) that every part of the essay relates to.
The way you structure your essay is crucial to presenting your argument coherently. A well-structured essay helps your reader follow the logic of your ideas and understand your overall point.
A research hypothesis is your proposed answer to your research question. The research hypothesis usually includes an explanation (‘ x affects y because …’).
A statistical hypothesis, on the other hand, is a mathematical statement about a population parameter. Statistical hypotheses always come in pairs: the null and alternative hypotheses. In a well-designed study , the statistical hypotheses correspond logically to the research hypothesis.
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.
McCombes, S. (2023, December 12). Writing Strong Research Questions | Criteria & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 21 August 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/the-research-process/research-question/
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A research question is the main query that researchers seek to answer in their study. It serves as the basis for a scholarly project such as research paper, thesis or dissertation. A good research question should be clear, relevant and specific enough to guide the research process. It should also be open-ended, meaning that it allows for multiple possible answers or interpretations.
If you have located your general subject and main sources but still aren’t quite sure about the exact research questions for your paper, this guide will help you out. First, we will explore the concept of it together, so you could answer it in your work. Then some simple steps on composing your inquiry will be suggested. In the end, we will draw your attention to some specific details which can make your work good or bad. Sometimes it’s just easier to delegate all challenging tasks to a reliable research paper service . StudyCrumb is a trustable network of qualified writers ready to efficiently solve students’ challenges.
Good research questions provide a concise definition of a problem. As a scholar, your main goal at the beginning is to select the main focus. It should be narrow enough so you could examine it within your deadline. Your work should be focused on something specific. Otherwise, it will require too much work and might not produce clear answers. At the same time your answer should be arguable and supported by data you’ve collected. Take a look at this example:
In this section we will examine the process of developing a research question. We will guide you through it, step by step. Keep in mind that your subject should be important for your audience. So it requires some preliminary study and brainstorming. Let’s take a closer look at the main steps.
First, you need to decide on your general direction. When trying to identify your research paper questions, it is better to choose an area you are really interested in. You should be able to obtain enough data to write something about this topic. Therefore, do not choose something out of your reach. At the same time, your broad topic should not be too simple. Research paper questions that can be answered without any study would hardly make any sense for your project.
Next, it is time we explore the context of the selected topic. You wouldn’t want to choose research questions that have already been examined and answered in detail. On the other hand, choosing a topic that is a complete ‘terra incognita’ might be a bridge too far for your project. Browse through available sources that are related to this topic. You should try and find out what has been discovered about it before. Do you see a gap that you can fill with your study? You can proceed with developing your exact inquiry! Have no time for in-depth topic exploration? Leave this task to professionals. Entrust your “ write my research paper ” order to StudyCrumb and get a top-notch work.
It is good to know your reader well to be able to convey your ideas and results to them in the best possible way. Before writing research questions for your projects, you might need to perform a brief analysis of your audience. That's how you'll be able to understand what is interesting for them and what is not. This will allow you to make better decisions when narrowing your broad topic down. Select a topic that is interesting for your reader! This would contribute much to the success for writing a research paper .
After you have considered your options, go ahead and compose the primary subject of your paper. What makes a good research question? It should highlight some problematic and relevant aspects of the general topic. So, after it is answered, you should have obtained some new valuable knowledge about the subject. Typically scholars start narrowing down their general topic by asking ‘how’, ‘why’ or ‘what’s next’ questions. This approach might help you come up with a great idea quickly.
Finally, after you have composed a research paper question, you should take a second look at it and see if it is good enough for your paper. It would be useful to analyze it from the following sides:
You might use the help of your peers or your friends at this step. You can also show it to your tutor and ask for their opinion.
A number of research questions types are available for use in a paper. They are divided into two main groups:
Qualitative questions:
Quantitative questions:
Selecting a certain type would impact the course of your study. We suggest you think about it carefully. Below you can find a few words about each type. Also, you can seek proficient help from academic experts. Buy a research paper from real pros and forget about stress once and for all.
