Forming Research Questions

A research question is the main question you propose to answer in your research project or paper. (Later on, you'll work on forming your claim which is your one-sentence answer to that question). Research questions help keep us focused on the task at hand, especially on longer projects like this one.

Strong research questions: 

• demonstrate a strong understanding of the topic and reflects creative critical thinking. 

• adapt and evolve as you discover more about your topic. 

Research is an iterative process, meaning your question and ideas should change as you learn more about your topic. Perhaps your research leads you to an area you hadn’t previously considered or your topic changes to be more comparative in nature. 

You might start with more than one question in the beginning stages of research, but you will ultimately narrow in on one specific focus for your project.