Finding a great research question can be one of the hardest parts of an assignment. Many students go about writing research papers this way: they pick a topic, find some information, and write a paper reporting on what they found. Guess what? That is not really using research to answer a question, solve a problem, or work through an issue.
Watch four very short slideshows (a few minutes each!) to help you develop a great research question. This is the key to getting beyond writing reports -- picking a topic is the first step! Click on the images in the boxes below to play the presentations:
The Goldilocks Approach
Goldilocks is a character in an English fairy tale who wanders into an empty house in the woods. She finds food that's too hot, too cold, and just right; chairs that are too hard, too soft, and just right... you get the picture. You want to find a topic that is not too broad, not too narrow, but just right.
The 5 W's Approach
Narrow your topic by brainstorming Who, What, When, Where, and Why. For example, who is involved in a company's operations: managers, suppliers, labor, customers, and so on. Can you get even more specific within these categories?
The Advanced Search Approach
Searches with one term answer “what is…?” type questions. Searches with at least two terms answer more complex questions that you can take a position on. Imagine an advanced search screen in a database -- what term will you put in each box?
The 1-minute Approach
You have a good working knowledge of your topic when you can talk for an entire minute without stopping. Where do you get all that information to fill up a minute? Use background information that you find in company and industry profiles, Datamonitor reports, encyclopedia articles, and on the web.
Pick a topic that is interesting to you.
You are going to live with this topic for weeks while you research, read, and write your assignment. Choose something that will hold your interest and that you might even be excited about. Your attitude towards your topic will come across in your writing!