When doing qualitative research, you are expected to aim to understand the different aspects and qualities of your target problem. Therefore, your thesis should focus on analyzing people’s experience, ideas and reflections rather than on obtaining some statistical data and calculating trends. Thus, this inquiry typically requires observing people’s behavior, interacting with them and learning how they interpret your target problem. Let’s illustrate this with an example:
Contextual research revolves around examining your subject in its natural, everyday environment. It may be watching animals living in their usual habitats or people doing their normal activities in their familiar surroundings (at home, at school or at office). This academic approach helps to understand the role of the context. You'll be able to better explain connections between your problem, its environment and outcomes. This type of inquiry ought to be narrow enough. You shouldn’t have to examine each and every aspect of the selected problem in your paper. Consider this example:
Evaluative research is performed in order to carefully assess the qualities of a selected object, individual, group, system or concept. It typically serves the purpose of collecting evidence that supports or contradicts solutions for a problem. This type of inquiry should focus on how useful a certain quality is for solving the problem. To conduct such study, you need to examine selected qualities in detail. Then, you should assume whether they match necessary criteria. It might include some quantitative methods such as collecting statistics. Although, the most important part is analyzing the qualities. If you need some examples, here’s one for you:
Your paper can be dedicated to explaining a certain phenomenon, finding its reasons and important relationships between it and other important things. Your explanatory research question should aim to highlight issues, uncertainties and problematic aspects of your subject. So, your study should bring clarity about these qualities. It should show how and why they have developed this way. An explanation may include showing causes and effects of issues in question, comparing the selected phenomenon to other similar types and showing whether the selected qualities match some predefined criteria. If you need some examples, check this one:
This type of research is conducted in order to better understand the subject. With its help, you can find some new solutions or opportunities for improvement. Therefore, its main purpose is to develop a theoretical basis for further actions. You need to compose your generative research questions in a way that facilitates obtaining new ideas. It would help to begin with asking ‘why’, ‘what is the relationship between the subject and the problems X, Y, and Z’, ‘what can be improved here’, ‘how we can prevent it’ and so on. Need relevant examples? We’ve got one for you:
Ethnography research is focused on a particular group of people. The aim is to study their behavior, typical reactions to certain events or information, needs, preferences or habits. Important parameters of this group which are most relevant to your general subject are taken into consideration. These are age, sex, language, religion, ethnicity, social status and so on. Main method in this case is first-hand observation of people from the selected group during an extended period of time. If you need strong examples, here’s one:
Quantitative research deals with data – first of all, it is numeric data. It involves mathematical calculations and statistical analysis. It helps to obtain knowledge which is mostly expressed in numbers, graphs and tables. Unlike the qualitative type, the purpose of quantitative research is finding patterns, calculating probabilities, testing causal relationships and making predictions. It is focused on testing theories and hypotheses. (We have the whole blog on what is a hypothesis .) It is mostly used in natural and social sciences. These are: chemistry, biology, psychology, economics, sociology, marketing, etc. Here are a couple of examples:
This is probably the most widespread type of quantitative research question. Such inquiries seek to explain when, where, why, or how something occurred. They describe it accurately and systematically. These inquiries typically start with ‘what’. You are expected to use various methods to investigate one or more variables and determine their dependencies. Note, however, that you cannot control or manipulate any of these variables. You can only observe and measure them. Looking for some interesting examples? Here is one:
Comparative research question is used to highlight different variables and provide numerical evidence. This type is based on comparing one object, parameter or issue with another one of a similar kind. It can help to discover the differences between two or more groups by examining their outcome variables. Take a look at these two examples:
We conduct this type of research when we need to make it clear whether one parameter of a selected object causes another one. A relationship based quantitative research question should help us to explore and define trends and interactions between two or more variables. Are these two things mutually dependent? What kind of dependence is it? How has it developed? And what are possible outcomes of this connection? Here is an example of relationship-based quantitative research questions:
This section contains a number of helpful examples of research questions. Feel free to use them as inspiration to create your own questions and conduct productive study. Let’s start with two simple ones:
Are you interested in well written and inspiring questions? Do you want to learn what to avoid in your study? Just stay with us – there will be more of them below.
Everyone is interested in getting the best possible appraisal for their study. Choosing a topic which doesn't suit your specific situation may be discouraging. Thus, the quality of your paper might get affected by a poor choice. We have put together some good and bad examples so that you could avoid such mistakes.
It is important to include clear terms into your questions. Otherwise, it would be difficult for you to plan your investigation properly. Also, they must be focused on a certain subject, not multiple ones. And finally, it should be possible to answer them. Let’s review several good examples:
It is difficult to evaluate qualities of objects, individuals or groups if your purpose is not clear. This is why you shouldn’t create unclear research questions or try to focus on many problems at once. Some preliminary study might help to understand what you should focus on. Here are several bad examples:
In case you may need some information about the discussion section of a research paper example , find it in our blog.
