A research question is the methodological point of departure of scholarly research in both the natural sciences and humanities

Humanities

The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....

. The research will answer any question posed. At an undergraduate level, the answer to the research question is the thesis statement

Thesis statement

The thesis statement states the thesis or argument of the author in an essay or similar document. Usually no less than five sentences or six long, it is a focused section of text that clearly delineates the argument that is presented in the work and is usually found at the end of the first...

.

Importance

The research question is one of the first methodological steps the investigator has to take when undertaking research

Research

Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...

. The research question must be accurately and clearly defined.

Choosing a research question is the central element of both quantitative

Quantitative research

In the social sciences, quantitative research refers to the systematic empirical investigation of social phenomena via statistical, mathematical or computational techniques. The objective of quantitative research is to develop and employ mathematical models, theories and/or hypotheses pertaining to...

 and qualitative research

Qualitative research

Qualitative research is a method of inquiry employed in many different academic disciplines, traditionally in the social sciences, but also in market research and further contexts. Qualitative researchers aim to gather an in-depth understanding of human behavior and the reasons that govern such...

 and in some cases it may precede construction of the conceptual framework of study. In all cases, it makes the theoretical assumptions in the framework more explicit, most of all it indicates what the researcher wants to know most and first.

Uses

The student or researcher then carries out the research necessary to answer the research question, whether this involves reading secondary sources over a few days for an undergraduate term paper or carrying out primary research

Primary research

Primary research consists in research to collect original primary data. It is often undertaken after the researcher has gained some insight into the issue by collecting secondary data...

 over years for a major project.

Once the research is complete and the researcher knows the (probable) answer to the research question, writing can begin. In term papers, the answer to the question is normally given in summary in the introduction

Introduction (essay)

An introduction is a beginning section which states the purpose and goals of the following writing. The introduction is usually interesting and it intrigues the reader and causes him or her to want to read on. The sentence in which the introduction begins can be a question or just a statement...

 in the form of a thesis statement

Thesis statement

The thesis statement states the thesis or argument of the author in an essay or similar document. Usually no less than five sentences or six long, it is a focused section of text that clearly delineates the argument that is presented in the work and is usually found at the end of the first...

.

Sources

• "Developing a Research Question" http://www.esc.edu/esconline/across_esc/writerscomplex.nsf/0/f87fd7182f0ff21c852569c2005a47b7
• The Little, Brown Guide to Writing Research Papers