Dissertation Research Questions
A research question is one around which you can center your research. A good research question is essential to guide the research paper, project, or thesis. It pinpoints exactly what you want to find out and gives your work a clear focus and purpose. A research question focuses on the elements that a research project sets out to answer. Choosing a research question is an essential element of both quantitative and qualitative research. Investigation requires data collection and analysis, and the methodology for this will vary widely.

According to a PhD dissertation writing service, good research questions seek to improve knowledge on an important topic and are usually narrow and specific. It is necessary to understand that specifying the research question is one of the first methodological steps the investigator has to take when undertaking research. Having an interest in or knowledge of a particular subject can help you come up with a research question that will make the dissertation writing process smooth and convenient. A research question should have the following qualities:
  • It should be clear – it should provide enough specifics that the readers can understand the purpose clearly without needing any further explanation
  • It should be focused – it should be narrow enough to provide answers thoroughly in the given word limit or space
  • It should be concise – it must be expressed in the fewest possible words
  • It should be complex – while it must not be answerable with a simple yes or no, it should require synthesis and analysis of ideas and sources before the composition of the answer
  • It should be arguable – the potential answer or answers must be open to debate rather than accept facts

It is necessary to ask a research question about an issue that you are genuinely curious or passionate about and has been developed for the discipline that you are studying and researching. Research questions help researchers and writers focus on their research by offering them a path through the research and writing process.

Why Is A Research Question Essential To The Research Process?

Research questions help writers focus their research by providing a path through the research and writing process. The specificity of a well-developed research question facilitates writers to avoid the “all-about” paper and work toward supporting a specific, arguable thesis.

Ways That Will Help To Formulate Dissertation Research Questions:

Choose An Interesting General Topic:

Most of the researchers focus on the topics they are highly interested in studying. However, more important is choosing a topic that they want to know more about and explore in detail so they are motivated to work. The more they research, the better dissertation research question they will be able to formulate.

Carry Out Some Initial Research On The Topic:

Before starting to formulate the research question, it is important to do a quick search on the current periodicals and journals related to the topic to see what has already been done. It will not only help to narrow down your focus but also help you avoid repeating the same time in the same way. Check out what issues scholars and researchers are discussing, how it is related to your topic, and what questions come to your mind when you go through them.

Keep In Mind Your Readership:

Before starting to formulate your research question and moving forward with the research, you must keep in mind your readership so that you do things the right way. Narrow down your topic and develop your question keeping in mind if your audience will be interested in the question you are developing.

Start Asking Questions:

When you are going through this process, you must ask yourself open-ended questions like ‘how’ and ‘why’ about the general topic. Unless you explore the topic and continue to raise questions related to the research, you will not be able to formulate a research question that is interesting, motivating, and keeps the readers engaged.

Evaluate The Question:

After you have put a question or even a couple of questions down on paper, evaluate these questions to determine whether they would be effective research questions or whether they need more revising and refining.

You must think through the philosophical standpoint and the kinds of data you are going to need for the dissertation and understand what the research question involves. It will also define your project and mark the boundaries of your work, driving data collection and analysis and give your research a clear purpose. After you have considered all these aspects and worked on them, it is important to think about the possible paths your research could take. With the right sources and research material, you will be able to formulate dissertation research questions.