EXPLORING YOUR

RESEARCH TOPIC
Narrowing down your topic
KEEP IN MIND...
● Cause/Effect/Solution paper
○ You should be exploring an ISSUE
○ Make sure that your research question fits this format
■ It needs to explores a cause and effect, and then you propose a
possible solution

● 3-5 pages in length

○ Your topic/research question needs to be something you can explore
and analyze for 3-5 pages
■ BAD EXAMPLE: What is the best amount of sleep to get at
night?
■ GOOD EXAMPLE: How does a lack of sleep affect the academic
performance of high schoolers?
What is your research topic?

What do you already

know about it?
 Flooding
Fires
Hurricanes

Natural disasters

Increased global temperatures

Greenhouse gas emissions

Climate Change
 RESEARCH QUESTION EXAMPLE:

How does climate change contribute to the

occurrence of natural disasters, like forest
fires and hurricanes?
WRITING A GOOD
RESEARCH QUESTION
 A GOOD RESEARCH QUESTION IS...
❏ Clear
❏ Should not be vague or confusing
❏ Specific/focused
❏ Should not be extremely broad or extremely narrow
❏ Should be appropriate to paper length (3-5 pages)
❏ Researchable/Arguable
❏ Cannot have one answer
❏ Complex
❏ The research should not be straightforward
❏ It should have to consider multiple perspectives, ideas, etc.
❏ Relevant
❏ Should not address a topic that is unimportant or insignificant today
 Which criteria does this
research question NOT meet:

What should we do to stop climate change?

 Which criteria does this
research question NOT meet:

What greenhouse gasses

contribute to climate change?
 Which criteria does this
research question NOT meet:
What is the best light bulb to switch to
to reduce climate change?
 Which criteria does this
research question NOT meet:

What could’ve
prevented the
extinction of the
dinosaurs?
 EXPLORING YOUR TOPIC

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Go to Michigan eLibrary (mel.org)

Browse all issues &
find your topic!

Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints

 EXPLORING YOUR TOPIC

Steps 4 & 5

Skim through several RECENTLY PUBLISHED Fill out the Research Question Google Doc
reading under magazines, news, and academic (in Google Classroom) by keeping track of
journals. some of the key issues you find related to
your topic