Tips for Formulating Research Questions for Dissertations

Formulating a strong research question for your dissertation can be challenging, but following these tips can help guide the process:

1. Start with a Broad Topic

Begin by selecting a broad area of interest within your field. From there, narrow down your focus to a specific research problem or issue that intrigues you.
Example: If you’re interested in environmental science, you might start with “climate change” as a broad topic, then narrow it down to “climate change impacts on coastal cities.”

2. Break Down the Topic into Specific Questions

Identify specific aspects or angles of the broad topic that require deeper investigation. Think about what questions you would like to answer about this subject.
Example: If your topic is “climate change impacts on coastal cities,” you could break it down into questions like:
- “How does sea level rise affect urban infrastructure in coastal cities?”
- “What are the socio-economic impacts of climate change on coastal populations?”

3. Consider the Type of Study

Determine whether your research question will require a qualitative or quantitative approach (or a mixed-methods approach). Your question should align with the type of data you plan to collect and the methods you’ll use to analyze it.
Example:
- Qualitative question: “How do local governments in coastal cities perceive climate change risks?”
- Quantitative question: “What is the correlation between rising sea levels and property damage in coastal cities?”

4. Be Clear and Focused

Make sure your question is clear and straightforward. Avoid overly complex or multi-faceted questions that can become difficult to address in one dissertation. Focus on one issue at a time to keep the scope manageable.
Example: Instead of asking “How does climate change affect coastal cities, economies, and populations?”, narrow it to “What are the economic impacts of rising sea levels on property values in coastal cities?”

5. Ensure Answerability

Your question should be one that can be answered through research methods that you can realistically implement within the scope of your dissertation.
Consider what type of data you will need and whether it’s available to you. For example, can you conduct surveys, access relevant datasets, or interview participants?

6. Make It Original

Your research question should address a gap in existing research or propose a new perspective. Make sure that your question hasn’t been answered already or has been addressed in the same way.
Do a literature review to ensure that your research question brings something fresh to the academic conversation.

Published by oriaku