thesis interview question

Qualitative Research 101: Interviewing

5 Common Mistakes To Avoid When Undertaking Interviews

By: David Phair (PhD) and Kerryn Warren (PhD) | March 2022

Undertaking interviews is potentially the most important step in the qualitative research process. If you don’t collect useful, useable data in your interviews, you’ll struggle through the rest of your dissertation or thesis.  Having helped numerous students with their research over the years, we’ve noticed some common interviewing mistakes that first-time researchers make. In this post, we’ll discuss five costly interview-related mistakes and outline useful strategies to avoid making these.

Overview: 5 Interviewing Mistakes

• Not having a clear interview strategy /plan
• Not having good interview techniques /skills
• Not securing a suitable location and equipment
• Not having a basic risk management plan
• Not keeping your “ golden thread ” front of mind

1. Not having a clear interview strategy

The first common mistake that we’ll look at is that of starting the interviewing process without having first come up with a clear interview strategy or plan of action. While it’s natural to be keen to get started engaging with your interviewees, a lack of planning can result in a mess of data and inconsistency between interviews.

There are several design choices to decide on and plan for before you start interviewing anyone. Some of the most important questions you need to ask yourself before conducting interviews include:

• What are the guiding research aims and research questions of my study?
• Will I use a structured, semi-structured or unstructured interview approach?
• How will I record the interviews (audio or video)?
• Who will be interviewed and by whom ?
• What ethics and data law considerations do I need to adhere to?
• How will I analyze my data? 

Let’s take a quick look at some of these.

The core objective of the interviewing process is to generate useful data that will help you address your overall research aims. Therefore, your interviews need to be conducted in a way that directly links to your research aims, objectives and research questions (i.e. your “golden thread”). This means that you need to carefully consider the questions you’ll ask to ensure that they align with and feed into your golden thread. If any question doesn’t align with this, you may want to consider scrapping it.

Another important design choice is whether you’ll use an unstructured, semi-structured or structured interview approach . For semi-structured interviews, you will have a list of questions that you plan to ask and these questions will be open-ended in nature. You’ll also allow the discussion to digress from the core question set if something interesting comes up. This means that the type of information generated might differ a fair amount between interviews.

Contrasted to this, a structured approach to interviews is more rigid, where a specific set of closed questions is developed and asked for each interviewee in exactly the same order. Closed questions have a limited set of answers, that are often single-word answers. Therefore, you need to think about what you’re trying to achieve with your research project (i.e. your research aims) and decided on which approach would be best suited in your case.

It is also important to plan ahead with regards to who will be interviewed and how. You need to think about how you will approach the possible interviewees to get their cooperation, who will conduct the interviews, when to conduct the interviews and how to record the interviews. For each of these decisions, it’s also essential to make sure that all ethical considerations and data protection laws are taken into account.

Finally, you should think through how you plan to analyze the data (i.e., your qualitative analysis method) generated by the interviews. Different types of analysis rely on different types of data, so you need to ensure you’re asking the right types of questions and correctly guiding your respondents.

Simply put, you need to have a plan of action regarding the specifics of your interview approach before you start collecting data. If not, you’ll end up drifting in your approach from interview to interview, which will result in inconsistent, unusable data.

2. Not having good interview technique

While you’re generally not expected to become you to be an expert interviewer for a dissertation or thesis, it is important to practice good interview technique and develop basic interviewing skills .

Let’s go through some basics that will help the process along.

Firstly, before the interview , make sure you know your interview questions well and have a clear idea of what you want from the interview. Naturally, the specificity of your questions will depend on whether you’re taking a structured, semi-structured or unstructured approach, but you still need a consistent starting point . Ideally, you should develop an interview guide beforehand (more on this later) that details your core question and links these to the research aims, objectives and research questions.

Before you undertake any interviews, it’s a good idea to do a few mock interviews with friends or family members. This will help you get comfortable with the interviewer role, prepare for potentially unexpected answers and give you a good idea of how long the interview will take to conduct. In the interviewing process, you’re likely to encounter two kinds of challenging interviewees ; the two-word respondent and the respondent who meanders and babbles. Therefore, you should prepare yourself for both and come up with a plan to respond to each in a way that will allow the interview to continue productively.

To begin the formal interview , provide the person you are interviewing with an overview of your research. This will help to calm their nerves (and yours) and contextualize the interaction. Ultimately, you want the interviewee to feel comfortable and be willing to be open and honest with you, so it’s useful to start in a more casual, relaxed fashion and allow them to ask any questions they may have. From there, you can ease them into the rest of the questions.

As the interview progresses , avoid asking leading questions (i.e., questions that assume something about the interviewee or their response). Make sure that you speak clearly and slowly , using plain language and being ready to paraphrase questions if the person you are interviewing misunderstands. Be particularly careful with interviewing English second language speakers to ensure that you’re both on the same page.

Engage with the interviewee by listening to them carefully and acknowledging that you are listening to them by smiling or nodding. Show them that you’re interested in what they’re saying and thank them for their openness as appropriate. This will also encourage your interviewee to respond openly.

Need a helping hand?

3. Not securing a suitable location and quality equipment

Where you conduct your interviews and the equipment you use to record them both play an important role in how the process unfolds. Therefore, you need to think carefully about each of these variables before you start interviewing.

Poor location: A bad location can result in the quality of your interviews being compromised, interrupted, or cancelled. If you are conducting physical interviews, you’ll need a location that is quiet, safe, and welcoming . It’s very important that your location of choice is not prone to interruptions (the workplace office is generally problematic, for example) and has suitable facilities (such as water, a bathroom, and snacks).

If you are conducting online interviews , you need to consider a few other factors. Importantly, you need to make sure that both you and your respondent have access to a good, stable internet connection and electricity. Always check before the time that both of you know how to use the relevant software and it’s accessible (sometimes meeting platforms are blocked by workplace policies or firewalls). It’s also good to have alternatives in place (such as WhatsApp, Zoom, or Teams) to cater for these types of issues.

Poor equipment: Using poor-quality recording equipment or using equipment incorrectly means that you will have trouble transcribing, coding, and analyzing your interviews. This can be a major issue , as some of your interview data may go completely to waste if not recorded well. So, make sure that you use good-quality recording equipment and that you know how to use it correctly.

To avoid issues, you should always conduct test recordings before every interview to ensure that you can use the relevant equipment properly. It’s also a good idea to spot check each recording afterwards, just to make sure it was recorded as planned. If your equipment uses batteries, be sure to always carry a spare set.

4. Not having a basic risk management plan

Many possible issues can arise during the interview process. Not planning for these issues can mean that you are left with compromised data that might not be useful to you. Therefore, it’s important to map out some sort of risk management plan ahead of time, considering the potential risks, how you’ll minimize their probability and how you’ll manage them if they materialize.

Common potential issues related to the actual interview include cancellations (people pulling out), delays (such as getting stuck in traffic), language and accent differences (especially in the case of poor internet connections), issues with internet connections and power supply. Other issues can also occur in the interview itself. For example, the interviewee could drift off-topic, or you might encounter an interviewee who does not say much at all.

You can prepare for these potential issues by considering possible worst-case scenarios and preparing a response for each scenario. For instance, it is important to plan a backup date just in case your interviewee cannot make it to the first meeting you scheduled with them. It’s also a good idea to factor in a 30-minute gap between your interviews for the instances where someone might be late, or an interview runs overtime for other reasons. Make sure that you also plan backup questions that could be used to bring a respondent back on topic if they start rambling, or questions to encourage those who are saying too little.

In general, it’s best practice to plan to conduct more interviews than you think you need (this is called oversampling ). Doing so will allow you some room for error if there are interviews that don’t go as planned, or if some interviewees withdraw. If you need 10 interviews, it is a good idea to plan for 15. Likely, a few will cancel , delay, or not produce useful data.

5. Not keeping your golden thread front of mind

We touched on this a little earlier, but it is a key point that should be central to your entire research process. You don’t want to end up with pages and pages of data after conducting your interviews and realize that it is not useful to your research aims . Your research aims, objectives and research questions – i.e., your golden thread – should influence every design decision and should guide the interview process at all times. 

A useful way to avoid this mistake is by developing an interview guide before you begin interviewing your respondents. An interview guide is a document that contains all of your questions with notes on how each of the interview questions is linked to the research question(s) of your study. You can also include your research aims and objectives here for a more comprehensive linkage. 

You can easily create an interview guide by drawing up a table with one column containing your core interview questions . Then add another column with your research questions , another with expectations that you may have in light of the relevant literature and another with backup or follow-up questions . As mentioned, you can also bring in your research aims and objectives to help you connect them all together. If you’d like, you can download a copy of our free interview guide here .

Recap: Qualitative Interview Mistakes

In this post, we’ve discussed 5 common costly mistakes that are easy to make in the process of planning and conducting qualitative interviews.

To recap, these include:

If you have any questions about these interviewing mistakes, drop a comment below. Alternatively, if you’re interested in getting 1-on-1 help with your thesis or dissertation , check out our dissertation coaching service or book a free initial consultation with one of our friendly Grad Coaches.

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Using an interview in a research paper

Consultant contributor: Viviane Ugalde

Using an interview can be an effective primary source for some papers and research projects. Finding an expert in the field or some other person who has knowledge of your topic can allow for you to gather unique information not available elsewhere.

There are four steps to using an interview as a source for your research.

• Know where and how to start.
• Know how to write a good question.
• Know how to conduct an interview.
• Know how to incorporate the interview into your document or project.

Step one: Where to start

First, you should determine your goals and ask yourself these questions:

• Who are the local experts on topic?
• How can I contact these people?
• Does anyone know them to help me setup the interviews?
• Are their phone numbers in the phone book or can I find them on the Internet?

Once you answer these questions and pick your interviewee, get their basic information such as their name, title, and other general details. If you reach out and your interview does not participate, don’t be discouraged. Keep looking for other interview contacts.

Step two: How to write a good question

When you have confirmed an interview, it is not time to come up with questions.

• Learning as much as you can about the person before the interview can help you create questions specific to your interview subject.
• Doing research about your interviewee’s past experience in your topic, or any texts that they have written would be great background research.