In this article we have made a detailed review of the most popular types of research questions. We described peculiarities. We also provided some tips on conducting various kinds of study. Besides, a number of useful examples have been given for each category of questions.
Feel free to check out essay writing services. We have experienced writers who can help you compose your paper in time. They will absolutely ensure the high quality of your text.
1. what is an example of a weak research question.
Here is an example of the weakest research question:
What kinds of animals live in the USA? |
An answer would be simply making a list of species that inhabit the country. This subject does not require any actual study to be conducted. There is nothing to calculate or analyze here.
Most effective type of research question is the one that doesn't have a single correct answer. However, you should also pay close attention to your audience. If you need to create a strong effect, better choose a topic which is relevant for them.
If you need an idea for a nursing research question, here are a few helpful examples you could use as a reference:
How do you analyze the development of telehealth? |
How to evaluate critical care nursing? |
What are some cardiovascular issues? |
Sociological questions are the ones that examine the social patterns or a meaning of a social phenomenon. They could be qualitative or quantitative. They should target groups of people with certain parameters, such as age or income level. Keep in mind that type of study usually requires collecting numerous data about your target groups.
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Stuck formulating a research question? Try the tool we’ve made! With our research question generator, you’ll get a list of ideas for an academic assignment of any level. All you need to do is add the keywords you’re interested in, push the button, and enjoy the result!
Now, here comes your inspiration 😃
Please try again with some different keywords.
The choice of research topic is a vital step in the process of any academic task completion. Whether you’re working on a small essay or a large dissertation, your topic will make it fail or fly. The best way to cope with the naming task and proceed to the writing part is to use our free online tool for title generation. Its benefits are indisputable.
Using our research question generator tool, you won’t need to crack your brains over this part of the writing assignment anymore. All you need to do is:
The results will be preliminary; you should use them as an initial reference point and refine them further for a workable, correctly formulated research question.
Depending on your type of study (quantitative vs. qualitative), you might need to formulate different research question types. For instance, a typical quantitative research project would need a quantitative research question, which can be created with the following formula:
Variable(s) + object that possesses that variable + socio-demographic characteristics
You can choose among three quantitative research question types: descriptive, comparative, and relationship-based. Let's consider each type in more detail to clarify the practical side of question formulation.
Descriptive
As its name suggests, a descriptive research question inquires about the number, frequency, or intensity of something and aims to describe a quantitative issue. Some examples include:
Comparative
Comparative research questions presuppose comparing and contrasting things within a research study. You should pick two or more objects, select a criterion for comparison, and discuss it in detail. Here are good examples:
Relationship-based
Relationship-based research is a bit more complex, so you'll need extra work to formulate a good research question. Here, you should single out:
Let’s illustrate how it works:
In a nutshell, a research question is the one you set to answer by performing a specific academic study. Thus, for instance, if your research question is, “How did global warming affect bird migration in California?," you will study bird migration patterns concerning global warming dynamics.
You should think about the population affected by your topic, the specific aspect of your concern, and the timing/historical period you want to study. It’s also necessary to specify the location – a specific country, company, industry sector, the whole world, etc.
A great, effective research question should answer the "who, what, when, where" questions. In other words, you should define the subject of interest, the issue of your concern related to that subject, the timeframe, and the location of your study.
If you don’t know how to write a compelling research question, use our automated tool to complete the task in seconds. You only need to insert your subject of interest, and smart algorithms will do the rest, presenting a set of workable, interesting question suggestions.
Published by Alvin Nicolas at August 19th, 2024 , Revised On August 20, 2024
Before you start your research, the first thing you need to identify is the research method . Depending on different factors, you will either choose a quantitative or qualitative study.
Qualitative research is a great tool that helps understand the depth and richness of human opinions and experiences. Unlike quantitative research, which focuses on numerical data , qualitative research allows exploring and interpreting the experiences of the subject. Questionnaires, although mostly associated with quantitative research, can also be a valuable instrument in qualitative studies. Let’s explore what qualitative research questionnaires are and how you can create one.
Qualitative research questionnaires are a structured or semi-structured set of questions designed to gather detailed, open-ended participant responses. It allows you to uncover underlying reasons and opinions and provides insights into a particular phenomenon.
While quantitative questionnaires often have closed-ended questions and numerical responses, a qualitative questionnaire encourages participants to express themselves freely. Before you design your questionnaire, you should know exactly what you need so you can keep your questions specific enough for the participants to understand.
