questions to ask during a research project

17 Questions for Project Kick-Off Meetings + Checklist

As I’ve got older and more experienced, I’ve also got lazier when it comes to preparing for project meetings. Recently I was completely caught out when I checked my diary in the morning. That afternoon I had four external people coming in for a meeting that I had forgotten about!

It was an informal pre-kick off meeting for something that might turn into a project. I had a couple of hours to prepare which was plenty, but it made me feel a bit uncomfortable. It could have been worse — at least the meeting wasn’t at 9am.

We talked through the bare bones of what they wanted to do and I think there is something there. The next step will be properly initiating the project.

In this article, we’ll talk about what you should include in that kind of meeting: the project kick off meeting.

But first, let’s talk about the project initiation phase and what needs to happen at the start of a project to set it up for a successful finish.

The project initiation phase

You kick off the project through the project initiation phase. This is where you get all the information together to work out exactly what it is you are supposed to be doing, by when, with whom.

It’s the very first part of the ‘real’ project, after the business case is approved but before the work starts.

How long is project initiation?

There is no simple answer to how long the project initiation phase should be. On a small project, you could finish project initiation in a morning, following a chat with one other person.

On a big project, you might run multiple workshops with various different groups of stakeholders, each getting you closer to understanding the full project scope and objectives of the project. That could take a couple of weeks.

And you might need extra time to build your project plan and schedule after that. Project managers would call the planning phase a different part of the project lifecycle, but sponsors don’t see it that way in my experience.

They see ‘person doing thinking and planning and not delivering anything’ and ‘the ‘doing’ work has started’. They don’t much care about the specifics of how to manage a project as long as someone is doing the work in a noticeable way for them.

Don’t let anyone tell you are taking too long for project initiation. It takes as long as it takes. When you feel ready to start properly planning, then initiation is over.

What documents are created in the project initiation phase?

The business case should have been completed before project initiation.

During initiation, you are creating the project charter and any other essential project documents .

Read next: The project documents (and templates) you need to manage your project .

Your pre-project questionnaire

I’ve prepared a list of essential questions to ask when starting a project. These are questions to use in your project kick-off meetings, and during the initiation phase so you fully understand what needs to happen.

Here they are:

• Why is this project important?
• What’s the problem you are trying to solve?
• What are you expecting the project to achieve? What do you see as the high-level objective?
• Have the project’s requirements been documented yet? If so, where? By whom?
• What’s the solution that has been agreed upon, if any? What analysis was done about the proposed solutions?
• What are the project’s success criteria? (Read more about success criteria in my definitive guide to project success criteria )
• How does this project tie back to company strategy?
• How is this project going to be funded? Have all the funds already been secured?
• What are the constraints?
• What is most important: time, cost or quality management ? Or would you rank something else as the defining measure?
• Who benefits from the project?
• Who are the other stakeholders ?
• What is in scope?
• What is deliberately out of scope and why?
• What internal and external dependencies should we be aware of?
• Have you done this sort of project before? If so, who can I talk to in order to learn about their experiences?
• What risks are you aware of already? How risky do you think these risks are? What do you think of these risks I know about already?

As you can see, there is a mix of project planning questions and other pre-project questions in the list. These are what I would typically ask during a project initiation meeting.

The questions related to project funding should (in theory) have already been sorted out as part of the business case. In fact, most of the answers to these questions should have been asked at business case time.

And sometimes, the funding isn’t secured, even though the business case is approved — or you only have funding for part of the project.

You might ask different stakeholders different questions, so pick and choose from the list depending on who you are talking to. I would run a series of individual one-to-one meetings and also a team kick-off event.

Consider using transcription software to capture everything discussed in your meeting.

The project initiation meeting

The project initiation meeting is a meeting you have at the beginning of a project to set expectations for the rest of the work.

You might call it a kick-off meeting (I do, sometimes, as it sounds less formal and therefore less daunting for people who will be attending).

Who attends the project initiation meeting

The core project team will normally attend the project kick-off meeting. This includes:

• You, as the project manager
• The project sponsor
• The key day-to-day customer representative, assuming the project sponsor is so senior they won’t actually know how the processes or systems work in detail
• Anyone else who will be working regularly on the project team.

If you are going to use a legal person to draft a contract mid-way through, you wouldn’t invite them to this meeting. The objective is to get the right people in the room so you can all agree on what is going to be done and how.

The initial meeting could be just you and one other person, or you might have a packed meeting room. It just depends on what it is going to take to get the work done.

You might choose to run several different meetings, each with different attendees, focusing on a different topic. Then you’d combine the output of each meeting so you’ve got a complete view of everything that affects project initiation.

Project kick-off meeting agenda

I have another article with detailed guidance on how to create a meeting agenda , but there are definitely some specific topics you’ll want to include in a project initiation meeting agenda.

An agenda for a project initiation meeting looks like this:

Don’t assume everyone in the room will know each other or have worked together before. Take time to introduce everyone and state their roles and what they will be responsible for on the project. This conversation is also useful to feed into creating a roles and responsibilities template for the team and a RACI matrix .

Equally, don’t assume everyone has worked on a project before. You might need to do a ‘what is a project manager and what will I be doing’ introduction to your own role.

Get the project sponsor to talk about the project objectives. Mention key dates, what has been promised and share the highlights from the business case if there was one.

The point of this is to set the project in context, so link it back to the company’s strategic objectives. This helps people understand why they are working on this thing. When people understand why, they are more likely to actually do the work.

Talk about what it is you are going to be delivering. Be specific. Talk about what you aren’t delivering too.

Talk about how you are going to get the objectives delivered. You aren’t doing detailed planning in this meeting. It’s more about ensuring everyone is on the same page for the way the work is going to happen.

For example, if you are going to use Agile methods , make sure everyone is aware of that. If they haven’t worked with Agile before, you might need to do some follow-up sessions to help them understand what it means to work in an Agile team.

That’s a meeting that can be planned for early on in the project — as soon as possible, really.

Set expectations for weekly/monthly reporting, team meetings, time recording, and anything else you need the team to be on the same page for. Layout the time scales for updating you with progress on tasks.

You can even outline what the agenda of the weekly team meeting will be, or what you expect to be discussed in the standups .

If you use project management software, talk about how it works and how you expect others to use it (if you do). Generally, I don’t expect the rest of the team to input data directly into our project management tools, but you might need to explain to them how to do that or set them up with a login.

If your team has to track their time spent on the project, then make sure they know how to do that too. This isn’t the right time for a lesson in how to use the time tracking software, but note down who needs help with that and schedule some time for them to get some training or support before they need to start using it.

Normally, your next steps will be to do a planning workshop with the people who will be doing the work. Get the people in the kick-off meeting to tell you who needs to be involved in that from their areas.

You’ll have been writing down next steps and actions as you go, so summarize what you’ve noted down. For example, any follow-up meetings or training, or providing logins to people so they have the tools, skills, and access they need to do their work.

Any other business. Give people enough time to ask questions and raise additional points that haven’t yet been covered.

You can also confirm the date and time of the next sessions, for example, your first weekly team meeting, if you haven’t already covered that in the next steps.

The AOB section of your meetings should get shorter over time as people get used to how to bring up topics for the room’s attention, but you should always include it in case there are things you have forgotten to discuss.

Typically, the actions from AOB are to make time to have further discussions, so note that in the action summary of the meeting.

During your meeting, you should aim to answer the questions from the pre-project checklist above, where you haven’t had those responses from your one-to-one meetings with stakeholders.

Should you invite the client?

If you are doing a project for an external client, you might want to think twice about having them along to your first project initiation meeting with your internal team. It might not be appropriate for them to be there.

However, you should have a kick-off meeting with the client. If you work in an agency environment where you are approaching the client kick off with a statement of work to discuss, and so on, then read this guide to project initiation from The Digital Project Manager . My experience is all on in-house projects.

After the meeting, capture and circulate meeting minutes to record the important points.

The most important project question

I always ask people: Is there anything else you’d like to add? Since I started asking this question when interviewing people for this blog or just in the course of my normal job, you’d be amazed at what gems of information come out.

Don’t assume that because you are a project manager you know what to ask! When asked an open question, people give you lots of other information that you wouldn’t otherwise have got. Try it!

Once you’ve carried out your kick-off meeting, and go through project initiation, the next stage of the project lifecycle is planning. As you think about how to get the work done, consider how to avoid common scheduling mistakes, so you and the rest of the team know exactly what to do.

For more guidance on how to manage project initiation, check out my ebook on the topic: The Rebel Project Manager’s Guide to Project Initiation & Scheduling .

Pin for later reading:

Project manager, author, mentor

Elizabeth Harrin is a Fellow of the Association for Project Management in the UK. She holds degrees from the University of York and Roehampton University, and several project management certifications including APM PMQ. She first took her PRINCE2 Practitioner exam in 2004 and has worked extensively in project delivery for over 20 years. Elizabeth is also the founder of the Project Management Rebels community, a mentoring group for professionals. She's written several books for project managers including Managing Multiple Projects .

80 fascinating psychology research questions for your next project

Last updated

15 February 2024

Reviewed by

Brittany Ferri, PhD, OTR/L

Psychology research is essential for furthering our understanding of human behavior and improving the diagnosis and treatment of psychological conditions.

When psychologists know more about how different social and cultural factors influence how humans act, think, and feel, they can recommend improvements to practices in areas such as education, sport, healthcare, and law enforcement.

Below, you will find 80 research question examples across 16 branches of psychology. First, though, let’s look at some tips to help you select a suitable research topic.

• How to choose a good psychology research topic

Psychology has many branches that break down further into topics. Choosing a topic for your psychology research paper can be daunting because there are so many to choose from. It’s an important choice, as the topic you select will open up a range of questions to explore.

The tips below can help you find a psychology research topic that suits your skills and interests.

Tip #1: Select a topic that interests you

Passion and interest should fuel every research project. A topic that fascinates you will most likely interest others as well. Think about the questions you and others might have and decide on the issues that matter most. Draw on your own interests, but also keep your research topical and relevant to others.

Don’t limit yourself to a topic that you already know about. Instead, choose one that will make you want to know more and dig deeper. This will keep you motivated and excited about your research.

Tip #2: Choose a topic with a manageable scope

If your topic is too broad, you can get overwhelmed by the amount of information available and have trouble maintaining focus. On the other hand, you may find it difficult to find enough information if you choose a topic that is too narrow.

To determine if the topic is too broad or too narrow, start researching as early as possible. If you find there’s an overwhelming amount of research material, you’ll probably need to narrow the topic down. For example, instead of researching the general population, it might be easier to focus on a specific age group. Ask yourself what area of the general topic interests you most and focus on that.

If your scope is too narrow, try to generalize or focus on a larger related topic. Expand your search criteria or select additional databases for information. Consider if the topic is too new to have much information published on it as well.

Tip #3: Select a topic that will produce useful and relevant insights

Doing some preliminary research will reveal any existing research on the topic. If there is existing research, will you be able to produce new insights? You might need to focus on a different area or see if the existing research has limitations that you can overcome.

Bear in mind that finding new information from which to draw fresh insights may be impossible if your topic has been over-researched.

You’ll also need to consider whether your topic is relevant to current trends and needs. For example, researching psychology topics related to social media use may be highly relevant today.

• 80 psychology research topics and questions

Psychology is a broad subject with many branches and potential areas of study. Here are some of them:

Developmental

Personality

Experimental

Organizational

Educational

Neuropsychology

Controversial topics

Below we offer some suggestions on research topics and questions that can get you started. Keep in mind that these are not all-inclusive but should be personalized to fit the theme of your paper.

Social psychology research topics and questions

Social psychology has roots as far back as the 18th century. In simple terms, it’s the study of how behavior is influenced by the presence and behavior of others. It is the science of finding out who we are, who we think we are, and how our perceptions affect ourselves and others. It looks at personalities, relationships, and group behavior.

Here are some potential research questions and paper titles for this topic:

How does social media use impact perceptions of body image in male adolescents?

2. Is childhood bullying a risk factor for social anxiety in adults?

Is homophobia in individuals caused by genetic or environmental factors?

What is the most important psychological predictor of a person’s willingness to donate to charity?

Does a person’s height impact how other people perceive them? If so, how?

Cognitive psychology research questions

Cognitive psychology is the branch that focuses on the interactions of thinking, emotion, creativity, and problem-solving. It also explores the reasons humans think the way they do.

This topic involves exploring how people think by measuring intelligence, thoughts, and cognition. 

Here are some research question ideas:

6. Is there a link between chronic stress and memory function?

7. Can certain kinds of music trigger memories in people with memory loss?

8. Do remote meetings impact the efficacy of team decision-making?

9. Do word games and puzzles slow cognitive decline in adults over the age of 80?

10. Does watching television impact a child’s reading ability?

Developmental psychology research questions

Developmental psychology is the study of how humans grow and change over their lifespan. It usually focuses on the social, emotional, and physical development of babies and children, though it can apply to people of all ages. Developmental psychology is important for understanding how we learn, mature, and adapt to changes.

Here are some questions that might inspire your research:

11. Does grief accelerate the aging process?

12. How do parent–child attachment patterns influence the development of emotion regulation in teenagers?

13. Does bilingualism affect cognitive decline in adults over the age of 70?

14. How does the transition to adulthood impact decision-making abilities

15. How does early exposure to music impact mental health and well-being in school-aged children?

Personality psychology research questions

Personality psychology studies personalities, how they develop, their structures, and the processes that define them. It looks at intelligence, disposition, moral beliefs, thoughts, and reactions.

