Inquiry Question Generator

🔬 What Is an Inquiry Question?

An inquiry question is a subject your research is addressing. Its primary function is directing research by concentrating on a specific facet, trend, or factor. A compelling core inquiry question should be:

• Detailed: It should provide specific information or context about the research topic.
• Open-ended: Open-ended questions allow for multiple perspectives and encourage critical thinking.
• Focused: A focused question will help you stay on track and maintain relevance throughout the research.

Why Is an Inquiry Question Important?

If the research question is formulated correctly, it will assist you in defining the matter you wish to address. It helps you organize your study and anticipate any issues that arise in the process.

A research inquiry will:

✨ Types of Inquiry Questions

There are six different ways of addressing inquiry questions. Each focuses on the specific needs and objectives of the research paper. Let’s study them in more detail.

1. Exploratory

   Such questions seek to uncover more information about the subject without imposing bias.

   Example: Do you think using technology has improved your life or worsened it?
2. Predictive

   This type is used if you need clarification on how a particular activity will turn out in the future.

   Example: Would you ever use a new product only because a well-known person you admire claimed it was effective?
3. Interpretive

   They analyze how a research group reacts to numerous phenomena and makes sense of shared experiences.

   Example: How do you determine a product's or service's value?
4. Descriptive

   This type addresses the when, where, why, or how.

   Example: How often do students report having depression?
5. Comparative

   As follows from the name, this type of question aims to compare two factors.

   Example: Do men and women have similar metabolic rates?
6. Relationship-based

   These questions aim to disclose how a specific subject influences the object.

   Example: What circumstances must exist for a wildfire to become dangerous?

✍️ How to Develop an Inquiry Question Step by Step

Now that you’re familiarized with the theory, it’s time to see how to actually write an inquiry. This next segment will describe the process of creating a key question step by step.

Step 1. Choose a Broad Topic

The first stage in creating an inquiry is to select a general area of research. The broader the topic is, the deeper your research will delve into the matter. We recommend you pick a subject that appeals to you personally. This way, the research process will be more fun.

Step 2. Conduct Your Research

After choosing a subject, you can start your preliminary research. A quick analysis of relevant literature will help you identify the topics that scholars and other researchers are debating. You’ll acquire relevant knowledge and structure your future research around it.

Step 3. Narrow Down Your Topic

When you have enough information on the subject, you can concentrate on a narrow field of study:

• One way to do it is to focus on the research gaps that still need to be studied in depth.
• Problematization is another method of narrowing topics down. It allows you to carefully examine presumptions that back up the theoretical positions of other researchers.

Choose whichever way you prefer and proceed to the next step.

Step 4. Think about Your Audience

The next step is to find out if your readers are interested in the question you are addressing. If you make it compelling, it will add value to your research. Additionally, knowing your target audience can help you focus on factors that are relevant to them. All of that will help you refine your research question.

Step 5. Make a List of Potential Questions

Pose as many open-ended questions related to your topic as possible. Once you've written down a handful of general questions, test them to see if they're good enough for your research. Additionally, while examining them, consider how they will influence the final result of your study.

Step 6. Construct Your Key Inquiry Question

The final step is to write an inquiry. There are two frameworks that you can choose from when doing it:

1. PICOT. It is used for detailed and evidence-based research.
   Framework structure:

   • Population or problem.
   • Intervention or indicator being studied.
   • Comparison group.
   • Outcome of interest.
   • The study's time frame.
2. PEO. This framework is good for less complex research topics.
   Framework structure:

   • Population or problem.
   • Exposure to preexisting conditions.
   • Outcome of interest.

📝 Good Inquiry Question: A Practical Checklist

If you want to ensure your inquiry is good enough, it’s vital to know which factors can make a difference. The checklist below will help you: if your question has all the following qualities, it's perfect.

🌟 Inquiry Question Examples

Need help to figure out what a perfect inquiry is like? Check out our examples! They will also show you how to turn weak questions into much better ones.

Example #1:

Example #2:

Example #3:

Now you know all about inquiries and how to write them. Make sure to use AssignZen’s free inquiry question maker! With its help, you will create excellent key questions in a few clicks. Have a great day, and good luck in your studies!

Updated: Oct 17th, 2024

🔗 References

1. Formulating a Research Question: Harvard University
2. Narrowing a Topic and Developing a Research Question: Indiana University
3. Types of Research Questions: California State University, Northridge
4. How to Write a Research Question: Steps and Examples: Indeed
5. What Makes a Good Research Question?: Virginia Commonwealth University