For example:
Now that you are familiar with what qualitative research questions are, let’s look at the different types of questions you can use in your survey .
These are used to explore and describe a phenomenon in detail. It helps answer the “what” part of the research, and the questions are mostly foundational.
Example: How do students experience online learning?
This type allows you to compare and contrast different groups or situations. You can explore the differences and similarities to highlight the impact of specific variables.
Example: How do the study habits of first-year and fourth-year university students differ?
These questions help you understand the meanings people attach to experiences or phenomena by answering the “how” and “why”.
Example: What does “success” mean to entrepreneurs?
You can use these to assess the quality or value of something. These allow you to understand the outcomes of various situations.
Example: How effective is the new customer service training program?
To understand how something happens or develops over time, researchers often use process-oriented questions.
Example: How do individuals develop their career goals?
These allow you to discover new perspectives on a topic. However, you have to be careful that there must be no preconceived notions or research biases to it.
Example: What are the emerging trends in the mobile gaming industry?
For your study to be successful, it is important to consider designing a questionnaire for qualitative research critically, as it will shape your research and data collection. Here is an easy guide to writing your qualitative research questions perfectly.
Many students start their research without clear goals, and they have to make substantial changes to their study in the middle of the research. This wastes time and resources.
Before you start crafting your questions, it is important to know your research objectives. You should know what you aim to discover through your research, or what specific knowledge gaps you are going to fill. With the help of a well-defined research focus, you can develop relevant and meaningful information.
There are mostly open-ended questionnaires in qualitative research. They begin with words like “how,” “what,” and “why.” However, the structure of your research questions depends on your research design . You have to consider using broad, overarching questions to explore the main research focus, and then add some specific probes to further research the particular aspects of the topic.
The more clear and concise your research questions are, the more effective and free from ambiguity they will be. Do not use complex terminology that might confuse participants. Try using simple and direct language that accurately conveys your intended meaning.
Here is a table to explain the wrong and right ways of writing your qualitative research questions.
How would you characterise your attitude towards e-commerce transactions? | How do you feel about online shopping? |
Could you elucidate on the obstacles encountered in your professional role? | What challenges do you face in your job? |
What is your evaluation of the innovative product aesthetic? | What do you think about the new product design? |
Can you elaborate on the influence of social networking platforms on your interpersonal connections? | How has social media impacted your relationships? |
Once you have developed some questions, check if they align with your research objectives. You must ensure that each question contributes to your overall research questions. After this, you can eliminate any questions that do not serve a clear purpose in your study.
While it is tempting to cover multiple aspects of a topic in one question, it is best to focus on a single theme per question. This helps to elicit focused responses from participants. Moreover, you have to avoid combining unrelated concepts into a single question.
If your main research question is complicated, you can create sub-questions with a “ladder structure”. These allow you to understand the attributes, consequences, and core values of your research. For example, let’s say your main broad research question is:
The intermediate questions may be:
It is important to consider your research objectives, target population, resources and needed depth of research when selecting a survey method. The main types of qualitative surveys are discussed below.
Face-to-face surveys involve direct interaction between the researcher and the participant. This method allows observers to capture non-verbal cues, body language, and facial expressions, and helps adapt questions based on participant responses. They also let you clarify any misunderstandings. Moreover, there is a higher response rate because of personal interaction.
Example: A researcher conducting a study on consumer experiences with a new product might visit participants’ homes to conduct a detailed interview.
These type of qualitative research survey questionnaires provide a less intrusive method for collecting qualitative data. The benefits of telephone surveys include, that it allows you to collect data from a wider population. Moreover, it is generally less expensive than face-to-face interviews and interviews can be conducted efficiently.
Example: A market research firm might conduct telephone surveys to understand customer satisfaction with a telecommunication service.
Online survey questionnaires are a convenient and cost-effective way to gather qualitative data. You can reach a wide audience quickly, and participants may feel more comfortable sharing sensitive information because of anonymity. Additionally, there are no travel or printing expenses.
Example: A university might use online surveys to explore students’ perceptions of online learning experiences.
Questionnaires are undoubtedly a great data collection tool. However, it comes with its fair share of advantages and disadvantages. Let’s discuss the benefits of questionnaires in qualitative research and their cons as well.
