2. American women
Question: | How often do British university students use Facebook each week? |
Variable: | Weekly Facebook usage |
Group: | British university students |
Question: | How often do male and female British university students upload photos and comment on other users' photos on Facebook each week? |
Variable: | 1. Weekly photo uploads on Facebook 2. Weekly comments on other users? photos on Facebook |
Group: | 1. Male, British university students 2. Female, British university students |
Question: | What are the most important factors that influence the career choices of Australian university students? |
Variable: | Factors influencing career choices |
Group: | Australian university students |
In each of these example descriptive research questions, we are quantifying the variables we are interested in. However, the units that we used to quantify these variables will differ depending on what is being measured. For example, in the questions above, we are interested in frequencies (also known as counts ), such as the number of calories, photos uploaded, or comments on other users? photos. In the case of the final question, What are the most important factors that influence the career choices of Australian university students? , we are interested in the number of times each factor (e.g., salary and benefits, career prospects, physical working conditions, etc.) was ranked on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 = least important and 10 = most important). We may then choose to examine this data by presenting the frequencies , as well as using a measure of central tendency and a measure of spread [see the section on Data Analysis to learn more about these and other statistical tests].
However, it is also common when using descriptive research questions to measure percentages and proportions , so we have included some example descriptive research questions below that illustrate this.
Question: | What percentage of American men and women exceed their daily calorific allowance? |
Variable: | Daily calorific intake |
Group: | 1. American men 2. American women |
Question: | What proportion of British male and female university students use the top 5 social networks? |
Variable: | Use of top 5 social networks (i.e. Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Classmates) |
Group: | 1. Male, British university students 2. Female, British university students |
In terms of the first descriptive research question about daily calorific intake , we are not necessarily interested in frequencies , or using a measure of central tendency or measure of spread , but instead want understand what percentage of American men and women exceed their daily calorific allowance . In this respect, this descriptive research question differs from the earlier question that asked: How many calories do American men and women consume per day? Whilst this question simply wants to measure the total number of calories (i.e., the How many calories part that starts the question); in this case, the question aims to measure excess ; that is, what percentage of these two groups (i.e., American men and American women) exceed their daily calorific allowance, which is different for males (around 2500 calories per day) and females (around 2000 calories per day).
If you are performing a piece of descriptive , quantitative research for your dissertation, you are likely to need to set quite a number of descriptive research questions . However, if you are using an experimental or quasi-experimental research design , or a more involved relationship-based research design , you are more likely to use just one or two descriptive research questions as a means to providing background to the topic you are studying, helping to give additional context for comparative research questions and/or relationship-based research questions that follow.
Comparative research questions aim to examine the differences between two or more groups on one or more dependent variables (although often just a single dependent variable). Such questions typically start by asking "What is the difference in?" a particular dependent variable (e.g., daily calorific intake) between two or more groups (e.g., American men and American women). Examples of comparative research questions include:
Question: | What is the difference in the daily calorific intake of American men and women? |
Dependent variable: | Daily calorific intake |
Groups: | 1. American men 2. American women |
Question: | What is the difference in the weekly photo uploads on Facebook between British male and female university students? |
Dependent variable: | Weekly photo uploads on Facebook |
Groups: | 1. Male, British university students 2. Female, British university students |
Question: | What are the differences in usage behaviour on Facebook between British male and female university students? |
Dependent variable: | Usage behaviour on Facebook (e.g. logins, weekly photo uploads, status changes, commenting on other users' photos, app usage, etc.) |
Group: | 1. Male, British university students 2. Female, British university students |
Question: | What are the differences in perceptions towards Internet banking security between adolescents and pensioners? |
Dependent variable: | Perceptions towards Internet banking security |
Groups: | 1. Adolescents 2. Pensioners |
Question: | What are the differences in attitudes towards music piracy when pirated music is freely distributed or purchased? |
Dependent variable: | Attitudes towards music piracy |
Groups: | 1. Freely distributed pirated music 2. Purchased pirated music |
Groups reflect different categories of the independent variable you are measuring (e.g., American men and women = "gender"; Australian undergraduate and graduate students = "educational level"; pirated music that is freely distributed and pirated music that is purchased = "method of illegal music acquisition").
