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Extended Essay: Research Questions

A guide for everything concerning the Extended Essay process.

Developing a Research Question

Developing a Research Question


Research questions are: 

  • Based on a topic you are interested or curious about
  • Focused your research, making it clear what you need to find out
  • Requires a reasoned argument rather than an “all about” essay or summary.

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.

Sample Research Questions

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?

Narrowing a Topic

  • Consider your topic of interest.
  • What sub-topics are there?
  • What else would you like to know about it?
  • What are some causes, effects, messages, or themes you would like to consider?

 

Steps to Developing a Research Question

1. Choose something you like!
  • Find a topic your interested so that you are motivated to read a lot about it! 
  • Try to identify, what it is that interests you about it, and why

2. Do background reading!

Read general information on your topic, (Wikipedia, encyclopedias, etc...)  Consider:

  • What has already been written about this topic?
  • Was it easy to find sources of information?
  • Is there a range of different sources available?
  • Is there a range of views or perspectives on the topic?
  • What interesting questions have started to emerge from this reading?

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”.

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.

  • Clear: Will the reader understand what my research is about? 
  • Focused: Can the question be answered in 4,000 words?
  • Arguable: Does the research question allow for analysis, and not just retelling?

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:

  • suggesting possible outcomes of the research
  • outlining the kind of argument they might make and how the research might support this
  • considering options if the research available is not sufficient to support a sustained argument.

Finding a Topic

For any questions, email Mr. Mulvey at jmulvey3@schools.nyc.gov