An Open-Ended Thoughtful Question Drives Good Research
Research requires a question without an easy answer. What are you curious about related to a topic?
Narrowing a topic to a primary question will get your research off to the right start.
Questions require answers.
A topic is too broad to cover thoroughly, but a question has an answer.
| TOPIC | QUESTION |
| The Influence of Drugs on Crime | Could legalization of less harmful drugs like marijuana reduce crime in the U.S.? |
| Abortion | Are laws requiring waiting, counseling or sonograms effective in reducing abortions? |
| Sports Injuries | Why do heat exhaustion deaths occur and how can they best be avoided? |
| Working Women | In what fields have women achieved the greatest equality and how has this occurred? |
A question is a way of evaluating the evidence.
A clearly stated question helps you decide what information is needed in your paper and what is not relevant.
An open-ended question calls for real research and thinking.
A question with no easy answer makes research and writing more meaningful to both you and your audience. Your research may then solve a problem or contribute to the field of knowledge.
Forming a Research Question
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