research questions in qualitative research example

83 Qualitative Research Questions & Examples

Qualitative research questions help you understand consumer sentiment. They’re strategically designed to show organizations how and why people feel the way they do about a brand, product, or service. It looks beyond the numbers and is one of the most telling types of market research a company can do.

The UK Data Service describes this perfectly, saying, “The value of qualitative research is that it gives a voice to the lived experience .”

Read on to see seven use cases and 83 qualitative research questions, with the added bonus of examples that show how to get similar insights faster with Similarweb Research Intelligence.

What is a qualitative research question?

A qualitative research question explores a topic in-depth, aiming to better understand the subject through interviews, observations, and other non-numerical data. Qualitative research questions are open-ended, helping to uncover a target audience’s opinions, beliefs, and motivations.

How to choose qualitative research questions?

Choosing the right qualitative research questions can be incremental to the success of your research and the findings you uncover. Here’s my six-step process for choosing the best qualitative research questions.

• Start by understanding the purpose of your research. What do you want to learn? What outcome are you hoping to achieve?
• Consider who you are researching. What are their experiences, attitudes, and beliefs? How can you best capture these in your research questions ?
• Keep your questions open-ended . Qualitative research questions should not be too narrow or too broad. Aim to ask specific questions to provide meaningful answers but broad enough to allow for exploration.
• Balance your research questions. You don’t want all of your questions to be the same type. Aim to mix up your questions to get a variety of answers.
• Ensure your research questions are ethical and free from bias. Always have a second (and third) person check for unconscious bias.
• Consider the language you use. Your questions should be written in a way that is clear and easy to understand. Avoid using jargon , acronyms, or overly technical language.

Types of qualitative research questions

For a question to be considered qualitative, it usually needs to be open-ended. However, as I’ll explain, there can sometimes be a slight cross-over between quantitative and qualitative research questions.

Open-ended questions

These allow for a wide range of responses and can be formatted with multiple-choice answers or a free-text box to collect additional details. The next two types of qualitative questions are considered open questions, but each has its own style and purpose.

• Probing questions are used to delve deeper into a respondent’s thoughts, such as “Can you tell me more about why you feel that way?”
• Comparative questions ask people to compare two or more items, such as “Which product do you prefer and why?” These qualitative questions are highly useful for understanding brand awareness , competitive analysis , and more.

Closed-ended questions

These ask respondents to choose from a predetermined set of responses, such as “On a scale of 1-5, how satisfied are you with the new product?” While they’re traditionally quantitative, adding a free text box that asks for extra comments into why a specific rating was chosen will provide qualitative insights alongside their respective quantitative research question responses.

• Ranking questions get people to rank items in order of preference, such as “Please rank these products in terms of quality.” They’re advantageous in many scenarios, like product development, competitive analysis, and brand awareness.
• Likert scale questions ask people to rate items on a scale, such as “On a scale of 1-5, how satisfied are you with the new product?” Ideal for placement on websites and emails to gather quick, snappy feedback.

Qualitative research question examples

There are many applications of qualitative research and lots of ways you can put your findings to work for the success of your business. Here’s a summary of the most common use cases for qualitative questions and examples to ask.

Qualitative questions for identifying customer needs and motivations

These types of questions help you find out why customers choose products or services and what they are looking for when making a purchase.

• What factors do you consider when deciding to buy a product?
• What would make you choose one product or service over another?
• What are the most important elements of a product that you would buy?
• What features do you look for when purchasing a product?
• What qualities do you look for in a company’s products?
• Do you prefer localized or global brands when making a purchase?
• How do you determine the value of a product?
• What do you think is the most important factor when choosing a product?
• How do you decide if a product or service is worth the money?
• Do you have any specific expectations when purchasing a product?
• Do you prefer to purchase products or services online or in person?
• What kind of customer service do you expect when buying a product?
• How do you decide when it is time to switch to a different product?
• Where do you research products before you decide to buy?
• What do you think is the most important customer value when making a purchase?

Qualitative research questions to enhance customer experience

Use these questions to reveal insights into how customers interact with a company’s products or services and how those experiences can be improved.

• What aspects of our product or service do customers find most valuable?
• How do customers perceive our customer service?
• What factors are most important to customers when purchasing?
• What do customers think of our brand?
• What do customers think of our current marketing efforts?
• How do customers feel about the features and benefits of our product?
• How do customers feel about the price of our product or service?
• How could we improve the customer experience?
• What do customers think of our website or app?
• What do customers think of our customer support?
• What could we do to make our product or service easier to use?
• What do customers think of our competitors?
• What is your preferred way to access our site?
• How do customers feel about our delivery/shipping times?
• What do customers think of our loyalty programs?

Qualitative research question example for customer experience

• ‍♀️ Question: What is your preferred way to access our site?
• Insight sought: How mobile-dominant are consumers? Should you invest more in mobile optimization or mobile marketing?
• Challenges with traditional qualitative research methods: While using this type of question is ideal if you have a large database to survey when placed on a site or sent to a limited customer list, it only gives you a point-in-time perspective from a limited group of people.
• A new approach: You can get better, broader insights quicker with Similarweb Digital Research Intelligence. To fully inform your research, you need to know preferences at the industry or market level.
• ⏰ Time to insight: 30 seconds
• ✅ How it’s done: Similarweb offers multiple ways to answer this question without going through a lengthy qualitative research process. 

First, I’m going to do a website market analysis of the banking credit and lending market in the finance sector to get a clearer picture of industry benchmarks.

Here, I can view device preferences across any industry or market instantly. It shows me the device distribution for any country across any period. This clearly answers the question of how mobile dominate my target audience is , with 59.79% opting to access site via a desktop vs. 40.21% via mobile

I then use the trends section to show me the exact split between mobile and web traffic for each key player in my space. Let’s say I’m about to embark on a competitive campaign that targets customers of Chase and Bank of America ; I can see both their audiences are highly desktop dominant compared with others in their space .

Qualitative question examples for developing new products or services

Research questions like this can help you understand customer pain points and give you insights to develop products that meet those needs.

• What is the primary reason you would choose to purchase a product from our company?
• How do you currently use products or services that are similar to ours?
• Is there anything that could be improved with products currently on the market?
• What features would you like to see added to our products?
• How do you prefer to contact a customer service team?
• What do you think sets our company apart from our competitors?
• What other product or service offerings would like to see us offer?
• What type of information would help you make decisions about buying a product?
• What type of advertising methods are most effective in getting your attention?
• What is the biggest deterrent to purchasing products from us?

Qualitative research question example for service development

• ‍♀️ Question: What type of advertising methods are most effective in getting your attention?
• Insight sought: The marketing channels and/or content that performs best with a target audience .
• Challenges with traditional qualitative research methods: When using qualitative research surveys to answer questions like this, the sample size is limited, and bias could be at play.
• A better approach: The most authentic insights come from viewing real actions and results that take place in the digital world. No questions or answers are needed to uncover this intel, and the information you seek is readily available in less than a minute.
• ⏰ Time to insight: 5 minutes
• ✅ How it’s done: There are a few ways to approach this. You can either take an industry-wide perspective or hone in on specific competitors to unpack their individual successes. Here, I’ll quickly show a snapshot with a whole market perspective.

Using the market analysis element of Similarweb Digital Intelligence, I select my industry or market, which I’ve kept as banking and credit. A quick click into marketing channels shows me which channels drive the highest traffic in my market. Taking direct traffic out of the equation, for now, I can see that referrals and organic traffic are the two highest-performing channels in this market.

Similarweb allows me to view the specific referral partners and pages across these channels. 

Looking closely at referrals in this market, I’ve chosen chase.com and its five closest rivals . I select referrals in the channel traffic element of marketing channels. I see that Capital One is a clear winner, gaining almost 25 million visits due to referral partnerships.

Next, I get to see exactly who is referring traffic to Capital One and the total traffic share for each referrer. I can see the growth as a percentage and how that has changed, along with an engagement score that rates the average engagement level of that audience segment. This is particularly useful when deciding on which new referral partnerships to pursue.  

Once I’ve identified the channels and campaigns that yield the best results, I can then use Similarweb to dive into the various ad creatives and content that have the greatest impact.

These ads are just a few of those listed in the creatives section from my competitive website analysis of Capital One. You can filter this list by the specific campaign, publishers, and ad networks to view those that matter to you most. You can also discover video ad creatives in the same place too.

In just five minutes ⏰ 

• I’ve captured audience loyalty statistics across my market
• Spotted the most competitive players
• Identified the marketing channels my audience is most responsive to
• I know which content and campaigns are driving the highest traffic volume
• I’ve created a target list for new referral partners and have been able to prioritize this based on results and engagement figures from my rivals
• I can see the types of creatives that my target audience is responding to, giving me ideas for ways to generate effective copy for future campaigns

Qualitative questions to determine pricing strategies

Companies need to make sure pricing stays relevant and competitive. Use these questions to determine customer perceptions on pricing and develop pricing strategies to maximize profits and reduce churn.

• How do you feel about our pricing structure?
• How does our pricing compare to other similar products?
• What value do you feel you get from our pricing?
• How could we make our pricing more attractive?
• What would be an ideal price for our product?
• Which features of our product that you would like to see priced differently?
• What discounts or deals would you like to see us offer?
• How do you feel about the amount you have to pay for our product?

Get Faster Answers to Qualitative Research Questions with Similarweb Today

Qualitative research question example for determining pricing strategies.

• ‍♀️ Question: What discounts or deals would you like to see us offer?
• Insight sought: The promotions or campaigns that resonate with your target audience.
• Challenges with traditional qualitative research methods: Consumers don’t always recall the types of ads or campaigns they respond to. Over time, their needs and habits change. Your sample size is limited to those you ask, leaving a huge pool of unknowns at play.
• A better approach: While qualitative insights are good to know, you get the most accurate picture of the highest-performing promotion and campaigns by looking at data collected directly from the web. These analytics are real-world, real-time, and based on the collective actions of many, instead of the limited survey group you approach. By getting a complete picture across an entire market, your decisions are better informed and more aligned with current market trends and behaviors.
• ✅ How it’s done: Similarweb’s Popular Pages feature shows the content, products, campaigns, and pages with the highest growth for any website. So, if you’re trying to unpack the successes of others in your space and find out what content resonates with a target audience, there’s a far quicker way to get answers to these questions with Similarweb.

Here, I’m using Capital One as an example site. I can see trending pages on their site showing the largest increase in page views. Other filters include campaign, best-performing, and new–each of which shows you page URLs, share of traffic, and growth as a percentage. This page is particularly useful for staying on top of trending topics , campaigns, and new content being pushed out in a market by key competitors.

Qualitative research questions for product development teams

It’s vital to stay in touch with changing consumer needs. These questions can also be used for new product or service development, but this time, it’s from the perspective of a product manager or development team. 

• What are customers’ primary needs and wants for this product?
• What do customers think of our current product offerings?
• What is the most important feature or benefit of our product?
• How can we improve our product to meet customers’ needs better?
• What do customers like or dislike about our competitors’ products?
• What do customers look for when deciding between our product and a competitor’s?
• How have customer needs and wants for this product changed over time?
• What motivates customers to purchase this product?
• What is the most important thing customers want from this product?
• What features or benefits are most important when selecting a product?
• What do customers perceive to be our product’s pros and cons?
• What would make customers switch from a competitor’s product to ours?
• How do customers perceive our product in comparison to similar products?
• What do customers think of our pricing and value proposition?
• What do customers think of our product’s design, usability, and aesthetics?

Qualitative questions examples to understand customer segments

Market segmentation seeks to create groups of consumers with shared characteristics. Use these questions to learn more about different customer segments and how to target them with tailored messaging.

• What motivates customers to make a purchase?
• How do customers perceive our brand in comparison to our competitors?
• How do customers feel about our product quality?
• How do customers define quality in our products?
• What factors influence customers’ purchasing decisions ?
• What are the most important aspects of customer service?
• What do customers think of our customer service?
• What do customers think of our pricing?
• How do customers rate our product offerings?
• How do customers prefer to make purchases (online, in-store, etc.)?

Qualitative research question example for understanding customer segments

• ‍♀️ Question: Which social media channels are you most active on?
• Insight sought: Formulate a social media strategy . Specifically, the social media channels most likely to succeed with a target audience.
• Challenges with traditional qualitative research methods: Qualitative research question responses are limited to those you ask, giving you a limited sample size. Questions like this are usually at risk of some bias, and this may not be reflective of real-world actions.
• A better approach: Get a complete picture of social media preferences for an entire market or specific audience belonging to rival firms. Insights are available in real-time, and are based on the actions of many, not a select group of participants. Data is readily available, easy to understand, and expandable at a moment’s notice.
• ✅ How it’s done: Using Similarweb’s website analysis feature, you can get a clear breakdown of social media stats for your audience using the marketing channels element. It shows the percentage of visits from each channel to your site, respective growth, and specific referral pages by each platform. All data is expandable, meaning you can select any platform, period, and region to drill down and get more accurate intel, instantly.

This example shows me Bank of America’s social media distribution, with YouTube , Linkedin , and Facebook taking the top three spots, and accounting for almost 80% of traffic being driven from social media.

When doing any type of market research, it’s important to benchmark performance against industry averages and perform a social media competitive analysis to verify rival performance across the same channels.

Qualitative questions to inform competitive analysis

Organizations must assess market sentiment toward other players to compete and beat rival firms. Whether you want to increase market share , challenge industry leaders , or reduce churn, understanding how people view you vs. the competition is key.

• What is the overall perception of our competitors’ product offerings in the market?
• What attributes do our competitors prioritize in their customer experience?
• What strategies do our competitors use to differentiate their products from ours?
• How do our competitors position their products in relation to ours?
• How do our competitors’ pricing models compare to ours?
• What do consumers think of our competitors’ product quality?
• What do consumers think of our competitors’ customer service?
• What are the key drivers of purchase decisions in our market?
• What is the impact of our competitors’ marketing campaigns on our market share ? 10. How do our competitors leverage social media to promote their products?

Qualitative research question example for competitive analysis

• ‍♀️ Question: What other companies do you shop with for x?
• Insight sought: W ho are your competitors? Which of your rival’s sites do your customers visit? How loyal are consumers in your market?
• Challenges with traditional qualitative research methods:  Sample size is limited, and customers could be unwilling to reveal which competitors they shop with, or how often they around. Where finances are involved, people can act with reluctance or bias, and be unwilling to reveal other suppliers they do business with.
• A better approach: Get a complete picture of your audience’s loyalty, see who else they shop with, and how many other sites they visit in your competitive group. Find out the size of the untapped opportunity and which players are doing a better job at attracting unique visitors – without having to ask people to reveal their preferences.
• ✅ How it’s done: Similarweb website analysis shows you the competitive sites your audience visits, giving you access to data that shows cross-visitation habits, audience loyalty, and untapped potential in a matter of minutes.

Using the audience interests element of Similarweb website analysis, you can view the cross-browsing behaviors of a website’s audience instantly. You can see a matrix that shows the percentage of visitors on a target site and any rival site they may have visited.

With the Similarweb audience overlap feature, view the cross-visitation habits of an audience across specific websites. In this example, I chose chase.com and its four closest competitors to review. For each intersection, you see the number of unique visitors and the overall proportion of each site’s audience it represents. It also shows the volume of unreached potential visitors.

Here, you can see a direct comparison of the audience loyalty represented in a bar graph. It shows a breakdown of each site’s audience based on how many other sites they have visited. Those sites with the highest loyalty show fewer additional sites visited.

From the perspective of chase.com, I can see 47% of their visitors do not visit rival sites. 33% of their audience visited 1 or more sites in this group, 14% visited 2 or more sites, 4% visited 3 or more sites, and just 0.8% viewed all sites in this comparison. 

How to answer qualitative research questions with Similarweb

Similarweb Research Intelligence drastically improves market research efficiency and time to insight. Both of these can impact the bottom line and the pace at which organizations can adapt and flex when markets shift, and rivals change tactics.

Outdated practices, while still useful, take time . And with a quicker, more efficient way to garner similar insights, opting for the fast lane puts you at a competitive advantage.

With a birds-eye view of the actions and behaviors of companies and consumers across a market , you can answer certain research questions without the need to plan, do, and review extensive qualitative market research .

Wrapping up

Qualitative research methods have been around for centuries. From designing the questions to finding the best distribution channels, collecting and analyzing findings takes time to get the insights you need. Similarweb Digital Research Intelligence drastically improves efficiency and time to insight. Both of which impact the bottom line and the pace at which organizations can adapt and flex when markets shift.

Similarweb’s suite of digital intelligence solutions offers unbiased, accurate, honest insights you can trust for analyzing any industry, market, or audience.

• Methodologies used for data collection are robust, transparent, and trustworthy.
• Clear presentation of data via an easy-to-use, intuitive platform.
• It updates dynamically–giving you the freshest data about an industry or market.
• Data is available via an API – so you can plug into platforms like Tableau or PowerBI to streamline your analyses.
• Filter and refine results according to your needs.

Are quantitative or qualitative research questions best?

Both have their place and purpose in market research. Qualitative research questions seek to provide details, whereas quantitative market research gives you numerical statistics that are easier and quicker to analyze. You get more flexibility with qualitative questions, and they’re non-directional.

What are the advantages of qualitative research?

