Research should have a clear purpose as it should give benefits for both the writer and the reader. For the reader, a comprehensible purpose enables one to understand the area of study and what the research proposes to improve on the subject.
On the other hand, it is a benefit for the writer since a clear purpose provides one with the ability to decide which research design to follow. It also helps one in drafting the hypothesis needed for the rest of the paper. Research questions should be straightforward as they tend to point out what the study will try to cover. Good research questions help the author present his arguments better and keep the level of the reader’s interest high.
Characteristics of a research question
The reader should view the research question as an interesting and evocative one. It should be easy to understand and relevant either for future research or the people affected by the study. It should avoid ambiguity and be straightforward and easy for one to examine.
A good research question points out the topic that is to be studied there. An excellent hypothesis should be written on the most logical basis as it connects with the user providing a conservative and the most reliable explanation of the problem statement.
A reasonable hypothesis ought to be firmly reflected in the theoretical framework. It should clearly highlight the relationship between variables and have a fixed time frame upon which the research should be carried out.
Research question example
A research question would, for example, state if the American banks and homebuyers learned a vital economic lesson from the 2007 depression. In this case, a reasonable hypothesis could be formulated in three parts. Thus, the first example is general if it asks if American banks and home buyers had heavy losses due to the 2007 great depression.
The second hypothesis is more directional than the first one. Banks were much more responsible for the great depression than the home buyers. Finally, the third hypothesis is more calculative. It may be read in the following way if banking activities were to be audited, they would reveal more considerable loss of money, and scrupulous transactions than the home buyers’ accounts did.
The research question has been written correctly in order to be researched in the future and give an indication of what the study is about. The hypothesis is skillfully examined as it links the two variables and follows a layout of general hypothesis, directional and measurable hypothetical statements.