Can be inexpensive to distribute and collect | Can suffer from low response rates |
Allow researchers to reach a wide audience | There is a lack of control over the environment |
Consistent across participants | Once the questionnaire is distributed, it cannot be modified |
Anonymity helps make participants feel more comfortable | Participants may not fully understand questions |
Open-ended questions provide rich, detailed responses | Open-ended questions may not capture the right answers |
Here is a concise qualitative research questionnaire sample for research papers to give you a better idea of its format and how it is presented.
Thank you for participating in our survey. We value your feedback on our new mobile app. Your responses will help us improve the applications and better meet your needs.
A survey research questionnaire can have both qualitative and quantitative questions. The qualitative questions are mostly open-ended, and quantitative questions take the form of yes/no, or Likert scale rating.
Yes, survey questionnaires can be used in qualitative research for data collection. However, instead of a Likert scale or rating, you can post open-ended questions to your respondents. The participants can provide detailed responses to the questions asked.
In qualitative research, questionnaires allow you to collect qualitative data. The open-ended and unstructured questions help respondents present their ideas freely and provide insights.
A survey includes questions relevant to the research topic. The participants are selected, and the questionnaire is distributed to collect the data.
Ethnography is a type of research where a researcher observes the people in their natural environment. Here is all you need to know about ethnography.
Sampling methods are used to to draw valid conclusions about a large community, organization or group of people, but they are based on evidence and reasoning.
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Ever wondered why some surveys feel like a chore while others are a breeze?
Imagine a survey that’s so engaging it feels like a conversation with an old friend. That’s the magic of a well-crafted survey. In today’s data-driven world, surveys are the secret to unlocking invaluable insights.
Whether you’re seeking customer feedback or diving into market research, creating a compelling survey is crucial. Welcome to our ultimate guide on designing surveys that capture attention and yield actionable results.
Get ready to transform your surveys from mundane to magnificent and start collecting data that drives real change. Let’s dive in!
The tips below are based on the best practices followed by industry-giants and thought leaders and experts. These tips are not magic but simple practices foundational to effective surveys. Let’s take a look:
Imagine setting out on a journey without a destination in mind. You’d likely end up lost and frustrated. Similarly, crafting a survey without clear goals can lead to ambiguous results and wasted efforts.
Clear goals ensure your survey is focused, relevant, and capable of delivering actionable insights. They guide the structure of your questions, the type of data you collect, and ultimately, how you interpret the results.
Examples of common survey goals:
Here’s how you can set specific, measurable, and achievable goals:
When you understand who your respondents are, you can tailor your questions to resonate with them, making your survey more engaging and relevant. This increases the likelihood of obtaining honest and useful responses.
You can identify and segment your audience using:
Once you’ve segmented your audience, it’s crucial to frame your questions in a way that aligns with their language and comprehension level. For instance:
For example, if your survey goal is to understand how satisfied young professionals are with your new mobile app, your questions should reflect their tech-savviness and busy lifestyles.
Instead of asking, “ Do you find our mobile app useful? ” which is too broad, you could ask, “ On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our product to a colleague for its ease of use? ”
Create Your Own Survey Within Minutes
By defining clear goals and understanding your audience, you set a strong foundation for creating surveys that not only engage respondents but also provide valuable, actionable insights.
Here another interesting read: Customer Segmentation Analysis: Types, Examples, & Methods
Selecting the appropriate survey type is essential to achieving your survey goals and engaging your audience effectively. Here are some common types:
What Are On-Site Surveys? Examples & Benefits
In the digital age, online surveys have become the go-to method for gathering customer feedback, offering unparalleled convenience and reach. Tools like Qualaroo make it easy to embed surveys on your website , within your software product, or even in a prototype .
This approach allows you to reach a wider audience and gather nuanced, inclusive insights by targeting diverse respondents. You can automate your research with timely surveys and set advanced triggers to target specific customer segments based on browsing behavior, purchase history, and more.
Qualaroo’s pop-up Nudges TM helps you collect contextual insights and measure various customer satisfaction metrics effectively. For example, an eCommerce company might use an online survey on its website to understand consumer preferences for a new product line.
With smartphones everywhere, mobile surveys are perfect for quick, on-the-go feedback. Easily accessible on mobile devices, they offer a seamless experience for participants.
Use in-app surveys or tools like Qualaroo to create mobile web surveys. Retailers, for example, can send a quick SMS survey link after a purchase to capture instant feedback.
Mobile surveys are great for real-time insights and engaging younger audiences. Just ensure they are mobile-friendly with short, straightforward questions to fit smaller screens and cater to users on the move.