When you start to think of questions, write down more questions than you think you’ll need, and prioritize them as you go. Any good questions will answer the 5W and H questions. Asking Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How questions that you need answered for your paper, will help you form a question to ask your interviewee.

When writing a good question, try thinking of something that will help your argument.

• Is your interviewee an advocate for you position?
• Are they in any programs that are related to your research?
• How much experience do they have?

From broad questions like these, you can begin to narrow down to more specific and open-ended questions.

Step three: The interview

If at all possible, arrange to conduct the interview at the subject’s workplace. It will make them more comfortable, and you can write about their surroundings.

• Begin the interview with some small talk in order to give both of you the chance to get comfortable with one another
• Develop rapport that will make the interview easier for both of you.
• Ask open-ended questions
• Keep the conversation moving
• Stay on topic
• The more silence in the room, the more honest the answer.
• If an interesting subject comes up that is related to your research, ask a follow-up or an additional question about it.
• Ask if you can stay in contact with your interview subject in case there are any additional questions you have.

Step four: Incorporating the interview

When picking the material out of your interview, remember that people rarely speak perfectly. There will be many slang words and pauses that you can take out, as long as it does not change the meaning of the material you are using.

As you introduce your interview in the paper, start with a transition such as “according to” or other attributions. You should also be specific to the type of interview you are working with. This way, you will build a stronger ethos in your paper .

The body of your essay should clearly set up the quote or paraphrase you use from the interview responses,. Be careful not to stick a quote from the interview into the body of your essay because it sounds good. When deciding what to quote in your paper, think about what dialogue from the interview would add the most color to your interview. Quotes that illustrate what your interviewer sounded like, or what their personality is are always the best quotes to choose from.

Once you have done that, proofread your essay. Make sure the quotes you used don’t make up the majority of your paper. The interview quotes are supposed to support your argument; you are not supposed to support the interview.

For example, let’s say that you are arguing that free education is better than not. For your argument, you interview a local politician who is on your side of the argument. Rather than using a large quote that explains the stance of both sides, and why the politician chose this side, your quote is there to support the information you’ve already given. Whatever the politician says should prove what you argue, and not give new information.

Step five: Examples of citing your interviews 

Smith, Jane. Personal interview. 19 May 2018.

(E. Robbins, personal communication, January 4, 2018).

Smith also claimed that many of her students had difficulties with APA style (personal communication, November 3, 2018).

Reference list

Daly, C. & Leighton W. (2017). Interviewing a Source: Tips. Journalists Resource.

Driscoll, D. (2018 ). Interviewing. Purdue University

Hayden, K. (2012). How to Conduct an Interview to Write a Paper . Bright Hub Education, Bright Hub Inc.

Hose, C. (2017). How to Incorporate Interviews into Essays. Leaf Group Education.

Magnesi, J. (2017). How to Interview Someone for an Article or Research Paper. Career Trend, Leaf group Media.

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Research, Record, and Transcribe Better

Preparing Questions for a Qualitative Research Interview

Updated on: June 22, 2024

A qualitative research interview is an invaluable tool for researchers. Whether one’s studying social phenomena, exploring personal narratives, or investigating complex issues, interviews offer a means to gain unique insights. 

“The quality of the data collected in a qualitative research interview is highly dependent on the quality and appropriateness of the questions asked.”

But how do you prepare the right questions to ensure your interviews yield rich data? In this guide, we’ll explore the types of qualitative research interviews and provide tips for crafting effective questions.

Table of Contents

Types of Qualitative Research Interviews

Before diving into question preparation, it’s important to select the type of qualitative research interview that’s best suited for the study at hand.

There are three types of qualitative research interviews:

Structured Interviews 

Structured interviews involve asking the same set of pre-written questions to every participant. This approach ensures consistency, making it easier to compare data between participants or groups later.

When conducting structured interviews, keep these guidelines in mind:

• Pre-written Questions : All questions, including probes, should be meticulously written in advance.
• Detailed Questions : Questions should be detailed enough to be used verbatim during interviews.
• Consistent Sequence : The sequence of questions should be pre-decided and consistent across interviews.

Example of a Structured Interview Question

Question : Thinking back to your childhood days in Chelsea, can you remember what kind of local music was popular at the time?

• Why do you think it was so popular?
• Where was it played?
• Were there other popular genres?

Structured interviews are ideal when you need uniform data collection across all participants. They are common in large-scale studies or when comparing responses quantitatively.

Read more: Advantages & Disadvantages of Structured Interviews

Semi-structured Interviews 

The second type of qualitative interviews are semi-structured interviews. In these interviews, the  interview guide outlines the topics to be explored, but the actual questions are not pre-written.

This approach allows interviewers the freedom to phrase questions spontaneously and explore topics in more depth.

Example of a Semi-Structured Interview Question

Question : What problems did the participant face growing up in the community?

• Education-related.
• Related to their immediate family.
• Related to the community in general.

Semi-structured interviews strike a balance between flexibility and structure. They offer a framework within which interviewers can adapt questions to participants’ responses, making them suitable for in-depth exploration.

Unstructured Interviews 

In unstructured interviews, often referred to as  informal conversational interviews , are characterized by a lack of formal guidelines, predefined questions, or sequencing.

Questions emerge during the interview based on the conversation’s flow and the interviewee’s observations. Consequently, each unstructured interview is unique, and questions may evolve over time.

Unstructured interviews are highly exploratory and can lead to unexpected insights. They are particularly valuable when studying complex or novel phenomena where predefined questions may limit understanding.

Deciding What Information You Need

Once you’ve chosen the type of interview that suits your research study, the next step is to decide what information you need to collect.

Patton’s six types of questions offer a framework for shaping your inquiries:

• Behavior or Experience : Explore participants’ actions and experiences.
• Opinion or Belief : Probe participants’ beliefs, attitudes, and opinions.
• Feelings : Delve into the emotional aspects of participants’ experiences.
• Knowledge : Assess participants’ understanding and awareness of a topic.
• Sensory : Investigate how participants perceive and interact with their environment.
• Background or Demographic : Collect information about participants’ personal characteristics and histories.

Based on these categories, create a list of the specific information you aim to collect through the interview. This step ensures that your questions align with your research objectives.

Writing the Qualitative Research Interview Questions

After deciding the type of interview and nature of information you’d like to gather, the next step is to write the actual questions. 

Using Open-Ended Questions

Open-ended questions are the backbone of qualitative research interviews. They encourage participants to share their experiences and thoughts in-depth, providing rich, detailed data.

Avoid ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions, as they limit responses. Instead, use open-ended questions that grant participants the freedom to express themselves. Here are some examples – 

Examples of Open-Ended Questions

How do you feel about working at ABC Corp. during your initial years there?

• Encourages participants to share their emotions and experiences.

Can you describe the attitudes and approach to work of the other people working with you at the time?

• Invites participants to reflect on their colleagues’ behaviors and attitudes.

Tell me more about your relationship with your peers.

• Encourages participants to provide narrative insights into their relationships.

Read More: 100 Open-Ended Qualitative Interview Questions

Going from Unstructured to Structured Questions

Unstructured Questions allow the interviewee to guide the conversation, letting them focus on what they think is most important.

These questions make the interview longer, but also provide richer and deeper insight.

Examples of Unstructured Questions

• Tell me about your experience working at [xxx].
• What did it feel like to live in that neighborhood?
• What stood out to you as the defining characteristic of that neighborhood?

Examples of Structured Questions

• What are some ways people dealt with the health issues caused by excessive chemical industries in the neighborhood?
• As an employee at ABC Corp. during the time, did you observe any specific actions taken by the employers to address the issue?

Probing Questions

Probing questions are used to get more information about an answer or clarify something. They help interviewers dig deeper, clarify responses, and gain a more comprehensive understanding.

Examples of Probing Questions

Tell me more about that.

• Encourages participants to elaborate on their previous response.

And how did you feel about that?

• Invites participants to share their emotional reactions.

What do you mean when you say [xxx]?

• Seeks clarification on ambiguous or complex statements.

Probing questions enhance the depth and clarity of the data collected, however they should be used judiciously to avoid overwhelming participants.

A General Last Question

As your interview approaches its conclusion, it’s beneficial to have a general last question that allows the interviewee to share any additional thoughts or opinions they feel are relevant.

For instance, you might ask:

Thank you for all that valuable information. Is there anything else you’d like to add before we end?

This open-ended question provides participants with a final opportunity to express themselves fully, ensuring that no critical insights are left unshared.

Preparing questions for qualitative research interviews requires a thoughtful approach that considers the interview type, desired information, and the balance between structured and unstructured questioning.

Here’s a great guide from the Harvard University on the subject.

Read More: How to Transcribe an Interview – A Complete Guide

• Choosing the Right Setting for a Qualitative Research Interview
• 5 Ways Researchers can Transcribe from Audio to Text

Reader Interactions

hlabishi says

April 8, 2015 at 12:37 pm

I found the information valuable. It will assist me a lot with my research work.

Harpinder says

June 8, 2015 at 10:40 pm

I am going for my pilot study. Above information is really valuable for me. Thank you.

September 28, 2015 at 10:21 am

thank you for Patton’s 6 types of questions related to: 1. Behavior or experience. 2. Opinion or belief. 3. Feelings. 4. Knowledge. 5. Sensory. 6. Background or demographic. Really helpful

IBRAHIM A. ALIYU says

October 7, 2015 at 6:04 pm

Very interesting and good guides, thanks a lot

Dumisani says

July 31, 2017 at 7:55 am

Very informative. Thank you

Yongama says

June 5, 2018 at 11:57 pm

this is a good information and it helped me

Joshua Nonwo says

June 3, 2019 at 11:02 pm

vital information that really help me to do my research. thank you so much.

