Developing a Topic and Research Question

The first step in the research process is to choose a topic. 

Understand Your Assignment

Making sure that you understand your assignment will save you time and will help you earn a better grade. Understanding what you need to do and prioritizing your time is also a transferable skill that will enable you to succeed professionally. 

Choose a Topic

In this step, you start off with a general question, problem, idea or interest. You are beginning to set the scope of your project.

Here are some questions to ask yourself to help you brainstorm ideas about what you would like to research:

• What are the parameters of your research project? What limitations are imposed (e.g., instructions, time, budget, technology)?
• What would you like to know more about?
• What are you interested in?
• Is there a specific problem that you would like to solve?