Based on the pre-searching a student has done on their desired topic, they should start to develop a research question.
There is no universal set of criteria for a good research question. Different disciplines will have different approaches, requirements, and preferences. However, in general, a good research question will be:
- Direct and focused: The question should clearly identify what the student is interested in learning about.
- Open-ended: The question should require more than a "yes" or "no" to answer.
- Specific, but not restrictive: The question needs to have an appropriate scope. If the question is too broad, it will be frustrating for students to try to answer the question or find appropriate resources. If it is too narrow, they will struggle to develop a strong argument or find the right resources to answer the question. We encourage students to start broad in their research and then get more specific.
- Research-able: There are a lot of great, important, and interesting topics that are not appropriate for a research paper. Guide students toward questions that can be researched using the resources available to them at UMD Libraries.
- Analytical: A research question should invite analysis and multiple perspectives. Guide students away from research questions that are descriptive (e.g. What is climate change?) and toward topics that invite debate, analysis, and perspective.