June 12, 2019 at 7:36 pm

Thanks a lot. Example of structured interview broadens My mind in formulating my structured research question. Indeed very helpful.

mwiine says

November 29, 2019 at 6:31 am

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Kayayoo isaac says

November 29, 2019 at 7:54 am

Thanks for the information, it was very much helpful to me in the area of data collection.

leslie says

December 27, 2019 at 4:29 pm

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January 20, 2020 at 3:19 pm

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Daniel says

June 1, 2020 at 6:21 pm

Thank you very much. Helpful information in my preparations for structured interviews for my research .

abby kamwana says

December 8, 2020 at 9:03 am

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Cosmas W.K. Mereku (Prof.) says

June 15, 2021 at 8:59 am

I am teaching 42 MPhil and 6 PhD postgraduate music students research methods this academic year. Your guide to qualitative research interview questions has been very useful. Because the students are in different disciplines (music education, music composition, ethnomusicology and performance), all the types of questions discussed have been very useful. Thank you very much.

Gerald Ibrahim b. says

June 16, 2021 at 12:45 pm

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Interviews for qualitative or quantitative research?

What type of interviews are there, recruiting respondents, interview step-by-step plan, asking good interview questions, how do you transcribe interviews, incorporating the interviews into your thesis, our best tips for interview techniques.

Are interviews necessary for your thesis? In that case, there are a few things to consider. You have to decide what kind of interview to conduct. You need to draw up good questions. You also have to choose an appropriate transcription method and incorporate the interview results into your thesis correctly. How do you do all of this properly? Here you will find everything you need to know about conducting and processing interviews for your thesis.

Interviews are an appropriate form of data collection in both quantitative and qualitative research. 

Quantitative research is all about numbers and testing hypotheses. 

In qualitative research, you primarily go into detail collecting opinions, experiences and ideas to fully understand a concept. 

In qualitative research, you usually see open-ended questions because they lead to rich data. In quantitative research, closed questions are more common.

Roughly speaking, we can distinguish between a few types of interviews. The most common are the following interview forms:

Structured interviews: you follow a strict interview schedule with a fixed order of questions so that all interviews take place in the same way.

Semi-structured interviews: you prepare the questions, but can deviate on the spot from your preparation during the interview (e.g. if you want to ask further questions).

Unstructured interviews: in advance, you have only prepared a list with topics you want to ask about; the questions you want to ask are not yet known.

Focus group: you get a group of people together to talk to each other about a topic, and you are the one to ask the questions and facilitate the conversation.

Group interview: you interview several people at the same time about various topics, focusing more on the interaction between you and the interviewees than the participants engaging with each other.

To conduct interviews, you need to find people willing to be interviewed. Sometimes one or two interviews will suffice, for instance in a case study. There are also research methods that require a larger number of interviews. The number of interviews that is ideal depends on your research goal and research question. 

The more interviews you conduct, the greater the reliability and validity of your results. Your research results are then more likely to reflect reality.

Discuss with your thesis supervisor in advance how many interviews would be ideal for your research. Keep the time schedule in mind. Of course, the number of interviews should be realistic within the time you have to recruit respondents and conduct interviews. 

To conduct an interview, you go through several stages. Good preparation is very important. Our interview roadmap will help you do this properly. Follow these 6 steps:

Choose the type of interview.

Prepare the interview guide.

Practice your interview techniques.

Start the interview in the right way.

Conduct the interview.

Transcribe the conversation.

A good interview depends on the quality of the questions you ask. Take the time to draft good and clear questions. These tips for formulating interview questions will help you do just that. 

For example, note the following:

Ask non-directive questions. Be objective in your questioning to avoid pressuring your interviewee into giving socially desirable answers.

Be as clear as possible with your questions. Keep them short, be specific, avoid jargon, and only ask one question at a time.

Ask the questions in a logical order. For example, this could be in chronological order if you ask people to describe an event. Another option is to start with questions about the problem and its causes and later ask questions about possible solutions.

Make a good trade-off between open and closed questions. With open questions, you get richer answers; with closed questions, the answers are more limited, but the answers are more comparable. Try to achieve a balance that suits your research question.

To analyse, code, and use the interview data in your thesis, you need to transcribe the interviews first. 

We list the main points of interest in our article on transcribing interviews. Read here, for example, which transcription methods exist and which software you can use to make your life a lot easier. Are you willing to pay a small amount of money? Then, you may want to consider outsourcing your transcription.

If all goes well, interesting findings will emerge from the interviews. Processing the data from the interviews in your thesis is done as follows:

In the method chapter , describe how you conducted the interviews. For example, indicate the interview format, explain how you arrived at the questionnaire and describe the results of any pre-test you do.

In the results chapter , summarise the main findings from the interviews. Refer to the interview data using quotes or paraphrases. You may find the various models for your thesis, such as risk analysis or SWOT analysis, useful for your data analysis.

In the conclusion , answer your research question based on the interview data (and any other research methods or sources). 

In the discussion , explain what you did to ensure the reliability and validity of your study. Also, mention the possible limitations of the chosen interview method here. 

Put the interview transcripts in the appendices . You can also include the questionnaire or topic list you used in the appendix. Refer to this in the running text of your thesis.

Do you doubt whether you have placed the interview data in the right place and used the correct thesis structure? The editors of AthenaCheck will be happy to check your thesis for proper structure, a common thread and/or language and spelling. This way, you can be sure that your thesis is well put together in these areas. 

The quality of your data largely depends on your qualities as an interviewer. We are happy to help you tackle the interview in the best possible way. Check out our tips for useful interview techniques, such as:

Listen more rather than speak more. Above all, let the interviewee speak.

Ask further questions if the interviewee says something interesting.

Above all, ask open-ended questions, as they provide richer data.

Formulate your questions neutrally so that you don't steer the interviewee too much towards a particular answer.

Be clear and specific with your questions.

Avoid jargon.

Keep an eye on non-verbal cues from the interviewee. These cues sometimes tell you more than a thousand words could. You can tell, for example, if someone does not understand something or if the interviewee is getting emotional.

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Dissertation Interview – A Short Guide With Helpful Tips

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A dissertation interview is a vital tool in academic research, often serving as a primary source in data collection . These structured, semi-structured, or unstructured dialogues provide detailed and firsthand insights into the research topic, supplementing or extending other research methods. The design, execution, and analysis of dissertation interviews require careful planning and a clear understanding of the research question to ensure they contribute effectively to the overarching thesis. This guide aims to guide students with helpful tips for dissertation interviews.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• 1 Dissertation Interview – In a Nutshell
• 2 Definition: Dissertation interview
• 3 Including a dissertation interview
• 4 Referring to a dissertation interview
• 5 Quoting a dissertation interview
• 6 Using the name of the interviewee from the dissertation interview

Dissertation Interview – In a Nutshell

• Transcribe the interview accurately for inclusion in the dissertation.
• Situations in which you cannot include a dissertation interview transcript in your appendix.
• How to quote a dissertation interview in your dissertation
• What to consider when using the name of the interviewee.

Definition: Dissertation interview

A dissertation interview is a method of primary data collection used in academic research, typically undertaken for a dissertation or thesis. It can be in the form of a structured, semi-structured, or unstructured interview between the researcher and the interviewee(s), with the goal of gaining detailed, firsthand insights into the research topic. The interview questions are formulated based on the research objectives, and the responses are used to support or explore the thesis argument in depth. The information derived from such interviews often complements secondary data or may serve as the primary basis for the research findings.

• Closed questions only allow for a limited number of predetermined answers.
• Open questions encourage individuals to contribute details of their thoughts and feelings.

Including a dissertation interview

You have conducted interviews as part of your descriptive study for your dissertation. How do you incorporate them? There is a high possibility you do not know what is anticipated since no one ever told you.

Transcribing interviews is a condition for using them in dissertations. This may be accomplished with the use of transcribing software. The transcripts of the interviews might be included as an appendix. Due to the length of the appendix, it may be necessary to submit it as a separate document after discussing your dissertation interview with your supervisor. It is essential to have proof that interviews were conducted.

Referring to a dissertation interview

Include the transcripts of the interviews in an appendix, and then refer to them throughout your dissertation via paraphrasing. This is how paraphrasing works:

• Interviewee A claims that (Appendix 1).
• Through conversation with B, it became apparent that (Appendix 1)

There may be cases when you cannot include a dissertation interview transcript in your appendix. If we cannot make any references to the interview, it may be cited in the following way if you are using the APA format .

• Person A claims that (Individual conversation, December 24th, 2012).

Quoting a dissertation interview

You must use quotation marks if you take someone else’s statements in a dissertation interview. Finding fascinating quotations will be much simpler if you understand how to pull useful data out of the individual during the dissertation interview. It’s important to maintain professionalism throughout the dissertation interview.

Using the name of the interviewee from the dissertation interview

Do not copy down the interviewee’s name without considering these two things:

If the identity is important to the study and you have obtained the interviewee’s consent to use it, then you can go ahead. You may use a description instead if you are not authorized to use the name.

How is an interview included in a dissertation?

Use a transitional phrase like “according to” or another reference when introducing your interview in the piece. Likewise, tailor your responses to the particular dissertation interview format you are using. Doing so will give your paper a more credible and convincing character.

Is there a certain number of questions posed in a dissertation interview?

Use two or three queries to get started. Research may become overwhelming in scope if excessive questions are asked. For this reason, you should begin with no more than two or three research topics, but some studies may have more.

When writing a dissertation, how long should an interview last?

They normally take 30 minutes to a few hours to complete and are only done once. It’s common practice in many fields to conduct interviews to gather information.

How likely is it that a dissertation interview will be turned down?

The truth is that defending a dissertation is tough and that some students have theirs turned down. All the academics showing you the ropes on how to write a dissertation that will get you accepted have been rejected at some time in their careers.

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Sample interview questions.

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Types of Interview Questions

There are many common questions that are asked in most interviews. Below is a list of common interview questions by type:

Traditional Questions | Behavioral Questions | Faculty Interview Questions | Questions You Might Ask | Illegal Questions | Salary Questions

For more information on answering questions, visit our page on successful strategies for structuring your answers .

