Notes & Activity: Research Questions

We will start working on Project 2 by generating research questions. Before you can get started, make sure that you have chosen a topic. Then, work your way through these lecture materials and activities. Download and fill in this template as you go: this is what you’ll submit at the end.

Getting Started

Begin by doing answering the following questions. If you are not sure, try using Google or another search engine to help you.

What is a research question? How is it different from a thesis?
—What is an open-ended question? How is it different than a closed-ended one?
—What kind of question do you want for a research project (open-ended or closed-ended)?

Categorizing Questions

—Put an “O” next to your open-ended questions and a “C” next to your closed-ended questions
—Underline the three questions that are the most interesting to you
Bold the three questions that you think you’ll be able to find the most information about
Italicize the questions that you think it would be easiest to form an argument around

Video: Refining Research Questions

Watch this short video on research questions:

Worksheet
After watching the video, work through the steps in the worksheet that was referenced at the end of the video: