where to find research question in article

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Where to Put the Research Question in a Paper

Silke Haidekker has a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Hannover. She is a Clinical Research Associate in multiple pharmaceutical companies in Germany and the USA. She now works as a full-time medical translator and writer in a small town in Georgia.

Of Rats and Panic Attacks: A Doctoral Student’s Tale

You would probably agree that the time spent writing your PhD dissertation or thesis is not only a time of taking pride or even joy in what you do, but also a time riddled with panic attacks of different varieties and lengths. When I worked on my PhD thesis in pharmacology in Germany many years back, I had  my  first panic attack as I first learned how to kill rats for my experiments with a very ugly tool called a guillotine! After that part of the procedure, I was to remove and mash their livers, spike them with Ciclosporin A (an immunosuppressive agent), and then present the metabolites by high-pressure liquid chromatography.

Many rats later, I had another serious panic attack. It occurred at the moment my doctoral adviser told me to write my first research paper on the Ciclosporin A metabolites I had detected in hundreds of slimy mashes of rat liver. Sadly, this second panic attack led to a third one that was caused by living in the pre-internet era, when it was not as easy to access information about  how to write research papers .

How I got over writing my first research paper is now ancient history. But it was only years later, living in the USA and finally being immersed in the language of most scientific research papers, that my interest in the art of writing “good” research papers was sparked during conferences held by the  American Medical Writers Association , as well as by getting involved in different writing programs and academic self-study courses.

How to State the Research Question in the Introduction Section

Good writing begins with clearly stating your research question (or hypothesis) in the Introduction section —the focal point on which your entire paper builds and unfolds in the subsequent Methods, Results, and Discussion sections . This research question or hypothesis that goes into the first section of your research manuscript, the Introduction, explains at least three major elements:

a) What is  known  or believed about the research topic?

B) what is still  unknown  (or problematic), c) what is the  question or hypothesis  of your investigation.

Some medical writers refer to this organizational structure of the Introduction as a “funnel shape” because it starts broadly, with the bigger picture, and then follows one scientifically logical step after the other until finally narrowing down the story to the focal point of your research at the end of the funnel.

Let’s now look in greater detail at a research question example and how you can logically embed it into the Introduction to make it a powerful focal point and ignite the reader’s interest about the importance of your research:

a) The Known

You should start by giving your reader a brief overview of knowledge or previous studies already performed in the context of your research topic.

The topic of one of my research papers was “investigating the value of diabetes as an independent predictor of death in people with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).” So in the Introduction, I first presented the basic knowledge that diabetes is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and thus made the reader better understand our interest in this specific study population. I then presented previous studies already showing that diabetes indeed seems to represent an independent risk factor for death in the general population. However, very few studies had been performed in the ESRD population and those only yielded controversial results.

Example :  “It seems well established that there is a link between diabetic nephropathy and hypertensive nephropathy and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in Western countries. In 2014, 73% of patients in US hospitals had comorbid ESRD and type 2 diabetes (1, 2, 3)…”

b) The Unknown

In our example, this “controversy” flags the “unknown” or “problematic” and therefore provides strong reasons for why further research is justified. The unknown should be clearly stated or implied by using phrases such as “were controversial” (as in our example), “…has not been determined,” or “…is unclear.” By clearly stating what is “unknown,” you indicate that your research is new. This creates a smooth transition into your research question.

Example :  “However, previous studies have failed to isolate diabetes as an independent factor, and thus much remains unknown about specific risk factors associated with both diabetes and ESRD .”

c) The Research Question (Hypothesis)

Your research question is the question that inevitably evolves from the deficits or problems revealed in the “Unknown” and clearly states the goal of your research. It is important to describe your research question in just one or two short sentences, but very precisely and including all variables studied, if applicable. A transition should be used to mark the transition from the unknown to the research question using one word such as “therefore” or “accordingly,” or short phrases like “for this reason” or “considering this lack of crucial information.”

In our example, we stated the research question as follows:

Example :  “Therefore, the primary goal of our study was to perform a Kaplan-Meier survival study and to investigate, by means of the Cox proportional hazard model, the value of diabetes as an independent predictor of death in diabetic patients with ESRD.”

Note that the research question may include the  experimental approach  of the study used to answer the research question.

Another powerful way to introduce the research question is to  state the research question as a hypothesis  so that the reader can more easily anticipate the answer. In our case, the question could be put as follows:

Example :  “To test the hypothesis that diabetes is an independent predictor of death in people with ESRD, we performed a Kaplan-Survival study and investigated the value of diabetes by means of the Cox proportional hazard model.”

Note that this sentence leads with an introductory clause that indicates the hypothesis itself, transitioning well into a synopsis of the approach in the second half of the sentence.

The generic framework of the Introduction can be modified to include, for example,  two  research questions instead of just one. In such a case, both questions must follow inevitably from the previous statements, meaning that the background information leading to the second question cannot be omitted. Otherwise, the Introduction will get confusing, with the reader not knowing where that question comes from.

Begin with your research purpose in mind

To conclude, here is my simple but most important advice for you as a researcher preparing to write a scientific paper (or just the Introduction of a research paper) for the first time: Think your research question through precisely before trying to write it down; have in mind the reasons for exactly why you wanted to do this specific research, what exactly you wanted to find out, and how (by which methods) you did your investigation. If you have the answers to these questions in mind (or even better, create a comprehensive outline ) before starting the paper, the actual writing process will be a piece of cake and you will finish it “like a rat up a drainpipe”! And hopefully with no panic attacks.

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Before submitting your master’s thesis or PhD dissertation to academic journals for publication, be sure to receive proofreading services (including research paper editing , manuscript editing , thesis editing , and dissertation editing ) to ensure that your research writing is error-free. Impress your journal editor and get into the academic journal of your choice.    

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Where Is The Research Question In A Research Paper?

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The research question, the objective or hypothesis of the study, helps to set up context for what you have researched and why you chose to study this particular topic. Therefore, it is included in the Introduction of the manuscript .

Where is research question located?

Good writing begins with clearly stating your research question (or hypothesis) in the Introduction section —the focal point on which your entire paper builds and unfolds in the subsequent Methods, Results, and Discussion sections.

What is a research question in a research paper?

What is a research question? A research question is the question around which you center your research . It should be: clear: it provides enough specifics that one’s audience can easily understand its purpose without needing additional explanation.

Where can I find research questions in thesis?

One or two declarative sentences (no questions). Generally placed at the end of the introduction; however, it can sometime be found at the end of the research or literature review section of more extensive papers .

Is the research question the title of the paper?

It should provide more information about your research and the main outcome that you have achieved. It is not advisable to have a question as the title of your paper as it is the first thing readers will see about your paper.

How do you find the research question and hypothesis in an article?

The first few paragraphs of a journal article serve to introduce the topic, to provide the author’s hypothesis or thesis, and to indicate why the research was done. A thesis or hypothesis is not always clearly labled; you may need to read through the introductory paragraphs to determine what the authors are proposing .

What are the parts of research paper?

There are eight main parts in a research paper:

• Title (cover page)
• Introduction.
• Literature review.
• Research methodology.
• Data analysis.
• Conclusion.
• Reference page.

How do you present a research question in a paper?

• Step 1: Introduce your topic. The first job of the introduction is to tell the reader what your topic is and why it’s interesting or important.
• Step 2: Describe the background.
• Step 3: Establish your research problem.
• Step 4: Specify your objective(s)
• Step 5: Map out your paper.

How do you introduce a research question in a paper example?

• 10 tips for writing an effective introduction to original research papers.
• Start broadly and then narrow down.
• State the aims and importance.
• Cite thoroughly but not excessively.
• Avoid giving too many citations for one point.
• Clearly state either your hypothesis or research question.
• Consider giving an overview of the paper.

Are research questions the same as hypothesis?

Both are aspects of the Scientific Method, but they are not identical . A research question is typically a concise, focused and debatable question that will provide a clear path for research. A hypothesis is a formal statement designed to predict the relationship between two or more variables.

What comes first thesis or research question?

Simply stated, a thesis statement is what your paper intends to prove or show. A research question is what you need to learn in order to come up with a good thesis statement. Instead of starting with a thesis statement, it’s better to start with a question , and there are a couple of reasons for that.

Where do research questions come from?

The research question emerges from the topic of interest, or more directly from the topic problem, and the methodology of choice . Its articulation is carefully crafted to establish both lenses.

Where does the problem statement go in a research paper?

A problem statement can be several paragraphs long and serve as the basis for your research proposal, or it can be condensed into just a few sentences in the introduction of your paper or thesis .

What’s a research question examples?

10 Research Question Examples to Guide your Research Project

• What effect does social media have on people’s minds?
• What effect does daily use of Twitter have on the attention span of under-16s?

Can a research paper start with a question?

This is your thesis. 3) Writing the paper. The paper should start with an introduction that states your question or puzzle , and your thesis. If you can’t state your thesis in one or at most two sentences, you probably do not have a clear answer/argument.

Can you ask questions in a research paper?

You can ask a question in an essay provided the question leads to an idea . The idea in this case should be the answer to the question you just asked. Don’t ask a question to which you don’t intend to give an answer. Instead of a direct rhetorical question in an essay, use a rhetorical statement.

Is research question in abstract?

For a research paper, an abstract typically answers these questions: Purpose: What is the nature of your topic/study and why did you do it? Methods: What did you do, and how? Results: What were your most important findings?

What is the title of Chapter 1 in research?

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND This chapter includes the introduction, theoretical framework, statement of the problem, hypothesis, scope and limitation, conceptual framework, significance of the study and the definition of terms used.

