Research Question Generator for Free

🎓 Research Question Generator: How to Use It

Research can’t be done without a clear purpose, an intention behind it.

This intention is usually reflected in a research question, which indicates how you approach your study topic.

If you’re unsure how to write a good research question or are new to this process, you’ll surely benefit from our free online tool. All you need is:

1. Indicate your search term or title
2. Stipulate the subject or academic area
3. Press “Generate questions”
4. Choose a suitable research question from the generated list.

As you can see, this is the best research question generator requiring minimal input for smart question formulation. Try it out to see how simple the process is.

🤔 Why Make an Inquiry Question?

A research question is a question that you formulate for your scientific inquiry. It is a question that sets the scope for your study and determines how you will approach the identified problem, gap, or issue.

Questions can be descriptive, meaning they aim to describe or measure a subject of the researcher's interest.

Otherwise, they can be exploratory, focusing on the under-researched areas and aiming to expand the existing research evidence on the topic.

If there's enough knowledge about the subject, and you want to dig deeper into the existing trends and relationships, you can also use an explanatory research question.

What Makes a Strong Research Question?

The strength of your formulated research question determines the quality of your research, whether it’s a short argumentative essay or an extensive research paper. So, you should review the quality of your question before conducting the full-scale study.

Its parameters of quality are as follows:

• Clarity.
  The question should be specific about the focus of your inquiry.
• Complexity.
  It should not be self-obvious or primitively answered with a “yes” or “no” variant.
• Focus.
  The question should match the size and type of your academic assignment.
• Conciseness.
  It should be brief and understandable.
• Debatability.
  There should be more than one potential answer to the question.

😺 Research Question Examples: Good & Not So Good

Here are some examples to illustrate what we mean by quality criteria and how you can ensure that your question meets them.

Lack of Clarity

The bad example is too general and does not clearly estimate what effect you want to analyze or what aspect of video gaming you're interested in. A much better variant is in the right column.

Look at some other research question examples that are clear enough:

• Terrorism: what is it and how to counter it?
• Sex trafficking: why do we have to address it?
• Palliative care: what constitutes the best technique for technicians communication with patients and families?
• How do vacuum cleaners work?
• What does it mean to age well?

Lack of Focus

The bad example is not focused, as it doesn’t specify what benefits you want to identify and in what context the uniform is approached. A more effective variant is in the right column.

Look at some other research question examples that are focused enough:

• How are biochemical conditions and brain activity linked to crime?
• World wars and national conflicts: what were the reasons?
• Why does crime exist in society?
• Decolonization in Canada: what does decolonization mean?

Simplicity

The bad example is too simplistic and doesn’t focus on the aspects of help that dogs can give to their owners. A more effective variant is in the right column.

Look at some other research question examples that are complex enough:

• How is resource scarcity impacting the chocolate industry?
• What should the Brazilian government do about reducing Amazon’s deforestation?
• Why is a collaborative approach vital during a pandemic?
• What impact has COVID-19 had on the economy?
• How to teach handwriting effectively?

Lack of Debatability

The problem of diabetes is well-known and doesn’t cause any doubts. So, you should add debatability to the discussed issue.

Look at some other research question examples that are debatable enough:

• Online vs. print journalism: what is more beneficial?
• Why will artificial intelligence not replace human in near future?
• What are the differences between art and design?
• Crime TV: how is criminality represented on television?

Length

The question in the left column is too long and ambiguous, making the readers lose focus. You can shorten it without losing the essence.

Look at some other research question examples that are concise enough:

• What is the best way to address obesity in the US?
• Doctoral degree in nursing: why is it important?
• What are the benefits of X-rays in medicine?
• To what extent do emotions influence moral judgment?
• Why did the Industrial Revolution happen in England?

👣 Steps to Generate Research Questions

Now, it’s time to get down from science to practice. Here is a tried-and-tested algorithm for killer research question generation.

1. Pick a topic.
   Once you get a writing assignment, it’s time to find an appropriate topic first. You can’t formulate a thesis statement or research question if you know nothing about your subject, so it's time to narrow your scope and find out as much as possible about the upcoming task.
2. Research the topic.
   After you’re brainstormed several topic options, you should do some research. This stage takes the guesswork out of the academic process, allowing you to discover what scholars and other respected people think about your subject.
3. Clarify who your audience is.
   Think about who will read your piece. Will it be the professor, your classmates, or the general audience consisting of laypersons? Ensure the research question sounds competent enough for a professor and understandable enough for laypeople.
4. Approach the subject critically.
   With a well-articulated topic at hand, you should start asking the "why's" and "how's" about it. Look at the subject as a kid; don't limit your curiosity. You're sure to arrive at some interesting topics to reveal the hidden sides of the chosen issue.
5. Evaluate the questions.
   Now that you have a couple of questions about your topic, evaluate them in terms of research value. Are all of them clear and focused? Will answering all of them take time and research, or is the answer already on the surface? By assessing each option you’ve formulated, you’re sure to choose one leader and use it as your main research question for the scientific study.

Thank you for reading this article! If you need to quickly formulate a thesis statement, consider using our free thesis maker.

📝 Research Question Maker: the Benefits

❓ Research Questions Generator FAQ

Updated: Oct 25th, 2023

🔗 References

1. Developing research questions - Library - Monash University
2. Formulation of Research Question – Stepwise Approach - PMC
3. Examples of Good and Bad Research Questions
4. How To Write a Research Question: Steps and Examples
5. Narrowing a Topic and Developing a Research Question