The goal of this branch of psychology is to scientifically interpret the way personality patterns manifest into an individual’s behaviors. Here are some example research questions:

16. Nature vs. nurture: Which impacts personality development the most?

17. The role of genetics on personality: Does an adopted child take on their biological parents’ personality traits?

18. How do personality traits influence leadership styles and effectiveness in organizational settings?

19. Is there a relationship between an individual’s personality and mental health?

20. Can a chronic illness affect your personality?

Abnormal psychology research questions

As the name suggests, abnormal psychology is a branch that focuses on abnormal behavior and psychopathology (the scientific study of mental illness or disorders).

Abnormal behavior can be challenging to define. Who decides what is “normal”? As such, psychologists in this area focus on the level of distress that certain behaviors may cause, although this typically involves studying mental health conditions such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and phobias.

Here are some questions to consider:

21. How does technology impact the development of social anxiety disorder?

22. What are the factors behind the rising incidence of eating disorders in adolescents?

23. Are mindfulness-based interventions effective in the treatment of PTSD?

24. Is there a connection between depression and gambling addiction?

25. Can physical trauma cause psychopathy?

Clinical psychology research questions

Clinical psychology deals with assessing and treating mental illness or abnormal or psychiatric behaviors. It differs from abnormal psychology in that it focuses more on treatments and clinical aspects, while abnormal psychology is more behavioral focused.

This is a specialty area that provides care and treatment for complex mental health conditions. This can include treatment, not only for individuals but for couples, families, and other groups. Clinical psychology also supports communities, conducts research, and offers training to promote mental health. This category is very broad, so there are lots of topics to explore.

Below are some example research questions to consider:

26. Do criminals require more specific therapies or interventions?

27. How effective are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in treating mental health disorders?

28. Are there any disadvantages to humanistic therapy?

29. Can group therapy be more beneficial than one-on-one therapy sessions?

30. What are the factors to consider when selecting the right treatment plan for patients with anxiety?

Experimental psychology research questions

Experimental psychology deals with studies that can prove or disprove a hypothesis. Psychologists in this field use scientific methods to collect data on basic psychological processes such as memory, cognition, and learning. They use this data to test the whys and hows of behavior and how outside factors influence its creation.

Areas of interest in this branch relate to perception, memory, emotion, and sensation. The below are example questions that could inspire your own research:

31. Do male or female parents/carers have a more calming influence on children?

32. Will your preference for a genre of music increase the more you listen to it?

33. What are the psychological effects of posting on social media vs. not posting?

34. How is productivity affected by social connection?

35. Is cheating contagious?

Organizational psychology research questions

Organizational psychology studies human behavior in the workplace. It is most frequently used to evaluate an employee, group, or a company’s organizational dynamics. Researchers aim to isolate issues and identify solutions.

This area of study can be beneficial to both employees and employers since the goal is to improve the overall work environment and experience. Researchers apply psychological principles and findings to recommend improvements in performance, communication, job satisfaction, and safety. 

Some potential research questions include the following:

36. How do different leadership styles affect employee morale?

37. Do longer lunch breaks boost employee productivity?

38. Is gender an antecedent to workplace stress?

39. What is the most effective way to promote work–life balance among employees?

40. How do different organizational structures impact the effectiveness of communication, decision-making, and productivity?

Forensic psychology research questions

Some questions to consider exploring in this branch of psychology are:

41. How does incarceration affect mental health?

42. Is childhood trauma a driver for criminal behavior during adulthood?

43. Are people with mental health conditions more likely to be victims of crimes?

44. What are the drivers of false memories, and how do they impact the justice system?

45. Is the media responsible for copycat crimes?

Educational psychology research questions

Educational psychology studies children in an educational setting. It covers topics like teaching methods, aptitude assessment, self-motivation, technology, and parental involvement.

Research in this field of psychology is vital for understanding and optimizing learning processes. It informs educators about cognitive development, learning styles, and effective teaching strategies.

Here are some example research questions:

46. Are different teaching styles more beneficial for children at different times of the day?

47. Can listening to classical music regularly increase a student’s test scores?

48. Is there a connection between sugar consumption and knowledge retention in students?

49. Does sleep duration and quality impact academic performance?

50. Does daily meditation at school influence students’ academic performance and mental health?

Sports psychology research question examples

Sport psychology aims to optimize physical performance and well-being in athletes by using cognitive and behavioral practices and interventions. Some methods include counseling, training, and clinical interventions.

Research in this area is important because it can improve team and individual performance, resilience, motivation, confidence, and overall well-being

Here are some research question ideas for you to consider:

51. How can a famous coach affect a team’s performance?

52. How can athletes control negative emotions in violent or high-contact sports?

53. How does using social media impact an athlete’s performance and well-being?

54. Can psychological interventions help with injury rehabilitation?

55. How can mindfulness practices boost sports performance?

Cultural psychology research question examples

The premise of this branch of psychology is that mind and culture are inseparable. In other words, people are shaped by their cultures, and their cultures are shaped by them. This can be a complex interaction.

Cultural psychology is vital as it explores how cultural context shapes individuals’ thoughts, behaviors, and perceptions. It provides insights into diverse perspectives, promoting cross-cultural understanding and reducing biases.

Here are some ideas that you might consider researching:

56. Are there cultural differences in how people perceive and deal with pain?

57. Are different cultures at increased risk of developing mental health conditions?

58. Are there cultural differences in coping strategies for stress?

59. Do our different cultures shape our personalities?

60. How does multi-generational culture influence family values and structure?

Health psychology research question examples

Health psychology is a crucial field of study. Understanding how psychological factors influence health behaviors, adherence to medical treatments, and overall wellness enables health experts to develop effective interventions and preventive measures, ultimately improving health outcomes.

Health psychology also aids in managing stress, promoting healthy behaviors, and optimizing mental health, fostering a holistic approach to well-being.

Here are five ideas to inspire research in this field:

61. How can health psychology interventions improve lifestyle behaviors to prevent cardiovascular diseases?

62. What role do social norms play in vaping among adolescents?

63. What role do personality traits play in the development and management of chronic pain conditions?

64. How do cultural beliefs and attitudes influence health-seeking behaviors in diverse populations?

65. What are the psychological factors influencing the adherence to preventive health behaviors, such as vaccination and regular screenings?

Neuropsychology research paper question examples

Neuropsychology research explores how a person’s cognition and behavior are related to their brain and nervous system. Researchers aim to advance the diagnosis and treatment of behavioral and cognitive effects of neurological disorders.

Researchers may work with children facing learning or developmental challenges, or with adults with declining cognitive abilities. They may also focus on injuries or illnesses of the brain, such as traumatic brain injuries, to determine the effect on cognitive and behavioral functions.

Neuropsychology informs diagnosis and treatment strategies for conditions such as dementia, traumatic brain injuries, and psychiatric disorders. Understanding the neural basis of behavior enhances our ability to optimize cognitive functioning, rehabilitate people with brain injuries, and improve patient care.

Here are some example research questions to consider:

66. How do neurotransmitter imbalances in specific brain regions contribute to mood disorders such as depression?

67. How can a traumatic brain injury affect memory?

68. What neural processes underlie attention deficits in people with ADHD?

69. Do medications affect the brain differently after a traumatic brain injury?

70. What are the behavioral effects of prolonged brain swelling?

Psychology of religion research question examples

The psychology of religion is a field that studies the interplay between belief systems, spirituality, and mental well-being. It explores the application of the psychological methods and interpretive frameworks of religious traditions and how they relate to both religious and non-religious people.

Psychology of religion research contributes to a holistic understanding of human experiences. It fosters cultural competence and guides therapeutic approaches that respect diverse spiritual beliefs.

Here are some example research questions in this field:

71. What impact does a religious upbringing have on a child’s self-esteem?

72. How do religious beliefs shape decision-making and perceptions of morality?

73. What is the impact of religious indoctrination?

74. Is there correlation between religious and mindfulness practices?

75. How does religious affiliation impact attitudes towards mental health treatment and help-seeking behaviors?

Controversial topics in psychology research question examples

Some psychology topics don’t fit into any of the subcategories above, but they may still be worthwhile topics to consider. These topics are the ones that spark interest, conversation, debate, and disagreement. They are often inspired by current issues and assess the validity of older research.

Consider some of these research question examples:

76. How does the rise in on-screen violence impact behavior in adolescents.

77. Should access to social media platforms be restricted in children under the age of 12 to improve mental health?

78. Are prescription mental health medications over-prescribed in older adults? If so, what are the effects of this?

79. Cognitive biases in AI: what are the implications for decision-making?

80. What are the psychological and ethical implications of using virtual reality in exposure therapy for treating trauma-related conditions?

• Inspiration for your next psychology research project

You can choose from a diverse range of research questions that intersect and overlap across various specialties.

From cognitive psychology to clinical studies, each inquiry contributes to a deeper understanding of the human mind and behavior. Importantly, the relevance of these questions transcends individual disciplines, as many findings offer insights applicable across multiple areas of study.

As health trends evolve and societal needs shift, new topics emerge, fueling continual exploration and discovery. Diving into this ever-changing and expanding area of study enables you to navigate the complexities of the human experience and pave the way for innovative solutions to the challenges of tomorrow.

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Elements of a research project or proposal: questions to consider.

Introduction: Problem or Question

• What exactly do you want to study?
• What is your research question or questions?
• Why is it worth studying?
• What is the purpose or significance of your study?
• Does the proposed study have practical significance?
• How are you defining your terms?
• What are the limitations of your study?
• What is the researcher’s perspective or viewpoint?

Literature Review

• What have others said about this topic?
• What theories address it and what do they say? What research has been done previously?
• Are there consistent findings or do past studies disagree?
• Are there flaws in the body of existing research that you feel you can remedy?

Methods & Subjects

• What inquiry approach are you using?
• Will you conduct an experiment or survey?
• Will you undertake field research, or are you going to focus on the reanalysis of statistics already created by others?
• What is the setting for the research?
• Who or what will you study in order to collect the data?
• Who are the subjects in general and who is available for study? How will you reach them?
• Will it be appropriate to select a sample? If so, how will you do that?
• If there is any possibility that your research will have an impact on those you study, how will you ensure that they are not harmed by the research?

Measurement

• What are the key variables in your study?
• How will you define and measure them?
• Do your definitions and measurement methods duplicate or differ from those of previous research on this topic?
• Are you developing your measurement device (for example, questionnaire) or will you be using something previously developed by others?
• When developing a measurement device to measure your study group, how will you determine the validity of the instrument?
• For existing instruments, how do you know it is valid for your sample and how will you establish reliability for your sample? (Reliability should always be reported for the study sample, not the development samples reported in manuals.)

Data Collection

• How will you actually collect the data for your study (observation, interviews, document analysis, focus group, photography and video, etc.)?

Data Analysis

• What kind of analysis do you plan to conduct?
• What is the purpose and logic of your analytical approach? Are you interested in precise description?
• Do you intend to explain why things are the way they are? Do you plan to account for variations in some quality (for example, why are some students more liberal than others)?
• What possible explanatory variables will your analysis consider, and how will you know if you’ve explained the variables adequately?
• How can you verify and establish the trustworthiness of your study?

Scholarly Work

• How will this research lead to scholarly work?
• What level of scholarly work makes sense?
• What is your end goal?
• What are the avenues for presenting or sharing your research findings?
• Where do you want to share your work?
• What did you learn?
• What worked and what didn’t?
• How does your data answer or inform your research question(s)?

Conclusions & Recommendations

• How can you apply or use what you learned?
• How might others use it?
• What were the limitations of your research?
• What implications are there for further research?

If you are writing a research proposal, include:

• Schedule – provide a schedule for the various stages of research (this is good to do for any project).
• Budget – If you are asking someone to give you money to pay the costs of your research, you will need to provide a budget specifying where the money will go. Large, expensive projects include budgetary categories such as personnel, equipment, supplies and expenses such as telephones and postage. Even for a more modest project which you will pay for yourself, it’s a good idea to spend some time anticipating any expenses involved: office supplies, photocopying, computer disks, telephone calls, transportation, and so on.

Source: Babbie, E. (1992). The Practice of Social Research , Sixth Edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company; Creswell, J.W. (1998). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Traditions . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications; Patton, M.Q. (1990). Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods . Newberry Park, CA: Sage Publications.

Excerpted and adapted from Lisa Phelps and Judith Graham, Elements of a Social Research Report or Proposal: Questions to Consider (2002).

How to Write Compelling Research Questions

Are you ready to take your research to the next level? Crafting a powerful research question is the key to unlocking the full potential of your academic journey. It's like having a trusty compass that guides you through the vast wilderness of knowledge, ensuring you stay on track and reach your destination.

In this article, we'll walk you through the essential steps to develop a research question that packs a punch. From identifying your research topic to refining and evaluating your question, we've got you covered. Along the way, we'll explore what makes a good research question and share some helpful research questions examples to inspire you. So, whether you're a student, writer, or just curious about how to form a research question, join us as we embark on this exciting adventure of developing research questions that will elevate your research to new heights!

Identify Your Research Topic

Alright, let's dive into the exciting world of identifying your research topic! Picture yourself as an adventurer, ready to explore uncharted territories of knowledge. But before you embark on this thrilling journey, you need to choose a destination that sparks your curiosity and aligns with your goals.

Brainstorming Your Interests

• Start by brainstorming a list of subjects that pique your interest. Consider areas that haven't been thoroughly explored or present challenges within your field.
• Ask yourself questions like: What fascinates me? What problems do I want to solve? What knowledge gaps exist in my area of study?
• Engage in discussions with peers, professors, or experts to gain fresh perspectives and refine your ideas.

