A confusing diagnosis, a short appointment, and a pile of articles can leave you unsure what to ask. The short answer: pick the one question that matters most to you, note where it came from, and bring it with you. That is the idea behind a primary question in research: the main, focused question a study is built to answer. Here is how we would turn what you read into questions for your provider, with a checklist and worksheet below.
Key facts at a glance
| Item | What to know |
|---|---|
| Primary question | The main, focused question a study is designed to answer. |
| Main question types | Quantitative (numbers and comparisons), qualitative (experiences, themes, and meanings), and mixed methods (both). |
| Two key steps | Ask questions before you trust a source, then discuss what you find with your provider before you rely on it. |
| Check the date | Look for when the information was written, reviewed, or updated. |
| What to bring | Your top question first, plus the site name, page title, and date you read it. |
If you think you may be having a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number. To get ready for your visit, write your top question and where you read it on the worksheet below.
What is a research question?
A research question is the question a study is designed to answer. Paperpal’s guide to research questions describes it, in plain terms, as a clear, focused, concise, and arguable question on which your research and writing are centered. It also sets the boundaries of a study by naming the population (who is studied), the variables (the things measured or compared), and the problem being addressed (Paperpal guide: types of research questions).
A research question usually has one main topic. The University of Notre Dame Australia library says it connects that topic to variables (things that can differ or be measured) such as population, geographic area, context, time period, medical condition, social issue, or study type (University of Notre Dame Australia library FAQ).
For your visit, a clear question gives your provider something specific to answer. “Is this bad for me?” leaves them guessing. “Based on my history, does this finding apply to me, and what would you check?” gives them a clear task.
What does “primary” mean in research?
The word “primary” shows up in two ways, and people often mix them up.
The primary question
Here, “primary” means main. A study may have one main question and several smaller ones. The Paperpal guide says that if you use multiple questions, they should all tie back to the central aim. Do the same with your own list: find the one question everything else supports, and put it first.
What is primary research?
“Primary research” means original studies, the ones that collect the data themselves. A 1997 article in the Annals of Internal Medicine, “Formulating questions and locating primary studies for inclusion in systematic reviews,” uses the term this way. It says much time and effort go into designing primary research studies, and that a systematic review (a study that gathers and sums up many earlier studies) must set criteria for which primary studies it includes (1997 article on formulating review questions).
So when a headline reports on one new study, it is usually reporting primary research. When you see a review that gathers many studies, it is a different kind of document, and its own question decides which studies went in.
What makes a research question a good one?
The Paperpal guide lists the main attributes of a good research question. Each one is a useful test for any question you bring to a visit, or for any question a study claims to answer.
- Specific: focused on one clear topic, not a fishing expedition.
- Measurable: it can be answered with quantitative or qualitative data, or with scholarly sources.
- Attainable: there is enough time and resources to answer it.
- Realistic: it is based on initial reading and addresses a gap in knowledge.
- Timely: it speaks to a current debate.
Paperpal also warns that a closed yes-or-no question is too simple to carry a full study. In your own reading, a yes-or-no answer is often a sign to ask a follow-up question.
The 1997 article says a good question for a review should be “important” and “well-focused,” and “relevant to patient care.” It names the parts that shape the question: the types of people involved, the exposure, the control group, the outcomes, and the study designs of interest.
| Framework | Parts it uses | How you can use it |
|---|---|---|
| FINER | Feasible, Interesting, Ethical, Relevant | Check your question as a whole before you bring it to a visit. |
| PICOT | Population or problem, Intervention or indicator, Comparison group, Outcome of interest, Time frame | Read any study you found by asking who was studied, what was compared, what was measured, and how long it ran. |
The FINER and PICOT frameworks are described in the Paperpal guide. They are checklists: FINER tests whether a question is worth asking, and PICOT breaks a study into its parts. The PICOT parts are the most useful for reading a study, because they show you exactly what the study tested.
What are the types of research questions?
Paperpal sorts research questions into quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods questions (mixed methods use both kinds together). Notre Dame’s library notes the core difference: quantitative questions measure numerical data, such as statistics, scores, or health data, while qualitative questions measure non-numerical data, such as experiences, themes, or concepts.
Quantitative and qualitative question types
| Type | What it looks at | Example question (from the Paperpal guide) |
|---|---|---|
| Descriptive (quantitative) | How much, how often, what percentage | How often do you buy mobile apps for learning purposes? |
| Comparative (quantitative) | Differences between two or more groups | What are the differences in attitudes towards online learning between visual and Kinaesthetic learners? |
| Relationship (quantitative) | Trends and links between variables | What is the relationship between disposable income and job satisfaction amongst US residents? |
| Exploratory (qualitative) | Learning about a topic without assuming answers | What are people’s thoughts on the new government? |
| Experiential (qualitative) | Personal experiences and feelings | What are the challenges students face during their transition from school to college? |
| Interpretive (qualitative) | How a group makes sense of a shared experience | How do you feel about ChatGPT assisting student learning? |
Paperpal describes mixed-methods studies as ones that use both quantitative and qualitative questions. It says mixed methods give a fuller picture than either approach alone, and that they are often used in health and social science research.