Qualitative research is advantageous because it allows researchers to better understand their subject matter by exploring people’s attitudes, behaviors, and motivations in a particular context. It also allows researchers to uncover new insights that may not have been discovered with quantitative research methods.

What are some of the challenges of qualitative research?

Qualitative research can be time-consuming and costly, typically involving in-depth interviews and focus groups. Additionally, there are challenges associated with the reliability and validity of the collected data, as there is no universal standard for interpreting the results.

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Qualitative Research Questions: Gain Powerful Insights + 25 Examples

We review the basics of qualitative research questions, including their key components, how to craft them effectively, & 25 example questions.

Einstein was many things—a physicist, a philosopher, and, undoubtedly, a mastermind. He also had an incredible way with words. His quote, "Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted," is particularly poignant when it comes to research. 

Some inquiries call for a quantitative approach, for counting and measuring data in order to arrive at general conclusions. Other investigations, like qualitative research, rely on deep exploration and understanding of individual cases in order to develop a greater understanding of the whole. That’s what we’re going to focus on today.

Qualitative research questions focus on the "how" and "why" of things, rather than the "what". They ask about people's experiences and perceptions , and can be used to explore a wide range of topics.

The following article will discuss the basics of qualitative research questions, including their key components, and how to craft them effectively. You'll also find 25 examples of effective qualitative research questions you can use as inspiration for your own studies.

Let’s get started!

What are qualitative research questions, and when are they used?

When researchers set out to conduct a study on a certain topic, their research is chiefly directed by an overarching question . This question provides focus for the study and helps determine what kind of data will be collected.

By starting with a question, we gain parameters and objectives for our line of research. What are we studying? For what purpose? How will we know when we’ve achieved our goals?

Of course, some of these questions can be described as quantitative in nature. When a research question is quantitative, it usually seeks to measure or calculate something in a systematic way.

For example:

• How many people in our town use the library?
• What is the average income of families in our city?
• How much does the average person weigh?

Other research questions, however—and the ones we will be focusing on in this article—are qualitative in nature. Qualitative research questions are open-ended and seek to explore a given topic in-depth.

According to the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry , “Qualitative research aims to address questions concerned with developing an understanding of the meaning and experience dimensions of humans’ lives and social worlds.”

This type of research can be used to gain a better understanding of people’s thoughts, feelings and experiences by “addressing questions beyond ‘what works’, towards ‘what works for whom when, how and why, and focusing on intervention improvement rather than accreditation,” states one paper in Neurological Research and Practice .

Qualitative questions often produce rich data that can help researchers develop hypotheses for further quantitative study.

• What are people’s thoughts on the new library?
• How does it feel to be a first-generation student at our school?
• How do people feel about the changes taking place in our town?

As stated by a paper in Human Reproduction , “...‘qualitative’ methods are used to answer questions about experience, meaning, and perspective, most often from the standpoint of the participant. These data are usually not amenable to counting or measuring.”

Both quantitative and qualitative questions have their uses; in fact, they often complement each other. A well-designed research study will include a mix of both types of questions in order to gain a fuller understanding of the topic at hand.

If you would like to recruit unlimited participants for qualitative research for free and only pay for the interview you conduct, try using Respondent  today. 

Crafting qualitative research questions for powerful insights

Now that we have a basic understanding of what qualitative research questions are and when they are used, let’s take a look at how you can begin crafting your own.

According to a study in the International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, there is a certain process researchers should follow when crafting their questions, which we’ll explore in more depth.

1. Beginning the process 

Start with a point of interest or curiosity, and pose a draft question or ‘self-question’. What do you want to know about the topic at hand? What is your specific curiosity? You may find it helpful to begin by writing several questions.

For example, if you’re interested in understanding how your customer base feels about a recent change to your product, you might ask: 

• What made you decide to try the new product?
• How do you feel about the change?
• What do you think of the new design/functionality?
• What benefits do you see in the change?

2. Create one overarching, guiding question 

At this point, narrow down the draft questions into one specific question. “Sometimes, these broader research questions are not stated as questions, but rather as goals for the study.”

As an example of this, you might narrow down these three questions: 

into the following question: 

• What are our customers’ thoughts on the recent change to our product?

3. Theoretical framing 

As you read the relevant literature and apply theory to your research, the question should be altered to achieve better outcomes. Experts agree that pursuing a qualitative line of inquiry should open up the possibility for questioning your original theories and altering the conceptual framework with which the research began.

If we continue with the current example, it’s possible you may uncover new data that informs your research and changes your question. For instance, you may discover that customers’ feelings about the change are not just a reaction to the change itself, but also to how it was implemented. In this case, your question would need to reflect this new information: 

• How did customers react to the process of the change, as well as the change itself?

4. Ethical considerations 

A study in the International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education stresses that ethics are “a central issue when a researcher proposes to study the lives of others, especially marginalized populations.” Consider how your question or inquiry will affect the people it relates to—their lives and their safety. Shape your question to avoid physical, emotional, or mental upset for the focus group.

In analyzing your question from this perspective, if you feel that it may cause harm, you should consider changing the question or ending your research project. Perhaps you’ve discovered that your question encourages harmful or invasive questioning, in which case you should reformulate it.

5. Writing the question 

The actual process of writing the question comes only after considering the above points. The purpose of crafting your research questions is to delve into what your study is specifically about” Remember that qualitative research questions are not trying to find the cause of an effect, but rather to explore the effect itself.

Your questions should be clear, concise, and understandable to those outside of your field. In addition, they should generate rich data. The questions you choose will also depend on the type of research you are conducting: 

• If you’re doing a phenomenological study, your questions might be open-ended, in order to allow participants to share their experiences in their own words.
• If you’re doing a grounded-theory study, your questions might be focused on generating a list of categories or themes.
• If you’re doing ethnography, your questions might be about understanding the culture you’re studying.

Whenyou have well-written questions, it is much easier to develop your research design and collect data that accurately reflects your inquiry.

In writing your questions, it may help you to refer to this simple flowchart process for constructing questions:

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25 examples of expertly crafted qualitative research questions

It's easy enough to cover the theory of writing a qualitative research question, but sometimes it's best if you can see the process in practice. In this section, we'll list 25 examples of B2B and B2C-related qualitative questions.

Let's begin with five questions. We'll show you the question, explain why it's considered qualitative, and then give you an example of how it can be used in research.

1. What is the customer's perception of our company's brand?

Qualitative research questions are often open-ended and invite respondents to share their thoughts and feelings on a subject. This question is qualitative because it seeks customer feedback on the company's brand. 

This question can be used in research to understand how customers feel about the company's branding, what they like and don't like about it, and whether they would recommend it to others.

2. Why do customers buy our product?

This question is also qualitative because it seeks to understand the customer's motivations for purchasing a product. It can be used in research to identify the reasons  customers buy a certain product, what needs or desires the product fulfills for them, and how they feel about the purchase after using the product.

3. How do our customers interact with our products?

Again, this question is qualitative because it seeks to understand customer behavior. In this case, it can be used in research to see how customers use the product, how they interact with it, and what emotions or thoughts the product evokes in them.

4. What are our customers' biggest frustrations with our products?

By seeking to understand customer frustrations, this question is qualitative and can provide valuable insights. It can be used in research to help identify areas in which the company needs to make improvements with its products.

5. How do our customers feel about our customer service?

Rather than asking why customers like or dislike something, this question asks how they feel. This qualitative question can provide insights into customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction with a company. 

This type of question can be used in research to understand what customers think of the company's customer service and whether they feel it meets their needs.

20 more examples to refer to when writing your question

Now that you’re aware of what makes certain questions qualitative, let's move into 20 more examples of qualitative research questions:

• How do your customers react when updates are made to your app interface?
• How do customers feel when they complete their purchase through your ecommerce site?
• What are your customers' main frustrations with your service?
• How do people feel about the quality of your products compared to those of your competitors?
• What motivates customers to refer their friends and family members to your product or service?
• What are the main benefits your customers receive from using your product or service?
• How do people feel when they finish a purchase on your website?
• What are the main motivations behind customer loyalty to your brand?
• How does your app make people feel emotionally?
• For younger generations using your app, how does it make them feel about themselves?
• What reputation do people associate with your brand?
• How inclusive do people find your app?
• In what ways are your customers' experiences unique to them?
• What are the main areas of improvement your customers would like to see in your product or service?
• How do people feel about their interactions with your tech team?
• What are the top five reasons people use your online marketplace?
• How does using your app make people feel in terms of connectedness?
• What emotions do people experience when they're using your product or service?
• Aside from the features of your product, what else about it attracts customers?
• How does your company culture make people feel?

As you can see, these kinds of questions are completely open-ended. In a way, they allow the research and discoveries made along the way to direct the research. The questions are merely a starting point from which to explore.

This video offers tips on how to write good qualitative research questions, produced by Qualitative Research Expert, Kimberly Baker.

Wrap-up: crafting your own qualitative research questions.

Over the course of this article, we've explored what qualitative research questions are, why they matter, and how they should be written. Hopefully you now have a clear understanding of how to craft your own.

Remember, qualitative research questions should always be designed to explore a certain experience or phenomena in-depth, in order to generate powerful insights. As you write your questions, be sure to keep the following in mind:

• Are you being inclusive of all relevant perspectives?
• Are your questions specific enough to generate clear answers?
• Will your questions allow for an in-depth exploration of the topic at hand?
• Do the questions reflect your research goals and objectives?

If you can answer "yes" to all of the questions above, and you've followed the tips for writing qualitative research questions we shared in this article, then you're well on your way to crafting powerful queries that will yield valuable insights.

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6 Main Qualitative Questions Examples

Qualitative vs. quantitative research, the importance of qualitative questions, key elements of effective qualitative research questions, role in the research design, 6 types and examples of qualitative questions, how to choose qualitative research questions, start collecting qualitative data right now, fullsession pricing plans.

• FAQs about Qualitative Research Questions

Qualitative research uncovers the details of human behavior, beliefs, and feelings. It gives us insights that numbers can’t always tell.

These research questions help us understand the “how” and “why” of things. 

In this article, we’ll look at six examples of good qualitative questions. We aim to highlight how picking the right questions can improve your study.

It is important to understand the differences between qualitative and quantitative research.

Qualitative research questions aim to explore concepts, experiences, and perspectives. They offer the qualitative research expert an in-depth insight into the subject.

On the other hand, quantitative research questions focus on measurable aspects. They seek statistical comparisons to reach factual conclusions.

Both quantitative and qualitative questions have important roles in research. They serve unique purposes and provide different types of data.

Unlike quantitative research, qualitative questions aren’t about numbers and statistical analysis. It’s about understanding the reason behind data from a focus group.

Why pick qualitative research? When conducting qualitative research, you want to know why someone does something, not just count how many times they do it.

You ask, and you listen. That’s the power of qualitative research. The right question is a key that unlocks valuable knowledge.

Effective qualitative research aims to unveil hidden truths. But how do you achieve it? With thought-provoking questions.

Here are the elements of the qualitative research questions for an in-depth exploration:

Open-ended and Exploratory

Qualitative research questions aim to understand the “how” and “why” of a topic. They invite people to share their views and stories.

Open-ended and exploratory questions help researchers grasp complex issues. These questions allow for diverse and detailed answers to a particular subject.

Clarity and Focus

Qualitative research questions need to be clear, focused, and brief. They help ensure the research meets its goals. 

Being specific guides data collection and analysis, leading to valuable findings.

Relationships and Personal Experiences

Qualitative research questions examine how different factors relate to personal experiences and seek to understand why people act in certain ways. 

They also explore how people respond to their surroundings, including culture and workplace rules.

Ethical Considerations

When creating qualitative research questions, it’s important to think about ethics. Questions need to respect participants’ dignity, privacy, and independence.

This makes sure that the research does not cause harm or distress. Ethics also matter when explaining and sharing results, as researchers must present data truthfully and with care.

The right qualitative research questions are crucial in the design of research projects for several reasons:

• Guidance on Research Methods: Directs the choice of qualitative research methods. Options include:
• Focus Groups: Small groups discuss topics with a moderator.
• In-Depth Interviews: Offers detailed insights from individual viewpoints.
• Qualitative Surveys: Gathers open-ended responses from a broad audience.
• Ensuring the Right Tools are Used: Matching objectives with the most suitable research tools. Enables thorough investigation and captures the complexity of experiences.
• Facilitating a Clear Understanding: Aims to uncover not just what is happening but why. Explores thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and the effects of various influences.
• Informing the Research Design: Influences all design aspects, including participant selection and analysis framework. Ensures ethical standards guide the research process.

Here are six types of qualitative questions with examples:

1. Descriptive

These questions are aimed at describing the characteristics or features of a product.

• Example 1: How do users describe their initial impressions when they first interact with our new software interface?
• Example 2: What are the specific colors and design elements that users notice about the new smartphone model when they see it for the first time?

2. Exploratory

Exploratory questions are designed to investigate how things work or how users interact with a product.

• Example 1: What strategies do users employ to navigate through the features of our newly launched app?
• Example 2: How do users attempt to solve problems when they encounter errors using our digital service platform?

3. Experiential

These questions focus on the user’s experiences and emotions related to the product.

• Example 1: Can you describe a memorable experience you had while using our product?
• Example 2: What emotions do you feel when using our product under stressful conditions?

4. Comparative

Comparative questions look at differences between products, user groups, or other variables.

• Example 1: How do new users’ experiences with our product compare to those of long-term users?
• Example 2: In what ways does our product perform better or worse than our main competitor’s product in similar conditions?

5. Process-oriented

These questions delve into the processes or sequences of actions related to using the product.

• Example 1: Can you walk me through the process you typically follow when setting up our product for the first time?
• Example 2: What steps do you take when you troubleshoot an issue with our product?

6. Theoretical

Theoretical questions aim to understand the underlying principles or theories that explain user behavior or product dynamics.

• Example 1: What theories can explain why users prefer our product’s design over traditional designs?
• Example 2: Based on your knowledge, what psychological principles might influence how users adapt to our product’s innovative features?

When selecting qualitative questions, the aim is to deeply understand user interactions, perceptions, and experiences with the product. 

Here are some key considerations for choosing good qualitative research questions:

• Define Your Objectives  

Start by clearly defining the research objective of your product testing. What specific aspects of the product are you looking to evaluate? Are you interested in usability, aesthetics, functionality, or user satisfaction? Your objectives will guide the types of questions you need to ask. For example, if user satisfaction is your focus, you might ask about the user’s emotional response to the product.

• Consider the Type of Qualitative Research  

Different types of qualitative methods—such as ethnographic, narrative, phenomenological, or grounded theory—may influence the style and structure of your questions. For instance, narrative research focuses on stories and experiences, so your questions should encourage storytelling about product use.

• Ensure Questions are Open-Ended  

Qualitative questions should be open-ended to allow for detailed responses that can reveal insights not anticipated by the researcher. Instead of asking, “Do you like our product?” which prompts a yes or no answer, ask, “How do you feel about our product?” to encourage a more detailed and nuanced response.

• Be Clear and Concise  

While questions should allow for open-ended answers, they must also be clear and concise to avoid confusing the respondent. Ambiguity can lead to unreliable qualitative data , as different participants might interpret the questions differently.

• Sequence the Questions Logically  

The order in which you ask questions can impact the flow of conversation and the quality of information gathered. Start with more general questions to make the respondent comfortable before moving to more specific or sensitive topics. This sequence helps build rapport and can lead to more honest and detailed responses later in the discussion.

• Consider the Participant  

Tailor your questions to fit the background and experience level of your participants. Questions that are too technical or too basic can frustrate users or fail to elicit useful information. Understanding your audience allows you to frame questions that are appropriately challenging and engaging.

• Pilot Test Your Questions  

Before finalizing your set of questions, conduct a pilot test with a small group of participants. This testing can reveal if any questions are confusing or ineffective at eliciting useful responses. Feedback from this phase can be invaluable in refining your questions.

• Be Prepared to Adapt  

Finally, while it’s important to prepare your questions carefully, also be flexible during actual interactions. The conversation may reveal new paths of inquiry that are worth exploring. Being adaptive can help you capture deep insights that strictly adhering to a prepared list of questions might miss.

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FAQs about Qualitative Research Questions 

What is a qualitative research question.

Qualitative research questions focus on ways to gather deep insights into people’s experiences, beliefs, and perceptions. Such questions invite detailed narrative responses.

Can qualitative research questions change during the study?

It’s not uncommon for qualitative research questions to evolve during the course of a study. As preliminary data is collected and analyzed, new insights may emerge that prompt a qualitative researcher to refine their questions. 

How are qualitative questions used in business?

Businesses use qualitative questions to uncover valuable insights. They can explore customer behavior, employee satisfaction, or market trends. One example could be: “What factors drive consumer loyalty to our brand?”

Are there specific words to use in qualitative research questions?

Yes, use words like “describe,” “explain,” and “how” to frame qualitative questions. These terms promote more detailed and comprehensive answers. They are key to qualitative analysis.

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How to write qualitative research questions.

11 min read Here’s how to write effective qualitative research questions for your projects, and why getting it right matters so much.

What is qualitative research?

