A research question is a guide to the type of information you need to find about your topic. For your research assignments, your professor might assign you a topic to develop your question around, or you may be asked to develop your own topic and question. To get started, ask yourself: What do I already know about my topic? What do I still need to find out?

Research questions are complex, open-ended, and arguable. Remember, they should be exploratory and cannot be answered by a simple “yes,” “no,” or a singular fact. Instead, think about the “how” and “why” questions about your topic.

Examples of Effective Research Questions:

• How does social media affect romantic relationships?
• How has the Black Lives Matter movement affected discussions about racism in the US?
• What responsibility do social media platforms have to fact-check information users post on their websites?
• Are test scores an effective means of evaluating students’ college preparedness?
• Should college athletes be paid a salary?
• How can student activism effect climate change policy in the US?

Your research question may not be fully formed when you first start searching, and that’s okay! Doing a little background research can often lead us to a researchable question.

Examples of effective research questions about our example topic (social media and mental health) may be:

• How does social comparison via social media impact college students’ self-esteem?
• What is the relationship between social media and Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) or anxiety among college students?
• How can online college students use social media to build social connections with other students?

Let’s Try It!