What chapter is hypothesis in research?

Chapter 4 -RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS AND DEFINING VARIABLES.

What are the 5 parts of a research paper?

5 parts of research paper

• Seeing Your Paper as a Whole Jrobles10-11.
• CHAPTER 1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND • CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE • CHAPTER 3 METHOD AND PROCEDURES • CHAPTER 4 PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA • CHAPTER 5 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS • Others.

What is the chapter 2 of a research paper?

A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO RESEARCH WRITING – CHAPTER TWO This is the chapter where you provide detailed explanation of previous researches that has been conducted on your topic of interest .

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• 10 Research Question Examples to Guide Your Research Project

10 Research Question Examples to Guide your Research Project

Published on October 30, 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on October 19, 2023.

The research question is one of the most important parts of your research paper , thesis or dissertation . It’s important to spend some time assessing and refining your question before you get started.

The exact form of your question will depend on a few things, such as the length of your project, the type of research you’re conducting, the topic , and the research problem . However, all research questions should be focused, specific, and relevant to a timely social or scholarly issue.

Once you’ve read our guide on how to write a research question , you can use these examples to craft your own.

Note that the design of your research question can depend on what method you are pursuing. Here are a few options for qualitative, quantitative, and statistical research questions.

Other interesting articles

If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Methodology

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

Cite this Scribbr article

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McCombes, S. (2023, October 19). 10 Research Question Examples to Guide your Research Project. Scribbr. Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-question-examples/

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Identifying your research question

Making informed decisions about what to study, and defining your research question, even within a predetermined field, is critical to a successful research career, and can be one of the hardest challenges for a scientist.

Being knowledgeable about the state of your field and up-to-date with recent developments can help you:

• Make decisions about  what to study within niche research areas
• Identify  top researchers  in your field whose work you can follow and potentially collaborate with
• Find  important journals to read regularly and publish in
• Explain to others  why your work is important by being able to recount the bigger picture

How can you identify a research question?

Reading regularly is the most common way of identifying a good research question. This enables you to keep up to date with recent advancements and identify certain issues or unsolved problems that keep appearing.

Begin by searching for and reading literature in your field. Start with  general interest  journals, but don’t limit yourself to journal publications only; you can also look for clues in the news or on research blogs. Once you have identified a few interesting topics, you should be reading the table of contents of journals and the abstracts of most articles in that subject area. Papers that are directly related to your research you should read in their entirety.

TIP Keep an eye out for  Review papers and special issues in your chosen subject area as they are very helpful in discovering new areas and hot topics.

TIP: you can sign up to receive table of contents or notifications when articles are published in your field from most journals or publishers.

TIP: Joining a journal club is a great way to read and dissect published papers in and around your subject area. Usually consisting of 5-10 people from the same research group or institute they meet to evaluate the good and bad points of the research presented in the paper. This not only helps you keep up to date with the field but helps you become familiar with what is necessary for a good paper which can help when you come to write your own.

If possible, communicate with some of the authors of these manuscripts via email or in person. Going to conferences if possible is a great way to meet some of these authors. Often,  talking with the author  of an important work in your research area will give you more ideas than just reading the manuscript would.

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How to Write a Research Question

What is a research question? A research question is the question around which you center your research. It should be:

• clear : it provides enough specifics that one’s audience can easily understand its purpose without needing additional explanation.
• focused : it is narrow enough that it can be answered thoroughly in the space the writing task allows.
• concise : it is expressed in the fewest possible words.
• complex : it is not answerable with a simple “yes” or “no,” but rather requires synthesis and analysis of ideas and sources prior to composition of an answer.
• arguable : its potential answers are open to debate rather than accepted facts.

You should ask a question about an issue that you are genuinely curious and/or passionate about.

The question you ask should be developed for the discipline you are studying. A question appropriate for Biology, for instance, is different from an appropriate one in Political Science or Sociology. If you are developing your question for a course other than first-year composition, you may want to discuss your ideas for a research question with your professor.

Why is a research question essential to the research process? Research questions help writers focus their research by providing a path through the research and writing process. The specificity of a well-developed research question helps writers avoid the “all-about” paper and work toward supporting a specific, arguable thesis.

Steps to developing a research question:

• Choose an interesting general topic. Most professional researchers focus on topics they are genuinely interested in studying. Writers should choose a broad topic about which they genuinely would like to know more. An example of a general topic might be “Slavery in the American South” or “Films of the 1930s.”
• Do some preliminary research on your general topic. Do a few quick searches in current periodicals and journals on your topic to see what’s already been done and to help you narrow your focus. What issues are scholars and researchers discussing, when it comes to your topic? What questions occur to you as you read these articles?
• Consider your audience. For most college papers, your audience will be academic, but always keep your audience in mind when narrowing your topic and developing your question. Would that particular audience be interested in the question you are developing?
• Start asking questions. Taking into consideration all of the above, start asking yourself open-ended “how” and “why” questions about your general topic. For example, “Why were slave narratives effective tools in working toward the abolishment of slavery?” or “How did the films of the 1930s reflect or respond to the conditions of the Great Depression?”
• Is your research question clear? With so much research available on any given topic, research questions must be as clear as possible in order to be effective in helping the writer direct his or her research.
• Is your research question focused? Research questions must be specific enough to be well covered in the space available.
• Is your research question complex? Research questions should not be answerable with a simple “yes” or “no” or by easily-found facts.  They should, instead, require both research and analysis on the part of the writer. They often begin with “How” or “Why.”
• Begin your research . After you’ve come up with a question, think about the possible paths your research could take. What sources should you consult as you seek answers to your question? What research process will ensure that you find a variety of perspectives and responses to your question?

Sample Research Questions

Unclear: How should social networking sites address the harm they cause? Clear: What action should social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook take to protect users’ personal information and privacy? The unclear version of this question doesn’t specify which social networking sites or suggest what kind of harm the sites might be causing. It also assumes that this “harm” is proven and/or accepted. The clearer version specifies sites (MySpace and Facebook), the type of potential harm (privacy issues), and who may be experiencing that harm (users). A strong research question should never leave room for ambiguity or interpretation. Unfocused: What is the effect on the environment from global warming? Focused: What is the most significant effect of glacial melting on the lives of penguins in Antarctica?

The unfocused research question is so broad that it couldn’t be adequately answered in a book-length piece, let alone a standard college-level paper. The focused version narrows down to a specific effect of global warming (glacial melting), a specific place (Antarctica), and a specific animal that is affected (penguins). It also requires the writer to take a stance on which effect has the greatest impact on the affected animal. When in doubt, make a research question as narrow and focused as possible.

Too simple: How are doctors addressing diabetes in the U.S.? Appropriately Complex:   What main environmental, behavioral, and genetic factors predict whether Americans will develop diabetes, and how can these commonalities be used to aid the medical community in prevention of the disease?

The simple version of this question can be looked up online and answered in a few factual sentences; it leaves no room for analysis. The more complex version is written in two parts; it is thought provoking and requires both significant investigation and evaluation from the writer. As a general rule of thumb, if a quick Google search can answer a research question, it’s likely not very effective.

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Research Question 101 📖

Everything you need to know to write a high-quality research question

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewed By: Dr. Eunice Rautenbach | October 2023

If you’ve landed on this page, you’re probably asking yourself, “ What is a research question? ”. Well, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll explain what a research question is , how it’s differen t from a research aim, and how to craft a high-quality research question that sets you up for success.

Research Question 101

What is a research question.

• Research questions vs research aims
• The 4 types of research questions
• How to write a research question
• Frequently asked questions
• Examples of research questions

As the name suggests, the research question is the core question (or set of questions) that your study will (attempt to) answer .

In many ways, a research question is akin to a target in archery . Without a clear target, you won’t know where to concentrate your efforts and focus. Essentially, your research question acts as the guiding light throughout your project and informs every choice you make along the way.

Let’s look at some examples:

What impact does social media usage have on the mental health of teenagers in New York?

How does the introduction of a minimum wage affect employment levels in small businesses in outer London?

How does the portrayal of women in 19th-century American literature reflect the societal attitudes of the time?

What are the long-term effects of intermittent fasting on heart health in adults?

As you can see in these examples, research questions are clear, specific questions that can be feasibly answered within a study. These are important attributes and we’ll discuss each of them in more detail a little later . If you’d like to see more examples of research questions, you can find our RQ mega-list here .

Research Questions vs Research Aims

At this point, you might be asking yourself, “ How is a research question different from a research aim? ”. Within any given study, the research aim and research question (or questions) are tightly intertwined , but they are separate things . Let’s unpack that a little.

A research aim is typically broader in nature and outlines what you hope to achieve with your research. It doesn’t ask a specific question but rather gives a summary of what you intend to explore.

The research question, on the other hand, is much more focused . It’s the specific query you’re setting out to answer. It narrows down the research aim into a detailed, researchable question that will guide your study’s methods and analysis.

Let’s look at an example:

Research Aim: To explore the effects of climate change on marine life in Southern Africa.

Research Question: How does ocean acidification caused by climate change affect the reproduction rates of coral reefs?

As you can see, the research aim gives you a general focus , while the research question details exactly what you want to find out.

Need a helping hand?

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 phenomena or situation . An example of a descriptive research question could be something like “What types of exercise do high-performing UK executives engage in?”. This would likely be a bit too basic to form an interesting study, but as you can see, the research question is just focused on the what – in other words, it just describes the situation.

Comparative research questions , on the other hand, look to understand the way in which two or more things differ , or how they’re similar. An example of a comparative research question might be something like “How do exercise preferences vary between middle-aged men across three American cities?”. As you can see, this question seeks to compare the differences (or similarities) in behaviour between different groups.