Traditional Questions

• Tell me about yourself.
• Why did you choose your field of study?
• Why are you interested in this organization/position?
• In what ways can you contribute to our organization?
• What skills do you think are most important for this position?
• How do you evaluate success?
• What role do you usually play in a team?
• What previous work experience has been the most valuable to you and why?
• What are your three biggest strengths? Your three biggest weaknesses?
• What has been your biggest challenge?
• What accomplishments are you most proud of?
• Describe your leadership style.
• How do you motivate people? What motivates you?
• How do you deal with pressure?
• How do you manage your time?
• What characteristics are most important in a good manager?
• What things are most important to you in a job?
• What challenges are you looking forward to in this position?
• Are you willing to travel or relocate as part of your career?
• What things frustrate you most? How do you deal with them?
• What do you see yourself doing five years from now?
• In what kind of work environment are you more comfortable?
• What have you learned from your mistakes?
• What else should I know about you?

Behavioral Questions

• Tell me about a time when you had to cope with strict deadlines or time demands.
• Give me an example of a time when you had a particularly challenging situation with a peer/co-worker/customer. 
• Describe a time when you were under pressure to make an immediate decision.
• Tell me about a situation when you had to stand up for a decision you made even though it was unpopular.
• Tell me about a new idea, policy, or procedure that you implemented that was considerably different from an existing one.
• Describe a time when you had to bend the rules in order to be successful or accomplish a goal.
• Tell me about a time when you took the initiative to set goals and objectives even though you were not prompted or directed by others to do so.
• Tell me about a time when your understanding of organizational climate or culture helped you to achieve your desired results.
• Tell me about a time when you were proud of your ability to be objective even though you were emotional about a problem situation.
• Describe a work situation where you set a positive example for others.

Faculty Interview Questions

For more  you might encounter, visit our page on Faculty Interviews .

• Tell me about your research/dissertation. (Have versions for experts and non-experts.)
• Why did you choose your dissertation topic?
• What contribution does your dissertation make to the field?
• Discuss the limitations of your research.
• What are your research plans for the next (x) years?
• What facilities/travel/resources do you need for your research?
• What are your plans for securing funding to support your research?
• What characteristics do you think are important to be a good teacher?
• Are you a good teacher? Explain why and how.
• What is your teaching philosophy?
• How do you feel about teaching [names an introductory level course]?
• What courses are you prepared to teach?
• Do you have any new courses you'd like to develop?
• How would you instruct and guide undergraduate research?
• What are your other interests?
• How would you describe your ideal job? What type of institution do you prefer to work at?
• How do you feel about this institution/community? Do you think you could live in this small, rural town?

Questions You Might Ask

Most interviewers will set aside time specifically for you to ask questions. Asking good questions reinforces your interest to the interviewer and provides useful information in your evaluation of the employer. Come to the interview prepared with more questions than you will actually ask. Here is a list of questions you might use:

• What are the most challenging aspects of the job?
• What is the departmental structure? Where does this position fit in the organization?
• Why do you enjoy working for your organization?
• What initial training will I receive?
• What opportunities for professional growth does the organization offer?
• How is an employee evaluated and promoted?
• What are the characteristics of a successful person at your company?
• What are the organization’s plans for future growth?
• What is a typical career path at your organization?
• What are the biggest challenges facing the organization/department?
• What is the management style of the organization? Of the department?
• What are the goals of the department? Of the organization?
• How would you describe the culture of your organization/department/college/campus?
• How much travel is normally expected?
• How many hours a week do employees usually work?
• Does the organization promote from within or fill high-level position with outside hires?
• What does the department or campus do to orient new faculty members?
• Does the campus or department have formal faculty mentoring programs? Informal mentoring?
• Describe a typical first year teaching assignment.
• What is the evaluation process like here? How is promotion and tenure handled?

Illegal Questions

While it is illegal for employers to consider an applicant's race, color, religion, sex, age, or national origin when making an employment decision, you may encounter inadvertent questions about these topics. A few questions that you should not be asked include:

• Are you a U.S. citizen? (It is acceptable for an interviewer to ask if you are authorized to work in the U.S.)
• Where were you born? What is your native language?
• How old are you?
• Are you married? How many children do you have?
• Do you have any disabilities? (It is acceptable to ask if an applicant is able to perform the essential functions of the job.)

It is common for these questions to arise in social situations with well-meaning (but ignorant) interviewers. For example, during a site visit lunch, an interviewr might mention something about their children, then inquire if you also have children. When responding to such questions, assess the situation and do your best to understand the concern or reason for the question. You may determine that you are comfortable answering the question. Other times, you may want to deflect the inquiry. In general, avoid responding with a combative tone. It is your choice whether you wish to volunteer information that would be illegal for interviewers to ask.

Questions about Salary Requirements

It is not uncommon to be asked about your salary requirements at the time of application or in an interview. You may need to answer questions about your salary requirements, but avoid negotiating. Here are a few tactics that might help:

• Research salary ranges before the interview so your responses are appropriate.
• Provide a range instead of a single dollar amount to give more options in the negotiation.
• Avoid committing to a specific dollar amount if asked.

The following sample phrases may be useful:

• “I applied for this position because I am very interested in this position, and I know I can make an positive impact once on the job, but I’d like to postpone discussing salary until we are both sure I’m right for the job."
• “I expect to be compensated at a rate that is commensurate with my education and experience.”
• “My requirements are negotiable."
• “What would you hope to pay someone in this position?”

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17 Thesis Defense Questions and How to Answer Them

A thesis defense gives you the chance to show off your thesis work and demonstrate your expertise in your field of study. During this one- to two-hour discussion with the members of your thesis committee, you'll have some control over how you present your research, but your committee will ask you some prodding questions to test your knowledge and preparedness. They will all have read your thesis beforehand, so their questions will relate to your study, topic, methods, data sample, and other aspects.

A good defense requires mastery of the thesis itself, so before you consider the questions you might face,

1. What is your topic, and why did you choose it?

Give a quick summary in just a few sentences on what you've researched. You could certainly go on for hours about your work, but make sure you prepare a way to give a very brief overview of your thesis. Then, give a quick background on your process for choosing this topic.

2. How does your topic contribute to the existing literature? How is it important?

Many researchers identify a need in the field and choose a topic to bridge the gaps that previous literature has failed to cover. For example, previous studies might not have included a certain population, region, or circumstance. Talk about how your thesis enhances the general understanding of the topic to extend the reach beyond what others have found, and then give examples of why the world needs that increased understanding. For instance, a thesis on romaine lettuce crops in desert climates might bring much-needed knowledge to a region that might not have been represented in previous work.

3. What are the key findings of your study?

When reporting your main results, make sure you have a handle on how detailed your committee wants you to be. Give yourself several options by preparing 1) a very general, quick summary of your findings that takes a minute or less, 2) a more detailed rundown of what your study revealed that is 3-5 minutes long, and 3) a 10- to 15-minute synopsis that delves into your results in detail. With each of these responses prepared, you can gauge which one is most appropriate in the moment, based on what your committee asks you and what has already been requested.

4. What type of background research did you do for your study?

Here you'll describe what you did while you were deciding what to study. This usually includes a literary review to determine what previous researchers have already introduced to the field. You also likely had to look into whether your study was going to be possible and what you would need in order to collect the needed data. Did you need info from databases that require permissions or fees?

5. What was your hypothesis, and how did you form it?

Describe the expected results you had for your study and whether your hypothesis came from previous research experience, long-held expectations, or cultural myths.

6. What limitations did you face when writing your text?

It's inevitable — researchers will face roadblocks or limiting factors during their work. This could be a limited population you had access to, like if you had a great method of surveying university students, but you didn't have a way to reach out to other people who weren't attending that school.

7. Why did you choose your particular method for your study?

Different research methods are more fitting to specific studies than others (e.g., qualitative vs. quantitative ), and knowing this, you applied a method that would present your findings most effectively. What factors led you to choose your method?

8. Who formed the sample group of your study, and why did you choose this population?

Many factors go into the selection of a participant group. Perhaps you were motivated to survey women over 50 who experience burnout in the workplace. Did you take extra measures to target this population? Or perhaps you found a sample group that responded more readily to your request for participation, and after hitting dead ends for months, convenience is what shaped your study population. Make sure to present your reasoning in an honest but favorable way.

9. What obstacles or limitations did you encounter while working with your sample?

Outline the process of pursuing respondents for your study and the difficulties you faced in collecting enough quality data for your thesis. Perhaps the decisions you made took shape based on the participants you ended up interviewing.

10. Was there something specific you were expecting to find during your analysis?

Expectations are natural when you set out to explore a topic, especially one you've been dancing around throughout your academic career. This question can refer to your hypotheses , but it can also touch on your personal feelings and expectations about this topic. What did you believe you would find when you dove deeper into the subject? Was that what you actually found, or were you surprised by your results?

11. What did you learn from your study?

Your response to this question can include not only the basic findings of your work (if you haven't covered this already) but also some personal surprises you might have found that veered away from your expectations. Sometimes these details are not included in the thesis, so these details can add some spice to your defense.

12. What are the recommendations from your study?

With connection to the reasons you chose the topic, your results can address the problems your work is solving. Give specifics on how policymakers, professionals in the field, etc., can improve their service with the knowledge your thesis provides.

13. If given the chance, what would you do differently?

Your response to this one can include the limitations you encountered or dead ends you hit that wasted time and funding. Try not to dwell too long on the annoyances of your study, and consider an area of curiosity; for example, discuss an area that piqued your interest during your exploration that would have been exciting to pursue but didn't directly benefit your outlined study.

14. How did you relate your study to the existing theories in the literature?

Your paper likely ties your ideas into those of other researchers, so this could be an easy one to answer. Point out how similar your work is to some and how it contrasts other works of research; both contribute greatly to the overall body of research.

15. What is the future scope of this study?

This one is pretty easy, since most theses include recommendations for future research within the text. That means you already have this one covered, and since you read over your thesis before your defense, it's already fresh in your mind.

16. What do you plan to do professionally after you complete your study?

This is a question directed more to you and your future professional plans. This might align with the research you performed, and if so, you can direct your question back to your research, maybe mentioning the personal motivations you have for pursuing study of that subject.

