Academic writing is easy when a direction backs it up, the direction that is need-specific and step by step. The source of the direction may be a problem statement or research questions. Research questions are more effective in providing direction to the study. They outline key themes to be explored. But the question is, how to set a clear direction in your writing by using research questions? Experts of a research paper help firm have explored the answer to this query by explaining research questions in this article. Moreover, this article will outline ways of setting clear direction by using research questions.
1. Understanding Research Questions in a Study
Research questions refer to issues and problems that your study will focus on. It is an answerable inquiry to a specific issue. A research question is the foundation of the study. Moreover, it highlights what you will do in your study. They enable to conduct a study by following step by step guide. It identifies the tasks that your study needs to complete. There is no hard and fast rule of writing research questions. Each discipline has its requirements and instructions. A research question of social sciences will be different from biology’s research question. But the essential characteristics of research questions of every field are the same. These essential characteristics are as follows:
- It needs to be clear and focused.
- Research questions neither need to be too broad nor too narrow.
- They must be moderate to answer. Moderate means not very difficult and not very easy.
- They must be analytical rather than descriptive.
- They must be researchable and arguable.
- They should be answerable.
2. How to Create an Effective Research Question in a Study?
It is not challenging to create an effective research question. It is, in fact, a building block of a study. If it is good, it leads your study good. If it is bad, it leads your study bad. By following the steps discussed below, you can create an effective research question:
• Determine the requirements of the study.
Students need to determine what the study or assignment is about. Understand what the instructor wants from you in it.
• Choose a topic of the study
Identify a topic that needs to be focused on priority.
• Conduct robust preliminary research
Ensure that chosen topic is answerable and researchable. It needs to answer the key topic that is under focus.
• Narrow down your broad research question
Students can narrow down by separating less relevant themes. Keep it in mind that they should neither be too small nor too large.
• Write up an effective research question
Build a research question that is of high priority. Ensure that it is arguable and explorable enough to proceed.
3. What makes a good research question?
A good research question is the one that provides clear direction. It resolves the problem with a step-by-step framework. It identifies key issues that need to be researchable and answerable.
4. How to set a clear direction in your writing by using research questions?
Let’s understand how students can set a clear direction in writing by using research questions.
Step 1: Clear and Focused
The first step is to be clear about what your study will address. It is essential to obtain good marks and establish a direction in an appropriate way. The marker is unaware of the organisation or a cause you are exploring. It has certainly no knowledge as well as local context experience. It is you who is exploring an issue. You must have an in-depth knowledge and local context experience for this. Though it may be understandable to you, the assignment needs to be understandable by others as well.
This can be possible by your clear guidelines and directions in the introductory section of the writing. You need to focus on one specific issue or an area under study. With alack of direction in assignments, they get to fail. Your writing will be successful only if it is not carrying vague and ambiguous directions. Thus, the student should be aware of what the assignment is about as well as where it will potentially go.
Step 2: Narrow down your Focus
In this step, student needs to narrow down their direction. They can make it specific to the issue their writing is based on. But here, ensure that focus is moderate. It should neither too concise nor too extensive. Rather, it should be moderate enough to justify the theme with evidences.
Step 3: Answerable or Researchable
In this step, there is a need to ensure that the theme they have made is answerable. The theme can either be arguable or extendable.
For Instance, “What is the outcome of Entrepreneurial Leadership in a services industry?”
In this research question, the theme “Entrepreneurial Leadership” is answerable. It is answerable by the research, either qualitative or quantitative. Moreover, students need to ensure they are answerable within the word limit of the writing. So, a direction can be set in writing with answerable and researchable themes.
Step 4: Provide a guiding light for yourself as well
Students should make sure that they are writing relevant to the study. They are not deviating from a track as set by themselves. They should ensure this throughout the assignment. The aim is to overcome any gap if it remains.
5. What are the benefits of using research questions in writing?
Research questions have widespread benefits in writing. Some of the benefits of research questions are as follows;
- They outline a specific direction for your writing.
- They identify specific subjects that need to be focused on.
- They highlight priority themes of the study.
- They enable to conduct a study by following step by step guide.
- It provides room to research.
Final Thoughts
Research questions are effective in setting direction for a study. They establish a clear direction of the study in students’ minds. They are convenient to use. Also, they assist the student by outlining key issues to be explored. Importantly, they ensure these issues are answerable and researchable as well.
