Research problem

Definition

The answer to a research question will help address a research problem or question. Specifying a research question, "the central issue to be resolved by a formal dissertation, thesis, or research project," is typically one of the first steps an investigator takes when undertaking research. Considerations, such as project funding or methodological approaches may influence the research process, including when and how the research question is developed. Clearly and accurately defining the research question can become an iterative process. In educational settings, research-question development can also be explicitly scaffolded through successive stages of topic narrowing, literature searching and synthesis, gap identification, feasibility assessment, and revision. Recent instructional approaches have incorporated generative AI into portions of this process while requiring students to independently verify AI-assisted reasoning against the scholarly literature . How the question is constructed can depend on the type of research or discipline.