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Research: Developing a research question

Research question development process

During this process, you will need to undertake background reading to help you develop your ideas and decide if your question will fit the assignment requirements. 

Step 2: focus your topic

Step 3: formulate a draft question

Research questions can take many forms. but there are some key things that high quality research questions have in common:

  • Focused enough to be covered in the space given (e.g. 5 minutes / 1000 words / 10 ppt slides)
  • Can be analysed (e.g. you can consider different perspectives)
  • Requires you to develop a line of argument (and a possible counter-argument)
  • It is practical and possible to research the topic (e.g. you have access to resources needed)
  • Cannot be answered with a simple yes / no
  • Cannot be answered with simple search (e.g. 'On what date did...?' is a retrieval question, not a research question)

Suggested research question formats

'How does this affect that?'

e.g. To what extent has sustainable energy impacted urban wildlife?