writing a research question worksheet

Think Like a Researcher: Instruction Resources: #6 Developing Successful Research Questions

  • Guide Organization
  • Overall Summary
  • #1 Think Like a Researcher!
  • #2 How to Read a Scholarly Article
  • #3 Reading for Keywords (CREDO)
  • #4 Using Google for Academic Research
  • #4 Using Google for Academic Research (Alternate)
  • #5 Integrating Sources
  • Research Question Discussion
  • #7 Avoiding Researcher Bias
  • #8 Understanding the Information Cycle
  • #9 Exploring Databases
  • #10 Library Session
  • #11 Post Library Session Activities
  • Summary - Readings
  • Summary - Research Journal Prompts
  • Summary - Key Assignments
  • Jigsaw Readings
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Course Learning Outcome:   Develop ability to synthesize and express complex ideas; demonstrate information literacy and be able to work with evidence

Goal:  Develop students’ ability to recognize and create successful research questions

Specifically, students will be able to

  • identify the components of a successful research question.
  • create a viable research question.

What Makes a Good Research Topic Handout

These handouts are intended to be used as a discussion generator that will help students develop a solid research topic or question. Many students start with topics that are poorly articulated, too broad, unarguable, or are socially insignificant. Each of these problems may result in a topic that is virtually un-researchable. Starting with a researchable topic is critical to writing an effective paper.

Research shows that students are much more invested in writing when they are able to choose their own topics. However, there is also research to support the notion that students are completely overwhelmed and frustrated when they are given complete freedom to write about whatever they choose. Providing some structure or topic themes that allow students to make bounded choices may be a way mitigate these competing realities.

These handouts can be modified or edited for your purposes.  One can be used as a handout for students while the other can serve as a sample answer key.  The document is best used as part of a process.  For instance, perhaps starting with discussing the issues and potential research questions, moving on to problems and social significance but returning to proposals/solutions at a later date.

  • Research Questions - Handout Key (2 pgs) This document is a condensed version of "What Makes a Good Research Topic". It serves as a key.
  • Research Questions - Handout for Students (2 pgs) This document could be used with a class to discuss sample research questions (are they suitable?) and to have them start thinking about problems, social significance, and solutions for additional sample research questions.
  • Research Question Discussion This tab includes materials for introduction students to research question criteria for a problem/solution essay.

Additional Resources

These documents have similarities to those above.  They represent original documents and conversations about research questions from previous TRAIL trainings.

  • What Makes a Good Research Topic? - Original Handout (4 pgs)
  • What Makes a Good Research Topic? Revised Jan. 2016 (4 pgs)
  • What Makes a Good Research Topic? Revised Jan 2016 with comments

Topic Selection (NCSU Libraries)

Howard, Rebecca Moore, Tricia Serviss, and Tanya K. Rodrigues. " Writing from sources, writing from sentences ." Writing & Pedagogy 2.2 (2010): 177-192.

Research Journal

Assign after students have participated in the Developing Successful Research Topics/Questions Lesson OR have drafted a Research Proposal.

Think about your potential research question.

  • What is the problem that underlies your question?
  • Is the problem of social significance? Explain.
  • Is your proposed solution to the problem feasible? Explain.
  • Do you think there is evidence to support your solution?

Keys for Writers - Additional Resource

Keys for Writers (Raimes and Miller-Cochran) includes a section to guide students in the formation of an arguable claim (thesis).  The authors advise students to avoid the following since they are not debatable. 

  • "a neutral statement, which gives no hint of the writer's position"
  • "an announcement of the paper's broad subject"
  • "a fact, which is not arguable"
  • "a truism (statement that is obviously true)"
  • "a personal or religious conviction that cannot be logically debated"
  • "an opinion based only on your feelings"
  • "a sweeping generalization" (Section 4C, pg. 52)

The book also provides examples and key points (pg. 53) for a good working thesis.

