Research Basics: Develop a Research Question

Many students learn to complete research assignments by choosing a topic, gathering a handful of sources related to the topic, and summarizing what those sources say. That approach can be tedious for students and instructors alike, because it lacks your unique ideas—what interests you about the topic and how you interpret the information you find.

Your goal in conducting research should be to answer a question or solve a problem. This approach changes every step of the research process, leading you to select sources carefully, extract meaningful information, and draw significant conclusions.

The process begins with putting your question into words.

Do background research.

Generally, you won't cite reference books, Wikipedia, or many of the places you explore as you work to turn a broad topic you're interested in into a focused research question. However, these sources can help you discover a more specific topic you can delve into using a library database. They'll provide a broad overview of a subject and point out lingering questions and areas of disagreement among scholars. Reference books and Wikipedia articles can also direct you to the books and articles that you will cite in your paper, because they often contain lists of resources for further reading.

Check your class notes.

Look for ideas introduced in class that puzzled you, piqued your curiosity, or that were related to something you care about.

Discuss your topic with your professor or a librarian.

Your professor is very familiar with the research landscape of the field you're just starting out in. Librarians understand research and how to turn a broad topic into a question. When you're stuck, both can help you find additional sources that will help you discover a more specific and meaningful path of research.