Skip to Main Content

Literature Review: Research Question

Develop a Research Question

Before you can begin your literature review, you will need to select a topic. It is helpful to think about your research topic as a question. For example, instead of a topic like "diversity", you could ask "How do diversity training programs impact hiring practices in retail organizations?"

A good research question is manageable in scope - not too broad, but not too narrow. If your topic is too broad, you may become overwhelmed and find it difficult to organize your ideas.  If your topic is too narrrow, you may not be able to find enough information to include in your literature review.

It is often helpful to start with a broad idea, then narrow your focus by brainstorming related ideas. If you have a general area of interest, you can think about various issues in that general subject area.  Do any of your ideas present a puzzle or problem that you are interested in investigating?  Are there issues that make you wonder about causes or consequences?

As you brainstorm your topic, you may find it useful to document your ideas using a concept map. As you begin to investigate and evaluate scholarly literature on your topic, you may find it necessary to revise your original research question based on what you learn.  Be sure to expand your literature search to include any new concepts you may identify along the way.

Your research question should be clear, focused, and complex enough to allow for adequate research and analysis.  Most importantly, your research question should be interesting to you - you'll be spending a great deal of time researching and writing so you should be eager to learn more about it.

ACRL Framework For Information Literacy

ACRL FRAMEWORK FOR INFORMATION LITERACY

1) Searching is Strategic - Realize that information sources vary in content, format and relevance to your needs depending on the nature of your search and the scope of your research.

  • What is the scope of the project?
  • What types of information do you need?
  • What questions are you asking to direct your information search?
  • Who’s producing this information?

2) Authority is constructed and contextual - Think critically about information, wherever it is from. Ask questions about the author(s), the purpose, and the context of the information. Recognize the value of diverse ideas and world views.

  • How do you determine the credibility of a source?
  • What makes a source authoritative?
  • Whose voice does the information represent?
  • What points of view might be missing?

3) Information creation as a process - Understand that information may be perceived differently based on the format in which it is presented.

  • How might the process influence the kind of sources you will use?
  • Why did the author(s) select this format for the publication of their work?
  • How and for whom was the information produced?

4) Information has value - Give credit to the original ideas of others through proper attribution and citation. Recognize your opportunity for multiple roles - as a contributor or a creator as well as a consumer of information.

  • What is the purpose of this information?
  • Who has access to this information and who does not?
  • Is this information licensed in a specific way that promotes or prohibits reuse?

5) Research as inquiry - Approach research as open-ended exploration and engagement with information. Ask questions and be flexible, ambiguity can help the research process.

  • What do you already know about the topic and what do you need to explore further?
  • What is the dialogue or debate surrounding your topic?
  • Has your research taken you down an unexpected path? Should you modify your focus?
  • Think about your ideal source. Who might produce this information?

6) Scholarship is a conversation - You are participating in an ongoing scholarly conversation in which information consumers and creators come together and negotiate or discover meaning.

  • Have you sought a variety of perspectives?
  • What are the modes of discourse in your field?
  • Do you have the information you need to cite your sources?
  • What are the established authority structures that privilege certain voices and information?

Bucknell University, Bertrand Library, Research Services, 2015

https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/framework

CC By NC SA