First Year Research Experience (FYRE) Support Guide for Research Coaches

Students often struggle with identifying and narrowing a research question or topic. It is important to remind students that research is a non-linear process which requires persistence and patience. Question development is a skill that takes practice, initial research, feedback, error, and discovery.  

Picking a Topic:
Depending on the course, students may be provided with research or essay topics or they may be expected to pick their own topic.  Often even if a topic is assigned, students will still be required to refine the topic to a specific research question.

Here are some guiding questions students can ask themselves when deciding on their topic:

• Do I have a strong opinion on a current issue related to the course content?
• Did I see or read a news story recently that has piqued my interest or evoked an emotional response related to the course content?
• Do I have a personal challenge or interest that I would like to know more about as related to the course content?
• Is there something I am curious to learn more about from the course readings? Is there a section or topic in the course textbook that I am interested in learning more about? 

Refining a Topic and Formulating a Research Question:
There are various ways to refine and focus a research topic: 

• A quick Google search can be helpful to explore and map the potential directions or sub-topics of a given topic.
• Students can also ask themselves: what interests me about this topic?  What do I have experience with? What am I curious to learn more about?   
• Mind maps and concept maps are excellent tools for students to capture and visualize their research topic.

Questions, questions, questions: students can begin noting interesting questions to help focus their topic and brainstorm potential research questions. These may be good prompts to ask: who? what? when? why? why not? why does this matter? where? how? in what ways? so what? under what circumstances? 

A good research question is:

• Clear (is presented in a concise and straightforward way to the reader) 
• Complex (is not answerable with yes or no)
• Focused (can be adequately explored within the confines of the assignment / not too broad and not too narrow)
• Takes a position or presents an argument (is not neutral and is open to debate)

"Research questions help writers focus their research by providing a path through the research and writing process. The specificity of a well-developed research question helps writers avoid the “all-about” paper and work toward supporting a specific, arguable thesis" (source).

The resources below provide many examples of good research questions (as compared to poor research questions or topics).

Resources developed by past FYRE coaches

• Research Questions. What are they? Why do I care? How do I make a good one? - Panopto video created Leora Diakiw

Student textbook:

• Chapter One: Research Questions (from Choosing and Using Sources: A Guide to Academic Research, Ohio State University). Tip: Use the arrows in the bottom left and right corners to navigate within this e-book.

The contents within this chapter are:

• The purpose of research questions
• Narrowing a topic
• Background readings
• Regular vs. research questions
• Influence of a research question
• Developing your research question

Student handouts:

• How to Write a Research Question (George Mason University)
• Mapping Your Research Ideas (UCLA Library)
• From Topic to Research Question (Indiana University Libraries)
• Formulating a Research Question (Vanderbilt University)
• Developing a Research Question (University of Waterloo)
• Creating a Research Question (Thompson Rivers University)
• Concept maps: 
  • Thinking Tool: Choosing a Topic and Search Terms (University of Virginia)
  • Concept Mapping (designed for test prep but useful tool for brainstorming research directions, LSU)

Student videos:

• Start with Your Questions (UCLA Library)
• Choosing a Research Paper Topic (University of Minnesota)
• Picking Your Topic IS Research (Eastern Kentucky University Libraries)

Lesson plan:

• Research Exploration Exercise (Lesson plan from Project CORA, includes a student handout)

The University Library offers various workshops throughout the term on topics such as refining a research topic.  Please encourage your FYRE students to attend these workshops!