Example 1 (Psychology):
* Poorly stated: Does mindfulness meditation improve stress levels?
* Well-stated: Does a daily 20-minute mindfulness meditation practice, as measured by the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), significantly reduce perceived stress levels, as measured by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), in undergraduate students compared to a control group receiving no intervention after four weeks?
Example 2 (Education):
* Poorly stated: Does a new teaching method improve student performance?
* Well-stated: Does implementing the "Project-Based Learning" teaching method, as observed through student participation in project work (scored using a rubric assessing collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving skills) result in significantly higher scores on the standardized state mathematics exam compared to students taught using the traditional lecture-based method?
Example 3 (Biology):
* Poorly stated: Does fertilizer affect plant growth?
* Well-stated: Does a weekly application of Miracle-Gro fertilizer at a concentration of 10 ml per liter of water, as measured by plant height (in centimeters) and biomass (in grams), significantly increase the growth of tomato plants compared to a control group receiving only water after a period of eight weeks?
In each improved example, the key elements are:
* Independent variable: The factor being manipulated or observed (e.g., type of meditation, teaching method, fertilizer). Clearly defined and specific.
* Dependent variable: The factor being measured to assess the effect of the independent variable (e.g., stress levels, mathematics exam scores, plant growth). Specific measurements are named.
* Measurement tools: The specific instruments or methods used to quantify the dependent variable (e.g., MAAS, PSS, rubric, standardized exam, plant height and biomass).
* Specifics like sample size, duration and comparison groups (control groups) - While not always explicitly stated in the question itself, these are crucial to the research design.
The improved questions are testable and allow for objective evaluation of the results. A poorly stated question is often too broad or vague and cannot be answered with specific measurements.