17. Do you have any questions?

Although your thesis defense feels like an interrogation, and you're the one in the spotlight, it provides an ideal opportunity to gather input from your committee, if you want it. Possible questions you could ask are: What were your impressions when reading my thesis? Do you believe I missed any important steps or details when conducting my work? Where do you see this work going in the future?

Bonus tip: What if you get asked a question to which you don't know the answer? You can spend weeks preparing to defend your thesis, but you might still be caught off guard when you don't know exactly what's coming. You can be ready for this situation by preparing a general strategy. It's okay to admit that your thesis doesn't offer the answers to everything – your committee won't reasonably expect it to do so. What you can do to sound (and feel!) confident and knowledgeable is to refer to a work of literature you have encountered in your research and draw on that work to give an answer. For example, you could respond, "My thesis doesn't directly address your question, but my study of Dr. Leifsen's work provided some interesting insights on that subject…." By preparing a way to address curveball questions, you can maintain your cool and create the impression that you truly are an expert in your field.

After you're done answering the questions your committee presents to you, they will either approve your thesis or suggest changes you should make to your paper. Regardless of the outcome, your confidence in addressing the questions presented to you will communicate to your thesis committee members that you know your stuff. Preparation can ease a lot of anxiety surrounding this event, so use these possible questions to make sure you can present your thesis feeling relaxed, prepared, and confident.

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40 Thesis Defense Questions

Practicing answering thesis defense questions in a mock thesis defense is the best way to get ready for this challenging step in your academic career. Aside from knowing your research project inside and out, you must have solid strategies for tackling different question types and talking about why you chose your research topic. You might have already answered questions related to your research interests in your research interest statement and grad school interview questions , but now after years for in-depth study, it's time to really test what you have accomplished! Check out some of the hardest thesis defense questions below and read our expert responses!

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Article Contents 11 min read

What to expect in a thesis defense.

A thesis defense is your chance to demonstrate your in-depth knowledge and expertise in the topic of your research thesis. While you will be able to take charge of the narrative and present your research to those on your thesis committee, the professors will prod you to test how well you know and understand your topic. The questions are mostly open-ended and give you the chance to showcase your knowledge and understanding, as well as any future plans you may have regarding your research topic.

A thesis defense usually lasts between one and two hours, depending on the area of your research. It starts with you giving a presentation of your interest, findings, and conclusions. After you have finished, the committee members will ask you questions based not only on your presentation, but also on your written thesis as they will have read it before your presentation. Lastly, the committee might approve your thesis or suggest changes to your paper.

Preparing thesis defense questions requires you to start well in advance. While the duration of your thesis defense might vary as per your institution's requirements, the major idea is to defend your research. Thus, you should go about preparing for your thesis defense questions by taking the following steps.

Interested in a quick overview of the section below? Check out this infographic:

Re-read your thesis for clarity

Your thesis defense questions will be based on what you have written in your research paper. Hence, it is a good idea to re-read your paper. You should be clear on the concepts and understand your research well. It might have been some time since you would have submitted your paper, so a revision should be the starting point of your preparation.  

Have an answer strategy and structure

Plan a strategy to answer the panel’s questions. Keep your answers direct, but elaborate on the research details wherever necessary. If you do not know the answer to a question, that is alright. The key is to be able to formulate an answer even if you do not possess enough knowledge to answer at that point in time. For instance, if a question is about the content of your research, you can say something like “I am not certain my research touches on the question you are asking, but my research has led me to Dr. X. Based his evidence, I would have to conclude that…” Having a strategy for answering even the most unexpected questions can be a life saver in these situations!

Most of the thesis defense questions can be easily predicted based on your research. You can prepare a list of possible questions when you are going through your paper. Getting to know the committee can help you in preparing better. Their areas of expertise can help you in determining what they might ask. Once you have a list of questions, you can start brainstorming how you might answer them. 

Prepare your slides in advance

If you require visual aids such as slides, it is a good idea to prepare them beforehand. You can double-check the slides and make sure that your presentation will run smoothly on the day of your thesis defense. Make sure your slides are arranged in the correct order. 

Attend a thesis defense of other candidates if it is an open event

If your institution allows it, you can visit a thesis defense of other candidates. This will give you an excellent idea of what you can expect in your meeting. If it is not possible to attend the event, you can speak to your peers to find out how their meeting went and what questions were asked.

Dress appropriately for your meeting

The thesis defense meeting is a formal event, and hence you should be dressed in formal clothes. While there are no strict dressing rules, you should consider it something equivalent to a job interview. Don’t just wear your T-shirt and appear in front of the committee. Your formal suit is a better option for the occasion.

Practice speaking for your meeting

Take your preparation to the next level by practicing your presentation. This activity will give you the confidence for the actual meeting and presentation. You can request your academic peers to help you out in the practice task. Based on their feedback in the mock session, you can improve for the actual session. Make sure to prepare well for the mock session as if you are preparing for the actual session. You can also practice your speech and body language in the mock session. If you used thesis writing services , these professionals would also be the ideal people to test you in a mock thesis defense – don’t hesitate to reach out to them again!

Sample Thesis Defense Questions and Answers

1.    what is your research study all about.

In your answer, you should summarize your research in a few sentences. The question is simple but requires technical expertise for a better explanation of concepts. For instance, if you completed a thesis in an attempt to explain the constituents of dark matter in the universe and particle accelerators, you could frame your answer like this:

In this research, the different aspects of dark matter and its detection models have been investigated. The cosmic ray positron excess observed by the PAMELA detector has been discussed and explained through the construction of models of decaying dark matter. The cosmic-ray electron and positron spectra were studied assuming a general Dirac structure for the four fermion contact interactions of interest. A supersymmetric leptophilic Higgs model was constructed to explain the possible excess of gamma rays in the galactic center. Finally, by the use of Razor analysis, an improvement on the dark matter collider searches is considered.  

2.    Why did you choose this study?

This question requires you to answer what motivated you to pursue the study in the first place. Your answers could touch on your interests in the area of the study. For example, if you conducted a study called “Media Combat: The Great War and the Transformation of American Culture” then you can shape your answer like this:

The First World War (1914-1918) has always been a topic of fascination for me, and my prime interest lies in exploring the state of society at that time. I wanted to analyze the formation of a nationalized, wartime cultural apparatus during the United States' involvement in the war and how theatre and music transformed the relationship between the government and American citizens. 

3.    Why did you choose this particular title for your research?

The title of your thesis captures the main point of your research, which is why it is so important to use an appropriate title. Your committee will want to know how you came to the final decision of naming your work. For example,

I chose the title “Dark matter in the heavens and at colliders: Models and constraints” for my research thesis because my research attempts to explain the constituency of dark matter as it occurs in the universe. “The heavens” is another word for the universe. Dark matter can also be created in particle accelerators such as the CERN collider. I have attempted to provide an explanation for both of the cases through the use of models, along with describing the constraints which exist in the current times due to certain scientific limitations.

4.    What is the scope of your study?

In your answer, you have to define the boundaries of your project and define exactly what you are studying. There can be several elements involved but you have to define the parameters that you have chosen to study. For example,

My study is on the efficacy of equity stocks in the US market. For my study, I have chosen 50 companies listed on the NASDAQ. You can review the names of these companies on page 5 of my thesis.

5.    What phenomenon were you trying to understand with this research?

Describe the focus concept of your thesis in the answer. For example,

In our study “Motivation to volunteer”, we were looking to study the Theory of Planned Behavior by analyzing the behavioral and normative beliefs that influence attitudes and subjective norms.

6.    Who will be most interested in your research?

You can talk about who may be affected by your research and the parties who can potentially benefit from the research. Take a look at this example:

My sociology thesis on “Impact of social media on youngsters” can be of interest to sociology academics, social media companies, education experts, and parents of youngsters in general.

7.    Did your research questions evolve during the process? If so, how?

Often, qualitative research questions change over time with respect to the responses that you might get from your focus group. Or you might just change your question as you do lab research or general text research. You can describe the change to the evaluating committee. For example,

We started our study to understand the impact of the new public policy change on recycling of vinyl waste through installation of garbage bins specifically for vinyl products. However, after interviewing some of the respondents in the target community, we found that the rule is actually irrelevant to their behavior and thoughts because the percentage of vinyl waste in that specific locality was very low and it didn’t need the installation of dedicated bins for the purpose. Going by their frustrations with the current economic insecurity, our study evolved into the impact of costs incurred by public policy changes.           

8.    What gaps did you intend to bridge with your research?

Your research thesis must eliminate the present gaps in the concepts related to your subject topic.

The relationship between hard water and its effect on the size of the kidney stone is not clear yet, so we analyzed the mineral composition of hard water to determine its impact on the size of the kidney stone.

9.    Why is your research significant?

The answer to this research question should outline the impact of your research on your field of study. You may talk about the new insights contributed by your research and its impact on society.

Through my study on “The effect of chamomile in reducing stress and promoting better sleep,” patients with insomnia and anxiety will be able to find alternative treatments without the use of medicinal drugs. The medical abilities of chamomile will promote the usage of ingredients in nature and will encourage the community to plant more herbs and trees.

10. What did you find in your research?

You may describe your research in a few sentences in this answer. For instance,

In our study on “Impact of artificial fluoride in water on the human body,” we found that excessive exposure to high quantities of Fluoride can result in tooth discoloration and bone issues in humans since it has neurotoxic qualities. 

11. What research findings surprised you?

When you conduct research, you come across findings that you were not expecting earlier. If you had such an experience, you might describe the same to the evaluation committee when you answer this question. For example,

I was expecting that business promotion through social media would not be a good idea for rural enterprises in developing countries in my comparative analysis of the usage of traditional and contemporary marketing methods. But I was surprised to learn that 68% of rural textile businesses in Nigeria promote their products on Instagram.

12. What is the validity of your findings?

You have to talk about the conditions in which your research findings would be valid.

In my research, I have considered test anxiety to be involving both nervous system activation and negative thoughts. Thus, my measure of test anxiety has included the elements of both nervous feelings and negative thoughts, the conditions in which my findings are valid.

