A well-planned question gives your search direction and clarity. It helps you decide which search terms to use, which studies to include, and how to recognise what’s relevant. Think of it as the compass that keeps your search on track.

Different kinds of questions lead to different types of evidence. You might be asking:

• What is already known about this topic? (descriptive)
• Which approach works better? (comparative)
• What are people’s experiences of this issue? (exploratory)
• Does one thing cause or influence another? (causal)
• How well does something work in practice? (evaluative)

Knowing this early on helps you judge what sort of studies to look for - whether that’s trials, interviews, service evaluations, or reviews.

Think about what kind of answer your question needs. That will guide what kinds of studies you search for.

This discipline-neutral framework is suitable for learners across all academic levels but may need to be adapted and expanded for more nuanced or complex questions. In the tabs below, you will see several examples of a research question and accompanying template. These should help you create a plan of your own.

Write out a first version of your question. Then try it out in a few databases. Does it give you useful results? Or is it too vague, too narrow, or too complex? 

In your final query, there's no requirement to integrate all the components together. The objective is to break down each aspect of the question, considering its individual relevance and position within the question itself. Some components might be implicit within others, potentially unnecessary for your search. Experiment with combining different parts, while keeping in mind your core component, concept, or theme.

The components and collections of terms you've assembled may not be pertinent to every aspect of your project or research question. It's important to explore alternative sets of components. Different combinations of component queries may prove appropriate for distinct parts of your work.

And remember, it’s completely normal to revise your question as you go. If your draft question is helping you find focused, relevant sources - you're on the right track.