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  • Last Updated: Apr 26, 2024 10:23 AM
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  • Academic Writing
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Worksheet: Evaluate Your Own Research Question

Ask the following 8 questions to evaluate the quality of your research question and the ease with which you should be able to answer it:

  • Does the question deal with a topic or issue that interests me enough to spark my own thoughts and opinions?
  • Is the question easily and fully researchable?
  • statistics on airline crashes before and after
  • statistics on other safety problems before and after
  • information about maintenance practices before and after
  • information about government safety requirements before and after
  • Is the scope of this information reasonable (e.g., can I really research 30 online writing programs developed over a span of 10 years?)
  • Given the type and scope of the information that I need, is my question too broad, too narrow, or okay?
  • What sources will have the type of information that I need to answer the research question (journals, books, Internet resources, government documents, people)?
  • Can I access these sources?
  • Given my answers to the above questions, do I have a good quality research question that I actually will be able to answer by doing research?

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Steps in the Research Process: Developing Research Questions Worksheet

  • Research Process Overview
  • Finding a Topic
  • Refine Your Topic
  • Background Information
  • Developing Research Questions Worksheet
  • Identify Keywords
  • Find Books and Media
  • Find Articles in Library Databases
  • Website Evaluation
  • Google Scholar
  • Citation/Plagiarism

Developing Research Questions

Types of Research Questions

Good academic communication should include an introduction in which your topic and thesis is clearly defined, an analysis of your topic, and a clear conclusion.

Start out by introducing your topic, communicating to your audience why the topic is important, and providing enough background information to allow your audience to understand the analysis that is about to take place. Your introduction is also the logical place to embed your thesis.

Examples of defining/introductory questions:

o What is _________________?

o Why is ____________ an important issue?

o What background information is necessary to understand ______________?

o What are the different types of ____________?

All academic research demands analysis. Some projects lend themselves well to a cause/effect structure ("What caused hip-hop to emerge and what are some of the effects its had on American culture?), while other assignments require a pro/con format ("What are the positive aspects of stem cell research? What are some of the negative implications?). Some projects can easily conform to both modes.

Examples of analytical/body questions:

o What are the causes of ________________?

o What are the effects of ________________?

o What are the “pro” arguments about_______________?

o What are the “con” arguments about ______________?

o How can I refute arguments about ______________?

o What is being done about ______________?

Your conclusion allows you to demonstrate to your instructor that you have synthesized the information you found and clearly answered your thesis question (informative projects) or effectively proven your thesis statement (persuasive/argumentative assignments).

Examples of concluding questions:

o What do I think should be done about ________________?

o Based on my research what do I think about ________________ and why?

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Guide to Research

  • Background Research
  • Write a research question
  • Find Books and Articles
  • Search strategies
  • Evaluate sources
  • Cite sources This link opens in a new window
  • Developing a research question An interactive, self-guided tutorial from DePaul University
  • NYU Abu Dhabi First-Year Writing Seminar This guide covers the fundamentals of academic research and writing, including developing a research question, finding and evaluating sources, and avoiding plagiarism.
  • Brown University Library's Guide to Searching An introduction to choosing a topic and developing a research question, with follow up practice exercises.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

After watching this tutorial, practice developing your research question with the worksheet attached below:

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  • Last Updated: Jun 27, 2023 1:55 PM
  • URL: https://libguides.citytech.cuny.edu/researchintro

Developing Research Questions

  • Author By Troy Mikanovich
  • Publication date April 8, 2022
  • Categories: Research Writing , Writing Tips
  • Categories: proposal , prospectus , research , research questions

Developing a research question, like every other aspect of a research project—working with sources, the interpretation of data, the writing, the editing—takes work, and is a skill that you can practice, refine, and personalize.  Here’s a short primer on how to come up with a workable research question, references included.

Whether you’re just beginning, or already have a research question in mind, consider starting at the beginning of the worksheet and jotting down answers to each section. I’ve also included a completed worksheet as a example to follow if you are finding it hard to get started.

An image of the Developing Research Questions handout

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  • Knowledge Base
  • Starting the research process
  • 10 Research Question Examples to Guide Your Research Project

10 Research Question Examples to Guide your Research Project

Published on October 30, 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on October 19, 2023.

The research question is one of the most important parts of your research paper , thesis or dissertation . It’s important to spend some time assessing and refining your question before you get started.

The exact form of your question will depend on a few things, such as the length of your project, the type of research you’re conducting, the topic , and the research problem . However, all research questions should be focused, specific, and relevant to a timely social or scholarly issue.

Once you’ve read our guide on how to write a research question , you can use these examples to craft your own.

