What makes a good research question?

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What makes a good research question?
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• A good research question is a question thats
  worth asking. It poses a problem worth solving.

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• A good research question requires more than
  looking something up. It reflects an underlying
  tension that does not simply turn on one or two
  missing facts.

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• It should NOT rehash stuff we already know or
  have already surmised
• Nor should it bludgeon anyone with an ideological
  tirade/sermon.

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It should force you to weigh evidence and compare
divergent opinions on your topic. It should
allow you to develop an answer that
your readers find both interesting
and significant.
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• In other words, avoid these reader responses
• duh
• Oh brother, here we go again
• Get over yourself

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• Steer away from dichotomous topics
• yes/no answers,
• 1 or 2 basic/obvious responses

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Examples of Dichotomy

• Should the United States maintain a military
  presence in Iraq?
• What are the short- and long-term effects of
  physical abuse?
• What is being done to reform healthcare in
  America?
• Can the Giant Panda be saved from extinction?
• What are the 14 different disease-causing genes
  that were discovered in 1994?

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• You should also pick something that is
  researchable

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Examples of UN-researchable questions

• Does McDonald's or Burger King make a better
  burger?
• What is the Coca-Cola company's future marketing
  plan?
• Do children sent to daycare or pre-school start
  kindergarten with larger vocabularies?
• Is the Russian mafia influencing politics in the
  United States?

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When developing your question

• Use the yes/no chart (handout)
• While you may not be able to answer yes to all
  of them, a good question will score highly

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When developing your question

• Avoid overused or general topics

• Example
• PRAYER IN SCHOOL general/overused
• Public displays of the Ten Commandments
• Religious after school clubs at public schools
• Secular and religious holiday decorations in
  schools
• School vouchers for religious schools
• A mandatory moment of silence in schools
• The Pledge of Allegiance
• Religious music sung in school choruses
• School days off for non-Christian holidays

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A Few Examples of overused/generalized topics

• drug abuse/drunk driving
• descriptions of issues/sides
• countries/animals/ cultures/origins
• important people/events
• facets/attributes of stuff (abstract and concrete)

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• Try a new angle on something...
• Challenge a conventional idea...
• Solve a complex problem...

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• Is the U.S. Constitution still a viable document
  in the 21st Century?
• If the Mexican drug cartels are at war with the
  United States, why doesnt America establish a
  military presence in Mexico and flush out the
  cartels just as it is doing in the Middle East
  where terrorist cells are concerned?

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• If America spends billions of dollars annually in
  the fight against illiteracy, why does illiteracy
  continue to be a major crisis? Just what is
  being done with all of that money?
• How, if at all, would America change if it
  shifted from a democratic republic to a true
  democracy?

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• What would it take to create a one-world economy?
• Why hasnt the Ugandan citizenry declared war on
  Joseph Kony and taken the fight to LRA?
• How much are consumers really persuaded by
  commercials/packaging?

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• Is it too late to reverse the trend in American
  outsourcing?
• Is it wrong for journalists to reveal
  personal/corporate bias? Do news channel
  pundits offer a valuable service to the
  viewers?
• How has technology impacted communication skills
  and relationships (professional and personal)?

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• You get the idea...
• Start with a compelling question that has a
  complex answer, one that is worth answering.
• Once you have this, you are ready to go find out
  everything you can about the topic.
• And thats what you should do read, read, read,
  read, discuss, read, discuss...

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• Only then, can you develop a quality thesis
  statement and proceed with the paper.

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