Qualitative research  is a blanket term covering a wide range of research methods and theoretical framing approaches. The unifying factor in all these types of qualitative study is that they deal with data that cannot be counted. Typically this means things like people’s stories, feelings, opinions and  emotions , and the meanings they ascribe to their experiences.

Qualitative study  is one of two main categories of research, the other being quantitative research. Quantitative research deals with numerical data – that which can be counted and quantified, and which is mostly concerned with trends and patterns in large-scale datasets.

What are research questions?

Research questions are questions you are trying to answer with your research. To put it another way, your research question is the reason for your study, and the beginning point for your research design. There is normally only one research question per study, although if your project is very complex, you may have multiple research questions that are closely linked to one central question.

A good qualitative research question sums up your research objective. It’s a way of expressing the central question of your research, identifying your particular topic and the central issue you are examining.

Research questions are quite different from survey questions, questions used in focus groups or interview questions. A long list of questions is used in these types of study, as opposed to one central question. Additionally, interview or survey questions are asked of participants, whereas research questions are only for the researcher to maintain a clear understanding of the research design.

Research questions are used in both  qualitative and quantitative research , although what makes a good research question might vary between the two.

In fact, the type of research questions you are asking can help you decide whether you need to take a quantitative or qualitative approach to your research project.

Discover the fundamentals of qualitative research

Quantitative vs. qualitative research questions

Writing research questions is very important in  both  qualitative and quantitative research, but the research questions that perform best in the two types of studies are quite different.

Quantitative research questions

Quantitative research questions  usually relate to quantities, similarities and differences.

It might reflect the researchers’ interest in determining whether relationships between variables exist, and if so whether they are statistically significant. Or it may focus on establishing differences between things through comparison, and using statistical analysis to determine whether those differences are meaningful or due to chance.

• How much? This kind of research question is one of the simplest. It focuses on quantifying something. For example:

How many Yoruba speakers are there in the state of Maine?

• What is the connection?

This type of quantitative research question examines how one variable affects another.

For example:

How does a low level of sunlight affect the mood scores (1-10) of Antarctic explorers during winter?

• What is the difference? Quantitative research questions in this category identify two categories and measure the difference between them using numerical data.

Do white cats stay cooler than tabby cats in hot weather?

If your research question fits into one of the above categories, you’re probably going to be doing a quantitative study.

Qualitative research questions

Qualitative research questions focus on exploring phenomena, meanings and experiences.

Unlike quantitative research, qualitative research isn’t about finding causal relationships between variables. So although qualitative research questions might touch on topics that involve one variable influencing another, or looking at the difference between things, finding and quantifying those relationships isn’t the primary objective.

In fact, you as a qualitative researcher might end up studying a very similar topic to your colleague who is doing a quantitative study, but your areas of focus will be quite different. Your research methods will also be different – they might include focus groups, ethnography studies, and other kinds of qualitative study.

A few example qualitative research questions:

• What is it like being an Antarctic explorer during winter?
• What are the experiences of Yoruba speakers in the USA?
• How do white cat owners describe their pets?

Qualitative research question types

Marshall and Rossman (1989) identified 4 qualitative research question types, each with its own typical research strategy and methods.

• Exploratory questions

Exploratory questions are used when relatively little is known about the research topic. The process researchers follow when pursuing exploratory questions might involve interviewing participants, holding focus groups, or diving deep with a case study.

• Explanatory questions

With explanatory questions, the research topic is approached with a view to understanding the causes that lie behind phenomena. However, unlike a quantitative project, the focus of explanatory questions is on qualitative analysis of multiple interconnected factors that have influenced a particular group or area, rather than a provable causal link between dependent and independent variables.

• Descriptive questions

As the name suggests, descriptive questions aim to document and record what is happening. In answering  descriptive questions , researchers might interact directly with participants with surveys or interviews, as well as using observational studies and ethnography studies that collect data on how participants interact with their wider environment.

• Predictive questions

Predictive questions  start from the phenomena of interest and investigate what ramifications it might have in the future. Answering predictive questions may involve looking back as well as forward, with content analysis, questionnaires and studies of non-verbal communication (kinesics).

Why are good qualitative research questions important?

We know research questions are very important. But what makes them so essential? (And is that question a qualitative or quantitative one?)

Getting your qualitative research questions right has a number of benefits.

• It defines your qualitative research project Qualitative research questions definitively nail down the research population, the thing you’re examining, and what the nature of your answer will be.This means you can explain your research project to other people both inside and outside your business or organization. That could be critical when it comes to securing funding for your project, recruiting participants and members of your research team, and ultimately for publishing your results. It can also help you assess right the ethical considerations for your population of study.
• It maintains focus Good qualitative research questions help researchers to stick to the area of focus as they carry out their research. Keeping the research question in mind will help them steer away from tangents during their research or while they are carrying out qualitative research interviews. This holds true whatever the qualitative methods are, whether it’s a focus group, survey, thematic analysis or other type of inquiry.That doesn’t mean the research project can’t morph and change during its execution – sometimes this is acceptable and even welcome – but having a research question helps demarcate the starting point for the research. It can be referred back to if the scope and focus of the project does change.
• It helps make sure your outcomes are achievable

Because qualitative research questions help determine the kind of results you’re going to get, it helps make sure those results are achievable. By formulating good qualitative research questions in advance, you can make sure the things you want to know and the way you’re going to investigate them are grounded in practical reality. Otherwise, you may be at risk of taking on a research project that can’t be satisfactorily completed.

Developing good qualitative research questions

All researchers use research questions to define their parameters, keep their study on track and maintain focus on the research topic. This is especially important with qualitative questions, where there may be exploratory or inductive methods in use that introduce researchers to new and interesting areas of inquiry. Here are some tips for writing good qualitative research questions.

1. Keep it specific

Broader research questions are difficult to act on. They may also be open to interpretation, or leave some parameters undefined.

Strong example: How do Baby Boomers in the USA feel about their gender identity?

Weak example: Do people feel different about gender now?

2. Be original

Look for research questions that haven’t been widely addressed by others already.

Strong example: What are the effects of video calling on women’s experiences of work?

Weak example: Are women given less respect than men at work?

3. Make it research-worthy

Don’t ask a question that can be answered with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’, or with a quick Google search.

Strong example: What do people like and dislike about living in a highly multi-lingual country?

Weak example: What languages are spoken in India?

4. Focus your question

Don’t roll multiple topics or questions into one. Qualitative data may involve multiple topics, but your qualitative questions should be focused.

Strong example: What is the experience of disabled children and their families when using social services?

Weak example: How can we improve social services for children affected by poverty and disability?

4. Focus on your own discipline, not someone else’s

Avoid asking questions that are for the politicians, police or others to address.

Strong example: What does it feel like to be the victim of a hate crime?

Weak example: How can hate crimes be prevented?

5. Ask something researchable

Big questions, questions about hypothetical events or questions that would require vastly more resources than you have access to are not useful starting points for qualitative studies. Qualitative words or subjective ideas that lack definition are also not helpful.

Strong example: How do perceptions of physical beauty vary between today’s youth and their parents’ generation?

Weak example: Which country has the most beautiful people in it?

Related resources

Ethnographic research 11 min read, business research methods 12 min read, qualitative research design 12 min read, business research 10 min read, qualitative research interviews 11 min read, video in qualitative research 10 min read, descriptive research 8 min read, request demo.

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5 Qualitative Research Methods Every UX Researcher Should Know [+ Examples]

Published: April 11, 2023

Have you ever heard the phrase, "the numbers don't lie?" Well, they don't lie per se , but qualitative research methods show that numbers don't always tell the full story.

Understanding how customers feel, think and criticize your company is crucial to improving your products and services. That's why it's important to include qualitative research during your feedback collection process.

In this article, we'll take a look at qualitative research methods in more detail.

Continue reading or jump ahead:

What is qualitative research?

Qualitative research approaches, 5 types of qualitative research methods, qualitative research method examples, qualitative research questions, qualitative research.

Qualitative research is a form of exploratory research that's designed to uncover the perceptions, motivations, and attitudes that drive consumer habits. Different types of qualitative research methods, like focus groups and in-depth interviews, help you make educated assumptions about your audience.

Qualitative research ultimately guides the creation of hypotheses, which can then be proved or disproved through quantitative research.

In other words, it compliments quantitative research when analyzing customer behavior , and the two give you a complete picture of your customer base .

The image below outlines the differences between qualitative and quantitative research, and how they meet in the middle to create a mixed methods strategy.

We'll explore this in more detail next.

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research

While qualitative research describes consumer perceptions, attitudes, and trends, quantitative research records empirical data that confirms or rejects subjective findings. Qualitative data is descriptive and relays what customers are saying or thinking about your business. Quantitative data is numerical and represents undisputable events that occurred with the organization.

Quantitative research also generalizes data from large sample populations, while qualitative research typically uses smaller ones. That's because numerical findings are stronger when tested on a larger sample size.

Check out the video below from Nielsen Norman Group to learn more about the distinction between qualitative and quantitative research.

In general, quantitative research gathers and measures numerical data to offer narrow, focused results, while qualitative research gathers verbal and open-ended data to offer broader, big-picture results.

Mixed Methods Research

Mixed methods research is exactly what it sounds like. With this concept, researchers combine both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to gather data.

Here's an example of when both types of research are used together.

Mixed Methods: Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research Example

In the early 2000's, Samsung wanted to redesign its televisions . So, the company turned to ethnography reports to see how its consumers were currently using its products and similar ones made by Samsung's competitors.

Samsung found through this research that the majority of its TVs were turned off throughout the day, so they were viewed more like pieces of furniture for customers rather than electronics.

With that in mind, Samsung decided its next TVs would be visually stunning, with speakers that were hidden below the TV to give the product a sleeker, more modern design.

Here's where quantitative research came in. Researchers used feedback tools like CSAT and Likert scales to obtain quantitative feedback which showed empirical evidence supporting their new TV design.

Although all qualitative research shares a common goal, there are several types of research approaches you can use, as shown in the image below.

Let's break each one down.

Ethnographic Research

Ethnographic researchers enter the participants' natural environment to understand how they use a product. This provides context and cultural insights into the everyday lives of customers.

How It's Used

Similar to the Samsung example explained above, businesses typically use ethnographic research when trying to understand customer behavior .

If a company wants to create a new product or feature, researchers can observe how customers are currently using their products and record any points of friction found within the experience.

Narrative Research

Narrative research involves in-depth interviews and document analysis. Typically, one or two participants are interviewed over a long period of time — from weeks to months to years.

This creates a conclusive, individualized story that offers clear themes and insights into how personal goals influence customers.

Narrative research is particularly helpful when creating buyer personas and a customer journey map .

Since you're following the customer experience from start to finish, you can use this information to resolve pain points and optimize interactions for customer delight .

Case Study Research

During case study research, employees read several case studies to gain a deep understanding of a topic or theme. Since these are real examples, researchers can find similarities between their business and the case study.

Case studies are a useful tool for customer advocacy . If you conduct a case study on a customer who has succeeded using your product, you can publish that story to your website for other visitors to see.

That way, potential leads can read about another person or business who has faced a problem like theirs and use that information to find a solution.

Phenomenological Research

Phenomenological research combines a variety of research methods — interviews, observation, reading, and more — to help you describe a place, action, or process.

This description is based entirely on the perspectives of participants as it analyzes people who have first-hand experience with the activity.

One area where this type of research is useful is exploring how employees or customers feel about a particular company policy.

For example: Let's say your employees ask you to remove a "pointless" safety rule because they think it slows down their productivity when it's really in their best interest to keep it.

You can use your phenomenological research to educate employees on why that policy is important.

Grounded Theory Research

Grounded theory research goes a step beyond phenomenological research by uncovering explanations behind certain activities.

To develop a theory, this method involves interviewing large samples of customers and performing in-depth document research to better comprehend how consumers use products.

Grounded theory research is typically a long-term play. As your business gathers more information over time, you start to recognize unique trends regarding customer needs and goals.

Once you know why people are choosing your products, you can confidently create new products and features that encapsulate the core values that your customers are looking for.

Now, let's move on to the qualitative research methods you can use based on your approach.

Before we dive into the different types, let's back up to discuss what a qualitative research method is.

What is a qualitative research method?

Your qualitative research method will be informed by the qualitative research approach you're using.

The approaches we explored above outline how you can frame your qualitative research. Qualitative research methods highlight the specific activities you can implement to collect information.

For example: If you're conducting narrative research as your exploratory approach, you may use in-depth interviews and observations as your methods for data collection.

As shown in the image below, these are the five most common types of qualitative research methods.

We'll explore each below.

1. In-Depth Interviews

In-depth interviews allow you to ask people questions on a more personal level, one-on-one and typically face-to-face or over the phone. Interviews typically last anywhere from one to two hours and are meant to be conversational in nature.

Why This Works

The major advantage of this method is that it gives you the opportunity to dig deeper into your respondents thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors because of the level of intimacy it creates.

2. Focus Groups

A focus group is similar to an in-depth interview, but it includes more participants at one time — typically six to ten people. Everyone in a focus group is demographically similar in some capacity (e.g., by age, education level, etc.).

The major advantage of this method is that it allows you to create a forum for discussion among a group of people to learn more about how participants in your target audience feel about and interact with your products and services.

Survey methodology can be used in lieu of interviews and focus groups to gather information from customers.

Surveys are typically distributed in the form of questionnaires with a combination of close-ended, demographic questions and open-ended research questions on a particular topic.

The major advantage of this method is that it's less time-consuming than others. Plus, surveys allow you to gather information from a large population of customers quickly and effectively.

4. Observations

Observation research creates a detailed recording of your participants' actions. Through observation, researchers are paying careful attention to how people behave in a particular environment.

The major advantage of this method is that it facilitates a more natural and realistic data collection experience. Customers won't feel the pressures of a formal study and can instead simply behave as they normally would.

5. Secondary Research

Companies can draw relevant conclusions from secondary research data — like case studies, previous research findings, and other reference documents — to supplement a new or existing research study.

The major advantage of this method is that, well, you're letting someone else do the work for you. Instead of recreating the wheel, you're tapping into existing research to help analyze your target consumers.

Let's take a look at some of these qualitative research approaches and methods in action.

Here are a few examples of how business may use the qualitative approaches and methods that we discussed above.

Using Ethnography to Understand Your Target Audience

A clothing store wants to understand why its customer base is mostly men when it markets its products as unisex.

After performing an ethnographic study using the observation method, researchers discovered that unisex products aren't as appealing to women due to the shapeless fit and duller colors.

Now, the store can rebrand itself as a men's and women's clothing store and produce offers that better align with women's tastes.

Building Buyer Personas from Narrative Research

A start-up company selling baby products wants to build a buyer persona to better understand its target audience.

To do this, the company decides to record the lives of two individuals who fit into its market: a woman, 32, married with a newborn baby and a man, 36, married with three young children.

After conducting in-depth interviews with these participants for over two years, the company has a complete picture of every roadblock their customers face when raising a child.

Analyzing Customer Needs Based on the Grounded Theory Framework

A government agency wants to better support communities that have survived natural disasters.

After holding focus groups with several survivors, watching videos, and reading case studies on the topic, the agency realizes that these communities require more emotional support than physical support.

While donations are extremely beneficial, many of these families are traumatized by the experience and aren't sure how to restart their lives.

Now, the agency can put into place emotional support options for these people, such as free counseling and hotline services designed specifically for natural disaster survivors.

After understanding the benefits of qualitative research, you can start building questions to guide your team's research.

When asking qualitative research questions, it's important to ask effective questions that keep participants focused on the topic.

Below are the two types of questions you can ask when obtaining qualitative data: central questions and sub-questions.

Central Questions

This is the overarching question that guides your research. It identifies the main theme you're researching, the target audience, and any other information relative to the study.

Example: "How do you feel about our rewards program?"

Sub-Questions

Sub-questions complement the central question and focus on specific aspects of the overarching topic. These questions direct the participant to an individual detail that your team wants to know more about.

Example: "What type of rewards would you like to see in our loyalty program?"

While combining these two types of questions will give you an organized structure for obtaining data, your research will be useless if your questions are ineffective.

If you're not sure where to start, take a look at the next section to review the universal qualities found in excellent qualitative research questions.

Qualities of Good Qualitative Research Questions

Here are some best practices you should keep in mind when creating qualitative research questions.

The questions should be open-ended as this leaves more opportunity for participants to offer their own opinions rather than being constrained by preset answers.

Simply-Worded

Participants shouldn't have to work to understand what researchers are looking for. Make sure that the question is phrased simply and excludes any confusing jargon.

Offers Necessary Insights

As obvious as it might seem, the questions should bring in answers that will help you gain more information about the overarching topic. If a question is supplemental and not beneficial to your research, it's best to nix it.

Leveraging Qualitative Research Methods at Your Company

Qualitative research can offer a wealth of customer knowledge for your business. And it helps that qualitative research methods give customers the opportunity to express their motivations, perceptions, and attitudes about your products and services to you directly.

After all, the more you know about your customers, the easier it becomes to provide delightful experiences at every stage of the buyer's journey.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in August 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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Scrum Product Owner: Role & Responsibilities, Explained

How the Serial Position Effect Influences Your Users [Cheat Sheet]

User Feedback: The Best Ways to Ask For It (& Why You Should)

User Testing: The Ultimate Guide

Generative Research: Everything You Need to Know

How to Use Card Sorting to Better Understand Your Users

Why You Should Prioritize Web Accessibility (& What You're Missing If You're Not)

3 templates for conducting user tests, summarizing UX research, and presenting findings.

