research topic brief description

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How to write an effective research brief

Whether you’re launching a simple survey or planning a large-scale project the quality of your brief will hugely impact on the value you get from the research. While it can take a little time and effort creating a research brief, it will undoubtedly be time well spent – getting you better results and return on your investment and saving you valuable resources on further clarification. At best, a poor brief will be a time drain on you and your team. At worst, the findings will fail to meet your objectives, costing you time and money.

We’ve seen a lot of research briefs over the years. Some of which have been well thought through and clear, helping us prepare a detailed proposal and deliver an effective project and subsequent results. And others which have been not so good, lacking clarity or detail.

Using this experience, we’ve put together a ‘how to’ guide on writing an effective research brief, to help you ensure success on your next project.

1. Preparation is key

As with any project, before you start it’s crucial you think through what you want and need to deliver. Here are some things you should consider:

• Why are you conducting the research? What exactly are you looking to understand?
• Who are you looking to understand better? Who do you need to speak to answer your research questions?
• Who are your internal stakeholders? Have you discussed the project needs with the people in your organisation who will use the findings or who are invested in the research?
• How will the findings be used?
• When do you need the findings?
• Have you agreed a budget with either your procurement team, or the relevant person in your organisation?

2. Be clear on your objectives

This is one of the most important parts of your brief to convey to the reader what you want out of the project and ensure you get results which deliver.

Projects should have around three or four overarching aims which set out what the project ultimately wants to achieve.

These might be things like:

• Assess the impact of……
• Examine views of…..
• Evaluate the effectiveness of….

In addition to project objectives, you should also include the key questions you want the research to answer. These should support you in meeting the aims of the research.

For example, if the project aim is to assess the impact of an intervention, your research questions might include:

• Who did the intervention target?
• What did the project deliver?
• What elements were successful, and why?
• What were the main enablers and barriers?

3. Remember your audience

Research agencies or organisations who will be responding to your brief might not know anything about your business. So, make sure you include enough background information in your brief to enable them to understand your needs and deliver effectively. And avoid use of jargon or acronyms which could lead to errors or confusion.

4. Structure your research brief

Before you start to populate your brief it’s worth considering all the information and sections you need to include, to structure your thinking and ensure you don’t miss anything important.

This might include some, or all, of the following:

• Background info
• Introduction
• Aims and objectives
• Research Question(s)
• Issues / Risks
• Methodology
• Timing and Outputs
• Project Management

5. Make it thorough, yet succinct

While it’s crucial to include all the relevant information to enable bidders to respond effectively, no one wants to read reams and reams of information. To avoid the key information getting lost in the details use annexes to add supplementary information which could be useful.

6. Consider how prescriptive you want to be on the methodology

The extent to which you want to specify the methodology will depend on the project you aim to deliver. There are benefits and risks to being overly prescriptive or offering free reign. If you outline in precise detail how you want the research to be conducted, you will hamper any original ideas from those invited to tender and might limit the impact on the research. Whereas, if you’re less prescriptive, allowing room for creativity, you risk not getting the project or results you want, or receiving proposals on a scale which you can’t resource.

Generally, it is useful to allow those invited to tender some scope to develop the methodology they propose to use. Exceptions might be where previous work has to be very precisely replicated or some other very precise commitment about the nature of findings has been given to stakeholders.

7. Define your timelines

As a minimum, you need to include when you want the project to start and end. But you should also include the timetable for procurement. When planning this, don’t underestimate the time and resource needed to run a procurement exercise. Make sure your evaluators are available when you need them and have enough time blocked out in their diary.

You’ll likely also want to include milestones for when you expect outputs to be delivered, such as deadlines for a draft report (providing opportunity for review and feedback) and the final report; allowing sufficient time between the two to enable your stakeholders to consult, for you to feedback and for the contractor to revise the report.

8. Set expectations on cost

You will most likely have budgetary constraints, with a figure for what you are prepared to spend. To save you and your bidders time, and to set realistic expectations, you should include an indication within your brief. This will prevent you receiving proposals which are way out of the ballpark; enable bidders to plan a project which delivers on (or at least close to) budget; and will prevent any nasty surprises, further down the line.

By following these tips you’ll be well on your way to creating an effective research brief which delivers on time and on budget.

If you’d like more guidance download our “step-by-step” guide, which includes a template and information for what to include in each section to ensure success.

Download the guide now.

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7 Essential Steps: How to Write a Research Brief That Gets Results

• Author Survey Point Team
• Published February 17, 2024

In this blog, we’ll explore seven essential steps to learn how to write a research brief that not only guides your project but also resonates with your audience. Research briefs are the unsung heroes of successful projects. Whether you’re a seasoned researcher or a newbie, crafting a well-structured brief can significantly impact the quality of your work.

Crafting a research brief that yields results is crucial. Explore the seven essential steps to write an effective research brief, ensuring success in your projects. Learn from experts and avoid common pitfalls.

Embarking on a research journey requires a well-crafted roadmap. A research brief serves as the compass, guiding you through the intricate terrain of data and insights. In this article, we will explore the seven essential steps to create a research brief that not only meets but exceeds expectations, ensuring the desired results.

Table of Contents

The Importance of Research Briefs

Why Research Briefs Matter

Research briefs are the cornerstone of successful projects. They set the tone, define objectives, and guide researchers toward meaningful outcomes. A well-structured brief not only saves time but also ensures the collected data aligns with the project goals.

How to Write a Research Brief: Understanding Your Objective

Defining Clear Research Goals

The first step in creating a research brief is understanding the project’s objective. Clearly define what you aim to achieve, ensuring every subsequent decision aligns with this overarching goal. Clarity at this stage is paramount.

Target Audience Analysis

Identifying and Understanding Your Audience

Knowing your audience is key to effective communication. Dive deep into demographic details, preferences, and behaviors. Tailor your research brief to resonate with the intended audience, enhancing its impact.

Crafting a Clear Research Question

Formulating Effective Research Queries

A well-defined research question is the compass that guides your entire project. Craft a question that is clear, concise, and directly aligns with your objectives. This foundational step ensures focused and purposeful research.

Literature Review

Building a Solid Foundation

Before venturing into uncharted territories, review existing literature. This not only provides valuable insights but also prevents redundancy. Acknowledge the work of others and identify gaps your research can fill.

Research Methodology

Choosing the Right Approach

Selecting the appropriate research methodology is pivotal. Whether qualitative or quantitative, the chosen approach should align with your objectives. Justify your choice, considering the nature of your research question.

How to Write a Research Brief: Data Collection

Ensuring Quality Information

Collecting data is where the rubber meets the road. Implement a robust data collection strategy, ensuring the information gathered is relevant, accurate, and aligns with your research question. Quality over quantity is the mantra.

Analysis and Interpretation

Extracting Meaningful Insights

Analysis is the heart of research. Interpret the collected data, drawing meaningful conclusions. Your insights should directly contribute to answering your research question and, consequently, achieving your objective.

Crafting a Compelling Title

Making Your Research Brief Stand Out

A captivating title is the first impression your research brief makes. It should be concise, intriguing, and reflective of the study’s essence. Crafting a compelling title sets the stage for your audience’s engagement.

The Power of Effective Communication

Conveying Your Message Clearly

Beyond the data, effective communication is crucial. Present your findings in a clear, concise manner. Utilize visuals, charts, and graphs to enhance understanding. Make your research brief accessible to a broad audience.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Mistakes That Can Derail Your Research

Avoiding common pitfalls is as important as following the right steps. Identify and steer clear of potential pitfalls that could compromise the integrity and effectiveness of your research brief. Learn from others’ mistakes to enhance your own success.

Real-life Success Stories

Learnings from Notable Research Briefs

Drawing inspiration from successful research briefs can provide valuable insights. Explore real-life success stories, understand the strategies employed, and apply these lessons to elevate the impact of your own research briefs.

How to Write a Research Brief: FAQ

Can I write multiple research questions? Certainly, but ensure they all align with your main objective. Quality over quantity is crucial in research.

How do I choose between qualitative and quantitative methods? Consider the nature of your research question. Qualitative methods delve into depth, while quantitative methods focus on breadth.

Is a literature review necessary for all research briefs? Yes, a literature review establishes the context for your research and prevents duplication of efforts.

How do I make my title captivating? A captivating title is concise, intriguing, and reflective of your study’s essence. Use language that sparks curiosity.

What are common pitfalls in research briefs? Common pitfalls include unclear objectives, biased data collection, and inadequate analysis. Be vigilant to avoid these pitfalls.

Can I use the same research methodology for every project? Adapt your research methodology to align with each project’s unique objectives. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach.

Wrapping Up the Research Brief Journey In conclusion, crafting a research brief that gets results requires a strategic approach. By following the seven essential steps outlined in this article, you can navigate the complexities of research with confidence. Remember, a well-prepared brief not only guides your journey but ensures the destination is one of success.

Survey Point Team

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How to Select a Research Topic: A Step-by-Step Guide

by  Antony W

June 6, 2024

Learning how to select a research topic can be the difference between failing your assignment and writing a comprehensive research paper. That’s why in this guide we’ll teach you how to select a research topic step-by-step.

You don’t need this guide if your professor has already given you a list of topics to consider for your assignment . You can skip to our guide on how to write a research paper .

If they have left it up to you to choose a topic to investigate, which they must approve before you start working on your research study, we suggest that you read the process shared in this post.

Choosing a topic after finding your research problem is important because:

• The topic guides your research and gives you a mean to not only arrive at other interesting topics but also direct you to discover new knowledge
• The topic you choose will govern what you say and ensures you keep a logical flow of information.

Picking a topic for a research paper can be challenging and sometimes intimidating, but it’s not impossible. In the following section, we show you how to choose the best research topic that your instructor can approve after the first review.

How to Select a Research Topic 

Below are four steps to follow to find the most suitable topic for your research paper assignment:

Step 1: Consider a Topic that Interests You 

If your professor has asked you to choose a topic for your research paper, it means you can choose just about any subject to focus on in your area of study. A significant first step to take is to consider topics that interest you.

An interesting topic should meet two very important conditions.

First, it should be concise. The topic you choose should not be too broad or two narrow. Rather, it should be something focused on a specific issue. Second, the topic should allow you to find enough sources to cite in the research stage of your assignment.

The best way to determine if the research topic is interesting is to do some free writing for about 10 minutes. As you free write, think about the number of questions that people ask about the topic and try to consider why they’re important. These questions are important because they will make the research stage easier for you.

You’ll probably have a long list of interesting topics to consider for your research assignment. That’s a good first step because it means your options aren’t limited. However, you need to narrow down to only one topic for the assignment, so it’s time to start brainstorming.

Step 2: Brainstorm Your Topics 

You aren’t doing research at this stage yet. You are only trying to make considerations to determine which topic will suit your research assignment.

The brainstorming stage isn’t difficult at all. It should take only a couple of hours or a few days depending on how you approach.

We recommend talking to your professor, classmates, and friends about the topics that you’ve picked and ask for their opinion. Expect mixed opinions from this audience and then consider the topics that make the most sense. Note what topics picked their interest the most and put them on top of the list.

You’ll end up removing some topics from your initial list after brainstorming, and that’s completely fine. The goal here is to end up with a topic that interests you as well as your readers.

Step 3: Define Your Topics 

Check once again to make sure that your topic is a subject that you can easily define. You want to make sure the topic isn’t too broad or too narrow.

Often, a broad topic presents overwhelming amount of information, which makes it difficult to write a comprehensive research paper. A narrow topic, on the other hand, means you’ll find very little information, and therefore it can be difficult to do your assignment.

The length of the research paper, as stated in the assignment brief, should guide your topic selection.

Narrow down your list to topics that are:

• Broad enough to allows you to find enough scholarly articles and journals for reference
• Narrow enough to fit within the expected word count and the scope of the research

Topics that meet these two conditions should be easy to work on as they easily fit within the constraints of the research assignment.

Step 4: Read Background Information of Selected Topics  

You probably have two or three topics by the time you get to this step. Now it’s time to read the background information on the topics to decide which topic to work on.

This step is important because it gives you a clear overview of the topic, enabling you to see how it relates to broader, narrower, and related concepts. Preliminary research also helps you to find keywords commonly used to describe the topic, which may be useful in further research.

It’s important to note how easy or difficult it is to find information on the topic.

Look at different sources of information to be sure you can find enough references for the topic. Such periodic indexes scan journals, newspaper articles, and magazines to find the information you’re looking for. You can even use web search engines. Google and Bing are currently that best options to consider because they make it easy for searchers to find relevant information on scholarly topics.

If you’re having a hard time to find references for a topic that you’ve so far considered for your research paper, skip it and go to the next one. Doing so will go a long way to ensure you have the right topic to work on from start to finish.

Get Research Paper Writing Help 

If you’ve found your research topic but you feel so stuck that you can’t proceed with the assignment without some assistance, we are here to help. With our research paper writing service ,  we can help you handle the assignment within the shortest time possible.

We will research your topic, develop a research question, outline the project, and help you with writing. We also get you involved in the process, allowing you to track the progress of your order until the delivery stage.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

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A Practical Guide to Writing Quantitative and Qualitative Research Questions and Hypotheses in Scholarly Articles

Edward barroga.

1 Department of General Education, Graduate School of Nursing Science, St. Luke’s International University, Tokyo, Japan.

