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Developing a Research Question Research questions are:
You may need to revise your research question along the way! A research question should always be considered provisional until you have collected enough information to make a reasoned argument. |
Unfocused research questions | Clear, focused, narrow research questions |
What was the impact of Ho Chi Minh’s allegiance to Lenin? | To what extent was nationalism the guiding factor in Ho Chi Minh’s adoption of Leninism in 1920? |
What is the history of Chinese theatre? | How does the legacy of Mei Lan Fang contribute to modern Jingju? |
How important is chlorophyll to plant life? | What is the effect of different concentrations of kinetin on leaves aging and the biosynthesis of chlorophyll? |
How can the US government’s spending policy be reformed? | To what extent did the rising prices affect the demand for new and used cars and therefore the revenue generated by the Singaporean economy from 2012 to 2016? |
1. Choose something you like! | |
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2. Do background reading! Read general information on your topic, (Wikipedia, encyclopedias, etc...) Consider: |
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3. What questions come up? The student should now begin posing open-ended questions about their general topic. These questions will usually be framed using the terms “how”, “why” or “to what extent”. |
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4. Evaluate your questions Once possible research questions have been posed they should be evaluated. This evaluation should be based on whether the research question is clear, focused, and arguable. |
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5. How would you research your question? Once a provisional research question has been decided upon students should start thinking about the direction their research might take. This could be in terms of: |
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