Conducting Preliminary Research

Once you have a general topic in mind, it's time to do some background reading to narrow down your focus:

As you explore these resources, consider the following:

• Look for keywords and concepts that social scientists use to discuss your topic
• Identify specific cases or examples that can make your ideas more concrete
• Determine what aspects of the topic you want to focus on and find an angle to contribute through your project

Evaluating Your Topic

Before finalizing your research topic, ensure it meets the following criteria:

• Aligns with the assignment requirements and guidelines
• Has a substantial body of accessible and manageable related research
• Is interesting, relevant, and worthy of the time invested
• Allows for finding sufficient information in books or scholarly journals
• Fits your future professional path and enhances your skills

Remember, your research topic is not set in stone. It may evolve as you delve deeper into the research process. Embrace the opportunity to discover new insights and modify your topic accordingly.

Now that you've identified a captivating research topic, you're ready to embark on the next stage of your research adventure: conducting preliminary research to further refine your focus and develop a powerful research question.

Conduct Preliminary Research

Now that you've identified your research topic, it's time to dive deeper and conduct some preliminary research. This crucial step will help you narrow down your focus, identify key concepts, and lay the groundwork for developing a powerful research question.

• Use search engines like Google Scholar or your library's online catalog to find relevant articles, books, and other resources related to your topic.
• Explore Wikipedia to gain a broad understanding of your topic and discover potential subtopics or related areas of interest.
• As you read through your initial search results, take note of frequently used terms, phrases, and concepts related to your topic.
• Create a list of these key terms to help guide your further research and refine your focus.
• Assess the quantity and quality of the resources you've found so far.
• Determine if there is sufficient information available to support your research or if you need to adjust your topic's scope.
• Diversify your research by exploring various types of sources, such as:
• As you review the literature, look for areas where there is a lack of information or where scholars disagree.
• These gaps and debates can help you identify potential research questions and contribute to the existing body of knowledge.
• Based on your preliminary research, consider narrowing down your topic to a more specific focus.
• A well-defined and focused topic will make it easier to develop a clear and concise research question.

Remember, conducting preliminary research is an iterative process. As you learn more about your topic, you may need to adjust your focus, search for additional sources, or explore new angles. Embrace this process of discovery and let your curiosity guide you towards a compelling research question.

Define Your Research Problem

Alright, now that you've conducted some preliminary research and have a better understanding of your topic, it's time to define your research problem. This is where the real fun begins!

• Start by asking "how" and "why" questions about your general topic.
• For example, instead of asking, "Does social media affect mental health?" try, "How does social media impact the mental health of teenagers?"
• These types of questions encourage deeper exploration and analysis.
• Narrow down your research problem to a particular aspect of the broader topic.
• Consider focusing on a specific place, time, or group of people.
• Specify the aspects you will address and those you will not.
• Your research problem should be complex enough to require research and analysis, not just a simple yes/no answer.
• It should also be significant to you and potentially to others, addressing the "so what" factor.

Crafting the Research Question

Alright, now that you've defined your research problem, it's time to craft a powerful research question that will guide your study. A well-formulated research question should be clear, focused, and complex, avoiding simple yes/no answers and requiring research and analysis.

Characteristics of a Strong Research Question

A good research question exhibits the following characteristics:

• Focused on a single problem or issue
• Answerable using primary and/or secondary sources
• Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints
• Specific enough to answer thoroughly
• Complex enough to develop the answer over the space of a paper or thesis
• Relevant to the field of study and/or society

The PICO(T) Framework

When structuring your research question, consider using the PICO(T) framework:

Avoiding Common Mistakes

To ensure your research question is strong, avoid these common mistakes:

• Ambiguity: Use clear and specific language to avoid confusion
• Assumption: Avoid making assumptions or using loaded language
• Scope: Keep the scope of your question manageable and relevant

Formulating Your Question

When crafting your research question, consider the following formulations:

• Describing and exploring: "What are the characteristics of...?"
• Explaining and testing: "What is the relationship between...?"
• Evaluating and acting: "How effective is...?"

Remember, developing a research question is an iterative process that involves continuously updating your knowledge on the topic and refining your ideas. As you progress through your research, you may need to adjust your question to better align with your findings and insights.

Examples of Research Questions

• Descriptive: "What are the main challenges faced by small businesses during a pandemic?"
• Comparative: "How does the effectiveness of online learning compare to traditional classroom learning?"
• Correlational: "Is there a relationship between social media use and anxiety levels in teenagers?"
• Exploratory: "What factors contribute to the success of remote work arrangements?"
• Explanatory: "How does regular exercise impact cognitive function in older adults?"
• Evaluation: "To what extent do diversity and inclusion initiatives improve employee satisfaction and retention?"

By crafting a strong research question that is clear, focused, and complex, you'll set the foundation for a successful research project that contributes to your field of study and provides valuable insights.

Refine and Evaluate Your Question

Congratulations on crafting a powerful research question! Now, it's time to refine and evaluate your question to ensure it's the best it can be. Let's dive in and make your research question shine!

Determining Relationships and Selecting Variables

• Identify how variables are related to one another and how these relationships may contribute to your research problem.
• Summarize how you plan to consider and use these variables and how they might influence the study results.

Asking Critical Open-Ended Questions

Narrow down your research question by asking the following:

• Who is involved in your research?
• What specific aspects are you investigating?
• When and where will your research take place?
• How will you conduct your study?
• Why is this research important?

Apply these criteria to make your question more generative, relevant, original, and less obvious.

Seeking Feedback and Revising

Remember, receiving feedback and revising is a valuable step in creating impactful and precise research.

Evaluating Interestingness and Feasibility

Consider the following factors when evaluating your research question:

• Is the answer in doubt?
• Does it fill a gap in the research literature?
• Does it have important practical implications?
• Do you have enough time and money?
• Do you possess the necessary technical knowledge and skills?
• Do you have access to special equipment and research participants?

Striving for Simplicity and Precision

• Make your research question as specific and concise as possible.
• Seek input from experts, mentors, and colleagues to refine your question further.
• Consider how your research question influences factors such as methodology, sample size, data collection, and analysis.

By refining and evaluating your research question, you'll set the stage for a successful research project that contributes valuable insights to your field of study. Remember, a well-crafted research question is central to a well-written paper, sparking interest and leading to new or rethought perspectives.

Developing a powerful research question is the cornerstone of any successful research project. By identifying your research topic, conducting preliminary research, defining your research problem, and crafting a focused question, you'll set the foundation for a meaningful and impactful study. Remember to refine and evaluate your question, seeking feedback from mentors and peers to ensure its relevance and feasibility.

As you embark on your research journey, let your curiosity be your guide. Embrace the process of discovery, and don't be afraid to refine your question as you uncover new insights. By crafting a research question that is clear, focused, and complex, you'll contribute valuable knowledge to your field and make a lasting impact on the world of research. So go forth, intrepid researcher, and let your powerful research question be the beacon that illuminates your path to success!

What are the essential steps to formulate a research question?

To formulate a research question, follow these steps:

• Choose a general subject area or consider the one that has been assigned to you.
• Narrow down the topic to a more specific aspect of the general subject.
• Brainstorm various questions that could be asked about this narrower topic.
• Select the question that you find most intriguing or compelling.

How can I create a strong research question?

To develop a strong research question, you should:

• Conduct initial research on your topic to understand the current discourse.
• Identify a problem or a knowledge gap within your field.
• Ensure your question aims to contribute to ongoing debates within your field or society.

What is the five-step process for writing a research question?

When crafting a research question, you should:

• Select a broad topic of interest.
• Engage in preliminary research to gain background information.
• Keep in mind the audience for whom the research is intended.
• Develop a list of possible questions related to the topic.
• Review and refine the list of questions.
• Formulate the final research question.

What are the five key elements of an effective research question?

An effective research question typically includes the following five components:

• Population: the group you are studying.
• Intervention: the variable or treatment you are considering.
• Comparator: the standard or control you are comparing the intervention to.
• Outcome: the expected result or effect of the intervention.
• Time frame: the period during which the study is conducted.These components can be remembered through the acronyms PICOT and FINER, which stand for Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome, Time frame, and Feasible, Interesting, Novel, Ethical, Relevant, respectively.

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Sep 1, 2022

The best user research questions and how to ask them

To get the right insights, you need to ask the right questions. Here’s the best user research questions to start gathering feedback right away.

Lorelei Bowman

Content Editor at Maze

Knowing the right user research questions to ask is vital to the success of your UX research. Research is an invaluable source of input for product development, but before you can get started, you need to make sure the questions lined up will get the insights you need, without influencing the data.

Think of this article as your guide to all-things user research questions: what to ask, how to ask it, and how to create your own questions. Let’s get started.

What kind of user research questions are there?

The kind of questions you ask will depend on your research goals—are you looking to gather user feedback, or find out if a particular feature is (or would be) useful? Are you trying to discover what problems bother your user, or whether they’d prefer one solution over another?

Before planning your questions and diving head-first into research, look at your overarching research plan and objectives. Consider this on a project-by-project basis, as your end questions will be drastically different depending on where you are in the product development process . For instance, if you’re in early product discovery , you may want to discover user intent and pain points. Or, if you’re working on a high-fidelity prototype, you might want to see how users interact with the prototype, and how easy it is to use. Asking questions at different stages of your process is a big part of continuous product discovery and ensuring your product remains the best it can be.

💡 If you’re looking to understand the types of question format used in surveys or user questionnaires, take a look at our guide on how to write survey questions .

User research questions can be categorized in many ways—by objective, research scenario, or point in the product journey, to name a few. Since different questions may apply in multiple situations, we’re going to consider questions organized by their research focus.

Questions for user research can typically be categorized three ways:

• Questions about the problem e.g., what are users’ pain points, what task are they trying to complete, what solution do they want
• Questions about the people e.g., who they are, how they use products, what they want to accomplish, how likely are they to use the product
• Questions about the product e.g., how users’ feel about content or design, can they navigate the product, how usable is it, what features do they like or dislike

Now we know what kinds of questions there are, let’s delve into the value of pre-made questions, and some examples of each question type.

Using pre-made user research questions

To elevate your research, you can opt to use pre-existing questions from a question bank. As with all research tools , there are many benefits to this, including saving time and effort, and having many questions to choose from. Using a question bank also ensures questions are always carefully considered, easily understandable for users, and unbiased.

Meet the Maze question bank

An open-source question repository for product teams, our question bank is aimed at helping you ask the best user research questions to gather insight that will help build truly user-centered products.

A good question bank will be multifunctional, with questions you can use when running moderated to unmoderated testing, conducting generative or evaluative research, or gathering quantitative or qualitative data. So you can have one place to go for all your user research question needs.

🚀 Boost your research with Maze templates

If you’re a Maze user, you can also use the question bank as a handy companion to fuel your team’s research with Maze—check out the templates column and question block suggestions for maximum efficiency when building mazes.

Ultimately, a pre-made question bank can help save you a lot of time, and allow you to focus on conducting the research and processing analysis.

If you’d like to create your own questions, let’s get into the different user research question types, what questions they include, and how to ask them.

Click on the image to head straight to the question bank 👆

Questions about the problem

To support product and design decisions behind any solution, you need to be familiar with the problem you (and your users) are trying to solve. Whether you’re starting product discovery and want to understand user pain points, or you’re testing new features and want to gauge which will be most popular— you can’t begin working on a solution until you’ve honed in on what the problem is.

What’s bothering your users? How can you make their lives easier? What’s their key challenge, and what are they trying to achieve that’s being blocked by that problem?

Only once you’ve narrowed down a key problem statement can you translate solutions into the user experience, and identify opportunities for product development .

Questions focusing on the problem you’re trying to solve are key in product discovery stages and concept validation . The reason for using a particular product or feature may vary between users—consider Instagram’s Explore tab: it could be used to find friends, connect with like-minded people, or find inspiration.

Questions that can help hone into the problem at hand include:

• What problems do you face when you do [task]?
• Please complete this sentence: "The most frustrating part of trying to complete [task] is…”
• What is your main goal when trying to complete [task]?
• What is your personal measure of success when it comes to [goal]?
• How are you currently solving [problem]?
• Describe your ideal solution to [problem]

Questions about the people

Understanding the problem you’re trying to solve goes hand in hand with the people who are facing this problem—who they are and how they think, how they adopt and use products, their wants, needs and dislikes.

Put simply, there’s no point building a product if it solves the problem your user is having—but not in the way they wanted it to.

To really understand how your users think, and the way they approach a product, you need to understand their mental models. Broadly speaking, a mental model determines how someone forms their thinking process—it might impact the way they approach a problem, the kind of solution they’d like, and how they expect certain features to work.

UX research methods like card sorting are a good way to understand people’s mental models, but you can also gather this insight through thoughtful user interviews or research questions.

User-focused questions also cover understanding attitudes towards product adoption, use habits and circumstances, pricing models, and demographics.

Some example questions you could ask to learn more about your target users include:

• Are there any products that you prefer to use to do [task]?
• What does your job look like in your company?
• How do you prefer to be trained on new products?
• How much would you pay for [product]?
• Please describe who you might collaborate with when [task]?
• How often do you do [task]?

Questions about the product

Once you understand the problem your product will solve, and the people who’ll be using it, it’s time to circle back to the product itself. Questions about the product may be about its usability, what features you’re including, how users feel about content or design, and whether it does what they need it to.

Just like all research, it’s a good idea to ask product-related questions multiple time during the research phase, as both questions and answer will vary depending on what development stage you’re at—from prioritizing which feature to focus on developing first, to assessing how navigable a certain product section is, or reviewing the appeal of specific design aspects.

To gain a well-rounded understanding of how users find using your product or feature, usability testing is imperative. And, if you’re trying to nail down product navigation and identify any bumps in the user journey, tree testing is the research method of choice.

Whatever your focus, questions relating to the product are useful in both evaluative and generative research , and critical for creating a user-centered, solution-focused product.

