by Martha Brown Menard Ph.D
(Massage Therapy Journal – Winter 1996, v. 35, n. 1, pp. 97-98)

Considerations in forming a research question

There are several characteristics of a good research question. Foremost among these: is it interesting to you? Research is a time-consuming, detail-oriented process in which there are often routine tasks that are generally not emotionally fulfilling or intellectually stimulating but still need to be performed. It then becomes all the more important that you are genuinely curious about the question you are investigating, so that you can stay motivated when you need to do something that is mundane but necessary to the successful completion of your study. Curiosity is also an asset in terms of stimulating questions for future studies.

Next on this list is feasibility. You could have a terrific idea, but it may not be practical to actually implement. Think about how manageable the scope of the study is, and what resources are available to you. These include enough available participants or subjects, money and time to conduct the study, and access to technical support and expertise. For a quantitative study, consider the cost of statistical help for research design and data analysis. With qualitative studies, consider the availability and cost of training interviewers and professional help for transcribing the interviews. Qualitative studies generally tend to be time and labor intensive in terms of both collecting data and analyzing it, compared to quantitative ones. A frequent problem is that the proposed study is too broad in scope, and attempts to answer too many questions at once. It is much better to ask a narrowly defined question that can be investigated with a reasonable amount of time, money, and effort. If you have given some thought to addressing these practical issues, potential collaborators will be more inclined to listen to your idea. They will take it (and you) more seriously.

A third consideration is the novelty factor, or the potential of your study to contribute something new to the knowledge base. In order to know whether your question meets this criterion, you must review the existing research literature to see what work has already been done. This does not mean, however, that your project needs to be completely original. It can be worthwhile to replicate a previous study with different populations or settings, or to improve upon weaknesses in the research design. Reading about other studies will provide necessary background, help you get familiar with terminology, major issues and areas of interest in the field, and expose you to examples of different types of research designs. You may decide as a result to revise or change your questions altogether. Although it is important that the conclusion of your study be trustworthy all together, a single study rate “proves” something incontrovertibly; in science it is much more common for a body of evidence to accumulate from a number of sources. In my opinion, current research in massage therapy ins at exactly the right place: enough has been done to establish that this is a useful area of study, yet many questions still remain to be answered.

Related to novelty is the relevance of the research question—what is the point of answering this question? What will you learn as a result? Established organizations and funding sources are interested in how your study might add to existing knowledge, guide future studies, or have implications for education, clinical practice of health care policy. If your question fails to pass the “So what?” test, chances are that you will have difficulty getting anyone else interested in providing institutional support. It is also more likely that you may lost interest and motivation yourself.

Finally, you need to ask yourself: is it ethical? Studies that invade people’s privacy or pose possible physical or psychological risks are ethically unacceptable. Think about any potential risks that your proposed study could entail for subjects or participants, and then ask yourself what benefits might accrue to offset these. Remember that an important purpose of research is not only to satisfy curiosity, but to promote the welfare of clients or patients by advancing clinical care. Because of past abuses hospitals, universities, and other settings where research is conducted, have established institutional review boards (IRBs) to protect the rights of research subjects and participants. Many funding organizations require formal approval by the appropriate IRB as part of the grant application process. Contact the IRB at the site where you plan to conduct the research for specific information on their requirements and procedures. Even if you do not plan to submit a grant application, this can provide an introduction to ethical concerns and standards in research.

Because these factors are interrelated with each other, a decision you make regarding one area may have consequences in all the others. For example, the cost of the instrument or measure you would like to use is prohibitive, so another must be found that is still appropriate to the research question. You may not be able to get access to the ideal subjects or participants, or there simply may not be enough of them. An ethical problem may necessitate modifying your question, or reframing it altogether. The work that you put into this initial phase shows potential collaborators that you have given some thought to these considerations, even if you have not yet worked out a completely detailed protocol for your proposed study.

Summary

Developing a research question that is interesting, feasible, novel, relevant, and ethical is work that takes time and energy. It is also an essential endeavor that will help you enlist potential collaborators and funding for your idea. Plan on spending at least a month to two months, and remember that this is an iterative process—you will frequently go back and revise as you search the relevant literature, and sort through the practical aspects. Scientists are not often suddenly inspired to dash off in one sitting a complete outline of a fully developed research question. So, take it one step at a time, and get advice from others whenever you can. Ask colleagues for their opinion; some may be interested in working with you. Find out what resources are available to you locally. You may already know health care professionals or people from other fields with research experience who can help you. Consider taking an introductory course in research methods, or offer to work on someone else’s project in exchange for advice and consultations.

Although it is hard and sometimes tedious work, resarch can be an intellectual challenge that is intrinsically rewarding. It is also very gratifying to feel that your work can contribute to the advancement of knowledge in your profession, thus benfiting clients. I encourage you to begin.

Resources for further reading

Bausell, R.B. (1994). Conducting meaningful experiments: 40 steps to becoming a scientist. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications. (This is proof that good things come in small packages. This book that describes in down to earth terms what it takes, and doesn’t take, to be a scientist, and how to develop research that actually has the potential to help people or improve the human condition.)

Krathwohl, D. (1988). How to prepare a research proposal. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press. (A shorter version of some of the same information as his text on research methods plus a helpful guide for a general research proposal or dissertation proposal.)

Ries, J., and Keukefeld, C. (1995). Applying for research funding. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications, Inc. (A detailed, step by step guide for those interested in preparing a grant proposal.)