Research question Explanation
The first question is not enough. The second question is more , using .
Starting with “why” often means that your question is not enough: there are too many possible answers. By targeting just one aspect of the problem, the second question offers a clear path for research.
The first question is too broad and subjective: there’s no clear criteria for what counts as “better.” The second question is much more . It uses clearly defined terms and narrows its focus to a specific population.
It is generally not for academic research to answer broad normative questions. The second question is more specific, aiming to gain an understanding of possible solutions in order to make informed recommendations.
The first question is too simple: it can be answered with a simple yes or no. The second question is , requiring in-depth investigation and the development of an original argument.
The first question is too broad and not very . The second question identifies an underexplored aspect of the topic that requires investigation of various  to answer.
The first question is not enough: it tries to address two different (the quality of sexual health services and LGBT support services). Even though the two issues are related, it’s not clear how the research will bring them together. The second integrates the two problems into one focused, specific question.
The first question is too simple, asking for a straightforward fact that can be easily found online. The second is a more question that requires and detailed discussion to answer.
? dealt with the theme of racism through casting, staging, and allusion to contemporary events? The first question is not  — it would be very difficult to contribute anything new. The second question takes a specific angle to make an original argument, and has more relevance to current social concerns and debates.
The first question asks for a ready-made solution, and is not . The second question is a clearer comparative question, but note that it may not be practically . For a smaller research project or thesis, it could be narrowed down further to focus on the effectiveness of drunk driving laws in just one or two countries.

Note that the design of your research question can depend on what method you are pursuing. Here are a few options for qualitative, quantitative, and statistical research questions.

Type of research Example question
Qualitative research question
Quantitative research question
Statistical research question

Other interesting articles

If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Methodology

  • Sampling methods
  • Simple random sampling
  • Stratified sampling
  • Cluster sampling
  • Likert scales
  • Reproducibility

 Statistics

  • Null hypothesis
  • Statistical power
  • Probability distribution
  • Effect size
  • Poisson distribution

Research bias

  • Optimism bias
  • Cognitive bias
  • Implicit bias
  • Hawthorne effect
  • Anchoring bias
  • Explicit bias

Cite this Scribbr article

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McCombes, S. (2023, October 19). 10 Research Question Examples to Guide your Research Project. Scribbr. Retrieved September 3, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-question-examples/

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Research Topics: How to Select & Develop: Developing a Research Question

  • Understanding the Assignment
  • Choosing a Research Topic
  • Refining a Research Topic
  • Developing a Research Question
  • Deciding What Types of Sources You Will Need
  • Research Help

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  • Video Transcript
  • Supplemental Worksheet

List What You Already Know

Write down what you already know or don't know about the topic

List Questions that Interest You

Develop a list of relevant questions that interest you about the topic. Being interested in what you write about will make writing the paper less tedious. Use probing questions such as why? how? what if? should? Avoid questions that can be answered with yes or no.

If you're not very familiar with your general topic, do a little background reading to get an idea of the issues that relate to it. 

Narrow Your List of Questions

Narrow down your list of questions to topics that aren't too narrow or general, depending on the length requirement of your paper. You won't be able to find enough information on a question that is too specific. A very broad topic will yield way too much information to work with.

Refine Your Question

Conduct a preliminary search for information relating to your question. Use search engines, library databases, and the library catalog to be sure that there are enough resources available to you in order to research this question.

Refine your research question to give it a clear, direct focus based on your preliminary research. For example, "How did the U.S. get involved in the Vietnam War?" is better than "What role did the U.S. play in the Vietnam War?" because it is focused on a specific part of a very broad issue. You'll have an easier time writing your paper if your research questions are specific, because you'll use your research question(s) to guide you in writing a thesis for your paper.

Ask your instructor to look over your research questions to be sure you are focused in the right direction.

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English 151

  • Pick a Topic & Develop a Research Question
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Pick a topic and develop a good research question

The first step in writing a research paper is choosing a good topic. Your topic will have to be something that falls within the guidelines provided by your instructor, and should also be something that you find interesting and would like to learn more about.  However, a good research paper involves more than choosing an interesting topic and reporting information on it.  A research paper should attempt to critically analyze a complex problem, and that means you need to develop a focused research question, which is essential to the research process.  By defining exactly what you are trying to find out, your research question influences most of the rest of the steps taken to conduct your research. Follow the guides below to help you choose a topic and develop a good research question:

  • Choosing a Topic A worksheet designed to help students brainstorm a topic for a research paper.
  • Crafting a Research Question This is a worksheet designed to help students move from their chosen topic to a more focused research question.