Sample questions you can use to learn more about the product and features could include:

• How did you find the language (including but not limited to copy, phrasing, tone) used on the website?
• What’s the single most important thing we could do to make [product] better?
• On a scale of 1-10, how was your experience when [task]?
• Was the product navigation as expected?
• If you could change one thing about the design what would it be and why?
• Thinking about what [product] offers, which of the following best describes your feelings about it?

🤔 To dive into the questions you should be asking during usability testing, check out how to ask effective usability testing questions .

Regardless of what questions you ask, it’s worth bearing in mind that this information should be considered a guide, not a rule—as sometimes what people think they’ll do is not what they always do in practice . This is why it’s so important to continue research and testing in all stages of product development, so you can always be working off the most reliable and up-to-date insight.

Guidelines for crafting the right user research questions

Research questions set the standard of the data you’ll gather with them, so it’s crucial to properly craft each question to maximize insight and ensure accurate results.

Using a pre-made question bank is one way to keep questions effective, but if you’re writing your own questions, bear in mind that everything from the language you use to the structure or format of questions can influence the user’s answer.

The best questions for user interviews and research are clear , precise , and unbiased . Let’s go over some ultimate tips for crafting questions that fulfill this.

Stay neutral: avoid leading questions

One of the most important points when it comes to any research is being a neutral party, which means removing cognitive bias from your work. Research isn’t helpful if it’s biased, so ensure your questions are as impartial as possible—after all, just because you like Concept A over Concept B, doesn’t mean everyone will.

The key to staying neutral is avoiding leading questions where you subconsciously favor one thing over another, or plant an opinion or idea in the user’s mind, such as “How would you use concept A?”—this assumes they preferred concept A, which they may not have. Instead, try asking which concept they would use, followed by how they would use it.

Take it one question at a time

The majority of us think best when our minds are clear and able to focus on one thing, so avoid bombarding research participants with multiple questions phrased together.

Rather than asking a question like “What did you think about the design, copy and layout of the page?”, ask individually about the design, copy, and layout. Otherwise, you risk users merging their thoughts into one answer, when in fact they may feel very differently about each element.

Of course some questions lend themselves to being combined (e.g., “Which concept did you prefer and why?”), but it’s best to keep things separate when possible, and ask “Why?” in follow up questions, to allow users space to think and form individual answers for each question.

Ask open-ended questions

Similar to ensuring questions are unbiased, it’s also a good idea to ask open-ended questions—that is, to avoid questions which result in simply a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer.

The benefit of open-ended questions is that they give participants an opportunity to expand on their answer, work through their experience, and share details with you that may otherwise be missed. Consider that, while asking “Did you like the product?” may answer whether a user liked it, you’ll be left wondering what it is they like about it. Instead, try framing questions in a way that provides space for additional information, e.g. “What did you think about the product?”.

Pro tip ✨ If you do ask closed-ended questions, always keep follow up questions aside to dig deeper gather and extra insight from your participants.

Help users find their own voice

The language we use is incredibly powerful. Used well, words can move us, sway our opinions, educate us, and more.

By helping your research participants to find their own voice, you can unlock powerful statements and user insights which will truly impact your product. Formatting questions with the user at the center—using ‘you’ and asking emotive questions—builds empathy with the user and encourages them to find and share their own opinions through honest answers.

Ask questions you think you know the answer to

Our final question-crafting tip is to use research questions to test and validate your own assumptions and opinions. Ask questions you think you know the answer to—if you believe all users will prefer one new feature over the other, see if you’re right. If you think a certain design element works better on a different page, ask research participants to determine where they prefer it.

As with any research, while you may be user-adjacent, you are not your users. You are the expert in your product; they are the expert in using your product. Trust their opinions, and use their knowledge and experience to confirm your suspicions, or disprove them. Either way, you gain valuable insights.

User research is as effective as the questions you ask

Whether you’re investigating user preferences or conducting usability testing, research is only as effective as the questions you ask—and how you ask them.

Focus on questions that fit your research objectives, phrase your questions in the best way possible, and work to build empathy with your user; you’ll be able to gather valuable insights in no time.

Frequently asked questions and user research questions

What makes a good user research question?

A good research question is open-ended , unbiased , clear , and precise . It helps research participants share their thoughts, feedback, and opinions with researchers, without influencing or limiting their responses.

What type of user research questions are there?

User research questions can broadly be broken down into three categories:

How do you create a user research question?

There are several ways to create a user research question: you can either write your own question, or select premade questions from an existing research question bank.

If you choose to write your own research questions, it’s important to keep them clear and precise above all else—focus on asking questions that encourage users to open up, share additional information, and speak honestly.

Continue Reading

How to avoid leading questions in UX research (+ examples)

UX research best practices: Building and researching products with ethics in mind

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Key questions to ask.

This section outlines key questions to ask in assessing the quality of research and describes internal validity, external validity, and construct validity.

Was the research peer reviewed?

Peer reviewed research studies have already been evaluated by experienced researchers with relevant expertise. Most journal articles, books and government reports have gone through a peer review process. Keep in mind that there are many types of peer reviews. Reports issued by the federal government have been subject to many levels of internal review and approval before being issued. Articles published in professional journals with peer review have been evaluated by researchers that are experts in the field and who can vouch for the soundness of the methodology and the analysis applied. As a result, peer-reviewed research is usually of high quality. A research consumer, however, should still critically evaluate the study's methodology and conclusions.

Can a study's quality be evaluated with the information provided?

Every study should include a description of the population of interest, an explanation of the process used to select and gather data on study subjects, definitions of key variables and concepts, descriptive statistics for main variables, and a description of the analytic techniques. Research consumers should be cautious when drawing conclusions from studies that do not provide sufficient information about these key research components.

Are there any potential threats to the study's validity?

A valid study answers research questions in a scientifically rigorous manner. Threats to a study's validity are found in three areas: 

Internal Validity

External validity, construct validity.

Internal Validity refers to whether the outcomes observed in a study are due to the independent variables or experimental manipulations investigated in the study and not to some other factor or set of factors. To determine whether a research study has internal validity, a research consumer should ask whether changes in the outcome could be attributed to alternative explanations that are not explored in the study. For example, a study may show that a new curriculum had a significant positive effect on children's reading comprehension.

The study must rule out alternative explanations for the increase in reading comprehension, such as a new teacher, in order to attribute the increase in reading comprehension to the new curriculum. Studies that specifically explain how alternative explanations were ruled out are more likely to have internal validity. Threats to a study's internal validity can compromise the confidence consumers have in the findings from a study and include:

• The introduction of events while the study is being conducted that may affect the outcome or dependent variable of the study. For example, while studying the effectiveness of children's participation in an early childhood program, the program was closed for an extended period of time due to damage from a hurricane.
• Changes in the dependent variable due to normal developmental processes in study participants. For example, young children's performance on a battery of outcome measures (e.g., reading and math assessments) may decline during the testing or observation period due to fatigue or other factors.
• The circumstances around the testing that is used to assess the dependent variable. For example, preschool children's performance on a standardized test may be questionable if test items are presented to children in unfamiliar ways or in group settings.
• Participants leaving or dropping out of the study before it is completed. This can be especially problematic if those who leave the study are different from those who stay. For example, in a longitudinal study of the effects of a school lunch program on children's academic achievement, the validity of the findings could be problematic if the most disadvantaged children in the program left the study at a higher rate than other children.
• Changes to or inconsistencies in how the dependent and independent variables were measured. For example, changing the way in which children's math skills are measured at two time points could introduce error if the two measures were developed using different assessment frameworks (i.e., they were developed to assess different math content and processes). Inconsistencies are also introduced when different staff follow different procedures when administering the same measure. For example, when administering an assessment to bilingual children, some staff give children credit for answering correctly in English or Spanish, and other staff only give credit for answering correctly in English.
• Statistical regression or regression to the mean can affect the outcome of a study. It is the movement of test scores (post-test scores) toward the mean (average score), independent of any effect of an independent variable. It is especially a concern when assessing the skills of low performing individuals and comparing their skills to those with average or above average performance. For example, kindergarten children with the weakest reading skills at the start of the school year may show the greatest gains in their skills over the school year (e.g., between fall and spring assessments) independent of the instruction they received from their teachers.

External Validity refers to the extent to which the results of a study can be generalized to other settings (ecological validity), other people (population validity) and over time (historical validity). To assess whether a study has external validity, a research consumer should ask whether the findings apply to individuals whose place and circumstances differ from those of study participants. For example, a research study shows that a new curriculum improved reading comprehension of third-grade children in Iowa. As a research consumer, you want to ask whether this new curriculum may also be effective with third graders in New York or with children in other elementary grades. Studies that randomly select participants from the most diverse and representative populations and that are conducted in natural settings are more likely to have external validity. Threats to a study's external validity come from several sources, including:

• The list of all those in the population who are eligible to be sampled is incomplete or contains duplicates. For example, in a household survey, the list of housing units from which the sample will be drawn may be missing housing units (e.g., one or the two housing units in a duplex home). Or, an address list that will be used to drawn a sample may have some households listed twice.
• Some members of the population or members of certain groups may not be adequately represented in the sample (undercoverage). For example, a survey of adult education that relies on a published list of telephone numbers to select its sample may not get an accurate estimate of the participation of adults in different education programs because young adults who have higher rates of participation are less likely to have landlines and to have numbers published.
• Not all individuals who are sampled agree to participate in the study. When those who participate are different in meaningful ways from those who do not, there is the potential for the findings from the study to be biased (nonresponse bias). That is, the findings may not represent an accurate picture of the total population.
• Selecting samples using non-probability methods (e.g., purposive sample, volunteer samples), which tend to over- or under-represent certain groups in the population. For example, volunteer surveys on controversial topics such as school vouchers and sex education are more likely to overrepresent individuals with strong opinions. And, shopping mall surveys in general only represent the small group of individuals who are shopping at a particular location and at specific times.
• The findings from one study are difficult to replicate across locations, groups, and time. Despite the best efforts, it is extremely difficult to introduce and implement a program (treatment) exactly the same way in different locations. Similarly, it is difficult to conduct a study the same way each time. While researchers have control over many features of their studies, there are factors that are beyond their control (e.g., willingness of potential subjects to participate, scheduling conflicts that could lead to cancellations of data collection activities, data collection being suspended due to natural disasters). For example, the ability to carry out a study of school-age children's reading and math achievement in one school or in one school district may be affected by teachers' willingness to surrender instructional time for students to participate in a series of standardized assessments. In some cases, modifications to the study design (e.g., shorten the assessment, limit sensitive questions on a teacher or parent survey) must be made to accommodate the concerns of school and district leaders.
• Changes in the behaviors and reported attitudes of study participants as a result of being included in a research study (Hawthorne effect). For example, parents participating in a research study on children's early development may change the ways in which they support their child's learning at home.

Construct Validity refers to the degree to which a variable, test, questionnaire or instrument measures the theoretical concept that the researcher hopes to measure. To assess whether a study has construct validity, a research consumer should ask whether the study has adequately measured the key concepts in the study. For example, a study of reading comprehension should present convincing evidence that reading tests do indeed measure reading comprehension. Studies that use measures that have been independently validated in prior studies are more likely to have construct validity.

There are many threats to construct validity. These can arise during: the planning and design stage, assessment or survey administration, and data processing and analysis. Some are attributed to researchers and others to the subjects of the research. Here are some of the more common threats:

• Poorly defined constructs are perhaps the largest threat to construct validity. This applies to constructs that are too narrowly defined as well as those that are defined too broadly.
• Validity can also be affected by the measures a researcher chooses to measure a construct. Measures that include too few items to adequately represent the construct pose a threat as do measures that include items that tap other constructs. For example, a math assessment administered to four- and five-year old children that only includes items that require children to count would not be adequate to represent their math skills. A math assessment administered to this same group of children that was made up mostly of word problems would be tapping both their math and language skills. A valid measure should cover all aspects of the theoretical construct and only aspects of the theoretical construct.
• Assessment items or survey questions that are poorly written are threats to validity. Such items would include double-barreled questions that ask multiple questions within a single item (e.g., are you happily married and do you and your spouse argue?). Other examples of poorly written questions include those that use language that is above the reading level of most respondents, use professional jargon or are written in such a way as to trigger a socially desirable response.
• The validity of an assessment is threatened if there are too many items that are outside the ability of the individual being assessed (e.g., too many very easy items and too many very difficult items). For example, an early literacy assessment that only included passages that children were asked to read and answer questions about would not result in a valid assessment of children's early literacy.
• Threats that are introduced by interviewers and assessment staff. Actions by these individuals that can affect the reliability and thus the validity of the assessment occur when they deviate from the research protocol and when they signal a correct answer to the study participant through their actions. For example, an assessment of young children's English language vocabulary may specify that only responses in English are acceptable. However, when assessing bilingual children, some assessors comply with this rule while others accept responses in English or in the child's home language (e.g., Spanish). Assessors may unintentionally signal to children the correct responses on an assessment by 'staring' at the correct response to a multiple-choice item or by smiling and giving praise only when the child answers correctly.
• Threats to validity can also be introduced by the research participants. These would include participant apprehension or anxiety that could result in poorer performance on an assessment or to incorrect or ambiguous responses to a series of interview items. These threats must be taken seriously and addressed when administering standardized assessments to young children, many of whom will have limited experience with these types of tests. The language used when administering an assessment can also threaten its validity, if subjects do not have the language skills to understand what they are being asked to do and the language skills needed to respond.
• Coding errors - Coding errors that are systematic as compared to those that are random are especially problematic.
• Poor inter-coder or inter-rater reliability - When coding responses to open-ended survey items or assigning scores to behaviors observed during a video interaction, it is important that different coders or raters assign the same code or score for the same response or behavior. That is, the goal is high inter-coder or inter-rater reliability. When inter-coder or inter-rater reliability is poor, it can have an adverse effect on the validity of a measure. For example, the construct validity of an observation measure of the quality of parent-child interactions could be compromised should individual members of a group coding a set of videotaped mother-child interactions apply different standards as to what they deem as intrusive parenting practices.
• Inconsistencies in how data are analyzed and missing data handled - Missing data may be handled in a number of different ways, and the approach that is chosen could prove to be problematic for a construct, especially when the data are not missing at random. For example, if items tapping certain math skills are missing disproportionately, the validity of the measure could be jeopardized if a researcher assigns the mean score for those items or if he simply averages the scores for the non-missing items.

