Narrowing a Topic and Developing a Research Question
After choosing a topic and gathering background information, add focus with a research question.
• Explore questions.
- Ask open-ended “how” and “why” questions about your general topic.
- Consider the “so what” of your topic. Why does this topic matter to you? Why should it matter to others?
- Reflect on the questions you have considered. Identify one or two questions you find engaging and which
could be explored further through research.
• Determine and evaluate your research question.
- What aspect of the more general topic you will explore?
- Is your research question clear?
- Is your research question focused?
(Research questions must be specific enough to be well covered in the space available.)
- Is your research question complex?
(Questions shouldn't have a simple yes/no answer and should require research and analysis.)
• Hypothesis. After you've come up with a question, consider the path your answer might take.
- If you are making an argument, what will you say?
- Why does your argument matter?
- How might others challenge your argument?
- What kind of sources will you need to support your argument?