Next up, we’ve got exploratory research questions , which ask why or how is something happening. While the other types of questions we looked at focused on the what, exploratory research questions are interested in the why and how . As an example, an exploratory research question might ask something like “Why have bee populations declined in Germany over the last 5 years?”. As you can, this question is aimed squarely at the why, rather than the what.

Last but not least, we have relational research questions . As the name suggests, these types of research questions seek to explore the relationships between variables . Here, an example could be something like “What is the relationship between X and Y” or “Does A have an impact on B”. As you can see, these types of research questions are interested in understanding how constructs or variables are connected , and perhaps, whether one thing causes another.

Of course, depending on how fine-grained you want to get, you can argue that there are many more types of research questions , but these four categories give you a broad idea of the different flavours that exist out there. It’s also worth pointing out that a research question doesn’t need to fit perfectly into one category – in many cases, a research question might overlap into more than just one category and that’s okay.

The key takeaway here is that research questions can take many different forms , and it’s useful to understand the nature of your research question so that you can align your research methodology accordingly.

How To Write A Research Question

As we alluded earlier, a well-crafted research question needs to possess very specific attributes, including focus , clarity and feasibility . But that’s not all – a rock-solid research question also needs to be rooted and aligned . Let’s look at each of these.

A strong research question typically has a single focus. So, don’t try to cram multiple questions into one research question; rather split them up into separate questions (or even subquestions), each with their own specific focus. As a rule of thumb, narrow beats broad when it comes to research questions.

Clear and specific

A good research question is clear and specific, not vague and broad. State clearly exactly what you want to find out so that any reader can quickly understand what you’re looking to achieve with your study. Along the same vein, try to avoid using bulky language and jargon – aim for clarity.

Unfortunately, even a super tantalising and thought-provoking research question has little value if you cannot feasibly answer it. So, think about the methodological implications of your research question while you’re crafting it. Most importantly, make sure that you know exactly what data you’ll need (primary or secondary) and how you’ll analyse that data.

A good research question (and a research topic, more broadly) should be rooted in a clear research gap and research problem . Without a well-defined research gap, you risk wasting your effort pursuing a question that’s already been adequately answered (and agreed upon) by the research community. A well-argued research gap lays at the heart of a valuable study, so make sure you have your gap clearly articulated and that your research question directly links to it.

As we mentioned earlier, your research aim and research question are (or at least, should be) tightly linked. So, make sure that your research question (or set of questions) aligns with your research aim . If not, you’ll need to revise one of the two to achieve this.

FAQ: Research Questions

Research question faqs, how many research questions should i have, what should i avoid when writing a research question, can a research question be a statement.

Typically, a research question is phrased as a question, not a statement. A question clearly indicates what you’re setting out to discover.

Can a research question be too broad or too narrow?

Yes. A question that’s too broad makes your research unfocused, while a question that’s too narrow limits the scope of your study.

Here’s an example of a research question that’s too broad:

“Why is mental health important?”

Conversely, here’s an example of a research question that’s likely too narrow:

“What is the impact of sleep deprivation on the exam scores of 19-year-old males in London studying maths at The Open University?”

Can I change my research question during the research process?

How do i know if my research question is good.

A good research question is focused, specific, practical, rooted in a research gap, and aligned with the research aim. If your question meets these criteria, it’s likely a strong question.

Is a research question similar to a hypothesis?

Not quite. A hypothesis is a testable statement that predicts an outcome, while a research question is a query that you’re trying to answer through your study. Naturally, there can be linkages between a study’s research questions and hypothesis, but they serve different functions.

How are research questions and research objectives related?

The research question is a focused and specific query that your study aims to answer. It’s the central issue you’re investigating. The research objective, on the other hand, outlines the steps you’ll take to answer your research question. Research objectives are often more action-oriented and can be broken down into smaller tasks that guide your research process. In a sense, they’re something of a roadmap that helps you answer your research question.

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If you’d like to see more examples of research questions, check out our research question mega list here .  Alternatively, if you’d like 1-on-1 help developing a high-quality research question, consider our private coaching service .

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How to Write a Research Question: Types and Examples 

The first step in any research project is framing the research question. It can be considered the core of any systematic investigation as the research outcomes are tied to asking the right questions. Thus, this primary interrogation point sets the pace for your research as it helps collect relevant and insightful information that ultimately influences your work.   

Typically, the research question guides the stages of inquiry, analysis, and reporting. Depending on the use of quantifiable or quantitative data, research questions are broadly categorized into quantitative or qualitative research questions. Both types of research questions can be used independently or together, considering the overall focus and objectives of your research.  

What is a research question?

A research question is a clear, focused, concise, and arguable question on which your research and writing are centered. 1 It states various aspects of the study, including the population and variables to be studied and the problem the study addresses. These questions also set the boundaries of the study, ensuring cohesion. 

Designing the research question is a dynamic process where the researcher can change or refine the research question as they review related literature and develop a framework for the study. Depending on the scale of your research, the study can include single or multiple research questions. 

A good research question has the following features: 

• It is relevant to the chosen field of study. 
• The question posed is arguable and open for debate, requiring synthesizing and analysis of ideas. 
• It is focused and concisely framed. 
• A feasible solution is possible within the given practical constraint and timeframe. 

A poorly formulated research question poses several risks. 1   

• Researchers can adopt an erroneous design. 
• It can create confusion and hinder the thought process, including developing a clear protocol.  
• It can jeopardize publication efforts.  
• It causes difficulty in determining the relevance of the study findings.  
• It causes difficulty in whether the study fulfils the inclusion criteria for systematic review and meta-analysis. This creates challenges in determining whether additional studies or data collection is needed to answer the question.  
• Readers may fail to understand the objective of the study. This reduces the likelihood of the study being cited by others. 

Now that you know “What is a research question?”, let’s look at the different types of research questions. 

Types of research questions

Depending on the type of research to be done, research questions can be classified broadly into quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods studies. Knowing the type of research helps determine the best type of research question that reflects the direction and epistemological underpinnings of your research. 

The structure and wording of quantitative 2 and qualitative research 3 questions differ significantly. The quantitative study looks at causal relationships, whereas the qualitative study aims at exploring a phenomenon. 

• Quantitative research questions:  
• Seeks to investigate social, familial, or educational experiences or processes in a particular context and/or location.  
• Answers ‘how,’ ‘what,’ or ‘why’ questions. 
• Investigates connections, relations, or comparisons between independent and dependent variables. 

Quantitative research questions can be further categorized into descriptive, comparative, and relationship, as explained in the Table below. 

• Qualitative research questions  

Qualitative research questions are adaptable, non-directional, and more flexible. It concerns broad areas of research or more specific areas of study to discover, explain, or explore a phenomenon. These are further classified as follows: 

• Mixed-methods studies  

Mixed-methods studies use both quantitative and qualitative research questions to answer your research question. Mixed methods provide a complete picture than standalone quantitative or qualitative research, as it integrates the benefits of both methods. Mixed methods research is often used in multidisciplinary settings and complex situational or societal research, especially in the behavioral, health, and social science fields. 

What makes a good research question

A good research question should be clear and focused to guide your research. It should synthesize multiple sources to present your unique argument, and should ideally be something that you are interested in. But avoid questions that can be answered in a few factual statements. The following are the main attributes of a good research question. 

• Specific: The research question should not be a fishing expedition performed in the hopes that some new information will be found that will benefit the researcher. The central research question should work with your research problem to keep your work focused. If using multiple questions, they should all tie back to the central aim. 
• Measurable: The research question must be answerable using quantitative and/or qualitative data or from scholarly sources to develop your research question. If such data is impossible to access, it is better to rethink your question. 
• Attainable: Ensure you have enough time and resources to do all research required to answer your question. If it seems you will not be able to gain access to the data you need, consider narrowing down your question to be more specific. 
• You have the expertise 
• You have the equipment and resources 
• Realistic: Developing your research question should be based on initial reading about your topic. It should focus on addressing a problem or gap in the existing knowledge in your field or discipline. 
• Based on some sort of rational physics 
• Can be done in a reasonable time frame 
• Timely: The research question should contribute to an existing and current debate in your field or in society at large. It should produce knowledge that future researchers or practitioners can later build on. 
• Novel 
• Based on current technologies. 
• Important to answer current problems or concerns. 
• Lead to new directions. 
• Important: Your question should have some aspect of originality. Incremental research is as important as exploring disruptive technologies. For example, you can focus on a specific location or explore a new angle. 
• Meaningful whether the answer is “Yes” or “No.” Closed-ended, yes/no questions are too simple to work as good research questions. Such questions do not provide enough scope for robust investigation and discussion. A good research question requires original data, synthesis of multiple sources, and original interpretation and argumentation before providing an answer. 

Steps for developing a good research question

The importance of research questions cannot be understated. When drafting a research question, use the following frameworks to guide the components of your question to ease the process. 4  

• Determine the requirements: Before constructing a good research question, set your research requirements. What is the purpose? Is it descriptive, comparative, or explorative research? Determining the research aim will help you choose the most appropriate topic and word your question appropriately. 
• Select a broad research topic: Identify a broader subject area of interest that requires investigation. Techniques such as brainstorming or concept mapping can help identify relevant connections and themes within a broad research topic. For example, how to learn and help students learn. 
• Perform preliminary investigation: Preliminary research is needed to obtain up-to-date and relevant knowledge on your topic. It also helps identify issues currently being discussed from which information gaps can be identified. 
• Narrow your focus: Narrow the scope and focus of your research to a specific niche. This involves focusing on gaps in existing knowledge or recent literature or extending or complementing the findings of existing literature. Another approach involves constructing strong research questions that challenge your views or knowledge of the area of study (Example: Is learning consistent with the existing learning theory and research). 
• Identify the research problem: Once the research question has been framed, one should evaluate it. This is to realize the importance of the research questions and if there is a need for more revising (Example: How do your beliefs on learning theory and research impact your instructional practices). 