• Graduate School

Hardest Research Proposal Questions and Best Sample Answers

Featured Expert: Dr. Michela Insenga, PhD

Practicing with sample research proposal questions and answers can have great benefits for any major research project such as a dissertation or thesis. This is often the final step before you finally get your doctorate degree. However, before all of that, you must first craft a research proposal. This is a detailed outline that will transform into the thesis that you will eventually have to defend in front of a panel of distinguished academics. It is always important to be aware of what thesis defense questions you will be asked when it is all said and done, but you may have to start justifying your research a little earlier on with the completion of a research proposal.

In this article, we include sample questions and answers you could be faced with when submitting your research proposal, some tips for preparing your responses, as well as the benefits of seeking professional help from a grad school advisor .

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Article Contents 13 min read

What to expect for your research proposal.

Early on in your PhD process, you may have to submit a research proposal that details the scope of your research and what you plan to for an eventual thesis or dissertation project. You have already learned how to find a PhD topic , so now it is time to put your passion for your field into practice and start to manifest the ideas swimming in your head.

This document should include the specific topic you would like to research, what angle you will be taking for your research, as well as your justification for choosing this subject. Regardless of whether or not your goals are the same as when you wrote your research interest statement sample , you must still provide an update about what your project is going to examine.

Should you go to grad school? Watch this video:

The purpose of the research proposal is to convince your supervisor that you are on the right direction. You are essentially providing a roadmap for your supervisor through your motives in undertaking this project and how you plan to complete it. Your supervisor will have to evaluate whether or not your project is relevant to the degree you are completing and manageable within the time constraints or other limitations you have.

As a result, you may have to undergo a research proposal defense or your supervisor will ask guiding questions about the state of your project. While this is still very early in the process, it is a great way for getting to know how to prepare for a thesis defense , as the questions you will be have a similar intent. Receiving guidance on your research before spending a lot of time on it can be more beneficial to you as you complete coursework or any other responsibilities as a graduate student. Questions from your supervisor can make your think critically about the end result of your result, and will hopefully lead to a better result.

Be Very Familiar With Your Proposal

This sounds like an obvious tip, but PhD research proposals can be 1500-2000 words long and can be a lot of information to remember at once. Once it is complete, try and have as great of a grasp of the material as you can. Before going into any meeting where you will discuss your work, make sure to become reacquainted with the information you have found and the goals you are hoping to achieve. Re-read your proposal several times to both proofread it for typos or other errors, but also to become comfortable with its contents. You want to make sure that your answers line up with the document you are officially submitting as your proposal.

Ask for Advice

If you are having trouble creating your proposal, you can always consult thesis writing services to help you plan out and put your thoughts into words. Professionals can also help with your speaking ability when responding and help you strategize so that you deliver efficient responses that sum up your research faithfully. Either together with an advisor or on your own, you can predict the obvious questions that are coming and prepare yourself to answer them. If your supervisor will be overseeing your proposal, try to anticipate what concerns they will have. Come up with a list of questions yourself, so you can workshop how you answer them.

Use Strategies to Answer Questions

Just like preparing for graduate school interview questions , you can develop strategies for how to answer questions about your research proposal. Keep your answers direct. You can also pose questions about areas you are unsure about. Do not be afraid to not have all the answers. At this point of your research, you are not expected to know everything point. The purpose of your proposal is to see where you are at right now and what you need to adjust on to make the best final product possible. Your supervisor or other academics that will pose questions about your proposal are not out to get you. They have years of experiences with similar projects, and are likely are qualified to give helpful feedback on your work in progress.

1. What is your research project about?

This answer should be a short summary about your research project. This question may seem like this simplest of them all, but you need to have a solid direction on where you want your thesis to go in order for it be effective. It does not need to be as complete as if you were to be summarizing your final product, since your project is still in its development stages. For instance, a sociological study regarding gendered tendencies towards deviant behaviors on the internet might be formatted in this manner:

For this research project, I plan to examine the rise of online deviant sociological behaviour on social media platforms during recent global shutdowns such as the COVID-19 pandemic and how gender identity and sexual orientation amplify these concerns. These acts of deviance can include instances of catfishing, deception, pornography, obscenity, cyber bullying, flaming, among others. I will also relate these findings to psychological impacts of both the perpetrators and victims or other relevant criminal behaviors that do not take place online, pointing out the differences between common trends for men vs. women in these altercations.

2. Why did you select this particular topic?

This question is meant to assess your motivation for choosing the subject of your research proposal. It is possible that you have previously touched on this kind of question during your graduate school interview when answering “Why do you want to do a PhD?” . This answer is one that could get a little more into your personal inclination towards the research you pursue. Focus on your particular interests and shape it to the goals of the project. For example, if you conducted a study called, “Forgotten Minds: Book History and Women’s Lost Contributions in 18th and 19th-century England” then you can frame your answer in this way:

As a scholar of the marriage industrial complex that permeated British society in past centuries, I am interested in the ways that a patriarchal structure can silence the marginalized voices of others, as matrimony often did for women. This is all the more evident in the interdisciplinary field of book history, where women’s contributions to the publishing were often ignored, erased, or overshadowed by their husbands. I wanted to indicate any trends that can be discovered by examining the roles of women in 18th and 19th-century printing houses and potentially unearth the forgotten stories of women who worked in these instances.

3. Does your project have a working title?

Titles are very important for academic articles or formal dissertation projects. If you have already learned how to publish as a graduate student , you will know that the title is how other academics or students will find your work when searching through journals and databases. You need to make sure your title is accurate to the research provided. At this point, your title will likely not be final, but it always important to be thinking about.

Sample Answer: My tentative title is “Take a Chill Pill: Natural and Traditional Methods for College Student Anxiety Levels”. I chose this title because it represents both the holistic self-care methods such as meditation and exercise as well as prescription medication. It also points out the focus group immediately, since the study will examine current college students between the ages of 18-24 and indicate any patterns for how they manage stress among unprecedented times.

4. What scope do you think your project will have?

Your proposal will likely touch on several points related to your topic, but it is not really plausible to have a project that considers every single aspect imaginable. You may need to narrow this down as you further develop your research. Start thinking of the boundaries you may have to set as you progress through your work.

Sample Answer: This study will examine consumption trends related to the snack food industry. To start with, I have chosen over 25 products from different companies will be able to be listed and reviewed in the final thesis submission.

5. What makes your project original?

Being a publishing academic is all about filling the gaps in scholarship. Make sure to point out what makes your project stand out from others in the field.

Sample Answer: The project focuses on how remote working and telemedicine shifts the delivery of family medicine procedures in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It does engage with similar studies on the topic of telemedicine, but will add a new perspective by discussing family doctors practicing in the greater Montreal area, specifically, which is a subset I have not yet found within existing scholarship.

6. How is your research in conversation with existing scholarship?

While your research must add something to the field, it also should be in a dialogue with other published works. Explain your process surrounding the other studies you have used to guide your own thesis.

Sample Answer: As my project is related to how autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis present themselves in young adults, I have included fundamental studies on the topic from Dr. Arthur Golden and Dr. Melina Rizzo, as well as other more current examples of scholarship. My study will utilize their concepts in relation to a focus group that is below the age of 30.

7. What kind of research methodology will you be using?

How you will be accessing this research is just as important as the research itself. Try to have a clear path about the measures you will take to complete your study.

Sample Answer: I aim to use detailed and meticulously written surveys about women’s birth experiences at hospitals or affiliated birthing centers. These results will act as the main foundation for my study on maternity health care and treatment.

8. Have you found there to be any interesting developments so far?

Was there any part of the part of the process that you did not expect? For this response, detail any new directions your research has taken as of writing your proposal.

Sample Answer: While looking for evidence that suggests that gender socialization of children affects their behaviour, I was surprised to find out that there is a discrepancy between the emotional responses in animated characters based on gender. Female or feminine-presenting characters are shown smiling on screen much more than their male counterparts, and the masculine-presenting characters were generally more likely to be shown as upset or even violent. That is a development in my research that I did not initially think of or foresee.

9. What do you think your biggest limitations for this research will be?

Look into the work you will have to do for your eventual full-length research project. What do you see being the most difficult part?

Sample Answer: I am looking into the nutritional benefits of drug store chewable gummy multivitamins. However, based on an individual’s prior health conditions or genetic makeup, the results may vary or be distorted. I am presuming that this will be a major limitation as I write my thesis.

10. What will be the dependent and independent variables of this project?

When researching, there are different variables that can potentially affect your results. An independent variable is not affected by other variables in your study, while dependent variables also change if other variables do.

Sample Answer: My study will investigate the impact of guidance counselling for junior and senior high school students. The independent variable is the type of help they require, such as college applications, social development skills, or academic performance. The dependent variable would be the actual outcomes of said counselling.

11. What is your provisional research timeline?

Even if it is not 100% stuck to, try to have a detailed timeline in mind about when research will be completed and how you will fulfill all of your obligations prior to the respective deadlines.

Sample Answer: The provisional research timeline for my proposal is designed to ensure systematic progress and timely completion of all research objectives. My timeline is divided into five phases:

Preparation Phase (4 weeks): In this initial stage, I will conduct a thorough literature review to familiarize myself with existing research and identify potential gaps. Simultaneously, I will finalize the research questions and establish the overall framework for my study.

Data Collection and Analysis (8 weeks): During this phase, I will gather primary data through surveys and interviews, ensuring data collection aligns with ethical guidelines. Once collected, I will proceed with data analysis, utilizing appropriate statistical methods to extract meaningful insights.

Literature Integration (4 weeks): Building upon the analyzed data, I will integrate my findings with existing literature to provide a comprehensive context for my research.

Drafting and Revision (6 weeks): I will dedicate this phase to writing the research proposal. The initial draft will be critically reviewed and refined through multiple iterations to enhance clarity and coherence.

Finalization and Submission (1 week): In the final phase, I will incorporate feedback from peers and advisors and polish the research paper to its final form. The completed research paper will be submitted by the designated deadline.

This provisional timeline, spanning 23 weeks, allows for flexibility and contingency plans to accommodate unforeseen challenges. Regular progress assessments and adjustments will be made to ensure timely completion and adherence to all obligations.

12. Who are the demographics who will be most interested in your research?

An important aspect of your research to think about will be who will be the most interested in reading it, as well as who it impacts the most.

Sample Answer: The demographics most interested in my research are likely to be professionals and policymakers within the healthcare industry. Given the focus of my research on implementing technology-driven solutions to enhance patient care and improve healthcare outcomes, healthcare practitioners, administrators, and researchers would find the findings particularly relevant.

Additionally, technology enthusiasts, innovators, and entrepreneurs interested in the intersection of healthcare and technology are also expected to show interest in the research. This group may be keen to explore potential commercial applications of the proposed solutions or seek opportunities for collaboration.

Moreover, the research would significantly impact patients and healthcare consumers. As technology increasingly plays a vital role in healthcare delivery, patients would be interested in understanding how these advancements can positively influence their healthcare experiences and overall well-being.

To ensure the research's reach and impact, I will disseminate the findings through academic publications, conferences, and workshops. Additionally, I will aim to engage with relevant professional organizations, healthcare institutions, and technology forums to stimulate interest and foster practical applications of the research outcomes.

By targeting these demographics, the research can make a meaningful contribution to the field of healthcare technology and help drive advancements that benefit both healthcare providers and patients alike.

13. What do you hope to be the significance of your research?

This is the “So what?” of your research. Will your research have lasting impacts? Evaluate which current issues your research could resolve.

Sample Answer:

The significance of my research lies in its potential to revolutionize healthcare delivery through technology-driven solutions. By addressing current issues such as inefficiencies in healthcare systems, lack of patient engagement, and suboptimal outcomes, my research aims to foster lasting impacts. Implementing technology to improve patient care, streamline processes, and enhance healthcare accessibility could lead to better health outcomes, reduced costs, and an overall improvement in the quality of healthcare services.

14. Are there any ethical issues or debates surrounding your research project?

Some projects are directly tied to ethics and moral issues that are currently being debated. It would be important to mention any ties to these issues and how your research is part of a larger conversation.

Sample Answer: While my research primarily focuses on technology-driven solutions to enhance healthcare, there are potential ethical considerations surrounding data privacy and security. As the research involves collecting and analyzing patient data, ensuring the confidentiality and informed consent of participants is paramount. Additionally, discussions about the responsible use of artificial intelligence in healthcare and potential biases in algorithms are relevant to the larger conversation on the ethical implications of technology in healthcare. Addressing these issues will be crucial to maintaining the integrity and societal benefit of the research.

15. Do you have any personal predictions for the outcome of your research?

If you haven’t yet conducted surveys or a thorough literature review, relay what you think will happen and any other concerns to your supervisor.

Sample Answer: As of now, without conducting surveys or an extensive literature review, I anticipate that the research will demonstrate the potential of technology in positively impacting healthcare outcomes and patient experiences. However, I am also aware that challenges related to data security, technology adoption, and ethical considerations may arise during the research. I will keep my supervisor informed about any unexpected findings and concerns throughout the study to ensure a comprehensive evaluation of the research outcomes.

