Take a couple of minutes to consider what might be ‘wrong’ with the research question below by Emily Hards

Negatively worded

2025-10-02 14:41:12 UTC

2025-10-02 14:41:16 UTC

Does not explore if there is a stigma- established a stigma pre-existing

Gives no info about method used

2025-10-02 14:41:18 UTC

The question imply a that there is a problem with them living together.

assumptions in the question about (1) all couples experiencing this stigma and (2) the type of stigma (e.g. different taboos?)

2025-10-02 14:41:21 UTC

2025-10-02 14:41:44 UTC

What counts as a co-habiting couple

2025-10-02 14:41:45 UTC

The question is too ambiguous whereas qualitative questions must exist in a context. For example, what sort of stigma? Additionally, it sounds a bit like a leading question.

2025-10-02 14:41:48 UTC

Has an agenda set to find out rather than coming from an exploratory viewpoint

2025-10-02 14:41:49 UTC

It points out certain viewpoint particularly using a negative word and that doesn’t expand on the idea of researchable material particularly. So, more chance for the answers to be based on a biases that there is stigma associated with live in couple.

2025-10-02 14:41:52 UTC

The question is too directive; it assumes that all couples face stigma and have to cope with it.

2025-10-02 14:41:54 UTC

assumes there is a stigma - might lead to stunted answers if they don’t believe there is a stigma

Not specified enough

2025-10-02 14:41:55 UTC

2025-10-02 14:42:00 UTC

Doesn't define what the stigma is
Doesn't define what coping is
Biased question - implies from the start that there is something wrong with living together (could impact participant responses)
Not very open ended
Not specific or measurable
Romantic or platonic couples?

Too close ended

2025-10-02 14:42:09 UTC

2025-10-02 14:42:12 UTC

There is no explanation of what the stigma is? Where the study is conducting? How do we assume that there is anything to cope in the first place?

2025-10-02 14:42:22 UTC

It’s a leading question as it assumes that there is a stigma associated with living together. It might be better to explore co-habiting couples experiences of living together

2025-10-02 14:42:27 UTC

There’s an assumption made

Hidden assumption that there is stigma associated with co-habitation

2025-10-02 14:42:33 UTC

the word “cope” assumes they’re struggling

2025-10-02 14:42:38 UTC

2025-10-02 14:42:40 UTC

It suggests that all couples face stigma around living together, and that they all have to cope with it.

Is it necessary that there will be a stigma in all the cultures for couples who live together?

2025-10-02 14:42:43 UTC

2025-10-02 14:43:00 UTC

Assuming there is stigma, leading question.

Ignoring couples that are living together.

Researcher bias.

Isn’t open ended.

Ethical considerations, couples may have never heard of the stigma, self fulfilling prophecy

2025-10-02 14:43:18 UTC

Makes a lot of assumptions. We also discussed how by making it a closed question you are narrowing too soon. For example, it might have been better to say, ‘to investigate the impacts of (a variable such as intimacy, proximity, behaviour) on couples who co habit’. This makes research easier to conduct. It also avoids closing the question too soon.

2025-10-02 14:43:26 UTC

Is there much of a stigma to begin with? It depends on the cultural context for example, in the UK there might be less stigma (if any) around cohabiting couples compared to a country like India.

Vague question

2025-10-02 14:43:28 UTC

can define couple as in romantic couple of a certain duration
Operationalise “cope” as specific behaviours, and what “stigma” to check for

Some timeframe in a sense if they are a couple for months, years, or since how long they are living together

2025-10-02 14:43:31 UTC

2025-10-02 14:43:33 UTC

Doesn't consider context - assumes couples experience stigma when that may not be true

2025-10-02 14:43:35 UTC

It could be later out clearer, using a structure such as PICOT, potentially introducing a comparison with couples who don’t live together.

2025-10-02 14:43:44 UTC

Leading question - implies it is always negative

What does 'cope' mean - quite a specific word

overly negative language and vague

2025-10-02 14:43:54 UTC

"cope", and "stigma" assume a negative POV

very vage in terms of what counts as "stigma" and "cohbaiting-couples"

acmb5 — 2025-10-02 14:43:57 UTC

written as though there's an assumption that all co-habiting couples experience stigma
doesn't specify the specific population (age, geographical location, etc.)

2025-10-02 14:44:38 UTC

Typically with qualitative research, the ‘answer’ isn’t definitive. The question is worded as such that there would be a ‘definitive answer’

2025-10-02 14:45:28 UTC

The proposed research question is too vague, leaving terms such as “cope” and “stigma”.

There is bias, assuming that there is stigma associated with co-habitation.

There is no specification of age, region (collectivist v/s individualist cultures), or hetero/homosexual relationships.

There is simply too much space given for different responses. More specification would make the RQ more robust.