Question basics

Basic Pragmatic Scientific Questions –

1. Past-Oriented Observation – What happened? How did it work? [What was happening? How was it working?]

2. Present-Oriented Observation – What is happening? How does it work? [How is it working?]

3. Predictive or Future-Oriented Speculation – What will happen? How will it work? What is likely to happen? [What will be happening? How will it be working?]

4. Experimental Perspective – What if…? What would happen if…? How would things unfold if…?

5. Puzzlement Perspective – Why does it work this way instead of that (or some other) way? This is a way of probing the question “How does it work?” instead of taking for granted that it works a certain (i.e., this) way.

Common Theoretical Questions –

Does something exist? 

What kind of thing is it? 

What caused it to exist, or under what conditions can it exist, or why does it exist? 

What purpose does it serve? 

What are the consequences of its existence? 

What are its characteristic properties, its typical traits? 

What are its relations to other things of a similar sort, or of a different sort? 

How does it behave?

What happens if this happens? (A. If this happens, then that will happen.)

What does this phenomenon (i.e., thing, action) do?

What will this (change or alteration) do?

What are the consequences of this happening? What effects does it produce?

What is the case? What is true?

Just (i.e., exactly) how is this the case?

Common Practical Questions –

What ends should be sought? 

What means should be chosen to a given end? 

What things must one do to gain a certain objective, and in what order? 

Under these conditions, what is the right thing to do, or the better rather than the worse? 

Under what conditions would it be better to do this rather than that?

What should be the case? What should be true?

What should be done? How should this be handled?

What opportunities should be available?

Describing a Phenomenon –

Naming the phenomenon

– What is happening?

Naming the participants

– To what is it happening?

– To whom is it happening?

– What is doing it?

– Who is doing it?

Naming the space-time

– When is it happening?

– Where is it happening?

Naming the alternative possibilities

– Would it happen differently if… (X)?

– Could it happen still if… (X)?

Question Statuses –

– already answered questions

1. consensus has been met – Task: do a lit review

2. dissensus remains – Task: [do a lit review] + controversy analysis

– unanswered questions – Task: [do a proxy lit review] + perform an analysis

Correlational Studies – 

Even correlational studies are trying to figure out the question “How does it work?” I.e., If [X condition or factor] is present, then it works such that [Y condition or factor] has [Z] value. E.g., If a person [belongs to a high tradition church], then this person [is less likely to kill themselves].