Glafera Janet Matanguihan

2 Department of Biological Sciences, Messiah University, Mechanicsburg, PA, USA.

The development of research questions and the subsequent hypotheses are prerequisites to defining the main research purpose and specific objectives of a study. Consequently, these objectives determine the study design and research outcome. The development of research questions is a process based on knowledge of current trends, cutting-edge studies, and technological advances in the research field. Excellent research questions are focused and require a comprehensive literature search and in-depth understanding of the problem being investigated. Initially, research questions may be written as descriptive questions which could be developed into inferential questions. These questions must be specific and concise to provide a clear foundation for developing hypotheses. Hypotheses are more formal predictions about the research outcomes. These specify the possible results that may or may not be expected regarding the relationship between groups. Thus, research questions and hypotheses clarify the main purpose and specific objectives of the study, which in turn dictate the design of the study, its direction, and outcome. Studies developed from good research questions and hypotheses will have trustworthy outcomes with wide-ranging social and health implications.

INTRODUCTION

Scientific research is usually initiated by posing evidenced-based research questions which are then explicitly restated as hypotheses. 1 , 2 The hypotheses provide directions to guide the study, solutions, explanations, and expected results. 3 , 4 Both research questions and hypotheses are essentially formulated based on conventional theories and real-world processes, which allow the inception of novel studies and the ethical testing of ideas. 5 , 6

It is crucial to have knowledge of both quantitative and qualitative research 2 as both types of research involve writing research questions and hypotheses. 7 However, these crucial elements of research are sometimes overlooked; if not overlooked, then framed without the forethought and meticulous attention it needs. Planning and careful consideration are needed when developing quantitative or qualitative research, particularly when conceptualizing research questions and hypotheses. 4

There is a continuing need to support researchers in the creation of innovative research questions and hypotheses, as well as for journal articles that carefully review these elements. 1 When research questions and hypotheses are not carefully thought of, unethical studies and poor outcomes usually ensue. Carefully formulated research questions and hypotheses define well-founded objectives, which in turn determine the appropriate design, course, and outcome of the study. This article then aims to discuss in detail the various aspects of crafting research questions and hypotheses, with the goal of guiding researchers as they develop their own. Examples from the authors and peer-reviewed scientific articles in the healthcare field are provided to illustrate key points.

DEFINITIONS AND RELATIONSHIP OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESES

A research question is what a study aims to answer after data analysis and interpretation. The answer is written in length in the discussion section of the paper. Thus, the research question gives a preview of the different parts and variables of the study meant to address the problem posed in the research question. 1 An excellent research question clarifies the research writing while facilitating understanding of the research topic, objective, scope, and limitations of the study. 5

On the other hand, a research hypothesis is an educated statement of an expected outcome. This statement is based on background research and current knowledge. 8 , 9 The research hypothesis makes a specific prediction about a new phenomenon 10 or a formal statement on the expected relationship between an independent variable and a dependent variable. 3 , 11 It provides a tentative answer to the research question to be tested or explored. 4

Hypotheses employ reasoning to predict a theory-based outcome. 10 These can also be developed from theories by focusing on components of theories that have not yet been observed. 10 The validity of hypotheses is often based on the testability of the prediction made in a reproducible experiment. 8

Conversely, hypotheses can also be rephrased as research questions. Several hypotheses based on existing theories and knowledge may be needed to answer a research question. Developing ethical research questions and hypotheses creates a research design that has logical relationships among variables. These relationships serve as a solid foundation for the conduct of the study. 4 , 11 Haphazardly constructed research questions can result in poorly formulated hypotheses and improper study designs, leading to unreliable results. Thus, the formulations of relevant research questions and verifiable hypotheses are crucial when beginning research. 12

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESES

Excellent research questions are specific and focused. These integrate collective data and observations to confirm or refute the subsequent hypotheses. Well-constructed hypotheses are based on previous reports and verify the research context. These are realistic, in-depth, sufficiently complex, and reproducible. More importantly, these hypotheses can be addressed and tested. 13

There are several characteristics of well-developed hypotheses. Good hypotheses are 1) empirically testable 7 , 10 , 11 , 13 ; 2) backed by preliminary evidence 9 ; 3) testable by ethical research 7 , 9 ; 4) based on original ideas 9 ; 5) have evidenced-based logical reasoning 10 ; and 6) can be predicted. 11 Good hypotheses can infer ethical and positive implications, indicating the presence of a relationship or effect relevant to the research theme. 7 , 11 These are initially developed from a general theory and branch into specific hypotheses by deductive reasoning. In the absence of a theory to base the hypotheses, inductive reasoning based on specific observations or findings form more general hypotheses. 10

TYPES OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESES

Research questions and hypotheses are developed according to the type of research, which can be broadly classified into quantitative and qualitative research. We provide a summary of the types of research questions and hypotheses under quantitative and qualitative research categories in Table 1 .

Research questions in quantitative research

In quantitative research, research questions inquire about the relationships among variables being investigated and are usually framed at the start of the study. These are precise and typically linked to the subject population, dependent and independent variables, and research design. 1 Research questions may also attempt to describe the behavior of a population in relation to one or more variables, or describe the characteristics of variables to be measured ( descriptive research questions ). 1 , 5 , 14 These questions may also aim to discover differences between groups within the context of an outcome variable ( comparative research questions ), 1 , 5 , 14 or elucidate trends and interactions among variables ( relationship research questions ). 1 , 5 We provide examples of descriptive, comparative, and relationship research questions in quantitative research in Table 2 .

Hypotheses in quantitative research

In quantitative research, hypotheses predict the expected relationships among variables. 15 Relationships among variables that can be predicted include 1) between a single dependent variable and a single independent variable ( simple hypothesis ) or 2) between two or more independent and dependent variables ( complex hypothesis ). 4 , 11 Hypotheses may also specify the expected direction to be followed and imply an intellectual commitment to a particular outcome ( directional hypothesis ) 4 . On the other hand, hypotheses may not predict the exact direction and are used in the absence of a theory, or when findings contradict previous studies ( non-directional hypothesis ). 4 In addition, hypotheses can 1) define interdependency between variables ( associative hypothesis ), 4 2) propose an effect on the dependent variable from manipulation of the independent variable ( causal hypothesis ), 4 3) state a negative relationship between two variables ( null hypothesis ), 4 , 11 , 15 4) replace the working hypothesis if rejected ( alternative hypothesis ), 15 explain the relationship of phenomena to possibly generate a theory ( working hypothesis ), 11 5) involve quantifiable variables that can be tested statistically ( statistical hypothesis ), 11 6) or express a relationship whose interlinks can be verified logically ( logical hypothesis ). 11 We provide examples of simple, complex, directional, non-directional, associative, causal, null, alternative, working, statistical, and logical hypotheses in quantitative research, as well as the definition of quantitative hypothesis-testing research in Table 3 .

Research questions in qualitative research

Unlike research questions in quantitative research, research questions in qualitative research are usually continuously reviewed and reformulated. The central question and associated subquestions are stated more than the hypotheses. 15 The central question broadly explores a complex set of factors surrounding the central phenomenon, aiming to present the varied perspectives of participants. 15

There are varied goals for which qualitative research questions are developed. These questions can function in several ways, such as to 1) identify and describe existing conditions ( contextual research question s); 2) describe a phenomenon ( descriptive research questions ); 3) assess the effectiveness of existing methods, protocols, theories, or procedures ( evaluation research questions ); 4) examine a phenomenon or analyze the reasons or relationships between subjects or phenomena ( explanatory research questions ); or 5) focus on unknown aspects of a particular topic ( exploratory research questions ). 5 In addition, some qualitative research questions provide new ideas for the development of theories and actions ( generative research questions ) or advance specific ideologies of a position ( ideological research questions ). 1 Other qualitative research questions may build on a body of existing literature and become working guidelines ( ethnographic research questions ). Research questions may also be broadly stated without specific reference to the existing literature or a typology of questions ( phenomenological research questions ), may be directed towards generating a theory of some process ( grounded theory questions ), or may address a description of the case and the emerging themes ( qualitative case study questions ). 15 We provide examples of contextual, descriptive, evaluation, explanatory, exploratory, generative, ideological, ethnographic, phenomenological, grounded theory, and qualitative case study research questions in qualitative research in Table 4 , and the definition of qualitative hypothesis-generating research in Table 5 .

Qualitative studies usually pose at least one central research question and several subquestions starting with How or What . These research questions use exploratory verbs such as explore or describe . These also focus on one central phenomenon of interest, and may mention the participants and research site. 15

Hypotheses in qualitative research

Hypotheses in qualitative research are stated in the form of a clear statement concerning the problem to be investigated. Unlike in quantitative research where hypotheses are usually developed to be tested, qualitative research can lead to both hypothesis-testing and hypothesis-generating outcomes. 2 When studies require both quantitative and qualitative research questions, this suggests an integrative process between both research methods wherein a single mixed-methods research question can be developed. 1

FRAMEWORKS FOR DEVELOPING RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESES

Research questions followed by hypotheses should be developed before the start of the study. 1 , 12 , 14 It is crucial to develop feasible research questions on a topic that is interesting to both the researcher and the scientific community. This can be achieved by a meticulous review of previous and current studies to establish a novel topic. Specific areas are subsequently focused on to generate ethical research questions. The relevance of the research questions is evaluated in terms of clarity of the resulting data, specificity of the methodology, objectivity of the outcome, depth of the research, and impact of the study. 1 , 5 These aspects constitute the FINER criteria (i.e., Feasible, Interesting, Novel, Ethical, and Relevant). 1 Clarity and effectiveness are achieved if research questions meet the FINER criteria. In addition to the FINER criteria, Ratan et al. described focus, complexity, novelty, feasibility, and measurability for evaluating the effectiveness of research questions. 14

The PICOT and PEO frameworks are also used when developing research questions. 1 The following elements are addressed in these frameworks, PICOT: P-population/patients/problem, I-intervention or indicator being studied, C-comparison group, O-outcome of interest, and T-timeframe of the study; PEO: P-population being studied, E-exposure to preexisting conditions, and O-outcome of interest. 1 Research questions are also considered good if these meet the “FINERMAPS” framework: Feasible, Interesting, Novel, Ethical, Relevant, Manageable, Appropriate, Potential value/publishable, and Systematic. 14

As we indicated earlier, research questions and hypotheses that are not carefully formulated result in unethical studies or poor outcomes. To illustrate this, we provide some examples of ambiguous research question and hypotheses that result in unclear and weak research objectives in quantitative research ( Table 6 ) 16 and qualitative research ( Table 7 ) 17 , and how to transform these ambiguous research question(s) and hypothesis(es) into clear and good statements.

a These statements were composed for comparison and illustrative purposes only.

b These statements are direct quotes from Higashihara and Horiuchi. 16

a This statement is a direct quote from Shimoda et al. 17

The other statements were composed for comparison and illustrative purposes only.

CONSTRUCTING RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESES

To construct effective research questions and hypotheses, it is very important to 1) clarify the background and 2) identify the research problem at the outset of the research, within a specific timeframe. 9 Then, 3) review or conduct preliminary research to collect all available knowledge about the possible research questions by studying theories and previous studies. 18 Afterwards, 4) construct research questions to investigate the research problem. Identify variables to be accessed from the research questions 4 and make operational definitions of constructs from the research problem and questions. Thereafter, 5) construct specific deductive or inductive predictions in the form of hypotheses. 4 Finally, 6) state the study aims . This general flow for constructing effective research questions and hypotheses prior to conducting research is shown in Fig. 1 .

Research questions are used more frequently in qualitative research than objectives or hypotheses. 3 These questions seek to discover, understand, explore or describe experiences by asking “What” or “How.” The questions are open-ended to elicit a description rather than to relate variables or compare groups. The questions are continually reviewed, reformulated, and changed during the qualitative study. 3 Research questions are also used more frequently in survey projects than hypotheses in experiments in quantitative research to compare variables and their relationships.

Hypotheses are constructed based on the variables identified and as an if-then statement, following the template, ‘If a specific action is taken, then a certain outcome is expected.’ At this stage, some ideas regarding expectations from the research to be conducted must be drawn. 18 Then, the variables to be manipulated (independent) and influenced (dependent) are defined. 4 Thereafter, the hypothesis is stated and refined, and reproducible data tailored to the hypothesis are identified, collected, and analyzed. 4 The hypotheses must be testable and specific, 18 and should describe the variables and their relationships, the specific group being studied, and the predicted research outcome. 18 Hypotheses construction involves a testable proposition to be deduced from theory, and independent and dependent variables to be separated and measured separately. 3 Therefore, good hypotheses must be based on good research questions constructed at the start of a study or trial. 12

In summary, research questions are constructed after establishing the background of the study. Hypotheses are then developed based on the research questions. Thus, it is crucial to have excellent research questions to generate superior hypotheses. In turn, these would determine the research objectives and the design of the study, and ultimately, the outcome of the research. 12 Algorithms for building research questions and hypotheses are shown in Fig. 2 for quantitative research and in Fig. 3 for qualitative research.