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9 9. Writing your research question

Chapter outline.

• Empirical vs. ethical questions (4 minute read time)
• Characteristics of a good research question (4 minute read time)
• Quantitative research questions (7 minute read time)
• Qualitative research questions (3 minute read time)
• Evaluating and updating your research questions (4 minute read time)

Content warning: examples in this chapter include references to sexual violence, sexism, substance use disorders, homelessness, domestic violence, the child welfare system, cissexism and heterosexism, and truancy and school discipline.

9.1  Empirical vs. ethical questions

Learning Objectives

Learners will be able to…

• Define empirical questions and provide an example
• Define ethical questions and provide an example

Writing a good research question is an art and a science. It is a science because you have to make sure it is clear, concise, and well-developed. It is an art because often your language needs “wordsmithing” to perfect and clarify the meaning. This is an exciting part of the research process; however, it can also be one of the most stressful.

Creating a good research question begins by identifying a topic you are interested in studying. At this point, you already have a working question. You’ve been applying it to the exercises in each chapter, and after reading more about your topic in the scholarly literature, you’ve probably gone back and revised your working question a few times. We’re going to continue that process in more detail in this chapter. Keep in mind that writing research questions is an iterative process, with revisions happening week after week until you are ready to start your project.

Empirical vs. ethical questions

When it comes to research questions, social science is best equipped to answer empirical   questions —those that can be answered by real experience in the real world—as opposed to  ethical   questions —questions about which people have moral opinions and that may not be answerable in reference to the real world. While social workers have explicit ethical obligations (e.g., service, social justice), research projects ask empirical questions to help actualize and support the work of upholding those ethical principles.

In order to help you better understand the difference between ethical and empirical questions, let’s consider a topic about which people have moral opinions. How about SpongeBob SquarePants? [1] In early 2005, members of the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family (2005) [2] denounced this seemingly innocuous cartoon character as “morally offensive” because they perceived his character to be one that promotes a “pro-gay agenda.” Focus on the Family supported their claim that SpongeBob is immoral by citing his appearance in a children’s video designed to promote tolerance of all family forms (BBC News, 2005). [3] They also cited SpongeBob’s regular hand-holding with his male sidekick Patrick as further evidence of his immorality.

So, can we now conclude that SpongeBob SquarePants is immoral? Not so fast. While your mother or a newspaper or television reporter may provide an answer, a social science researcher cannot. Questions of morality are ethical, not empirical. Of course, this doesn’t mean that social science researchers cannot study opinions about or social meanings surrounding SpongeBob SquarePants (Carter, 2010). [4] We study humans after all, and as you will discover in the following chapters of this textbook, we are trained to utilize a variety of scientific data-collection techniques to understand patterns of human beliefs and behaviors. Using these techniques, we could find out how many people in the United States find SpongeBob morally reprehensible, but we could never learn, empirically, whether SpongeBob is in fact morally reprehensible.

Let’s consider an example from a recent MSW research class I taught. A student group wanted to research the penalties for sexual assault. Their original research question was: “How can prison sentences for sexual assault be so much lower than the penalty for drug possession?” Outside of the research context, that is a darn good question! It speaks to how the War on Drugs and the patriarchy have distorted the criminal justice system towards policing of drug crimes over gender-based violence.

Unfortunately, it is an ethical question, not an empirical one. To answer that question, you would have to draw on philosophy and morality, answering what it is about human nature and society that allows such unjust outcomes. However, you could not answer that question by gathering data about people in the real world. If I asked people that question, they would likely give me their opinions about drugs, gender-based violence, and the criminal justice system. But I wouldn’t get the real answer about why our society tolerates such an imbalance in punishment.

As the students worked on the project through the semester, they continued to focus on the topic of sexual assault in the criminal justice system. Their research question became more empirical because they read more empirical articles about their topic. One option that they considered was to evaluate intervention programs for perpetrators of sexual assault to see if they reduced the likelihood of committing sexual assault again. Another option they considered was seeing if counties or states with higher than average jail sentences for sexual assault perpetrators had lower rates of re-offense for sexual assault. These projects addressed the ethical question of punishing perpetrators of sexual violence but did so in a way that gathered and analyzed empirical real-world data. Our job as social work researchers is to gather social facts about social work issues, not to judge or determine morality.

Key Takeaways

• Empirical questions are distinct from ethical questions.
• There are usually a number of ethical questions and a number of empirical questions that could be asked about any single topic.
• While social workers may research topics about which people have moral opinions, a researcher’s job is to gather and analyze empirical data.
• Take a look at your working question. Make sure you have an empirical question, not an ethical one. To perform this check, describe how you could find an answer to your question by conducting a study, like a survey or focus group, with real people.

9.2 Characteristics of a good research question

• Identify and explain the key features of a good research question
• Explain why it is important for social workers to be focused and clear with the language they use in their research questions

Now that you’ve made sure your working question is empirical, you need to revise that working question into a formal research question. So, what makes a good research question? First, it is generally written in the form of a question. To say that your research question is “the opioid epidemic” or “animal assisted therapy” or “oppression” would not be correct. You need to frame your topic as a question, not a statement. A good research question is also one that is well-focused. A well-focused question helps you tune out irrelevant information and not try to answer everything about the world all at once. You could be the most eloquent writer in your class, or even in the world, but if the research question about which you are writing is unclear, your work will ultimately lack direction.

In addition to being written in the form of a question and being well-focused, a good research question is one that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. For example, if your interest is in gender norms, you could ask, “Does gender affect a person’s performance of household tasks?” but you will have nothing left to say once you discover your yes or no answer. Instead, why not ask, about the relationship between gender and household tasks. Alternatively, maybe we are interested in how or to what extent gender affects a person’s contributions to housework in a marriage? By tweaking your question in this small way, you suddenly have a much more fascinating question and more to say as you attempt to answer it.

A good research question should also have more than one plausible answer. In the example above, the student who studied the relationship between gender and household tasks had a specific interest in the impact of gender, but she also knew that preferences might be impacted by other factors. For example, she knew from her own experience that her more traditional and socially conservative friends were more likely to see household tasks as part of the female domain, and were less likely to expect their male partners to contribute to those tasks. Thinking through the possible relationships between gender, culture, and household tasks led that student to realize that there were many plausible answers to her questions about how  gender affects a person’s contribution to household tasks. Because gender doesn’t exist in a vacuum, she wisely felt that she needed to consider other characteristics that work together with gender to shape people’s behaviors, likes, and dislikes. By doing this, the student considered the third feature of a good research question–she thought about relationships between several concepts. While she began with an interest in a single concept—household tasks—by asking herself what other concepts (such as gender or political orientation) might be related to her original interest, she was able to form a question that considered the relationships  among  those concepts.

This student had one final component to consider. Social work research questions must contain a target population. Her study would be very different if she were to conduct it on older adults or immigrants who just arrived in a new country. The target population is the group of people whose needs your study addresses. Maybe the student noticed issues with household tasks as part of her social work practice with first-generation immigrants, and so she made it her target population. Maybe she wants to address the needs of another community. Whatever the case, the target population should be chosen while keeping in mind social work’s responsibility to work on behalf of marginalized and oppressed groups.

In sum, a good research question generally has the following features:

• It is written in the form of a question
• It is clearly written
• It cannot be answered with “yes” or “no”
• It has more than one plausible answer
• It considers relationships among multiple variables
• It is specific and clear about the concepts it addresses
• It includes a target population
• A poorly focused research question can lead to the demise of an otherwise well-executed study.
• Research questions should be clearly worded, consider relationships between multiple variables, have more than one plausible answer, and address the needs of a target population.
• Okay, it’s time to write out your first draft of a research question. Once you’ve done so, take a look at the checklist in this chapter and see if your research question meets the criteria to be a good one.
• Describe why your question fits better with quantitative or qualitative methods.
• Provide an alternative research question that fits with the other type of research method.

9.3 Quantitative research questions

• Describe how research questions for exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory quantitative questions differ and how to phrase them
• Identify the differences between and provide examples of strong and weak explanatory research questions

Quantitative descriptive questions

The type of research you are conducting will impact the research question that you ask. Probably the easiest questions to think of are quantitative descriptive questions. For example, “What is the average student debt load of MSW students?” is a descriptive question—and an important one. We aren’t trying to build a causal relationship here. We’re simply trying to describe how much debt MSW students carry. Quantitative descriptive questions like this one are helpful in social work practice as part of community scans, in which human service agencies survey the various needs of the community they serve. If the scan reveals that the community requires more services related to housing, child care, or day treatment for people with disabilities, a nonprofit office can use the community scan to create new programs that meet a defined community need.

Quantitative descriptive questions will often ask for percentage, count the number of instances of a phenomenon, or determine an average. Descriptive questions may only include one variable, such as ours about student debt load, or they may include multiple variables. Because these are descriptive questions, our purpose is not to investigate causal relationships between variables. To do that, we need to use a quantitative explanatory question.

Quantitative explanatory questions

Most studies you read in the academic literature will be quantitative and explanatory. Why is that? If you recall from Chapter 6, explanatory research tries to build nomothetic causal relationships. They are generalizable across space and time, so they are applicable to a wide audience. The editorial board of a journal wants to make sure their content will be useful to as many people as possible, so it’s not surprising that quantitative research dominates the academic literature.

Structurally, quantitative explanatory questions must contain an independent variable and dependent variable. Questions should ask about the relationship between these variables. The standard format I was taught in graduate school for an explanatory quantitative research question is: “What is the relationship between [independent variable] and [dependent variable] for [target population]?” You should play with the wording for your research question, revising that standard format to match what you really want to know about your topic.

Let’s take a look at a few more examples of possible research questions and consider the relative strengths and weaknesses of each. Table 9.1 does just that. While reading the table, keep in mind that I have only noted what I view to be the most relevant strengths and weaknesses of each question. Certainly each question may have additional strengths and weaknesses not noted in the table. Each of these questions is drawn from student projects in my research methods classes and reflects the work of many students on their research question over many weeks.

Making it more specific

A good research question should also be specific and clear about the concepts it addresses. A student investigating gender and household tasks knows what they mean by “household tasks.” You likely also have an impression of what “household tasks” means. But are your definition and the student’s definition the same? A participant in their study may think that managing finances and performing home maintenance are household tasks, but the researcher may be interested in other tasks like childcare or cleaning. The only way to ensure your study stays focused and clear is to be specific about what you mean by a concept. The student in our example could pick a specific household task that was interesting to them or that the literature indicated was important—for example, childcare. Or, the student could have a broader view of household tasks, one that encompasses childcare, food preparation, financial management, home repair, and care for relatives. Any option is probably okay, as long as the researcher is clear on what they mean by “household tasks.” Clarifying these distinctions is important as we look ahead to specifying how your variables will be measured in Chapter 11.

Table 9.2 contains some “watch words” that indicate you may need to be more specific about the concepts in your research question.

It can be challenging to be this specific in social work research, particularly when you are just starting out your project and still reading the literature. If you’ve only read one or two articles on your topic, it can be hard to know what you are interested in studying. Broad questions like “What are the causes of chronic homelessness, and what can be done to prevent it?” are common at the beginning stages of a research project as working questions. However, moving from working questions to research questions in your research proposal requires that you examine the literature on the topic and refine your question over time to be more specific and clear. Perhaps you want to study the effect of a specific anti-homelessness program that you found in the literature. Maybe there is a particular model to fighting homelessness, like Housing First or transitional housing, that you want to investigate further. You may want to focus on a potential cause of homelessness such as LGBTQ discrimination that you find interesting or relevant to your practice. As you can see, the possibilities for making your question more specific are almost infinite.

Quantitative exploratory questions

In exploratory research, the researcher doesn’t quite know the lay of the land yet. If someone is proposing to conduct an exploratory quantitative project, the watch words highlighted in Table 9.2 are not problematic at all. In fact, questions such as “What factors influence the removal of children in child welfare cases?” are good because they will explore a variety of factors or causes. In this question, the independent variable is less clearly written, but the dependent variable, family preservation outcomes, is quite clearly written. The inverse can also be true. If we were to ask, “What outcomes are associated with family preservation services in child welfare?”, we would have a clear independent variable, family preservation services, but an unclear dependent variable, outcomes. Because we are only conducting exploratory research on a topic, we may not have an idea of what concepts may comprise our “outcomes” or “factors.” Only after interacting with our participants will we be able to understand which concepts are important.

Remember that exploratory research is appropriate only when the researcher does not know much about topic because there is very little scholarly research. In our examples above, there is extensive literature on the outcomes in family reunification programs and risk factors for child removal in child welfare. Make sure you’ve done a thorough literature review to ensure there is little relevant research to guide you towards a more explanatory question.

• Descriptive quantitative research questions are helpful for community scans but cannot investigate causal relationships between variables.
• Explanatory quantitative research questions must include an independent and dependent variable.
• Exploratory quantitative research questions should only be considered when there is very little previous research on your topic.
• Identify the type of research you are engaged in (descriptive, explanatory, or exploratory).
• Preferably, you should be creating an explanatory research question for quantitative research.

9.4 Qualitative research questions

• List the key terms associated with qualitative research questions
• Distinguish between qualitative and quantitative research questions

Qualitative research questions differ from quantitative research questions. Because qualitative research questions seek to explore or describe phenomena, not provide a neat nomothetic explanation, they are often more general and openly worded. They may include only one concept, though many include more than one. Instead of asking how one variable causes changes in another, we are instead trying to understand the experiences ,  understandings , and  meanings that people have about the concepts in our research question. These keywords often make an appearance in qualitative research questions.

Let’s work through an example from our last section. In Table 9.1, a student asked, “What is the relationship between sexual orientation or gender identity and homelessness for late adolescents in foster care?” In this question, it is pretty clear that the student believes that adolescents in foster care who identify as LGBTQ may be at greater risk for homelessness. This is a nomothetic causal relationship—LGBTQ status causes changes in homelessness.

However, what if the student were less interested in  predicting  homelessness based on LGBTQ status and more interested in  understanding  the stories of foster care youth who identify as LGBTQ and may be at risk for homelessness? In that case, the researcher would be building an idiographic causal explanation . The youths whom the researcher interviews may share stories of how their foster families, caseworkers, and others treated them. They may share stories about how they thought of their own sexuality or gender identity and how it changed over time. They may have different ideas about what it means to transition out of foster care.

Because qualitative questions usually center on idiographic causal relationships, they look different than quantitative questions. Table 9.3 below takes the final research questions from Table 9.1 and adapts them for qualitative research. The guidelines for research questions previously described in this chapter still apply, but there are some new elements to qualitative research questions that are not present in quantitative questions.

• Qualitative research questions often ask about lived experience, personal experience, understanding, meaning, and stories.
• Qualitative research questions may be more general and less specific.
• Qualitative research questions may also contain only one variable, rather than asking about relationships between multiple variables.

Qualitative research questions have one final feature that distinguishes them from quantitative research questions: they can change over the course of a study. Qualitative research is a reflexive process, one in which the researcher adapts their approach based on what participants say and do. The researcher must constantly evaluate whether their question is important and relevant to the participants. As the researcher gains information from participants, it is normal for the focus of the inquiry to shift.

For example, a qualitative researcher may want to study how a new truancy rule impacts youth at risk of expulsion. However, after interviewing some of the youth in their community, a researcher might find that the rule is actually irrelevant to their behavior and thoughts. Instead, their participants will direct the discussion to their frustration with the school administrators or the lack of job opportunities in the area. This is a natural part of qualitative research, and it is normal for research questions and hypothesis to evolve based on information gleaned from participants.

However, this reflexivity and openness unacceptable in quantitative research for good reasons. Researchers using quantitative methods are testing a hypothesis, and if they could revise that hypothesis to match what they found, they could never be wrong!  Indeed, an important component of open science and reproducability is the preregistration of a researcher’s hypotheses and data analysis plan in a central repository that can be verified and replicated by reviewers and other researchers. This interactive graphic from 538 shows how an unscrupulous research could come up with a hypothesis and theoretical explanation  after collecting data by hunting for a combination of factors that results in a statistically significant relationship. This is an excellent example of how the positivist assumptions behind quantitative research and intepretivist assumptions behind qualitative research result in different approaches to social science.

• Qualitative research questions often contain words or phrases like “lived experience,” “personal experience,” “understanding,” “meaning,” and “stories.”
• Qualitative research questions can change and evolve over the course of the study.
• Using the guidance in this chapter, write a qualitative research question. You may want to use some of the keywords mentioned above.

9.5 Evaluating and updating your research questions

• Evaluate the feasibility and importance of your research questions
• Begin to match your research questions to specific designs that determine what the participants in your study will do

Feasibility and importance

As you are getting ready to finalize your research question and move into designing your research study, it is important to check whether your research question is feasible for you to answer and what importance your results will have in the community, among your participants, and in the scientific literature

Key questions to consider when evaluating your question’s feasibility include:

• Do you have access to the data you need?
• Will you be able to get consent from stakeholders, gatekeepers, and others?
• Does your project pose risk to individuals through direct harm, dual relationships, or breaches in confidentiality? (see Chapter 6 for more ethical considerations)
• Are you competent enough to complete the study?
• Do you have the resources and time needed to carry out the project?

