Refining Research Questions
[WLOs: 2, 3] [CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Prior to beginning work on this assignment,
Review “Prologue: Planning Your Project—An Overview,” Chapter 3, and Chapter 4 in The Craft of Research.
Review The Ultimate Cheatsheet for Critical ThinkingLinks to an external site..
In this assignment, you will refine your general topic to distill specific, researchable questions.
The infographic represents the aspects of Asking Questions. Characteristics of a Good Research Question are: Specific, Relevant, Feasible and Distinctive with a long description provided next.
Long description
Choose a broad topic from your discipline that interests you. In your paper,
Summarize existing information on this topic.
Discuss who, what, when, where, how, and why, as well as context and other questions suggested by your sources in order to develop your focus.
Refer to the Writing Center’s Narrowing Topic and Developing a Research QuestionLinks to an external site. resource for additional guidance.
Present a list of at least 10 specific and distinct questions about your topic.
Evaluate each of the questions you have developed. In your evaluation, address the following questions.
Does the existing literature address each of these questions?
Which is most significant and why?
How will the answer to this question solve a practical or conceptual problem?
The Refining Research Questions paper
must be five to seven double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA StyleLinks to an external site. as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA Formatting for Microsoft WordLinks to an external site. resource.
must include a separate title page with the following in title case:
title of paper in bold font
space should appear between the title and the rest of the information on the title page.
student’s name
name of institution (The University of Arizona Global Campus)
course name and number
instructor’s name
due date
must utilize academic voice.
See the Academic VoiceLinks to an external site. resource for additional guidance.
must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph.
Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.
For assistance on writing Introductions