Asking Research Questions

A good research question does not ask "why". Instead, it is better to ask:

• what

• when

• where

• how

Is this research question too narrow, too broad, or just right?

"What is the rate of obesity in American children today?"

• too narrow!

• too broad!

• just right!

Is this research question too narrow, too broad, or just right?"What are the challenges that students face during the pandemic?"

• too narrow!

• too broad!

• just right!

Is this a good research question?

"Is there a higher power in the universe?"

• Yes, it has a clear focus.

• Yes, it is debatable.

• No, it's too broad.

• No, because there is no way to answer it with certainty.

The first step in research is ______

(Hint: there are 5 steps)

• Asking a guiding question.

• Researching topics to answer the guiding question

• Creating a thesis, or topic sentence to answer the guiding question

• Using sources to help answer the guiding question

• Citing the sources used in research

How can you use your own questions to identify research gaps?

• Not asking questions

• Ignoring your questions

• Asking yourself questions about the shortcomings of existing research

• Focusing only on others' questions

Which of the following is a characteristic of a well-defined research question?

• It is vague and open-ended.

• It is specific and focused.

• It is based on assumptions.

• It is broad and general.

What is the primary purpose of asking research questions in academic writing?

• To fill pages with content.

• To guide the research process.

• To confuse the reader.

• To summarize existing knowledge.

Which sentence structure is most effective for stating a research question?

• A complex sentence with multiple clauses.

• A simple sentence with a clear focus.

• A compound sentence with two independent clauses.

• A sentence fragment.

In the context of research, what does the term 'scope' refer to?

• The length of the research paper.

• The depth and breadth of the research question.

• The number of sources used.

• The style of writing.