Key questions to consider when evaluating the importance of your question include:

• Can we answer your research question simply by looking at the literature on your topic?
• How does your question add something new to the scholarly literature? (raises a new issue, addresses a controversy, studies a new population, etc.)
• How will your target population benefit, once you answer your research question?
• How will the community, social work practice, and the broader social world benefit, once you answer your research question?
• Using the questions above, check whether you think your project is feasible for you to complete, given the constrains that student projects face.
• Realistically, explore the potential impact of your project on the community and in the scientific literature. Make sure your question cannot be answered by simply reading more about your topic.

Matching your research question and study design

This chapter described how to create a good quantitative and qualitative research question. In Parts 3 and 4 of this textbook, we will detail some of the basic designs like surveys and interviews that social scientists use to answer their research questions. But which design should you choose?

As with most things, it all depends on your research question. If your research question involves, for example, testing a new intervention, you will likely want to use an experimental design. On the other hand, if you want to know the lived experience of people in a public housing building, you probably want to use an interview or focus group design.

We will learn more about each one of these designs in the remainder of this textbook. We will also learn about using data that already exists, studying an individual client inside clinical practice, and evaluating programs, which are other examples of designs. Below is a list of designs we will cover in this textbook:

• Surveys: online, phone, mail, in-person
• Experiments: classic, pre-experiments, quasi-experiments
• Interviews: in-person or via phone or videoconference
• Focus groups: in-person or via videoconference
• Content analysis of existing data
• Secondary data analysis of another researcher’s data
• Program evaluation

The design of your research study determines what you and your participants will do. In an experiment, for example, the researcher will introduce a stimulus or treatment to participants and measure their responses. In contrast, a content analysis may not have participants at all, and the researcher may simply read the marketing materials for a corporation or look at a politician’s speeches to conduct the data analysis for the study.

I imagine that a content analysis probably seems easier to accomplish than an experiment. However, as a researcher, you have to choose a research design that makes sense for your question and that is feasible to complete with the resources you have. All research projects require some resources to accomplish. Make sure your design is one you can carry out with the resources (time, money, staff, etc.) that you have.

There are so many different designs that exist in the social science literature that it would be impossible to include them all in this textbook. The purpose of the subsequent chapters is to help you understand the basic designs upon which these more advanced designs are built. As you learn more about research design, you will likely find yourself revising your research question to make sure it fits with the design. At the same time, your research question as it exists now should influence the design you end up choosing. There is no set order in which these should happen. Instead, your research project should be guided by whether you can feasibly carry it out and contribute new and important knowledge to the world.

• Research questions must be feasible and important.
• Research questions must match study design.
• You may want to refer back to Section 2.4 which discusses how to get raw data about your topic and the common designs used in student research projects.
• Not familiar with SpongeBob SquarePants? You can learn more about him on Nickelodeon’s site dedicated to all things SpongeBob:  http://www.nick.com/spongebob-squarepants/ ↵
• Focus on the Family. (2005, January 26). Focus on SpongeBob.  Christianity Today . Retrieved from  http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/januaryweb-only/34.0c.html ↵
• BBC News. (2005, January 20). US right attacks SpongeBob video. Retrieved from:  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4190699.stm ↵
• In fact, an MA thesis examines representations of gender and relationships in the cartoon: Carter, A. C. (2010).  Constructing gender and   relationships in “SpongeBob SquarePants”: Who lives in a pineapple under the sea . MA thesis, Department of Communication, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL. ↵

the group of people whose needs your study addresses

"Assuming that the null hypothesis is true and the study is repeated an infinite number times by drawing random samples from the same populations(s), less than 5% of these results will be more extreme than the current result" (Cassidy et al., 2019, p. 233).

whether you can practically and ethically complete the research project you propose

Graduate research methods in social work Copyright © 2020 by Matthew DeCarlo, Cory Cummings, Kate Agnelli is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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6 Qualitative data examples for thorough market researchers

Types of qualitative data in market research, 6 qualitative data examples, get nuanced insights from qualitative market research.

There are plenty of ways to gather consumer insights for fresh campaigns and better products, but qualitative research is up there with the best sources of insight.

This guide is packed with examples of how to turn qualitative data into actionable insights, to spark your creativity and sharpen your research strategy. You’ll see how qualitative data, especially through surveys, opens doors to deeper understanding by inviting consumers to share their experiences and thoughts freely, in their own words — and how qualitative data can transform your brand.

Before we dig into some examples of how qualitative data can empower your teams to make focused, confident and quick decisions on anything from product to marketing, let’s go back to basics. We can categorize qualitative data into roughly three categories: binary, nominal and ordinal data. Here’s how each of them is used in qualitative data analysis.

Binary data

Binary data represents a choice between two distinct options, like ‘yes’ or ‘no’. In market research, this type of qualitative data is useful for filtering responses or making clear distinctions in consumer preferences.

Binary data in qualitative research is great for straightforward insights, but has its limits. Here’s a quick guide on when to use it and when to opt for qualitative data that is more detailed:

Binary data is great for:

• Quick Yes/No questions : like “Have you used our app? Yes or No.”
• Initial screening : to quickly sort participants for further studies.
• Clear-cut answers : absolute factors, such as ownership or usage.

Avoid binary data for:

• Understanding motivations : it lacks the depth to explore why behind actions.
• Measuring intensity : can’t show how much someone likes or uses something.
• Detail needed for product development : misses the nuanced feedback necessary for innovations.

Nominal data

Nominal data categorizes responses without implying any order. For example, when survey respondents choose their favorite brand from a list, the data collected is nominal, offering insights into brand preferences among different demographics.

Some other examples of qualitative data that can be qualified as nominal are asking participants to name their primary information source about products in categories like social media, friends, or online reviews. Or in focus groups, discussing brand perceptions could classify brands into categories such as luxury, budget-friendly, or eco-conscious, based on participant descriptions.

Nominal data is great for:

• Categorizing responses : such as types of consumer complaints (product quality, customer service, delivery issues).
• Identifying preferences : like favorite product categories (beverages, electronics, apparel).
• Segmentation : grouping participants based on attributes (first-time buyers, loyal customers).

Nominal data is not for:

• Measuring quantities : it can’t quantify how much more one category is preferred over another.
• Ordering or ranking responses : it doesn’t indicate which category is higher or lower in any hierarchy.
• Detailed behavioral analysis : While it can group behaviors, it doesn’t delve into the frequency or intensity of those behaviors.

Ordinal data

Ordinal data introduces a sense of order, ranking preferences or satisfaction levels. In qualitative analysis, it’s particularly useful for understanding how consumers prioritize features or products, giving researchers a clearer picture of market trends.

Other examples of qualitative data analyses that use ordinal data, are for instance a study on consumer preferences for coffee flavors, participants might rank flavors in order of preference, providing insights into flavor trends. You can also get ordinal data from focus groups on things like customer satisfaction surveys or app usability, by asking users to rate their ease of use or happiness on an ordinal scale.

Ordinal data is great for:

• Ranking preferences : asking participants to rank product features from most to least important.
• Measuring satisfaction levels : using scales like “very satisfied,” “satisfied,” “neutral,” “dissatisfied,” “very dissatisfied.”
• Assessing Agreement : with statements on a scale from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree.”

Ordinal data is not for:

• Quantifying differences : it doesn’t show how much more one rank is preferred over another, just the order.
• Precise measurements : can’t specify the exact degree of satisfaction or agreement, only relative positions.

This mix of qualitative and quantitative data will give you a well-rounded view of participant attitudes and preferences.

The things you can do with qualitative data are endless. But this article shouldn’t turn into a work of literature, so we’ll highlight six ways to collect qualitative data and give you examples of how to use these qualitative research methods to get actionable results.

How to get qual insights with Attest

You can get to the heart of what your target customers think, with reliable qualitative insights from Attest Video Responses

1. Highlighting brand loyalty drivers with open-ended surveys and questionnaires

Open-ended surveys and questionnaires are great at finding out what makes customers choose and stick with a brand. Here’s why this qualitative data analysis tool is so good for gathering qualitative data on things like brand loyalty and customer experience:

Straight from the source

Open-ended survey responses show the actual thoughts and feelings of your target audience in their own words, while still giving you structure in your data analysis.

Understanding ‘why’

Numbers can show us how many customers are loyal; open-ended survey responses explain why they are. You can also easily add thematic analysis to the mix by counting certain keywords or phrases.

Guiding decisions

The insights from these surveys can help a brand decide where to focus its efforts, from making sure their marketing highlights what customers love most to improving parts of their product.

Surveys are one of the most versatile and efficient qualitative data collection methods out there. We want to bring the power of qualitative data analysis to every business and make it easy to gather qualitative data from the people who matter most to your brand. Check out our survey templates to hit the ground running. And you’re not limited to textual data as your only data source — we also enable you to gather video responses to get additional context from non verbal cues and more.

2. Trend identification with observation notes

Observation notes are a powerful qualitative data analysis tool for spotting trends as they naturally unfold in real-world settings. Here’s why they’re particularly valuable insights and effective for identifying new trends:

Real behavior

Observing people directly shows us how they actually interact with products or services, not just how they say they do. This can highlight emerging trends in consumer behavior or preferences before people can even put into words what they are doing and why.

Immediate insights

By watching how people engage with different products, we can quickly spot patterns or changes in behavior. This immediate feedback is invaluable for catching trends as they start.

Context matters

Observations give you context. You can see not just what people do, but where and how they do it. This context can be key to understanding why a trend is taking off.

Unprompted reactions

Since people don’t know they’re being observed for these purposes, their actions are genuine. This leads to authentic insights about what’s really catching on.

3. Understanding consumer sentiments through semi-structured interviews

Semi-structured interviews for qualitative data analysis are an effective method for data analysts to get a deep understanding of consumer sentiments. It provides a structured yet flexible approach to gather in-depth insights. Here’s why they’re particularly useful for this type of research question:

Personal connection

These interviews create a space for a real conversation, allowing consumers to share their feelings, experiences, and opinions about a brand or product in a more personal setting.

Flexibility

The format lets the interviewer explore interesting points that come up during the conversation, diving deeper into unexpected areas of discussion. This flexibility uncovers richer insights than strictly structured interviews.

Depth of understanding

By engaging in detailed discussions, brands can understand not just what consumers think but why they think that way and what stations their train of thought passes by.

Structure and surprise

Semi-structured interviews can be tailored to explore specific areas of interest while still allowing for new insights to emerge.

4. Using focus groups for informing market entry strategies

Using a focus group to inform market entry strategies provides a dynamic way to discover your potential customers’ needs, preferences, and perceptions before launching a product or entering a new market. Here’s how focus groups can be particularly effective for this kind of research goal:

Real conversations

Focus groups allow for real-time, interactive discussions, giving you a front-row seat to hear what your potential customers think and feel about your product or service idea.

Diverse Perspectives

By bringing together people from various backgrounds, a focus group can offer a wide range of views and insights, highlighting different consumer needs and contextual information that you might miss out on in a survey.

Spotting opportunities and challenges

The dynamic nature of focus groups can help uncover unique market opportunities or potential challenges that might not be evident through other research methods, like cultural nuances.

Testing ideas

A focus group is a great way to test and compare reactions to different market entry strategies, from pricing models to distribution channels, providing clear direction on what approach might work best.

5. Case studies to gain a nuanced understanding of consumers on a broad level

Case studies in qualitative research zoom in on specific stories from customers or groups using a product or service, great for gaining a nuanced understanding of consumers at a broad level. Here’s why case studies are a particularly effective qualitative data analysis tool for this type of research goal:

In-depth analysis

Case studies can provide a 360-degree look at the consumer experience, from initial awareness to post-purchase feelings.

This depth of insight reveals not just what consumers do, but why they do it, uncovering motivations, influences, and decision-making processes.

Longitudinal insight

Case studies can track changes in consumer behavior or satisfaction over time, offering a dynamic view of how perceptions evolve.

This longitudinal perspective is crucial for giving context to the lifecycle of consumer engagement with a brand.

Storytelling power

The narrative nature of case studies — when done right — makes them powerful tools for communicating complex consumer insights in an accessible and engaging way, which can be especially useful for internal strategy discussions or external marketing communications.

6. Driving product development with diary studies

Diary studies are a unique qualitative research method that involves participants recording their thoughts, experiences, or behaviors over a period of time, related to using a product or service. This qualitative data analysis method is especially valuable for driving product development for several reasons:

Real-time insights

Diary studies capture real-time user experiences and feedback as they interact with a product in their daily lives.

This ongoing documentation provides a raw, unfiltered view of how a product fits into the user’s routine, highlighting usability issues or unmet needs that might not be captured in a one-time survey or interview.

Realistic user journey mapping

By analyzing diary entries, you can map out the entire user journey, identifying critical touch points where users feel delighted, frustrated, or indifferent.

This then enables you to implement targeted improvements and innovations at the moments that matter most.

Identifying patterns

Over the course of a diary study, patterns in behavior, preferences, and challenges can emerge, which is great for thematic analysis.

It can guide product developers to prioritize features or fixes that will have the most significant impact on user satisfaction, which is especially great if they don’t know what areas to focus on first.

Qualitative research brings your consumers’ voices directly to your strategy table. The examples we’ve explored show how qualitative data analysis methods like surveys, interviews, and case studies illuminate the ‘why’ behind consumer choices, guiding more informed decisions. Using these insights means crafting products and messages that resonate deeply, ensuring your brand not only meets but exceeds consumer expectations.

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You are here, developing a central research question or statement.

After identifying an initial focus the development of an overarching questinon to direct the research can be viewed as a process consisting of the following elements (adapted from O’Leary, 2004):

Stage 1 - Developing an overarching question or statement from the initial focus requires identifying the distinct themes that arise from this focus. Carrying out reading of related research and theory is useful at this stage as it helps you understand the different aspects of the area you want to research. The emerging themes can be organised in the form of a mind map or a list.

Stage 2 - Narrowing the question by making it more focussed is an important next step as if the research question is too broad it will be difficult to plan the research and the findings will be difficult to interpret. Alternatively it should not be so narrow that it will not make a contribution that is of significance.

Stage 3 – Defining and clarifying the use of terminology.

Ways of categorising your central research question

Different ways exist for categorising research questions and you will see different terminology as you read more widely. One form of categorisation is shown below (adapted from used by Matthews and Ross, 2010 and Robson, 2002) with examples within the educational theme of motivation:

Another way of classifying central research questions was devised by Mason (2002) which focussed on the type of ‘puzzle’ being investigated. The following table gives examples of questions in the context of behaviour management. Questions that could be research using a qualitative or quantitative approaches are possible within these forms of categorisation.

Categorisation of questions in quantitative research

The following categorisation is specifically for questions that are quantitative in nature (McMillan and Schumacher, 2010):

Descriptive questions

This type of question does not involve comparisons or correlations, rather it describes using indicators of frequency of events or quantities using frequencies, percentages and graphs etc. In most research the question requires more than description, rather exploring relationships among variables.

Nonexperimental relationship questions

In this type of research the relationship between variables is explored

Relationship between groups e.g. Do higher attaining pupils have greater motivation than lower attaining pupils?

Correlation between two variables measured using a correlation coefficient e.g. Does the use of open questions by teachers facilitate more effective question generation by pupils in primary science?

Experimental difference questions

Experiments normally involve comparison of two or more groups to find out whether an intervention has resulted in significant differences in pre-test and post-test results e.g. Does the use of concept mapping facilitate improvement of pupils’ concept understanding in primary science?

Developing a focussed central question

The central question should not be too narrow as this will limit the scope of the research. The sub questions (specific research questions) are where you should do this, breaking the central research question down into different areas. Also if the central question is too closed it will make it difficult to adapt in response to findings during the course of the data collection – this is particularly important for qualitative research (McMillan and Schumacher, 2010). Conversely, the question should not focus on too broad a research area as this will make it difficult to design tools and to interpret findings in a way that will enable you to answer the question, as there will be too many aspects to look at.

Here are some questions that have not got a clear focus.

Developing a hypothesis

The decision as to whether to include a hypothesis relates to the underpinning school of thought on which the research is based, so there is no right or wrong, but rather a matter of belief relating to the nature of the research process. Hypotheses are more often used in quantitative research as developing a hypotheses (or testable statement) involves predicting ‘the nature of the relationships between two or more variables’ (O’Leary, 2004: 36), which can be helpful in helping you to develop your ideas.

A hypothesis is (in most cases) a statement which predicts the relationship between two or more variables. Hypotheses are traditionally associated with quantitative research, however it is often possible to develop a hypothesis in a qualitative project and it can be beneficial to develop a hypothesis as part of the research design. One key difference between a hypothesis in a qualitative study compared with one in a quantitative study is the way it is phrased (Newby, 2014). Another key difference between a hypothesis in a qualitative study compared with one in a quantitative study is the way it is tested. In both qualitative and quantitative studies the steps would include developing the hypothesis, followed by data collection and analysis. However in addition, in a quantitative study, statistical tests would be carried out to establish proof. In a qualitative project the parallel to the process of establishing proof is the use of evidence to develop and present a convincing argument.