How to write a research question

Those struggling to understand how to write a research question, these simple steps can help you simplify the process of writing a research question. 

Sample Research Questions

The following are some bad and good research question examples 

• Example 1 

• Example 2 

References:  

• Thabane, L., Thomas, T., Ye, C., & Paul, J. (2009). Posing the research question: not so simple.  Canadian Journal of Anesthesia/Journal canadien d’anesthésie ,  56 (1), 71-79. 
• Rutberg, S., & Bouikidis, C. D. (2018). Focusing on the fundamentals: A simplistic differentiation between qualitative and quantitative research.  Nephrology Nursing Journal ,  45 (2), 209-213. 
• Kyngäs, H. (2020). Qualitative research and content analysis.  The application of content analysis in nursing science research , 3-11. 
• Mattick, K., Johnston, J., & de la Croix, A. (2018). How to… write a good research question.  The clinical teacher ,  15 (2), 104-108. 
• Fandino, W. (2019). Formulating a good research question: Pearls and pitfalls.  Indian Journal of Anaesthesia ,  63 (8), 611. 
• Richardson, W. S., Wilson, M. C., Nishikawa, J., & Hayward, R. S. (1995). The well-built clinical question: a key to evidence-based decisions.  ACP journal club ,  123 (3), A12-A13 

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• Scientific Writing Style Guides Explained
• Ethical Research Practices For Research with Human Subjects
• 8 Most Effective Ways to Increase Motivation for Thesis Writing 
• 6 Tips for Post-Doc Researchers to Take Their Career to the Next Level

Transitive and Intransitive Verbs in the World of Research

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Educational resources and simple solutions for your research journey

How to Identify Research Questions

A research question is based on an area of concern or a lacuna in the existing knowledge. The purpose of a research question is to give your work a clear direction and to steer you to focus on important aspects that need to be solved. Learning how to identify research questions that are both meaningful and well-defined is also important for publication success. In fact, while identifying a research question is the very first step in a research project, it is also one of the most challenging activities in research.

How to identify a research question ?

As a researcher, you might need to generate research questions for various projects or come up with a thesis research question or dissertation research question. Here are some points that need to be considered when identifying research questions.

• Originality

An original research question aims to resolve a problem that has not been addressed before. Unique research work will increase your chances of publication, which makes it critical to know how to find a research question. So, familiarize yourself with the work done so far to identify knowledge gaps in the area and ensure that your question does not overlap with something that has already been asked and answered. Note that even within well-studied topics, you can generate research questions that are original simply by delving into the finer aspects of the topic or attempting to untangle a long-standing problem.

A good research question should be important enough and relevant to the scholarly literature in your area of inquiry. When you begin identifying research questions, contextualize the problem in a broad sense and consider the advantages and potential outcomes of answering a particular research problem. Your work should offer something new to the existing literature in your field.

• Feasibility

When you generate research questions, don’t forget to consider the feasibility of the project. Weigh all the possible practical constraints. Consider if the question(s) can be answered within a reasonable time, with the resources, expertise, and funding you have at your disposal.

• Ethical and legal aspects

If you are dealing with animal or human subjects, political issues, etc., your research question will need to factor in ethical and/or legal requirements and implications.

Tips on how to identify research questions

When you generate research questions, it is also important to consider the most up-to-date trends in the subject area, along with your own observations or conjectures.

1. Read as much as you can

The answer to how to identify research questions lies in reading the right material and reading extensively. Reading regularly is the most basic way to find a good research question. Keep up to date with recent advancements and identify critical issues or unsolved problems. You could begin with popular science articles and blogs and, if something catches your interest, look up those topics in journals specializing in them.

Do not miss out on review papers and meta-analyses on your chosen subject area; they are very helpful in discovering hot topics and unanswered questions.

2. Refine your literature search

If you want to know how to identify the research problem and find an original or unique question in your field, perform an extensive literature search to identify gaps in research that have remained unaddressed. The best way to identify research questions is to conduct both forward and backward literature searches, i.e., look through the reference lists of relevant articles, as well as the papers that have cited them.

When you generate research questions, avoid relying only on a few search engines and databases. Use a combination of databases and generalist and specialist search engines. This makes the journey of identifying research questions easier.

If you’re wondering how to identify research questions in an article, extensive and relevant reading is the key. Given the importance of literature searching and reading,  R Discovery  could be your perfect companion. R Discovery is a literature discovery app that lets you identify and read the most relevant academic research papers from top journals and publishers, covering all major disciplines in the arts and sciences. You can even access the latest preprints, which bring to light the latest research before it is published. This tool allows you to survey highlights and summaries of papers; once you hit upon something exciting, you can read the full version.

3. Define your keywords

Selecting effective keywords are important for a targeted literature search. Identify the key concepts in the topic(s) you are considering. From these, tease out some important keywords, and be sure to include synonyms or alternative phrasing when using search engines or academic databases. This will help to generate good research questions.

When you feed in key terms in the R Discovery literature search tool, it “deep-dives” into the topics and shows up articles that you can sort by recency or relevance and then choose to read in full. Based on your search history, the app even offers a personalized feed. Such customized research reading can make the process of generating research questions much easier.

4. Frame the research question

You have now understood how to find research questions, but do you know how to frame them? Framing the question properly is as important as knowing how to identify research questions. Create lists, thought bubbles, or mind maps to help you do some brainstorming till you hit on a good research question. List ideas from general to specific and from broad to narrow.

Knowing the current status of the topic, including what is known and what is not, will help you refine the original problem statement to a defined and more specific version.

Putting it all together

A good research question is compelling and timely. To generate research questions that can ensure publication success, it is important to stay up to date with the latest in your field and allied fields, as well as generalist and specialist topics. Efficient literature discovery serves as the perfect springboard to jumpstart your foray into an exciting and rewarding research journey.

R Discovery is a literature search and research reading platform that accelerates your research discovery journey by keeping you updated on the latest, most relevant scholarly content. With 250M+ research articles sourced from trusted aggregators like CrossRef, Unpaywall, PubMed, PubMed Central, Open Alex and top publishing houses like Springer Nature, JAMA, IOP, Taylor & Francis, NEJM, BMJ, Karger, SAGE, Emerald Publishing and more, R Discovery puts a world of research at your fingertips.  

Try R Discovery Prime FREE for 1 week or upgrade at just US$72 a year to access premium features that let you listen to research on the go, read in your language, collaborate with peers, auto sync with reference managers, and much more. Choose a simpler, smarter way to find and read research – Download the app and start your free 7-day trial today !  

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Research Toolkit: Creating a Research Question

• Understand Your Assignment
• Choosing a Topic
• Creating a Research Question
• Where to Begin Your Search
• Find a Book
• Find Articles - The Basics
• Find an Article - Advanced Strategies
• Books from Another Library
• Find a Scholarly Article
• Found Too Much/Too Little
• Quickly evaluate a book
• Quickly evaluate an article
• Quickly evaluate a website
• What is peer review?
• Quickly Read an Article or Book
• Lateral Reading
• Know when to cite
• Cite Specific Source
• Find a Citation Tool
• Find a Source Again
• Google vs. Library Resources
• Discover Google Search Tips
• Use Google Scholar
• Using LibKey Nomad

  Prepare to Research

 find books, articles &  other sources,   evaluating sources  (are they any good),   citing sources,  use the web for  research, create a research question, choosing a research topic.

What is a Research Question?

A research question focuses your research and centers your thinking.  A good research question requires you to think critically and ask further questions. It is broad enough that you can find plenty of sources, and focused enough that you can fully consider it.  Your research question should be interesting to you and get you excited to learn more.  If a question leaves you asking “so what?” or “who cares?,” it is not worth investigating. Your research question can evolve as you learn more about your topic, and you can revise or modify your question as you learn more.

Elements of a good research question:

• Clear and focused - your question makes sense and is not vague.
• Arguable - your question is open to debate and cannot be answered with a report of facts.
• Complex - your question requires critical analysis of ideas and sources; it cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.”

Adapted from an explanation by Dr. Jennifer Einspahr, with many thanks.

How to develop your research question:

• Before you can develop a research question, you need to choose a topic .
• Choose an idea or issue that you are curious and passionate about.
• Think critically and ask further questions: Ask “how” and “why” questions about your topic. For example, “How did films from the 1930s reflect or respond to the conditions of the Great Depression?”
• What issues are scholars and researchers discussing?
• What questions come up as you read these sources?
• Search library databases for encyclopedias, scholarly books, and articles.
• Consult bibliographies of sources you have read in class.
• Is your research question clear and understandable ? 
• Is your research question focused ?  - Research questions must be specific in order to be covered in depth.
• Is your research question complex ?  - Research questions should not be answerable with “yes” or “no,” or by easily found facts. They require research and analysis, and they often begin with “How” or “Why.”
• Intensify your research.   What are the possible paths your research question could take? What types of sources should you consult? What approach to your research will ensure that you find a variety of perspectives and responses to your question?

Example Research Questions

Unclear : How should social networking sites address the harm they cause? Clear : What action should social networking sites like Instagram and Facebook take to protect users’ personal information and privacy?

