This is a link to a paper by Andrew Booth that really helped me when I was studying in my Masters. The paper suggests that the key of successful research is to have a clear and precise question - to know what you're looking for. He starts off with the quote: To be able to ask a question clearly is two-thirds of the way to getting it answered (John Ruskin). It echoes what Suzana kept asking/saying when we were talking about surveys, and the questions we would ask students - that it all depends on why we wanted to know something.