The research question is the aim of the paper. It should be stated in plain language as the last sentence of the introduction. It is the most important sentence in the paper, because the only way to judge the methods, analysis and discussion is in to the extent that they answer this question.
The objectives are measurable steps that will provide the answer to the question. So your objectives might involved recruiting an appropriate population, collecting data that are sufficient in quality and quantity etc. The objectives of the paper only make sense in so far as they are steps towards achieving the aim of the study.
So in research, as in life, without an aim your objectives are just arbitrary activities.
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.
Yes, because 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.
I argue that a research paper without objectives and questions to address is not a research paper - it is rather a presentation of an opinion:
Abid Haaleem et al. (2020). Areas of academic research with the impact of COVID-19, American Journal of Emergency Medicine 38 (2020) Elsevier Public Health Emergency Collection, Open Access, Available at:
Article Areas of academic research with the impact of COVID-19
Research question it is the aim or the goal of the paper to which all the work would be build upon it like the method analyses of the results and the out come.