How to Write Strong Research Questions and Hypotheses

A research question is the engine of your study — everything else (methods, data, analysis) exists to answer it. Get it right and the rest of the design almost writes itself.

From topic to question

A topic ("social media and teenagers") is not a question. Narrow it by asking: who, what, where, and in what relationship? "What is the association between daily social-media use and self-reported anxiety among 15–18-year-olds in [context]?" is answerable; the topic is not.

Criteria for a strong question (FINER)

A good question is Feasible (you can answer it with available resources), Interesting, Novel (fills a gap), Ethical, and Relevant. If it fails any of these, refine it.

Hypotheses (for quantitative studies)

A hypothesis is a testable, falsifiable prediction of the relationship between variables: "Higher use is associated with higher anxiety." State the null (no relationship) and the alternative. Qualitative studies use questions or propositions instead of hypotheses.

Common mistakes

Too broad to answer, two questions disguised as one, or a question whose answer is already obvious. One clear question beats five vague ones.

How ProSearch helps

ProSearch identifies the gap in the literature and proposes candidate research questions and hypotheses grounded in what prior studies left unanswered — a starting point you sharpen.