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15 July 2026

How to Formulate a Strong Research Question

Do you have a topic, but are you struggling to turn it into one clear research question?

Your research question determines what you investigate, which information you need and which research method fits your study. If the question is too broad or unclear, the rest of your thesis will also lack focus.

This guide is written for students at a Dutch university or university of applied sciences. It is also useful if you follow an English-taught degree programme or complete your graduation project abroad.

Every programme has its own requirements. Always check your graduation manual and assessment criteria before finalising your question.

Tips for formulating your research question for your thesis
This article was written by:

Linda Hovestad

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What is a research question?

A research question states what you want to find out through your research.

It gives your thesis a clear direction and helps you decide:

  • which literature you need;
  • which concepts you must define;
  • who or what you will investigate;
  • which data you need;
  • which research method is suitable;
  • what belongs within the scope of your study.

Your main research question should follow from the problem and objective of your study.

It should not be a general question about an interesting topic. It must address the specific knowledge you need to collect.

Start with the problem, not the question

Many students try to formulate a research question too early.

They choose a topic and immediately turn it into a question. This often leads to a question that is broad, based on assumptions or disconnected from the actual problem.

Use this order:

  1. describe the context;
  2. analyse the problem or research gap;
  3. identify which knowledge is missing;
  4. determine the research objective;
  5. formulate the research question.

For a practice-based graduation project, the problem may occur within an organisation.

For example: Organisation X attracts enough new employees, but many leave during their first year. It is not yet clear which parts of the onboarding and working experience influence their decision to leave.

The missing knowledge could be: The organisation does not know which experiences and working conditions have the strongest influence on early employee turnover.

A possible objective is: The objective is to identify which factors influence early turnover among new employees at organisation X.

This leads to the research question: Which factors influence early turnover among employees during their first year at organisation X?

For an academic thesis, your starting point may be a gap or disagreement in existing research rather than an organisational problem.

How to formulate your research question in 8 steps

Step 1: Check your programme requirements

Start by reading:

  • your graduation manual;
  • the assessment criteria;
  • the assignment description;
  • instructions from your thesis supervisor;
  • examples provided by your programme.

Check whether your programme expects:

  • one main research question;
  • several central research questions;
  • a design question;
  • theoretical and empirical sub-questions;
  • a hypothesis;
  • a specific question format.

Some programmes use main research question. Others use central question, key question or design question.

Use the terminology required by your programme.

Step 2: Analyse the problem or research gap

Describe what is happening and why further research is needed.

For a practice-based project, ask:

  • What is currently going wrong?
  • Who experiences the problem?
  • What are the possible causes?
  • What has already been tried?
  • Which assumptions still need to be tested?
  • What information does the organisation lack?

For an academic thesis, ask:

  • What is already known?
  • Where do studies disagree?
  • Which group, context or relationship has not been studied enough?
  • Which concept needs further explanation?
  • Why is the missing knowledge relevant?

Do not decide on a solution before you understand the problem.

Step 3: Identify the missing knowledge

A research question is about knowledge.

Ask yourself:

What do I need to know before I can answer the problem?

For example, an organisation may ask you to develop a communication campaign. That is a possible solution, not yet a research question.

You may first need to know:

  • how the target group currently perceives the organisation;
  • which information the target group needs;
  • why existing communication does not work;
  • which channels the target group uses;
  • which factors influence its decisions.

The missing knowledge helps you define the focus of your research.

Step 4: Set a clear research objective

Your research objective explains what your study should achieve.

Use an active and realistic verb, such as:

  • identify;
  • describe;
  • compare;
  • analyse;
  • examine;
  • evaluate;
  • explain;
  • determine;
  • explore.

For example:

The objective of this study is to identify which aspects of the onboarding programme influence the intention of international employees to remain with organisation X.

Avoid objectives such as:

The objective is to solve employee turnover.

One thesis is unlikely to solve a broad organisational problem. It can provide insight or evidence that supports a decision.

Step 5: Choose the right type of question

The wording of your question must fit your research objective.

Do you want to describe a situation? Compare groups? Explain a relationship? Evaluate an intervention? Or develop a suitable design?

Choose one clear central purpose.

Avoid combining several different studies in one question.

Too broad: What do customers think about the service, why are they dissatisfied and how can the organisation improve customer loyalty?

This question asks you to describe, explain and design a solution at the same time.

More focused: Which aspects of the current service influence customer satisfaction among business clients of organisation X?

Step 6: Define the scope

A strong research question makes the boundaries of your study clear.

Depending on your topic, define:

  • the target group;
  • the organisation;
  • the sector;
  • the location;
  • the period;
  • the central concepts;
  • the relationship you will investigate;
  • the specific situation or intervention.

Not every element must appear literally in the question. The reader should still understand the scope.

Too broad: How does social media affect consumers?

More focused: How does daily Instagram use influence purchase intentions among Dutch university students aged 18–25?

Only add details that matter. A question becomes difficult to read when it contains too many conditions.

Step 7: Check researchability and feasibility

Ask whether you can answer the question with evidence.

Check:

  • Can you access the required participants or data?
  • Can the central concepts be defined or measured?
  • Do suitable academic sources exist?
  • Can you complete the research within the available time?
  • Is the target group large enough?
  • Do you have the skills and tools needed?
  • Does the question fit the required thesis length?

A relevant question is not useful when the data is unavailable.

For example, you cannot study the long-term effect of a new programme when it has only been running for two weeks.

Narrow the scope or adjust the question when needed.

Step 8: Test the link with your method and sub-questions

Your research question and research method must fit together.