EXAMPLES OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS FROM PUBLISHED ARTICLES

• EXAMPLE 1. Descriptive research question (quantitative research)
• - Presents research variables to be assessed (distinct phenotypes and subphenotypes)
• “BACKGROUND: Since COVID-19 was identified, its clinical and biological heterogeneity has been recognized. Identifying COVID-19 phenotypes might help guide basic, clinical, and translational research efforts.
• RESEARCH QUESTION: Does the clinical spectrum of patients with COVID-19 contain distinct phenotypes and subphenotypes? ” 19
• EXAMPLE 2. Relationship research question (quantitative research)
• - Shows interactions between dependent variable (static postural control) and independent variable (peripheral visual field loss)
• “Background: Integration of visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive sensations contributes to postural control. People with peripheral visual field loss have serious postural instability. However, the directional specificity of postural stability and sensory reweighting caused by gradual peripheral visual field loss remain unclear.
• Research question: What are the effects of peripheral visual field loss on static postural control ?” 20
• EXAMPLE 3. Comparative research question (quantitative research)
• - Clarifies the difference among groups with an outcome variable (patients enrolled in COMPERA with moderate PH or severe PH in COPD) and another group without the outcome variable (patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH))
• “BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) in COPD is a poorly investigated clinical condition.
• RESEARCH QUESTION: Which factors determine the outcome of PH in COPD?
• STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We analyzed the characteristics and outcome of patients enrolled in the Comparative, Prospective Registry of Newly Initiated Therapies for Pulmonary Hypertension (COMPERA) with moderate or severe PH in COPD as defined during the 6th PH World Symposium who received medical therapy for PH and compared them with patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) .” 21
• EXAMPLE 4. Exploratory research question (qualitative research)
• - Explores areas that have not been fully investigated (perspectives of families and children who receive care in clinic-based child obesity treatment) to have a deeper understanding of the research problem
• “Problem: Interventions for children with obesity lead to only modest improvements in BMI and long-term outcomes, and data are limited on the perspectives of families of children with obesity in clinic-based treatment. This scoping review seeks to answer the question: What is known about the perspectives of families and children who receive care in clinic-based child obesity treatment? This review aims to explore the scope of perspectives reported by families of children with obesity who have received individualized outpatient clinic-based obesity treatment.” 22
• EXAMPLE 5. Relationship research question (quantitative research)
• - Defines interactions between dependent variable (use of ankle strategies) and independent variable (changes in muscle tone)
• “Background: To maintain an upright standing posture against external disturbances, the human body mainly employs two types of postural control strategies: “ankle strategy” and “hip strategy.” While it has been reported that the magnitude of the disturbance alters the use of postural control strategies, it has not been elucidated how the level of muscle tone, one of the crucial parameters of bodily function, determines the use of each strategy. We have previously confirmed using forward dynamics simulations of human musculoskeletal models that an increased muscle tone promotes the use of ankle strategies. The objective of the present study was to experimentally evaluate a hypothesis: an increased muscle tone promotes the use of ankle strategies. Research question: Do changes in the muscle tone affect the use of ankle strategies ?” 23

EXAMPLES OF HYPOTHESES IN PUBLISHED ARTICLES

• EXAMPLE 1. Working hypothesis (quantitative research)
• - A hypothesis that is initially accepted for further research to produce a feasible theory
• “As fever may have benefit in shortening the duration of viral illness, it is plausible to hypothesize that the antipyretic efficacy of ibuprofen may be hindering the benefits of a fever response when taken during the early stages of COVID-19 illness .” 24
• “In conclusion, it is plausible to hypothesize that the antipyretic efficacy of ibuprofen may be hindering the benefits of a fever response . The difference in perceived safety of these agents in COVID-19 illness could be related to the more potent efficacy to reduce fever with ibuprofen compared to acetaminophen. Compelling data on the benefit of fever warrant further research and review to determine when to treat or withhold ibuprofen for early stage fever for COVID-19 and other related viral illnesses .” 24
• EXAMPLE 2. Exploratory hypothesis (qualitative research)
• - Explores particular areas deeper to clarify subjective experience and develop a formal hypothesis potentially testable in a future quantitative approach
• “We hypothesized that when thinking about a past experience of help-seeking, a self distancing prompt would cause increased help-seeking intentions and more favorable help-seeking outcome expectations .” 25
• “Conclusion
• Although a priori hypotheses were not supported, further research is warranted as results indicate the potential for using self-distancing approaches to increasing help-seeking among some people with depressive symptomatology.” 25
• EXAMPLE 3. Hypothesis-generating research to establish a framework for hypothesis testing (qualitative research)
• “We hypothesize that compassionate care is beneficial for patients (better outcomes), healthcare systems and payers (lower costs), and healthcare providers (lower burnout). ” 26
• Compassionomics is the branch of knowledge and scientific study of the effects of compassionate healthcare. Our main hypotheses are that compassionate healthcare is beneficial for (1) patients, by improving clinical outcomes, (2) healthcare systems and payers, by supporting financial sustainability, and (3) HCPs, by lowering burnout and promoting resilience and well-being. The purpose of this paper is to establish a scientific framework for testing the hypotheses above . If these hypotheses are confirmed through rigorous research, compassionomics will belong in the science of evidence-based medicine, with major implications for all healthcare domains.” 26
• EXAMPLE 4. Statistical hypothesis (quantitative research)
• - An assumption is made about the relationship among several population characteristics ( gender differences in sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of adults with ADHD ). Validity is tested by statistical experiment or analysis ( chi-square test, Students t-test, and logistic regression analysis)
• “Our research investigated gender differences in sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of adults with ADHD in a Japanese clinical sample. Due to unique Japanese cultural ideals and expectations of women's behavior that are in opposition to ADHD symptoms, we hypothesized that women with ADHD experience more difficulties and present more dysfunctions than men . We tested the following hypotheses: first, women with ADHD have more comorbidities than men with ADHD; second, women with ADHD experience more social hardships than men, such as having less full-time employment and being more likely to be divorced.” 27
• “Statistical Analysis
• ( text omitted ) Between-gender comparisons were made using the chi-squared test for categorical variables and Students t-test for continuous variables…( text omitted ). A logistic regression analysis was performed for employment status, marital status, and comorbidity to evaluate the independent effects of gender on these dependent variables.” 27

EXAMPLES OF HYPOTHESIS AS WRITTEN IN PUBLISHED ARTICLES IN RELATION TO OTHER PARTS

• EXAMPLE 1. Background, hypotheses, and aims are provided
• “Pregnant women need skilled care during pregnancy and childbirth, but that skilled care is often delayed in some countries …( text omitted ). The focused antenatal care (FANC) model of WHO recommends that nurses provide information or counseling to all pregnant women …( text omitted ). Job aids are visual support materials that provide the right kind of information using graphics and words in a simple and yet effective manner. When nurses are not highly trained or have many work details to attend to, these job aids can serve as a content reminder for the nurses and can be used for educating their patients (Jennings, Yebadokpo, Affo, & Agbogbe, 2010) ( text omitted ). Importantly, additional evidence is needed to confirm how job aids can further improve the quality of ANC counseling by health workers in maternal care …( text omitted )” 28
• “ This has led us to hypothesize that the quality of ANC counseling would be better if supported by job aids. Consequently, a better quality of ANC counseling is expected to produce higher levels of awareness concerning the danger signs of pregnancy and a more favorable impression of the caring behavior of nurses .” 28
• “This study aimed to examine the differences in the responses of pregnant women to a job aid-supported intervention during ANC visit in terms of 1) their understanding of the danger signs of pregnancy and 2) their impression of the caring behaviors of nurses to pregnant women in rural Tanzania.” 28
• EXAMPLE 2. Background, hypotheses, and aims are provided
• “We conducted a two-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate and compare changes in salivary cortisol and oxytocin levels of first-time pregnant women between experimental and control groups. The women in the experimental group touched and held an infant for 30 min (experimental intervention protocol), whereas those in the control group watched a DVD movie of an infant (control intervention protocol). The primary outcome was salivary cortisol level and the secondary outcome was salivary oxytocin level.” 29
• “ We hypothesize that at 30 min after touching and holding an infant, the salivary cortisol level will significantly decrease and the salivary oxytocin level will increase in the experimental group compared with the control group .” 29
• EXAMPLE 3. Background, aim, and hypothesis are provided
• “In countries where the maternal mortality ratio remains high, antenatal education to increase Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness (BPCR) is considered one of the top priorities [1]. BPCR includes birth plans during the antenatal period, such as the birthplace, birth attendant, transportation, health facility for complications, expenses, and birth materials, as well as family coordination to achieve such birth plans. In Tanzania, although increasing, only about half of all pregnant women attend an antenatal clinic more than four times [4]. Moreover, the information provided during antenatal care (ANC) is insufficient. In the resource-poor settings, antenatal group education is a potential approach because of the limited time for individual counseling at antenatal clinics.” 30
• “This study aimed to evaluate an antenatal group education program among pregnant women and their families with respect to birth-preparedness and maternal and infant outcomes in rural villages of Tanzania.” 30
• “ The study hypothesis was if Tanzanian pregnant women and their families received a family-oriented antenatal group education, they would (1) have a higher level of BPCR, (2) attend antenatal clinic four or more times, (3) give birth in a health facility, (4) have less complications of women at birth, and (5) have less complications and deaths of infants than those who did not receive the education .” 30

Research questions and hypotheses are crucial components to any type of research, whether quantitative or qualitative. These questions should be developed at the very beginning of the study. Excellent research questions lead to superior hypotheses, which, like a compass, set the direction of research, and can often determine the successful conduct of the study. Many research studies have floundered because the development of research questions and subsequent hypotheses was not given the thought and meticulous attention needed. The development of research questions and hypotheses is an iterative process based on extensive knowledge of the literature and insightful grasp of the knowledge gap. Focused, concise, and specific research questions provide a strong foundation for constructing hypotheses which serve as formal predictions about the research outcomes. Research questions and hypotheses are crucial elements of research that should not be overlooked. They should be carefully thought of and constructed when planning research. This avoids unethical studies and poor outcomes by defining well-founded objectives that determine the design, course, and outcome of the study.

Disclosure: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

Author Contributions:

• Conceptualization: Barroga E, Matanguihan GJ.
• Methodology: Barroga E, Matanguihan GJ.
• Writing - original draft: Barroga E, Matanguihan GJ.
• Writing - review & editing: Barroga E, Matanguihan GJ.

• Student Support Services
• Subject Guides

Research Guide

• Define Your Topic
• Plan Your Search
• Know Your Resources This link opens in a new window
• Search Library Resources
• Search Web Resources This link opens in a new window
• Evaluate Your Resources This link opens in a new window
• Create an Outline
• Write Your Paper
• Cite Sources
• Avoid Plagiarism
• Research Help
• FAQs This link opens in a new window

STEP 1: Define Your Topic

Think about Search Terms

Use your background information to think of appropriate search terms. Brainstorm every possible search term for your topic.Try to think of synonyms and related words for each keyword to help broaden or narrow your search.

Look at your topic. For example: ‘Are Canadian youth politically engaged?’ The keywords in this topic would be Canadian , youth , and political engagement .

These keywords can become:

• Canadian → Canada
• Youth → "young people", "young adults", or adolescents
• "Political engagement" → vote, voting, politics, elections, or "political participation"

Example: Brainstorming Search Terms

My research question was ‘Can alternative energy sources help stop global warming?’

For this question, the keywords would be alternative energy sources, and global warming. So, some search terms could be:

• global warming → climate change, temperature change, greenhouse effect
• alternative energy sources → sustainable energy, renewable energy source, alternative fuels or environmental technology

1. Background Research

• Do some background reading to understand more about the topic.
• Is there a current book or article that gives you are good overview of the topic? 
• You can use Wikipedia  for ideas, keywords for your search and important dates and issues, but do not use it as a source in your final paper, as is not an academic source. It can also include errors, so be careful. 
• Try a test search of the library's resources to see what kind of results you get. If the topic is too general, you may need to narrow it down; if it is too specific, you may need to expand your search. 
• You can also do a test search of the internet using Google. 
• Keep in mind that what you will find through the AC Library is mostly subscription based and will include content not available for free on the internet.  

Example: Picking a Subject

My assignment:.

Write a research report on a topic of your choice

My subject ideas:

• I am interested in environmental issues.
• I have read about global warming, but what are the causes?
• I wonder, what are some possible solutions?
• Why is it such a complicated problem and what are some of the issues that are debated by scientists?
• Is technology the solution to global warming? Or are changes in our behaviour the solution?

My broad topic for the assignment is ‘Global Warming’.

My research to narrow my topic:

• I got a good overview of the topic.
• I discovered areas of the topic that interest me and that I might want to focus on, such as the causes of global warming and the possible responses to it.
• I searched for for ‘Global warming’ in Page 1+ .
• I got too many results, because my topic is too general.
• I can find suggestions of subjects on the left side of the page, which I can use to make my subject more specific.
• In the next step, I will use what I have learned to refine my topic.

2. Refine Your Topic

Narrowing your subject to a more specific topic takes a bit of research and thought.

Here are some ideas to help you narrow your topic:

• Talk to a friend to get ideas. They may give you ideas that didn't occur to you.
• Brainstorm - think about or write down what you know about the topic. Use these as terms for your test searches. 

Use these questions:

• WHY did you choose the topic? What interests you about it?  Do you have an opinion about the issues involved?
• WHO are the information providers on this topic?  Who might publish information about it?  Who is affected by the topic? Do you know of organizations or institutions affiliated with the topic?
• WHAT are the major questions for this topic?  Is there a debate about the topic?  Are there a range of issues and viewpoints to consider?
• WHERE is your topic important: at the local, national or international level?  Are there specific places affected by the topic?
• WHEN is/was your topic important? Is it a current event or an historical issue?  Do you want to compare your topic by time periods?

(Content reproduced from MIT.edu under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License )

• Turn your topic into a question. You will be trying to answer this question with your research. Think about something you would like to try to prove or argue.
• Make sure to pick a topic that will have enough information available. Do a preliminary search to see if there is enough information about your topic.

Example: Refining Your Topic

The subject we chose in the earlier step is ‘global warming.’ This subject is a very broad topic with many different aspects you could research. We will use the techniques above to narrow our subject to a research topic.

