Research QuestionWOMAN AND CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH UNIT, FERNANDEZ HOSPITAL, HYDERABAD, INDIA

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The Question The Research Question forms the basis for the research and is arguably the most important

part of the research

The research question is derived from the hypothesis and is a logical continuation of the

hypothesis

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Importance of the Question The research question helps you plan the research in an appropriate manner conserving

resources that include your time, effort and costs

A vague question or a series of unrelated questions will clutter the research process and make

it difficult to obtain clear answers

More clutter leads to more noise and less focus

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The Research Question A well thought out research question will inform about

The focus of the research,

The scope of the research

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Different Questions The most common questions in research are

Questions whose time has passed

Questions whose time is now

Questions whose time has not yet come

Questions that look bad because the answers make them look bad

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Finding the Questions A question of interest may come in to your mind in many ways

A critical reading of the scientific literature

Clinical experience

Personal experience

Interactions with peers and experts

Observations

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Research Questions-SMART S- Sharp, Specific , Simple to understand (not couched in layers of complex language) and

Seeking new knowledge

M- Measurable- Able to assess pertinent variables and outcomes

A- Achievable within a realistic (realistic from the point of several stakeholders) timeframe

R- Relevant and not Rehashing- value additions to existing knowledge or adding new knowledge

T- Time bound-Preferably obtain relevant answers within the lifetime of the investigators

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Question-Hypothesis driven Start from the answer. Write down the answer you seek. The final result may or may not be the

same as the answer you seek, so this does serve like a hypothesis.

Explore your answer or hypothesis critically. Is it sharp and focused? Is it too broad or too

narrow?

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Question-Hypothesis drivenFraming a smart question is difficult if the hypothesis is too vague.

Framing a smart question is difficult if the hypothesis is too broad

Framing a smart question is possible if the hypothesis is too narrow, however, one needs to

consider if the research maybe worth the while if it cannot be generalized to a larger

population.

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Question-Hypothesis driven Rephrase your hypothesis. Write down alternate hypothesis (at least two and up to 5). If you

cannot write at least two alternate hypotheses, maybe the hypothesis is too narrow. If you can

write many alternate hypotheses, maybe the hypothesis is too broad.

Critically examine the hypothesis and the alternate hypotheses. Which is the most focused

and sharp of them all (Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, help me out here, please)

.

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Question-Hypothesis driven After writing down the hypothesis, start work on writing the research question.

Write the research question that addresses the hypothesis

Write down 2-5 alternate research questions that address the stated hypothesis

Critically examine the questions. Which one of these questions are most smart or pertinent to

the stated hypothesis

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Focused Questions If you have no inkling of what the answer to a question maybe, you will end up on a fishing

expedition. The answers may stare you in the face but you will not see them because the mind

is not aware of them, or there are just too many fish that you are unable to find the fish you

seek!

NO HYPOTHESIS- NO QUESTION

NO QUESTION- NO RESEARCH- NO ANSWERS

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Caveat

Not all questions can be pursued to their logical conclusions even if the questions are focused

and relevant

Focused questions need not necessarily lead to clear answers- the answers may very well end

up muddying the waters!

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