Planning your research
Publishing your work in a scientific journal is a crucial step in the scientific process. It means you make them part of the body of knowledge in a particular field. This means other scientists can learn from and build upon them. It builds your professional reputation within your field and can lead to important opportunities for collaboration.
But before you get to the publishing stage, it’s essential to choose the right research. How do you identify a question to tackle, and make sure it’s relevant, specific, and within your ability to address?
On this page, you’ll find advice and considerations for the early stages of planning your research ready for publication – from identifying a theme to planning resources.
The research lifecycle
A typical research lifecycle involves:
generating a hypothesis or identifying a research question
designing the study or experiment to test that question
collecting data and analyzing results
interpreting findings and placing them in the context of the field
writing a paper to report the process, results, and implications
submitting your manuscript to a journal and going through peer review.
On this page, we’ll particularly look at the first stage – how to identify and plan a suitable research question for your work. Once you’re ready, see our advice on:
How to prepare your manuscript
How to decide on your research subject
Be informed
Reading regularly is the most effective way to detect gaps or unresolved issues in your field. Start by reading general-interest journals or domain-specific news, then focus on specialized journals that publish the work you aim to do.
While reading, keep the following in mind.
Make a list of recurrent unresolved problems in your field.
Keep track of interesting methods or approaches that might be applied to new questions.
Note the top researchers in the field. Following their work may reveal emerging trends or potential collaborators.
Pay attention to review papers and special issues. They often summarize emerging topics and discuss controversies that could inspire new research questions.
Tip: Sign up for alerts or publication notifications from journals or publishers in your area of interest. This will help you stay current with newly published papers and cutting-edge research.
Networking and collaboration
Engaging directly with the experts in your field can spark new insights. If possible:
learn how leading researchers frame their results and ask questions
with 5–10 people in your lab or department, review and dissect published papers to see what constitutes a strong or weak manuscript
contact authors whose work you admire – this can sometimes open doors for valuable discussions or collaborations.
Identifying your research question
Before writing a manuscript, you need a solid foundation: a well-defined research question. A clear question not only guides your experiments but also shapes the structure and narrative of your manuscript, while clearly communicating why your research matters.
A well-formulated research question helps you:
focus on a specific aspect within a broad field
identify the methodology and type of data needed to answer the question
say with clarity why your study and research matters
avoid unnecessary detours in your experiment design.
What makes a good or bad research question?
Overly broad question: “What factors influence plant growth in soil around the world?”
Why it’s poor: the question is impossibly vast and lacks focus on a specific plant species, soil type, or region.
Narrowed question: “How does nitrogen content in sandy loam soil affect the early root development of Zea mays (corn) under controlled conditions?”
Why it’s better: the question specifies the plant, soil type, and the factor (nitrogen content) under investigation.
Is your research question feasible?
Once you’ve crafted a well-formulated question it’s time to start planning the research itself. A well-scoped question will make sure your project is manageable. Consider:
do I have the resources available to answer the question effectively?
what kind of support will I need, and how will I get it?
how long will this study take me?
am I being clear, concise and specific enough?
Next steps
You can formulate a research question addressing a genuine gap through consistent reading, critical thinking, and active networking. By paying attention to the scope of your question, you’ll make sure you have the right resources and time to answer it.
These early steps lay the groundwork for the writing process that follows your research.
When you’re ready, find more advice here: