Creating Research Questions

Shannon Burger, LibrarianParkway Southwest Middle School

Essential Questions

Why is it important to create questions to guide my research?

How can I create strong research questions?

What are Research Questions?

Research questions map out or guide the direction you are heading with your research.

An Effective Research Question● Needs information from sources other than

yourself● Must have done background research for

issues/vocabulary related to topic● Not too broad - So general hard to answer● Not too narrow - So specific doesn’t lead to more

exploration (yes/no or a couple words only)

Two different types of research questions?

THIN Research Questions

Who? What? When?Where?

These type of questions can typically be answered with short answers and are good for BACKGROUND information.

Example of THIN Research Questions

● What is the Cotton Gin?

● Who invented the Cotton Gin?

● Who used the Cotton Gin?

● Where was it developed?

● When was it developed?

● When was it used?

Your Turn!

Look at the background information you collected, can you answer these questions?

● Who● What● When ● Where

Example of THIN Research Questions

● What is the Cotton Gin?

● Who invented the Cotton Gin?

● Who used the Cotton Gin?

● Where was it developed?

● When was it developed?

● When was it used?

Not only Background info, but ...

Thin research questions can help us get to Deeper, Stronger Research Questions.

Thick Research Questions

Thick research questions typically start with HOW and WHY or a combination of your basic questions. They may deal with big ideas, changes of over time, different points of view or impact or effect.

How? Why?

Know the End Goal!

Form questions that will help you answer the ULTIMATE question:

How was ______________ important in creating the identity of the United States?

Examples of THICK Research Questions

1. Why was the Cotton Gin a success?

2. How did the Cotton Gin impact the textile industry?

3. How did the Cotton Gin impact other industries?

4. How did the Cotton Gin impact groups of people?

5. How did Eli Whitney get his idea for the C.G.?

Your Turn!

Use what you know and have learned to create THICK research questions for your topic!

● How?● Why?

Need help creating questions?

Use the chart at the right.