How to Collect Mobile App Feedback
Telephone surveys, though less popular today due to caller ID and privacy concerns, still offer valuable personal interaction in certain contexts.
Political polling organizations, for example, use them to gather detailed opinions on candidates and issues, benefiting from the ability to probe deeper into responses. While this method can yield richer data, it also faces challenges like increasing refusal rates and the costs of staffing call centers.
Phone surveys allow for personal interaction and immediate clarification of questions, which are suitable for reaching less tech-savvy audiences. Pros: Personal touch, immediate clarification possible. Cons: Can be seen as intrusive, declining response rates.
Email surveys are widely used, sending surveys and invitations directly to participants’ inboxes. This method is highly cost-effective and allows for easy distribution to a large audience quickly.
With tools like ProProfs Survey Maker , part of Qualaroo, you can embed surveys into your emails, enabling participants to take the survey as soon as they open their email.
Bonus read: In-App Vs. Email Vs. SMS Surveys: What’s Best for Your Business
Tips on selecting the right type based on your goals and audience
For example, if you’re surveying millennials about a new mobile app feature, an online survey would be fitting due to their digital engagement. Conversely, for senior citizens’ feedback on healthcare services, a phone survey might be more effective.
The clarity and simplicity of your questions are paramount to obtaining accurate and useful responses. Ambiguous or complex questions can confuse respondents, leading to unreliable data.
Clear and concise questions ensure that respondents understand exactly what is being asked, which increases the quality and reliability of their answers.
Follow these points to ensure you ask the right questions:
Examples of well-written vs. poorly-written questions
Poorly Written Question: “Do you use our product regularly?”
This is vague and open to interpretation. What does “regularly” mean?
Well-Written Question: “How many times per week do you use our product?”
This is specific and quantifiable, leading to more precise data.
Instead of asking questions like these, ask them like this:
Here’s your next read: 26 Common Types of Survey Errors and How to Correct Them
Variety is the spice of life, and the same goes for surveys.
Using a mix of question types keeps respondents engaged and allows you to gather different kinds of data. This variety helps in capturing a holistic view of your respondents’ opinions and experiences.
Multiple-choice questions offer predefined answers, making it simple for respondents to choose. Likert scale questions are perfect for measuring attitudes or opinions across a spectrum.
Open-ended questions, on the other hand, give respondents the freedom to express their thoughts in their own words, providing deeper insights and Rating scale questions ask respondents to rate something on a numerical scale, giving you quantifiable data.
Dropdown questions, ideal for queries with many possible answers, help save space and keep your survey clean and organized. This variety ensures a comprehensive and engaging survey experience.
Benefits of using a mix of question types to gather comprehensive data are:
When designing your survey, following best practices for each question type ensures clarity and effectiveness. For multiple-choice questions, make sure the options are mutually exclusive and cover all possible answers to avoid confusion.
With Likert scale questions, provide a balanced scale with clear labels for each point to accurately measure attitudes or opinions. Use open-ended questions sparingly to avoid survey fatigue and follow up with specific prompts to gather detailed insights.
Maintain a consistent scale throughout your survey for rating scale questions, making comparisons easier. For dropdown questions, list options alphabetically or logically to facilitate navigation and ensure a smooth respondent experience.
Also read: Survey Abandonment Guide: Causes, Impact & Solutions
Lengthy surveys can deter respondents, leading to lower completion rates and potentially skewed data. Keeping your survey short and focused ensures higher engagement and better quality responses.
Tips for keeping the survey concise while gathering necessary information
Strategies for prioritizing questions and eliminating unnecessary ones
For example, instead of asking, “ How satisfied are you with our product quality? ” and “ How satisfied are you with our product design? ”, you could combine them into, “ How satisfied are you with our product’s quality and design? ”
Testing your survey before full deployment helps identify and fix issues that could lead to inaccurate data or respondent drop-off. It ensures that your survey is clear, concise, and effective. With Qualaroo, you can enjoy a full, interactive preview of your survey before publishing it anywhere.
Methods for testing your survey
Gathering feedback from testers and making necessary adjustments
With the majority of people accessing the internet via smartphones, ensuring your survey is mobile-friendly is crucial. A mobile-compatible survey enhances user experience, leading to higher response rates.
You need to ensure your survey platform supports responsive design so it adapts seamlessly to various screen sizes.
Keep it simple by avoiding large blocks of text and complex layouts that are hard to navigate on small screens. Use touch-friendly elements, making buttons and answer options large enough to tap easily.