Some of the benefits of developing a hypothesis are that it:

helps you to identify and focus on specific aspects within your research problem

provides insights into the type of data that needs to be collected

enhances the level of researcher objectivity

(Adapted from Kumar, 2011).

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How to Write Quantitative Research Questions: Types With Examples

For research to be effective, it becomes crucial to properly formulate the quantitative research questions in a correct way. Otherwise, you will not get the answers you were looking for.

Has it ever happened that you conducted a quantitative research study and found out the results you were expecting are quite different from the actual results?

This could happen due to many factors like the unpredictable nature of respondents, errors in calculation, research bias, etc. However, your quantitative research usually does not provide reliable results when questions are not written correctly.

We get it! Structuring the quantitative research questions can be a difficult task.

Hence, in this blog, we will share a few bits of advice on how to write good quantitative research questions. We will also look at different types of quantitative research questions along with their examples.

Let’s start:

How to Write Quantitative Research Questions?

When you want to obtain actionable insight into the trends and patterns of the research topic to make sense of it, quantitative research questions are your best bet.

Being objective in nature, these questions provide you with detailed information about the research topic and help in collecting quantifiable data that can be easily analyzed. This data can be generalized to the entire population and help make data-driven and sound decisions.

Respondents find it easier to answer quantitative survey questions than qualitative questions. At the same time, researchers can also analyze them quickly using various statistical models.

However, when it comes to writing the quantitative research questions, one can get a little overwhelmed as the entire study depends on the types of questions used.

There is no “one good way” to prepare these questions. However, to design well-structured quantitative research questions, you can follow the 4-steps approach given below:

1. Select the Type of Quantitative Question

The first step is to determine which type of quantitative question you want to add to your study. There are three types of quantitative questions:

• Descriptive
• Comparative 
• Relationship-based

This will help you choose the correct words and phrases while constructing the question. At the same time, it will also assist readers in understanding the question correctly.

2. Identify the Type of Variable

The second step involves identifying the type of variable you are trying to measure, manipulate, or control. Basically, there are two types of variables:

• Independent variable (a variable that is being manipulated)
• Dependent variable (outcome variable)

If you plan to use descriptive research questions, you have to deal with a number of dependent variables. However, where you plan to create comparative or relationship research questions, you will deal with both dependent and independent variables.

3. Select the Suitable Structure

The next step is determining the structure of the research question. It involves:

• Identifying the components of the question. It involves the type of dependent or independent variable and a group of interest (the group from which the researcher tries to conclude the population).
• The number of different components used. Like, as to how many variables and groups are being examined.
• Order in which these are presented. For example, the independent variable before the dependent variable or vice versa.

4. Draft the Complete Research Question

The last step involves identifying the problem or issue that you are trying to address in the form of complete quantitative survey questions . Also, make sure to build an exhaustive list of response options to make sure your respondents select the correct response. If you miss adding important answer options, then the ones chosen by respondents may not be entirely true.

Types of Quantitative Research Questions With Examples

Quantitative research questions are generally used to answer the “who” and “what” of the research topic. For quantitative research to be effective, it is crucial that the respondents are able to answer your questions concisely and precisely. With that in mind, let’s look in greater detail at the three types of formats you can use when preparing quantitative market research questions.

1. Descriptive

Descriptive research questions are used to collect participants’ opinions about the variable that you want to quantify. It is the most effortless way to measure the particular variable (single or multiple variables) you are interested in on a large scale. Usually, descriptive research questions begin with “ how much,” “how often,” “what percentage,” “what proportion,” etc.

Examples of descriptive research questions include:

2. Comparative

Comparative research questions help you identify the difference between two or more groups based on one or more variables. In general, a comparative research question is used to quantify one variable; however, you can use two or more variables depending on your market research objectives.

Comparative research questions examples include:

3. Relationship-based

Relationship research questions are used to identify trends, causal relationships, or associations between two or more variables. It is not vital to distinguish between causal relationships, trends, or associations while using these types of questions. These questions begin with “What is the relationship” between independent and dependent variables, amongst or between two or more groups.

Relationship-based quantitative questions examples include:

Ready to Write Your Quantitative Research Questions?

So, there you have it. It was all about quantitative research question types and their examples. By now, you must have figured out a way to write quantitative research questions for your survey to collect actionable customer feedback.

Now, the only thing you need is a good survey maker tool , like ProProfs Survey Maker , that will glide your process of designing and conducting your surveys . You also get access to various survey question types, both qualitative and quantitative, that you can add to any kind of survey along with professionally-designed survey templates .

About the author

Emma David is a seasoned market research professional with 8+ years of experience. Having kick-started her journey in research, she has developed rich expertise in employee engagement, survey creation and administration, and data management. Emma believes in the power of data to shape business performance positively. She continues to help brands and businesses make strategic decisions and improve their market standing through her understanding of research methodologies.

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Understanding Research Questions: Quantitative vs Qualitative

By Divya Bhansali

Columbia University; Biomedical Engineering PhD candidate

3 minute read

Research is like being a detective, trying to uncover the mysteries of the world. In the world of research, one of the first and most crucial decisions you'll make is whether to ask quantitative or qualitative method questions. But what's the difference between quantitative and qualitative research, and why does it matter? Let's dive in and find out!

Quantitative Research Questions

Quantitative research involves numbers, statistics, and hard data. It's like counting beans in a jar. Quantitative research questions aim to answer "how much," "how many," or "to what extent" questions. When understanding how to write research paper , quantitative research questions can provide clear, measurable data to support your findings.

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Examples of Quantitative Research Questions

1. How many high school students use smartphones for over four hours a day?

This research question can be answered with precise numbers - a certain percentage of students may fall into this category.

2. What is the average GPA of students in our school?

You'll get a specific number, like 3.5, as an answer to this question.

3. How much has the average temperature increased over the last decade?

In this case, you're looking for a specific temperature change in degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit.

Considerations for Quantitative Research

Data Collection Methods : To answer quantitative research questions, you'll often use structured surveys, experiments, or observations with predefined variables. These methods help you collect precise, quantifiable data.

Data Analysis : Quantitative research involves statistical analysis, where you'll use mathematical tools to identify patterns and relationships in the data. Understanding how to write a research paper outline can help you organize these methods effectively.

Generalizability : Quantitative research often aims for generalizability, meaning you can draw conclusions that apply to a larger population.

Qualitative Research Questions

On the other hand, the qualitative research method is more about words, descriptions, and understanding the "whys" and "hows" of a phenomenon. It's like exploring the stories behind the beans in the jar. Qualitative analysis questions aim to answer questions about experiences, feelings, and behaviors.

Examples of Qualitative Research Questions

How do high school students feel about using smartphones for extended periods of time?

This question invites students to share their thoughts, emotions, and personal experiences.

2. What are the main challenges that students face when it comes to maintaining a high GPA?

This question prompts students to talk about their struggles, motivations, and strategies.

3. In what ways has climate change affected the daily lives of people in our community?

This question encourages people to share their stories about how they've been impacted.

Considerations for Qualitative Research

Data Collection Methods : Qualitative research methods often involve open-ended interviews, observations, or content analysis. These methods allow you to collect rich, descriptive data. 

Data Analysis : Qualitative research method requires a more interpretive approach. You'll analyze text or visual data to identify themes, patterns, and any unique insight.

In-Depth Understanding : Qualitative research delves deep into the experiences and perceptions of individuals, providing a nuanced understanding of a specific topic.

Knowing how to write an introduction for a research paper can be particularly important when presenting qualitative research. A compelling introduction sets the stage for the rich, descriptive data that follows.

If your study involves STEM subjects, having a solid stem research paper outline will be beneficial. Additionally, knowing how to write a thesis statement for a research paper is crucial for establishing a clear argument or hypothesis.

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Which One to Choose?

The choice between qualitative and quantitative research questions depends on what you want to discover and the nature of your study. Here are some key factors to consider:

Nature of the Research : Is your research more about numbers and statistical analysis, or is it about having a deeper understanding the human experience? Choose the approach that aligns with your research goals.

Data Collection : Think about how you'll gather information. Surveys and experiments often lead to quantitative data, while interviews and observations typically provide qualitative data.

Time and Resources : Consider the time and resources you have. Quantitative research can often be quicker and require fewer resources than in-depth qualitative studies.

Research Participants : The preferences and characteristics of your research participants matter. Some may prefer answering surveys with numeric options, while others may enjoy sharing their stories.

When you are ready to start your study, make sure to also understand how to write a research paper abstract for summarizing your work effectively.

Whether you choose to ask quantitative or qualitative survey questions, remember that both approaches are valuable and have their unique strengths. The key is to match your research goals with the right approach, ensuring that you gather the most relevant and meaningful data.

So, high school detectives, the choice is yours: will you count the beans or explore the stories behind them? Happy researching!

Research Writing and Analysis

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• Step 1: Seek Out Evidence
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Qualitative Research Questions

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What’s in a Qualitative Research Question?

Qualitative research questions are driven by the need for the study. Ideally, research questions are formulated as a result of the problem and purpose, which leads to the identification of the methodology. When a qualitative methodology is chosen, research questions should be exploratory and focused on the actual phenomenon under study.

From the Dissertation Center, Chapter 1: Research Question Overview , there are several considerations when forming a qualitative research question. Qualitative research questions should

Below is an example of a qualitative phenomenological design. Note the use of the term “lived experience” in the central research question. This aligns with phenomenological design.

RQ1: “ What are the lived experiences of followers of mid-level managers in the financial services sector regarding their well-being on the job?”

If the researcher wants to focus on aspects of the theory used to support the study or dive deeper into aspects of the central RQ, sub-questions might be used. The following sub-questions could be formulated to seek further insight:

RQ1a.   “How do followers perceive the quality and adequacy of the leader-follower exchanges between themselves and their novice leaders?”

RQ1b.  “Under what conditions do leader-member exchanges affect a follower’s own level of well-being?”

Qualitative research questions also display the desire to explore or describe phenomena. Qualitative research seeks the lived experience, the personal experiences, the understandings, the meanings, and the stories associated with the concepts present in our studies.

We want to ensure our research questions are answerable and that we are not making assumptions about our sample. View the questions below:

How do healthcare providers perceive income inequality when providing care to poor patients?

In Example A, we see that there is no specificity of location or geographic areas. This could lead to findings that are varied, and the researcher may not find a clear pattern. Additionally, the question implies the focus is on “income inequality” when the actual focus is on the provision of care. The term “poor patients” can also be offensive, and most providers will not want to seem insensitive and may perceive income inequality as a challenge (of course!).

How do primary care nurses in outreach clinics describe providing quality care to residents of low-income urban neighborhoods?

In Example B, we see that there is greater specificity in the type of care provider. There is also a shift in language so that the focus is on how the individuals describe what they think about, experience, and navigate providing quality care.

Other Qualitative Research Question Examples

Vague : What are the strategies used by healthcare personnel to assist injured patients?

Try this : What is the experience of emergency room personnel in treating patients with a self-inflicted household injury?

The first question is general and vague. While in the same topic area, the second question is more precise and gives the reader a specific target population and a focus on the phenomenon they would have experienced. This question could be in line with a phenomenological study as we are seeking their experience or a case study as the ER personnel are a bounded entity.

Unclear : How do students experience progressing to college?

Try this : How do first-generation community members describe the aspects of their culture that promote aspiration to postsecondary education?

The first question does not have a focus on what progress is or what students are the focus. The second question provides a specific target population and provides the description to be provided by the participants. This question could be in line with a descriptive study.

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Qualitative Data Analysis: Find Methods Examples

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Locating Methods Examples

Find dissertations that cite a core methods work.

You can conduct a cited reference search in the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses database. 

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Top 50 Interesting Qualitative Psychology Research Ideas

50 Qualitative Psychology Research Ideas : Examination projects can be challenging, especially when you can’t seem to find a particular area of interest that you can form your study about. This article compiles a few research ideas on categorised based on which psychological concepts suit your paper.

Attachment Styles

Attachment styles are the specific ways in which people relate to one another. The attachment style is developed from the start of life, and once established, it is a style that stays with you and manifests itself today in how you engage in intimate relationships and how you raise your children. The idea entails one’s trust in the attachment figure’s availability for use as a secure base from which one may freely explore the world when not in difficulty, as well as a haven from which one can seek support, protection, and comfort while in distress. This concept allows a wide variety of aspects to be researched; the following are a few examples of research questions one can use in their paper.

• How does the loss of a parent in childhood affect attachment styles in adulthood?
• How do polyamorous relationships affect intimacy and attachment styles?
• Is it possible for someone with rejection sensitivity to develop a secure attachment style?
• How do dismissive teenagers use criticism in romantic relationships to keep their significant other at a distance?
• How does loneliness affect attachment styles in adults?
• What can the perspective of family traditions and frameworks add to Bowlby’s theory of how attachment is transferred through generations?
• How does a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder affect an individual’s attachment style?
• Are there numerous parent-child or couple attachment style models at play at a given time?
• Individual differences in infant attachment patterns.
• Do we observe the same attachment patterns among adults that occur among children?
• Do grown-up interpersonal relationships function the same as infant-caregiver relationships?
• Is it possible to maintain the same attachment patterns from infancy to adulthood?

Cognitive Psychology

The analysis of how individuals think is the centre of cognitive psychology. This branch of psychology investigates various mental processes, such as how people think, utilise language, pay attention to information, and perceive their surroundings.

• Can people with PTSD develop dementia as a result of it?
• What variables can assist children in boosting their problem-solving skills?
• How does subconsciousness influence decision-making abilities?
• Can video games help boost a senior citizen’s memory?
• We are exploring the factors that cause a child’s mental development to be delayed.
• How does music impact one’s psychological being?
• How does adoption affect the psyche of the child? 
• What are the effects of physical punishment on children?
• What psychological effects does a failing marriage have on both spouses, and how does it manifest physically?
• How does being forced to mature at a young age impact the rest of the child’s life?
• What effect does a parent’s divorce have on children?

Criminal Psychology

Criminal psychology is the study of criminals’ beliefs and actions. It is a branch of both criminology and applied psychology. Criminology and criminal psychology are two distinct fields of study in criminal law. They are frequently mistaken, yet they differ significantly. Criminology is the study of crime and its consequences, whereas criminal psychology is the study of the human mind and how it motivates people to commit crimes.

• Does one’s socioeconomic standing influence criminal behaviour?
• What is the relationship between family status and legal violations?
• Crime as social responsibility: the social formation of crime.
• Self-control theory describes how a lack of individual self-control leads to criminal behaviour.
• Is there a link between personality traits and crime?
• The shortcomings of psychological theories in understanding crime.
• Stereotypes in forensic psychology and the best path forward in developed nations
• A psychological viewpoint on how misleading testimony and information impede a criminal investigation.
• Psychotherapy with imprisoned people
• Reincarceration and rehabilitation rates among convicted offenders
• How emotions influence and promote criminal behaviour in young adulthood

Also Read: How to Apply Psychology in Everyday Life

Mental Disorders

Clinically significant impairment in an individual’s cognition, emotional control, or behaviour characterises a mental illness. It is frequently connected with distress or impairment in critical areas of functioning.

• What effects do speech impairments have on children’s life and cognitive development?
• ADHD symptoms and their influence on life quality
• Personality attributes associated with increased incidences of post-traumatic stress disorder
• The current state of knowledge about the genesis of schizophrenia
• Efficient patient recovery: nurses’ contributions in contemporary psychiatry
• The effects of victim-blaming on rape victims
• Variability in obsessive-compulsive disorder-related recurring behaviours
• Is Childhood Trauma Related to Later Mental Health Issues ?
• Should electroconvulsive therapy be used as a last option in treating severe depression and bipolar disorder?
• Childhood sexual abuse and its psychological consequences.
• Prozac’s usage in the treatment of bipolar disorder.  
• Trauma’s impact on future abusive events and relationships
• Fetish behaviour is the outcome of an abnormal mental condition.
• How successful is CBT for treating childhood anxiety?
• How mental illnesses are glorified and hyped in contemporary culture

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What is Qualitative Research?

Qualitative Research is a method that involves an interpretative and well-focused approach to the subject matter. Here, you need to study things in the natural settings to interpret a phenomenon in terms of the given subject matter. Qualitative research involves exploring and understanding phenomena in-depth, often through open-ended questions, observations, and rich descriptions. Here are some potential qualitative research topics across various disciplines:

Types of Qualitative Research

• Action Research: Here, you need to participate in any situation and collect data on that matter. The researcher uses the data in order to analyze any situation and collect even more data to adjust the scope of the study. This type of Research is cyclical. This means each step involves collaboration between all the study participants as well as the researcher. Action research can be performed at any level, such as individual, group, or even community level.
• Phenomenological: This qualitative research technique seeks to understand the true meaning people give to their experiences. This type of Research uses all the phenomenological inquiry methods that focus on how you experience the events. Here, it would help if you focused on the more subjective understanding to see people how they regard themselves. With this research method’s help, you can learn about people’s experiences.
• Ethnographic: This qualitative method focuses on the true understanding of human behaviour. Ethnographers are more interested in the phenomenon’s social context at the time of learning about the various cultural norms. In this research process, you need to live with your research subjects to study their culture. Ethnographers commonly interview the most knowledgeable personalities about their major roles in society. The main aim of ethnographic Research is proper data collection and analysis.
• Case Study: These are actually in-depth examinations of groups of people. This research method will help you to understand the intervention’s context, process and outcomes. The case studies also help the researchers to understand the cause-and-effect relation between the variables and changes over time.
• Narrative model: This type of Research is a very popular qualitative research method since it helps you understand how people make major decisions. Here, you need to collect various data about the subjects by tracking them via various stages of study.
• Grounded theory: A popular qualitative research method systematically reviews existing data to develop theories related to various events. This method uses both deductive as well inductive approaches for development.
• Focus groups: This is a very important tool in qualitative research method. This reveals people’s attitudes, beliefs and perceptions to enhance the readers’ knowledge of the given topic.
• Historical: This study identifies, evaluates, locates, and synthesizes data from the past. The study helps the researchers understand why anything happened and its effect. In this research method, you can use the collected and processed data to predict the future by understanding the past well.

