Google

Discovering that a research question has already been studied scientifically does not mean it should be abandoned; instead, it indicates the topic is of scientific interest and can be refined to contribute new insights. Researchers can refine existing questions by exploring alternative methods to define and measure the variables, or by investigating whether the relationship varies among different types of people or in specific situations.

Refining Existing Research Questions

When an initial research question has already been extensively studied, it can still be refined to produce novel scientific insights by altering how the core variables are defined, measured, or contextualized. For example, while previous studies have shown that male and female university students in the United States and Mexico speak roughly the same number of words per day, a researcher could refine the question by measuring talkativeness differently—such as tracking the number of different people a participant speaks to daily. Another refinement strategy involves shifting the target population, such as investigating whether the same gender similarities in talkativeness hold true for elderly populations or for individuals from entirely different cultures.

Examples of Refining Existing Research Questions

According to the concept of refining existing research questions, what should a researcher do upon discovering that their topic has already been studied scientifically?

Learn Before

Related