Video: from topic to research question to keywords

Creating Research Questions

This section will help you consider a topic for your research paper that is interesting to you, and that is researchable using library resources. When you select a topic and focused research question, you’ll want to consider a few things:

  • Does your section of ENG 151 have a theme? Does your professor want your research topic to correspond to that theme?
  • What do YOU find interesting? You are going to spend hours reading information, thinking about how the information fits together, and then writing pages of critical analysis about your topic. This will be a more pleasant experience for you if you are genuinely interested in the topic you choose.
  • Keep in mind that when you are searching for information about your topic, you can only find information that has been published This means you’re looking for a topic that other people are talking about, thinking about, and writing about. So, it needs to be interesting to you, but also to others.
  • Don’t forget that you already know things! Many research papers start from the spark of an idea from something we hear or witness in the world around us.

Remember, your research question is NOT your thesis statement; it’s exploratory. If you start doing research and discover that people are writing articles about a more interesting (or easier to research) question, you can always adjust your question as you collect information.

The tools collected here will help you think about a topic that genuinely interests you, and develop a clear, concise, and researchable question based on that topic.

From Topic to Research Question

Your topic is the general, overarching area that you’re interested in, while the research question is a focused, smaller sliver of information you’re questioning within that topic. Topics are broad, while research questions are focused.

Topic: Urban Transportation

Research Questions could be…. “Why do some neighborhoods/communities oppose or advocate against creating bike lanes in their neighborhoods?” or “What factors increase or decrease the likelihood of electronic car adoption in urban environments?”

Topic: Immigration

Research Questions could be… “How has the United States’ handling of immigration changed from the Obama White House to the Trump White House?” and if that question ends up being too large or unwieldy, you can adjust it to something like, “What does living in a ‘Sanctuary City’ actually mean for undocumented students attending college in New York?” or “How have immigration policies affected families that live on either side of the Texas/Mexico border?” You can adjust your question based on what (and how much) information comes up in your searches.

What Makes a Research Question "Researchable"?

Good question! Coming up with a research question that leads you to a manageable paper is challenging and gets easier with practice. It’s a delicate balance between a few variables.

  • OPEN questions versus SHUT questions: You want to ask a question that doesn’t have an obvious answer, something you can really grapple with. Your topic should have multiple points of view, aspects of it that people don’t all agree on. When the question is open-ended, you have more to investigate. If your question leads to a single point of view, or an obvious answer, you’re going to have a challenging time writing 10 or so pages about it. Shut question: why are vaccines bad? Open question: Where did the debate around vaccines start and why are some convinced vaccines are harmful? What does the science say about the efficacy of vaccines?
  • SPECIFIC , rather than VAGUE . A good question tells you where to start your research right there in the question. A vague one will make you feel like you don’t know where to start, like you could be writing about almost anything. A question like “What does living in a ‘Sanctuary City’ actually mean for undocumented students attending college in New York?” gives you all the terms of the question: sanctuary cities, undocumented people, students, college, NYC. These are your search terms in the library databases! A vague question gives you nothing to hold onto. Vague version: How do folks feel about immigration. AHHHHHHHHH where do I start? Who are the folks? Why might they have feelings? Where are they coming from? Where do they live now?
  • FOCUSED , rather than BROAD . The paper your professor wants you to write is not a report. (But you can use reports in your research!) You are not writing an overview of a huge topic, but rather a focused critical essay of close analysis. Your research question needs to be focused too. A broad question will leave you drowning in a sea of information that you can’t possibly synthesize in a few pages. Too broad: what is the history of slavery in the US? Focused: An exploratory analysis of the arguments (pro and con) around removing statues of southern civil war generals. This second question relates to slavery, but cuts the topic down to a focused (and researchable) issue.
  • ANSWERABLE , but not OBVIOUS . Some of the universe’s interesting questions are not answerable in a research paper you’re writing in a few weeks (or perhaps at all). Why are there so many vampire movies? (Instead, analyze social themes brought up by one of them.) What makes men attack women? (Instead, investigate strategies people use to break the pattern of domestic abuse in relationships.)

