Take the time to think critically about your topic - it is okay to explore and fumble around as you figure out what you want to research. You are at the beginning stage and the beginning is where ideas start to develop. As you define your topic, you will make changes along the way with the keywords you think are important and questions you need to ask



What Makes a Good Research Question?

It is Critical, not Simple


A Critical question.....

  • leads to more questions

  • provokes discussion

  • comes from a critical or careful reading of the text or understanding of a topic

  • addresses wider issues


A Simple question.......

  • can be answered with a "yes" or "no"

  • can contain the answers within the question

  • can be answered by a fact, or a series of facts

  • can easily be found by "Googling"


Re-evaluate your Question if:



You can answer it too easily . . .

  • by looking it up

  • by summarizing a source

  • if the answer seems self-evident because the evidence overwhelmingly favors one answer


You cannot find enough good evidence and authoritative sources to support an answer because . . .

  • no relevant facts exist

  • not enough research exists to be considered

  • the question is based on preference


You have too much information . . .

  • your topic is too broad