EFF: Lesson - Elements of an Effective Research Question

Elements of an Effective Research Question

Think back to the Argument in Writing module. Remember learning about effective thesis statements? You might recall that a great thesis statement is one that is debatable and isn’t limited to a simple “yes” or “no” answer. Many of the elements that apply to strong thesis statements also apply to strong research questions. 

In essence, a research question is what your thesis statement answers. Without a solid research question, your thesis statement isn’t as strong as it could be. In this lesson, you will learn about the elements of an effective research question.

Are researchable, are simply worded, invite multiple perspectives, require judgement or evaluation.

What Makes a Strong Research Question?

In the picture to the right, you can see that strong research questions are based on a set of pieces that fit together like a puzzle. Effective research questions:

  • Are researchable: You should be able to locate Tier 1, 2, and 3 sources when you research your question.
  • Are simply worded: The question is concise and clear; also, it doesn’t contain “and,” “or”.
  • Require judgement or evaluation: That is, an effective research question isn’t descriptive – it requires argumentation and defense.
  • Invite multiple perspectives: You will find many different sources arguing different perspectives – some economic and political, and others social or psychological.

How Do I Know if My Question Is Researchable?

One of the first things you will need to determine is whether or not your research question is researchable. You can conduct a quick Google search using key words from your question. For example, if your question is “To what extent do early high school start times harm teens’ mental health?” you can search the terms “start times,” “high school,” “harmful” and “teens” to see what kind of sources you find. If results are promising, use the “Advanced Search” feature in academic databases such as Galileo. 

Ask your teacher if you need assistance in locating the Galileo database password. Once in this feature, use BOOLEAN OPERATORS to locate appropriate sources. View the following to learn more about how to use Boolean Operators:

Practice Activity

Decide whether the following research questions are effective or ineffective.

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