• Why: I am interested in environmental issues, and I am interested in how technology can be used to improve things in the future.
• Who: Many environmental journals have published research on this topic. Also, organizations such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the United Nations Environment Programme publish reports on the topic.
• Which types of energy sources are best for the environment?
• Are they feasible?
• How much will they cost?
• What are the potential positive or negative effects?
• Where: This issue is important for everyone, both on local levels and on a global level.
• When: This is a current issue; it is very important today and for the future. I would like for this paper to be more future-focused.
• From these answers, I came up with possible topics, such as ‘the causes of global warming’ ‘technological solutions to global warming’, or ‘what effect does global warming have on business?’ or ‘scientific debate about global warming’
• I turned my topic into a question: ‘Can alternative energy sources help stop global warming?’
• I made sure my topic has enough information available. A quick search of library resources shows over 7,000 results related to my question.

Sample research question: Can alternative energy sources help stop global warming?

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• Next: Plan Your Search >>
• Last Updated: Apr 4, 2024 9:56 AM
• URL: https://algonquincollege.libguides.com/research

• USU Library

Choosing a Research Topic: Home

Picking a research topic.

Choosing a research topic can be one of the most difficult parts of the research process. Watch the video to learn how to pick a relevant and interesting topic.

Choosing a Research Topic

How to choose a research topic.

1. Begin choosing a research topic by reading the assignment description to make sure you understand the assignment requirements. Are there things you can or cannot research? How long is the paper? Are you required to find scholarly sources?

2. Next, you want to identify a topic that you care about. Caring about a topic will result in a better paper and make the process more enjoyable for you. What are you interested in? What issues personally affect you? What are current issues in your field of study? You can also use CQ Researcher to browse topic ideas.

3. After you have brainstormed several areas you are interested in, an effective way of developing a topic is combining 2-3 of your interests to pick a topic that is unique to you. 

4. After you have identified a topic you care about, conduct an initial search about your topic in a database.

5. Combining your interests with initial research can help you learn more about your topic and the angle you want to pursue.

6. As you continue the research process, it is inevitable that your topic will change or evolve.

• Last Updated: Jul 12, 2024 11:56 AM
• URL: https://libguides.usu.edu/research_topic

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

Which program are you applying to?

Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

December 8, 2023

How to Write About Your Research Interests

The most common challenge that my master’s and PhD applicant clients face when writing a statement of research interests or a statement of purpose (SOP) is how to describe in concrete terms what their research interests and goals are. This is understandable. Their ideas are still evolving, and some worry that they’ll later be held to the ideas they stated in their applications, as though they were chiseled in stone. Others simply haven’t yet thought those ideas through very much. 

Take a deep breath! By the time you begin writing your thesis, I promise that no one will pop up and wave your SOP or research interests statement around, saying, “But that’s not what you said here!” Everyone knows that your knowledge and ideas will develop throughout your grad program. 

Here are the two things that a great statement of research interests or SOP will do:

• It  will clearly illustrate to the admissions committee that you possess a depth of interest and comprehension in your field and that you understand what goes into research. You will sound naïve if you talk about ideas that are too vague or nebulous, or ones that cannot be addressed adequately through your discipline.  
• It will explain any relevant background you have in this field, why you find it compelling, and  why you are well suited for this career track . 

Four questions to help you find your statement focus

To narrow your interests into something that is concrete enough for you to be able to write about convincingly, without being overly general, ask yourself these questions:

• What are the broad research questions/issues that interest you? Create a summary of your interests that you can work with, and describe your interests in a sentence – or a paragraph, at most.  
• Within those broad areas of interest, can you begin to focus on more specific questions? If you’re not sure what the current questions/problems are in your field, now is the time to start catching up. Read recent journal publications, and go to conferences if you can. Reading the literature in your field will also give you a sense of how to frame your ideas in the language of your field.  
• Have you done any research in this field already? If so, do you intend to build on your previous work in grad school or go in a new direction?  
• How will your research contribute to the field?

Understanding how to present your goals

Some projects described in SOPs are achievable in the short term, while others are big enough to last a career. If your interests/goals fall into this latter category, acknowledge your ambitions, and try to identify some element of your interests that you can pursue as a first step.

Once you have demonstrated your skills (and past experience) in your field, you will be better equipped to define your next steps. 

Focusing your interests will also involve doing more detailed research about the programs to which you plan to apply. For example, consider the following questions:

• Who might be your research supervisor?  
• How do your interests relate to the work this scholar or these scholars are doing now?  
• How would you contribute to the department and to the discipline?

Your SOP will also address your post-degree, longer-term goals. Consider this: do you envision yourself pursuing a career in research/academia? (For many PhD programs, this remains the department’s formal expectation, even though many PhDs find employment outside the academy.) If you’re applying for a master’s degree, be prepared to discuss what your future plans are and how the degree will help you. 

Working on your SOP or statement of research interests?

Your SOP needs to be direct, informative, and… well… purposeful! When you choose Accepted, we match you with a dedicated advisor who will help you create an SOP that best reflects your experiences, goals, and intense desire to attend your target graduate school program. And did you know that Accepted’s clients have received millions of dollars in scholarship offers? Don’t delay – get started now by checking out our  Graduate School Application Services .

For 25 years, Accepted has helped applicants gain acceptance to top undergraduate and graduate programs. Our expert team of admissions consultants features former admissions directors, PhDs, and professional writers who have advised clients to acceptance at top programs worldwide, including Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Princeton, Penn, Columbia, Oxford, Cambridge, INSEAD, MIT, Caltech, UC Berkeley, and Northwestern. Want an admissions expert to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• STEM Applicants: Why Your Statement of Purpose is So Important
• Three Must-Have Elements of a Good Statement of Purpose
• Writing Your Career Goals Essay

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Home » Research Summary – Structure, Examples and Writing Guide

Research Summary – Structure, Examples and Writing Guide

Table of Contents

Research Summary

Definition:

A research summary is a brief and concise overview of a research project or study that highlights its key findings, main points, and conclusions. It typically includes a description of the research problem, the research methods used, the results obtained, and the implications or significance of the findings. It is often used as a tool to quickly communicate the main findings of a study to other researchers, stakeholders, or decision-makers.

Structure of Research Summary

The Structure of a Research Summary typically include:

• Introduction : This section provides a brief background of the research problem or question, explains the purpose of the study, and outlines the research objectives.
• Methodology : This section explains the research design, methods, and procedures used to conduct the study. It describes the sample size, data collection methods, and data analysis techniques.
• Results : This section presents the main findings of the study, including statistical analysis if applicable. It may include tables, charts, or graphs to visually represent the data.
• Discussion : This section interprets the results and explains their implications. It discusses the significance of the findings, compares them to previous research, and identifies any limitations or future directions for research.
• Conclusion : This section summarizes the main points of the research and provides a conclusion based on the findings. It may also suggest implications for future research or practical applications of the results.
• References : This section lists the sources cited in the research summary, following the appropriate citation style.

How to Write Research Summary

Here are the steps you can follow to write a research summary:

• Read the research article or study thoroughly: To write a summary, you must understand the research article or study you are summarizing. Therefore, read the article or study carefully to understand its purpose, research design, methodology, results, and conclusions.
• Identify the main points : Once you have read the research article or study, identify the main points, key findings, and research question. You can highlight or take notes of the essential points and findings to use as a reference when writing your summary.
• Write the introduction: Start your summary by introducing the research problem, research question, and purpose of the study. Briefly explain why the research is important and its significance.
• Summarize the methodology : In this section, summarize the research design, methods, and procedures used to conduct the study. Explain the sample size, data collection methods, and data analysis techniques.
• Present the results: Summarize the main findings of the study. Use tables, charts, or graphs to visually represent the data if necessary.
• Interpret the results: In this section, interpret the results and explain their implications. Discuss the significance of the findings, compare them to previous research, and identify any limitations or future directions for research.
• Conclude the summary : Summarize the main points of the research and provide a conclusion based on the findings. Suggest implications for future research or practical applications of the results.
• Revise and edit : Once you have written the summary, revise and edit it to ensure that it is clear, concise, and free of errors. Make sure that your summary accurately represents the research article or study.
• Add references: Include a list of references cited in the research summary, following the appropriate citation style.

Example of Research Summary

Here is an example of a research summary:

Title: The Effects of Yoga on Mental Health: A Meta-Analysis

Introduction: This meta-analysis examines the effects of yoga on mental health. The study aimed to investigate whether yoga practice can improve mental health outcomes such as anxiety, depression, stress, and quality of life.

Methodology : The study analyzed data from 14 randomized controlled trials that investigated the effects of yoga on mental health outcomes. The sample included a total of 862 participants. The yoga interventions varied in length and frequency, ranging from four to twelve weeks, with sessions lasting from 45 to 90 minutes.

Results : The meta-analysis found that yoga practice significantly improved mental health outcomes. Participants who practiced yoga showed a significant reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as stress levels. Quality of life also improved in those who practiced yoga.

Discussion : The findings of this study suggest that yoga can be an effective intervention for improving mental health outcomes. The study supports the growing body of evidence that suggests that yoga can have a positive impact on mental health. Limitations of the study include the variability of the yoga interventions, which may affect the generalizability of the findings.

Conclusion : Overall, the findings of this meta-analysis support the use of yoga as an effective intervention for improving mental health outcomes. Further research is needed to determine the optimal length and frequency of yoga interventions for different populations.

References :

• Cramer, H., Lauche, R., Langhorst, J., Dobos, G., & Berger, B. (2013). Yoga for depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Depression and anxiety, 30(11), 1068-1083.
• Khalsa, S. B. (2004). Yoga as a therapeutic intervention: a bibliometric analysis of published research studies. Indian journal of physiology and pharmacology, 48(3), 269-285.
• Ross, A., & Thomas, S. (2010). The health benefits of yoga and exercise: a review of comparison studies. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 16(1), 3-12.

Purpose of Research Summary

The purpose of a research summary is to provide a brief overview of a research project or study, including its main points, findings, and conclusions. The summary allows readers to quickly understand the essential aspects of the research without having to read the entire article or study.

Research summaries serve several purposes, including:

• Facilitating comprehension: A research summary allows readers to quickly understand the main points and findings of a research project or study without having to read the entire article or study. This makes it easier for readers to comprehend the research and its significance.
• Communicating research findings: Research summaries are often used to communicate research findings to a wider audience, such as policymakers, practitioners, or the general public. The summary presents the essential aspects of the research in a clear and concise manner, making it easier for non-experts to understand.
• Supporting decision-making: Research summaries can be used to support decision-making processes by providing a summary of the research evidence on a particular topic. This information can be used by policymakers or practitioners to make informed decisions about interventions, programs, or policies.
• Saving time: Research summaries save time for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and other stakeholders who need to review multiple research studies. Rather than having to read the entire article or study, they can quickly review the summary to determine whether the research is relevant to their needs.

Characteristics of Research Summary

The following are some of the key characteristics of a research summary:

• Concise : A research summary should be brief and to the point, providing a clear and concise overview of the main points of the research.
• Objective : A research summary should be written in an objective tone, presenting the research findings without bias or personal opinion.
• Comprehensive : A research summary should cover all the essential aspects of the research, including the research question, methodology, results, and conclusions.
• Accurate : A research summary should accurately reflect the key findings and conclusions of the research.
• Clear and well-organized: A research summary should be easy to read and understand, with a clear structure and logical flow.
• Relevant : A research summary should focus on the most important and relevant aspects of the research, highlighting the key findings and their implications.
• Audience-specific: A research summary should be tailored to the intended audience, using language and terminology that is appropriate and accessible to the reader.
• Citations : A research summary should include citations to the original research articles or studies, allowing readers to access the full text of the research if desired.

When to write Research Summary

Here are some situations when it may be appropriate to write a research summary:

• Proposal stage: A research summary can be included in a research proposal to provide a brief overview of the research aims, objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes.
• Conference presentation: A research summary can be prepared for a conference presentation to summarize the main findings of a study or research project.
• Journal submission: Many academic journals require authors to submit a research summary along with their research article or study. The summary provides a brief overview of the study’s main points, findings, and conclusions and helps readers quickly understand the research.
• Funding application: A research summary can be included in a funding application to provide a brief summary of the research aims, objectives, and expected outcomes.
• Policy brief: A research summary can be prepared as a policy brief to communicate research findings to policymakers or stakeholders in a concise and accessible manner.

Advantages of Research Summary

Research summaries offer several advantages, including:

• Time-saving: A research summary saves time for readers who need to understand the key findings and conclusions of a research project quickly. Rather than reading the entire research article or study, readers can quickly review the summary to determine whether the research is relevant to their needs.
• Clarity and accessibility: A research summary provides a clear and accessible overview of the research project’s main points, making it easier for readers to understand the research without having to be experts in the field.
• Improved comprehension: A research summary helps readers comprehend the research by providing a brief and focused overview of the key findings and conclusions, making it easier to understand the research and its significance.
• Enhanced communication: Research summaries can be used to communicate research findings to a wider audience, such as policymakers, practitioners, or the general public, in a concise and accessible manner.
• Facilitated decision-making: Research summaries can support decision-making processes by providing a summary of the research evidence on a particular topic. Policymakers or practitioners can use this information to make informed decisions about interventions, programs, or policies.
• Increased dissemination: Research summaries can be easily shared and disseminated, allowing research findings to reach a wider audience.