For example,

For studying the differential protein expression, its localization, and distribution at different levels, we used the method of immunostaining in our research.

14. What sources did you use for data collection?

You would have used several sources to search for data for your topic. You may elaborate on those sources. You might have referred to databases, content on the web, or even conducted primary research by interviewing prospects. Thus, you can talk about these sources. Refer to the following answer:

To understand the impact of the current tax regime on skilled workers, we interviewed 150 subjects in 5 months. Additionally, we referred to databases and scholarly works available by authors who had previously conducted such studies for previous tax laws and rates. 

15. How can your research be put into practice?

This question talks about the practical implications of your research. You should talk about how your research is beneficial for society and how it can help in eliminating current issues.

In our research titled “Effectiveness of Meditation on Reducing the Anxiety Levels of College Students in the US,” we discovered that students who practiced meditation at least thrice a week were two times more likely to score better in their exams, owing to the positive impact of meditation. So, this research finding can help in the reduction of mental health issues among students. A suitable course of action would be to hold meditating sessions a couple of times a week. 

16. How will your findings contribute to the related area of knowledge?

Our study on medicinal analysis of herbs conveys information about various medicinal benefits of chamomile in treating depression and contributes to the area of medicinal botany.

17. Did you experience any limitations in your research?

Our research on “Impact of smoking on β-cell function and risk for type 2 diabetes in US citizens” finds that smoking increases the risk of diabetes among smokers. However, smokers might be affected by some genetic conditions which can protect them from diabetes. 

18. What sampling techniques did you use?

When conducting research, it is practically not possible to study the entire number of elements. So, you would be using a method to select a sample population.

In our study “Impact of consumption of soda on the health of teenagers in Corpus Christi”, we used area sampling to divide the city into several areas and then selected some clusters for our sample group.

19. What are the dependent and independent variables in your research?

In research, several variable factors impact your study. You can describe these variables. Independent variables have values which are not affected by other variables in your study. On the other hand, the dependent variables have values that change with changes in the independent variable. For example,

In our study on “Impact of online tutoring on test scores”, the independent variable is the nature of the classes i.e., online and the participants' test score is the dependent variable.

20. What areas do you suggest for further research?

As a researcher, you should be able to describe what further areas are open for research with the addition of your research to the field. This can act as a starting point for future researchers. For example,

In my research on “Effectiveness of Acetaminophen in treating sports induced injuries”, I discovered that administering Acetaminophen is not very effective for treating joint pains such as the knee. This further suggests measures for the regulation of Acetaminophen in the production of painkillers for body pain and the search for alternative compounds.

Practice Questions

After taking a look at the sample answers, now try answering these questions by yourself:

Do you have any closing comments? "}]">

After submitting your research thesis for evaluation, you have to appear before a panel of professors and present your work; afterwards, they will ask you questions about your research.

You have to plan and prepare for your thesis defense. Review your paper and anticipate the questions that the committee can ask. Practice with mock defense sessions using professional servicesand make improvements based on their feedback. Be prepared with a strategy for answering any question asked by the panel.

Your research thesis should be on a topic of your interest. Scan your course syllabus to find something that makes you curious. Or, you can even refer to your grad school career goals statement to review what got you interested in grad school in the first place. Shortlist a few topics and zero down to the one that excites you the most.

The first step in preparing for a master’s thesis defense is to revise your research paper and write down a list of questions that the committee might ask. Find answers to those questions and get ready for your presentation. Practice your presentation beforehand. Try to attend a thesis defense of other candidates to know what you can expect in your session. 

You will get questions related to what you have mentioned in your research paper. The most common starting questions are “what is your research about?" and “what was your motivation behind choosing this topic?” Later on, the committee asks you more detailed questions on research methodology, literature review, study variables, research findings, recommendations, and areas of further research.

You can get help from a grad school essay tutor for your research thesis writing. They can help you in developing writing skills and reviewing your work. They can proofread your work and provide recommendations on areas of improvement.

You can include your research thesis on your grad school CV to show your practical knowledge and skills. You can add the details of the study in a separate section for research experience.

Immediately after the thesis defense, the evaluation panel will decide whether to approve your paper as submitted or request some changes, or reject it.

To pass a thesis defense, a majority of the panel members must approve the defense. In case of more than one vote against you, you can fail the thesis.

A thesis defense can last for two hours or longer, depending on your area of research.

Your thesis defense presentation should include the focus concept, findings, recommendation, and conclusion.

The contribution of your thesis towards your degree differs as per institution. You can refer to your course handbook for exact details. In most cases, the committee needs to approve your thesis for you to graduate from your degree.

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why did you choose this place for a research locale

BeMo Academic Consulting

Hi Jeff! Yes, this can also be one of the questions you are asked in a thesis defense!

That is good

Hello Eshetu! Thanks for your comment. Glad you found this helpful!

Very helpful

Thanks, Abel. Glad you found this helpful. 

Helpful thank you.

Hi Lagat! Thanks!

As an 11th-grade student, I don't have any experience in thesis or research defense in general. Me and my groupmates will be conducting our research title defense next week, this is invaluable information for us. Thank you!

You are very welcome, Kate!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS, I REALLY APPRECIATE.

Hello Stephanie! Thanks for your comment.

EMELDA NAFULA NYONGESA

This is a good guideline to post graduate students (Masters and PhD) CPA:Emelda Nyongesa

Hi Emelda! Thanks!

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Commonly asked questions in academic interviews

Be prepared to answer the sort of questions  in this list (which will be tailored to your research area) in addition to general interview questions. It is a good idea to prepare and even rehearse your answers. If you are confident in answering all of these you will be well-prepared.

About your research General research questions About you and your capabilities About your ability to gain funding About your proposed research About your role as supervisor/teacher About your ‘fit’ with the department

About your research

• What is innovative about your research ?
• How is your work distinct from your supervisor’s/principal investigator’s? How intellectually independent are you? 
• What influences have you been exposed to?  Do you think you have enough breadth of experience?
• Who has influenced you the most?
• What has been your role so far in developing research ideas and carrying them forward?
• What do you think are your most significant research accomplishments?
• What do you consider to be your best paper/work and why?  What did it change about the way people approach the field?
• What are your most important publications?
• What has been the impact of your research?
• What papers do you have coming through in the next year?
• If we gave you the position what might go wrong? How will you manage the risks

General research questions

• What do you see yourself doing in ten years' time? What are your professional goals in the next five, and ten years?
• How will this job help you achieve your long term career plans?
• What would you do on the first day of the job?
• What are the big issues in your research area?
• Who are the key researchers in your area? How does your work compare with theirs?
• Who are your main competitors?  What are they doing? How will you compete with them?
• Why would someone come to work for you and not for your competitors?
• How does your work align with contemporary trends or funding priorities?
• How would you bridge the gap from your research to research users?
• The university is keen to serve the wider community and economy. Does your planned research have any potential in these areas?
• How do you feel about translating your research into innovation or spin-outs? Can you give an example of when you have been enterprising?
• Describe in layman’s terms why your research project is interesting in two minutes.

 About you and your capabilities

• How have you managed your research project?
• How do you balance your time?  If several challenges came up at the same time (grant deadline, pastoral care for a student, teaching commitments) how would you prioritise?
• If you were starting your project again today, what would you do differently?
• Describe a research problem you have faced. What did you learn?
• What has been the most productive period in your research career and why?
• Why do you think you are ready for this position?
• If you get this position how will you run your research project?
• Why do you think you are the right person for this position?

 About your ability to gain funding

• What experience do you have of attracting funding?
• Previously, you have only brought in small amounts of funding: how can you convince us you will be able to bring in larger amounts?
• Where will you apply for grants?  If your funding applications are unsuccessful, what alternatives do you have in mind? (looking for knowledge of the funding infrastructure)
• How would you convince a funding body that they should fund your research rather than one of the other hundreds of proposals they receive?
• Who are you currently funded by, and why do you think they were interested in funding your project? 

About your proposed research

• What will be your major focus as an independent researcher?
• In one sentence, what is the most important question you want to address?
• How does the work you propose follow on from what you are already doing?
• What will you focus on and what gives you a competitive edge in this area?
• What is the overall importance of this project?  How do you see this work impacting the field?
• What will you do if your hypothesis is proved wrong?  Can you see any of your research proposal failing?
• Why is the technique you have chosen more likely to succeed than other approaches?
• Have you already done anything to test the feasibility of your project? 
• If you could only do one aspect of this project, which one do you think is key?
• If we gave you unlimited resources, what would you do with them?
• If we gave you X amount of money, what would you do with it?
• What resources will you need?
• How would you deal with the more limited resources or facilities compared to what you anticipate for the project?
• How do you plan to manage this project on a day-to-day level?

About your role as supervisor/ teacher

• Describe your teaching experience. How do you feel about teaching?  What is your teaching philosophy?
• Do you have any experience in curriculum development?   
• Have you supervised doctoral candidates, and how did you find this experience? How did you manage them?
• What advice would you give to a new researcher about supervising undergraduate or masters students?
• How would you go about interviewing a prospective postgraduate researcher?
• How would you induce a new doctoral candidate into their research project?
• How would you go about motivating a researcher who is going through a low point?
• How would you deal with a weak researcher?
• How would you deal with any conflict/disagreement within the research group? Do you have an example of when you have had to deal with a disagreement? 
• Do you anticipate building a research group?  How many people would you like for it to be optimal?

About your ‘fit’ with the department

• Why do you want to come here?
• What will you bring to the institution?
• We are keen to develop collaborations between departments. What opportunities for multi-disciplinary work does your research offer?
• How would you fit with the existing activities in the department?  Who do would you expect to collaborate with in the institution?  Why do you want to collaborate with them?
• What committee work have you done and what challenges has it presented?
• In what ways, other than research and teaching could you contribute to this department?

