A well-formulated research question: The foundation stone of good research

Research, simply, can be defined as a systematic evaluation of a ‘clinical problem’. The success of any research process depends upon the ability of the researcher to translate this clinical problem into a ‘research question’.[1] A well-formulated research question is the foundation stone of any research. It guides the researcher in determining the study’s objectives, planning the right methodology, collecting and analysing data, and drawing inferences. A research question determines the scope and direction of the investigation, ensuring that the study stays focused and avoiding needless diversions. Secondly, a research question plays a pivotal role in defining the study’s methodology. It directs the choice of methods for gathering and analysing data, ensuring that the study is designed to produce valid results.

A well-formulated research question ought to be pertinent to the area of study and address a knowledge gap. This makes sure that the study advances knowledge while also providing useful information to policymakers or practitioners. The research question guides the population to be studied and the sample size needed for statistical power. This guarantees that the study’s findings are broadly applicable to the target population and may be utilised to arrive at informed clinical decisions. The research question also directs the researcher to recognise possible hazards and benefits to participants while also ensuring that the study is carried out in an ethical and accountable manner.[2] Formulating a research question is an art. It should be framed in simple, clear language and should be comprehensible to anyone reading the article. The PICOT approach is an extensively used approach for framing a research question, which emphasises defining population, intervention, comparator, outcomes, and time frame (PICOT) in a research question.

There is a subtle difference between a hypothesis and a research question. The research question presents an idea to be studied, whereas the hypothesis aims to answer the research question. By converting it into a statement, a research question can be converted into a hypothesis.

For example, ‘Does a pre-emptive nerve block[3] decrease opioid consumption in nasal surgeries?’ is a research question while the hypothesis converts the same to the following: ‘a pre-emptive nerve block decreases opioid consumption in nasal surgeries’.

There are different types of classifications of hypotheses: Simple versus complex. Simple means that there is one predictor and one outcome variable. ‘In patients with diabetic neuropathy, the need for the local anaesthetic drug is decreased in nerve blocks’ is simple, whereas the statement ‘In patients with diabetic neuropathy, the drug deposition with combined ultrasound and nerve stimulation will decrease local anaesthetic need in blocks’ has more predictor variables and is a complex hypothesis.

There is another type of classification: specific versus vague. Consider the statement, ‘How much is the reduction of sevoflurane requirements in entropy-controlled general anaesthesia by co-administering epidural analgesia?’[4] The hypothesis is clear and precise for a study plan. Now consider the following statement: ‘How much is the reduction of sevoflurane requirements in fixed-dose narcotic general anaesthesia by co-administering epidural analgesia at different sites?’ Here, the question is imprecise and a study plan is difficult to achieve.

There is a very basic classification of hypothesis for the purpose of statistical analyses: null and alternate hypotheses. A general assertion that there is no correlation between two variables or two phenomena is known as a null hypothesis. Often, it is indicated by H0. A statement that asserts some statistical significance between two facts is known as an alternative hypothesis. H1 or HA are frequently used to indicate it.[5]

Prior to the study, the research hypothesis should be stated explicitly. The reporting guidelines from the EQUATOR Network website also emphasise the inclusion of the study hypothesis to be stated for any submitted manuscript.[6]

In some cases, researchers will propose a new theory after analysing the evidence, which has not been stated earlier. It is known as a post hoc hypothesis. For e.g., a study reveals that older individuals require more vasopressor use for the specified level of spinal anaesthesia. The above statement was the initial research question. Although this was previously stated clearly, the researchers added two post hoc hypotheses, including improved cognitive performance and decreased vomiting, after the analysis. Testing many hypotheses has the potential to exaggerate the significance of the results, and any type of hypotheses distortion is considered to be unethical in science.

A strong research question is undoubtedly crucial for the creation of a high-calibre research paper. A precise and a well-defined research question ensures that the study tackles a particular problem or gap in the literature, by influencing the design, data collecting, and analysis of the study. The FINER acronym for a good research question stands for the following: feasible, interesting, novel, ethical, and relevant.

The success of a submitted manuscript to be published in a medical journal is guided by various factors like appropriate study design, robust methodology, and good writing style meeting the specified norms for a scientific publication.[7,8] It is crucial to remember that a strong research question does not, by itself, ensure publication, but it definitely lays a foundation stone for well-conducted research.