Limitations of Research Summary

Limitations of the Research Summary are as follows:

• Limited scope: Research summaries provide a brief overview of the research project’s main points, findings, and conclusions, which can be limiting. They may not include all the details, nuances, and complexities of the research that readers may need to fully understand the study’s implications.
• Risk of oversimplification: Research summaries can be oversimplified, reducing the complexity of the research and potentially distorting the findings or conclusions.
• Lack of context: Research summaries may not provide sufficient context to fully understand the research findings, such as the research background, methodology, or limitations. This may lead to misunderstandings or misinterpretations of the research.
• Possible bias: Research summaries may be biased if they selectively emphasize certain findings or conclusions over others, potentially distorting the overall picture of the research.
• Format limitations: Research summaries may be constrained by the format or length requirements, making it challenging to fully convey the research’s main points, findings, and conclusions.
• Accessibility: Research summaries may not be accessible to all readers, particularly those with limited literacy skills, visual impairments, or language barriers.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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• How it works /

What are research briefings

Get free research briefings from the OR

What is a research briefing?

And how to be easily the most knowledgable person in the room.

In this briefing about research briefings I look at:

• What a research briefing is 
• What a good research briefing should contain
• Who uses them
• How professionals use them
• How to know the quality of the research briefing and the study you are being briefed on

A research briefing is a summary of a single piece of proper research or a series of research studies on a similar topic. A briefing is a concise and understandable consolidation of just the main points of longer, more complex, academic and often impenetrable research.

What makes a good research briefing?

A good research briefing will have a number of attributes The point of a research briefing is that it should be useful to the reader in some way. A briefing and indeed the actual research is really only any use if it has some impact beyond ‘that’s interesting’. It needs to add something to the reader so the information / findings of the research need to be:

• Reader centric - the briefing needs to be on a topic of interest and use to the reader
• Useful - this is usually because the reader can use the information to actually do something as a result of reading the briefing
• Brief! People are busy so the briefing has to get the right information to the reader as quickly as possible
• Understandable - It needs to be based on the readers reading comprehension, experience, expertise and knowledge levels The point of a search briefing is to remove jargon and academic lagged and make it readily understandable
• Accurate - the briefing has to fairly represent the main findings of the research without bias or distortion 

Additionally, a good briefing will review the research as objectively as possible to give an indication of any weaknesses in the research. Every study has weaknesses, there is no 100% watertight research. Having a fair appreciation of these weaknesses enables people to make better decisions about the study and the applicability and usability to the reader’s situation.

Not all studies have the same level of validity and reliability, indeed some are just rubbish and have little value. For example, a survey of the opinions of two people is very different to a study observing the behaviour of thousands. Understanding this is important.

Why do professionals use research briefings?

Ask yourself, in terms of the amount, how do you keep up to date with what’s happening in your professional area. How you gain new knowledge and insights and where do you get ideas from? It is probably a mix of the following:

• Work colleagues
• LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or other social media
• Professional forums and groups
• Magazines and newsletters
• Surveys and opinion polls
• Proper research papers or research briefings
• Conferences
• University or college or other courses

Now rank that mix, where do most of your updates, knowledge, insights and ideas come from week-to-week in order? Which is your most used source of practice evidence and inspiration? And how much of that information and knowledge is based on verifiable evidence? (See here for an article about the difference between opinion- and evidence-based knowledge) Properly designed, a good properly curated and accurate briefing based on proper research can get you the most up-to-date findings from the best research studies in a matter of minutes. Not only that a good research briefing service can make sure you only get the content you need.

This means that you stay up to date and impressively well-informed without becoming overwhelmed and in only a few minutes a week.

Get regular research  brie fings - free...

Where does the data for a research briefing come from?

Good research briefings should come from good published research study.  

So for a starter, research briefings should be using peer-reviewed sources (research that has been reviewed by other researchers and experts for accuracy, validity and reliability).

Anyone can publish a blog. Anyone can write a self-published book. Anyone can say they have done a survey. But how accurate or biased is it? How big is the sample in the study? Is it the opinions of just a few people or observations and proper statistical analysis of larger populations? Are the results generalisable (apply to most situations) or is it a case study that just applies to one situation or context? 

A good research briefing will review and help you decide on the quality of the research, what its weakness are and not just report the findings. 

What are research briefings based on?

That depends on who is doing the briefing. We can only talk about the OR Briefings...

All of our briefings come from properly published academic peer-reviewed sources. We not only get you to the findings fast, but we also review and fully reference the study, so you know where it has come from and how reliable it is. This is important information if you are going to have confidence in what you are investing your precious time on. 

We also interview many of the researchers and send them out to members as podcasts.

How can I tell the quality of a research briefing?

We can’t talk for anyone else, but as mentioned above we review the research of every single study we provide briefings about. At the end of every briefing we let you know about the:

• Research Quality – we tell you what the strengths and weaknesses are of the study and give it a score out of 5 for fast reference
• Confidence – Given what other studies on this topic are saying and the weaknesses of the study, how confident are we that you can rely on the findings. Again we give it a score out of 5 and let you know why we have given it that score
• Usefulness – How useful and practical is this study, to whom and for what. 
• Comments – We make general comments about the study or studies referenced in the briefing to help you decide how best to use it. 

What subjects do you do research briefings on?

At the moment we do research briefings around anything broadly connected to organisations and people. We tend to focus on topics connected to (but we are not restricted to):

• Project Management and Agile Working
• Organisational Development and Design
• Organisational Change and Transformation
• Human Resources (HR), Human Capital (HC) and Human Resource Management (HRM)
• Learning, e-learning and Knowledge Management 
• Coaching and mentoring
• Problem Solving and Decision-Making
• Work Psychology

Who uses research briefings? 

The range of our members include:

• Operational managers
• HR Directors, managers and professionals
• Learning Directors, managers and professionals
• Organisational development, change and transformation professionals
• Consultants
• Professors, Academics and Lecturers / teachers
• The United Nations
• The National Health Service (UK)
• UK Parliament
• The Scrum Alliance of America
• The Bank of England
• The Bank of Russia
• Consultancy teams and companies

and many others

How do people use research briefings? 

People use our research briefings for a wide number of purposes including:

• For their own CPD
• Training and development of others
• With coaching clients
• Team development - many companies have a group membership so every member of the team get the briefings
• Team members pick a briefing a week to discuss either at team meeting or on slack or other Social media
• As the basis of blogs, newsletters and email marketing. The briefings are an excellent way to position yourself as right up-to-date, well-informed and importantly evidence-based
• To solve real life work problems and make their practice evidence-based
• To help with leadership and management issues
• To get work-based practices onto an evidence-based practice 
• To create and support organisational change
• To integrate into and update consultancy practice
• Keep entire organisations up to date
• Use in knowledge management systems
• With members in membership sites

Types of research briefing

There are a number of different types of research briefing including:

•  A document such written briefing, Powerpoint set etc. webpage or PDF
• An infographic
• An audio file / podcast
• A video research briefing as a presentation
• A live seminar, workshop either in person or as an online webinar and this can either be live or pre-recorded

What do I get if I join?

• Weekly research briefings sent direct to you every week
• A copy of the Oxford Review containing between twelve and sixteen additional research briefings every month
• Research Infographics
• Video research briefings
• Special reports / short literature reviews on topics that appear to be getting a lot of research attention or if there has been a recent shift in the thinking or theory
• Human resources (not legal aspects)
• Organisational development
• Organisational change
• Organisational learning
• Learning and development
• Knowledge management
• Decision making and problem solving
• Request specific research / brief literature reviews
• Access to the entire archive of previous research briefings, copies of the Oxford Review, infographics, video research briefings and special reports.
• Access to Live Reports – continually updated as new research on the topic is released
• Members only podcasts – research briefings in audio
• Access to a member only forum and communities of practice, including live workshops every two weeks
• Access to The Oxford Review courses

How do I join?

In order to keep the integrity of the members community and ensure that we are bringing in like-minded research/evidence-based or research/evidence-interested members, we ask that you have a quick chat with us beforehand so you can ask any questions and we can find out a little about you and your interests: 

To arrange a quick chat click here

Our members guide what research we search for and source. What we have found over the years is that people who speak to us in person are much more likely to interact and tell us what they are looking for. 

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Creating a Successful Research Topic Statement (PSY)

In this tutorial, we will identify what makes for a successful research topic.

Most research topics start out as a general and often vague idea that a researcher has an interest in investigating.

Inexperienced researchers, including most doctoral learners, frequently think of topics that are quite interesting, but not narrowly enough focused for a dissertation.

This tutorial will guide you through a set of steps designed to help you come up with a topic, first of all, and secondly to focus it more tightly so that you can begin a meaningful and successful search of the existing literature to discover whether your topic is actually researchable.

This tutorial's primary objective is to prepare you to create a successful research topic that may become the topic of your dissertation. To do that, we'll work through the following issues:

• First, what are the characteristics of a well-formed research topic?
• Second, how are research topics evaluated?
• Third, how can the key concepts and the population be narrowed and focused so that they are researchable?
• Fourth, how can the relationship among concepts be named so that the appropriate methodological literature can be accessed in the literature review?

Obviously, in Track 1 you are at the beginning of your studies toward the doctorate, and perhaps your dissertation is far from your thoughts. We are starting the process now, however, because our experience has been that when learners wait to start searching for their topics, it often creates a serious problem for them when they actually start the dissertation. That problem can take many forms, but the most common one is that they have not had sufficient time (and training) in exhaustively searching the relevant literature to discover whether the topic they are interested in is even viable—and without a good topic statement, a good literature search is impossible. So let's begin.

What Is a Research Topic?

A research topic is an area of interest to a researcher that is first of all, researchable. It is focused narrowly enough that its key concepts are quite plain and well integrated. It is a topic or subject that can be found in the existing literature of the researcher's field, which shows that it is of some interest or importance to that field, and has some important characteristics.

Characteristics of a Well-formed Research Topic

The first mark of a well-formed topic is that it clearly states the key concepts to be investigated. Sometimes, only one concept is named—those studies often turn out to be qualitative, but not always. More often, two or more key concepts are named. Next, it identifies the relationship or relationships among those concepts that the researcher intends to explore. Obviously, if only one concept was named, there won't be a relationship, but in that case a word like "describes" or "experiences" will give a clue to the kind of information desired. Third, a research topic specifies the population of interest to be investigated. Finally, a research topic is just a phrase. That is, it is not a full sentence with a verb. However, the well-formed topic statement will embed the actual topic in a complete sentence. Let's look at some examples.

Some Examples of Topic Statements

Here are a few topic statements that eventually lead to successful dissertations:

• Elementary age students' needs for family-based counseling services.
• Indigenous people's responses to encounters with law enforcement.
• Impact of mother's death on daughters in poor, middle class, and wealthy families.
• The relationship between assignment strategies to prevent burnout used by managers of first responders and the occurrence of burnout.
• Employees' productivity as a function of their managers' management styles.
• Strategies used by mainstream classroom teachers to manage children with behavior problems who do not receive special education.

You can see immediately that all six examples, taken from the four schools in Capella University, are phrases, not complete sentences. So far, so good. The first mark of a successful topic statement is that it identifies the key concepts to be investigated, right? Let's see how the examples do that.

Evaluating the Form of the Examples: Key Concepts

In the first example, we seem to have two key concepts: "needs" and "family-based counseling services." Are they stated clearly? Probably not clearly enough: what is meant by "needs" and "family-based counseling services" is not immediately transparent. This topic will need some work, but most topics start out this way.

Let's try another: Indigenous people’s responses to encounters with law enforcement. Here, there seem to be two key concepts: "responses" and "encounters with law enforcement." These concepts are quite broad and will have to be narrowed considerably to support a researchable topic, but they provide a good start.

Let's do one more: Employees' productivity as a function of their managers' management styles.

Here, there are two key concepts, right? Productivity and management styles.

Evaluating the Form of Topics: Relationship(s) among the Key Concepts

The second mark of a successful topic is that it identifies any relationship to be investigated between or among the key concepts. Let's look at the third example to see about this.

This topic meets our criterion of being a phrase. It seems to state at least two concepts (but with multiple levels): "death" and "socio-economic status of daughters." What about the relationship? Well, it is captured in that word "impact."

An "impact" in research jargon means the effect that one concept—death—has on another concept, in this case, the daughters. One can, in fact, replace the word impact with the word effect without changing the meaning at all. So the topic is proposing a cause-and-effect kind of relationship.

Let's look at another example: The relationship between assignment strategies to prevent burnout used by managers of first responders and the occurrence of burnout

This seems complicated, but it really isn't. First, let's check the key concepts: "Assignment strategies to prevent burnout" would seem to be one key concept, and "occurrence of burnout" would be the other. These are reasonably clear, or probably would be to someone in the human resources or management worlds. No doubt they will be further clarified as the researcher works on the topic's wording. But what about the relationship? It is in the word "relationship," obviously. And in research jargon, a "relationship" between A and B is a particular kind of relationship, called a correlation.

Now, play with the other topics to see if you can identify the relationship—if any.

Evaluating the Form of Topics: Target Population

The third sign of a successful topic is that it names the target population, the group of people or organizations or groups that the researcher is interested in. Let's evaluate some of our examples on this point.

• Elementary age students' needs for family-based counseling services : The population here is stated: Students of elementary school age.
• Indigenous people's responses to encounters with law enforcement: Here as well, the population is indigenous people.
• Impact of mother's death on daughters in poor, middle class, and wealthy families: The population is daughters in three socio-economic groups.
• The relationship between assignment strategies to prevent burnout used by managers of first responders and the occurrence of burnout: You determine who the population is in this one.

Is It Managers or Is It First Responders?

The population is managers of first responders. Or is it? The awkward wording of the topic makes this a bit hard to digest. The burnout occurs in the first responders, so maybe they are the population. But the first responders' managers are the ones using the management strategies, so are they the population?

