Formulating the Research Question
Now that you have some ideas about focusing a topic that interests you, your next task is to create a clear and concise statement or question that will focus your research or project. Here are some guidelines.
- It is open ended (that is, it can't be answered with a simple yes or no)
- It addresses an issue or controversy or solves a problem
- It has a narrow focus
- Answer is not obvious
- You can actually research it (there is evidence out there for you to find)
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BROAD |
Steroids and professional sports |
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NARROW |
How widespread is steroid use and how do leagues and teams monitor it? |
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BROAD |
Smoking bans in public places |
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NARROW |
How does secondhand smoke affect the health of those around them? |