CampusGuides: Research Questions In Person Workshop: Getting to "Just Right"

What's "just right" in a research question?

THE QUESTION IS TOO NARROW IN SCOPE WHEN...
- The question can be answered with a simple statistical fact.
  Example: How many people opened businesses in 2021?
- It will take 1 page or less to answer the question.
- There aren't enough credible sources already published on the topic. It may be too recent of a topic for research to have been written and peer-reviewed.
  Example: Effects of Hurricane Hilary on Los Angeles' environment. This just happened in August 2023!
THE QUESTION IS TOO BROAD IN SCOPE WHEN...
- There's too much information published on the topic for one person to review.
  Example: What causes cancer in women?
- There are too many aspects of the topic and it's so big that it can't be successfully covered in a college essay. Example: Why are people struggling with mental illness in the United States?
THE QUESTION IS JUST RIGHT IN SCOPE WHEN...
- It's clear and focused. You can point to the purpose of the question, who is involved, and what you need to find to answer the question.
- It's in the sweet spot between being too narrow and too broad
- It is about a complex issue or controversy related to the topic. Ask a question that requires multiple viewpoints be considered. These questions often start with with the words "How" or "Why"
- The question is personally interesting! Connect the topic to a hobby, your career goal, or a person you admire

Too broad: Why do women have heart disease?

Too narrow: Why is aspirin recommended for men to avoid heart disease, but not women?

Closer to "just right": Why are women of color more likely to do die from heart disease than white women?

Which do you think is the best research question... it's "just right" in scope?

A.What strategies can successfully equalize pay gaps for women?

B. Why were so many more women than men laid off during the Covid pandemic in computer management positions in the Bay area?

C. Why do women get hired less often than men?

Which do you think is the best research question... it's "just right" in scope?

A. How do women athletes handle stress?

B. How are gender norms changing in televised sports as there are more female broadcasters in the field?

C. Why are ACL tears and other knee injuries increasing in young women who play volleyball in the United States?