Formulating a research question

In one line: a good study starts with one clear, narrow question, and the verb in your objective tells everyone whether the study is descriptive or analytical.

What this lecture's questions test

Out of the 30 questions on this lecture:

1. A good research question

• Start with a broad uncertainty and narrow it to one specific, researchable issue. Broadening is the wrong direction.
• FINER: Feasible, Interesting, Novel, Ethical, Relevant. "Reliable" is not in FINER, a favourite trap.
• Sources: gaps in the literature, new ideas and technology, clinical observation, teaching.
• A clear question decides the design, who to study, what to measure and when.
• The question says what you will investigate. What the results will contribute is the rationale, not the question.
• Framing it: review what is known → raise a question → decide whether it is worth investigating → define a measurable exposure and outcome.

Remember it: FINER, and narrow, never broad.

2. Descriptive or analytical?

• "To estimate the prevalence of anaemia in…" → descriptive.
• "To determine the effect of a diet programme on…" → analytical.
• A hypothesis is needed only when an association is being tested.

Remember it: estimate = describe. Determine = compare.

3. The research life cycle

Identify the data need → spell out the research question → formulate objectives → choose the design → collect data → analyse → interpret → formulate recommendations.

• First step: identify the data need. Last step: formulate recommendations, which lead to the next data need.
• Straight after the research question come the objectives.

4. Hypotheses and objectives

• A hypothesis is written before the study and never revised to fit the results. It is clear about participants and variables, and names one exposure and one outcome. It exists mainly for statistical testing.
• An objective has one action verb, is measurable, and states the outcome, population, place and time.
• Weak: "to understand anaemia in pregnancy." Better: "to estimate the prevalence of anaemia (Hb below 11 g/dL) among pregnant women attending one district hospital in 2026."

Watch out: one question asks which is not an ideal source of a research question. The key and standard teaching disagree; the app explains it on that question.

Last look before the exam

1. FINER. Reliable is not in it.
2. Estimate → descriptive. Determine or compare → analytical.
3. Descriptive questions need no hypothesis.
4. The life cycle starts with the data need and ends with recommendations.
5. Hypothesis before the data. One verb per objective.