Formulating good questions?


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Understanding Research

Research process
Select a topic
Refine a topic
Identify objectives Choose approach
Explore a topic
Plan a search
Evaluate info

Finding Books

Finding Articles

How Do I Formulate Good Questions?

Use question words like what, how, and why to generate good questions for your research. Good, clear questions help you to:

Focus on the information you need
Know when you have found enough information

Let's look at some examples of formulating questions—questions that express possible objectives for research:

Topic:	Sample Question:
U.S. courts and international law	Why should the U.S. courts be prohibited from using international laws to make court rulings?
U.S. labor practices in developing countries	How do U.S. labor practices in developing countries impact those countries?
Freedom of religious expression in America	In what ways do Americans have/don't have the freedom to express their religious views?

Such questions provide direction for your research and help you choose which approach to take when presenting your information, whether in a speech, slide presentation, research paper, or other format.

(7) Do You Know How?

What are 3 good "question words" to help you generate open-ended questions?

Read correct answer

Next: Which Approach Do I Take?