Well, the two key concepts are management strategies (used by managers) and rate of burnout (in first responders), so the researcher will have to get information from both groups of people, so both are the target population: first responders and their managers.

Take a minute and try to figure out the rest of our examples.

Summing Up the Characteristics of a Successful Topic

We've seen in action the three chief marks of a successful research topic.

• The topic states the key concepts to be investigated.
• It states what relationship between or among the concepts will be explored. Remember, if there is only one concept (which often is the case in qualitative studies), there won't be a relationship. But if there are two or more key concepts, look for the relationship between or among them.
• The successful topic names the population of interest for the study.

A well-formed research topic will have these characteristics, but simply having them is not sufficient. The elements also need to be well-focused and narrowed down to a point where the research becomes feasible. Let's take a look at a simple method for doing this.

Narrowing the Focus

Take a look at this grid. You'll see that one of our topics has been broken out into the first column. The population is first—indigenous people—followed by two concepts: responses and law enforcement. Now look at the central column, labeled "Narrower term." Notice how the very broad population has been narrowed. Similarly, "law enforcement" has been narrowed to police (there are many other types of law enforcement, such as FBI, Homeland Security, TSA, Customs and Immigration, sheriff's departments, and so on). Similarly, there are many kinds of behaviors and experiences that could be considered "responses," but the researcher is most interested in emotional responses. Now move to the third column. Can you see how each term is being narrowed yet again?

If we restated the topic now, after having narrowed it down a bit, it would look like this: Cherokee Indians' tolerance for stress when meeting traffic officers.

Let's work through another example, this time using the topic "Employees' productivity as a function of their managers' management styles."

You can see the key terms lined up in the first column. The other two columns are blank.

What would you ask yourself, if this were your topic, in order to narrow this down?

Questions to Ask for Narrowing a Topic

There are many questions you can ask yourself when you are narrowing your topic. A good opener is "So what do I really want to know about the concept?"

Another quite good question is to ask about your real interest or passion is about the concept or the population.

You can also find helpful terms by performing controlled vocabulary searches in library databases. You can find a nice tutorial on that method of searching in the Capella library at but whatever you ask yourself, keep your focus on what you truly most want to know and care about regarding the concept.

Now, let's get back to our example.

When the researcher asked herself what sort of employees and managers she was actually interested in, she realized it was service employees and managers. The more she pondered, and was helped by a quick check of the literature in her specialization, she realized that she was most interested in call center personnel. Then she tackled productivity . From her courses in management measurement, she knew that one way to think about productivity was days at work. But that seemed too dependent on factors outside the manager-employee relationship. She wanted a more fine-grained way to look at productivity, so she narrowed it to a specific measure, calls completed times minutes per call.

Then she took on management styl e. Knowing that there are many types, her first attempt at focusing this term was authoritarian style. That didn't satisfy her, and when she looked again at her topic, she realized that that word "function" was important. It implied to her that she was really interested in knowing how different management styles related to different degrees of productivity. At first, she put together a list of known management styles, but that felt intimidating. She decided to narrow it down to just two: authoritarian vs. flexible management style.

After all this, her topic now looked like this: Productivity as measured by calls completed times minutes per call in call center employees supervised by authoritarian managers compared to productivity in call center employees supervised by flexible managers.

She knew the wording was clunky and would need to be crafted better, but she had a much more focused topic. So far, we've been looking at two things about good research topics: what they should contain (concepts, relationships, and population), and how to narrow each element. In these narrowing exercises, we've focused on the concepts and the population. Now, let's turn our attention to the relationship . This is a very important element, because it offers an important clue about the nature of the study that might ensue.

Evaluating the Relationship Named in the Topic

Research asks all kinds of questions, and the relationship named in the research topic clues us into what kind of question the ensuing study will likely ask. Here are some questions you might ask in order to choose the right word to describe the relationship you're looking for.

What do you envision really doing?

• Looking at comparisons between variables or groups of people?
• Looking at relationships between two or more concepts?
• Looking at effects of one or more concept on another concept or group?
• Looking at outcomes of some process or treatment or condition?
• Looking at experiences?
• Developing a theory to explain some phenomenon?

For each of these (and there are other sorts of questions you can ask yourself), specific words can specify the relationship. Let's look at them.

If your topic compares two or more things compared with or some similar phrase indicates the relationship you want to know about. For instance, student retention rates in large urban school districts compared with small rural districts.

If your interest is about relationships between two or more concepts, try using words like relationship, in relation to, or other similar constructions. Here's an example: the frequency of church attendance in relation to socioeconomic status.

Suppose your interest is to see if one thing has an effect on something else. In that case, you can use that word, effect, or other words such as influence, impact, cause, predict, and the like. For example, the influence of tax policy on employment patterns in Midwestern communities.

An outcome is another version of a cause-and-effect relationship, specifically when you are interested in the final condition after some kind of process. For instance, the outcome of a training program. That word is excellent to use for the relationship, as in the outcome of training program A as measured by employee comprehension of corporate policies.

Are you interested in describing a certain experience, such as falling in love or being laid off work or having a baby or starting a new company? Having experiences is a very subjective thing, and the actual experience is a single thing—not one of a few variables. So there is no relationship to specify in such a topic, but the only way to learn about people's experiences is to ask them to describe them. So, words like descriptions of, accounts of, reports of, and the like can be very helpful. For instance, men's descriptions of their spiritual transformations when recovering from alcoholism.

Okay, we've covered the basics of how to craft a well-formed research topic. We've seen the marks of a good topic. They are:

• The key concepts are clearly stated and well-focused so that they can be profitably found in the literature.
• Second, the relationship, if any, between or among them is clearly stated. Even if there is no relationship, what you're really looking for (descriptions? accounts? reports?) can be seen in the wording.
• Third, the people you want to study, your population, is clearly stated and narrowed down to a workable point. You have all these points covered in a single phrase, and if after narrowing it down that phrase is awkward, you will work on crafting it into a more graceful form.

In a minute, you'll get to work crafting your own research topic, but first I want to show you why we emphasize the importance of narrowing and focusing the key concepts, relationships, and populations.

What Do You Do With the Research Topic?

The research topic is step 1 in the sequential process of research design. Once you have your topic in hand, step 2 is to take it to the library and begin searching for existing research and theory on the topic. Here's where your key concepts need to be well-defined and narrowly focused. You will be looking for all the existing research on those key concepts when you start.

At first, you'll investigate each of your key concepts individually, to find out what the existing literature has to say about them in and of themselves. Later, after you have developed a good working knowledge of the background concepts, you'll dig deeper into research linking the key concepts together.

At the third level, you'll follow the "breadcrumbs" all the way back to the earliest studies on your topic so that you will, ultimately, master that literature fully.

So your topic statement is the foundation. It organizes your various literature reviews. Searching on the key concepts (translated into various key words) will help you organize the content of your study.

Searching on the existing methodological literature about the relationship named in your topic will prepare you for your methodological decisions in later steps of research design.

There is an old Chinese proverb found in the I Ching and many other places: “Patience in the beginning brings success.” If you are careful and attentive, and work patiently to write your research topic, then rewrite it, then rewrite it again and again, you will have a solid foundation on which to start building your literature review. The topic is your beginning.

Remain patient and steady, and you will succeed.

Doc. reference: phd_t1_u04s1_mpsuccess.html

Your new research website

Building an online presence for your research group that is easy to maintain in the long term, describing your research project.

The goal in trying to improve the web site is to show off the work of the department. This document describes how to write a short piece (extended abstract length) that will allow you to do that. We don’t expect what you produce to perfectly fit the guidelines described here, just for you to keep this specification (and the philosophy behind it) in mind as you compose. If you have any questions at all about this, please don’t hesitate to contact Sunny Bains < [email protected] >.

You should not think of your research project summary as a technical paper, but as an advertisement for your work and your expertise (so that people want to read your publications, collaborate with you, and give you money). The main thing is to get across the importance of what you’re doing, how you are doing it, and the expertise that you and your group have that make you qualified to be able to succeed at it.

However, we don’t want it to be too fluffy. When people within your own field read about the project, we want them to have some idea of how your work differs from your competitors, which may involve getting a little bit technical and/or referring to your publications.

Essentially, you are having to address three different audiences at once. First is a general technical audience (we’ll call it G) consisting of people from very different disciplines: if you are an computer scientist, it may be useful to think of a reader who is a microbiologist. This class of people is important because it includes industrial managers, sponsors, civil servants etc.: people who have technical backgrounds but don’t necessarily have any knowledge that is relevant to your particular work. These are often people who hold purse strings and make employment decisions.

Second is the subset of readers within your general discipline (we’ll call this D): other computer scientists. They have degrees in CS (possibly from many years ago), but their work may be drastically different to yours (for instance, consider someone in machine vision trying to talk to someone working in quantum computing). Finally, there are those people who are actually specialists in your field who want to know the meat of your technological contribution (we’ll call them S).

The formula to please all your audience is very simple. A typical 500-word project description (plus one picture with a short caption and as many references as you want) will normally consist of about five roughly 100-word paragraphs that should be addressed to the following audiences: G, G, D, S, G. For fuller details, the actual content, see the outline—with examples—below.

Finally, as you go along, please think carefully about the publications you want to reference and also, if you can, about any pictures that could be used to illustrate your work. If it’s a diagram and you’re concerned it’s ugly, remember we can have it redrawn for you: the idea is to choose something that really communicates what you’re doing.

Name of the project with important acronyms spelled out  (General technical audience)

Keep it short (ten words or fewer), straightforward, and as free from jargon as you can.

FUSE: Floodplain underground sensors

Short description  (General technical audience)

This is not an abstract, just a sentence or two summing up what the project is about: the whole thing should be no longer than 35 words. It is going to show up in lists and will always be seen with the name of the project above it. For example:

We are creating enhanced algorithms that perform pattern matching for applications like medical screening and biometric identification. Novel coding allows them to operate orders of magnitude faster than current approaches and with a lower false-positive rate.

Paragraph 1: The problem (General technical audience)

Give the context of your work for a non-specialist. To what general field(s) does your work apply, and why is this field important? What could be achieved in these fields and what issues are holding back this progress? Remember to spell out all acronyms the first time you use them, and to explain all jargon terms that aren’t well understood outside your field.

Please write the main text in the active voice where possible, using the first person or first person plural (“we have developed…”). For instance:

Having to use ionizing radiation for body scans has many disadvantages, particularly related to the safety of both medical staff and patients. It would be ideal if we could use visible light instead: it is simple to generate, poses little risk to humans, and can captured easily using electronic cameras. Unfortunately, however, diffusion of light rays through body tissue mean that the images that emerge are unclear…

Paragraph 2: The set up (General Technical Audience)

From the issues you described in the first paragraph, now pick out the ones that directly relate to your work. How have people tried to solve this/these in the past? Why have these solutions fallen short? What is (briefly) your new solution? For example:

There have been many approaches to the development of micromechanical structures with very high aspect ratios. Most of those in two dimensions have problems of low-yield. For instance, with three-dimensional techniques, such as {techniques and problems here}. To get around these issues, we have been working on a new approach called hybrid structure formation (HSF), that attempts to incorporate the advantages of both and the disadvantages of neither.

Paragraph 3: Your approach (Audience in your discipline)

Having mentioned your approach in the last paragraph, you should now explain the basic concepts behind it and how it works. Here you can be a little more technical, but if you use words that can’t be looked up in a basic scientific dictionary, add some explanation. For example:

Neuromorphic engineering—the building of brain-like structures in silicon—was originally conceived by Carver Mead at the California Institute of Technology.6 It is based on the idea that it is more efficient to use the physics of electronic devices to implement functions directly, rather than to simulate these functions using digital algorithms. This is a particularly advantageous approach for building neural systems as the functions that transistors perform naturally are qualitatively very similar to those in biological neurons…

Paragraphs 4: What you’ve done (Audience in your discipline for paragraph 4, moving to a specialist audience for 5 and 6)

This is the most straightforward section of the article, and the one that is least likely to be a problem. Just very briefly outline what you’ve done and link to the papers where people can find out in detail what this has involved. An easy way to think about this is simply to use one sentence to describe the work that’s been published in a single paper, and to string all the papers/sentences together into a narrative. For example:

Our work has shown that, to maximize performance, AI in embodied systems must be optimized for the specific sensors and actuators of each individual body: not just as designed, but as they work in reality.1 Because sensors and actuators are not digital but analogue, this means that all machines, even built to the same specification, will be different.2 This means that the final optimization must take place through learning on the actual robot or other machine that the intelligence is to control.3 To achieve this we have developed an approach called…

Paragraph 7: Summary and further work (General audience)

Without restating from scratch and explain how the work you’ve just described has changed/progressed the problem you described at the top. Then tell us how you think you can make even further progress. For example:

To make the types of three-dimensional structures we need for next-generation batteries and other devices, the use of surfactants as templates seems promising. So far our results have shown that we can easily make structures at the right scale (5-10nm), in the right types of patterns (such as hexagonal cells), and that are solid enough to be viable in real devices. Our next step will be to show that the new materials can be fabricated in large-enough slabs to be useful in macroscopic products.

Selecting a Research Topic: Background information & facts

• Refine your topic
• Background information & facts

What to look for

Background information can help you prepare for further research by explaining all the issues related to your topic, especially when you're investigating a field that's unfamiliar to you. Tips:

• Check for background information in: dictionaries, handbooks and encyclopedias.
• Look for facts in: statistical guides, almanacs, biographical sources, or handbooks.
• Collect keywords or important terms, concepts and author names to use when searching databases.
• Start thinking in broad terms, then narrow down your topic. 
• Look at bibliographies to guide you to other sources of information (books, articles, etc.)