Comparative research questions also differ in terms of their relative complexity , by which we are referring to how many items/measures make up the dependent variable or how many dependent variables are investigated. Indeed, the examples highlight the difference between very simple comparative research questions where the dependent variable involves just a single measure/item (e.g., daily calorific intake) and potentially more complex questions where the dependent variable is made up of multiple items (e.g., Facebook usage behaviour including a wide range of items, such as logins, weekly photo uploads, status changes, etc.); or where each of these items should be written out as dependent variables.
Overall, whilst the dependent variable(s) highlight what you are interested in studying (e.g., attitudes towards music piracy, perceptions towards Internet banking security), comparative research questions are particularly appropriate if your dissertation aims to examine the differences between two or more groups (e.g., men and women, adolescents and pensioners, managers and non-managers, etc.).
Whilst we refer to this type of quantitative research question as a relationship-based research question, the word relationship should be treated simply as a useful way of describing the fact that these types of quantitative research question are interested in the causal relationships , associations , trends and/or interactions amongst two or more variables on one or more groups. We have to be careful when using the word relationship because in statistics, it refers to a particular type of research design, namely experimental research designs where it is possible to measure the cause and effect between two or more variables; that is, it is possible to say that variable A (e.g., study time) was responsible for an increase in variable B (e.g., exam scores). However, at the undergraduate and even master's level, dissertations rarely involve experimental research designs , but rather quasi-experimental and relationship-based research designs [see the section on Quantitative research designs ]. This means that you cannot often find causal relationships between variables, but only associations or trends .
However, when we write a relationship-based research question , we do not have to make this distinction between causal relationships, associations, trends and interactions (i.e., it is just something that you should keep in the back of your mind). Instead, we typically start a relationship-based quantitative research question, "What is the relationship?" , usually followed by the words, "between or amongst" , then list the independent variables (e.g., gender) and dependent variables (e.g., attitudes towards music piracy), "amongst or between" the group(s) you are focusing on. Examples of relationship-based research questions are:
Question: | What is the relationship between gender and attitudes towards music piracy amongst adolescents? |
Dependent variable: | Attitudes towards music piracy |
Independent variable: | Gender |
Group: | Adolescents |
Question: | What is the relationship between study time and exam scores amongst university students? |
Dependent variable: | Exam scores |
Independent variable: | Study time |
Group: | University students |
Question: | What is the relationship amongst career prospects, salary and benefits, and physical working conditions on job satisfaction between managers and non-managers? |
Dependent variable: | Job satisfaction |
Independent variable: | 1. Career prospects 2. Salary and benefits 3. Physical working conditions |
Group: | 1. Managers 2. Non-managers |
As the examples above highlight, relationship-based research questions are appropriate to set when we are interested in the relationship, association, trend, or interaction between one or more dependent (e.g., exam scores) and independent (e.g., study time) variables, whether on one or more groups (e.g., university students).
The quantitative research design that we select subsequently determines whether we look for relationships , associations , trends or interactions . To learn how to structure (i.e., write out) each of these three types of quantitative research question (i.e., descriptive, comparative, relationship-based research questions), see the article: How to structure quantitative research questions .
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A previous Evidence in Practice article explained why a specific and answerable research question is important for clinicians and researchers. Determining whether a study aims to answer a descriptive, predictive, or causal question should be one of the first things a reader does when reading an article. Any type of question can be relevant and useful to support evidence-based practice, but only if the question is well defined, matched to the right study design, and reported correctly. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2020;50(8):468-469. doi:10.2519/jospt.2020.0703 .
Keywords: clinical practice; evidence-based practice; research; study quality.
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Descriptive research questions are a systematic methodology that helps in understanding the what, where, when and how. Important variables can be rigidly defined using descriptive research, unlike qualitative research where the subjectivity in responses makes it relatively difficult to get a grasp on the overall picture. The multiple methods ...
The first question asks for a ready-made solution, and is not focused or researchable. The second question is a clearer comparative question, but note that it may not be practically feasible. For a smaller research project or thesis, it could be narrowed down further to focus on the effectiveness of drunk driving laws in just one or two countries.
Descriptive questions, which are the most basic type of quantitative research question and seeks to explain the when, where, why or how something occurred. ... Research question frameworks have been designed to help structure research questions and clarify the main concepts. Not every question can fit perfectly into a framework, but using even ...