Need ideas for topics? Check out these 2 databases

If you are still not sure what topic you would like to explore, the following 2 databases might help.  Click the Browse Issues button in the database to see an alphabetical list of issues:

Newspapers and Magazines

Provides access to full text literature about current controversial issues such as abortion, capital punishment, climate change, cloning, gun control, immigration, and more. Available material on each topic includes viewpoint essays, topic overviews, newspaper and magazine articles, statistics, and links to related web sites.

Full text reports written by seasoned journalists about current social, political, and economic issues. Includes topics in health, education, international affairs, public policy, the environment, technology, and the economy. Each report includes a concise overview of an issue, historical background, opposing arguments, statistics and polls, and suggestions for further reading. Great place to begin research on current affairs issues. Coverage Dates: 1991 to present

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Writing a Research Paper in Political Science: A Practical Guide to Inquiry, Structure, and Methods

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Research Worksheets and Handouts

  • Getting Started
  • Evaluating Sources
  • General Research

Getting Started Having trouble getting your research rolling? These handouts and worksheets can get you past that initial hurdle.

Topic Identification worksheet (pdf) This graphic organizer will help you understand your assignment, identify and focus your topic, create a search strategy and find sources in 6 easy steps! For more information about research topics, visit www.codlrc.org/research101/topics

Developing Your Research Question (pdf) An infographic of journalistic questions that can help you brainstorm potential research questions.

Finding Evidence worksheet (pdf) Before you start your research, consider what evidence you’ll need to support your claims and think about how to find it.

Subject vs. Keyword Searching (pdf) Learn how to use keyword searching and subject searching together to find what you're looking for in the Library catalog and article databases.

Boolean Logic, Truncation, and Nesting (pdf) An introduction to advanced search techniques you can use to help you find information efficiently and effectively.

Advanced Research Search Strategies and Techniques (pdf) A quick reference for the types of advanced searching techniques you can use in databases, the Library catalog and in search engines.

Tips for Evaluating Information (pdf) Whether a resource is print or electronic, text-based or image-based, researchers must carefully evaluate the quality of the source and the information found within. When evaluating the quality of resources, here are some things to consider.

CRAAP Test (pdf) Do your sources pass the CRAAP Test? Use this guide to help you consider whether a source is appropriate for your research needs.

Source Evaluation Worksheet (pdf) Use this form to help you determine if a source is appropriate for your research. For more information about evaluating sources, visit www.codlrc.org/evaluating/sources

Research Article Anatomy (pdf) Reading research gets easier once you understand and recognize the pieces and purposes of research studies, from abstract to references.

Reading (and Understanding) Research (pdf) Adapted from How to Read and Understand a Scientific Paper: A Guide for Non-Scientists by J. Raff.

Introduction to College Research (pdf) Helpful resources for every stage of the research process.

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Research Topics & Questions

Main navigation, exquisite corpse topic narrowing activity.

In this activity, students engage in an "exquisite corpse"-style activity, where they will get to pass around their research topic idea and see how other students in the room understand, interpret, illustrate, and expand upon it. 

Crafting Insightful Research Questions

Through this activity, students examine what constitutes a strong research question and then, through peer workshopping, start to develop a question to guide their own project.

Crowdsourcing Research Topics and Paths

This discussion-board-based activity helps students narrow down their final RBA research topic by encouraging students to collaborate with each other at the initial stage of conceiving of their RBA projects. 

Metonyms and Lenses - Focusing Your Research

This topic helps students narrow and focus their research topics by having them consider them in reference to the idea of the metonym.

The Reflexivity Memo: Developing Student Researcher Identity through Writing

This writing activity asks students to understand their various positionalities as researchers/writers and to recognize how their embodied socialized practices shape their research questions and practices.

Jumbo ‘Spectra’ Worksheets for Narrowing Topics and Locating Positions

In this activity, students use a pair of worksheets to create a visual mapping of research questions to help them focus their topic and their inquiry and identify positions beyond "yes" and "no."

Accordion Pre-Write

Students create an "accordion" of these questions to see the full spectrum of possibilities for their research, developing greater insight into the pitfalls of overly-specific or overly-general questions and the advantages of carefully-focused inquiry.

Research Topic Brainstorm

This asynchronous activity follows a class discussion in which students brainstorm different topics; it asks students to submit their own ideas to Canvas and receive instructor feedback. 

