Improve Your Research Question
The figure below contains tips for improving a question that is too broad or too narrow for an academic-level research paper, or cannot be answered.
Problem |
Example |
Try Instead |
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The question is too broad. |
What is the history of management? |
Focus on a specific subtopic: What historic management practices have had the greatest influence on the current practice of self-managed teams in organizations? |
How does a lack of communication in an organization affect the general workplace? |
Focus on a specific subtopic: How do team-based organizations ensure that appropriate levels of communication take place among the management levels? |
|
The question is too narrow. |
How did the United Auto Workers affect the economy in Dayton, Ohio, in 1973?
|
Focus on the larger context of the issue or topic: What influence did automobile labor unions have on the US economy in the early 1970s? |
Does Sweden have nationalized health care? (The answer is "yes." That doesn't make for much of a paper.) |
Focus on the larger context of the issue or topic: How did health care professionals influence the political process that enabled Sweden to establish nationalized health care? |
|
The question cannot be answered. |
What decisions made in secret meetings caused Apple to develop the iPod? (You are unlikely to find information from secret meetings.) |
Choose an issue or topic about which youcan obtain information: What factors influenced Apple to add the iPod to its product line? |