The unclear version of this question doesn’t specify which social networking sites or suggest what kind of harm the sites might be causing. It also assumes that this “harm” is proven and/or accepted. The clearer version specifies sites (Instagram and Facebook), the type of potential harm (privacy issues), and who may be experiencing that harm (users). A strong research question leaves no room for ambiguity or misinterpretation.

Unfocused :  What is the effect on the environment from global warming? Focused :  What is the most significant effect of glacial melting on the lives of penguins in Antarctica?

The unfocused research question is so broad that it couldn’t be adequately answered in a book-length work, let alone a standard college-level paper. The focused version is narrowed to a specific effect of global warming (glacial melting), a specific place (Antarctica), and a specific animal that is affected (penguins). It also requires the writer to take a stance on which effect has the greatest impact on the affected animal. When in doubt, make a research question as narrow and focused as possible.

Too simple :  How are doctors addressing diabetes in the U.S.? Appropriately Complex :   What environmental, behavioral, and genetic factors predict whether some Americans will develop diabetes, and how can these commonalities be analysed to further medical research toward prevention of the disease?

The simple version of this question can be looked up online and answered in a few factual sentences, leaving no room for analysis. The more complex version is written in two parts; it is thought provoking and requires both significant investigation and evaluation from the writer. If a quick Google search can answer a research question, then the question does not pose sufficient analysis and critical thinking.

Adapted from George Mason University Writing Center. (2018). How to write a research question. Retrieved from http://writingcenter.gmu.edu/guides/how-to-write-a-research-question

• << Previous: Choosing a Topic
• Next: Keywords >>
• Last Updated: Jun 18, 2024 11:54 AM
• URL: https://libguides.kzoo.edu/researchtoolkit

• McGill Library

Systematic Reviews, Scoping Reviews, and other Knowledge Syntheses

• Identifying the research question
• Types of knowledge syntheses
• Process of conducting a knowledge synthesis

Constructing a good research question

Inclusion/exclusion criteria, has your review already been done, where to find other reviews or syntheses, references on question formulation frameworks.

• Developing the protocol
• Database-specific operators and fields
• Search filters and tools
• Exporting and documenting search results
• Deduplicating
• Grey literature and other supplementary search methods
• Documenting the search methods
• Updating the database searches
• Resources for screening, appraisal, and synthesis
• Writing the review
• Additional training resources

Formulating a well-constructed research question is essential for a successful review. You should have a draft research question before you choose the type of knowledge synthesis that you will conduct, as the type of answers you are looking for will help guide your choice of knowledge synthesis.

Examples of systematic review and scoping review questions

• Process of formulating a question

Developing a good research question is not a straightforward process and requires engaging with the literature as you refine and rework your idea.

Some questions that might be useful to ask yourself as you are drafting your question:

• Does the question fit into the PICO question format?
• What age group?
• What type or types of conditions?
• What intervention? How else might it be described?
• What outcomes? How else might they be described?
• What is the relationship between the different elements of your question?
• Do you have several questions lumped into one? If so, should you split them into more than one review? Alternatively, do you have many questions that could be lumped into one review?

A good knowledge synthesis question will have the following qualities:

• Be focused on a specific question with a meaningful answer
• Retrieve a number of results that is manageable for the research team (is the number of results on your topic feasible for you to finish the review? Your initial literature searches should give you an idea, and a librarian can help you with understanding the size of your question).

Considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria

It is important to think about which studies will be included in your review when you are writing your research question. The Cochrane Handbook chapter (linked below) offers guidance on this aspect.

McKenzie, J. E., Brennan, S. E., Ryan, R. E., Thomson, H. J., Johnston, R. V, & Thomas, J. (2021). Chapter 3: Defining the criteria for including studies and how they will be grouped for the synthesis. Retrieved from https://training.cochrane.org/handbook/current/chapter-03

Once you have a reasonably well defined research question, it is important to make sure your project has not already been recently and successfully undertaken. This means it is important to find out if there are other knowledge syntheses that have been published or that are in the process of being published on your topic.

If you are submitting your review or study for funding, for example, you may want to make a good case that your review or study is needed and not duplicating work that has already been successfully and recently completed—or that is in the process of being completed. It is also important to note that what is considered “recent” will depend on your discipline and the topic.

In the context of conducting a review, even if you do find one on your topic, it may be sufficiently out of date or you may find other defendable reasons to undertake a new or updated one. In addition, looking at other knowledge syntheses published around your topic may help you refocus your question or redirect your research toward other gaps in the literature.

• PROSPERO Search PROSPERO is an international, searchable database that allows free registration of systematic reviews, rapid reviews, and umbrella reviews with a health-related outcome in health & social care, welfare, public health, education, crime, justice, and international development. Note: PROSPERO does not accept scoping review protocols.
• Open Science Framework (OSF) At present, OSF does not allow for Boolean searching on their site. However, you can search via https://share.osf.io/, an aggregator, that allows you to search for major keywords using Boolean and truncation. Add "review*" to your search to narrow results down to scoping, systematic, umbrella or other types of reviews. Be sure to click on the drop-down menu for "Source" and select OSF and OSF Registries (search separately as you can't combine them). This will search for ongoing and/or registered reviews in OSF.

The Cochrane Library (including systematic reviews of interventions, diagnostic studies, prognostic studies, and more) is an excellent place to start, even if Cochrane reviews are also indexed in MEDLINE/PubMed.

By default, the Cochrane Library will display “ Cochrane Reviews ” (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, aka CDSR). You can ignore the results which show up in the Trials tab when looking for systematic reviews: They are records of controlled trials. 

The example shows the number of Cochrane Reviews with hiv AND circumcision in the title, abstract, or keywords.

• Google Scholar

Subject-specific databases you can search to find existing or in-process reviews

Alternatively, you can use a search hedge/filter; for example, the filter used by  BMJ Best Practice  to find systematic reviews in Embase (can be copied and pasted into the Embase search box then combined with the concepts of your research question):

(exp review/ or (literature adj3 review$).ti,ab. or exp meta analysis/ or exp "Systematic Review"/) and ((medline or medlars or embase or pubmed or cinahl or amed or psychlit or psyclit or psychinfo or psycinfo or scisearch or cochrane).ti,ab. or RETRACTED ARTICLE/) or (systematic$ adj2 (review$ or overview)).ti,ab. or (meta?anal$ or meta anal$ or meta-anal$ or metaanal$ or metanal$).ti,ab.

Alternative interface to PubMed: You can also search MEDLINE on the Ovid platform, which we recommend for systematic searching. Perform a sufficiently developed search strategy (be as broad in your search as is reasonably possible) and then, from Additional Limits , select the publication type  Systematic Reviews, or select the subject subset  Systematic Reviews Pre 2019 for more sensitive/less precise results. 

The subject subset for Systematic Reviews is based on the filter version used in PubMed .

Perform a sufficiently developed search strategy (be as broad in your search as is reasonably possible) and then, from  Additional Limits , select, under  Methodology,  0830 Systematic Review

See Systematic Reviews Search Strategy Applied in PubMed for details.

• healthevidence.org Database of thousands of "quality-rated reviews on the effectiveness of public health interventions"
• See also: Evidence-informed resources for Public Health

Munn Z, Stern C, Aromataris E, Lockwood C, Jordan Z. What kind of systematic review should I conduct? A proposed typology and guidance for systematic reviewers in the medical and health sciences. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2018;18(1):5. doi: 10.1186/s12874-017-0468-4

Scoping reviews: Developing the title and question . In: Aromataris E, Munn Z (Editors) . JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis.   JBI; 2020. https://doi.org/10.46658/JBIMES-20-01

Due to a large influx of requests, there may be an extended wait time for librarian support on knowledge syntheses.

Find a librarian in your subject area to help you with your knowledge synthesis project.

Or contact the librarians at the Schulich Library of Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, and Engineering s [email protected]

Need help? Ask us!

Online training resources.

• Advanced Research Skills: Conducting Literature and Systematic Reviews A short course for graduate students to increase their proficiency in conducting research for literature and systematic reviews developed by the Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson).
• Compétences avancées en matière de recherche : Effectuer des revues de la littérature et des revues systématiques (2e édition) Ce cours destiné aux étudiant.e.s universitaires vise à peaufiner leurs compétences dans la réalisation de revues systématiques et de recherches dans la littérature en vue de mener avec succès leurs propres recherches durant leur parcours universitaire et leur éventuelle carrière.
• The Art and Science of Searching in Systematic Reviews Self-paced course on search strategies, information sources, project management, and reporting (National University of Singapore)
• CERTaIN: Knowledge Synthesis: Systematic Reviews and Clinical Decision Making "Learn how to interpret and report systematic review and meta-analysis results, and define strategies for searching and critically appraising scientific literature" (MDAndersonX)
• Cochrane Interactive Learning Online modules that walk you through the process of working on a Cochrane intervention review. Module 1 is free (login to access) but otherwise payment is required to complete the online training
• Evidence Synthesis for Librarians and Information Specialists Introduction to core components of evidence synthesis. Developed by the Evidence Synthesis Institute. Free for a limited time as of July 10, 2024.
• Introduction to Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Free coursera MOOC offered by Johns Hopkins University; covers the whole process of conducting a systematic review; week 3 focuses on searching and assessing bias
• Mieux réussir un examen de la portée en sciences de la santé : une boîte à outils Cette ressource éducative libre (REL) est conçue pour soutenir les étudiant·e·s universitaires en sciences de la santé dans la préparation d’un examen de la portée de qualité.
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Research Basics: Evaluating Sources

• The Research Process
• Asking Questions
• Evaluating Sources

Presenting Findings

On this page:

Evaluating Scholarly Sources Evaluating News Sources

Next stage:

Evaluating scholarly sources.