Now that you have seen some sample answers, here are some additional questions you can take on:

• What sample groups are you using and why?
• What secondary sources do you plan to use?
• What do you believe is the strongest point in your research?
• Are there any biases that could exist in your research or your secondary sources?
• What are some ways your findings will be put into practice?
• What was the approach you took when starting your project?
• What phenomenon are you trying to understand with this research?
• How has your research project changed from when you started this degree?
• Do you see any foreseeable weaknesses or blind spots in your study?
• What measurement instrument did you use for this research?
• What theoretical framework is your research based on?
• Is the literature you chose up to date?
• What pertinent information have you found so far?
• Does your research have any use for policy makers?
• What do you plan to do with this research project once you have graduated?

When you are wondering, “should you pursue a master’s or a PhD?” , you truly need to consider the importance of research within the discipline you choose. Part of being an academic is the ability to contribute to the field and, by extension, society as a whole. The research proposal and the subsequent dissertation may be the last step to complete your degree, but it is also can be the first real step of your professional career.

Any meeting with your supervisor or instant where you have to defend your work is simply part of the process of being a working academic. This can have lasting implications for the future of your career, as knowing how to conduct and present research effectively is key to learning how to find a job in academia . That being said, the first step is putting yourself in the best position to succeed. Using PhD consultants can make all the difference for your project. If you are currently applying to graduate school, these trained experts can help you get into the school of your dreams or assist with finding programs that suit your skillset. They can also provide pointers on your research, as many of them have been in your shoes before.

A research proposal is a concise and structured document that outlines the key objectives, methodology, and significance of a proposed research project, aiming to convince others about the value and feasibility of the study.

A typical research proposal for a doctoral thesis is usually between 10 to 20 pages, depending on the specific requirements of the academic institution and the complexity of the research project.

To find the right research topic for a doctoral thesis, consider your interests, expertise, and the significance of the topic in your field. Engage with relevant literature, consult with advisors and experts, and identify gaps or unresolved issues to narrow down your focus.

Yes, you can and you should include your research on your grad school CV . 

Most graduate programs will ask you to defend your research proposal. However, if it’s a smaller project, a review of the proposal may be sufficient. 

To prepare for a research proposal or thesis defense, thoroughly review your research work, anticipate potential questions, and practice presenting your findings in a clear and concise manner to effectively communicate your research objectives, methodology, and results.

Some mistakes to avoid when writing a research proposal include: lack of clarity in research objectives, insufficient literature review, neglecting to address potential limitations, and failing to align the proposal with the funding agency's guidelines or the university's requirements.

Yes, you can always reach out to thesis writing services for some guidance. 

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90 Questions to Ask a Researcher

Embarking on a journey to unravel the mysteries of research can be both exhilarating and daunting. Whether you’re a budding scholar, a curious journalist, or simply an individual with a thirst for knowledge, probing the minds of those at the forefront of discovery can provide invaluable insights.

This article offers an array of thought-provoking questions meticulously crafted to delve deep into the essence of research.

Table of Contents

Understanding Research Objectives

• What inspired the research question you’re exploring?
• Can you briefly describe the main goal of your research?
• How does your research fit within the broader field of study?
• Who are the intended beneficiaries of your research findings?
• Did the initial objectives evolve as the research progressed?
• How do you ensure your research objectives are achievable?
• What is the scope of your research?
• How did you narrow down your research questions?
• What significant problem does your research seek to address?
• What are the anticipated outcomes of your research?
• How do you prioritize different research objectives?
• What hypotheses are you testing in your research?
• Can you clarify any terms specific to your research objectives?
• How do your research objectives align with current trends in the field?
• What challenges did you face in defining your research objectives?

Exploring Methodology and Design

• What research methodology did you choose, and why?
• How did you ensure the reliability and validity of your methods?
• Can you explain the process of data collection in your research?
• Did you encounter any obstacles in your research design?
• How did your methodology affect the interpretation of results?
• What tools or technologies did you use in your research?
• How did you address potential biases in your research design?
• What criteria did you use for selecting your study sample?
• How do you manage the ethical considerations in your research?
• What measures did you take to ensure data security and privacy?
• How is your approach different from existing methodologies?
• Did you require any special approvals for your research methods?
• How do you keep your methodology transparent and replicable?
• Have you piloted your research design, and what were the results?
• Can you walk me through the timeline of the research process?

Discussing Findings and Interpretations

• What are the key findings of your research?
• Were there any surprising results you encountered?
• How do your findings contribute to the field?
• What do you believe is the reason behind these outcomes?
• How do your results compare to those of similar studies?
• What limitations should we consider when interpreting your findings?
• Can you discuss any patterns or trends revealed in your research?
• How might your findings influence future research?
• How robust are your findings to different analytical methods?
• Were any of your hypotheses not supported by the data?
• How do you plan to share and publish your findings?
• What is the potential for real-world application of your research?
• How do you validate the interpretations of your data?
• In what ways have you engaged with other researchers about your findings?
• What follow-up studies would you suggest based on your results?

Assessing Impact and Relevance

• How does your research address societal or environmental needs?
• In what ways could your research potentially affect industry practices?
• What long-term changes do you hope your research will inspire?
• How relevant is your research in today’s context?
• What is the envisioned impact on policy or public discourse?
• How do you gauge the success of your research’s impact?
• Who are the stakeholders most interested in your research?
• How do you disseminate your research to maximize impact?
• Can your research findings be generalized across different contexts?
• What collaborations did you form to enhance the impact of your research?
• How do you measure the social return on investment for your research?
• What has been the feedback from the community affected by your research?
• How has your research contributed to advancements in technology or science?
• What part of your research do you think will have the greatest impact?
• Are there any unintended consequences that may arise from your research?

Evaluating Credibility and Ethics

• How do you ensure the credibility of your research findings?
• What kind of peer review or scrutiny has your research undergone?
• Have you published in open-access journals or other accessible platforms?
• Can you explain the ethical considerations relevant to your research?
• How would you address any conflicts of interest in your work?
• How do you ensure that your research benefits are shared fairly?
• What steps do you take to maintain transparency in your research?
• How have you dealt with any ethical dilemmas during your study?
• In what ways do you work to maintain participant confidentiality?
• Can you discuss the ethical governance of your research project?
• What safeguards are in place for the ethical use of data?
• How does your research comply with legal and regulatory standards?
• Are there any socio-cultural sensitivities you had to consider in your research?
• How might your research confront or challenge ethical norms?
• What is your approach to obtaining informed consent?

Personal Insights and Journey in Research

• What inspired you to become a researcher in your field?
• Can you share a pivotal moment in your research career?
• How do you stay motivated when facing research challenges?
• What are the most rewarding aspects of conducting research?
• How do you balance personal biases and professional objectivity?
• What lessons have you learned from your time in research?
• How do you approach collaborative research projects?
• What are your top strategies for overcoming research obstacles?
• Can you describe a significant breakthrough you had in your research?
• How do you keep up-to-date with advancements in your field?
• What advice would you give to aspiring researchers?
• Can you share a mistake you made and how you addressed it?
• What has been the most unexpected turn in your research journey?
• How do you handle skepticism or criticism of your research?
• What personal qualities do you think are essential for a successful researcher?

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it important to ask about a researcher’s personal insights.

Learning about a researcher’s personal insights provides context that enriches your understanding of their work. It can reveal the human element behind the research, including motivation, challenges, and the passion driving their inquiries.

How can I probe into the relevance and real-world application of research?

Ask direct questions about how the research tackles contemporary issues, its societal benefits, and its potential for practical application. Discussing envisioned impacts on policy or technology can also highlight the research’s real-world significance.

Final Thoughts

Beyond the data and analysis, these conversations are a portal into the multifaceted world of research – a blend of empirical rigor, ethical considerations, and personal dedication.

May these engaging inquiries lead you to profound discoveries and a deeper appreciation for the painstaking yet rewarding odyssey that researchers embark upon to advance human knowledge.

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6 Questions to Ask Before Starting a Big Project

• Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez
• Whitney Johnson

Figure out if there is really an opportunity in your idea.

Deciding when to invest your company’s scarce resources in a project is of strategic importance. Yet, there is currently no management framework available to help executives or individuals with the vital decision of when the  right time  has arrived. The authors explain how applying the S-curve model can help decision makers. The base of the curve represents a period of investigation where relatively few resources have been committed. The purpose of this phase is to ascertain whether there is really an opportunity in an idea — or not. During this phase is when you should seek answers to six important, foundational questions: 1) Has the project been done before? 2) Is the project part of your core business and will it leverage your strengths? 3) Can you clearly define the scope? 4) What is the investment cost? 5) Do you have buy-in from key leaders and the wider organization? 6) What is the timeline?

Knowing when to start a project is a key factor to its success. And yet it’s a strategic talent very few companies have developed. If you begin a project too soon, chances are high that the project will miss its deadline — if it doesn’t fail outright.

• Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez is the author of the Harvard Business Review Project Management Handbook , five other books, and the HBR article “ The Project Economy Has Arrived. ” His research and global impact on modern management have been recognized by Thinkers50. A pioneer and leading authority in teaching and advising executives the art and science of strategy implementation and modern project management, Antonio is a visiting professor in seven leading business schools and founder of Projects & Co mpany and co-founder Strategy Implementation Institute and PMOtto . You can follow Antonio through his  website , his LinkedIn newsletter  Lead Projects Successfully , and his online course  Project Management Reinvented for Non–Project Managers .
• WJ Whitney Johnson is the CEO of Disruption Advisors, a tech-enabled talent-development company and author of Smart Growth: How to Grow Your People to Grow Your Company .

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25 most common research project defense questions.

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Many students get frightened about what to expect during their final year project defence. Many questions run through students’ minds as they prepare to face the academic panel for their final year project defence. In this article, we will be looking at some of the common questions that are asked during the defence.

Top 25 Likely Project Defense Questions and Answers

Below are likely questions you may face in a defense room. Take note of these questions and suggested answers; do good by researching more and not limiting yourself to just these questions.

Question 1: In a few sentences, can you tell us what your study is all about?

This appears to be the easiest question, right? However, a lot of lecturers have stated that this is the question many students get stuck on. Nevertheless, it is a simple question, but a bit complex. The answer to the question is mastering the contents of each chapter. It is a summary of the study; thus, you should master the abstract.

Question 2: What is your motivation for this study?

This is one of the trickiest questions the panellists will ask you. It will go a long way to clear any doubt about the relevance of your research. This question can come in another way as.

What is the Research Problem?

The answer is the elaboration of the problem of the research. Your desire to answer this problem becomes a motivation for the study. Kindly avoid stating the need to graduate or financial reasons as the motivation for the study.

Question 3: How will this study contribute to the body of knowledge?

During your defence, you might be asked how your final year project will contribute to the existing body of knowledge; at this stage, you will highlight the method employed for the research or theoretical framework or any unique point of the research to defend your standpoint.

Question 4: What is the significance of the study?

Aside from stating the contribution your final year project is making to knowledge, you will also have to state why the project is important to society at large. You are presenting a project, right? But have you ever stopped to ask yourself why it is relevant to society? Think about that and make people realize that what you are proposing is a real differentiator.

This is a very important moment, as it is a chance to show why your final year project should be accepted and the impacts it can bring. Believe me: you can pass if you can be very convincing on this issue.

Question 5: Did you bridge any gap from your study?

Before you embark on any research work, you must have identified a gap you want to fill. Your ability to cover existing knowledge gaps guarantees that you will ace your defence. However, you must be convincing enough and provide valid evidence to back up your point that you fill a lacuna when facing the defence panel.

Question 6: What limitations did you encounter?

Indeed, this question is quite easy; however, it is complicated. When this question is posed, it is not to sympathize with you but rather for you to highlight the weaknesses of your project. Hence, to ace this question, you must be intentional to avoid selling yourself short. Avoid highlighting limitations in your methodology and analysis, as this could be used to state that your research is not well conducted. Rather highlight general limitations such as the time consumption between carrying out research and attending lectures, financial implications of the research.

Question 7: What are your findings?

When asked this question, the aim is to know whether you have achieved the research objectives. This is the time for you to discuss the things you have discovered during the study. Your research findings should always be in sync with your research objectives/questions.

Question 8: What Methods or Sampling Technique did you employ?

In most projects, the answer to this question is the mastery of the third chapter of the project, which is always the methodology. You must be ready to defend the type of sample you choose.

Question 9: Why choose this method?

Following from the above, you must convince the panel why this particular method is the best for your study. At this stage, you should quote similar works that employed the same methodology.

Question 10: Based on your research findings, what are your recommendations?

For most research work, it is important to recommend that many students have been scored low during project defence due to the inability to make recommendations based on the work they have done. Hence, it is highly recommended that you master the recommendations before going for the defence.

Question 11: Based on your findings, what areas will you suggest for future research?

This type of question is to test the mastery of your field of focus. For instance, if you studied the Foreign Policy of Nigeria for Africa between 1960-1967, a good area for further study is to understand Nigeria’s Foreign Policy for Africa after the Civil War.

Question 12: How can your research study be put into practice?

This question is to understand the practicability of your research work. This is quite easy for students in the sciences; however, it is quite challenging for students in the humanities, social sciences, and sometimes the management sciences due to the abstract nature of the researched topics. Nevertheless, try to juxtapose the project with the present environment for the defence panel to be able to relate to your work.

Question 13: How would you summarize your study to a practitioner in a few sentences?

This question is aimed at displaying your ability to pass on technical information. Your confidence and lucidity help you to ace this question.

Question 14: What would you change if you were to conduct the study again?

This is a very tricky question. Like the study’s limitation, it is also asked to highlight the weak points of the research work. So be careful of what you say.

Question 15: What is your measurement Instrument?

To put it simply, what data collection method did you use for your study? To answer this question, you state whether you used secondary sources or questionnaires.