Research Question Generator with Padlet

This asynchronous activity uses Padlet to help students generate research questions with a rhetorical approach. Students not only craft research questions with different emphases, they also critically reflect on critical rhetorical concepts and the purpose of their research. 

Research Question Framing

This asynchronous activity helps students think through the process of framing their research questions at the early stage of their RBA by asking them to consider different ways of framing their research questions. It also encourages students to work with each other in the process of finalizing their research questions.

Research Proposal Planning Table

This asynchronous activity helps students thoroughly examine their research proposals with a rhetorical approach. Students not only look at different components of the research question itself, but also critically reflect on their audience and the purpose of their research to prepare for an excellent oral delivery of their research proposals.

Online Research Mixer

Instructors designed a 60-minute online workshop (research mixer) between freshmen composition students two different universities. During the session, students have the opportunity to introduce their research projects and provide and receive feedback on their drafts. 

Collaborative invention: working with research topics

This collaborative activity invites students to help their classmates to narrow and focus their research topics by taking turns contributing to a shared worksheet that asks them to engage with the topic in different ways.  

These activities are licensed under  CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 . Please remember to attribute all activities to their original authors (even if with an “adapted from”) on any handouts, webtexts, slides, or assignments sheets you generate from them.

If you have any activities of your own that you’d like to share, please send them  here .

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COMMENTS

  1. Developing a Research Question + Worksheet

    Tighten your Focus. Look at every word in your question. Replace as many as you can with more specific language or ideas (e.g., instead of "students," say "Grade 9 students in Ontario"). Revisit often! Keep your research question in mind throughout the research and writing process. You may find that you need to adapt your research question as ...

  2. #6 Developing Successful Research Questions

    Course Learning Outcome: Develop ability to synthesize and express complex ideas; demonstrate information literacy and be able to work with evidence Goal: Develop students' ability to recognize and create successful research questions Specifically, students will be able to. identify the components of a successful research question. create a viable research question.

  3. PDF Developing a Meaningful, Feasible, and Focused Research Question

    Worksheet #1: Developing a Research Question Developing a Meaningful, Feasible, and Focused Research Question A Good Research Question . . . Is meaningful and significant to you. Is possible to research with the time, resources, and students you work with. Is deliberate, narrow and focused, so that your project will adequately answer the research

  4. PDF Narrowing a Topic and Developing a Research Question

    - 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.) • Hypothesize. After you've come up with a question ...

  5. PDF Worksheet: Research Question Starters

    Worksheet: Research Question Starters. The sentence starters below can help you to write your own research questions. Starting questions are in each box. Pick the questions that fit the best - and edit them to make them specific to your topic. It's okay to start with only a few of the questions in each box.

  6. Worksheet: Evaluate Your Own Research Question

    Worksheet: Evaluate Your Own Research Question. ... E.g., The research question, "What impact has deregulation had on commercial airline safety?," will obviously require certain types of information: ... Is the scope of this information reasonable (e.g., can I really research 30 online writing programs developed over a span of 10 years?) Given ...

  7. How to Write a Research Question

    Research questions should not be answerable with a simple "yes" or "no" or by easily-found facts. They should, instead, require both research and analysis on the part of the writer. 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 ...

  8. Developing Research Questions Worksheet

    Types of Research Questions Good academic communication should include an introduction in which your topic and thesis is clearly defined, an analysis of your topic, and a clear conclusion. Start out by introducing your topic, communicating to your audience why the topic is important, and providing enough background information to allow your ...

  9. Writing Strong Research Questions

    A good research question is essential to guide your research paper, dissertation, or thesis. All research questions should be: Focused on a single problem or issue. Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources. Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints. Specific enough to answer thoroughly.

  10. Subject Guides: Guide to Research: Write a research question

    Research Question Worksheet Need help writing a research question? Fill out the steps in this worksheet to reach your question! Be sure to save the file to your computer to keep track of any changes. << Previous: Background Research; Next: Find Books and Articles >>

  11. PDF RESEARCH QUESTION WORKSHEET

    3. List a few possible questions about your specific topic area. 4. Choose one to be your main research question. Analysis (why or how) questions are best. 5. Make your question as clear and specific as possible. Specify what you mean for all general words (e.g. women, media). 6. Create a preliminary thesis. Answer your question in a one sentence.

