research question generator um library

• Peer Review: Research Question Generator

Peer Review

Research question generator.

Research Question Generator  is a component of an online Library Skills module from the University of Michigan. It asks students to answer a series of queries to develop a research question and specifically provides students with the ability to narrow down topics for research by requesting that they walk through a series of steps outlining topic, keyword, population, themes, and other key areas. 

• This site may be useful across a wide variety of classes at the introductory and middle levels of college, by serving to help students identify a clear research question from their areas of interest and/or keywords that they can share for topics of interest.
• This activity may be used as an in-class activity whereby an instructor demonstrates how to narrow a topic, allowing the class to provide suggestions throughout the process.
• It may then be used individually and independently by students to identify their own topics, using a computer with internet access.

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Students will practice researching an idea (in this case, malaria) and turning it into a research question.  (The Research Question Generator could be used to develop research questions on any topic.)

High School, College General Ed, College Lower Division

Some understanding of the research process (e.g., the scientific method) and how to search databases would be helpful.

Content Quality

• This research question simulator is excellent and provides a clear, easy-to-follow design.
• Queries are presented and include information that shows students how to focus on the key concepts and the who, what, when, and where of interest regarding a research question.
• The site includes an example on a different topic, the effect of bridal shows and their impact on how women view weddings.
• No direct feedback or other guidance is provided.
• Some information regarding how these decisions may be made would be useful. 

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

• Once complete, the answers to all of the questions can be emailed back to the student and to their instructor. 
• The same form and system could be used with any topic, not just the given topic of malaria. 
• This Research Question Generator is easy to assign to a variety of class types and modalities, and will be useful for many purposes involving selecting research topics. 
• While test emails came through just fine, the instructor email includes no information indicating which student did the work.  Adding a line with the submitter’s name would solve this.   

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

• This site was quite easy to navigate using a mouse and keyboard, and the previous and continue buttons were clearly marked and readily available. 
• Students can access the Research Question Generator through any web browser. 
• The first page sends the user to a University of Michigan site that calls for login to the University of Michigan library.  Any university’s library site could be used here, but users not affiliated with the University of Michigan may need additional direction. 
• As this site is open for the public, the ending screen requiring a student to submit their email address and possibly an instructor's email address may be a questionable feature due to privacy concerns. It may be a helpful addition to have a disclaimer on this final page explaining to students an alternative for obtaining copies of their answers (take a screenshot of their answers, or copy/paste), to protect their privacy. In particular, this privacy concern is a greater issue with participants younger than 18. Instructors may wish to put into place a workaround (such as the screenshot suggested here).

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Research Question Generator

Crafting the perfect research question is crucial to any successful project, and the Research Question Generator makes this task simple. It helps you focus your study by generating precise, relevant questions. Ideal for both students and researchers looking to start with a clear inquiry.

• 🎓 How to Use the Tool
• 🤔 What Is a Research Question?
• 😺 Research Question Examples
• 👣 Steps to Making a Research Question

📝 Research Question Maker: the Benefits

🔗 references, 🎓 research question generator: how to use it.

Research can’t be done without a clear purpose, an intention behind it.

This intention is usually reflected in a research question, which indicates how you approach your study topic.

If you’re unsure how to write a good research question or are new to this process, you’ll surely benefit from our free online tool. All you need is:

• Indicate your search term or title
• Stipulate the subject or academic area
• Press “Generate questions”
• Choose a suitable research question from the generated list.

As you can see, this is the best research question generator requiring minimal input for smart question formulation. Try it out to see how simple the process is.

🤔 Why Make an Inquiry Question?

A research question is a question that you formulate for your scientific inquiry . It is a question that sets the scope for your study and determines how you will approach the identified problem, gap, or issue.

Questions can be descriptive , meaning they aim to describe or measure a subject of the researcher's interest.

Otherwise, they can be exploratory , focusing on the under-researched areas and aiming to expand the existing research evidence on the topic.

If there's enough knowledge about the subject, and you want to dig deeper into the existing trends and relationships, you can also use an explanatory research question.

What Makes a Strong Research Question?

The strength of your formulated research question determines the quality of your research, whether it’s a short argumentative essay or an extensive research paper . So, you should review the quality of your question before conducting the full-scale study.

Its parameters of quality are as follows:

• Clarity . The question should be specific about the focus of your inquiry.
• Complexity . It should not be self-obvious or primitively answered with a “yes” or “no” variant.
• Focus . The question should match the size and type of your academic assignment.
• Conciseness . It should be brief and understandable.
• Debatability . There should be more than one potential answer to the question.

😺 Research Question Examples: Good & Not So Good

Here are some examples to illustrate what we mean by quality criteria and how you can ensure that your question meets them.

Lack of Clarity

The bad example is too general and does not clearly estimate what effect you want to analyze or what aspect of video gaming you're interested in. A much better variant is in the right column.

Look at some other research question examples that are clear enough:

• Sex trafficking: why do we have to address it?
• Palliative care: what constitutes the best technique for technicians communication with patients and families?
• How do vacuum cleaners work?
• What does it mean to age well?

Lack of Focus

The bad example is not focused, as it doesn’t specify what benefits you want to identify and in what context the uniform is approached. A more effective variant is in the right column.

Look at some other research question examples that are focused enough:

• How are biochemical conditions and brain activity linked to crime?
• World wars and national conflicts: what were the reasons?
• Why does crime exist in society?
• Decolonization in Canada: what does decolonization mean?

