Developing a Research Question
As you do your preliminary research on a topic (for example, global warming)
you start to pose questions about the topic. Choosing one of these questions
as a basis for your research helps you to focus your topic. You would then
concentrate your researc h on sources that will help answer the question.
eg. What policies would have the greatest
impact on the problem of stimulating local exchange service competition?
Questions can be implicit
within a research question. For example, it is unnecessary to ask "What
is the Telecom Act of 1996 and what policies would have the greatest impact
on promoting competition in long distance and in local service?" In answering
the question "What policies would have the greatest impact on promoting
competition?" you would need to describe what the current situation is
before solutions could be suggested.