Research is an important part of many industries, from academic institutions to corporations. If you’re considering a career in research, you probably have a lot of questions about what the day-to-day work looks like and what skills you’ll need to be successful.
Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of questions you can ask a researcher to get a better sense of the field.
68 Questions you can ask a researcher:
- What is your educational background?
- What experience do you have in this field?
- Do you have any specialties?
- What made you choose research as your profession?
- How would you explain research to someone who’s never done it before?
- What are the most important skills you need for research?
- What is your favorite part of the research process?
- What is your least favorite part of the research process?
- What have been some of your most memorable moments as a researcher?
- What motivates you to keep doing research?
- What do you hope to accomplish through your research?
- How do you think your work will impact the field of research?
- Is there anything about research that you think the general public doesn’t understand?
- What would you say is your greatest strength as a researcher?
- How do you like to work- independently or as part of a team?
- What is your research process like?
- How do you handle deadlines?
- What resources do you use most often when conducting research?
- Can you provide examples of your previous work?
- Have you ever encountered any ethical dilemmas while conducting research? If so, how did you address them?
- What inspired you to pursue this line of research?
- What do you think are the most important implications of your research?
- What are some of the challenges you faced while conducting your research?
- How do you overcome those challenges?
- What surprised you the most about your findings?
- Can you share a story about one of your participants?
- How did your personal background inform your research?
- Are there any ethical concerns we should be aware of?
- What assumptions did you make going into this research, and how did those assumptions affect your findings?
- What additional data would help in understanding your findings?
- How confident are you in your findings?
- What limitations does your research have that we should be aware of?
- What questions do you still have about your findings?
- What are the key questions you are hoping to answer?
- Can you recommend any further reading on this topic?
- What is your research topic?
- What are your research goals?
- What methods are you using to collect data?
- Who is your target audience for this research?
- Why is this research important?
- What are the implications of your findings?
- How will your research be used?
- What are the limitations of your research?
- What are the ethical considerations of your research?
- How did you choose your participants?
- How many participants are you working with?
- What are the demographics of your participants?
- What is your data collection process?
- How are you analyzing your data?
- What software/programs are you using for your analysis?
- Have you published any papers on this topic before? If so, where can I find them?
- Are you presenting your findings at any conferences? If so, when and where?
- Do you have any funding for this project? If so, from where and how much?
- Do you have any collaborators on this project? If so, who and what are their roles?
- Do you have IRB approval for this project? When was it approved and for how long?
- Why do you think this research is important?
- What are the potential applications of your research?
- What are the risks and benefits associated with your research?
- How did you go about designing your study?
- Why did you choose the participants you did?
- How will you ensure that your participants are representative of the population you are interested in?
- What were your results?
- What implications do your results have for policy or practice?
- What are the limitations of your study?
- How could your study be improved in future iterations?
- How did you ensure that your participants were protected from harm?
- What informed consent procedures did you use with your participants?
- Would you be willing to share your data with other researchers?
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a researcher actually do?
A researcher is someone who studies a particular topic in depth. They may do this by reading previous research on the topic, conducting their own experiments, or interviewing people who are knowledgeable about the topic. They also collect data, analyze it, and then present their findings. Researchers often work with other professionals, such as doctors or scientists, to develop new treatments or products.
Where do researchers work?
Researchers work in many different places. They may work in a laboratory, in an office, or even in their home. Researchers may work for a company, a government agency, or a university. Some researchers work on their own projects, while others work on projects sponsored by someone else.
Conclusion
Research is a complex and laborious process that requires precision, attention to detail, and a willingness to constantly learn and grow. If you’re interested in becoming a researcher or are just curious about what happens in research, these questions are a good place to start.
By asking these questions, you’ll gain a better understanding of the inner workings of research and the people who dedicate their lives to this work.
