Formulating a Research Question

The purpose of this step in the Research Process is to help you further refine your research topic. In order to do good research, you must have a clear understanding of what issues are important and which questions relate to the topic you wish to explore.

This exercise will lead you through the process of mentally and visually narrowing and/or restricting the topic ideas you developed with the Concept Mapping exercise. Formulating research questions about your topic will naturally assist you in narrowing or focusing the direction of your research.

Description:

Consider some of the related topics you listed on your concept map and select one of the related topics that interests or intrigues you the most.

For example, looking at the causes, effects and/or solutions to a topic can help you formulate 2 or 3 research questions you would like to investigate in relation to your topic.

Use the question words of WHAT, WHY or HOW, to formulate a couple of research questions that will help you focus on key aspects related to your topic. Below is an example of taking a General Topic, narrowing it and then focusing your research by formulating several possible Research Questions.

General Topic Example:

Urban Transportation

Specific or Narrower Topic Example:

Mass Transit

Formulating Your Topic Into Questions?

A good way to start your research is to state your topic as a question using WHAT, WHY or HOW. This will help you clarify your thoughts and focus on specific aspects of your topic.

What benefits can an urban mass transit system provide in revitalizing economic development and growth in today’s U.S. metropolitan areas?

What role can the federal government play in helping U.S. metropolitan areas implement or develop more efficient and environmentally friendly mass transit systems?

Taking the information you used on Refocusing Your Topic, develop three different Research Questions, using What, Why and How? Click on the link below to bring up a word document of this exercise.

Formulating a Research Question Exercise.