Crafting and Refining Effective Research Questions

Developing research questions for a Level 7 independent project is far more demanding than simply restating a topic as a query. This video, aligned with AC 1.3 of 7CO04 Business Research in People Practice, addresses that challenge directly by examining the distinguishing characteristics that separate a rigorous research question from a vague or unworkable one. It covers the properties of clarity, precision, conciseness, validity, researchability, and feasibility as a connected set of criteria rather than isolated checklists, and it considers how published literature informs the drafting process — including how scholars operationalise contested HR concepts such as engagement, performance, and wellbeing.

The video distinguishes between four types of research question — exploratory, descriptive, explanatory, and evaluative — and examines how each is suited to different research purposes and data collection methods. Quantitative and qualitative methodological alignment is treated as a design consideration rather than an afterthought, with attention to the kinds of inquiry that numerical measurement can and cannot answer, and where rich descriptive data is more appropriate. The relationship between a project aim and its supporting questions is also examined, including how to judge whether the questions collectively address the aim they are intended to serve.

The final part of the video turns to the refinement and validation stage of question development. It addresses iterative drafting, the role of critical self-evaluation against the stated criteria, and the value of external feedback from supervisors, colleagues, or subject-matter experts in surfacing ambiguities that the researcher may not have noticed. This process of revision is framed as an intrinsic feature of sound research design within the 7CO04 context, and the video draws on the connection between primary research question design and prior analysis of the secondary literature base.