The research question is a design decision
Research questions are not just sentences placed in Chapter 1. They determine what evidence is needed and influence design, sampling, data collection, and analysis.
Qualitative questions
Qualitative questions often explore how participants experience, perceive, describe, interpret, or make meaning of a phenomenon. Avoid wording that quietly introduces variables or causal claims when the design is exploratory.
Quantitative questions
Quantitative questions should clearly identify the variables or comparisons being examined. Hypotheses, when required, should correspond directly to the research questions and planned statistical analysis.
Alignment test
- Does each question directly support the stated purpose?
- Is the population or context clear where needed?
- Can the proposed data answer the question?
- Does the analysis plan map to each question?
- Have unnecessary double-barreled questions been removed?
Try this: Create a one-page alignment table with columns for Problem → Purpose → Research Question → Data Source → Analysis. Misalignment becomes much easier to see.