1.1 Asking Research Questions

A good research question

A strong research question is open-ended, focused, and researchable — it can't be answered by a simple fact or yes/no. It invites investigation from multiple angles.

Narrowing a topic

Move from a broad topic to a specific question by narrowing scope: time, place, population, or aspect. 'Social media' is a topic; 'How does social media use affect teen sleep?' is a question.

Curiosity drives inquiry

AP Seminar begins with genuine curiosity. A good question matters to you and others, and points toward evidence you can actually gather and analyze.

Key terms

Research question

open-ended, focused, researchable

Topic vs. question

'social media' (topic) → a specific question

Narrowing scope

limit by time, place, population, or aspect

Researchable

answerable through evidence, not one fact

Curiosity

the starting point of good inquiry

Try an AP-style question

Which is the strongest research question?

1. What exactly is sleep and why do we do it?
2. How do later start times affect teen sleep?
3. Do most teenagers sleep during the night?
4. Is sleep important for people in general?