Crafting your research question

Adapted from the Writing Center at George Mason University

A research question is a clear, focused, concise, complex and arguable question around which you center your research. You should ask a question about an issue that you are genuinely curious about.

What is a research question?

● Choose an interesting general topic.● Do some preliminary research on your

general topic. ● Consider your audience.

● Start asking questions.

Developing a research question

● Is your research question clear?● Is your research question focused?● Is your research question complex?

Evaluate your question.

● Unclear: How has doping ruined sports for Americans?

● How can you make this a better research question?

Unclear

● Unclear: How has doping ruined sports for Americans?

● Clear: How do Americans reconcile their love of baseball heroes with the disappointment of dethroning due to steroid use? A look into the case of Mark McGwire.

ClearThe unclear version of this question doesn't address specific performance-enhancing drugs, nor does it specify specific sports or time periods. It also assumes that doping has ruined sports for Americans and that this is proven and/or accepted. The clearer version specifies a drug (steroids) a sport (baseball) a specific person and case (Mark McGwire) and deletes an assumption. A strong research question should never leave room for ambiguity or interpretation.

● How has advertising evolved in America?● How can you make this a better research question?

Unfocused

● Unfocused:How has advertising evolved in America?

● Focused: How did the Volkswagon "Lemon" advertising campaign revolutionize advertising in 1960s America?

FocusedThe 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 ad campaign (the Volkswagon "Lemon") and a specific time period (the 1960s). When in doubt, make a research question as narrow and focused as possible.

● Too simple: What kinds of recreational drugs have been popular with teenagers from the 1990 to the present?

● How can you make this a better research question?

Too Simple

● Too simple:What kinds of recreational drugs have been popular with teenagers from the 1990 to the present?

● Appropriately Complex: From the 1990s to the present, how has the rise of prescription drug abuse among teenagers changed the approach to drug abuse prevention programs in the U.S.?

Appropriately Complex

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 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.

● Take a few minutes to write several possible research questions.

● Review and evaluate in research groups.

Peer Review

● Create a profile for the Ning network, http://history12seminar2012-13.ning.com/

● Read chapters 1-2 of the Turabian guide.● On your Ning blog, write your first

reflection for week one. See instructions on the blog.

Homework