1 The research question

Understanding the Research Problem and the Role of the Research Question

This section will help you understand the importance of the research problem and the role of the research question. Good research begins with a problem—something that requires explanation, investigation, or resolution. This research problem often emerges from personal interest, professional practice, policy gaps, or gaps in the literature. It sets the broad context and frames the rationale for your study.

From the research problem, a research question emerges. The research question translates the broader issue into a specific, answerable inquiry. If you cannot clearly articulate your research question, it is difficult to ensure you are answering it effectively. One way to establish a strong basis for your argument or research intentions is to have a good research question. Good research has a strong argument. Depending on the type of research undertaken, a position or premise could be proposed, or a hypothesis stated with a possible explanation for something that can then be tested. The argument may develop as you conduct your research, or while you analyse and write up the results.

For example, a research problem might be: “Despite investment in digital health systems in Aotearoa/New Zealand, timely access to reliable patient information remains inconsistent across regions.” A corresponding research question could be: “What factors contribute to inconsistent access to digital patient information across health regions in Aotearoa/New Zealand?”

Purpose of the Research Question

The research question outlines the specific focus and scope of the research. The purpose of the research question includes:

• Guidance for research design: The research question informs the choice of research design and methodology.
• Relevance and significance: A well-formulated question establishes the relevance and significance of the research.
• Clarity and precision: A precise research question aids in feasibility assessment and organisation of the research process.
• Feasibility: The question helps assess whether the study is realistic and achievable.
• Organisation of the study: The research question guides the overall structure of the study.
• Hypothesis testing (if applicable): In some methodologies, the question provides the basis for formulating hypotheses.
• Communication of intent: The question communicates the researcher’s purpose.
• Evaluation criterion: It serves as a benchmark for assessing whether the research was successful.
• Sustained focus: The question remains a constant reference point throughout the research process.
• Foundation for the literature review: It guides the review by helping identify relevant literature and knowledge gaps.

Importantly, research questions are not fixed. They often evolve during the research process as you review the literature, integrate relevant theories, and reflect on your methodological approach. Refinement is natural and necessary.

Types of Research Questions

Research questions differ by methodological approach:

• Quantitative research tends to use closed-ended questions that measure variables or test hypotheses (e.g., “What is the relationship between student internet access and academic achievement?”).
• Qualitative research uses open-ended questions to explore experiences or meanings (e.g., “How do first-year university students experience academic support services?”).
• Mixed methods research blends both, or asks questions that can be explored from multiple perspectives.

Frameworks such as PICOT (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Time) and FINER (Feasible, Interesting, Novel, Ethical, Relevant) can help construct and evaluate research questions—particularly in health and social sciences.

(See: Onwuegbuzie & Leech, 2006; Ritchie et al., 2014)

Common Pitfalls in Research Question Design

Avoid the following:

• Being too broad: e.g., “How does education affect society?”
• Lack of specificity: e.g., “What are the impacts of technology?”
• Yes/no questions: e.g., “Does policy X work?”
• Ambiguous wording: Avoid vague concepts or technical jargon not shared across disciplines: “Is life getting better?”

Good research questions are focused, precise, and rooted in real-world problems or knowledge gaps.

From Research Question to Key Concepts

Once you have a clear question, the next step is to break it into its key concepts. These are the core ideas your research will explore. In this chapter, we use the term key concepts rather than “theoretical concepts,” “conceptual constructs,” or “conceptual frameworks” to avoid confusion.

For example, take the question: “How have recent housing policies in Tāmaki Makaurau affected new immigrants’ access to affordable housing and their integration into local communities?”

