@M. Bruckner: I apply this as an "elementary" approach to developing in students the habit of taking more rigorous approach to creating thesis questions for any papers they will be asked to write in college. The result of an "evident" thesis question leaves open their argument section to lazy plagiarism, whereas, a "problematic" question tends to be more original, at times, unique. I'm not so much interested in regurgitation of facts to tell me the answer is A, B, or C, or the conclusion that is right and airtight -- so much as insightful, original, and often, genuinely the intellectual property of the student. As a literature teacher, I point out that evidence is whatever can be pointed to on the page -- this is ok for supporting an argument (say anything you like, but you will have to show me what you read or saw or heard that gave you the idea). The problem, as I see it, is, as you say, "why, how and what" -- forcing an interpretation. I feel this result is more subjective, more insightful, more rigorous, and, with properly organized and expressed evidence, a stronger question for further study. Certainly,establishing validity -- finding supporting evidence -- is taken to a higher order of thinking.

I tell them: the only really new thing in the world is how each one of us sees the world -- our subjectivity -- and that they have the responsibility to find a way to communicate this -- their value and success in their futures depends upon this.

Thanks for your question David. It's a good one.

A good research questions is open and exploratory. It is manageable within the scope of the topic, degree, time, assessment and student. The question is free of ambiguity. It is clear, simple and interesting to others. The question relates to the subject matter... pre-reading and a review of the literature is required to formulate a good research question. We have to do the work.

The problems begin when we think it's an easy and straightforward task. One caution is inherent bias, presumptions written into the question. Another is ambiguity. A third is having a question that seeks a closed answer (definitive yes or no). A fourth is dismissing the humble question. Questions that seeks to further and deepen our understanding a little are worthwhile... It can take a while to realise that "my" research isn't going to change the world. Keep it manageable.

A good research question will be one whose answer will ultimately help humankind or plug a gap in our collective knowledge base.

These students do not trust themselves.

Reawaken their curiosity.

Teach them to trust their interests.

Encourage them. Get them to search and read.

Teach them how to be creative.

Get them to generate "throw-away questions" and then help them to adapt and refine their initial questions.

Their common mistakes are to create initial questions that are too big to fit the available resources or too small to make a project.

In a simple Prezi presentation Pete Caggia gives some basic hints and examples. As a starter see http://prezi.com/rkoc0fsusxoi/writing-good-research-questions/.

David, thank you for your question. I pick up on Tamasin's fourth point, the humble question. Perhaps, the humble question is too simplistic for the emerging scholar where the quantity of questions is preferred to the simplicity and elegance of a humble or powerful question. Such a question may challenge the critical mass of literature, a task more suited to eminent professors with a longer time line for research.

@Tamasin. Thanks for your detailed arguments. I particularly like the idea of the humble question.

Keeping it simple, I differentiate between an "evident" question ( wherein, the evidence is obvious, is supported by easily found conventional facts, is difficult to argue, does not generate more questions) and a "problematic" question (wherein, there is a problem that is not obviously or easily argued, generates more questions, is supported by "opinions", rather than hard research). The problematic question typically does not lead to an in-arguable conclusion, and, ideally, no conclusion has, so far, been reached. That could include a look-see at the validity of conclusions that have been reached, as possible candidates for further research!

So, @Jonathan, do we talk about evident questions stated as 'who', 'when', 'where', as opposed to such problematic questions 'why', 'how' and 'what (to some extent)'? Thinking like this would work as a filter for narrowing down valid research questions, if it is valid in itself.

@M. Bruckner: I apply this as an "elementary" approach to developing in students the habit of taking more rigorous approach to creating thesis questions for any papers they will be asked to write in college. The result of an "evident" thesis question leaves open their argument section to lazy plagiarism, whereas, a "problematic" question tends to be more original, at times, unique. I'm not so much interested in regurgitation of facts to tell me the answer is A, B, or C, or the conclusion that is right and airtight -- so much as insightful, original, and often, genuinely the intellectual property of the student. As a literature teacher, I point out that evidence is whatever can be pointed to on the page -- this is ok for supporting an argument (say anything you like, but you will have to show me what you read or saw or heard that gave you the idea). The problem, as I see it, is, as you say, "why, how and what" -- forcing an interpretation. I feel this result is more subjective, more insightful, more rigorous, and, with properly organized and expressed evidence, a stronger question for further study. Certainly,establishing validity -- finding supporting evidence -- is taken to a higher order of thinking.

