Quantitative Research Method

Nur Setyo Wulandari

Summary 3: Research Question

Research Question

The term of research question refers to the question which is raised by the researcher and will be
answered through the research. Research question is totally different with other questions which
is stated by the journalist, the reader, or the classroom teacher. The journalist’s question is simply
answered through observing, seeing, listening, and interviewing the object in which the result is in
the form of factual information. Besides, the question of reader does not require an analysis of
certain data. It is simply answered through intensive reading as well as the question raised by the
classroom teacher about learning progress and learning achievement of their students, for example,
can be answered through formative authentic assessment and formal summative evaluation. Thus,
those questions do not belong to research questions.

There are several characteristics of good research question. First, research question is unique
because the way it is answered is only through conducting research. For instance, do the higher
motivation the students have, the higher achievement they get in learning English is good research
question because it must be through analysis to find out the answer. While, the questions such as
how many students in the class and how the teacher teach the students are not research question
because it can be simply answered by observation the class situation during the learning process.
Moreover, a good research question require practical and theoretical significant. Practical
significant means the answer of research question contribute to the development of knowledge
which can be used to improve not only the researchers’ competence but also other people’s
competence. Whereas, practical significant refers to the research question’s answer which
contribute to the development of the theory, as a result, it can be used to judge whether the previous
theory is correct or wrong.

The other characteristic is that research question must contain not only factual information but also
inferential information so that it can be used to develop the knowledge. Furthermore, the variable
of research question should be clearly stated. Clearly stated here means that it can be measured
and the variation of the variable can be identified whether it is continuous, discrete manipulated,
or discrete no-manipulated. Additionally, research question should reflect the research design
whether the research will be conducted in correlation, causal comparative, or experimental design.
Therefore, the researchers will not difficult to conduct the research project. In the end, there must
be justification from the researcher related to the research question which they raise, whether it is
worth or not for many people.