Key concepts include:

• Housing policies
• New immigrants
• Affordable housing
• Community integration
• Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland

Identifying synonyms and related terms will help you search for literature more effectively:

• Housing: public housing, state housing, urban development, housing access
• New immigrants: migrants, refugees, settlement, immigrant communities
• Integration: social cohesion, belonging, neighbourhood inclusion
• Location: Auckland, urban Aotearoa, New Zealand cities

Use Boolean operators in databases to build effective search queries. For example:

• “housing policy” AND immigrants AND Auckland
• immigrants AND “social integration” OR “community cohesion”

Theoretical Concepts and Frameworks

In some disciplines, researchers use the term theoretical concepts to describe the fundamental ideas, models, or constructs that underpin a research question. These theoretical concepts can provide a lens through which data is interpreted and help position your study within a broader academic conversation.

A theoretical concept is more than just a keyword—it reflects a discipline-specific idea or framework that gives depth to your question. For instance, a study exploring community integration might draw on concepts from social capital theory, acculturation, or intersectionality.

Key points about theoretical concepts:

• They should be recognisable within academic literature and discourse.
• They are linked to your methodology—e.g., using a constructivist lens in qualitative research.
• They support analysis and interpretation of your findings.

A theoretical framework may emerge as you refine your question and begin reviewing the literature. In some projects, this becomes a formal part of your research design.

By identifying your key theoretical concept(s) early, you improve the clarity and focus of your research, and make it easier to evaluate and interpret your results.

Evaluating Key Concepts

Your key concepts should be:

• Recognisable: They appear in existing academic literature, or are aligned to real world phenomena, organisations or locations, such as the Auckland housing example above
• Technically aligned: Consistent with disciplinary terminology
• Specific: Narrow enough to focus your research

For instance, instead of “health information systems,” you might focus on “decentralised health information systems in general practice.”

Thinking About Data

A strong research question does not lock you into one method. Consider multiple data collection approaches:

• Interviews
• Surveys
• Meta-analysis
• Regional case studies
• Experiments

Your discipline might influence methodological choices, but staying open to different data types supports robust research design.

Significance and Contribution

A strong question adds value. It should:

• Identify what intrigues you about the topic
• Suggest a contribution to existing knowledge
• Reflect your specialist knowledge or practice context

For example, a study of health information systems might aim to suggest ways to make information more timely and reliable in the Aotearoa/New Zealand context.

Originality and Surprise

Avoid predictable questions that confirm the status quo. Instead, aim for:

• Unexplored or emerging issues
• Unexpected relationships
• Nuanced, surprising insights

Compare:

• Unsurprising: “How do health information systems fail to provide reliable information?”
• Surprising: “What effect did the COVID-19 pandemic have on the sharing of clinical patient data across health information systems in New Zealand?”

Robustness

Robust questions:

• Generate multiple insights
• Avoid yes/no answers
• Reveal complexity

Example (non-robust): “How do housing policies affect communities in Aotearoa?”

Example (robust): “How have recent housing policies in Tāmaki Makaurau affected new immigrants’ access to affordable housing and their integration into local communities?”

Robust questions support richer analysis and more actionable findings. They may also uncover unexpected patterns or consequences.

Conclusion

A good research question:

• Emerges from a well-defined research problem
• Provides a clear purpose and focus
• Evolves with the research process
• Aligns with your methodology
• Identifies key concepts for searching
• Avoids common pitfalls
• Offers potential for meaningful, original insights

Crafting a focused and robust research question is a foundational skill that sets you up for success in academic research.

Acknowledgment

This chapter was adapted from AIRS: Advanced Information Research Skills and further developed by Peter Quin.

Further Reading

Leedy, P., & Ormrod, J. (2020). Practical research: Planning and design (Global Edition). Pearson Education.

O’Leary, Z. (2021). The essential guide to doing your research project (4th ed.). SAGE.

Onwuegbuzie, A. J., & Leech, N. L. (2006). Linking research questions to mixed methods data analysis procedures. The Qualitative Report, 11(3), 474-498. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2006.1663

QUT Library. (2024, December 1). AIRS: Advanced Information Research Skills. https://airs.library.qut.edu.au/

Ritchie, J., Lewis, J., McNaughton Nicholls, C., & Ormston, R. (Eds.). (2014). Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers (2nd ed.). SAGE.