How Many Research Questions Should You Have?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Brief: The Research question is the Primary organizing principle guiding you to analyze further. A

study should have a minimum of 3 questions and a maximum of 6 queries

. Once the research question is determined, the researcher should plan what the method suitable is.

Can a research question have two parts?


The more complex version is written in two parts

; it is thought provoking and requires both significant investigation and evaluation from the writer. As a general rule of thumb, if a quick Google search can answer a research question, it’s likely not very effective.

Can you have more than one research question?

Depending on the scope of your research,

you may identify just one question or several

. You may also have one primary research question and several secondary questions or sub-questions that relate to the same problem.

Can a research have one research question?

Depending on the scope of your research, you

may identify just one question or several

. You may also have one primary research question and several secondary questions or sub-questions that relate to the same problem.

Can you have sub research questions?

Sub-questions are narrower questions. They are important because they provide the ‘skeleton’ around which you will find information to answer your main research question. Good sub-questions should: Be ‘

open’ questions

(This means that they cannot be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer.

What are the 3 types of research questions?

  • Descriptive. When a study is designed primarily to describe what is going on or what exists. …
  • Relational. When a study is designed to look at the relationships between two or more variables. …
  • Causal.

What are the four types of research questions?

  • Exploratory Questions. Questions that are designed to understand more about a topic are exploratory questions. …
  • Predictive Questions. …
  • Interpretive Questions. …
  • Descriptive Questions. …
  • Comparative Questions. …
  • Relationship-Based Questions.

How many research questions are too many?

as a rule of thumb

5 to 10 questions at max is

OK. the upper limit is pragmatic because the more research questions one has, the more literature they need to produce, the more analysis they have to produce which makes impossible to manage too many questions.

What is a good qualitative research question?

A single sentence purpose statement should define a roadmap for the overall study. … Qualitative research questions often

contain words like lived experience, personal experience, understanding, meaning, and stories

. Qualitative research questions can change and evolve as the researcher conducts the study.

What are examples of sub-questions?

  • What role did the bombing of Tokyo have on Japan’s decision to surrender at the end of World War Two?
  • What role did the bombing of Hiroshima have on Japan’s decision to surrender at the end of World War Two?

How many sub research questions should you have?

You need

at least two sub-questions

, three is better, you can even create more. You can use topic keywords or alternate keywords to craft your sub-questions. Time to challenge yourself with examples !

How do you formulate a sub problem?

  1. Take the Problem Statement you created and isolate the possible subproblem areas, places where you can conduct research. …
  2. Write a subproblem for each subproblem area, keeping in mind the same guidelines as used in writing the Problem Statement.

What is a bad research question?

A bad research question is

too abstract and general

. Public finance, human resource management, inequality and poverty, e-government, social welfare, or corruption is not specific enough.

How do you come up with a quantitative research question?

  • Choose your starting phrase.
  • Identify and name the dependent variable.
  • Identify the group(s) you are interested in.
  • Decide whether the dependent variable or group(s) should be included first, last or in two parts.
  • Include any words that provide greater context to your question.

What are the characteristics of a good research question?

The characteristics of a good research question, assessed in the context of the intended study design, are that it

be feasible, interesting, novel, ethical, and relevant

(which form the mnemonic FINER; Table 2.1).

Carlos Perez
Author
Carlos Perez
Carlos Perez is an education expert and teacher with over 20 years of experience working with youth. He holds a degree in education and has taught in both public and private schools, as well as in community-based organizations. Carlos is passionate about empowering young people and helping them reach their full potential through education and mentorship.