Question 16: What are your research variables?

At this point, you must be fully prepared to prove beyond a reasonable doubt to the defence panel that you understand what your research is all about. You should identify and explain the independent and dependent variables/themes in your project, thesis or dissertation to ace your project defence.

Question 17: What are your research questions?

This is a pretty straightforward question. When you master the statement of the problem, it won’t be difficult to answer the questions which emanated and formed the basis of your research objectives.

Question 18: What do you plan to do with your research project after Graduation?

At this point, the panellists just want to know your plan after the program. So, feel free to speak your mind. If you have plans to publish your project, this is the best time to say it, and maybe a professor on the panel will be interested in helping you.

Question 19: What source of data was employed for the study?

When asked this question, you state clearly whether you used primary sources (interviews, eye-witness accounts), secondary sources (books, journals, newspaper), or you employed both for your research work. It is advisable to be honest because those who asked you the question are experts in this field. To ace this question, you should be able to summarise your literature review.

Question 20: What theories or theoretical framework is your study based on?

Before going for your defence, ensure you understand at least two theoretical frameworks that can be used to back up your research. As straightforward as this question appears to be, it has proven to be one of students’ biggest undoing’s during project defence. Hence, prior to the defence, you can ask your supervisor for help.

Question 21: How would you relate your findings to existing theories on the study?

The best way to anticipate this question is by reading wide. By so doing, you will get to know the existing theories in that particular field of research. The capacity to draw a nexus between your work and previous works, whether they agree to it or not, serves as a form of validation for your project, thesis or dissertation.

Question 22: What recommendations do you have for future research?

At this point, your problem skill is being examined with this question. Before the defence, you should have identified areas in your project that need more attention.

Question 23: What is the scope of the study?

When asked this question, know you have been provided an opportunity to delimit your project, thesis or dissertation. This is inarguably the cheapest question during project defence.

Question 24: What question(s) do you have for the committee?

This question may seem unlikely when considering Nigeria’s educational environment; nevertheless, when asked such a question, it is a chance to interact with members of the panel; hence, ask some constructive questions that you might have prepared before the defence or during the defence. Be cautious of the way you ask the question, don’t make jokes during the period; the aim is not to make the panellists look stupid.

Question 25: Do you have any closing comments?

At this point, all you need to do is to appreciate the members of the panel for their time, and questions asked so far. Highlight the lessons you have learned throughout the defence period and how you plan to effect corrections that have been highlighted during your defence. Most times, this attitude goes a great length in reassuring the supervisors and examiners that you understood all that had been discussed.

Defense Preparation Tips

Many times, students tend to fumble and panic when asked a difficult question during project defence. However, the best approach to answer the question is to repeat the question or, better still, rephrase it so that you will understand better. By doing this, you buy yourself some time to think and find the appropriate answer.

Another tip is for you to understand the process that led to your work’s conclusion or how the data used in your work is analysed.

Also, do not risk speaking quickly; the board may not understand some part of the speech or even be confused. Speak slowly, clearly, and in an appropriate tone of voice that does not show nervousness and no need to interrupt to ask you to speak louder. Be firm. Speak with motivation, but don’t make jokes during the presentation.

Finally, keep an eye on the clock to not be late; otherwise, the chance to defend the project, thesis or dissertation is lost.

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Seize your undergrad research interview: ask the questions that matter.

—from the PI's desk

Ask relevant questions for a successful interview

Each semester, when you select your classes, you apply a methodical approach. You no doubt consider several factors such as: what will satisfy major requirements, help you prepare for the MCAT or GRE, add weight to your transcript, and, of course, what sounds the most interesting. Essentially, you don’t play “registration roulette” and find yourself in advanced string theory when you really need a cell biology course.

Yet, when it comes to an undergrad research interview, most students don’t know that they need a solid strategy for asking questions that will allow them to evaluate the position. Instead, many approach interviews with a single goal in mind: get an offer to join the lab. Although this is a good goal keep in mind, it should not be an your sole objective in a research interview.

To make the most of your interview for an undergrad research position, you need to ask the right questions to determine if the project, training opportunities, and lab is right for you. That might sound easy (and obvious), but if you haven’t held a research position how do you know what questions will give you the most meaningful information? Many interviews are short and therefore do not provide the luxury of time for a student to ask everything that comes to mind, so you want to avoid asking low-value questions.

Want a list of high-impact questions to take into the interview with you? Wondering what a professor might ask you at the interview? What should you do if you don't want the research position after it's offered to you? We've covered that and so much more in Getting In The Insider’s Guide to Finding the Perfect Undergraduate Research Experience

Avoid low value questions

Take for example commonly asked questions such as, “What equipment does your lab have?” or “How many graduate students are in the lab?” Answers to those questions will definitely give specific information about the laboratory, but—and here is the key—what will you do with that information? How will you use it to evaluate the position, or to decide between two research positions?

First consider the question about lab equipment. If the interviewer rattles off a list, chances are you won’t know what most of the equipment is, or what is needed for the available research project. In this case, asking the question wouldn’t be helpful. However, if you have an independent research project in mind, and you know you’ll need specific equipment, then asking would be essential.

As for personnel, it’s nice to learn how many people are in the lab, and in what positions, but it’s only information—not a meaningful metric to evaluate an undergrad research position. For example, if an interviewer says, “Zero undergrads, three postdocs and two grad students,” or “Two professional researchers, two undergrads, and four grad students,” how will you compare the two labs? How will you evaluate which is the better choice for you? Is it better to be in a lab with several postdocs and be the only undergrad student? Would you receive extra mentoring, or would the postdocs devalue your contributions because you’re “only” an undergrad?

Or is it better to be in a lab with several grad students and but no professional researchers? Does that indicate a professor who places a higher value on mentoring students over training professional researchers? What about labs that are all-undergrad? What if the PI mentors only a few students at a time or has more than ten? How do use you that to determine if the PI embraces mentoring or using undergrads as "free labor."

And finally, what if a professor is just establishing her lab and you would be the first member? Would you have the opportunity to help set up a lab and receive significant personal instruction, or would it prevent you from getting much research done because you’ll be busy putting items in cabinets and on shelves?

By asking about personnel in an interview, you’ll learn who is in the lab and in what positions and that is indeed good information to have. However, without actually working in the lab you can’t know how the other lab members work together, and how that will affect your research experience. Any opinion you receive from someone about how to evaluate a lab based solely on its personnel will be influenced by their research experiences and their personal research baggage, and won’t necessarily reflect the realities of the lab you interview with.

This doesn't mean that you shouldn't ask about who else in in the lab--but simply keep in mind that it will only be some of the information you need to evaluate if it's the right lab for you.

Ask questions that will give meaningful answers

There are far better questions that will give you insight on the position and the research mentor’s expectations. The answers of which you can use to carefully consider the opportunity.

Your pre-interview strategy is this: imagine the first thing the interviewer will say to you is, “What questions do you have for me?” before she has explained anything about with the project, or mentioned her expectations. This will help you determine what you need to ask at every interview, and prepare a list of questions ahead of time. Not only will you have a more professional interview (students who come with a list of relevant questions appear to be more invested in a research opportunity than those who don’t), but you’ll also have more confidence at the start.

Start with the essential questions

You might already know the “interview 101” questions, but sometimes we need to be reminded of the best pieces of advice. If not already covered by the interviewer, ask about the required time commitment in hours per week and semesters. This answer will help you decide if you have enough time each week to fulfill the commitment, and if you want to continue with research for the expected duration.

Next, ask specifics about the lab schedule —will you set it or will it be determined by your research mentor? The answer will be the key to how much flexibility you will have when incorporating research hours into your schedule.

Then ask for details about the project —what techniques are involved, what question the project addresses, and how it supports the research focus of the lab. Those answers will help you decide if you are still interested in the science the lab does and the available research project, or if you should continue your search elsewhere.

Finally, if it’s important to you, ask questions about registering for research credit, and whether or not a research proposal or end-of-semester report or poster will be required.

Confirm that your goals are achievable

After you’ve covered the basics, you’ll want to ask questions to determine if the research experience will help you accomplish your long-term goals. For example, if pursuing an M.D.-Ph.D. or graduate school is in your future, you might want to ask if you’ll have the opportunity to work on an independent research project after you have been in the lab for a while. Likewise, if you will want your research mentor to write a recommendation letter that covers your ability to interact well with others, confirm that the majority of your work will be done in the primary lab not a room down the hall or in another building.

If you ask meaningful questions at a research interview, you’ll be able to evaluate the position to determine if the time commitment will work for you, and if the project sounds like a good fit. Both are important for your success and happiness in the lab, and for earning a letter of recommendation from your research professor that will strongly support your future applications.

Further Reading Want a list of questions to take into the interview with you? Wondering what a professor might ask you? What should you do if you don't want the research position after it's offered to you? We've covered that and so much more in Getting In The Insider’s Guide to Finding the Perfect Undergraduate Research Experience

A version of this post was published on the Student Doctor Network.net

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Prepare for your project defense with these common questions and answers

Introduction

Learn how to get prepared for your project defense with these common questions and tips

Project defense can be very easy once you completely understand your research work and are prepared for the questions. During the defense, the panel of assessors will ask you questions to test your knowledge of the research subject matter, depth of your work, the results and conclusions you arrived at. The questions that would be asked will fall within these four categories: -What is your research project about? -What did you do? -What did you find? -Why does that matter?

Image Credit: Freepik   Below are some of the likely questions you will be asked in a project defense room. Study these questions and suggested answers. You can also ask previous students in your department and your supervisor to guide you. Common project defense questions and answers

1. Why did you choose this topic ?

This might be the first question you will be asked, and you need to have a good response. You should talk about the motivations for the study. Talk about the research problem you wanted to address which made you embark on the study.

2. Briefly, explain what your research project is all about?

To respond to this question, you need to fully understand your research project. Basically, be able to repeat your abstract.

3. What is the scope of the study

Here you briefly state the specific aspects of your project topic that was covered.

4. What is the significance of the study?

To answer this question, you will need to state how your research work will help other researchers, educators, organizations(like the case study used), practitioners and policymakers.

5. Did you bridge any gap from your study?

Here you should talk about how your study addressed the existing problems/concerns that made you carry out the research.

6. What are your research variables?

This question is asked in order to find out if you really know what your research project is all about. Explain your independent and dependent variable(s) to show them you really grasp the concept of your research topic. Identify the variables in your project topic, define and explain them.

7. What research methodology did you use?

This is usually the chapter three of your project report. To respond to this question, you should briefly state the research design procedure you adopted for the research. Talk about the data collection methods and sampling techniques employed in the research.

8. Why did you use that research methodology?

This is where you state the reason(s) for the choice of research methodology used. For example, if you used the survey research method, you can state reasons such as: no interviewer bias, cost-effective, it enabled you (the researcher) to collect information from the sample without influencing the population of the study e.t.c

9. Why do you think your research is reliable?

To answer this question, simply tell your audience/panel of assessors that the threats to research reliability (which are participants error, participant bias, research error, and researcher bias) did not occur during the research. Or you can simply say that you made sure the threats were reduced to the barest minimum.

10. Why do you think your research is valid?

To answer this question, simply tell your audience/panel of assessors that the findings from your study can be generalized to other relevant settings, group or case study.

11. In what way(s) does your research project contributes to knowledge?

This question is similar to your significance of the study. You should talk about how your research is aimed at addressing a problem that was not addressed by previous researchers in your field of study. You should also briefly state how your project will advance understanding in your research field.

12. What are the limitations encountered

No research project is perfect. It is common for at least one limitation to be identified. To answer this question, talk about the weaknesses that were out of your control. You can talk about how weaknesses such as the short time frame for the research, lack of research studies/materials on the topic, lack of available data, the combination of lectures, exam and project research, limited sample size and selection, e.t.c impacted the analysis of your research data.

13. Which programming language did you use to write your program? (for computer science students)

State the programming language and database used in the development of your software/program. If you did not design the program yourself or you were assisted by a friend or colleague, find out from the person which programming language was used. You might also ask the person to give you a crash course on the programming language.

14. Show us how your software works (for computer science students)

Make sure you are familiar with how the software works. Also, be sure that there are no errors in the software. Go ahead and show the panel of assessors how the software functions. You can also show them some records which you entered previously.

15. What source of data was employed for the research?

Here, you simply state the data collection methods that were used in the study. You should state if primary sources such as questionnaires, interview, observation OR secondary sources such as textbooks, journals, articles, e.t.c were used. If you combined primary and secondary sources, briefly talk about it.

16. What are your findings?

Show the descriptive results from the study in a convincing and clear style. Make sure your findings refer to your research objectives/questions.

17. Based on your findings what are your recommendations/suggestions?

This is where you talk about the importance and implications of your findings from three levels namely:

1. Research (various ways other researchers can improve or refine the study)

2. Theory (the new contributions that you are adding to the body of knowledge) and

3. Practice (how the information gotten from your study can make practice better, improve the operational procedures, solve problems, improve policy making e.t.c).

Note: Avoid the temptation to make recommendations that are not supported by your findings. Do not recommend based on your beliefs.

18. What is the strongest point in your project?

The duration of the defense might just be 10 - 15 minutes, as such the questioners will not have the time to ask you about every detail. They will want to focus on the major ideas and ask you the most important aspects of your research. Be ready to answer.

19. If you could change something regarding your study, what would it be?

The answer to this question can be gotten from the limitations of your study. You can give answers such as: 1. Given the constraints (like the short time frame for the research or lack of sufficient funds) I was working with, this was what I was able to do but if I could do more, this is what I would have done.

2. In doing this I learned a problem with this kind of data collection. Next time, I will do it this way.

20. What questions do you have for us

You can ask them if there any revisions they want you to make in your report. Ask them to summarize the major revisions, so you can take some notes.

