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Research Question PDF
Research Question PDF
FORMULATING A
RESEARCH QUESTION
FORMULATING A RESEARCH QUESTION
THE BASIC S TEPS
• A research question is the question around which you center your research. It should be:
• clear: it provides enough specifics that one’s audience can easily understand its purpose without needing
additional explanation.
• focused: it is narrow enough that it can be answered thoroughly in the space the writing task allows.
• complex: it is not answerable with a simple “yes” or “no,” but rather requires synthesis and analysis of ideas
and sources prior to composition of an answer.
• arguable: its potential answers are open to debate rather than accepted facts.
• You should ask a question about an issue that you are genuinely curious and/or passionate about.
• The question you ask should be developed for the discipline you are studying. A question appropriate for
Biology, for instance, is different from an appropriate one in Political Science or Sociology. If you are
developing your question for a course other than first-year composition, you may want to discuss your ideas
for a research question with your professor.
RESEARCH PROBLEM AND RESEARCH QUESTION
THE DIFFERENCES
• Comparative research - What are the differences and similarities between X &
Y?
• Exploratory research - What are the main factors in X? What is the role of Y in
Z?
• Action research - How can X be achieved? What are the most effective
strategies to improve Y?
CHOOSING AN INTERESTING TOPIC
S TEP ONE
• Is your research question clear? With so much research available on any given
topic, research questions must be as clear as possible in order to be effective in
helping the writer direct his or her research.
• Unclear: How should social networking sites address the harm they
cause?
Clear: What action should social networking sites like MySpace and
Facebook take to protect users’ personal information and privacy?
• What effect does daily use of Twitter have on the attention span
of under-16s?
• Starting with “why” often means that your question is not focused
enough: there are too many possible answers and no clear
starting point for research. By targeting just one aspect of the
problem and using more specific terms, the second question
offers a clear path to finding an answer.
• Does the US or the UK have a better healthcare system?
• How did Irish women perceive and relate to the British women’s
suffrage movement?
• The first question is too broad and not very original. It has been
extensively researched by historians, and it would be very difficult
to contribute new knowledge. The second question identifies an
underexplored aspect of the topic that requires investigation and
discussion of various primary and secondary sources to answer.
• How can sexual health services and LGBT support services in
district X be improved?
• Adequate number of subjects, Adequate technical expertise, Affordable in time and money,
Manageable in scope
• Interesting
• Novel
• Ethical
• Relevant