A previous Evidence in Practice article explained why a specific and answerable research question is important for clinicians and researchers. Determining whether a study aims to answer a descriptive, predictive, or causal question should be one of the first things a reader does when reading an article. Any type of question can be relevant and useful to support evidence-based practice, but ...
These questions can function in several ways, such as to 1) identify and describe existing conditions (contextual research questions); 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 ...
Descriptive research aims to accurately and systematically describe a population, situation or phenomenon. It can answer what, where, when and how questions, but not why questions. A descriptive research design can use a wide variety of research methods to investigate one or more variables. Unlike in experimental research, the researcher does ...
Descriptive research is a research method describing the characteristics of the population or phenomenon studied. This descriptive methodology focuses more on the "what" of the research subject than the "why" of the research subject. The method primarily focuses on describing the nature of a demographic segment without focusing on ...
Research Questions Clarify the research's aim (Farrugia et al., 2010) Research often begins with an interest in a topic, but a deep understanding of the subject is crucial to formulate an appropriate research question. They identify the problem or issue the research seeks to address. The nature of the research question (descriptive ...
A good research question is essential to guide your research paper, dissertation, or thesis. All research questions should be: Focused on a single problem or issue. Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources. Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints. Specific enough to answer thoroughly.
Types of research questions. Now that we've defined what a research question is, let's look at the different types of research questions that you might come across. Broadly speaking, there are (at least) four different types of research questions - descriptive, comparative, relational, and explanatory. Descriptive questions ask what is happening. In other words, they seek to describe a ...
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 ...
Definition: As its name says, descriptive research describes the characteristics of the problem, phenomenon, situation, or group under study. So the goal of all descriptive studies is to explore the background, details, and existing patterns in the problem to fully understand it. In other words, preliminary research.
This chapter discusses (1) the important role of research questions for descriptive, predictive, and causal studies across the three research paradigms (i.e., quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods); (2) characteristics of quality research questions, and (3) three frameworks to support the development of research questions and their dissemination within scholarly work.
Descriptive research questions are typically closed-ended because they aim at gathering definite and specific responses from research participants. Also, they can be used in customer experience surveys and market research to collect information about target markets and consumer behaviors. Descriptive Research Question Examples
These questions help to define the scope of the research and provide a clear focus for the study. Research questions are usually developed at the beginning of a research project and are designed to address a particular research problem or objective. Types of Research Questions. Types of Research Questions are as follows: Descriptive Research ...
Additionally, descriptive research can contribute to the development of hypotheses and guide the formulation of research questions for subsequent studies. Editage All Access is a subscription-based platform that unifies the best AI tools and services designed to speed up, simplify, and streamline every step of a researcher's journey.
Descriptive research questions describe or define a particular phenomenon or experience and are often answered with qualitative data. Emancipatory questions aim to produce knowledge to benefit people who are sociologically disadvantaged in some manner (gender, age, race, economic, immigration status, disability, etc). Although they are more ...
Yet descriptive research is also helpful to conduct on an ongoing basis, and it can involve well-studied topics. A common type of descriptive research is the work of government agencies to tabulate statistics about the population. In the United States, for example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics uses survey questions to estimate employment by ...
Descriptive research is a common investigatory model used by researchers in various fields, including social sciences, linguistics, and academia. ... Research questions often begin with "What is …" These studies help find solutions to practical issues in social science, physical science, and education. Here are some examples and ...
Surveys. Often, psychologists develop surveys as a means of gathering data. Surveys are lists of questions to be answered by research participants, and can be delivered as paper-and-pencil questionnaires, administered electronically, or conducted verbally (Figure 3). Generally, the survey itself can be completed in a short time, and the ease of administering a survey makes it easy to collect ...
The quantitative research design that we select subsequently determines whether we look for relationships, associations, trends or interactions. To learn how to structure (i.e., write out) each of these three types of quantitative research question (i.e., descriptive, comparative, relationship-based research questions), see the article: How to ...
Descriptive research is a type of research that is used to describe the characteristics of a population. It collects data that are used to answer a wide range of what, when, and how questions pertaining to a particular population or group. For example, descriptive studies might be used to answer questions such as: What percentage of Head Start ...
Determining whether a study aims to answer a descriptive, predictive, or causal question should be one of the first things a reader does when reading an article. Any type of question can be relevant and useful to support evidence-based practice, but only if the question is well defined, matched to the right study design, and reported correctly ...