The bad example is too simplistic and doesn’t focus on the aspects of help that dogs can give to their owners. A more effective variant is in the right column.

Look at some other research question examples that are complex enough:

• How is resource scarcity impacting the chocolate industry?
• What should the Brazilian government do about reducing Amazon’s deforestation?
• Why is a collaborative approach vital during a pandemic?
• What impact has COVID-19 had on the economy?
• How to teach handwriting effectively?

Lack of Debatability

The problem of diabetes is well-known and doesn’t cause any doubts. So, you should add debatability to the discussed issue.

Look at some other research question examples that are debatable enough:

• Online vs. print journalism: what is more beneficial?
• Why will artificial intelligence not replace human in near future?
• What are the differences between art and design?
• Crime TV: how is criminality represented on television?

The question in the left column is too long and ambiguous, making the readers lose focus. You can shorten it without losing the essence.

Look at some other research question examples that are concise enough:

• What is the best way to address obesity in the US?
• Doctoral degree in nursing: why is it important?
• What are the benefits of X-rays in medicine?
• To what extent do emotions influence moral judgment?
• Why did the Industrial Revolution happen in England?

👣 Steps to Generate Research Questions

Now, it’s time to get down from science to practice. Here is a tried-and-tested algorithm for killer research question generation.

• Pick a topic . Once you get a writing assignment, it’s time to find an appropriate topic first . You can’t formulate a thesis statement or research question if you know nothing about your subject, so it's time to narrow your scope and find out as much as possible about the upcoming task.
• Research the topic . After you’re brainstormed several topic options, you should do some research. This stage takes the guesswork out of the academic process, allowing you to discover what scholars and other respected people think about your subject.
• Clarify who your audience is . Think about who will read your piece. Will it be the professor, your classmates, or the general audience consisting of laypersons? Ensure the research question sounds competent enough for a professor and understandable enough for laypeople.
• Approach the subject critically . With a well-articulated topic at hand, you should start asking the "why's" and "how's" about it. Look at the subject as a kid; don't limit your curiosity. You're sure to arrive at some interesting topics to reveal the hidden sides of the chosen issue.
• Evaluate the questions . Now that you have a couple of questions about your topic, evaluate them in terms of research value. Are all of them clear and focused? Will answering all of them take time and research, or is the answer already on the surface? By assessing each option you’ve formulated, you’re sure to choose one leader and use it as your main research question for the scientific study.

Thank you for reading this article! If you need to quickly formulate a thesis statement, consider using our free thesis maker .

❓ Research Questions Generator FAQ

Updated: Nov 13th, 2024

• Developing research questions - Library - Monash University
• Formulation of Research Question – Stepwise Approach - PMC
• Examples of Good and Bad Research Questions
• How To Write a Research Question: Steps and Examples
• Narrowing a Topic and Developing a Research Question

Research Question Generator: Create Perfect Research Questions Online

How to Use a Research Question Generator

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Systematic Review

• Library Help
• What is a Systematic Review (SR)?
• Steps of a Systematic Review
• Framing a Research Question
• Developing a Search Strategy
• Searching the Literature
• Managing the Process
• Meta-analysis
• Publishing your Systematic Review

Developing a Research Question

_______________________________________________________________________

Watch the 4 min. video on how to frame a research question with PICO.

___ ______ ______________________________________________________________

Frameworks for research questions

Further reading:

Methley, A. M., Campbell, S., Chew-Graham, C., McNally, R., & Cheraghi-Sohi, S. (2014). PICO, PICOS and SPIDER: A comparison study of specificity and sensitivity in three search tools for qualitative systematic reviews.   BMC Health Services Research, 14 (1), 579.

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• Next: Developing a Search Strategy >>
• Last Updated: Oct 9, 2024 4:00 PM
• URL: https://lib.guides.umd.edu/SR

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Nadine Anderson, Behavioral Sciences and Women's & Gender Studies Librarian

Strong Research Questions

A strong research question covers a well-defined and well-studied area of research. Strong research topics/questions are:

• clear and simple
• consistent with assignment requirements
• of interest to you

Developing Your Research Question

A broad topic has literally thousands of articles on it, and you won't be able to adequately cover it in your literature review. It will be far easier for you to research and write your literature review if you develop a strong, focused research question:

Do some exploratory research  on your topic idea, in your course textbook and class notes to identify specific issues, arguments, and analytical approaches in your research area and then identify possible relationships between them. 

Ask yourself questions about your topic idea. What concepts, issues, or other aspects of this topic interest you? What have people said about it? What gaps, contradictions, or concerns arise as you learn more about it? What relationships are there between different aspects of the topic?

Focus your topic:   Use the information from your exploratory research to identify a few of the specific aspects that interest you and then use the questions you had about those to create your research question.

Choose a current topic:  Your goal is to summarize and evaluate current findings of an area of research. Pick a research topic about which articles are continuing to be published. Avoid defunct or little-known areas of research. 

Write about what interests you:  Professors want students to write about topics that they care about. If you're interested in the topic, it will be more fun for you to write your paper and probably more fun for your professor to read it, too.

Ask your course professor  for feedback on your research question.

Picking Your Topic IS Research

Once you've picked a research topic for your paper, it isn't set in stone. It's just an idea that you will test and develop through exploratory research. This exploratory research may guide you into modifying your original idea for a research topic. Watch this video for more info:

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• Last Updated: Sep 17, 2024 11:27 AM
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