A good research question essentially guides your research paper and pinpoints what you want to expound on, and gives clear purpose and direction. Your research question should be clear, concise, focused, and arguable. It should provide enough specific information so that the audience does not spend too much time trying to guess and come up with an explanation as to what you mean. Your research question should center around an issue that you are passionate about. The question should also be for the discipline you are studying. It would not make sense as a biology student to write a research question on political science. This article will discuss the process of developing a solid research question and what makes a research question strong.
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How to write a research question
Table of Contents
A research question essentially helps a writer focus on research through the writing process. The question delves into specifics and acts as a guide in developing a solid thesis. To create a substantial research question, you need to follow the procedures below.
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Pick an interesting topic
As a professional researcher, you should pick a topic that you are genuinely interested in. It can be a broad topic which you want to understand its specifics. When dealing with an exciting issue, you will enjoy conducting the research.
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Conduct preliminary research on your topic.
Perform preliminary searches in periodicals and journals to find out what scholars and researchers have already done in your field. Read the pertinent issues and see the questions that occur to you as you peruse these articles.
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Think about your audience
For most college research papers, the audience is mainly academic, but you need to consider the audience’s information when reading your article. Ask yourself if the audience would be interested in the answers. You can use expert services online for custom essay writing of the highest quality.
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Start asking questions from your research
After considering all the above, you need to ask yourself questions on the how and why. Professional essay writers use this technique to get the best research questions for their topics.
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Evaluate the question
After coming up with the question, it is time to evaluate it and see if it needs more refining. Check whether the question is straightforward, whether it is direct and understandable.
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Start your research
After developing the question, it is time to delve into the research and assess the possible paths you can take. Look for sources from where you will seek your answers and the research process you will follow. Try to look for multiple responses and perspectives to your research question.
What exactly makes your research question strong?
Most research questions can be answered with various research methods. Expert writers employ different techniques to frame their questions in a way that would drive the research forward.
Writing a proper research question is a big task, but your work will be more accessible when you have a good question. The question anchors your project, and your project will be about refining the question. It would help if you used different criteria to evaluate the strength of your question. Some requirements are listed below.
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Focused and researchable
The main question should focus on one topic and problem to avoid over-diversification. This will keep all your work focused. If you have any questions, they should all relate to the primary research question. The question should also be answerable using quantitative and qualitative data. It should also be possible to answer the question by reading scholarly articles and developing an argument. If such data is not available, you should consider rethinking your question. Academic essay writers also avoid questions that ask for subjective judgments. Avoid questions with terms like good, bad or worse. Focus on questions with measurable definitions.
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Feasible and specific
When it comes to feasibility, focus on a question where you will have enough time and resources to answer if you are struggling to acquire data, narrow down your query to specifics. Use well-defined words and avoid blanket statements and broad ideas. You should be clear on the subject your question is addressing. Do not spend your time asking for a definitive solution or a course of action. Research is more about informing than instructing. Even if your question deals with practical problems, it should target improving people’s understanding instead of providing a ready-made solution.
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Arguable
Your research question should not be answerable by a yes or no. Closed yes/no questions are too weak as they have a small scope of the investigation. The question should also not be easily answerable using a quick Google search. A good question needs original data from multiple sources and an argument that provides the answer. The answer to the question should also provide for a good scope of debate and deliberations. There needs to be space for discussions on what you have found. The best essay writers answer the question in the form of an argumentative thesis.
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Relevant and original
Your research question should aim at addressing problems that are relevant to your field. It should identify and address a knowledge gap in your area. The question should also contribute to social and academic debates. Ideally, it should target an already existing discussion from researchers in your field. The answer should provide a knowledge base that future researchers can build upon. The answer to your question should also be original. It does not mean that you must give a groundbreaking solution, but you can focus on new aspects that give originality. One way is through taking a new angle of research or focusing on a new location.
Now that you know all the steps and things to include in your research question, you should develop a proper research question. Remember that your research question is your thesis statement. You will continue to refine it the more you advance into your research. A good thesis statement places you in an advantageous position to develop a solid research paper.
