Instructions: Work through these steps to move from your general interest to a research-ready question. Notice how each stage narrows the focus. Study the good and bad examples provided, and you’ll see how clarity, specificity, and neutrality can make or break your research process.
#1 - Name your area of interest
Write a broad topic you find interesting.
Example One: Technology
Example Two: Mental Health
#2 - Focus your topic (narrow the scope)
Choose a specific aspect, group, situation, or place related to your interest.
Example One: Social media use among teenagers
Example Two: Barriers to mental health support for college students
#3 - Draft a research question
Turn your focused topic into an open-ended question that invites exploration.
Example One: How does daily social media use affect the anxiety levels of teenagers?
Example Two: What are the most significant barriers college students face when seeking mental health services on campus?
Avoid simple yes/no questions and questions that lead to a particular conclusion.
Example One: Is social media bad for teenagers? Limits exploration to a yes/no answer.
Example Two: “Why do most college students avoid getting help for their mental health problems?” Assumes most college students have mental health problems and generally avoid getting help.
If you’re having trouble turning your narrowed topic into a good research question, the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) is an easy process for quickly generating and improving questions. Start by listing any questions that come to mind about your topic, then reshape them to be open-ended and interesting. Finally, choose one to explore and jot down why it grabs your attention.
#1 - Start with your focused topic.
Example: Barriers to mental health support for college students
#2 - Ask questions rapid-fire
Write down as many questions as you can, without judging or editing, even ones that seem silly or unimportant. If you get stuck, think about what interests, frustrates, or puzzles you about the topic. The goal is to go beyond surface-level ideas and uncover questions that really spark your curiosity.
Why do some college students avoid using campus counseling services?
How do cultural differences affect help-seeking for mental health?
What times are counseling appointments available?
Does stigma make it harder for students to get help?
Are campus resources advertised well enough?
#3 - Improve your questions
Change yes/no or leading questions to open-ended ones.
Yes/No: “Do most students avoid counseling?”
Improved: Why do some students avoid using counseling services?Yes/No: “Is stigma a big problem?”
Improved: How does stigma affect students’ willingness to seek help?Yes/No: “Are there enough resources for mental health?”
Improved: What are the most important barriers students experience when seeking mental health support?
#4 - Prioritize for research
Pick one or two questions that genuinely interest you.
How does stigma affect students’ willingness to seek help?
What are the most important barriers students experience when seeking mental health support?
#5 - Reflect & Next Steps
Take a moment to consider why your selected question matters to you, clarifying what you hope to discover or learn.
I want to explore how stigma impacts whether college students ask for help with mental health, because I think it’s a barrier for a lot of people and I’d like to know more about solutions.
#1 - Name your area of interest.
#2 - Focus your topic (narrow your scope) by:
#3 - Ask open-ended questions.
Need help asking open-ended questions? Try the QFT method:
#1 - Start with your focused topic.
#2 - Ask questions rapid-fire without editing or judgment.
#3 - Improve your questions, changing yes/no or leading questions to open-ended ones.
#4 - Prioritize questions for research
#5 - Reflect and next steps