Research Brainstorm
When given the freedom to choose a topic for a long-term assignment, it is important to pick a topic that you are personally interested in. Having interest in the topic helps you maintain motivation throughout the work period-- in this case, a full semester. Additionally, make sure that you have access to a relevant group and number of potential participants. This chart is an organized example of my initial project ideas.
Brainstorming is not quite enough to develop a solid research question. Narrowing down a topic is helpful, but often times it will take some secondary reading to identify a research gap to fill or extend. In my final paper you will read a section called "Literature Review" that discusses the secondary research that I became knowledgeable about. These articles are the findings that helped me settle on the question:
What effects does social media have on self-esteem in the LGBTQ community?
Check out my literature review in my final paper!
Analysis
It is important to know if your research question is attainable, if participants are accessible, and if it is relevant. While many of these elements are not confirmed until a literature review is completed, it is necessary to begin thinking about these answers beforehand.
Revisions
My actual research question was a bit different than any I had brainstormed, so an explanation as to how I resolved my final question was included. Additionally, viewers were encouraged to check out the literature review that helped me reach this question. Once again, an introduction was included for context. It was important to include these details, as I did not include my literature review as a separate assignment.