• 1. During the Search Process
• 2. During an Initial Reading
• 3. During and After an In-Depth Reading

Identifying basic information about how sources are created and what makes them authoritative can help you select the ones best suited to your research project.

Signs of Relevance

• Consider the journal that published the article. What does the journal title tell you about the article’s subject and intended audience
• Based on the article title and abstract , what aspect(s) of your topic does the article cover? In other words, think about how you would use information from this source.

Signs of Authority

• What can you tell about the author ’s or research team’s areas of expertise? Are their degrees and institutions listed? Feel free to Google their names to learn more about them.
• Note when the article was published, and consider whether the publication date is appropriate for your research project. Do you need to find the most current information, or could older sources provide valuable insight?

Consider your next steps.

What parts of your topic you still need to learn more about?

Reading Scholarly Articles

Because they are written by and for experts, scholarly articles are often challenging to read. Recognizing their common features and looking for the relationships among sources can help you to understand them and to decide whether they will be good sources for your project.

After you have explored some search results using the previous activity, choose one article and use the following questions to guide your initial reading.

Organization and Argument

• If the article has an abstract , read it carefully and think about how it relates to your topic. What is the article’s thesis or main idea ?
• Read the introduction or introductory paragraph(s). If your article doesn't have an abstract, look for the thesis or main idea here. What does this section tell you about why the study was conducted?
• Turn to the article's conclusion or final paragraphs to look for a discussion of the study's results and significance. How does knowing about this study help you with your own project?
• Skim the body of the article, paying attention to any headings and figures. If the article is divided into sections, what do the section headings tell you about the content of the article?
• In the social and physical sciences, most articles will discuss the research methods (or design). Did the researchers collect and analyze their data in a way that seems logical and ethical?

Identifying Scholarly Conversations

• If your article has section headings, look for the literature review to learn how this study is related to previous studies on the topic. Is it testing, confirming, correcting, adding to, or clarifying previous knowledge—or some combination of those? (If your article doesn't have a literature review section, look for this information in the first few pages.)
• Scan the list of references or works cited at the end of your article to look for additional potential sources . What are some important keywords that show up repeatedly among the titles in the list of references?
• Name one interesting source that is quoted or cited in the article. What does your article say about this source, or why is it being cited?

Evaluating Usefulness

• Based on your initial reading of this article, how do you think you might be able to use information from this source in your project?
• Consider your next steps. What additional information or viewpoints do you need to find?

If this article doesn't seem useful after your initial reading, move on to a different one. If you aren't finding any useful sources, you may need to adjust your topic in response to what you're learning about the existing research.

In order to discuss a source in detail, you will need to read and understand the paper more thoroughly than you did for the previous activities. Read slowly, look up unfamiliar words, and take notes that summarize your understanding of each section as you go.

Summarizing Sources

After reading the article, write a brief summary. Show that you understand the problem or question the research was meant to address, the approaches used to gather and analyze the information, and the author's conclusions.

• What are the main and sub-questions the study raises, and what answers does it provide?
• Why is the topic worth studying?
• How does the article relate to your research process? Does it confirm, challenge, or complicate your own ideas?

Critically Evaluating Sources

After you’ve established what the article is about, use the questions below to guide your critical evaluation of the article. Remember that critical isn’t a synonym for negative in this activity. You should consider the overall credibility—both strengths and shortcomings—of the study and its results.

Methods/Design

• Does the research method match the purpose of the study? For example, if the author intended to learn about student behavior in the classroom, observing a class would be a more direct approach than interviewing teachers.
• What biases or limitations does the author acknowledge? Note any explanations of conflicts of interest and limitations due to time, funding, availability of subjects, etc.
• Are there any obvious flaws in the plan for the study? These could include lack of controls, extraneous variables, poorly defined terms, etc.
• Does the article offer a model that you would want to follow in a study of your own? Does it provide you with enough information to duplicate the research if you wanted to?

Findings and Analysis

• How does the presentation of information in graphs, tables, or narrative passages affect your understanding?
• Is the author's interpretation logical? Has the author leapt to conclusions or neglected to address valid counterarguments?
• How is evidence from external sources used to support the author’s claims? Is it convincing? Why or why not?
• Is the article clear, or did problems with organization, grammar, sentence structure, or word usage distract from the message?

Discussion and Conclusions

• Does the information presented fully support the main point/thesis/argument of the article? Are there gaps left unaddressed?
• Do the results seem as significant as the introduction suggested they would be? Does the work advance the field of study or help solve a contemporary problem?
• What is the reader expected to do with this information? Can further research build on it?
• If you remain skeptical of a seemingly well-researched and well-written article, consider why. Are you aware of other valid evidence, viewpoints, or values not considered by the author?

Evaluating News Sources

How did you encounter it.

Ask yourself, "Why am I seeing this now?" Did you seek it out? Did someone you know and trust share it? Be skeptical of sponsored and promoted content that may show up in social media feeds and search results.

How does it make you feel?

Consider the headline or main message. Does it make you angry or afraid, or does it seem too good to be true? If so, look for other sources to make sure you aren't being provoked by misleading information.

When was it created?

Real stories and images from the past can become misinformation when they are recirculated in the present, especially as memes. Make sure you know their real context.

Who is responsible for it?

Can you identify the author or publisher? Search their names to learn more about them and their reputations. This strategy can help you recognize satirical stories, as well as those created to reinforce a biased worldview. Be skeptical of stories and images that are shared without attribution.

Does it seem accurate?

Does it back up claims with data, quotes from experts, or links to credible sources? Does it contain obvious errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation? Be skeptical of news that seems rushed and carelessly produced. 

Do other sources agree?

Check other news sources that you trust to see if they have published similar stories. This verification technique is called lateral reading. If many reputable news outlets have verified and shared the information, you can trust that the information is credible.

Has it been fact-checked?

Look up the story on some of the fact-checking websites listed on the library's  Skills and Strategies page. If more than one fact-checking site has investigated the story and found it to be true, partly true, or totally false, you can trust their judgment.

More about Websites

• Assess the design. Fake news sites often look amateurish, have lots of annoying ads, and use altered or stolen images.
• Check the web domain. Unusual domains like ".com.co" or ".lo" may indicate fake news sites.
• Look for an "About Us" page. A credible news site will provide contact information and names of editors and staff writers.

More about Images

Dragging or uploading an image to Google Lens can help you discover the original source of an image.

Printable Handouts

• Evaluating News Sources A printable handout from SU Libraries with questions to consider about news sources
• Introducing SIFT A printable handout from SU libraries about Mike Caulfield's SIFT strategy for verifying news
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Understanding Science

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Misconception:  Science is complete.

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Scientific ideas lead to ongoing research

Most typically in science, answering one question inspires deeper and more detailed questions for further research. Similarly, coming up with a fruitful idea to explain a previously anomalous observation frequently leads to new expectations and areas of research. So, in a sense, the more we know, the more we know what we don’t yet know. As our knowledge expands, so too does our awareness of what we don’t yet understand. For example, James Watson and Francis Crick’s proposal (based on evidence collected by Rosalind Franklin)that DNA takes the form of a double helix helped answer a burning question in biology about the chemical structure of DNA. And while it helped answer one question, it also generated new expectations (e.g., that DNA is copied via base pairing), raised many new questions (e.g., how does DNA store information?), and contributed to whole new fields of research (e.g., genetic engineering). Like this work on the structure of DNA, most scientific research generates new expectations, inspires new questions, and leads to new discoveries.

A SCIENCE PROTOTYPE: RUTHERFORD AND THE ATOM

Niels Bohr built upon Ernest Rutherford’s work to develop the model of the atom most commonly portrayed in textbooks: a nucleus orbited by electrons at different levels. Despite the new questions it raised (e.g., why do orbiting, negatively-charged electrons not spiral into the positively-charged nucleus?), this model was powerful and, with further modification, led to a wide range of accurate predictions and new discoveries, including predicting the outcome of chemical reactions, determining the composition of distant stars, and conceiving of the atomic bomb.

Rutherford’s story continues as we examine each item on the Science Checklist. To find out how this investigation measures up to the last item of the checklist, read on.

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3 Questions: From the bench to the battlefield

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Pursuing an Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program project (or two or three) is a quintessential part of the academic experience at MIT. The program, known as UROP , allows students to be “shoulder to shoulder” with faculty, graduate students, and affiliated researchers in MIT’s labs.

Given the plethora of research options and disciplines — everything from getting a crash course in advancing quantum computing to developing neuroprosthetics — it’s no surprise that over 90 percent of undergraduates end up doing a UROP by the time they graduate.

The half-century-old program continues to evolve, adapting to student interest. Consider the experience of rising senior Alexander Edwards, a nuclear and mechanical engineering student and cadet in the Army ROTC program. The Alabama native leveraged his military training thanks to a new fellowship with the  Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (ISN), an endeavor in which MIT, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and industry partners work together to develop technologies that advance the protection, survivability, and mission capabilities of the U.S. Armed Forces. That fellowship is thanks to a gift of alumnus and ROTC graduate Aneal Krishnan ’02, who commissioned as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army. Here, Edwards and Krishnan describe the unique UROP experience and offer advice for future students.

Q: What was special about having a UROP focused on the challenges that a soldier in the field might face, such as the decades-long challenges of managing excess weight while also having proper ballistic protection? Edwards:  Having a UROP specifically designed for MIT ROTC cadets has allowed me to grow my technical skills while also helping contribute to national defense. The ISN works on an array of different interesting research projects related to defense technologies in any and every STEM discipline.

