What makes a good research question?
Good research questions are:
Focused - They address a single problem or issue and can be answered in the length of the assignment
Complex - They are not answerable with a "yes" or "no," but involve analysis, synthesis, or experimentation
Arguable and/or Subjective - They are not answerable with objective facts, but require the writer to take and possibly defend a position
How to develop a good research question?
Sample Research Questions
Unfocused: How does leadership impact employees?
Focused: How does servant leadership affect employee morale in companies with more than 500 employees?
The unfocused question sounds like a chapter in a textbook, not a research paper. The focused question identifies a specific type of leadership, a specific aspect of employee engagement, and a specific type of company. A researcher could create a survey or observational study to answer their question.
Too simple and objective: What types of employee incentive programs do companies use?
Complex and arguable: How does the use of employee incentive programs influence employee retention and how can knowledge of that influence affect the types of programs companies choose to offer?
The simple question could be answered with a quick online search and a list of options, whereas the complex question involves multiple aspects that must be analyzed and then synthesized together. The simple question can be answered with objective facts, companies use x, y, and z, but the complex question requires the writer to take a subjective position.
Beware of assumptions!
When evaluating your research question, pay attention to any assumptions your question makes. For example, the Complex question, "How does the use of employee incentive programs influence employee retention..." assumes incentive programs influence retention. If you don't know if the assumption is true, you will need to do background research to confirm the assumption before you try to answer your question.
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Click away from the story to investigate the site, its mission and its contact info.
Headlines can be outrageous in an effort to get clicks. What's the whole story?
Do a quick search on the author. Are they credible? Are they real?
Click on those links. Determine if the info given actually supports the story?
Reposting old news stories doesn't mean they're relevant to current events.
If it is too outlandish, it might be satire. Research the site and author to be sure.
Consider if your own beliefs could affect your judgement.
Ask a Librarian, or consult a fact-checking site.