Name______________________                                  Class_____________________

 

Developing Your Question

 

What is going to be your research question?  There are several types of questions, some better suited to research projects than others. 

 

Yes/No Questions:  These questions have a simple positive or negative response.

 

Is Bakersfield the largest city in Kern County?

 

Inch Questions:  Can be answered with a single word or phrase.

 

What is the population of Bakersfield?

 

Yard Questions:  Can be answered with a sentence or short, definite response.

 

What water sources does the city of Bakersfield use?

 

Mile Questions:  Can have several answers, opposite sides that need to be considered.  These types of questions usually work best for research projects.

 

How can the city of Bakersfield best prepare for years of drought?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now apply this to your research project.

 

1.  Your topic_____________________________________

 

 

2.  Take one minute to jot down below what you think you know about your topic. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. On the back of this sheet, develop questions you have about your topic. 

 

 

 

Questions:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.  Look at your questions.  Are they yes/no, inch, yard, or mile questions?  Write down next to each question the type it is.

 

 

 

 

5.  With these basic ideas in mind, proceed to the Question Brainstormer to try and create a good research question.  Keep in mind that your research question might change as you learn more about your topic.