Research Question

Phrasing the main idea of your paper as a question can help you refine your topics and stay focused throughout the research process.

Once you’ve selected your topic you’ll need to decide upon your research question. You may find you don’t know enough about your topic to know what aspect you want to research. This is where encyclopedias can help you. Encyclopedias offer broad overviews of topics allowing you to become more familiar with your subject so that you can select an aspect of it that is appropriate for the type and length of paper you’ll be writing.

Phrasing the main idea of your paper as a question can help you refine your topics and stay focused throughout the research process. For example, if your topic is cloning you may choose to ask:

  • How does cloning work?
  • What is the history of cloning?
  • What laws exist about cloning?
  • What are the ethical considerations involved in cloning humans?
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