Academic Writing

Your question should evolve as you gather and synthesize information. A clear focus will keep you on track to evaluate sources effectively. Below are strategies to narrow your research question.
 

Exploratory questions

This comes from a genuine curiosity about your topic.

When narrowing down your topic, you get a good sense of the who, what, when, and where of things. 

Consider:

• open-ended questions like “how” and “why”

• or the “so what?” of your topic.
   

Evaluate your research question

Ensure your question is appropriate and workable for your assignment.

Consider: 

• Is your question clear?

• Do you have a specific aspect or area of your topic that you will explore further? 

• Is your question focused? 

  •  Are you able to concisely ask the question?

• Is your question complex enough and arguable for your assignment type?

  • Dig Deeper! If your question can be answered with a simple Yes or No

  • Good to Go! Once you get to “it depends on X, Y, and Z”
     

Hypothesize your thesis

Once you have developed your research question, consider how you will attempt to answer or address this with a thesis statement.

Consider:

• What connections can be made between the research you’ve read and your research question? 

• What other sources are needed to support your argument?

• How might others challenge your thesis? What research supports your question? 

As you review the information you've found while defining your topic and the ideas you've encountered, these questions may help you to form a focus for your research:

• What am I trying to accomplish?  
• What type of assignment am I working on? 
• How much time do I have?
• What information and resources are available?

Look back over what you have found and think through the following question: 

What have you found? How does the information and ideas you've encountered fit together? What themes have emerged? What important question do you want to develop from the ideas and information you have found? What do you want to explore in more detail? What do you want your research to focus on? 

Remember to focus on one aspect of the topic. Keep in mind the assignment, the amount of time, and the resources available to you, as these may help formulate the scope of your research. 

Find more information about different types of assignments here: Assignment Types

Exploratory questions: 

Why does this topic matter to you? Why should it matter to others? What are the implications of the information you’re discovering through the search process to the Who and the What of your topic?