What is a qualitative research question?
Paperpal describes qualitative research questions as adaptable, non-directional (they do not predict an answer in advance), and more flexible. They aim to discover, explain, or explore a phenomenon, often through experiences and meanings. If you want to ask a provider how a condition or treatment feels day to day, you are asking a qualitative kind of question, and the answer will usually come from listening to your own account.
What do quantitative research questions look like?
Paperpal says quantitative questions investigate connections, relations, or comparisons between independent and dependent variables. They tend to be about how much, how often, or whether two things go together. A study that compares a measured result between two groups is answering a quantitative question.
Health examples of research question types
The University of Notre Dame Australia library gives health examples of common research question types. The list is adapted from Schiavo and Foster (2017).
| Question type | Example question |
|---|---|
| Effectiveness of an intervention | What is the effect of nonsmoking policies on the incidence of sick days of hospital employees due to upper respiratory infections? |
| Harm | Does working in a lithium mine lead to increased incidence of asthma or upper respiratory infections? |
| Causation | In students who are the first in their family to study, what are the risk factors for not completing an undergraduate degree? |
| Screening or diagnosis | Which method of diagnosis is best for Alzheimer’s disease? |
| Prevention | What are the most effective methods for preventing bullying incidents in single-sex high schools? |
| Participant experience | What are the hospital experiences of patients who have had a traumatic birth? |
| Service delivery | Does providing online pelvic-floor training programs result in improved function? |
| Cost effectiveness | What are the most cost-effective ways to reduce paper waste in small to medium businesses? |
Notice that each question names what is being tested and who it is about. When you read a health article, find the question type first. It tells you what kind of answer the study could give.
What are research question examples for students?
Paperpal’s student examples show the difference between a vague question and a clear one. Use this table as a model when you rewrite a headline into a question.
| Vague | Clearer | Why the clearer one works (Paperpal) |
|---|---|---|
| How does social media affect student growth? | What effect does the daily use of Twitter and Facebook have on the career development goals of students? | “Social media” is vague. The clearer version is specific and can be answered with data. |
| Has there been an increase in the number of gifted children identified? | What practical techniques can teachers use to identify and guide gifted children better? | A simple yes or no answers the first. The second needs data and an argument. |
Use the same move at your visit. Replace “Does this work?” with a question that names the situation, the thing you want to know, and what you would look for.
What is a research question and hypothesis, in plain terms?
A research question asks what you want to find out. When an article states its question or its predicted answer, write both down. Then ask your provider what the study actually found, and whether it fits your situation. This keeps the question you are asking separate from the answer someone is hoping for.
How do you turn a health article into questions for your provider?
Here is a simple method. Steps 1, 2, 4, and 5 are our suggestions. Step 2 uses MedlinePlus’s checks.
- Write the claim in one plain sentence. For example, “This page says [claim].” Keep your opinion out of it for now.
- Check the source. Use the questions in the table below.
- Turn the claim into a question. Try: “I read [claim] on [source]. Is that a reliable source for this?” or “Does this apply to me, given my health history?” or “Is there a better place for me to read about this?”
- Put your top question first. If the visit runs short, that is the one you want answered.
- Write down the answers. Keep them next to each question so you have them afterward.
MedlinePlus, from the National Library of Medicine, names two key steps: ask questions before you trust what you read or hear, and discuss what you find with your health care provider before you rely on it. It adds that you may have found good information, but your provider can tell you whether it is good for you (MedlinePlus: Evaluating Health Information).
A 2011 review indexed in PubMed, “Opioid use in primary care: asking the right questions,” covers four practices providers can use before and during opioid therapy: avoiding sole reliance on opioids, using adequate doses, mitigating the risk of misuse, and fostering collaborative relationships. It is written for clinicians, so it shows what a provider weighs when treating pain, which can help you understand the conversation (2011 review on asking the right questions).
What should you check about a website, post, news story, or book?
MedlinePlus lists specific questions for each kind of source. Use the row that matches where you found your information.
| Where you found it | Questions to ask (from MedlinePlus) |
|---|---|
| A website | Who runs the site? Is its purpose to inform, to sell products or services, or to promote the opinions of a person or group? Who pays for it, and are ads clearly marked? Is the information balanced and based on research? How is it selected and reviewed? Where does it come from, and when was it written, reviewed, or updated? How does it use your personal information? |
| A social media post | Where does the information come from, why does it exist, and is anyone funding it? MedlinePlus says that if you are not sure whether it is trustworthy, do not share it. |
| A news story about research | Did the research involve people or animals? If people, how many were in the study and who were they? How long was the study? What type of study was it? Who paid for the research? |
| A book | How old is the book? Is the author an expert on the subject? Does it offer different points of view or only the author’s? Has it been reviewed by other experts? Does it list its sources? |
MedlinePlus also warns that dramatic writing and claims that sound too good to be true can be signs of a health fraud scam. It says to watch for ads designed to look like neutral health information. When a site seems trustworthy, check whether other reliable sites say something similar.