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A big list of academic job interview questions (and how to answer them)

Academic life has seasons, as Les Back so eloquently pointed out in his lovely book The Academic Diary . At the moment it seems to be the season of job interviews, at least for some recent graduates in my immediate circle. I’ve been doing some challenging emotional work assisting with preparation of job applications and interviews, which reminds me of what a stressful time the end of a PhD can be! Examination is one emotional hurdle; getting into the job market is another thing altogether. The combination of waiting for results and finding a job would try anyone’s nerves. I’ve written lately about the difficulty of getting short listed when people have weird attitudes about PhD graduates and how to get in the mind of a potential employer , but what about if you get that job interview? What can you expect then?

Preparing for job interview questions in advance can help calm your nerves, so what are you likely to be asked in an interview for an academic job? A candidate I know has an interview next week and was given a huge list of over 60 authentic post-doc job interview questions, compiled by Dr Larissa Schneider, A DECRA fellow at ANU . Larissa got these questions from graduates who took notes in their job interviews – a nice example of collegial sharing in the sciences! Larissa kindly shared it with me on the understanding I would develop a blog post that did not reveal the specific jobs. Accordingly, I took the original list and developed a shorter, more generic one that still represents the variety of the original.

I include the altered list below, with some notes on things to think about as you develop your potential answers. Bear in mind these are questions posed to science graduates applying for a post-doc project doing research in a specific area for a year or more. If you are going for a lectureship or a job in the humanities, you can expect the questions to be a little different, but I think this list will still be a good starting point anyway:

How would you collect data for this project? The notes I was given suggest that interviewers will expect quite a detailed answer. What I would look for is a person who can identify risks with data collection and have some mitigation strategies in place.

How would you analyse data? Questions about analysis are directly testing out your capacity to do the work. I strongly recommend you sketch out a research plan in advance so that you have a good idea of the steps you would take. You might have to make some assumptions in this plan as you don’t have all the details as yet. Don’t worry too much: it’s the thinking processes that matter here.

Can you use [insert relevant analysis software]? If you don’t know the specific software in question, don’t panic! Describe other, similar ones you have used and how quickly you can learn more with the aid of YouTube and a few instruction manuals.

What can you add creatively to the research?  This can be a very difficult question to answer on the spot. Make sure the sketch research plan I mentioned above includes a ‘further work’ section so you can spin out a few ideas ahead of time.

Where do you see yourself – short term / long term? I hate this question. Like most people I am kicking the can down the road of my career; reacting to opportunities as they arise. If you don’t have a clear idea of where it’s all going, just have a plausible reply handy. “Director of a research lab” is as good an answer as any for the long term career; “continuing research and teaching position” is a good enough short term goal. Good on you if you have more specific answers than this!

Why do you want to do the job? How will this position fit in your overall career plan? Not as easy to answer as you might suppose. Let’s face it, sometimes people apply for jobs that are convenient in terms of place or pay. There is nothing wrong with that, but it can make the potential employer feel they aren’t your first choice. Try to keep your answer focused on how this job fits in with your overall skills development and interests.

Tell us about your publishing experience. This question is testing what you know about getting papers into the pipeline, as well as how you respond to reviews and deal with co-authors. Don’t forget to include other forms of publishing if you have done them, but don’t emphasise these at the expense of telling the panel you can deal with the banal problems of the normal scientific publishing process. Science communication is very hip right now, but a working scientist needs to concentrate on communicating within a community of practice. This has different ‘rules’ to communicating with external stakeholders and the public.

How do you handle collaboration with external stakeholders? An excellent question – and difficult to answer if you have not really dealt with people in industry etc. If you haven’t actually dealt with this situation, emphasise that you understand the idea of negotiation being built on mutual interests and clear communication. For a good primer on the basics, check out the book Getting to Yes  and for the nitty gritty of stakeholder engagement a good reference is Project management for the unofficial project manager .

How have you handled a difficult situation with people? Another great question. Luckily, academia is full of difficult people, so you should be able to think of a situation where you had to deal with someone being an academic asshole . Outline the situation and describe how you solved the problem with your superior negotiating skills. Don’t use managing your supervisor as an example – especially if there’s bitterness. No one wants to hire someone bitter about their supervisor, no matter how justified.

How did you handle a difficult situation with a project? A nice variation on the question above. Think of some specific example that demonstrates you are cool in a crisis / able to predict a problem in advance / good at managing fall out from problems or all of the above. I like to hear about banal, ordinary problems because it helps me get a sense of what that person will be like to work with.

How do you get things done? If you have a ‘getting things done’ system like Omnifocus , it’s a good chance to mention it, but don’t, whatever you do, bore people with the specifics of your system and try to tell them why it’s better than anything else. During this interview you are being judged on what kind of colleague you will be. No one wants to work with someone who tries to tell people how to do their job – it’s annoying.

How would you attract new/extra funding to   the role? This question is testing your knowledge of how the funding landscape around you works. If you haven’t familiarised yourself with all the acronyms for the funding schemes, now is the time to do a deep dive on the Research Whisperer blog , which has been running almost as long as the Thesis Whisperer and has nearly a decade free to access wisdom.

What is the most exciting thing you have discovered in your research?/ What do you think is the best paper you have written? / what are you most proud about? I like these kinds of questions as it’s a chance for you to shine and tell a good story about yourself and your work. I think it says something about your powers of self reflection and self confidence if you can’t easily answer this question, so be ready to share.

What have you read outside your field that interested you? A curious question, but probing the less ‘visible’ parts of your professional persona. All of us have side research interests that feed our creativity, so this is a good chance to show your versatility as a scholar. If you can speak to what you bring back from this ‘extra-curricular’ reading to your current work – be it a method, theory, approach or procedure, even better.

What isn’t in your CV?  I’d hate to get this one without being prepared. This is a good opportunity to pick up on a character trait, like your creativity, analytical ability, how fast you can read and digest information etc. Have a concrete example of this skill in action so that you can ‘show’ as well as tell. A similar answer could be used for the old ‘What are your strengths and weaknesses?’ question.

What’s your approach to teamwork? Depending on your PhD project, specifically the kind of lab settings you were in, you might not have as much to talk about here as you would like. Don’t forget, previous jobs in retail / fast food are settings where you also developed team work skills, often in much higher pressure environments.

Tell us your understanding of workplace equality and your direct experience of it Given that a woman was asked this question, I am not too sure of the intent behind it. Did they want to see if she would complain? I suppose this question is a good chance for you to share any additional training you have done, or initiatives you’ve been involved with that promotes this worthy aim. Otherwise, I got nothing!

Based on what you have read about this position, what would be your research question? This one will be a snap if you have already sketched out a research plan for this post doc position – hard if you have to make it up on the spot. My go to reference for articulating research questions properly is The Craft of Research .

What do you know about working with industry? I guess if you have never done anything with industry, you just have to own your lack of knowledge here. If you are still studying, it’s good to know that research impact and industry led research is becoming something that people ask postdoc applicants. Most universities have ‘innovation training’ or something similar – might be time to consider popping along to one of these so at least you can say you did something.

What do you understand about authorship and how people are ordered on papers. Hopefully you’ve had some experience of this already. The problem I find here is that what is taught as ‘best practice’ is routinely broken in reality. Authors seem to get chucked on papers for all sorts of reasons that have nothing to do with the Vancouver Protocol or any other rules. Here’s a good blog post that outlines some of the issues and might help you make a more informed answer.

Tell me about your PhD research. The important thing when you answer is not to rabbit on – the people on the other side of the table will be assessing how well you can succinctly communicate difficult information. Doing the 3MT competition is really helpful for exactly this kind of job interview question. Give a top level summary and then a sentence or two about the importance of your work. Write a couple of sentences down before you go in so that you keep on message.

I hope this big list of job interview questions will help you prepare for your post doc interview – or provide a starting point to think about how to apply for other kinds of academic interviews. Thanks so much for the list Larissa!

How what about you? Have you had an academic job interview, for a post doc, or some other kind of job? What questions did you get asked? Were there any unexpected ones? I’d love to hear about your experience of academic job interviews in the comments.

Related posts

What do academic employers want?

Academic on the inside?

I want to leave academia, what’s next?

Should you leave your PhD off your CV?

What is this anti-PhD attitude about?

Our research papers

“Academic superheroes: a critical analysis of academic job descriptions”

“A machine learning analysis of the demand for non academic  job opportunities for PhD graduates in Australia” .

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News & Events

How to create an interview guide.

• March 6, 2017
• Posted by: Mike Rucker
• Category: Research

If your research involves gathering data by interviewing people, you will probably need to create an interview guide. An interview guide contains a list of questions you want to cover during your interview(s). It is meant to keep you on track and ensures that you cover all the topics needed to answer your research question(s).

Interview guides are very common in semi-structured interviews. They need to be designed in a way that gives your interviewees  enough space to tell their stories and provide you with meaningful data. Therefore, you should include open-ended questions that allow for your conversation to flow freely. Free flowing conversation can help you uncover topics you were not aware of previously (without wandering off your subject matter). An interview guide acts as an unobtrusive road map you can turn to during the interview to yourself back on course. A good interview guide provides you with prompts and a general direction.

As your research progresses, you can update your interview guide to include new questions. Often, an initial interview guide can be used for the first few interviews, after which a few tweaks can be made to allow you (the researcher) to dive deeper into the topic by using a revised guide. A revised guide should not be perceived as a stumbling block. On the contrary, creating a revised interview guide can be a sign of a good research process — it shows you are letting the research material guide you (and not vice versa).

Here are some useful strategies when you create an interview guide:

• Think about the research question of your study and identify which areas need to explored to answer your question. Your interview questions are not the same as your research question, but should help answer it. (If you have troubles developing your research question, you can read this post .)
• Consider how much time you can spend with each interviewee and adjust the number of questions accordingly. Be realistic about how much can be covered in 60 to 90 minutes (the usual length of an interview). Field test your guide on test/volunteer subjects to make sure your timing assumptions are accurate before actually collecting data.
• Avoid asking questions that can be answered in a few words (also known as closed-ended questions). The point of a qualitative interview is to collect a rich amount of data. You need to encourage your participants to open up and talk at length, sharing their personal expertise with you.
• Make your questions easy to understand. Ask only one question at a time (e.g. avoid compound questions).
• Think about the language you use so that it fits that particular respondent (for instance, professional versus informal language).
• Allow enough time for interviewees to be able to elaborate on certain answers and give you examples. Develop probes that can be used to elicit more detail (when needed).
• Usually, “how” questions are the preferred option, as these type of questions give an opportunity for a longer response. For example, “Can you tell me how you started working with the American Cancer Society?”