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How to Choose a Good Qualitative Research Topic?

Choosing the best research topic is challenging. Below are some tips:

• Always select a top that really interests you.
• Narrow down your topic search.
• Read the background of your topic thoroughly
• Read the guidelines on the topic carefully selecting
• Refer to the lecture notes and needed texts to refresh your knowledge of the given assignment

What are the 6 Characteristics of Qualitative Research?

• Natural environment: The Qualitative researchers collect the field data at different locations where the participants experience the real issue to be studied. You do not change the environmental settings and the participant’s activities here. Here, you need to gather the information by talking directly in a common context.
• Researcher as the key instrument: Qualitative researchers mostly collect their own research data via the observation of the participant, observation, documentation, or direct interviews. Here, you do not use the questionnaires or instruments made by the other researchers.
• Multiple data sources: Qualitative researchers mostly choose to collect the needed data from different sources like documentation, interviews, observations, etc.
• Inductive data analysis: Here, qualitative researchers use the categories, themes, and patterns from the group to make a complete conclusion.
• Role of the participants: In the whole research process, you need to focus on studying the true meaning obtained from the participants regarding the research problem or issue.
• Developing the design: Qualitative researchers always argue that this type of Research involves dynamicity. This can mean that more than the initial plan is needed, and all the research stages might change after the researcher goes into the field to collect the data. This type of Research is used to resolve the main problems.

What is the Difference between Qualitative and Quantitative Research?

Qualitative Research is a method used to develop a better understanding of the human and the social sciences to understand human personalities and behaviour. A quantitative method is used for generating numerical data using statistical, logical or mathematical techniques. Qualitative Research employs a subjective approach, while quantitative Research employs a subjective approach. Qualitative Research is usually expressed in words, while qualitative Research is mostly expressed in numbers. A qualitative research process has open-ended questions, while a quantitative research process has multiple-choice questions. Qualitative Research requires a few respondents, while Quantitative Research needs many respondents. In qualitative Research, the data collection methods include focus groups, interviews, literature review, ethnography, etc. In the quantitative method, the data collection is in the form of surveys, experiments, observations, etc., in numbers. Qualitative Research is holistic, while quantitative Research is particularistic in nature. Inductive reasoning is used in qualitative Research, while conductive Research uses deductive reasoning.

Qualitative Research Topics in Public Health

• Explain the role of immunization programs in mitigating childhood diseases
• Impact of public vs private health systems on the society
• How to reform healthcare systems among low-income groups
• How do we evaluate the impact of the built-in environment on community health outcomes?
• Are e-health services suitable for rural infrastructure?
• Explain the efficacy of school-based health education
• How to combat diabetes through effective healthcare systems
• How global warming affects public health
• Effect of climatic change on public health

Qualitative Research Topics in English Language Teaching

• What are the life values spent by young people in society
• Meanings of dreams
• Eating disorders and anorexia
• Effect of colours on human brains
• Psychological characteristics of the adolescent age
• How does anxiety affect a person’s life
• Effect of noise on the human body
• Effect of bullying on student life
• Explain teenage deliquesce
• Effect of social media on today’s society

Qualitative Research Topics in Daily Life

• Long-term strategic method for good project management
• How to deal with project implementation issues
• How to always meet the strict project deadlines
• Role of time management in goal setting
• How to set decision-making in management
• The best professional techniques to develop the best management skills
• How to provide the best medical care to low-income people
• Dealing with life losses and recovering from it
• How to make the best eco-friendly facemasks

Qualitative Research Topics in Education

• Role of school funding in student achievement
• Role of Emotional and social learning in the well-being of students
• Parental involvement in student
• Role of teacher training in student learning process
• Impact of classroom design on the learning practices of student
• Effect of poverty on education
• Using student data to make information
• Effect of mindfulness practices in the classroom
• Using modern teaching technology in the classroom
• Using critical thinking skills in education

Qualitative Research Topics in Psychology

• Prejudice vs discrimination
• Homophobia, sexism and racism
• Person perception
• Social cognition
• Social control and cults
• Love, romance and attraction
• Nonverbal communication
• Persuasion, propaganda, and marketing
• Essence of leadership

Qualitative Research Topics in Communication

• How to build successful massive media campaigns
• Impact of non-verbal communication on Relationships
• Effect of texting on relational development
• Religious affiliation vs impact on communication
• Analyze communication theory
• The best public health communication methods
• The impotence of nonverbal communication in relationships
• How mass media can be used to boost global business
• What are the best communication techniques for social marketing
• Role of social media in boosting intercultural interactions

Qualitative Research Topics in Social Work

• Bad effects of addiction
• Affordable Care Act
• Early intervention programs
• Conversion therapy
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Elder abuse
• Gender pay gap
• Foster care
• Family caregiving

Qualitative Research Topics in Early Childhood Education

• Always follow your passion
• Stray on the right track
• Zoom in and out
• Reality check
• Mend the gap
• Avoid procrastinating
• Be a good team player
• Learn very good time management
• Be punctual
• Be a quick learner

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Qualitative Research Topics In Environmental Studies

• Use of land use technology in the agriculture industry
• Role of fire hazards in environmental damage
• Role of climatic change in migratory marine species distribution
• How to investigate the role of the mutualistic plant-insect relationship in maintaining ecology
• Role of the invasive plant species on the ecosystem
• Effect of the habitat fragmentation caused by various road instructions
• Part of the ecosystem services in urban areas
• How to restore grassland in degraded ecosystems
• Effect of the land-use change through agriculture
• Part of the microbial diversity in the ecosystem

Qualitative Research Topics for Students

• The best method for the most effective project management
• Importance of developing community-based sanitization programs
• How to quit drinking and smoking
• How can academic and social practices help with social upliftment
• The science behind consumer motivations and appraisals
• Reshaping the virtual ethnography
• How to collect the resources for building any centralized community
• Are homeschooling programs effective
• How to help the youth control their obesity

Qualitative Research Topics for STEM Students

• Advantages of online learning vs physical learning
• The rise of metabolic disease connected with increased consumption
• Can immunotherapy really help with infections?
• Explain the digital technology on the millennial
• Pr4sent and future of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Explain the world of robotics
• Manual vs Automation
• Dependency of copter today
• Role of social media today

Qualitative Research Topics for Nursing Students

• How to assist the elderly care unit
• Risk management
• How to offer proper health care in rural areas
• How to assess the development tools
• The best Emergency Aid Techniques

Qualitative Research Topics for Human Studies

• Difficulties faced by the immigrants in adapting to a new country and culture
• How social media can shape cultural differences
• Explain the global police-community relations
• Gender dynamics in the workplace and career progression
• Analyze online dating experiences

Qualitative Research Titles Examples

• How to develop healthy eating habits
• How to go ahead in a progressive market
• Explain the modern newsgathering technologies
• How to get over addictions
• How to manage the real estate activities

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A Practical Guide to Writing Quantitative and Qualitative Research Questions and Hypotheses in Scholarly Articles

Edward barroga.

1 Department of General Education, Graduate School of Nursing Science, St. Luke’s International University, Tokyo, Japan.

Glafera Janet Matanguihan

2 Department of Biological Sciences, Messiah University, Mechanicsburg, PA, USA.

The development of research questions and the subsequent hypotheses are prerequisites to defining the main research purpose and specific objectives of a study. Consequently, these objectives determine the study design and research outcome. The development of research questions is a process based on knowledge of current trends, cutting-edge studies, and technological advances in the research field. Excellent research questions are focused and require a comprehensive literature search and in-depth understanding of the problem being investigated. Initially, research questions may be written as descriptive questions which could be developed into inferential questions. These questions must be specific and concise to provide a clear foundation for developing hypotheses. Hypotheses are more formal predictions about the research outcomes. These specify the possible results that may or may not be expected regarding the relationship between groups. Thus, research questions and hypotheses clarify the main purpose and specific objectives of the study, which in turn dictate the design of the study, its direction, and outcome. Studies developed from good research questions and hypotheses will have trustworthy outcomes with wide-ranging social and health implications.

INTRODUCTION

Scientific research is usually initiated by posing evidenced-based research questions which are then explicitly restated as hypotheses. 1 , 2 The hypotheses provide directions to guide the study, solutions, explanations, and expected results. 3 , 4 Both research questions and hypotheses are essentially formulated based on conventional theories and real-world processes, which allow the inception of novel studies and the ethical testing of ideas. 5 , 6

It is crucial to have knowledge of both quantitative and qualitative research 2 as both types of research involve writing research questions and hypotheses. 7 However, these crucial elements of research are sometimes overlooked; if not overlooked, then framed without the forethought and meticulous attention it needs. Planning and careful consideration are needed when developing quantitative or qualitative research, particularly when conceptualizing research questions and hypotheses. 4

There is a continuing need to support researchers in the creation of innovative research questions and hypotheses, as well as for journal articles that carefully review these elements. 1 When research questions and hypotheses are not carefully thought of, unethical studies and poor outcomes usually ensue. Carefully formulated research questions and hypotheses define well-founded objectives, which in turn determine the appropriate design, course, and outcome of the study. This article then aims to discuss in detail the various aspects of crafting research questions and hypotheses, with the goal of guiding researchers as they develop their own. Examples from the authors and peer-reviewed scientific articles in the healthcare field are provided to illustrate key points.

DEFINITIONS AND RELATIONSHIP OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESES

A research question is what a study aims to answer after data analysis and interpretation. The answer is written in length in the discussion section of the paper. Thus, the research question gives a preview of the different parts and variables of the study meant to address the problem posed in the research question. 1 An excellent research question clarifies the research writing while facilitating understanding of the research topic, objective, scope, and limitations of the study. 5

On the other hand, a research hypothesis is an educated statement of an expected outcome. This statement is based on background research and current knowledge. 8 , 9 The research hypothesis makes a specific prediction about a new phenomenon 10 or a formal statement on the expected relationship between an independent variable and a dependent variable. 3 , 11 It provides a tentative answer to the research question to be tested or explored. 4

Hypotheses employ reasoning to predict a theory-based outcome. 10 These can also be developed from theories by focusing on components of theories that have not yet been observed. 10 The validity of hypotheses is often based on the testability of the prediction made in a reproducible experiment. 8

Conversely, hypotheses can also be rephrased as research questions. Several hypotheses based on existing theories and knowledge may be needed to answer a research question. Developing ethical research questions and hypotheses creates a research design that has logical relationships among variables. These relationships serve as a solid foundation for the conduct of the study. 4 , 11 Haphazardly constructed research questions can result in poorly formulated hypotheses and improper study designs, leading to unreliable results. Thus, the formulations of relevant research questions and verifiable hypotheses are crucial when beginning research. 12

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESES

Excellent research questions are specific and focused. These integrate collective data and observations to confirm or refute the subsequent hypotheses. Well-constructed hypotheses are based on previous reports and verify the research context. These are realistic, in-depth, sufficiently complex, and reproducible. More importantly, these hypotheses can be addressed and tested. 13

There are several characteristics of well-developed hypotheses. Good hypotheses are 1) empirically testable 7 , 10 , 11 , 13 ; 2) backed by preliminary evidence 9 ; 3) testable by ethical research 7 , 9 ; 4) based on original ideas 9 ; 5) have evidenced-based logical reasoning 10 ; and 6) can be predicted. 11 Good hypotheses can infer ethical and positive implications, indicating the presence of a relationship or effect relevant to the research theme. 7 , 11 These are initially developed from a general theory and branch into specific hypotheses by deductive reasoning. In the absence of a theory to base the hypotheses, inductive reasoning based on specific observations or findings form more general hypotheses. 10

TYPES OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESES

Research questions and hypotheses are developed according to the type of research, which can be broadly classified into quantitative and qualitative research. We provide a summary of the types of research questions and hypotheses under quantitative and qualitative research categories in Table 1 .

Research questions in quantitative research

In quantitative research, research questions inquire about the relationships among variables being investigated and are usually framed at the start of the study. These are precise and typically linked to the subject population, dependent and independent variables, and research design. 1 Research questions may also attempt to describe the behavior of a population in relation to one or more variables, or describe the characteristics of variables to be measured ( descriptive research questions ). 1 , 5 , 14 These questions may also aim to discover differences between groups within the context of an outcome variable ( comparative research questions ), 1 , 5 , 14 or elucidate trends and interactions among variables ( relationship research questions ). 1 , 5 We provide examples of descriptive, comparative, and relationship research questions in quantitative research in Table 2 .

Hypotheses in quantitative research

In quantitative research, hypotheses predict the expected relationships among variables. 15 Relationships among variables that can be predicted include 1) between a single dependent variable and a single independent variable ( simple hypothesis ) or 2) between two or more independent and dependent variables ( complex hypothesis ). 4 , 11 Hypotheses may also specify the expected direction to be followed and imply an intellectual commitment to a particular outcome ( directional hypothesis ) 4 . On the other hand, hypotheses may not predict the exact direction and are used in the absence of a theory, or when findings contradict previous studies ( non-directional hypothesis ). 4 In addition, hypotheses can 1) define interdependency between variables ( associative hypothesis ), 4 2) propose an effect on the dependent variable from manipulation of the independent variable ( causal hypothesis ), 4 3) state a negative relationship between two variables ( null hypothesis ), 4 , 11 , 15 4) replace the working hypothesis if rejected ( alternative hypothesis ), 15 explain the relationship of phenomena to possibly generate a theory ( working hypothesis ), 11 5) involve quantifiable variables that can be tested statistically ( statistical hypothesis ), 11 6) or express a relationship whose interlinks can be verified logically ( logical hypothesis ). 11 We provide examples of simple, complex, directional, non-directional, associative, causal, null, alternative, working, statistical, and logical hypotheses in quantitative research, as well as the definition of quantitative hypothesis-testing research in Table 3 .

Research questions in qualitative research

Unlike research questions in quantitative research, research questions in qualitative research are usually continuously reviewed and reformulated. The central question and associated subquestions are stated more than the hypotheses. 15 The central question broadly explores a complex set of factors surrounding the central phenomenon, aiming to present the varied perspectives of participants. 15

There are varied goals for which qualitative research questions are developed. These questions can function in several ways, such as to 1) identify and describe existing conditions ( contextual research question s); 2) describe a phenomenon ( descriptive research questions ); 3) assess the effectiveness of existing methods, protocols, theories, or procedures ( evaluation research questions ); 4) examine a phenomenon or analyze the reasons or relationships between subjects or phenomena ( explanatory research questions ); or 5) focus on unknown aspects of a particular topic ( exploratory research questions ). 5 In addition, some qualitative research questions provide new ideas for the development of theories and actions ( generative research questions ) or advance specific ideologies of a position ( ideological research questions ). 1 Other qualitative research questions may build on a body of existing literature and become working guidelines ( ethnographic research questions ). Research questions may also be broadly stated without specific reference to the existing literature or a typology of questions ( phenomenological research questions ), may be directed towards generating a theory of some process ( grounded theory questions ), or may address a description of the case and the emerging themes ( qualitative case study questions ). 15 We provide examples of contextual, descriptive, evaluation, explanatory, exploratory, generative, ideological, ethnographic, phenomenological, grounded theory, and qualitative case study research questions in qualitative research in Table 4 , and the definition of qualitative hypothesis-generating research in Table 5 .

