Tips for formulating your research question for your thesis

How do you formulate your research question?

To create an effective research question, the following elements must be included:

Research target group: Clearly specify the target group for your research. This will help determine the focus of your study.
Theoretical concepts: Establish a connection with relevant theoretical concepts applicable to your research.
Type of main question: Select the appropriate type of question that aligns with your research.

By including these elements in your main question, you can ensure that your research is well-defined, theoretically substantiated, and clearly formulated, which is crucial for a successful thesis.

Which type of research question should I choose?

Often, different types of research questions are merged to acquire a comprehensive understanding of the topic. Below are some typical types of research questions that can be utilized as the main question in a thesis:

Explanatory question: This question attempts to understand the causes or reasons behind a particular phenomenon. For example, “What factors influence customer satisfaction in online shopping?”
Descriptive question: This question focuses on describing a situation, phenomenon, or property. For example, “What is the current level of environmental awareness among college students?”
Comparative question: This question compares two or more groups, situations, or variables to identify differences or similarities. For example, “What are the differences in learning performance between students who receive traditional education and students who receive online education?”
Evaluative question: This question focuses on assessing the effectiveness, efficiency, or impact of a particular program, policy, intervention, or activity. For example, ”To what extent has implementing a school recycling program helped reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfill?”
Exploratory question: This question is an open-ended question used in the early stages of research to generate new ideas and better understand the topic. For example, “What factors influence the perception of safety in urban neighborhoods?”

The selection of the research question is dependent on factors such as the topic’s nature, the availability of data, the research methodology, and the study’s specific objectives.

What are the criteria that a good research question should fulfill?

It is important that the research question be clear, specific, and relevant to the thesis topic and clearly indicate the research direction. The question must also fulfill the following criteria:

Researchable: The question needs to be capable of being researched using available methods and techniques. It should be possible to collect results that can answer the main question.
Feasible: The demand must be realistic given the available resources and time.
Original: The question needs to present a unique perspective within the field.
Complexity: The question should not be able to be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”. It should allow for analysis, interpretation, and discussion.
Relevant: Ensure that your question is relevant to your field, taking into consideration its scientific, social, and practical relevance.
Specific: The question needs to be clear and specific.
Defined: The question needs to be focused on a specific problem or topic.

Once you have formulated a good main question, it is time to formulate your sub-questions. These sub-questions serve as a guideline for your research and help you to answer your main question systematically. They focus on different aspects of the topic and contribute to a thorough analysis and understanding of the problem.