Most Common Research

Questions being asked by

Panelist
1. Can you tell us what is your study is all about?

To answer this question, you need to know every detail of your

research project from chapters one to the end. The question
needs an answer in form of a summary of the entire study,
therefore, to ace this particular question you need to know
every detail in your abstract. If you wrote a good abstract, this
question will be a cross over for you.
2. What is your motivation for this study?
Now you must be careful here. This question can be very tricky and it
goes a long way in convincing your panel members that your study is
worth their time. Another way this question could be twisted is WHAT IS
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM? To answer this question, you may decide to
elaborate on the problem investigated in the study. Your zeal to solve
this problem becomes your motivation. Do not state financial reasons or
the need to graduate as a motivation as you may easily go off point.
3. How this study will contribute to the body of
knowledge?
At some point the need for justification will arise and that is
when you will be asked to mention how your study will add to
the body of knowledge if approved. Here you will need to use
your methods, case study or any unique model or conceptual
framework used in the study to defend it.
4. What is the significance of the study?
Just like stating how your study will contribute to the body of
knowledge, you will need to state the importance of your study. To
answer this question, you will need to highlight how your study will
aid the government in policy development and implementation,
how it will help other students who may wish to conduct research
studies on the subject matter and how organizations and the
society will benefit from your study.
5. What limitations did you encounter?
To answer this question, you must be careful with words as you
may implicate yourself. Be careful enough not to sell out yourself.
Do not discourse limitations in your methods or data analysis
techniques as this may imply that your study may be biased or not
well researched. Use simple limitations like difficulties encountered
in combining lectures and project instead of limiting your study.
6. What are your findings?
At this point it is expected of you to present your results or
findings from the study in a clear and concise manner. Always
link your findings to your research objectives/questions. This
will make your panel members to easily be carried along.
7. What methods or sampling technique that you
employ?
To answer this question, you must be familiar with your
research methodology. Your ability to justify your sample size
and technique will be highly rewarded here. 
8. Why choose this method?
As discoursed above, you should not only state a particular
method for the study. You must also be ready and able to
justify why you chose the method in a convincing manner. At
this point you are free to quote sources or similar studies
where such methods were adopted. 
9. Based on your findings what are your
recommendations?
Recommendations are very vital in every research study and
should not be joked with. In essence you should know your
recommendations off hand.
10. How can your research study be put into
practice?
You should try your best to be realistic here. Relate your study
to current trends in your environment, office, economy,
government, schools, church etc. Use of relevant examples
and illustrations will score you good point here.
11. What would you change if you were to conduct
the study again?
Be careful! Do not be too jovial. There is a loophole here! Just
like your limitations, this question can be asked to identify
your week points.
12. What is your measurement instrument?
In simple terms, what data collection method did you employ
for the study? Here you state if questionnaires were
distributed or data was gotten from secondary sources.
13. What are your research variables?
Here you will need to convince your panel members that you
know what you are talking about. You need to explain your
independent and dependent variable(s) to convince them
that you are on point. Your variables are present in your
project topic. You need to identify these variables and know
their definitions as well to ace your defense.
14. What are your research questions?
Very simple question. It should take about few seconds to
answer this question if you are fully prepared.
15. What do you plan to do with your research after
graduation?
Here you are at liberty to say your mind. If you intend to
publish it, this is the best opportunity to discourse and
interact with the committee members-maybe a professor
there can help.
16. What source of data was employed for this
study?
At this point you have to state the source(s) you got data
from. In general you have to state whether data was gotten
from primary or secondary source or both. You can further
convince the committee members by discoursing on literature
reviewed for the study-both theoretical and empirical.
17. What theories or theoretical framework is your study
based on?
This is a very technical question but interesting. Before you step into
the defense room, you should know at least two relevant theories
that relate to your study. For example, the “impact of motivation on
employee productivity” will be based on Maslow’s Theory and other
theories of motivation. If you cannot find relevant theories to back up
your study, consult your supervisor for help.
18. What recommendations do you have for future
research?
Your problem solving skill is put to test here. You should be able to
identify areas that will need more research.
19. What is the scope of the study?
This one is a cheap or should I say bonus question? Here you
quickly state the delimitation of the study in brief.
20. What question/s do you have for the committee?
This is an opportunity to interact with your committee
members and ask some constructive questions. Do not ask
silly or too difficult questions as the goal should be to make
the committee members feel as the “boss”. It will also go a
long way in showing that you are a brilliant individual.
21. What question/s do you have for the committee?
This is an opportunity to interact with your committee
members and ask some constructive questions. Do not ask
silly or too difficult questions as the goal should be to make
the committee members feel as the “boss”. It will also go a
long way in showing that you are a brilliant individual.
22. Do you have any closing comments?
This is praising time! Use this opportunity to thank your
committee members for their time and questions. Tell them
how much you have learnt from them and how you intend to
correct errors (if any) identified in your work. This can go a
long way in impressing your internal and external supervisors.
All the best!
 Other Panel Interview Questions
• What you learned from the study that you have done?
• Why you choose this particular topic or what is your
inspiration behind this study?
• What is the importance of your study or how will it
contribute to the body of knowledge?
• What type of background research have you done for your
study?
• What are the recommendations of your study
• Why did you select this particular age group?
 Other Panel Interview Questions
• What are the limitation you have faced while your are
writing?
• Why did you choose this particular method or sample for the
study?
• What will you include if you were told to add something to
your study?
• If given a chance, would you like to do something different
with your work?
 Other Panel Interview Questions
• What are the recommendation of your study?
• What was your hypothesis and how did you formed it?
• If given a chance, would you like to do something different
with your work?
• What are the research variables that you used?
• Do you have any questions to be asked?
• How would you improve your work?
Other Tips
• When confronted with other difficult question, adopt a
strategy to make them rephrase or repeat the question.
This will give you more time to think.
• Before your defense day. Practice with your
teacher/adviser or your friends. Make them drill you
with likely questions.
• Talk calmly with confidence. Do not talk too fast s this
may pave way for tension and stage freight.
• Read your research thoroughly. Know the basic
definitions and terms used in the study