 See also:

• MIT Libraries Subject Experts Librarians who specialize in the field you're researching can assist you with your information search.
• MIT Libraries Research Guides Designed by MIT librarians for finding information in specific fields. Browse the subject categories to find one that matches your topic. Each guide links you to information sources in that field.
• Search Our Collections Find sources on your topic, either in print or online. Search using keywords; for example: global warming handbook

General sources

Below is a selection of online reference sources.  Find more in Search Our Collections .

• CQ Researcher Great background material for current events and controversial topics
• General Reference Research Guide Sources to help find general background information (includes dictionaries and encyclopedias).
• Oxford English Dictionary Online version of the comprehensive OED
• Virtual Reference Collection A collection of web sites, organized by category, for finding facts, data and general information. Created by MIT Libraries staff. For example, for biographical information, see 'People'.
• World Almanac Includes brief factual, statistical, chronological, and descriptive summaries from The Funk & Wagnall's New Encyclopedia and four almanacs

Subject-specific sources

• ASM Handbooks Online Complete content of twenty-one ASM Handbook volumes plus two ASM Desk Editions
• Biography Research Guide Links to many biographical sources that cover various fields, including the Arts, Science, and History
• CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics Comprehensive resource of physical constants and properties
• Gale Virtual Reference Library A collection of specialized online encyclopedias
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• Reference sources are generally part of the fee-based web, which means they require a subscription to access the content, making the information in them very valuable.  The fee-based sources listed here are paid for by the MIT Libraries.
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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.

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

• Academic style
• Vague sentences
• Style consistency

See an example

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

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Research brief: Meaning, Components, Importance & Ways to Prepare

June 12, 2023 | By Hitesh Bhasin | Filed Under: Marketing

Have you ever faced a situation where a researcher has not exactly given the results that you require? Have you ever discussed research as what you want precisely and been disappointed to find that there is a disparity in your expectation and the outcomes? This is because of a failure in communication , that is particular an insufficient brief.

This is where we exactly wish to discuss research brief.

A research brief is a statement that comes from the sponsor, who sets the objectives and background. This is to enable the researcher to plan the research and conduct an appropriate study on it. Research Brief can be as good as a market research study and is very important to a researcher.

It provides good insight and influences on the choice of methodology to be adopted in the research. It also provides an objective to which the project links itself.

It is a short and non-technical summary of a discussion paper that is purely intended for decision-makers with a concentration on the paper’s policy-relevant findings.

Table of Contents

Components of a Research Brief

Some sponsors deliver the brief orally by developing many detail points at the time of initial discussion with the researcher. On the other hand, the brief can also be completely thought through and committed to a paper.

This is very important when many research agencies need to submit proposals. Whether the research brief is oral or written, it should pay attention to the following points:

• Problem Background – This is a short record of the events which has actually led to the study. This provides an insight into the researcher a better viewpoint and understanding of the objective of the project.
• Problem Description – The researcher requires details in depth to perform the research. When the scope of the research is described properly, the research process gets easier. It becomes helpful for the sponsor to monitor the progress of the research.
• Market Analysis – The researcher needs to know the geographical areas of the research. Hence this should be part of the research brief.
• Objective Statement – The object of the researcher should be put statement. The researcher should gather the details from the sponsor and then provide a view of what has to be achieved.
• Time and Budget – The research brief should mention the time and budget constraints of the research.

Importance of Research Brief

Now, why is research brief important? It is like the way you set a foundation for a building; research brief provides a strong foundation for the research process.

Writing a research brief is important to the success of any market research project. However, it can be difficult to craft the perfect brief that meets the necessity of both the client and the researcher but eventually leads to the desired outcomes.

It helps a researcher to identify a problem to be researched, the exact background of the problem, the required details to address the problem, time and budget constraints within which the research is supposed to be designed.

Example of Research Brief

Keeping the above points in mind, let us take a small example of the way to write a market research brief.

To write a market research brief, it clarifies the research requirement and also makes sure that the ideas are well articulated. It helps to write a better research proposal , conduct user research, and achieve the desired outcome.

Background:

Describe the problem that is required to solve. Include applicable background and the challenge during the research.

Business and Project Objectives:

Explain the business objectives. For example: to increase sales /profit. Try to be specific as you can.

Also, describe the purpose of research and the expected outcomes. What is the decision that you require to make?

Market Objectives:

Market research objective typically follows from the above two objectives. Hence you will need to summarise the aim and information of the research. This will help to mention the questions required for answering.

Stakeholders:

Here, you will need to consider the participant who will sign-off and act on the research outcomes listed.

Research Methods, scope, sample, and guidelines:

Here, you will explain what is required. This will help you to focus on what is important and also have a piece of knowledge of the research investment. Here, more focus is given on the scope of the work and type of research . The inputs and the sample are also analyzed.

Research outcomes:

Here, you will require to define the delivery part of the research.

Ways to prepare Research Brief

Having discussed the basic of research brief, the following points will give you a brief idea of the ways to prepare yourself to write an effective research brief.

• Start with a summary of the current situation. Also, define in clear words as what you are already aware of. It would be more useful if you could include more details on your thought about the responsibility for the project on you and the research agency.
• After a summary, set up the business and research objectives . For business objectives, you need to mention the overall strategy and what is the importance of the current research. For research objectives, list the issues and topics that are likely to discover. List the problems to solve. Based on the research agency design, define clearly the business and research objectives. Having a clear objective will help you to assess the quality and also focus on the research agency’s report.
• Next, you may suggest about the ways about data collection . You can decide on a suitable research methodology that you think will be best fit the project.
• List what the outcomes of the project and the deliverables are. Like for example, you might just want to advise on survey design . For this, statistically robust data would be ideal. Or sometimes, you might write a full report with data, interpretation, recommendations, etc. Whatever it is, be clear as what is required. Suggest a timetable and mention the deadline to receive proposals and other deliverables.

Research Brief Template

Given below the template for research brief:

Research Brief: Project Name

#1 background.

In this area, give the background of the research brief.

#2 Business objectives

In this area, define the business objectives. Ideally, for a better understanding and readability, it would be good if the points are bulleted.

#3 Marketing objectives

In this area, type your marketing objectives. In case you have any other kind of objectives apart from marketing, you could change the section title.

In this area, define the research target here. Here, name all the target groups that will be a part of the research and the reason for it. Capture any other applicable details of the target group .

In this area, mention the Budget information. Mentioning a range of budget is fine. Also, indicate an upper limit in case you have any.

In this area, mention the timeline of the research. The approximate time as when this work would be over. Also, when can you provide the final analysis?

#6 Deliverables

In this area, mention the report requirements. For example, whether a detail report is required or just a presentation.

#7 Contact information

In this area, mention the contact information for questions or clarification. It could be Client company name or Individual name, title, e-mail id, phone number, and mailing address.

Liked this post? Check out the complete series on Market research

Related posts:

• What is Brand Brief? Components of Brand Brief and Examples
• Causal Research – Meaning, Explanation, Examples, Components
• What is a Design Brief and How to Write it in 9 Easy Steps?
• Qualitative Research: Meaning, and Features of Qualitative Research
• Advertising Message – Definition, Meaning, Importance and Components
• Research Ethics – Importance and Principles of Ethics in Research
• Market Space – Definition, Meaning, Characteristics, Components
• Sales Agreement – Meaning, Components and Samples
• How to Write Research Proposal? Research Proposal Format
• 7 Key Differences between Research Method and Research Methodology

About Hitesh Bhasin

Hitesh Bhasin is the CEO of Marketing91 and has over a decade of experience in the marketing field. He is an accomplished author of thousands of insightful articles, including in-depth analyses of brands and companies. Holding an MBA in Marketing, Hitesh manages several offline ventures, where he applies all the concepts of Marketing that he writes about.

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Research Topic Description

Topic #1 - physics, topic #2 - chemistry, topic #3 - materials research, topic # 4 - mathematical sciences, topic # 5 - astronomy, topic # 6 - atmospheric sciences, topic # 7 - earth sciences, topic #8 - ocean sciences, topic #9 - polar science, engineering, & operations, topic #10 - biological sciences, topic #13 - biological infrastructure, topic #14 - social, behavioral, & economic research, topic #15 - advanced scientific computing, topic #16 - computer & computation research, topic #17 - networking & communications research & infrastructure, topic #18 - microelectronic information processing systems (mips), topic #19 - information, robotics, & intelligent systems, topic #20 - electrical & communications systems, topic #21 - design, manufacture, & industrial innovation, topic #22 - cmemical & transport systems, topic #23 - civil & mechanical systems, topic #24 - bioengineering & environmental systems, topic #25 - education & human resources, topic #26 - next generation vehicles, topic #27 - microelectronics manufacturing.

Trump wounded at rally in assassination attempt; gunman killed

Former President Donald Trump survived a brazen assassination attempt Saturday evening as a 20-year-old gunman opened fire on a campaign rally, injuring Trump's right ear and killing a spectator, officials said.

Trump was rushed off stage with blood dripping on his face after gunshots rang out at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and the sniper, identified by the FBI as Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was killed by Secret Service agents. Two specators were in serious condition.

"This evening we had what we are calling an assassination attempt against our former president, Donald Trump," Kevin Rojek, FBI special agent in charge, said at a late-night press conference in Butler. The FBI has not released the motive in the attack.

Trump said he was shot in the ear and an email sent out late Saturday night from his campaign team quoted him saying, "I will never surrender."

Secret Service Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement that Crooks fired multiple shots toward the stage at approximately 6:15 p.m. Crooks had been positioned on a rooftop more than 100 yards from the rally site.

Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police said law enforcement is following up on a “number of suspicious occurrences” including accounts from witnesses who said they tried to flag police about the activity of a person outside the rally moments before the shooting.

More: Citing his recent comments, Republicans blame Joe Biden for Donald Trump rally shooting

“It is surprising,” Rojek said when asked about the alleged gunman’s close vicinity to the rally. He said the gunman's proximity is among the details that will come out in the investigation. Rojek added: “The Secret Service really needs to answer that question. They conduct the initial site survey.”

Trump reached for his ear as the gunfire erupted. Attendees at the rally began screaming as agents pushed Trump to the ground.

The former president was removed from the site by Secret Service, with his fist raised. Steven Cheung, Trump's spokesperson, confirmed in a statement that the former president is "fine" but had seen doctors at an area medical facility.

A Secret Service posting on social media confirmed that agents "neutralized" the assassin and that he was dead. Law enforcement recovered an AR-style rifle from the scene. A male innocent bystander at the rally was killed, the FBI confirmed.

The former president said in a statement that “It is incredible that such an act can take place in our country."

Gunman identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks

The man who shot former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania political rally has been identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks.

"The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania," the Bureausaid i a statement. "This remains an active and ongoing investigation, and anyone with information that may assist with the investigation is encouraged to submit photos or videos online at FBI.gov/butler  or call 1-800-CALL-FBI."

Crooks was killed by law enforcement officials moments after he opened fire.

Crooks was registered as a Republican and was in active voting status, according to the database service LexisNexis. He appears to have attended Bethel Park High School, graduating in 2022.

−Christopher Cann and Aysha Bagchi

FBI says it is almost ready to identify shooter

Rojek, a special agent in charge of the FBI's Pittsburgh field office, said the bureau isn't prepared to identify the shooter just yet.

"We are close to that identification, and as soon as we are 100% confident in who that individual is, we will share it," he said.

"With that being said, also, we do not currently have an identified motive, although our investigators are working tirelessly to attempt to identify what that motive was," Rojek added.

– Aysha Bagchi

White House: Biden speaks to Trump after shooting at rally

Joe Biden spoke to Donald Trump Saturday night after Trump was attacked at a rally in Pennsylvania.

Biden told reporters he had tried to call Trump, but the former president was with his doctors. A White House official said later that Biden spoke to Trump; Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Bob Dandoy, the mayor of Butler, Pennsylvania, where the rally was held.

No details of the conversation were disclosed.

–Michael Collins

More: Top Democrats condemn political violence after Trump assassination attempt

Trump returns to New Jersey

After his release from the hospital, Trump traveled back to New Jersey, where he has a home.

Television cameras filmed the Trump plane landing in Newark late Saturday.

The former president is still scheduled to fly Sunday to Milwaukee, site of next week's Republican nominating convention. But it is not known whether Trump will stick to his schedule in light of the shooting.

– David Jackson

Law enforcement recovered AR-style rifle: reports

Law enforcement recovered an AR-style rifle from the scene of the shooting at Trump's Pennsylvania political rally, according to reports from the Associated Press and the New York Times . 

The AP cited a source familiar with the matter who wasn't authorized to discuss investigation details. The New York Times cited two law enforcement officials.

'Somebody failed'

A former Justice Department official and Trump legal aide called out the Secret Service after the close call in Pennsylvania on Saturday. 

"A sick person on a roof with a rifle shoots at the former president and misses killing him by an absolute quirk of fate," said Mark Corallo. "He turned his head a millimeter, and instead of it going through his brain, the shot glanced off his ear."

"A guy on a roof with a rifle. That's a security failure," said Corallo, who was a Justice Department spokesman in the early 2000s and later served as spokesman for Trump's legal team. 

"The job of the protective detail is to protect the president. Somebody failed. Donald Trump got shot and it is as dark a day for America as I can remember."

−Dan Morrison

Biden returning to White House after attack on Trump

President Joe Biden is cutting his weekend trip to Delaware short and heading back to the White House following the attack on Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania.

