Developing Research Questions

To write a good research paper, project or thesis, one must first formulate a good research question. Your work has a clear focus and purpose when it pinpoints precisely what you want to accomplish. Your research question should be able to answer:

• Focused on a single problem or issue
• Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources
• Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints
• Specific enough to answer thoroughly
• Complex enough to develop the answer over the space of a paper or thesis
• Relevant to your field of study and/or society more broadly  (McCombes, 2019)

 

(Scribbr, 2020)

Monash University provides an outline on developing research questions.  It also include some interactive activities to test your understanding.   

Visit Developing Research Questions

McCombes, S. (2019). Developing Strong Research Questions | Criteria and Examples. Scribbr. https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-questions/

Scribbr. (2020). How to Develop a STRONG Research Question | Scribbr 🎓 - YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71-GucBaM8U