The process of figuring out how to ask a research question in measurable, testable ways is known as formulating a research question. This involves several key steps to ensure the question is specific, focused, and empirically testable:
- Start by identifying a broad topic of interest and conducting preliminary research to understand what is already known and what gaps exist
- Narrow the topic to a manageable research problem that is relevant, interesting, and important enough to warrant investigation
- Refine the research problem into a clear, concise question that is measurable and testable. This means the question should be framed so that it can be answered through data collection and analysis, often by specifying variables and the population to be studied
- Develop hypotheses from the research question that specify the relationships or effects to be observed and measured
- Ensure the research question is feasible to answer within practical constraints such as time, resources, and access to the target population
- The question should be focused on a single problem or issue, researchable through primary or secondary sources, specific enough to be answered thoroughly, and complex enough to allow for detailed analysis
In summary, formulating a research question is the process of transforming a general topic or idea into a precise, measurable, and testable question that guides the entire research project. This process promotes good research practice by focusing efforts on collecting relevant, meaningful data that can lead to valid conclusions