  12. Developing Research Questions

    Developing a research question, like every other aspect of a research project—working with sources, the interpretation of data, the writing, the editing—takes work, and is a skill that you can practice, refine, and personalize. Here's a short primer on how to come up with a workable research question, references included.

  13. 10 Research Question Examples to Guide your Research Project

    The first question asks for a ready-made solution, and is not focused or researchable. The second question is a clearer comparative question, but note that it may not be practically feasible. For a smaller research project or thesis, it could be narrowed down further to focus on the effectiveness of drunk driving laws in just one or two countries.

  14. PDF Research Question and Hypothesis Worksheet

    Research Question and Hypothesis Worksheet. Read this carefully: This activity seeks to highlight key elements that should appear in a specific and manageable research question (RQ) or hypothesis. The cookie-cutter approach showcased here provides only a way to visualize some underlying grammar that orients most scholarly writing.

  15. Developing a Research Question

    Supplemental Worksheet. List What You Already Know. Write down what you already know or don't know about the topic ... because you'll use your research question(s) to guide you in writing a thesis for your paper. Ask your instructor to look over your research questions to be sure you are focused in the right direction. << Previous: Refining a ...

  16. Pick a Topic & Develop a Research Question

    The first step in writing a research paper is choosing a good topic. Your topic will have to be something that falls within the guidelines provided by your instructor, and should also be something that you find interesting and would like to learn more about. ... This is a worksheet designed to help students move from their chosen topic to a ...

  17. PDF WORKSHEET: WRITING RESEARCH QUESTIONS

    Before writing research questions, you will need to do some pre-research. The answers to these ... You can't write research questions until you have done your pre-research. WORKSHEET: WRITING RESEARCH QUESTIONS Part of Project Sample: Rosa Parks Your Topic Long Before What issues or problems were the main players involved with your topic ...

  18. PDF WORKSHEET: RESEARCH QUESTIONS

    Having a narrow topic will help you to keep their projects to a manageable size, but you can focus your research and project even more by developing research questions. Writing Research Questions. Good historical research questions will allow you to investigate issues of cause and effect, change over time, differences in perspective, etc.

  19. PDF WORKSHEET: WRITING RESEARCH QUESTIONS

    Part II: Remember, a good historical question will help you investigate your topic's cause and effect, multiple perspectives, and the short- and long-term impacts. Brainstorm some questions to about your topic. Use two or three of these questions to help guide your further research. Category Example: The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 Research Questions for Your Topic

  20. Worksheets

    So You Have to Write a Research Paper. General Resources; Getting Started: Finding a Research Question. Worksheets; Learning Proper Citation Forms, Finding the Scholarly Debate, and Summarizing and Classifying Arguments: The Annotated Bibliography. Worksheets; Making Sense of the Scholarly Answers to Your Research Questions: Writing the ...

  21. Research Worksheets and Handouts

    These handouts and worksheets can get you past that initial hurdle. This graphic organizer will help you understand your assignment, identify and focus your topic, create a search strategy and find sources in 6 easy steps! An infographic of journalistic questions that can help you brainstorm potential research questions.

  22. Research Topics & Questions

    Research Question Generator with Padlet. This asynchronous activity uses Padlet to help students generate research questions with a rhetorical approach. Students not only craft research questions with different emphases, they also critically reflect on critical rhetorical concepts and the purpose of their research.

  23. PDF Thesis Statement Worksheet

    Worksheet A thesis statement is a sentence that tells your reader your topic, what you think about it, and possibly how you are going to prove it. Create a research question based on your class assignment. Start to read about your topic to generate more ideas for your research and writing. Collect facts from articles. Form opinions about articles.

  24. FREE State Research Report Printable Project for Kids

    State Research Report. If your child is learning about their state, this free printable state research report is just what you are looking for. This states printable includes places for you to identify your state on a map, answer some research questions, draw, and write a summary. Simply print the state research project and you are ready to learn with elementary age students - first grade ...

  25. Exploring Gender Differences in Internet Usage: T-Test Analysis

    Statistics document from Capella University, 16 pages, Week 5: Thinking About Your Data Overview: In this assignment, you and your research team will begin exploring inferential statistics—the statistical tests researchers use to test hypotheses. Directions: Complete all five parts of this worksheet. 1 PART