21. Do you have any closing comments

Thank the panel of assessors and let them know that the revisions/corrections that were given (such as rewriting the conclusion, tables/graphs that are not in the right format, something you said during the defense and they want you to include it in the report or some other issues they noticed you did not capture) would be implemented and shown to your supervisor.

In a project defense you are expected to:

- Present yourself as a scholar in the discipline and an authority on your subject. - Cogently and clearly explain your work. - Have a conversation with the panel of assessors. - Defend any idea that might be disagreed upon. (That is why it is called a project defense).

Project Defense tips

1. Be academically, mentally and physically prepared for your presentation. 2. Practice, practice, practice. Rehearse several times with the equipment you will use for your presentation. 3. Have a thorough understanding of the nature of your research problem. 4. Make eye contact with more than one member of the panel of assessors during the course of your presentation. 5. Don't speak too fast. Talk calmly with confidence. 6. Bring a copy of your project report with you for reference.

Learn more tips and tricks to ace your project defense

61  comments:

Anonymous Sep. 11, 2018

awsome great effort to help students.breife and through summary of questions

Reply   

Anonymous Apr. 17, 2019

Thanks so much, now I have an idea of what to expect

Anonymous Sep. 27, 2018

Thank you so much . This tips gives me courage To defend my project

Nonny01 Sep. 28, 2018

You are welcome

Anonymous Oct. 11, 2018

Thank you so much. This helped

Anonymous Oct. 14, 2018

Thanks so much, came in handy

Anonymous Oct. 26, 2018

wao....... tnx so much

Anonymous Dec. 30, 2018

thank you so much our final defense will be held this upcoming February thanks to this i get to read some important tips on how we will defend our study thank u again.

Nonny01 Jan. 1, 2019

Anonymous jan. 15, 2019.

Thanks for tips. They are so informative.

Anonymous Jan. 22, 2019

Thank you so much for the tips. very informative

Anonymous Feb. 7, 2019

It was so so insightful. Thanks to all team mates. Now have an idea of what I may be asked of during my defence. Once again, am very grateful.

Anonymous Feb. 13, 2019

Thanks so much very helpful

Anonymous Feb. 27, 2019

final defense is today, great tips

Nonny01 Feb. 27, 2019

You're welcome

Anonymous Mar. 4, 2019

Will be defending this week. Thanks for the tips, it's really helpful.

Anonymous Mar. 8, 2019

This is a really big help,thank you so much!!

Nonny01 Mar. 10, 2019

Anonymous mar. 13, 2019.

This has been really helpful. Thank you so much.

Anonymous Mar. 17, 2019

really helpful, thanks

Anonymous Apr. 6, 2019

Woah.......thank you very much for this info

This is very nice and helpful

Anonymous Apr. 30, 2019

This is well appreciated. God bless you

nonny01 Apr. 30, 2019

Anonymous may. 5, 2019.

Thank you very much for this. I never knew how to prepare until I saw this. I really appreciate. Defense is tomorrow

nonny01 May. 5, 2019

We are glad we could help

Anonymous May. 16, 2019

Im elated by this tips

Anonymous May. 29, 2019

Thank u so much...

Anonymous May. 31, 2019

thank you very much, i have gained alot of tips about about academic research questions and how to defend especially a trick questions. beat wishes to you

Anonymous Jun. 19, 2019

This is wonderful bcs am just think about how to defense my project which is going on in this week but with all dis guide infact there is no problem for me again, thanks

nonny01 Jun. 20, 2019

Glad we could be of help

Anonymous Jun. 26, 2019

Thanks alot , it's very important to me prior to my project defense

Anonymous Jul. 1, 2019

Anonymous aug. 7, 2019.

Awesome tips,thank you.Very helpful for my upcoming defence in two days to come.

Anonymous Aug. 16, 2019

So helpful Thanks alot

Anonymous Aug. 24, 2019

Thank you so much for the tips.

Anonymous Sep. 21, 2019

Thanks, very helpful

Anonymous Nov. 30, 2019

Nice one. I have learnt from this

Anonymous May. 1, 2020

Very helpful and thank you so much.

Anonymous May. 29, 2020

It’s awesome, this’s Betty from Nairobi Kenya

nonny01 May. 30, 2020

Thanks @betty

Anonymous Jun. 19, 2020

Anonymous sep. 2, 2020.

Wow i really feel happy based on this. I wil just say may god reward u for ur contribution

nonny01 Sep. 2, 2020

Anonymous sep. 7, 2020.

Thank you so much, this made everything easier for me. I appreciate❤️

Nonny01 Sep. 7, 2020

Anonymous oct. 12, 2020.

this was very useful thanks a lot

Anonymous Nov. 26, 2020

Am very are with this guide will be able to defend my project. Thank u

Anonymous Dec. 11, 2020

Thank you so much. It's really helpful

Anonymous Jan. 26, 2021

Thank you so much 🥰💯💯💯💯

Anonymous Apr. 17, 2021

Thank you so much for your help with this important instructions.

Anonymous Apr. 29, 2021

*thankful twerking*

Anonymous May. 11, 2021

No examples, its hard to know how and what will you show to your project defence.

Anonymous May. 27, 2021

Thank you for the tips, I have a defence seminar next week!

Anonymous Jun. 13, 2021

Thank you very much for this. You don't know how much you've helped me.

nonny01 Jun. 13, 2021

Anonymous jun. 14, 2021.

thank you so much this would be a great help in my defense

Thanks a lot very helpful

Anonymous Jun. 22, 2021

Amazing! thank you so much now I have an idea

Anonymous Jul. 3, 2021

Thank you, I am about to defend my proposal next week, and this has given me a picture of what to expect, and surely this will help me during my thesis defence in the coming months

nonny01 Jul. 3, 2021

You are welcome.

Anonymous Jul. 5, 2021

this is superp congrants keep the good work going

Anonymous Jul. 22, 2021

Thank you so much, it's helpful and my regards to this team

nonny01 Aug. 13, 2021

Anonymous aug. 13, 2021.

You're a live saver. My defense is this morning and I felt so out of place. God bless you for this.

Anonymous Aug. 15, 2021

Very helpful materials. what about being ask the "context" of your study?

Anonymous Sep. 14, 2021

Thank you so much

Anonymous Jan. 22, 2022

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Anonymous Mar. 2, 2022

Thank u so much..Ur tips and suggestions can help me a lot in defending my research study...More Power and God Bless!

Anonymous Apr. 12, 2022

I am a grade 8 student and this will be the first time for me to experience defense. i am scared because i am not used in speaking English.

Anonymous Aug. 7, 2022

Really waoh tnxs so much for the boosting confidence tap prescribed. This my first time to defend a project which is coming up next month. I'm nervous but pls pray wish me luck qualified approved

Anonymous Nov. 7, 2022

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, I REALLY APPRECIATE. THIS HAS REALLY BOOST MY CONFIDENCE. WITH THIS, I AM 100% READY TO FACE MY PANEL OF ASSESSORS FOR MY PROJECT DEFENSE.

Anonymous May. 18, 2023

you have tried, i love this. it will help me in my defense

Anonymous Jun. 13, 2023

Anonymous apr. 19, 2024.

Thank you so much Nonny for this, it came in handy since mine is just around the corner

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May 01 2018

25 Questions To Cover In Your Discovery Kickoff

And building the right product is hard. Because we can only build products based on the best information available to us, discovering better information is required if we want to build a better product.

This is why we always try to start off new development projects with a Discovery Phase, in which we take all of the ideas about the product; analyze, research, and test our assumptions; and ruthlessly cut everything that doesn’t apply to our vision.

This ensures we start our development process with precision and mitigate the very real risk of building the wrong product.

Answering the questions below as early as possible will put you on a clear path to product learning.

State of the World

Before getting into the details, it’s important to understand the current state of the product concept. The right product meets at least two criteria:

• It will solve a problem for a user
• It can be turned into a business

The problems in the current process can be used to sift through the product ideas, leaving only those that trace back to the problem at hand. Some questions you might ask in this vein include:

• What problem are you trying to solve with this concept?
• What does the current process look like? The ideal?
• What does a solved problem look like in this context? Describe the elements of the solution at a high-level.

The Business

Once you’ve established a firm understanding of the problem, examine the business landscape.

This is critical to validating the viability of an idea. It forces thoughtfulness about whether an idea makes strategic sense, both within the context of the business’ current capabilities and the competitive landscape outside the business.

This surfaces the unknowns and risks to pursue in Discovery. Questions that will help you gain business context include:

• What does the business currently look like?
• What is the business model?
• Are there other products in the portfolio?
• What does the competitive landscape for this product look like? What other products are out there that compete with the value proposition of your concept?

User-centered design insists that centering users at the heart of the creative process produces more useful, intuitive, and appealing products.

That’s why it is so important to talk about (and to) users early and keep them at the forefront of every production decision. From a tactical standpoint, an early conversation about users also enables the Discovery Team to begin sourcing research and survey participants early on. These kinds of questions help with this activity:

• Who are the people in the process today? What are their responsibilities?
• What do you know about your users/customers as people — job titles, work habits, level of technical comfort? How do you know what you know about them?
• What do they need? Do you know what their pain points are?

Assumptions/Unknowns/Risks

A living log of assumptions, unknowns, and risks is the well from which Discovery experiments are drawn.

Begin this list of risks — business, technical, or human in nature — on the first day of the Discovery. Prioritize the items by the level of impact to the concept, and use them to form the basis for your product learning. To start discovery on the right foot, you definitely need to know the answers to these questions:

• What assumptions are you making today?
• What level of risk do these assumptions pose to the concept if proven false?

Constraints

Constraints are practical limitations that will enforce the boundaries of what, if anything, gets built.

Calling them out early helps shape a product and project that meets neatly with what the business is prepared to do and how much they want to spend doing it. These questions can help you establish the perimeter of the product and project:

• Are there technical constraints? (Is there work already done on the product that new work would need to conform to? Will integrations with other tools be needed, if known? Are we building a specific offering, like an iOS app?)
• What time or cost constraints do we need to work around?

Housekeeping

Collaboration and conversation are the lifeblood of a team’s product learning.

If they are not done well, it is much more difficult to build a strong product under a shared vision. It’s easy to forget them because they don’t represent the meat of the discussion, but setting some parameters for these activities ahead of time helps keep them from going unaddressed, so try to get these questions answered as early as possible:

• How will we communicate with you?
• How will we manage the tasks and capture information in our team?
• How, when, and how often should we conduct team meetings?

These questions should help you get started, but they are really intended to serve as guidelines to help you understand that a Discovery is simply about building products in a smarter way.

At its heart, the kickoff to a Discovery should tell the team: what problem they’re solving and why; who the problem belongs to; and what they know they need to know.

Shaughnessy Conley Speirs

20 questions project managers should ask their customers

Product managers work across multiple teams, constantly meeting with engineers and designers—leaving less than the ideal amount of time to talk with actual users. However, delaying to ask customers the right product questions during usability testing , customer interviews , and discovery conversations can create more problems for the entire team, wasted time, and unnecessary dollars spent.

Product teams innately care about user experience but sometimes don’t involve their actual customers until a project is in its final product development stages before launch.

You don’t need to be an expert researcher to unearth invaluable human insight from your customers. You must ask the right product questions throughout the development cycle to understand their needs better, so learning how to craft effective user research questions is a crucial skill.

Product questions to ask during early-stage discovery

Before developing solutions, spend time understanding what the needs and frustrations your customers are experiencing might be. Implementing discovery interviews into your current process allows you to uncover what your target market likes or dislikes about a specific experience, product, or activity.

Discover needs and frustrations

In this stage of development, you’re looking to understand your customers better. Oftentimes, you won’t have an idea or an endpoint in mind, and that’s ok.

Ask your target market:

• What are the challenges you encounter when doing _____?
• How do you currently accomplish _____?
• What brands do you turn to in order to complete _____?
• What do you like about each brand?

Validate an idea

Once you’ve come closer to deciding a problem-solution, be certain your hunch resonates with your target market. Conducting a test or interview with your customers can reveal whether your concept is viable and has a strong product-market fit .

• What do you like about how you do it now?
• What don’t you like about how you do it now?
• Would something like _____ make your life easier?
• How much would you pay for something that _____?

Prototyping

Once you’ve started work on your solution, it’s a good idea to get customer feedback as soon as you have a wireframe . This will help you decide whether or not you’re on the right track. If you need to pivot, you won’t have wasted time and engineering resources in the development process. You’ll also be able to settle internal disputes with designers by letting users make your case for you.

• Looking around this prototype, what do you think it’s for?
• What would you expect to be able to do?
• What’s the first thing you’d do here?
• If you had a magic wand, how would you change this?

Compare between two options

During this phase, you’ll often have two (or more) working concepts that your users could test. A great way to uncover product insight is to determine which is better (or more viable) through a test that compares two options.

• Which of these two versions makes more sense to you?
• Is there a piece of one version you prefer over the other?

Product questions to ask during development and pre-launch

So, you’ve reached a milestone. You’ve validated your product ideas, and you’re moving on to development. This is where interactive prototypes come in handy, as you can watch users explore your product as they naturally would.

Ask your target audience:

• What other jobs would you like to do here?
• Which features, if any, do you find the most/least useful?
• Does anything seem out of place?

Keep an eye out for what your users aren’t doing, too. If people aren't using one of your core features, that should raise a red flag!

Product questions to ask during post-launch

Even after a new feature, product, or campaign has launched, keep monitoring to address challenges and continue evolving the experience to drive greater adoption or conversion. The questions you ask post-launch will help guide decisions on functionality or features you need to add or remove.

Ask your users:

• Why did you choose to do this over that?
• What would make doing _____ easier?
• What would you add or remove?

In this Article

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