Research Question
A research question is a specific query that guides a project.
Formal Definitions
- Definition #1 - “Put simply, a research question is a question that a research project sets out to answer. Most research questions will lead to a project that aims to generate new insights, but the target audience and the methodology will vary widely.” Good research questions are usually quite narrow, relevant to stakeholders, original in the sense that they have not already been answered, and rigorous meaning that the question, methodology, and methods are aligned. PICO and FINER are commonly used mnemonics for crafting effective research questions - Mattick, et al.
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- Mattick, K., Johnston, J., & Croix, A. (2018). How to…write a good research question. The Clinical Teacher, 15(2), 104–108. https://doi.org/10.1111/tct.12776
- Vandenbroucke, J. P., & Pearce, N. (2018). From ideas to studies: how to get ideas and sharpen them into research questions. Clinical Epidemiology, 10, 253–264. https://doi.org/10.2147/clep.s142940