A research question is the question that you center your research around. It should be:
- clear: it provides enough information so the reader can easily understand it without needing additional explanation.
- focused: it is narrow enough that it can be answered completely
- concise: it is expressed in the fewest possible words.
- complex: it is not answered with a simple “yes” or “no,” but requires synthesis and analysis of ideas and sources prior to finding an answer.
- arguable: its potential answers are open to debate and not just accepted facts.
You should ask a question about an issue that you are genuinely curious about.
Why is a research question essential to the research process?
Research questions help writers focus their research by providing a path through the research and writing process. A well-developed research question helps writers avoid the “all-about” paper and work toward supporting a specific, arguable thesis.
Steps to developing a research question:
- Choose an interesting general topic. Researchers focus on topics they are genuinely interested in studying. Writers should choose a broad topic about which they genuinely would like to know more. An example of a general topic might be “Slavery in the American South” or “Films of the 1930s.”
- Do some preliminary research on your general topic. Do a few quick searches in current periodicals and journals on your topic to see what’s already been done and to help you narrow your focus. What questions do you have as you read these articles?
- Consider your audience. Always keep your audience in mind when narrowing your topic and developing your question. Would that particular audience be interested in the question you are developing?
- Start asking questions. Taking into consideration all of the above, start asking yourself open-ended “how” and “why” questions about your general topic. For example, “Why were slave narratives effective tools in working toward the abolishment of slavery?” or “How did the films of the 1930s reflect or respond to the conditions of the Great Depression?”
- Evaluate your question. After you’ve put a question or even a couple of questions down on paper, evaluate these questions to decide whether they would be effective research questions or whether they need more revising and refining.
- Is your research question clear? Research questions must be as clear as possible in order to be effective in directing research.
- Is your research question focused? Research questions must be specific enough to be well covered in the space available.
- Is your research question complex? Research questions should not be answerable with a simple “yes” or “no” or by easily-found facts. They often begin with “How” or “Why.”
- Begin your research. After you’ve come up with a question, think about the possible paths your research could take. What sources should you go to as you look for answers to your question? What research process will help you find a variety of perspectives and responses to your question?
From The Writing Center
