The true beauty of research lies in the art of questioning. But not all questions are the same. A good research question is never created out of thin air; rather, it is born from within previous studies and articles. The skill of uncovering such questions is called critical thinking.
Young researchers often read an article and wonder, “Everything is already written here, what new can I possibly say?” The truth, however, is that no research is ever complete. Every article contains certain limitations, and some questions always remain unresolved. Identifying these limitations and unanswered questions forms the basis for new research.
Critical thinking does not only mean criticism. Instead, it means deeply analyzing what an article says, what it doesn’t say, and how the arguments are presented. For example, a researcher may have conducted a survey but only used data from urban areas. Here, a young researcher might ask a new question: “What about the situation in rural areas?”
There are several effective steps for finding new questions from an article. First, understand the main objective or research question of the article. Second, identify the limitations of the methods used. Third, think about the applicability of the results—is it only relevant in a specific context or can it be applied more broadly? And fourth, develop new questions from what the original researchers did not mention.
For Bangladeshi young researchers, practicing critical thinking is especially important. Often, we simply collect data but don’t try to extract anything new from it. Yet, innovation is the heart of research. For example, an international study on health issues might be based on data from Western countries. Here, a young researcher could ask—“Are these results equally applicable to developing countries like Bangladesh?”
Moreover, critical thinking is a habit. After reading each article, one can take short notes—which part is strong, where are the weaknesses, and where is further work needed. Over time, this habit will change one’s perspective on research.
In conclusion, finding new questions from an article means honoring past knowledge while moving forward toward the future. If young researchers can develop this critical thinking skill, research will no longer be limited to data collection—it will open doors to new knowledge.
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