Which questions does AHRQ suggest asking?
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality runs a public education effort called Questions Are the Answer. Its page, last reviewed November 2020, offers ten questions to get you started (The 10 Questions You Should Know).
- What is the test for?
- When will I get the results?
- How do you spell the name of that drug?
- Are there any side effects?
- Will this medicine interact with medicines that I’m already taking?
- Why do I need this treatment?
- Are there any alternatives?
- What are the possible complications?
- Which hospital is best for my needs?
- How many times have you done this procedure?
Pick the ones that fit what you read about. If a medicine came up, questions 3, 4, and 5 are the most useful, so write down every medicine you take before you go. Talk with your provider before you start, stop, or change any medicine.
Is this source reliable, or is it right for me?
These are two different questions, and each needs a different helper. “Is this source reliable?” you can start answering yourself with the checks above. “Does this apply to me?” is where your provider comes in. A good source can still describe something that does not fit your situation, which is why MedlinePlus pairs the two steps.
What does a study’s main outcome tell you?
In a trial, the result the study was built to test is its primary outcome. Other results it measures are secondary. Our guide explains how to find the primary outcome and why it matters (primary and secondary outcomes explained (our research library)).
When a headline says one thing is linked to another, ask whether the study was built to show a cause or only a link. Our guide to association versus cause in health studies covers that (association versus cause in health studies (our research library)).
What key terms should you know?
- Provider: the doctor, nurse practitioner, or other clinician who cares for you. MedlinePlus uses the phrase “health care provider.”
- Reliable source: a source that gives balanced, accurate information based on research. MedlinePlus says you will generally find good health information on sites run by federal government agencies, medical schools, and large professional or nonprofit organizations.
- “About Us” page: the page where a website explains who runs it. MedlinePlus says most of the answers about a site can usually be found there.
- Editorial board: a group of health experts a site lists on its “About Us” page.
- Content review process: a site’s method for checking that its information is accurate.
- Primary question: the main question a study or a person is trying to answer.
- Primary research: original studies, as used in the 1997 article on formulating review questions.
- Quantitative: research built on numbers, such as statistics, scores, or health data.
- Qualitative: research built on experiences, themes, or concepts.
- Mixed methods: research that uses both quantitative and qualitative questions.
- Side effect: an unwanted effect of a medicine or treatment.
- Interaction: when one medicine affects how another medicine works.
- Alternatives: other options you could discuss with your provider.
- Complications: problems that can come up during or after a test, treatment, or procedure.
What should you bring to a primary care visit?
Copy this into a notes app or onto paper. Fill in one block for each thing you researched. We suggest bringing the list with your top question at the top.
- What I read: ______________________
- Where I read it (site, post, article, or book) and the date: ______________________
- Who runs the source and who pays for it: ______________________
- Did a second reliable source say something similar? Yes / No / Not sure
- My question for my provider: ______________________
- What my provider said: ______________________
- What I still want to ask or look up: ______________________
- Medicines I take, including doses: ______________________
If you are also tracking how you feel over time, a symptom timeline can make your questions easier to answer. See fatigue at a primary-care visit for one way to set that up.
Can ChatGPT do market research?
An AI chatbot can help you word a question, but check any fact it gives you against the original source. We suggest asking an AI tool the same questions MedlinePlus lists for websites: where the information comes from, why it exists, and when it was last updated. Use the tool to sharpen your question, then take that question to your provider.
What are the market research lists and the 5 C’s in research?
Lists such as “the 5 C’s,” “the 7 basic questions in market research,” “the 5 components of market research,” and “the 10 market research methods” turn up in searches. This guide does not cover them. Before you rely on one, check who wrote it, when, and whether it names a source. Paperpal sorts research questions into quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods types (Paperpal guide: types of research questions).
Where should you go next on this site?
- choosing a primary care question covers symptom, prevention, and follow-up questions to bring to your visit.
- when a lab result arrives before the explanation covers what to ask when results come back before you have an explanation.
- weight loss questions answered covers common questions about weight change and the options people research.
- If an online weight-loss offer is what sent you searching, see questions before an online weight-loss program.
The short version
Primary questions are the main questions a study is built to answer. Turn each thing you read into one clear question, check where it came from and when, and bring your top question to your primary care visit.
This guide is general information and does not replace a conversation with your own clinician.
About this guide
The Wellness Team writes this guide. Our About page explains what we do, and our How We Work page explains how we choose topics, research them, and how the site earns money. Some links elsewhere on this site are affiliate links.
Sources
- National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus: Evaluating Health Information
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (page last reviewed November 2020): The 10 Questions You Should Know
- PubMed, National Library of Medicine, 1997 article: Formulating questions and locating primary studies
- PubMed, National Library of Medicine, 2011 review: Opioid use in primary care: asking the right questions
- University of Notre Dame Australia Library: What is a research question?
- Paperpal (guide dated August 22, 2023): Paperpal guide: types of research questions
By the Primary Care Evidence Guide Team