Below are a few examples of questions. An MJC Librarian will be happy to help you develop research questions on any topic you are assigned.
Research means exploring—sometimes ideas, sometimes current issues, sometimes people’s lives or the effects of past events. The key to exploration is asking good questions.
We live in an information-rich society where technology gives us instant answers: movie times, weather forecasts, song lyrics. That’s great for quick lookups—but when it comes to academic research, the sheer volume of information can feel overwhelming.
That’s where research questions come in. Think of them as a grocery list guiding you through a massive “storehouse” of information:
They give you a focused place to start.
They help you find the most relevant information for your thesis.
They keep you from getting lost or sidetracked.
They even help you stay organized once you begin writing.
Your list of questions doesn’t have to be perfect—it will grow and change as your research develops.
Start simple. You may not know much about your topic yet, so begin with a few basic questions to launch the process:
What is political polarization?
Why is political polarization such a controversial topic right now?
Do some background reading. Check reference books, databases like CQ Researcher or Issues & Controversies, and other reliable sources. This early reading will help you answer initial questions and spark new ones.
Be bold. Don’t shy away from questions you can’t yet answer—that’s the whole point of research.
Keep refining. Think of your list as a work in progress. As you explore, you’ll add new questions, expand existing ones, and drop those that no longer fit. This evolution is a natural (and healthy) part of the research process.
Think of research questions as your shopping list for information. Just as a list keeps you focused in a crowded store, your questions keep you on track in the vast “supermarket” of sources. They help you:
Locate the most relevant information quickly and efficiently.
Stay focused so you don’t get lost or sidetracked while exploring.
Stay organized as you gather evidence and start shaping your paper.
And just like a grocery list, your research questions aren’t fixed. They may grow, change, or shift as you learn more and further refine your topic.
As you shape your research, different types of questions will help you focus on different parts of your paper: introduction, body, and conclusion. The following are sample questions to help you get started. Think of them as a menu of possibilities—some will fit your project, others won’t. Use them as a starting point to spark ideas, and adapt them to fit the scope and goals of your research.
Use these to get background information and define your topic.
What is ___?
Why is ___ an important issue?
What background information is necessary to understand ___?
What are the different types of ___?
These guide you into deeper analysis and evidence.
What causes ___?
What are the effects of ___?
What are the arguments for ___?
What are the arguments against ___?
What is being done about ___?
These help you pull your thinking together and point toward implications or solutions.
What conclusions can you make about your topic, and why?
What can you argue about your topic, and why are those arguments valid?
What should be done to address your topic, and why?