Biden was scheduled to spend the weekend at his beach house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and then travel Monday to Texas to deliver a speech on civil rights and democracy at the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin. Biden will now travel back to the White House on Saturday night.

– Michael Collins

FBI taking lead role in investigation after shooting at Trump rally, asks for tips

The FBI is assuming the role as "lead federal law enforcement agency" in the investigation of the shooting at Trump's Pennsylvania political rally, the bureau said in a statement late Saturday.

Special agents from the bureau's Pittsburgh field office responded immediately to the incident, including members of its crisis response team as well as evidence response technicians, the bureau said.

The bureau asked anyone with information that could help the investigation to call its tip line at: 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Merrick Garland denounces shooting as 'attack on our democracy'

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement that he had been briefed on the shooting at the Trump rally and several segments of federal law enforcement, including the FBI, are working with the Secret Service and local law enforcement.

"My heart is with the former President, those injured, and the family of the spectator killed in this horrific attack," Garland said.

Garland vowed to bring "every available resource to bear" on the investigation.

"We will not tolerate violence of any kind, and violence like this is an attack on our democracy," Garland said.

Trump VP finalists Vance, Rubio and Burgum offer prayer, horror and anger after shooting

Potential Republican vice presidential candidates - like many Donald Trump supporters - reacted to Saturday's  assassination attempt  with a combination of prayer, horror, and anger.

Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, all but blamed rhetoric from President Joe Biden's campaign, saying on the social media platform X that "today is not just some isolated incident."

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum also cited Trump's opponents in paying tribute to the wounded 2024 GOP candidate. "We all know President Trump is stronger than his enemies," Burgum said on X. "Today he showed it."

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., offered a prayerful statement: "God protected President Trump." He also posted some of the news stories about the shooting, and criticized aspects of the news coverage.

− David Jackson

House lawmakers to investigate shooting

The House Oversight committee will hold a hearing to investigate the shooting at Donald Trump's rally, Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said in a statement Saturday. 

He said he has already contacted the Secret Service for a briefing and is asking Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to appear at the hearing.

The House Homeland Security Committee has also requested an official briefing. "We will be conducting thorough oversight to ensure the American people receive answers," the committee posted on its X account.

− Riley Beggin

Trump supporters gather at Trump Tower

Hours after an assassination attempt on former President Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania, supporters gathered outside Trump Tower in New York City.

Some were waving flags, others were draped in them. Most were wearing MAGA hats. Around 10 p.m, there was also a heavy police presence at the entrance of the building and on the street.

Katie Sullivan, 48, a lawyer from Brooklyn, came to Trump Tower with her friends carrying lit candles. “I am here to support a fellow New Yorker, a fellow American and to make sure we are still part of a Republic.” 

She said she was worried about where the country was headed with this level of violence, and blamed rhetoric from the media and the Democrats for the attack on Trump. 

Linda Andrews, who works as nanny in Manhattan, said she felt compelled to come to Trump Tower because she was fearful that “things could fall apart at any time.”

“I want him to see that we are upset and that we love him.” 

— Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy 

Lloyd Austin says violence at Donald Trump rally 'has absolutely no place in our democracy'

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a statement on Saturday night that "The entire Department of Defense condemns this violence, which has absolutely no place in our democracy."

"This is not the way that we resolve our differences in America—and it must never be. I’m relieved that reports indicate former President Trump is safe, and I am praying for him and his family and everyone affected by this appalling incident," he added.

− Tom Vanden Brook

Schumer, Jeffries react to shooting

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., posted statements on social media condemning political violence following the shooting.

"I am horrified by what happened at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania and relieved that former President Trump is safe. Political violence has no place in our country," Schumer said.

Jeffries said his "thoughts and prayers" were with the former president.

"I am thankful for the decisive law enforcement response. America is a democracy. Political violence of any kind is never acceptable," Jeffries said.

−Rachel Barber

VP Harris reacts to shooting at Trump rally

Vice President Kamala Harris said she and first gentleman Doug Emhoff were relieved that Trump was not seriously injured. 

“We are praying for him, his family, and all those who have been injured and impacted by this senseless shooting,” she said in a statement.She said they were grateful to the United States Secret Service, first responders, and local authorities for their immediate action.“Violence such as this has no place in our nation,” she said. “We must all condemn this abhorrent act and do our part to ensure that it does not lead to more violence.” −Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy

Trump issues statement on shooting, calls it ‘incredible that such an act’ can take place in US

Former President Donald Trump issued a statement on the shooting, thanking the Secret Service and law enforcement and extending his condolences to this person who was killed at he rally.

“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead,” Trump said in a statement on Truth Social.

“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

−Joey Garrison

Netanyahu sends prayers to Trump

Shortly after news broke about the shooting, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he and his wife were praying for former President Donald Trump.

"Sara and I were shocked by the apparent attack on President Trump," he said in a post on X , formerly Twitter. "We pray for his safety and speedy recovery."

Mayorkas: DHS working with law enforcement partners to investigate Trump rally shooting

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Saturday that has been briefed on the shooting incident and that DHS is working with law enforcement partners to respond and investigate the shooting

Mayorkas said maintaining the security of presidential candidates and their events are top DHS priority.

“We condemn this violence in the strongest possible terms and commend the Secret Service for their swift action today,” he said in a statement. “We are engaged with President Biden, former President Trump, and their campaigns, and are taking every possible measure to ensure their safety and security.”

− Rebecca Morin

Biden calls shooting at Trump rally ‘sick,’ says he hopes to speak to Trump

Joe Biden delivered brief remarks about the shooting that occurred the Trump rally, calling it “sick” and saying he hopes to speak to Trump later Saturday night.

“There is no place for this kind of violence in America. It’s sick. It’s sick,” Biden told reporters at an emergency briefing room in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where he is spending the weekend.

“It’s one of the reasons we have to unite this country. We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this.”

Biden said he has tried to get a hold of Trump by phone but has been unsuccessful. “So far it appears he is doing well,” he said, adding that every agency in the federal government is assembling to thoroughly investigate the shooting. “There’s some reports, but not final reports.”

“The bottom line is, the Trump rally was a rally that should have been able to be conducted peacefully and without any problem,” Biden said. “But the idea – the idea – that there’s political violence, or violence in America like this, is just unheard of, it’s just not appropriate. Everybody, every must condemn it. Everybody. “

Biden said he will keep the public informed “and if I’m able to speak to Donald, I’ll let you know that as well.”

Biden, when asked whether he believes the shooting was an assassination, said: “I have an opinion but I don’t have any facts. I want to make sure I have all the facts before I make some comment.”

− Joey Garrison

Former Secret Service agent says apparent shooting may not immediately change Republican convention security

Former Secret Service agent Joe Funk told USA TODAY changing security for the Republican National Convention won't be up next.

Now that Trump has been determined safe per reports from the Secret Service, the next steps are less about changing plans for Monday, and more finding how the violence happened in the first place. 

"Most of the work that Secret Service is going to do is going to be pre-incident, 'how did this guy get in... who is he? What was his motive? Is he connected with any other individuals?," Funk said. "I think you're going to see a lot of work pre-incident versus enhancing or ramping up security post-[incident]." 

− Sam Woodward

Donald Trump Jr. says his father is in 'great spirits'

Donald Trump Jr., the president's son, shared in a statement: “I just spoke to my father on the phone and he is in great spirits. He will never stop fighting to save America, no matter what the radical left throws at him.”

Biden campaign suspending TV ads after shooting

An official from the Biden campaign said it is pausing all outbound communications and working to pull down all of its television ads as quickly as possible following the shooting at the Trump rally.

Joe Biden set to address apparent gunfire at Trump rally

Joe Biden is scheduled to address reporters on camera Saturday on the incident at Trump’s rally. No time has been given.

Biden’s campaign said it is pausing all outgoing communications and working to pull down its television ads as quickly as possible.

− Michael Collins

Joe Biden: 'There's no place for this kind of violence in America'

Stunned reactions immediately began pouring in from both sides of the aisle. President Joe Biden, in a statement, said, “I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania. I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information.“Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it,” Biden said. 

George W. Bush, Laura Bush thank Secret Service

Former President George W. Bush said in a statement Saturday that "Laura and I are grateful that President Trump is safe following the cowardly attack on his life. And we commend the men and women of the Secret Service for their speedy response."

− USA TODAY staff

Mike Johnson, Nikki Haley, other Republicans react

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., confirmed in a post on X that he has also been briefed on the attack.

"This horrific act of political violence at a peaceful campaign rally has no place in this country and should be unanimously and forcefully condemned," Johnson shared.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who competed against Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination, responded to the shooting in a post .

"This should horrify every freedom loving American. Violence against presidential candidates must never be normalized," Haley said. "We are lifting up Donald Trump, the entire Trump family, and all in attendance in prayer." 

Nancy Pelosi condemns political violence

Former House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., posted a statement to social media condemning the Trump rally shooting. Pelosi's husband survived a violent attack by a right-wing conspiracy theorist in their San Francisco home in 2022.

"As one whose family has been the victim of political violence, I know firsthand that political violence of any kind has no place in our society," Pelosi said. "I thank God that former President Trump is safe. As we learn more details about this horrifying incident, let us pray that all those in attendance at the former President’s rally today are unharmed."

--Rachel Barber

Apparent shooting raises questions about Republican convention

The shocking moment also immediately raised questions about security at the Republican convention, set to begin next week. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said in a post on X that the Secret Service "needs to come out ASAP and let us know how this happened and how everyone at the RNC and DNC conventions will be safe."

Texas official says he heard as many as eight shots

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller was in the front row at the rally in rural Pennsylvania and said he heard as many as eight shots, and saw a woman nearby who appeared to have been struck by gunfire.

"At first, I didn't know what it was," Miller told the American-Statesman by phone from the outdoor venue. "Then I heard 'pop! pop!,' and knew it was gunfire. Everybody got down but I stayed standing up to try to see what was going on."

Miller said that he was not harmed and did not know the condition of the woman who appeared to have been hit.

− John Moritz

Contributing: USA TODAY Network

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Mining rare earth metals from electronic waste

ETH researchers are developing a process inspired by nature that efficiently recovers europium from old fluorescent lamps. The approach could lead to the long-awaited recycling of rare earth metals.

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• A small molecule that naturally serves as a binding site for metals in enzymes also proves useful for separating certain rare earth metals from each other.
• In a proof of concept, the process extracts europium directly from fluorescent powder in used energy-saving lamps in much higher quantities than existing methods.
• The researchers are now working on expanding their approach to other rare earth metals. They are in the process of founding a start-up to put the recycling of these raw materials into practice.

Rare earth metals are not as rare as their name suggests. However, they are indispensable for the modern economy. After all, these 17 metals are essential raw materials for digitalisation and the energy transition. They are found in smartphones, computers, screens and batteries – without them, no electric motor would run and no wind turbine would turn. Because Europe is almost entirely dependent on imports from China, these raw materials are considered to be critical.

However, rare earth metals are also critical because of their extraction. They always occur in compound form in natural ores – but as these elements are chemically very similar, they are difficult to separate. Traditional separation processes are therefore very chemical- and energy-intensive and require several extraction steps. This makes the extraction and purification of these metals expensive, resource- and time-consuming and extremely harmful to the environment.

"Rare earth metals are hardly ever recycled in Europe," says Victor Mougel, Professor at the Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry at ETH Zurich. A team of researchers led by Mougel wants to change this. "There is an urgent need for sustainable and uncomplicated methods for separating and recovering these strategic raw materials from various sources," says the chemist.

In a study recently published in the journal external page Nature Communications call_made , the team presents a surprisingly simple method for efficiently separating and recovering the rare earth metal europium from complex mixtures including other rare earth metals.

Inspired by nature

Marie Perrin, a doctoral student in Mougel's group and first author of the study, explains: "Existing separation methods are based on hundreds of liquid-liquid extraction steps and are inefficient – the recycling of europium has so far been impractical." In their study, they show how a simple inorganic reagent can significantly improve separation. "This allows us to obtain europium in a few simple steps – and in quantities that are at least 50 times higher than with previous separation methods," says Perrin.

The key to this technique can be found in small inorganic molecules featuring four sulphur atoms around tungsten or molybdenum: tetrathiometallates. The researchers were inspired by the world of proteins. Tetrathiometallates are found as a binding site for metals in natural enzymes and are used as active substances against cancer and copper metabolism disorders.

For the first time, tetrathiometallates are now also being used as ligands for the separation of rare earth metals. Their unique redox properties come into play here, reducing europium to its unusual divalent state and thus simplifying separation from the other trivalent rare earth metals.

"The principle is so efficient and robust that we can apply it directly to used fluorescent lamps without the usual pre-treatment steps," says Mougel.

Keeping europium in circulation

Electronic waste is an important but as yet underutilised source of rare earth metals. "If this source were tapped into, the lamp waste that Switzerland currently sends abroad to be disposed of in a landfill could be recycled here in Switzerland instead," says Mougels. In this way, lamp waste could serve as an urban mine for europium and make Switzerland less dependent on imports.

The researchers have patented their technology and are in the process of founding a start-up called REEcover to commercialise it in the future. They are currently working on adapting the separation process for other rare earth metals such as neodymium and dysprosium, which are found in magnets. If this is successful, Marie Perrin wants to build up the start-up after her doctorate and establish the recycling of rare earth metals in practice.

Perrin MA, Dutheil P, Wörle M & Mougel V. Recovery of europium from E-waste using redox active tetrathiotungstate ligands. Nat Commun 15, 4577 (2024). doi: external page 10.1038/s41467-024-48733-z call_made

Further information

• chevron_right Mougel Group
• external page call_made REEcover – Rare Earth Recovery and Separation

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