Ask:

  • Which data would answer this question?
  • Who or what can provide that data?
  • Do I need qualitative, quantitative or mixed-method research?
  • Can my sub-questions together answer the main question?
  • Does the theoretical framework cover the key concepts?

A question about experiences may require interviews.

A question about the relationship between measurable variables may require quantitative data.

Do not choose a survey or interviews first and then adapt the question to that method.

Types of research questions

Descriptive questions

A descriptive question maps a situation, group, process or phenomenon.

Common openings include:

  • What are…?
  • Which characteristics…?
  • How do participants experience…?
  • What is the current situation…?

Example: How do international students at university X experience the support provided during their graduation project?

Descriptive questions help you understand what is happening. They do not automatically explain why it happens.

Comparative questions

A comparative question examines similarities or differences between groups, situations or approaches.

Common openings include:

  • What are the differences between…?
  • How does X differ from Y?
  • To what extent do X and Y differ…?

Example: How does job satisfaction differ between hybrid and office-based employees at organisation X?

Define clear points of comparison. Avoid comparing groups that are too different or difficult to access.

Explanatory questions

An explanatory question investigates why something happens or which factors influence it.

Common openings include:

  • Which factors influence…?
  • Why does…?
  • How can X be explained?
  • What causes…?

Example: Which factors influence the intention of international graduates to remain in the Netherlands after completing their degree?

Be careful with words such as cause and effect. Your research design must support a causal conclusion.

Relationship questions

A relationship question examines whether and how two or more variables are connected.

Common openings include:

  • What is the relationship between X and Y?
  • To what extent is X associated with Y?
  • How does X relate to Y?

Example: What is the relationship between perceived supervisor support and employee engagement among remote workers at organisation X?

A relationship does not automatically prove that one variable causes the other.

Evaluative questions

An evaluative question assesses the quality, effectiveness or value of an existing intervention, service or policy.

Common openings include:

  • To what extent is X effective?
  • How do users evaluate X?
  • Which results has X produced?
  • How well does X meet the defined criteria?

Example: To what extent does the current onboarding programme meet the needs of international employees at organisation X?

Define the criteria for effectiveness before collecting data.

Design-oriented questions

A design-oriented question focuses on developing or improving a product, service, intervention or professional practice.

Common openings include:

  • How can X be improved?
  • What should a suitable X include?
  • Which design meets the needs of Y?
  • How can X be developed for Y?

Example: How can organisation X improve its onboarding programme to meet the needs of international employees?

A design question should follow from a clear problem analysis.

You will often need research questions about:

  • the current situation;
  • user needs;
  • relevant literature;
  • design criteria;
  • possible solutions;
  • testing and evaluation.

Check whether your programme expects a separate design question and research questions.

What makes a strong research question?

A strong research question is:

Focused and specific

It addresses one central problem and defines a manageable scope.

Linked to the research problem

The question follows logically from the problem analysis and missing knowledge.

Researchable

You can answer it using suitable literature, data or participants.

Feasible

You can complete the research within the available time, resources and access.

Clear and neutral

The wording does not contain vague terms, assumptions or value judgements.

Avoid words such as:

  • good;
  • bad;
  • successful;
  • better;
  • effective

unless you define clear criteria.

Relevant

The answer contributes to practice, knowledge or both.

Complex enough

The question requires analysis and cannot be answered with only yes or no.

Consistent with the objective and method

The research objective, main question, sub-questions and research design point in the same direction.

Main research question and sub-questions

The main research question states what your complete study must answer.

Sub-questions divide this question into manageable parts.

Each sub-question should:

  • contribute directly to the main question;
  • address one clear part of the research;
  • be answerable with literature or data;
  • avoid repeating another sub-question;
  • fit the available time and scope.

A possible structure is:

  1. theoretical sub-questions;
  2. contextual or descriptive sub-questions;
  3. empirical sub-questions;
  4. analytical or evaluative sub-questions.

You do not always need one sub-question for every chapter or research method.

There is no universal number. Use enough sub-questions to answer the main question fully, but avoid creating a long list of separate mini-studies.

Check whether the combined answers provide a complete answer to the main research question.

Stuck with your research question?

You may know your topic but still struggle to define the exact focus.

Perhaps:

  • your question remains too broad;
  • your objective and question do not match;
  • you have already chosen a solution;
  • your sub-questions overlap;
  • the required method is unclear;
  • your supervisor has asked you to revise the question;
  • you find it difficult to formulate the question in academic English.

Our coaches have experience with English-taught bachelor’s and master’s programmes at Dutch universities and universities of applied sciences.

We can help you:

  • clarify the problem and missing knowledge;
  • connect the objective, main question and sub-questions;
  • narrow down the scope;
  • choose a suitable question type;
  • check whether the question is researchable;
  • translate supervisor feedback into clear improvements;
  • formulate the question in clear academic English.

You remain responsible for your research and writing. We give focused feedback and help you decide what to improve next.

Book a free, no-obligation consultation. We will look at where you are stuck and which next step could help you move forward.

Contact Jouw Scriptiecoach if you need immediate help with your thesis.

Do you need immediate help with your thesis? Then request a free consultation now. During the consultation, we look at how best we can help you and which supervisor would be most suitable for your subject. You’ll also receive an immediate estimate of the number of hours we’ll need to get you across the finish line. Then you can easily purchase the hours online, and once the payment has gone through, we immediately connect you to your thesis supervisor. They’ll contact you quickly (often on the same day) so that you can get back to working on your thesis as soon as possible.

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