Name: ______________________________________________________

Date: ______________

Using Good Questions to Guide Your Research

After skimming a general resource, like an encyclopedia, you probably have many questions. Having many
questions is good because it means you are thinking deeply about your topic. Pick your six most important
questions and list them below:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
If you are having problems brainstorming questions, use this Who, What, Where, When, Why and How tutorial
to help you.

Measure your questions to see if they are an inch or a mile deep!

An inch deep question is one that requires a yes or no answer. Inch deep questions do not make good research
questions.
Examples:
Was the Declaration of Independence signed on July 4th, 1776?
Is Baltimore the capital of Maryland?
Did the United States win the World Cup in 2006?
Foot deep questions require short one or two word answers. Like inch deep questions, foot deep questions do
not make good research questions.
Examples:
How many people live in Maryland?
What is the average temperature in July?
Who wrote the Star-Spangled Banner?
Yard deep questions require you to read several paragraphs and put the information in your own words. Yard
deep questions are good research questions.
Examples:
How does a model rocket fly?
Which states have greater natural resources than Maryland?
What caused the American Revolution?
Mile deep questions require that you read several articles, think deeply about what you have read, and
synthesize what you learned with what you know. Mile deep questions are great questions to guide your
research.
Examples:
How do culture, religion, and geography affect world hunger?
How can a schoolyard provide the living, non-living, and once-living factors necessary for the
survival of a variety of native species?
How do American citizens decide who to vote for in a presidential election?

Using Your Questions to Guide Your Research

DIRECTIONS: Now that you have measured your questions, its time to turn the yard and mile
deep questions into an organizer to guide your research. Fill in your questions in the boxes
below.
Use your organizer to record the answers to your questions as you gather information. Dont
forget to record WHERE you found the information in the source box.
Use NoodleTools to help you cite the source correctly.

Topic:
QUESTION #1:

QUESTION #2:

QUESTION #3:

SOURCE:

SOURCE:

SOURCE:

QUESTION #4:

QUESTION #5:

QUESTION #6:

SOURCE:

SOURCE:

SOURCE: