Have an upcoming research assignment? Do you have no idea what to write about or where to start?
Step 1: Find a topic
How do you find a topic? Simple, read background information! Here is a library resource that is useful for finding background information on various topics:
Other websites such as Wikipedia, Google, Encyclopedia Britannica, and Youtube are good resources for exploring and learning about different topics. Start your search by exploring and researching different topics that interest you.
Once you find an interesting topic, start to ask yourself questions such as "Is there a difference between A and B?" "How is A effecting B?" "What are the consequences of A on B?" "Is A better than B?". Brainstorming uncertainties, confirming results, or comparing contradicting points while reading background information can be a great way to discover a topic for a research question.
Make sure your idea for a research question is answerable by current research. For example, "are ghosts real?" would be a difficult question to answer with reputable sources in a scientific research paper.
Step 2: Create the Research Question
Now that you have a research topic or area of interest, it's time to design and narrow down on a proper research question.
There are certain elements that are required for a proper research question. An acronym that is commonly used for creating a research question is PICO, which stands for population, intervention, comparison, and outcome. These elements are necessary components for a proper research question. Although the PICO acronym is commonly used in science and medicine-based research questions, it can be adapted for research questions on any topic.
- P (population) - define the population or object that is being "effected" by the intervention. It does not need to be a living thing. A population can be non-living things such as "the ocean" or "computers". Does the research question concern dogs? patients with a certain disease? the rain forest? honeybees?
- I (intervention) - define the action/object that is effecting the population. What action is "effecting" the population? Is it the presence of plastic waste? a new drug? industrialization? a certain mineral in the soil? an achievement test?
- C (comparison - optional) if applicable, define the alternative or comparison to the intervention. For example, drug A vs. drug B? solar vs. gas power? intelligence test A vs intelligence test B?
- O (outcome) - define the predicted effects on the population due to the intervention. How is the intervention effecting the population? For example, is the intervention destroying a habitat? causing a higher success rate? lowering carbon emissions? causing a higher diagnostic rate?
Here's an example of an improper research question: "What are the effects of chemotherapy on liver cancer patients?"
- P (population) - Liver cancer patients
- I (intervention) - Chemotherapy
- C (comparison) - not applicable/none
- O (outcome) - MISSING
The above research question is lacking an outcome. An outcome is necessary for a proper research question because it narrows down on the argument of the paper. What argument are you trying to research for your paper? "Effects" is not an outcome. You need to define what you mean by "effect" (although, the above question can be a good starting point for researching background information on a topic).
Here's the same example rewritten as a proper research question: "Does chemotherapy improve the survival rate of liver cancer patients?"
- P (population) - Liver cancer patients
- I (intervention) - Chemotherapy
- C (comparison) - not applicable/none
- O (outcome) - Higher survival rate
With this research question, your argument is either "yes" or "no" to whether chemotherapy improves the survival rate of liver cancer patients.
Here is another example of a proper research question: "Does quarantine effect the mental health of children?"
- P (population) - Children
- I (intervention) - Quarantine
- C (comparison) - not applicable/none
- O (outcome) - Mental health
The above research question contains all the necessary components for a proper research question. You will notice that this research question also includes "effects", similar to the example of an improper research question. In this example, "effects" is defined by mental health. You are researching if quarantine (intervention) effects the mental health (outcome) of children (population). A good trick for determining a proper research question is the ability to answer "yes" or "no" to the question. A research question is not the same as a thesis/argument statement. See Pro tips (item number 15) for more information on the differences.
Here's another example of a proper research question that contains a comparison: "Does chemotherapy or radiation cause a higher remission rate for women with breast cancer?"
- P (population) - Women with Breast Cancer
- I (intervention) - Chemotherapy
- C (comparison) - Radiation
- O (outcome) - Higher remission rate
The next step is to use the keywords identified by PICO to create your search string.
OUTLINE
- Find a topic by exploring background information and asking yourself questions.
- Create a proper research question by using the PICO acronym.
- Make sure all the required PICO elements are present in your research question.
- A research question is not the same as a thesis/argument statement.
FIND US ON