SPAN 2130/SOC 2130: Coming Up With a Research Question

Try asking questions about your topic that begin with one of these words:

• Who
• What
• When
• Where
• Why
• How

Why and How questions can be especially useful for generating dynamic research questions.

Reference sources can help you jumpstart your research project by:

• providing a quick overview of a topic,
• identifying key questions that can shape your research,
• pointing you towards other sources on the topic.

Reference articles typically end with a bibliography or works cited, which you can use to find key books and articles on the topic.