Structure of an Interview Guide

In qualitative research, a lot can depend on the ability of the researcher to enter the field and build rapport with their respondents. When people feel at ease with you, they are more likely to share information honestly and freely. The idea is to build trust and rapport as quickly as possible. Therefore, it can be helpful if you structure your interview so it is set up to build trust quickly. For example, it is usually a good idea to begin the conversation with a warm-up question. Start by asking a simple question that your participants can easily answer and that helps them feel more relaxed. This first question doesn’t necessarily need to be related to your overall topic.

Create an interview guide so the structure of your interview follows a logical order and flows naturally. Don’t jump from one topic to another. Also, if you feel that enough time has been spent answering a certain question, you can use gentle probes to change the subject (e.g. “Let’s move on to another topic now.”).

Save the most difficult questions for the end of the interview. It is more likely people will be willing to share their private experience after they have had some time to become more comfortable with you.

Finish with a question that can provide some closure to the interview. It is important that at the end of your interview, your respondent(s) feel positive and pleased they have participated in your research.

Example Academic Interview Questions

Research area.

• What government agencies would you target for funding your research?
• What companies would use your research? Any small companies?
• In what conferences/journals would you publish your work? How do these conferences/journals differ in the type of papers they publish?
• Who are your "competitors" at other schools?
• Is it possible for academic researchers to make significant contributions to your field, or are industrial technology and resources necessary?
• What would you consider as the weaknesses in our department?
• Who here would you consider as potential collaborators?
• Who would you consider as potential mentors in the department?
• Which of our courses are you qualified to teach?
• Which of our courses are you most interested in teaching?

Teaching philosophy

• Given that existing technologies and tools will be obsolete in a few years, what should we teach our students?
• How would you approach developing a curriculum from scratch?
• What is your teaching philosophy?
• What do you think about having undergraduates serve as TAs?
• If an undergraduate wanted to work with you, what type of project would you give them?

Research plan

• What start-up funds/facilities would you need to establish your research?
• How would you organize/manage your research group?
• How many graduate students would you like to have in your group?
• Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten years?
• What would be possible titles for the first three PhD thesis projects in your research group?
• What new courses would you create on your research area?

Personal/philosophical

• How did you decide what school to attend for your PhD?
• How did you choose your thesis topic?
• What would you consider as your biggest weakness in starting a faculty position?
• If you start having difficulty juggling the combination of research, teaching, advising, and proposal-writing, what would you do to fix the problem?
• Do you have entrepreneurial aspirations?
• Who would you most like to emulate?
• What are your non-technical interests?
• What factors will determine which academic/research position is most attractive to you?

Free DBA Job Interview Q&A Course This Weekend

Just hit up my training product page , find the DBA Job Interview course, add it to your cart, and check out with coupon code TikTok.

In that course, I give you questions for core DBAs, infrastructure, development, screenshot-based questions, open-ended questions, and more. I read the question, then I pause to let you answer it, and then I tell you what I was looking for in a great answer.

I did a quick live version of the first few questions if you’d like a feel for it:

I hope it helps make the DBA job interview process suck a little less for everybody involved. Cheers!

3 Comments . Leave new

As a Dutch person I selected the Euro payment option, the discount code didn’t work there, selected the USD option and the code work perfectly.

On the first question, some folks will need that second question about what file types they’ll be. I’d be MUCH more impressed by the folks that don’t give you a need to ask the second question. The should respond to the first quest with “Two files. One is the “data” file and the other is a “transaction log file”. The default extensions on the files are .MDF and LDF, respectively. The old recommendation of having these on the same drive has become a bit contentious in the general public but I still prefer them to be on separate drives for both performance and safety reasons. You can have addition files of both file types but the transaction log is serially used and having multiple files for that usually makes no sense unless it’s just a leftover from an out-of-disk space problem (and that needs to be fixed)”.

In other words, you’re on an important interview where you need to show your stuff…. now’s your chance to show off that you have the “Right Stuff” without being arrogant or condescending.

If they say “Extra information is not necessary”, you might want to reconsider your interest in working in such a shop. Remember… you’re also testing them for “fit” without letting them know that they’re being tested ;-).

EDIT: And I posted above right after the 2nd question. I see you covered some of the above on the additional questions like those about the Model Database.

Best $0 that I ever spent! I love learning from Brent and wanted to update my interview questions for interviewing candidates. Great course, thanks!

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Hi! I’m Brent Ozar.

I make Microsoft SQL Server go faster. I love teaching, travel, cars, and laughing. I’m based out of Las Vegas. He/him. I teach SQL Server training classes , or if you haven’t got time for the pain, I’m available for consulting too.

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• Writing Strong Research Questions | Criteria & Examples

Writing Strong Research Questions | Criteria & Examples

Published on October 26, 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on November 21, 2023.

A research question pinpoints exactly what you want to find out in your work. A good research question is essential to guide your research paper , dissertation , or thesis .

All research questions should be:

• Focused on a single problem or issue
• Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources
• Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints
• Specific enough to answer thoroughly
• Complex enough to develop the answer over the space of a paper or thesis
• Relevant to your field of study and/or society more broadly

Table of contents

How to write a research question, what makes a strong research question, using sub-questions to strengthen your main research question, research questions quiz, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research questions.

You can follow these steps to develop a strong research question:

• Choose your topic
• Do some preliminary reading about the current state of the field
• Narrow your focus to a specific niche
• Identify the research problem that you will address

The way you frame your question depends on what your research aims to achieve. The table below shows some examples of how you might formulate questions for different purposes.

Using your research problem to develop your research question

Note that while most research questions can be answered with various types of research , the way you frame your question should help determine your choices.

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Research questions anchor your whole project, so it’s important to spend some time refining them. The criteria below can help you evaluate the strength of your research question.

Focused and researchable

Feasible and specific

Complex and arguable

Relevant and original

Chances are that your main research question likely can’t be answered all at once. That’s why sub-questions are important: they allow you to answer your main question in a step-by-step manner.

Good sub-questions should be:

• Less complex than the main question
• Focused only on 1 type of research
• Presented in a logical order

Here are a few examples of descriptive and framing questions:

• Descriptive: According to current government arguments, how should a European bank tax be implemented?
• Descriptive: Which countries have a bank tax/levy on financial transactions?
• Framing: How should a bank tax/levy on financial transactions look at a European level?

Keep in mind that sub-questions are by no means mandatory. They should only be asked if you need the findings to answer your main question. If your main question is simple enough to stand on its own, it’s okay to skip the sub-question part. As a rule of thumb, the more complex your subject, the more sub-questions you’ll need.

Try to limit yourself to 4 or 5 sub-questions, maximum. If you feel you need more than this, it may be indication that your main research question is not sufficiently specific. In this case, it’s is better to revisit your problem statement and try to tighten your main question up.

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If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Methodology

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

The way you present your research problem in your introduction varies depending on the nature of your research paper . A research paper that presents a sustained argument will usually encapsulate this argument in a thesis statement .

A research paper designed to present the results of empirical research tends to present a research question that it seeks to answer. It may also include a hypothesis —a prediction that will be confirmed or disproved by your research.

As you cannot possibly read every source related to your topic, it’s important to evaluate sources to assess their relevance. Use preliminary evaluation to determine whether a source is worth examining in more depth.

This involves:

• Reading abstracts , prefaces, introductions , and conclusions
• Looking at the table of contents to determine the scope of the work
• Consulting the index for key terms or the names of important scholars

A research hypothesis is your proposed answer to your research question. The research hypothesis usually includes an explanation (“ x affects y because …”).

A statistical hypothesis, on the other hand, is a mathematical statement about a population parameter. Statistical hypotheses always come in pairs: the null and alternative hypotheses . In a well-designed study , the statistical hypotheses correspond logically to the research hypothesis.

Formulating a main research question can be a difficult task. Overall, your question should contribute to solving the problem that you have defined in your problem statement .

However, it should also fulfill criteria in three main areas:

• Researchability
• Feasibility and specificity
• Relevance and originality

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, November 21). Writing Strong Research Questions | Criteria & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved August 11, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-questions/

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Home > ETD > Doctoral > 5869

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Exploring the role of innovation across social and academic integration for first-generation caribbean undergraduate persistence.

Angelina Natasha Carvalhal , Liberty University Follow

School of Education

Doctor of Philosophy

Sharon Farrell

first-generation, Caribbean undergraduates, innovation, active learning, persistence

Disciplines

Curriculum and Instruction | Educational Methods

Recommended Citation

Carvalhal, Angelina Natasha, "Exploring the Role of Innovation Across Social and Academic Integration for First-generation Caribbean Undergraduate Persistence" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects . 5869. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5869

The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to understand how innovation across social and academic integration among first-generation Caribbean Undergraduates supports persistence at three public universities in the Northeast. The theory underpinning this study was Tinto’s dropout theory and theory of institutional departure. Tinto’s theory connected to this study of how supporting innovation through social and academic integration supports the persistence of first-generation Caribbean Undergraduates. The central research question guiding this study was: How has innovative academic content delivery affected the retention of first-generation Caribbean Undergraduates? Purposeful sampling was applied to interview students on-site, while random sampling was applied to select students for participation in a focus group to gain an understanding of how students interpret innovative content delivery. Letter writing from the students themselves was analyzed to compare how their ideas about innovation evolved over time. Themes of endurance, educational expectation, educational aspiration, and enriched motivation, and the sub-themes of continuity, accessibility and convenience, collaboration and engagement, efficiency, increased motivation, professional development, building community, academic resources, social resources, and stress management were identified. The results of this study indicated innovative content delivery for first-generation Caribbean Undergraduates supports persistence. Innovation takes on various forms due to the academic freedom of the faculty, supporting active learning that inherently promotes social and academic integration.

Since August 09, 2024

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