Frequently when conducting or reading research, the authors include a developed research question that they are aiming to answer. The first step to organizing a research paper is to develop your own research question.
The links below are great places to start in developing a research question. Browsing current events and hot topics can spark your interest and inspire a topic.
Sometimes the most difficult part of the research process is choosing a topic. Here are some tips for selecting a research question that you will enjoy learning about and will ultimately lead to a good grade.
Read through your assignment. Professors design an assignment outline for a reason. Make sure your topic can and will adhere to their requirements and guidelines.
Choose a topic you are interested in. If you don't like what you're researching, chances are you won't learn a whole lot or enjoy the process. And really, what's the point of that?
Browse resources that relate to your course work. Look through a newspaper, magazine, or database for current events or hot topics. Browsing can spark a lot of great ideas and can help you refine your topic.
Ask for help! There is nothing wrong with asking your professor or a librarian to help you brainstorm ideas.
There are many ways that a research question could be structured - and trying to create a research question from scratch can be stressful! Luckily, there are some existing formats/templates that several fields of study use to structure their research.
PICO is a research question format frequently used in the health sciences and medical disciplines. PICO is an acronym that stands for:
Population or Patient or Person
Intervention
Comparison or Control
Outcome
An example of a PICO question could be:
What are the impacts of art therapy versus music therapy on mood for adults with Alzheimer's?
We can break the research question back into the PICO components, as shown below.
|
Population |
Adults with Alzheimer's |
|
Intervention |
Art Therapy |
|
Comparison |
Music Therapy |
|
Outcome |
Changes in Mood |
SPICE is a research question format frequently used in fields using qualitative research. SPICE is an acronym that stands for:
Setting
Perspective
Intervention/Interest
Comparison
Evaluation
An example of a SPICE question could be:
For transgender K-12 students in Florida, what is the effect of providing LGBTQ+ support groups on reported levels of loneliness compared to no support?
We can break the research question back into the SPICE components, as shown below.
|
Setting |
Florida |
|
Perspective |
Transgender K-12 students |
|
Intervention/Interest |
LGBTQ+ support groups |
|
Comparison |
No support |
|
Evaluation |
Reported levels of loneliness |
SPIDER is a research question format frequently used in fields using qualitative or mixed-methods research, such as the social sciences. SPIDER is an acronym that stands for:
Sample
Phenomenon of Interest
Design
Evaluation
Research Type
An example of a SPIDER question could be:
How do caregivers for aging and/or disabled family members describe their experience of compassion fatigue?
We can break the research question back into the SPIDER components, as shown below.
|
Sample |
Family Caregivers |
|
Phenomenon of Interest |
Compassion Fatigue |
|
Design |
Interviews |
|
Evaluation |
Experiences |
|
Research Type |
Qualitative Study |