Team members collaborate on basic research to create new materials, devices, processes, and systems, and on applied research to transition promising results toward practical products useful to the war fighter. U.S. Army members at the ISN also give guidance on soldier protection and survivability needs and evaluate the relevance of research proposed to address these needs.

These collaborations help identify dual-use applications for ISN-derived technologies for firefighters, police officers, other first responders, and the civilian community at large.

Krishnan:  The ISN was founded at MIT in 2002, and since its founding, the ISN’s research has been the genesis of over 140 patents, more than 50 startups, and dozens of major transitions of fieldable products. Through the MIT ROTC/ISN fellowship, the ISN benefits from the work of exceptional science and engineering students from MIT, who will also be future military leaders and can bring a real-world perspective to their work. The ROTC cadets benefit by pursuing research as part of their degree in areas in which they are passionate, and that will benefit them in their endeavors after graduation. An overarching success of this fellowship is that there is now a connection between ROTC and MIT’s DoD labs that did not exist in my time as an undergraduate. As a tangible success in this regard, in March 2024, Lt. General Maria Barrett, the commanding general of U.S. Army Cyber Command, conducted a visit at MIT coordinated by both ROTC and the ISN, further elevating the profile of the Institute amongst the DoD top brass.

Q: What was your specific project?  Edwards: My project for the past year has been related to calculating the losses on a radio-photovoltaic thermo-nuclide generator (RTG), also known as a nuclear battery.

My classmate, fellow Army ROTC cadet and fellowship recipient rising junior William Cruz, worked with nanocomputing and piezoelectric fibers to create heartbeat-sensing clothing. He and I can attest that both projects have been incredibly fulfilling, both personally and professionally.

Alongside the UROPs, Mr. Krishnan took us on a day trip in January to Washington D.C., where we were treated to a host of amazing networking opportunities at an array of organizations that seek to transition innovation out of the lab and into the front lines such as Silicon Valley Defense Group, JP Morgan, Peraton, and from In-Q-Tel, the global, not-for-profit strategic investor for the U.S. national security community and America's allies, hosted by fellow MIT alumnus David LoBosco ’02.

Q: What lessons or takeaways did you gain from this experience? What advice might you share with other students?

Edwards:  My main takeaways from all these meetings were, first, the importance of proper communication between the private sector and the government, something that has been lacking of late, and secondly, how I may be able to apply my technical background to consulting, investment, or many other fields.

Overall, I would recommend this program to future MIT ROTC cadets, and both Cadet Cruz and I are exceedingly grateful to Mr. Krishnan and the ISN for the opportunity.

Krishnan: Cadets Edwards and Cruz will now be able to share their experiences with the next class of prospective cadet researchers, thereby increasing the fellowship’s reach and impact. Future initiatives are to expand the fellowship to MIT’s Air Force and Navy ROTC programs, schedule more visits of senior military leaders to both ROTC and ISN, and connect fellowship recipients with ISN startups for career opportunities. And for my part, I’m incredibly fortunate to have met such outstanding Americans as cadets Edwards and Cruz. I’m excited to see where life takes them and hope to be a mentor along the way.

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• v.53(4); 2010 Aug

Research questions, hypotheses and objectives

Patricia farrugia.

* Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, the

Bradley A. Petrisor

† Division of Orthopaedic Surgery and the

Forough Farrokhyar

‡ Departments of Surgery and

§ Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont

Mohit Bhandari

There is an increasing familiarity with the principles of evidence-based medicine in the surgical community. As surgeons become more aware of the hierarchy of evidence, grades of recommendations and the principles of critical appraisal, they develop an increasing familiarity with research design. Surgeons and clinicians are looking more and more to the literature and clinical trials to guide their practice; as such, it is becoming a responsibility of the clinical research community to attempt to answer questions that are not only well thought out but also clinically relevant. The development of the research question, including a supportive hypothesis and objectives, is a necessary key step in producing clinically relevant results to be used in evidence-based practice. A well-defined and specific research question is more likely to help guide us in making decisions about study design and population and subsequently what data will be collected and analyzed. 1

Objectives of this article

In this article, we discuss important considerations in the development of a research question and hypothesis and in defining objectives for research. By the end of this article, the reader will be able to appreciate the significance of constructing a good research question and developing hypotheses and research objectives for the successful design of a research study. The following article is divided into 3 sections: research question, research hypothesis and research objectives.

Research question

Interest in a particular topic usually begins the research process, but it is the familiarity with the subject that helps define an appropriate research question for a study. 1 Questions then arise out of a perceived knowledge deficit within a subject area or field of study. 2 Indeed, Haynes suggests that it is important to know “where the boundary between current knowledge and ignorance lies.” 1 The challenge in developing an appropriate research question is in determining which clinical uncertainties could or should be studied and also rationalizing the need for their investigation.

Increasing one’s knowledge about the subject of interest can be accomplished in many ways. Appropriate methods include systematically searching the literature, in-depth interviews and focus groups with patients (and proxies) and interviews with experts in the field. In addition, awareness of current trends and technological advances can assist with the development of research questions. 2 It is imperative to understand what has been studied about a topic to date in order to further the knowledge that has been previously gathered on a topic. Indeed, some granting institutions (e.g., Canadian Institute for Health Research) encourage applicants to conduct a systematic review of the available evidence if a recent review does not already exist and preferably a pilot or feasibility study before applying for a grant for a full trial.

In-depth knowledge about a subject may generate a number of questions. It then becomes necessary to ask whether these questions can be answered through one study or if more than one study needed. 1 Additional research questions can be developed, but several basic principles should be taken into consideration. 1 All questions, primary and secondary, should be developed at the beginning and planning stages of a study. Any additional questions should never compromise the primary question because it is the primary research question that forms the basis of the hypothesis and study objectives. It must be kept in mind that within the scope of one study, the presence of a number of research questions will affect and potentially increase the complexity of both the study design and subsequent statistical analyses, not to mention the actual feasibility of answering every question. 1 A sensible strategy is to establish a single primary research question around which to focus the study plan. 3 In a study, the primary research question should be clearly stated at the end of the introduction of the grant proposal, and it usually specifies the population to be studied, the intervention to be implemented and other circumstantial factors. 4

Hulley and colleagues 2 have suggested the use of the FINER criteria in the development of a good research question ( Box 1 ). The FINER criteria highlight useful points that may increase the chances of developing a successful research project. A good research question should specify the population of interest, be of interest to the scientific community and potentially to the public, have clinical relevance and further current knowledge in the field (and of course be compliant with the standards of ethical boards and national research standards).

FINER criteria for a good research question

Adapted with permission from Wolters Kluwer Health. 2

Whereas the FINER criteria outline the important aspects of the question in general, a useful format to use in the development of a specific research question is the PICO format — consider the population (P) of interest, the intervention (I) being studied, the comparison (C) group (or to what is the intervention being compared) and the outcome of interest (O). 3 , 5 , 6 Often timing (T) is added to PICO ( Box 2 ) — that is, “Over what time frame will the study take place?” 1 The PICOT approach helps generate a question that aids in constructing the framework of the study and subsequently in protocol development by alluding to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and identifying the groups of patients to be included. Knowing the specific population of interest, intervention (and comparator) and outcome of interest may also help the researcher identify an appropriate outcome measurement tool. 7 The more defined the population of interest, and thus the more stringent the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the greater the effect on the interpretation and subsequent applicability and generalizability of the research findings. 1 , 2 A restricted study population (and exclusion criteria) may limit bias and increase the internal validity of the study; however, this approach will limit external validity of the study and, thus, the generalizability of the findings to the practical clinical setting. Conversely, a broadly defined study population and inclusion criteria may be representative of practical clinical practice but may increase bias and reduce the internal validity of the study.

PICOT criteria 1

A poorly devised research question may affect the choice of study design, potentially lead to futile situations and, thus, hamper the chance of determining anything of clinical significance, which will then affect the potential for publication. Without devoting appropriate resources to developing the research question, the quality of the study and subsequent results may be compromised. During the initial stages of any research study, it is therefore imperative to formulate a research question that is both clinically relevant and answerable.

Research hypothesis

The primary research question should be driven by the hypothesis rather than the data. 1 , 2 That is, the research question and hypothesis should be developed before the start of the study. This sounds intuitive; however, if we take, for example, a database of information, it is potentially possible to perform multiple statistical comparisons of groups within the database to find a statistically significant association. This could then lead one to work backward from the data and develop the “question.” This is counterintuitive to the process because the question is asked specifically to then find the answer, thus collecting data along the way (i.e., in a prospective manner). Multiple statistical testing of associations from data previously collected could potentially lead to spuriously positive findings of association through chance alone. 2 Therefore, a good hypothesis must be based on a good research question at the start of a trial and, indeed, drive data collection for the study.

The research or clinical hypothesis is developed from the research question and then the main elements of the study — sampling strategy, intervention (if applicable), comparison and outcome variables — are summarized in a form that establishes the basis for testing, statistical and ultimately clinical significance. 3 For example, in a research study comparing computer-assisted acetabular component insertion versus freehand acetabular component placement in patients in need of total hip arthroplasty, the experimental group would be computer-assisted insertion and the control/conventional group would be free-hand placement. The investigative team would first state a research hypothesis. This could be expressed as a single outcome (e.g., computer-assisted acetabular component placement leads to improved functional outcome) or potentially as a complex/composite outcome; that is, more than one outcome (e.g., computer-assisted acetabular component placement leads to both improved radiographic cup placement and improved functional outcome).