Qualitative studies usually pose at least one central research question and several subquestions starting with How or What . These research questions use exploratory verbs such as explore or describe . These also focus on one central phenomenon of interest, and may mention the participants and research site. 15

Hypotheses in qualitative research

Hypotheses in qualitative research are stated in the form of a clear statement concerning the problem to be investigated. Unlike in quantitative research where hypotheses are usually developed to be tested, qualitative research can lead to both hypothesis-testing and hypothesis-generating outcomes. 2 When studies require both quantitative and qualitative research questions, this suggests an integrative process between both research methods wherein a single mixed-methods research question can be developed. 1

FRAMEWORKS FOR DEVELOPING RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESES

Research questions followed by hypotheses should be developed before the start of the study. 1 , 12 , 14 It is crucial to develop feasible research questions on a topic that is interesting to both the researcher and the scientific community. This can be achieved by a meticulous review of previous and current studies to establish a novel topic. Specific areas are subsequently focused on to generate ethical research questions. The relevance of the research questions is evaluated in terms of clarity of the resulting data, specificity of the methodology, objectivity of the outcome, depth of the research, and impact of the study. 1 , 5 These aspects constitute the FINER criteria (i.e., Feasible, Interesting, Novel, Ethical, and Relevant). 1 Clarity and effectiveness are achieved if research questions meet the FINER criteria. In addition to the FINER criteria, Ratan et al. described focus, complexity, novelty, feasibility, and measurability for evaluating the effectiveness of research questions. 14

The PICOT and PEO frameworks are also used when developing research questions. 1 The following elements are addressed in these frameworks, PICOT: P-population/patients/problem, I-intervention or indicator being studied, C-comparison group, O-outcome of interest, and T-timeframe of the study; PEO: P-population being studied, E-exposure to preexisting conditions, and O-outcome of interest. 1 Research questions are also considered good if these meet the “FINERMAPS” framework: Feasible, Interesting, Novel, Ethical, Relevant, Manageable, Appropriate, Potential value/publishable, and Systematic. 14

As we indicated earlier, research questions and hypotheses that are not carefully formulated result in unethical studies or poor outcomes. To illustrate this, we provide some examples of ambiguous research question and hypotheses that result in unclear and weak research objectives in quantitative research ( Table 6 ) 16 and qualitative research ( Table 7 ) 17 , and how to transform these ambiguous research question(s) and hypothesis(es) into clear and good statements.

a These statements were composed for comparison and illustrative purposes only.

b These statements are direct quotes from Higashihara and Horiuchi. 16

a This statement is a direct quote from Shimoda et al. 17

The other statements were composed for comparison and illustrative purposes only.

CONSTRUCTING RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESES

To construct effective research questions and hypotheses, it is very important to 1) clarify the background and 2) identify the research problem at the outset of the research, within a specific timeframe. 9 Then, 3) review or conduct preliminary research to collect all available knowledge about the possible research questions by studying theories and previous studies. 18 Afterwards, 4) construct research questions to investigate the research problem. Identify variables to be accessed from the research questions 4 and make operational definitions of constructs from the research problem and questions. Thereafter, 5) construct specific deductive or inductive predictions in the form of hypotheses. 4 Finally, 6) state the study aims . This general flow for constructing effective research questions and hypotheses prior to conducting research is shown in Fig. 1 .

Research questions are used more frequently in qualitative research than objectives or hypotheses. 3 These questions seek to discover, understand, explore or describe experiences by asking “What” or “How.” The questions are open-ended to elicit a description rather than to relate variables or compare groups. The questions are continually reviewed, reformulated, and changed during the qualitative study. 3 Research questions are also used more frequently in survey projects than hypotheses in experiments in quantitative research to compare variables and their relationships.

Hypotheses are constructed based on the variables identified and as an if-then statement, following the template, ‘If a specific action is taken, then a certain outcome is expected.’ At this stage, some ideas regarding expectations from the research to be conducted must be drawn. 18 Then, the variables to be manipulated (independent) and influenced (dependent) are defined. 4 Thereafter, the hypothesis is stated and refined, and reproducible data tailored to the hypothesis are identified, collected, and analyzed. 4 The hypotheses must be testable and specific, 18 and should describe the variables and their relationships, the specific group being studied, and the predicted research outcome. 18 Hypotheses construction involves a testable proposition to be deduced from theory, and independent and dependent variables to be separated and measured separately. 3 Therefore, good hypotheses must be based on good research questions constructed at the start of a study or trial. 12

In summary, research questions are constructed after establishing the background of the study. Hypotheses are then developed based on the research questions. Thus, it is crucial to have excellent research questions to generate superior hypotheses. In turn, these would determine the research objectives and the design of the study, and ultimately, the outcome of the research. 12 Algorithms for building research questions and hypotheses are shown in Fig. 2 for quantitative research and in Fig. 3 for qualitative research.

EXAMPLES OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS FROM PUBLISHED ARTICLES

• EXAMPLE 1. Descriptive research question (quantitative research)
• - Presents research variables to be assessed (distinct phenotypes and subphenotypes)
• “BACKGROUND: Since COVID-19 was identified, its clinical and biological heterogeneity has been recognized. Identifying COVID-19 phenotypes might help guide basic, clinical, and translational research efforts.
• RESEARCH QUESTION: Does the clinical spectrum of patients with COVID-19 contain distinct phenotypes and subphenotypes? ” 19
• EXAMPLE 2. Relationship research question (quantitative research)
• - Shows interactions between dependent variable (static postural control) and independent variable (peripheral visual field loss)
• “Background: Integration of visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive sensations contributes to postural control. People with peripheral visual field loss have serious postural instability. However, the directional specificity of postural stability and sensory reweighting caused by gradual peripheral visual field loss remain unclear.
• Research question: What are the effects of peripheral visual field loss on static postural control ?” 20
• EXAMPLE 3. Comparative research question (quantitative research)
• - Clarifies the difference among groups with an outcome variable (patients enrolled in COMPERA with moderate PH or severe PH in COPD) and another group without the outcome variable (patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH))
• “BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) in COPD is a poorly investigated clinical condition.
• RESEARCH QUESTION: Which factors determine the outcome of PH in COPD?
• STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We analyzed the characteristics and outcome of patients enrolled in the Comparative, Prospective Registry of Newly Initiated Therapies for Pulmonary Hypertension (COMPERA) with moderate or severe PH in COPD as defined during the 6th PH World Symposium who received medical therapy for PH and compared them with patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) .” 21
• EXAMPLE 4. Exploratory research question (qualitative research)
• - Explores areas that have not been fully investigated (perspectives of families and children who receive care in clinic-based child obesity treatment) to have a deeper understanding of the research problem
• “Problem: Interventions for children with obesity lead to only modest improvements in BMI and long-term outcomes, and data are limited on the perspectives of families of children with obesity in clinic-based treatment. This scoping review seeks to answer the question: What is known about the perspectives of families and children who receive care in clinic-based child obesity treatment? This review aims to explore the scope of perspectives reported by families of children with obesity who have received individualized outpatient clinic-based obesity treatment.” 22
• EXAMPLE 5. Relationship research question (quantitative research)
• - Defines interactions between dependent variable (use of ankle strategies) and independent variable (changes in muscle tone)
• “Background: To maintain an upright standing posture against external disturbances, the human body mainly employs two types of postural control strategies: “ankle strategy” and “hip strategy.” While it has been reported that the magnitude of the disturbance alters the use of postural control strategies, it has not been elucidated how the level of muscle tone, one of the crucial parameters of bodily function, determines the use of each strategy. We have previously confirmed using forward dynamics simulations of human musculoskeletal models that an increased muscle tone promotes the use of ankle strategies. The objective of the present study was to experimentally evaluate a hypothesis: an increased muscle tone promotes the use of ankle strategies. Research question: Do changes in the muscle tone affect the use of ankle strategies ?” 23

EXAMPLES OF HYPOTHESES IN PUBLISHED ARTICLES

• EXAMPLE 1. Working hypothesis (quantitative research)
• - A hypothesis that is initially accepted for further research to produce a feasible theory
• “As fever may have benefit in shortening the duration of viral illness, it is plausible to hypothesize that the antipyretic efficacy of ibuprofen may be hindering the benefits of a fever response when taken during the early stages of COVID-19 illness .” 24
• “In conclusion, it is plausible to hypothesize that the antipyretic efficacy of ibuprofen may be hindering the benefits of a fever response . The difference in perceived safety of these agents in COVID-19 illness could be related to the more potent efficacy to reduce fever with ibuprofen compared to acetaminophen. Compelling data on the benefit of fever warrant further research and review to determine when to treat or withhold ibuprofen for early stage fever for COVID-19 and other related viral illnesses .” 24
• EXAMPLE 2. Exploratory hypothesis (qualitative research)
• - Explores particular areas deeper to clarify subjective experience and develop a formal hypothesis potentially testable in a future quantitative approach
• “We hypothesized that when thinking about a past experience of help-seeking, a self distancing prompt would cause increased help-seeking intentions and more favorable help-seeking outcome expectations .” 25
• “Conclusion
• Although a priori hypotheses were not supported, further research is warranted as results indicate the potential for using self-distancing approaches to increasing help-seeking among some people with depressive symptomatology.” 25
• EXAMPLE 3. Hypothesis-generating research to establish a framework for hypothesis testing (qualitative research)
• “We hypothesize that compassionate care is beneficial for patients (better outcomes), healthcare systems and payers (lower costs), and healthcare providers (lower burnout). ” 26
• Compassionomics is the branch of knowledge and scientific study of the effects of compassionate healthcare. Our main hypotheses are that compassionate healthcare is beneficial for (1) patients, by improving clinical outcomes, (2) healthcare systems and payers, by supporting financial sustainability, and (3) HCPs, by lowering burnout and promoting resilience and well-being. The purpose of this paper is to establish a scientific framework for testing the hypotheses above . If these hypotheses are confirmed through rigorous research, compassionomics will belong in the science of evidence-based medicine, with major implications for all healthcare domains.” 26
• EXAMPLE 4. Statistical hypothesis (quantitative research)
• - An assumption is made about the relationship among several population characteristics ( gender differences in sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of adults with ADHD ). Validity is tested by statistical experiment or analysis ( chi-square test, Students t-test, and logistic regression analysis)
• “Our research investigated gender differences in sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of adults with ADHD in a Japanese clinical sample. Due to unique Japanese cultural ideals and expectations of women's behavior that are in opposition to ADHD symptoms, we hypothesized that women with ADHD experience more difficulties and present more dysfunctions than men . We tested the following hypotheses: first, women with ADHD have more comorbidities than men with ADHD; second, women with ADHD experience more social hardships than men, such as having less full-time employment and being more likely to be divorced.” 27
• “Statistical Analysis
• ( text omitted ) Between-gender comparisons were made using the chi-squared test for categorical variables and Students t-test for continuous variables…( text omitted ). A logistic regression analysis was performed for employment status, marital status, and comorbidity to evaluate the independent effects of gender on these dependent variables.” 27

EXAMPLES OF HYPOTHESIS AS WRITTEN IN PUBLISHED ARTICLES IN RELATION TO OTHER PARTS

• EXAMPLE 1. Background, hypotheses, and aims are provided
• “Pregnant women need skilled care during pregnancy and childbirth, but that skilled care is often delayed in some countries …( text omitted ). The focused antenatal care (FANC) model of WHO recommends that nurses provide information or counseling to all pregnant women …( text omitted ). Job aids are visual support materials that provide the right kind of information using graphics and words in a simple and yet effective manner. When nurses are not highly trained or have many work details to attend to, these job aids can serve as a content reminder for the nurses and can be used for educating their patients (Jennings, Yebadokpo, Affo, & Agbogbe, 2010) ( text omitted ). Importantly, additional evidence is needed to confirm how job aids can further improve the quality of ANC counseling by health workers in maternal care …( text omitted )” 28
• “ This has led us to hypothesize that the quality of ANC counseling would be better if supported by job aids. Consequently, a better quality of ANC counseling is expected to produce higher levels of awareness concerning the danger signs of pregnancy and a more favorable impression of the caring behavior of nurses .” 28
• “This study aimed to examine the differences in the responses of pregnant women to a job aid-supported intervention during ANC visit in terms of 1) their understanding of the danger signs of pregnancy and 2) their impression of the caring behaviors of nurses to pregnant women in rural Tanzania.” 28
• EXAMPLE 2. Background, hypotheses, and aims are provided
• “We conducted a two-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate and compare changes in salivary cortisol and oxytocin levels of first-time pregnant women between experimental and control groups. The women in the experimental group touched and held an infant for 30 min (experimental intervention protocol), whereas those in the control group watched a DVD movie of an infant (control intervention protocol). The primary outcome was salivary cortisol level and the secondary outcome was salivary oxytocin level.” 29
• “ We hypothesize that at 30 min after touching and holding an infant, the salivary cortisol level will significantly decrease and the salivary oxytocin level will increase in the experimental group compared with the control group .” 29
• EXAMPLE 3. Background, aim, and hypothesis are provided
• “In countries where the maternal mortality ratio remains high, antenatal education to increase Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness (BPCR) is considered one of the top priorities [1]. BPCR includes birth plans during the antenatal period, such as the birthplace, birth attendant, transportation, health facility for complications, expenses, and birth materials, as well as family coordination to achieve such birth plans. In Tanzania, although increasing, only about half of all pregnant women attend an antenatal clinic more than four times [4]. Moreover, the information provided during antenatal care (ANC) is insufficient. In the resource-poor settings, antenatal group education is a potential approach because of the limited time for individual counseling at antenatal clinics.” 30
• “This study aimed to evaluate an antenatal group education program among pregnant women and their families with respect to birth-preparedness and maternal and infant outcomes in rural villages of Tanzania.” 30
• “ The study hypothesis was if Tanzanian pregnant women and their families received a family-oriented antenatal group education, they would (1) have a higher level of BPCR, (2) attend antenatal clinic four or more times, (3) give birth in a health facility, (4) have less complications of women at birth, and (5) have less complications and deaths of infants than those who did not receive the education .” 30

Research questions and hypotheses are crucial components to any type of research, whether quantitative or qualitative. These questions should be developed at the very beginning of the study. Excellent research questions lead to superior hypotheses, which, like a compass, set the direction of research, and can often determine the successful conduct of the study. Many research studies have floundered because the development of research questions and subsequent hypotheses was not given the thought and meticulous attention needed. The development of research questions and hypotheses is an iterative process based on extensive knowledge of the literature and insightful grasp of the knowledge gap. Focused, concise, and specific research questions provide a strong foundation for constructing hypotheses which serve as formal predictions about the research outcomes. Research questions and hypotheses are crucial elements of research that should not be overlooked. They should be carefully thought of and constructed when planning research. This avoids unethical studies and poor outcomes by defining well-founded objectives that determine the design, course, and outcome of the study.

Disclosure: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

Author Contributions:

• Conceptualization: Barroga E, Matanguihan GJ.
• Methodology: Barroga E, Matanguihan GJ.
• Writing - original draft: Barroga E, Matanguihan GJ.
• Writing - review & editing: Barroga E, Matanguihan GJ.

Research Questionnaire

Questionnaire generator.

When a researcher creates a research paper using the scientific method they will need to use a gathering method that is adjacent to the research topic. This means that the researcher will use a quantitative research method for a quantitive topic and a qualitative method for a qualitative  one.  The research questionnaire is one of the quantitative data-gathering methods a researcher can use in their research paper.

1. Market Research Questionnaire Template Example

• Google Docs
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Size: 38 KB

2. Market Research Questionnaire Example

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3. Research Questionnaire Example

4. Sample Market Research Questionnaire

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5. Research Survey Questionnaire

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6. Research Survey Questionnaire Construction

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7. Research Questionnaire Survey of Consumers

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8. Guide to the Design of Research Questionnaires

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9. Planning Survey Research Questionnaires

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10. Climate Change Survey Questionnaires

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11. Survey Questionnaire Design

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12. Developing Questionnaires for Educational Research

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13. Graudate Research Student Questionnaires

14. Sample Research Survey Questionnaires

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15. Market Research Questionnaire Example

16. Research Survey Questionnaire Example

17. Product X Research Study Questionnaire Example

What Is a Research Questionnaire?

A research questionnaire is a physical or digital questionnaire that researchers use to obtain quantitative data. The research questionnaire is a more in-depth version of a survey   as its questions often delve deeper than survey questions .

How to Write a Research Questionnaire

A well-made research questionnaire can effectively and efficiently gather data from the population. Creating a good research questionnaire does not require that many writing skills , soft skills , or hard skills , it just requires the person to properly understand the data set they are looking for.

Step 1: Select a Topic or Theme for the Research Questionnaire

Begin by choosing a topic or theme   for the research questionnaire as this will provide much-needed context for the research questionnaire. Not only that but the topic will also dictate the tone of the questions in the questionnaire.

Step 2: Obtain or Use a Research Questionnaire Outline

You may opt to use a research questionnaire outline or outline format for your research questionnaire. This outline will provide you with a structure you can use to easily make your research questionnaire.

Step 3: Create your Research Questionnaire

Start by creating questions that will help provide you with the necessary data to prove or disprove your research question. You may conduct brainstorming sessions to formulate the questions for your research questionnaire.

Step 4: Edit and Have Someone Proofread the Questionnaire

After you have created and completed the research questionnaire, you must edit the contents of the questionnaire. Not only that but it is wise to have someone proofread the contents of your questionnaire before deploying the questionnaire. 

How does a research questionnaire help businesses?

A successful business or company utilizes research questionnaires to not only obtain data from their customers but also to gather data about the performance and quality of the employees in the business. The research questionnaire provides the business or company with actionable data, which they can use to improve the product, service, or commodity to obtain more customers.

Do I need to provide a consent form when I ask someone to answer the research questionnaire?

Yes, consent is very important as without this the data you have gathered from your questionnaires or surveys are useless. Therefore it is important to provide a consent form with your research questionnaire when you are asking a participant to answer the document.

What type of answers are allowed in the research questionnaire?

Research questionnaires can host a multitude of types of questions each with its specific way of answering.  A questionnaire can use multiple-choice questions, open-ended questions, and closed questions. Just be sure to properly pace the questions as having too many different types of answering styles can demotivate or distract the target audience, which might lead to errors.

A research questionnaire is a data-gathering document people can use to obtain information and data from a specific group of people. Well-made and crafted research questionnaires will provide much-needed information one can use to answer a specific research question.

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