Q: How do I develop a research question and decide on my research method for my study on the perceptions of single people toward marriage?

You have some excellent questions/considerations here (within your main question), and the good thing is, we have some excellent resources for each of these considerations. So, what we’ll do is to first provide some general pointers and then share those resources with you.

Straight off, deciding on your research question depends on the goal or objective of your research. Why are you conducting this research? What are you planning to achieve through this research? Do you simply wish to know what single people feel toward marriage (these days)? Or do you wish to probe deeper and understand some of their attitudes and concerns in order to address them later (in case an increasing trend is to delay or avoid marriage, just as an example). Based on that, your method and instrument would begin getting clear – be it a survey, an interview, or a focus group.

Coming to a survey, it could be a simple scale that solicits quantifiable, objective responses as a dipstick or initial survey. This initial survey could then lead to a more detailed questionnaire for more in-depth, subjective responses, or even interviews or focus groups.

You may find additional pointers and insights in the following resources:

• How to choose a research question
• Identifying research gaps
• Types of qualitative research methods
• How can I choose a suitable research design for my study?

For more help with the design, you may also explore our Experimental Design service.

Hope that helps. And all the best for your study!