Also, when crafting questions, opt for concise, straightforward ones. For example, instead of asking, “Please describe your overall experience with our service in detail,” ask, “Rate your overall experience with our service on a scale of 1 to 10.”
Also read: 7 Steps to Conduct a Survey- Best Practices, Tools, & More
Skip logic or branching logic allows you to create a more personalized and relevant survey experience by directing respondents to different questions based on their previous answers.
This not only makes the survey more engaging but also ensures that respondents only see questions that are relevant to them.
Benefits of creating a more personalized survey experience
Examples of how to implement skip logic and branching effectively
The timing of when you send out your survey can significantly impact response rates. Sending surveys at the right time ensures higher engagement and better-quality responses. Here are some of the ways in which Qualaroo allows you to time your surveys and set their frequency:
Timing is everything when it comes to sending surveys. Think about your audience’s schedule; for working professionals, try sending your survey during lunch breaks or after work hours.
Avoid peak busy times like holidays or end-of-quarter crunches. To avoid survey fatigue, aim for quarterly or biannual surveys. If you need to survey more often, mix up the topics to keep things interesting.
For instance, if you’re in retail, sending a customer satisfaction survey a week after a purchase captures fresh experiences and boosts response rates. By considering timing and variety, you’ll get meaningful feedback without overwhelming your audience.
Respondents are likelier to give candid feedback if they know their responses are confidential and anonymous. Ensuring this builds trust and boosts participation.
To communicate privacy policies clearly, be transparent: clearly state how the data will be used, stored, and protected. Use survey tools that support anonymous responses and let your respondents know their anonymity is guaranteed.
For handling and storing survey data securely, use data encryption to protect sensitive information, limit access to authorized personnel only, and conduct regular audits to ensure compliance with data protection policies.
For example, include a privacy statement at the beginning of your survey, such as: “Your responses will be kept confidential and anonymous. We value your privacy and will not share your information with third parties.” This approach fosters trust and encourages more genuine feedback.
Also read: 10 Best Anonymous Feedback Tools to Collect Unbiased Insights
Open-ended questions allow respondents to express their thoughts and provide insights that you might not have considered. They can reveal underlying issues and highlight areas for improvement.
Tips for framing open-ended questions to encourage thorough responses
Examples of effective open-ended questions
For example, instead of asking, “ Do you have any comments? ”, you could ask, “ What additional features would you like to see in our product? ”
Surveys are a powerful tool for gathering valuable insights and understanding your audience. By implementing tips like skip logic and branching, optimizing survey timing and frequency, ensuring confidentiality and anonymity, etc., you can create surveys that are not only more engaging for respondents but also yield richer, more actionable data.
Whether you choose online, telephone, or email surveys, each method offers unique benefits. Start leveraging these tips today to enhance your feedback collection and drive better decision-making.
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Qualaroo Editorial Team
Qualaroo Editorial Team is a passionate group of UX and feedback management experts dedicated to delivering top-notch content. We stay ahead of the curve on trends, tackle technical hurdles, and provide practical tips to boost your business. With our commitment to quality and integrity, you can be confident you're getting the most reliable resources to enhance your user experience improvement and lead generation initiatives.
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The first question asks for a ready-made solution, and is not focused or researchable. The second question is a clearer comparative question, but note that it may not be practically feasible. For a smaller research project or thesis, it could be narrowed down further to focus on the effectiveness of drunk driving laws in just one or two countries.
A good research question is essential to guide your research paper, dissertation, or thesis. All research questions should be: Focused on a single problem or issue. Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources. Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints. Specific enough to answer thoroughly.
3. Narrow down your topic and determine potential research questions. Once you have gathered enough knowledge on the topic you want to pursue, you can start focusing on a more specific area of study and narrowing down a research question. One option is to focus on gaps in existing knowledge or recent literature.
A well-crafted research question (or set of questions) sets the stage for a robust study and meaningful insights. But, if you're new to research, it's not always clear what exactly constitutes a good research question. In this post, we'll provide you with clear examples of quality research questions across various disciplines, so that you can approach your research project with confidence!
Most professional researchers focus on topics they are genuinely interested in studying. Writers should choose a broad topic about which they genuinely would like to know more. An example of a general topic might be "Slavery in the American South" or "Films of the 1930s.". Do some preliminary research on your general topic.
Choose a broad topic, such as "learner support" or "social media influence" for your study. Select topics of interest to make research more enjoyable and stay motivated. Preliminary research. The goal is to refine and focus your research question. The following strategies can help: Skim various scholarly articles.
