Research Questions & Objectives

What is a research question? 什么是研究问题？

A research question is a question around which you center your research. It should be:

• Clear 清除:  it provides enough specifics that one’s audience can easily understand its purpose without needing additional explanation.

• Focused 重点: it is narrow enough that it can be answered thoroughly in the space the writing task allows.

• Concise 简洁的: it is expressed in the fewest possible words.

• Complex 复杂的: it is not answerable with a simple “yes” or “no,” but rather requires synthesis and analysis of ideas and sources prior to the composition of an answer.

• Arguable 有争议的: its potential answers are open to debate rather than accepted facts.

Why is a research question essential to the research process? 制定研究问题的步骤：

Research questions help writers focus their research by providing a path through the research and writing process. The specificity of 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: 制定研究问题的步骤：

1. Choose an interesting general topic. 选择一个有趣的一般话题。 Most professional 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.”

2. Do some preliminary research on your general topic. 对您的一般主题进行一些初步研究。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 issues are scholars and researchers discussing, when it comes to your topic? What questions occur to you as you read these articles?

3. Consider your audience. 考虑你的听众。 For most college papers, your audience will be academic, but 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?

4. Start asking questions. 开始提问。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?”

5. Evaluate your question. 评估你的问题。 After you’ve put a question or even a couple of questions down on paper, evaluate these questions to determine whether they would be effective research questions or whether they need more revising and refining.

   • Is your research question clear? With so much research available on any given topic, research questions must be as clear as possible in order to be effective in helping the writer direct his or her 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 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 could take. What sources should you consult as you seek answers to your question? What research process will ensure that you find a variety of perspectives and responses to your question?

Unclear 不清楚: How should social networking sites address the harm they cause? 

Clear 清除: What action should social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook take to protect users’ personal information and privacy?

The unclear version of this question doesn’t specify which social networking sites or suggest what kind of harm the sites might be causing. It also assumes that this “harm” is proven and/or accepted. The clearer version specifies sites (MySpace and Facebook), the type of potential harm (privacy issues), and who may be experiencing that harm (users). A strong research question should never leave room for ambiguity or interpretation.

Unfocused 散焦: What is the effect on the environment from global warming?

Focused 重点: What is the most significant effect of glacial melting on the lives of penguins in Antarctica?

The unfocused research question is so broad that it couldn’t be adequately answered in a book-length piece, let alone a standard college-level paper. The focused version narrows down to a specific effect of global warming (glacial melting), a specific place (Antarctica), and a specific animal that is affected (penguins). It also requires the writer to take a stance on which effect has the greatest impact on the affected animal. When in doubt, make a research question as narrow and focused as possible.

Too simple 太简单: How are doctors addressing diabetes in the U.S.?

Appropriately Complex 适当复杂:  What main environmental, behavioral, and genetic factors predict whether Americans will develop diabetes, and how can these commonalities be used to aid the medical community in the prevention of the disease?

The simple version of this question can be looked up online and answered in a few factual sentences; it leaves no room for analysis. The more complex version is written in two parts; it is thought provoking and requires both significant investigation and evaluation from the writer. As a general rule of thumb, if a quick Google search can answer a research question, it’s likely not very effective.

• The research questions should be clear, concise, and specific.

• The research objectives should be measurable and achievable.

• The research questions and research objectives should be directly related to each other.

• The research questions and research objectives should be stated in the research proposal.