I tell them: the only really new thing in the world is how each one of us sees the world -- our subjectivity -- and that they have the responsibility to find a way to communicate this -- their value and success in their futures depends upon this.

Thanks David for your three questions : What makes for a good research question? Why do students and novice researchers find it so hard to write them? What are their most common mistakes?

I believe each of them is a good research question... i.e., straight forward, simple, short and objective, resulting from a problematic which as been identified from living experience and/or interpretation of each one´s environment, in its multiple dimensions. This reasoning may justify your second question. It is up to senior academics to help novices to develop these competencies (not qualifications), rather than framing it in "manageable" scientific paradigms. That´s why I tend to think that your second question does not apply solely to novice researchers...

Three common mistakes: 1. Too wide-ranging - more is less; 2. Impractical - unable to get data or get it within the research time-frame; 3. Positive test strategy.

@Brendan. Yes, too often the research question is so broad it seems to aim for the next Nobel prize. But another common mistake I find is that what students term research questions are not phrased as questions at all. Often they are statements of aims, objectives or intended outcomes.

Sire,

Yes it is little difficult to draft good research question, but with practicing one can frame research questions very effectively and meticulously. i suggest below some steps by which novice researchers also frame research questions in step by step.

A good research question is not judge on the basis of difficulty and complexity or how difficult to answer. But it should be judged on the basis of its simplicity and clarity.

The purpose of statement of research is narrowed in the form of research question statement.

Question statements are interrogative statements that narrow the purpose statement to specific questions that researcher seeks to answer in his/her study.

Research Questions are typically framed at the end of the introduction of the statement of the problem section or immediately following the review of literature.

While formulating a research question (for quantitative or qualitative or any other type of researches)  the following process is commonly tenable:

• Pose a question
• Begin with how, what or why
• Specify the independent, dependent and control variables or specify a phenomenon
• Use such words as describe, compare, relate or indicate the action or connection among the variables.
• Indicate the sample and population

Three popular forms are available to frame the question statement i.e. 

SUGGESTIONS FOR FORMULATING RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Adequate formulation of research question statement is one of the most important parts of research. However, there are some suggestions, which if followed, result in good research question statements being framed.

• Research questions must explain the relationship among variables.
• Research questions should not be vague e.g. what is the issue of illiteracy.
• Specific problem to be solved must be indicated e.g. what is the effect of intelligence on achievement?
• Research questions should be researchable and feasible. these must be within the reach of a researcher and must contribute to the quantum of knowledge.
• It must specify the activities of the researcher. A good research question monitors the researcher's  efforts.
• It must not involve any philosophical issue or value judgement.
• It should be observed that the problem's solution fills the gap in the existing knowledge or helps resolve some of the inconsistencies or the interpretation of known facts.
• The scope of the investigation or the limits within which the problem is to be studied must be mentioned explicitly in stating a research problem.

Hope, you find it useful. And by following the above steps and checks researchers also reduced mistakes in formulating research questions.

Happy Research... 

S. C. Basu

1. Generating a research question is hard because it requires prior knowledge of the field from the student, which mastery has not yet happened, because the student has no research question yet, and therefore does not know what field to study!

2. Students think that they must generate perfect research questions the first time themselves. They do not understand the cyclic nature of research.

3. Common mistakes are not to frame the research as a question, but as a topic area. Or, the students ask questions that are trivial or require only a Google to resolve them.

4. We can help our students to pose decent research questions by suggesting good words to start questions with (WHY?). We need to show them that research is not only about asking comparison questions. We must show them some good examples of different types beforehand. We need to show them how to be creative. We need to show them how to refine their questions.

Dear

Good research question must guide and center your research. So research question must be something that you are interested in or care about.

Thank

Marius

Dear David Gray,

Experience is the main drive to ask and what question may be raised. We should encourage our students whatever we teach to ask a clear question why I am doing this study?  in seminars when students show their study proposals when I am asking the student why you do this work , smile and I feel a lag time then awkward answer. when a student working with me first question what your main drive to do this work? what do you expect to have? in case having negative results? 

@Aly: The same smile, time lag and awkward answer I get when I ask "When will I get your final draft?"!