Types of research questions. Now that we've defined what a research question is, let's look at the different types of research questions that you might come across. Broadly speaking, there are (at least) four different types of research questions - descriptive, comparative, relational, and explanatory. Descriptive questions ask what is happening. In other words, they seek to describe a ...
Assess your chosen research question using the FINER criteria that helps you evaluate whether the research is Feasible, Interesting, Novel, Ethical, and Relevant. 1. Formulate the final research question, while ensuring it is clear, well-written, and addresses all the key elements of a strong research question.
There are two types of research: Qualitative research and Quantitative research. There must be research questions for every type of research. Your research question will be based on the type of research you want to conduct and the type of data collection. The first step in designing research involves identifying a gap and creating a focused ...
A good research question is essential to guide your research paper, project, or thesis. It pinpoints exactly what you want to find out and gives your work a ...
Insights on Creating a Good Research Question. Junichi Tokuda, PhD, focuses on how to start successfully, and divulges the unique approach he has as a basic scientist when developing a good research question. Play Junichi Tokuda video. Ursula Kaiser, MD, encourages drawing on an already established interest in your subject matter to showcase ...
It can be difficult to come up with a good research question, but there are a few steps you can follow to make it a bit easier. 1. Start with an interesting and relevant topic. Choose a research topic that is interesting but also relevant and aligned with your own country's culture or your university's capabilities.
The main characteristics of a good research question are: Feasible. You need to have the resources and abilities to examine the question, collect the data, and give answers. Interesting. Create research questions that offer fascinating insights into your industry. Novel. Research questions have to offer something new within your field of study ...
In a research paper, the emphasis is on generating a unique question and then synthesizing diverse sources into a coherent essay that supports your argument about the topic. In other words, you integrate information from publications with your own thoughts in order to formulate an argument. Your topic is your starting place: from here, you will ...
5. Facilitating Data Interpretation and Analysis. Clear research questions help in structuring the analysis, guiding the interpretation of data, and framing the discussion of results. They ensure that the data collected is directly relevant to the questions posed, making it easier to draw meaningful conclusions.
Moreover, these questions seek to understand the intent or future outcome surrounding a topic. Research Question Example: Asking why a consumer behaves in a certain way or chooses a certain option over other. iii. Interpretive Questions. This type of research question allows the study of people in the natural setting.
A good research question is essential to guide your research paper, dissertation, or thesis. All research questions should be: Focused on a single problem or issue. Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources. Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints. Specific enough to answer thoroughly.
A good research question for a history paper will differ from a good research question for a biology paper. In general, however, a good research question should be: Clear and focused. In other words, the question should clearly state what the writer needs to do. Not too broad and not too narrow. The question should have an appropriate scope. If ...
The following unit will discuss the basics of how to develop a good research questions and will provide examples of welldesigned questions. Learning Objectives: Identify the process for writing meaningful research questions. Evaluate research questions. Developing a good research question is one of the first critical steps in
- Is your research question clear? - Is your research question focused? (Research questions must be specific enough to be well covered in the space available.) - Is your research question complex? (Questions shouldn't have a simple yes/no answer and should require research and analysis.) • Hypothesize. After you've come up with a question ...
Check for free. A research question is the main query that researchers seek to answer in their study. It serves as the basis for a scholarly project such as research paper, thesis or dissertation. A good research question should be clear, relevant and specific enough to guide the research process.
In essence, the research question that guides the sciences and social sciences should do the following three things:2. 1) Post a problem. 2) Shape the problem into a testable hypothesis. 3) Report the results of the tested hypothesis. There are two types of data that can help shape research questions in the sciences and social sciences ...
Using our research question generator tool, you won't need to crack your brains over this part of the writing assignment anymore. All you need to do is: Insert your study topic of interest in the relevant tab. Choose a subject and click "Generate topics". Grab one of the offered options on the list. The results will be preliminary; you ...
Tip 2: Choose The Structure For Research Questions. There are mostly open-ended questionnaires in qualitative research. They begin with words like "how," "what," and "why." However, the structure of your research questions depends on your research design. You have to consider using broad, overarching questions to explore the main ...
Clear goals ensure your survey is focused, relevant, and capable of delivering actionable insights. They guide the structure of your questions, the type of data you collect, and ultimately, how you interpret the results. Examples of common survey goals: Customer Satisfaction: Understanding how happy customers are with your products or services.