Steps to writing a research question:

• Brainstorm: Write down any broad topics suitable for your assignment that that interest you.

  Not sure where to start? Watch "Understanding Assignments" by UNC Writing Center.

• Explore background information: Do a few quick searches on your topic to see what's being talked about, or how others have researched your topic to narrow your focus.

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• Consider ways to narrow or focus your research: Consider all the ways you might narrow your research topic. You can write down specifics, or ask yourself open-ended "how" and "why" questions about your general topic. 

  For help on brainstorming your topic, watch "Mapping Your Research Ideas" by UCLA Library.

• Evaluate your question, and be ready to revisit and re-evaluate throughout the assignment. After you've put a question or even a couple of questions down on paper, evaluate your question(s) to determine if they need more revising or refining.

  And remember, as you start to search, your research question may become more focused, or develop in a different direction the more you study the topic!

A research question is a question that your research project sets out to answer. For example, a research paper starting from the question: "How does global warming affect the environment," would attempt to answer all of the ways that aspects of global warming, such as heat waves, wildfires, desert growth, storm intensity, weather extremes, or glacial melt affect all areas of the environment, such as plants, water systems, animals, or ecosystems. Clearly, this research question is trying to tackle too much!

For this reason, your research question should be:

• clear: it provides enough specifics that your audience can easily understand its purpose.
• focused: it is narrow enough that it can be answered thoroughly in the project.
• critical: its potential answers are open to debate rather than accepted facts.

Take a look at these student-generated examples of research topics and questions

• Topic: Netflix

  Research Question: How has the rise of streaming television changed the nature of advertising during television shows?

• Topic: the environmental impact of fracking

  Research Question: What are some of the most effective ways of protecting local ground water from the waste water produced by fracking?

Tip: Make sure your research questions aren't too broad or too narrow

• Too Broad: Why is reality television so popular?
• Too Narrow: What are the economic and social consequences of the popularity of Jersey Shore on the lives of teenagers living in Omaha, Nebraska?

Tip: be willing to tweak your research question as you go.

• Research Question: How has the rise of streaming television changed the nature of advertising during television shows?

  Potential Research Finding: Advertising during television hasn't changed much recently.

  New Research Question: Why has advertising on television been able to remain the same when how we watch television has changed so much?