{"id":3227,"date":"2016-02-01T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-02-02T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/?post_type=essay-writing-blog&p=3227"},"modified":"2019-03-24T09:29:59","modified_gmt":"2019-03-24T16:29:59","slug":"how-to-write-a-research-question","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-a-research-question\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write a Research Question the Right Way"},"content":{"rendered":"

So you\u2019ve carefully read your professor\u2019s instructions and picked your research topic<\/a>. Awesome — but now what?<\/p>\n

The long and winding road to a great research paper starts with a strong thesis statement<\/a>, but theses don\u2019t grow on trees! You must first come up with a great research question, which will act like your paper\u2019s compass — follow it to the right answers, and you\u2019ll be well on your way to creating a solid research essay thesis.<\/p>\n

In this blog post, I\u2019ll give you some useful tips on how to write a research question so you can start your research paper the right way!<\/p>\n

Research Question vs. Thesis Statement<\/h2>\n

You mean there\u2019s a difference?
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\n<\/a>You bet your sweet jelly donut there is!<\/p>\n

A research question is <\/b>NOT <\/i><\/b>a thesis<\/b> statement<\/b>. A research question guides your research process — it doesn\u2019t make a claim. Instead, a research question seeks information on a specific subject. But your research paper still needs a thesis statement, which will be your answer<\/i> to this question.<\/p>\n

That said, both the research question and the thesis statement have some things in common.<\/p>\n

You may already know that a thesis statement should be specific, and a research question is no different. Learning how to write a research question means learning how to explore a complex issue and craft a strong, specific argument within that issue.<\/p>\n

Dipping Your Toe Into the Water<\/h2>\n

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You may not decide on a specific topic right away, and that\u2019s okay! Nobody just wakes up and says, \u201cEureka! I have my research topic, question, and thesis all figured out. Time to write!\u201d<\/p>\n

Writing a research paper is a process, and even just deciding on what area or discipline you\u2019re going to research and write about is a major part of this process.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t get bored! Make sure that you\u2019re researching within a field that interests you.<\/p>\n

Begin by doing a little detective work. That\u2019s right, Sherlock<\/i>! Time to get on Google, visit your university\u2019s library, or use their website and databases to start gathering ideas about your topic. It\u2019s a good idea to brush up on your topic before diving right into your paper so that you understand the past and current research and arguments in your field.<\/p>\n

But if you\u2019re having trouble finding a place to start, this blog on research essay topics<\/a> can help get those creative juices flowing!<\/p>\n

Important Elements of How to Write a Research Question<\/h2>\n

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Now that you have an understanding of your topic, you\u2019re ready to start drafting up that research question! But you want to make sure you get it right. Following is a list of the six most important elements that make up a good research question.<\/p>\n

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Innovation. It’s one of the 6 most important elements of a research question. What are the other 5?<\/a><\/div>\n

Click To Tweet<\/a><\/p>\n

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  1. Innovation <\/b><\/b>– Your research question should focus on a fresh perspective. You want to investigate an issue and come up with your own ideas about it, not just report on someone else\u2019s findings.<\/li>\n
  2. Ethos<\/b> – Ideally, you should be an expert in your field if you\u2019re conducting research on a certain topic. That said, you\u2019re most likely a college student still coming up in the world, but that doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t write a strong research paper! In lieu of expertise, make sure that your sources are credible<\/a> and that you are genuinely interested in and familiar with your topic.<\/li>\n
  3. Specific Aim <\/b><\/b>– Why are you doing this research? What benefit will it have if your findings are valid? Your research question should consider an important topic and aim to have a significant effect on the academic community. Avoid frivolous topics such as this silly one: \u201cShakespeare\u2019s plays weren\u2019t actually written by Shakespeare.\u201d<\/li>\n
  4. Testability <\/b><\/b>– <\/b>Make sure that your question is measurable. You must be able to support your argument logically with statistics, studies, and other evidence that aren\u2019t just anecdotal.<\/li>\n
  5. Practicality <\/b><\/b>– While it makes for an exciting movie, we\u2019re probably never getting a Jurassic Park on this planet, ever. With this in mind, you should make sure that your research question will lead to findings based in reality.<\/li>\n
  6. Relevance<\/b> <\/b>– Your research question should be based on current information and technologies. The issue should have a history, but should also be relevant to current concerns. And finally, think about the future — your research shouldn\u2019t end<\/i> the conversation within your topic, rather it should add<\/i> to it and offer room to grow.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Good vs. Bad Research Questions<\/h2>\n

    From reading the list above, you know that a good research question is specific and digs beyond the surface of an issue. You don\u2019t want to start with a question that can be answered with just a single factual sentence.<\/p>\n

    For example, bad research question looks like this:<\/p>\n