What makes a good research question is a good question?
First thoughts: it cannot be a yes or no question, and it should be involved, not easily answered or solved.
How to get there?
When considering your topic, think about what you enjoy and interests you, and what you want to explore further. You will spend a lot of time with this topic and question. I think that you would have to enjoy it!
Having strong foundational knowledge on the topic is also important, so you can find gaps and areas of necessities to explore and further examine. The subject of choice should not be too broad or unchartered (yikes), but rather something that has a path to inquire further. In having strong foundational knowledge about your topic, you can see or discover the gaps in other research help guide your particular issue.
- Where does your problem exist? Or does it?
- Who would be interested in knowing more about your issue?
- Who is impacted by it?
Think about the perspective or lens in which you will guide your research and helps you formulate the question.
I hope with critically thinking in the early stages and having foundational knowledge of the chosen topic; the ability to narrow to for a question will be narrowed enough.
Last thought: research your research question – maybe there will be a similar thought or style to use as a mentor or as an example. Always good idea to read and reflect on well-written questions before you start!
Hi Bobbi, I appreciate the angle you open up with your questions – does your problem exist, and who would be interested or impacted? It is a great idea to try and imagine the broader perspective when formulating an effective research question. “Research your research” is relevant and memorable because it is catchy too.
Hi Angie — thanks for your comments. I have spent many hours thinking and playing with research questions and feel that I am only at the tip of the ice berg. There is a lot to consider when writing one. Will it become easier?
Agree with you Angie – Bobbi you are onto something here with your catchy blog post title 😉 Taking time to look into the research question you are interested in to see what others have done that is in a similar vein is an often overlooked first step in crafting a tight, manageable and effective question. I am looking forward to seeing how some of yours evolve with time and of course, the side benefit of the “read, read, read” mantra that becomes central to any graduate program – ha!
Elizabeth — the mantra is living true “read, read, read”–wow! Your phrase of a “manageable and effective question” is a phrase that feels like a far stretch from now. As I asked Angie, will it become easier or do you become pickier?? 🙂