However, when formally testing statistical significance, the hypothesis should be stated as a “null” hypothesis. 2 The purpose of hypothesis testing is to make an inference about the population of interest on the basis of a random sample taken from that population. The null hypothesis for the preceding research hypothesis then would be that there is no difference in mean functional outcome between the computer-assisted insertion and free-hand placement techniques. After forming the null hypothesis, the researchers would form an alternate hypothesis stating the nature of the difference, if it should appear. The alternate hypothesis would be that there is a difference in mean functional outcome between these techniques. At the end of the study, the null hypothesis is then tested statistically. If the findings of the study are not statistically significant (i.e., there is no difference in functional outcome between the groups in a statistical sense), we cannot reject the null hypothesis, whereas if the findings were significant, we can reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternate hypothesis (i.e., there is a difference in mean functional outcome between the study groups), errors in testing notwithstanding. In other words, hypothesis testing confirms or refutes the statement that the observed findings did not occur by chance alone but rather occurred because there was a true difference in outcomes between these surgical procedures. The concept of statistical hypothesis testing is complex, and the details are beyond the scope of this article.

Another important concept inherent in hypothesis testing is whether the hypotheses will be 1-sided or 2-sided. A 2-sided hypothesis states that there is a difference between the experimental group and the control group, but it does not specify in advance the expected direction of the difference. For example, we asked whether there is there an improvement in outcomes with computer-assisted surgery or whether the outcomes worse with computer-assisted surgery. We presented a 2-sided test in the above example because we did not specify the direction of the difference. A 1-sided hypothesis states a specific direction (e.g., there is an improvement in outcomes with computer-assisted surgery). A 2-sided hypothesis should be used unless there is a good justification for using a 1-sided hypothesis. As Bland and Atlman 8 stated, “One-sided hypothesis testing should never be used as a device to make a conventionally nonsignificant difference significant.”

The research hypothesis should be stated at the beginning of the study to guide the objectives for research. Whereas the investigators may state the hypothesis as being 1-sided (there is an improvement with treatment), the study and investigators must adhere to the concept of clinical equipoise. According to this principle, a clinical (or surgical) trial is ethical only if the expert community is uncertain about the relative therapeutic merits of the experimental and control groups being evaluated. 9 It means there must exist an honest and professional disagreement among expert clinicians about the preferred treatment. 9

Designing a research hypothesis is supported by a good research question and will influence the type of research design for the study. Acting on the principles of appropriate hypothesis development, the study can then confidently proceed to the development of the research objective.

Research objective

The primary objective should be coupled with the hypothesis of the study. Study objectives define the specific aims of the study and should be clearly stated in the introduction of the research protocol. 7 From our previous example and using the investigative hypothesis that there is a difference in functional outcomes between computer-assisted acetabular component placement and free-hand placement, the primary objective can be stated as follows: this study will compare the functional outcomes of computer-assisted acetabular component insertion versus free-hand placement in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. Note that the study objective is an active statement about how the study is going to answer the specific research question. Objectives can (and often do) state exactly which outcome measures are going to be used within their statements. They are important because they not only help guide the development of the protocol and design of study but also play a role in sample size calculations and determining the power of the study. 7 These concepts will be discussed in other articles in this series.

From the surgeon’s point of view, it is important for the study objectives to be focused on outcomes that are important to patients and clinically relevant. For example, the most methodologically sound randomized controlled trial comparing 2 techniques of distal radial fixation would have little or no clinical impact if the primary objective was to determine the effect of treatment A as compared to treatment B on intraoperative fluoroscopy time. However, if the objective was to determine the effect of treatment A as compared to treatment B on patient functional outcome at 1 year, this would have a much more significant impact on clinical decision-making. Second, more meaningful surgeon–patient discussions could ensue, incorporating patient values and preferences with the results from this study. 6 , 7 It is the precise objective and what the investigator is trying to measure that is of clinical relevance in the practical setting.

The following is an example from the literature about the relation between the research question, hypothesis and study objectives:

Study: Warden SJ, Metcalf BR, Kiss ZS, et al. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound for chronic patellar tendinopathy: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Rheumatology 2008;47:467–71.

Research question: How does low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) compare with a placebo device in managing the symptoms of skeletally mature patients with patellar tendinopathy?

Research hypothesis: Pain levels are reduced in patients who receive daily active-LIPUS (treatment) for 12 weeks compared with individuals who receive inactive-LIPUS (placebo).

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of LIPUS in the management of patellar tendinopathy symptoms.

The development of the research question is the most important aspect of a research project. A research project can fail if the objectives and hypothesis are poorly focused and underdeveloped. Useful tips for surgical researchers are provided in Box 3 . Designing and developing an appropriate and relevant research question, hypothesis and objectives can be a difficult task. The critical appraisal of the research question used in a study is vital to the application of the findings to clinical practice. Focusing resources, time and dedication to these 3 very important tasks will help to guide a successful research project, influence interpretation of the results and affect future publication efforts.

Tips for developing research questions, hypotheses and objectives for research studies

• Perform a systematic literature review (if one has not been done) to increase knowledge and familiarity with the topic and to assist with research development.
• Learn about current trends and technological advances on the topic.
• Seek careful input from experts, mentors, colleagues and collaborators to refine your research question as this will aid in developing the research question and guide the research study.
• Use the FINER criteria in the development of the research question.
• Ensure that the research question follows PICOT format.
• Develop a research hypothesis from the research question.
• Develop clear and well-defined primary and secondary (if needed) objectives.
• Ensure that the research question and objectives are answerable, feasible and clinically relevant.

FINER = feasible, interesting, novel, ethical, relevant; PICOT = population (patients), intervention (for intervention studies only), comparison group, outcome of interest, time.

Competing interests: No funding was received in preparation of this paper. Dr. Bhandari was funded, in part, by a Canada Research Chair, McMaster University.

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• Personal Finance

6 Questions to Ask Before Buying Gold, Silver, or Other Metals

Published on Aug. 18, 2024

By: Dana George

• Gold, silver, and other metals have a reputation for being a safe haven during tough financial times, although that's not always the case.
• The odds of a precious metals salesperson being qualified to advise your investments are slim to none.
• Never work with someone offering investment advice unless they're registered with the CFTC, SEC, FINRA, or your state's regulatory agency.

A big part of becoming financially literate is knowing what's true and what's not. During times of financial stress, there are those who will tell you that gold, silver, and other metals are the "perfect" investment. That may or may not be true, based on a number of factors.

Before diving into the purchase of gold, silver, or metals, the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) strongly recommends that you ask questions. It's all about being aware that fraudsters are out there and are more than happy to separate you from your hard-earned money.

The truth is this: precious metal prices fluctuate just like any other investment, regardless of what a salesperson tells you. And you may find yourself paying an overinflated price for gold, silver, and other metals. You may also be hit with ridiculous fees and commissions, designed to rob your nest egg and feather someone else's nest.

Before doing anything else, make sure you understand the answers to the following questions.

1. Is it safe to respond to a letter, email, or phone call from someone selling precious metals?

No. The CFTC says you should never respond to a cold call, unsolicited email, junk mail, or even late-night commercial, no matter how attractive it appears. They're all common tactics used by scammers looking for their next victims.

2. How can I find a reputable metals dealer?

It pays to know more about the people advising you on personal finance matters. For example, you should be aware that retail metal dealers are not federally regulated. If you find a well-established dealer in your area, contact your state's attorney general office or securities regulator to learn if the dealer has a history of complaints.

3. Is the person trying to sell me precious metals a registered commodity trading advisor or investment professional?

No, almost never. That person trying to convince you to rollover your retirement savings into precious metals isn't qualified to offer trading, investment, or tax advice. Most have been trained to talk you out of your savings. No matter how "nice" they appear, never take investment advice from a metals salesperson.

4. Is the salesperson's boss qualified?

Often, if it doesn't look like the salesperson is getting far enough with you, they'll hand you off to someone they call their "lead" or "boss." Ask that person directly if they're registered with the CFTC, SEC, FINRA, or your state regulator. No matter how they answer, do not make a decision until you've verified their registration and studied their history of complaints.

5. What's this I hear about gold self-directed IRAs?

Dealers like to use the term "gold IRA" for self-directed IRAs when they're trying to talk you into using your retirement savings to buy gold or silver bullion. While it's true that money can be rolled over from a 401(k) or other retirement account to a self-directed IRA without penalty, once you do it, you're on your own. You no longer have fiduciaries or advisors who are there to protect you against bad investments.

Besides, if you allow a rollover, you're likely to be hit with high fees, commissions, and administrative costs that take a huge bite out of your retirement. The CFTC reports that some gold or silver IRA fraud victims have lost as much as one-third to one-half of their savings by these markups, fees, and commissions.

6. Is there a safer way to own precious metals?

If you want precious metals as part of your existing IRA, there are commodity exchange-traded products (ETPs) or pools that offer exposure to metal prices. These products come with their own fees and costs, but they're fully regulated. As with any investment professional, make sure the ETP investment professional or commodity pool advisor is registered before moving forward.

Unfortunately, scammers are going to scam. If you suspect that someone is trying to defraud you, or you know of a fraudulent deal, submit a whistleblower tip at CFTC.gov/complaint . If you're a senior and have questions or concerns about your investment accounts, you can also call the FINRA Securities Helpline for Seniors at 844-57-HELPS (844-574-3577).

You've worked far too hard for your money to allow someone else access to it, no matter how attractive their sales presentation may be.

Our Research Expert

Dana is a full-time personal finance writer, with more than two decades of experience. Her focus is on helping readers feel less alone as they navigate their personal finances and offering actionable insights.

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