Developing the Research Question

Developing a Research Question

One of the first steps in the research process is developing a research question. The research question should be a clear and focused question that you can answer with information gathered during the research process.

Starting with a well thought-out research question will help to speed up the research process: searching for information without a clear objective is a good way to come up with ideas, but a difficult way to build an argument. A research question gives you a framework to work with.

Paris Exposition: map, Paris, France, 1900. Map showing layout of the exhibition. Brooklyn Museum Archives

Many assignments start with a research topic. This is usually a very broad idea. Research topics might look like the following:

• Women’s Health• Arts in New York City• Pollution and the environment

In some cases, you may be asked to choose a topic that interests you. This can be a challenge. Research can be a lot of fun, especially when you’re discovering more about a topic you’re interested in. When you are thinking about your research question, try to think about things you’re interested in.

• Bullying in schools • Video Games

Katharine Burr Blodgett at General Electric Research Laboratories. Smithsonian Institution Archives

Brainstorming can be a meaningful part of the research process. If you don’t know a lot about your research topic, you can become more knowledgeable about it using reference resources, like encyclopedias, or by searching for information online.

Susan H. Douglas Political Americana Collection, #2214 Rare & Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library, Cornell University http://hdl.handle.net/1813.001/5zkx

Once you’ve learned more about your topic, it will be easier to begin thinking about your research question. Examples of possible research questions based on the previous topics might look like:

• Women’s Health What are the effects of nutrition counseling on women’s health in rural communities?

• Art in New York City How is the Jewish immigrant experience in New York City reflected in comic books from the golden age of comics?

• Pollution and the environment What can urban communities do on a grassroots level to lessen the effects of pollution?

• Bullying in schools Is bullying responded to differently by teachers based on students’ gender?

• Video Games How can video games be used to help teach language skills to ESL learners?

Once you’ve decided on a research question, think about what kinds of information you will need to answer your question. As you learn more about your topic, you may find that you’ll need to adjust your research question.

When you write a research paper, you will introduce your research question to your reader in your thesis statement.

Your paper will describe how you used the evidence gathered during research to come to your conclusion about your topic.

If you have questions about how to develop a research question, ask a librarian for advice. We’re happy to help!

Crowd surrounding a woman skating around a giant skillet with slabs of bacon tied to her feet, holding a giant wooden spatula, Chehalis, Washington, ca. 1929-1932 http://content.lib.washington.edu/u?/social,1442

Need Help?Ask a Librarian!

http://library.citytech.cuny.edu/services/ask/