Sophomore Research Project Research Questions

Topic vs. Question Your topic is a noun or phrase  Marie Antoinette  the 100 Years’ War  Fascism Your question should be a complete sentence.

Focus Too broad a topic means only covering the surface of that person or issue  The Russian Revolution would be too big to manage in a reasonable length paper Focus on one issue within that topic  How did Tsar Nicholas’ policies contribute to the Russian Revolution?

Types of Questions: Reference Reference questions are typically answered with known facts or statistics.  You will likely have to ask some reference questions in your research.  Ex: "What percentage of drug-related crime in 1999 was committed by dealers, not users?"

Types of Questions: Report Review or report questions are typically answered with what is generally known about a fairly narrow topic.  Ex: “How did the original thirteen colonies become the United States?”

Types of Questions: Research Research questions are open-ended. They require a variety of accumulated information from different sources to develop an answer, and the student is required to draw his or her own conclusions.  Ex: "How does Hawaii's location and climate affect its economy?”

Some ways to begin a research question: Why… How… What are the effects of… What are the consequences of… Contrast (then & now) What was the influence of ___ on ___?

Thesis-Driven Paper A thesis-driven paper makes an arguable claim and defends it. Do not confuse a research paper with a report: you need to offer a thesis about your topic and then present evidence and analysis that provides support and explanation.

Thesis Statements The good, the bad, the ugly

The Bad Too broad The Renaissance sparked in European minds the transformation of artists into individual achievers and artwork into a form of expression. The Black Death was an extremely influential part of Europe’s history which negatively impacted the economic, religious, and personal aspects of Europe and its people.

The Bad Too specific The public’s demand for the destruction of the Berlin Wall led to the eventual reunification of Germany. The pentathlon event was one of the original events from the Ancient Olympics and remains as a part of the Modern Olympics representing, as it has changed over time, the change in what society thinks is most important in athletics.

The Bad Too obvious Leonardo’s masterpieces of art and science contributed heavily to the success of the Renaissance, and as well as becoming the base for modern inventions, his contributions earned him the title of a true Renaissance man. The French Revolution was an epoch of progression and downfall which is progressively reflected in governmental aspects of France throughout history.

The Ugly: Un-provable The bombing of Pearl Harbor indirectly caused the Cold War because it drew America into WWII, creating two superpowers that split Europe between two new factions. The modifications made to the Olympics throughout history fostered its purpose by establishing peaceful relations among European nations, which consequently improved their economy. As the industrial revolution progressed, and with the protection from governments in place recognizing the plight of women, women in the workforce began to feel empowered and their lives became more manageable.

The Good Specific and provable The injustice in Lenin’s life paralleled the conditions in Russia, fueling Lenin to lead the revolution that would change the face of Russian politics. The Continental System, in combination with events of the Napoleonic Wars, proved to be a key factor that would eventually help Britain to lead the way in the Industrial Revolution.

The Good Dissent and large scale protests on the part of the German people in response to the oppression and injustice they experienced under communist rule, as symbolized by the Berlin Wall, impacted Gorbachev’s policies in a way that ultimately led to the demise of the Soviet Union. Oliver Cromwell’s religious upbringing and role in the English Civil War led him to become a talented military leader and an innovative yet effective ruler for England during an age of absolute monarchs.

Things to avoid: Topics very hard to argue  i.e. people’s attitudes changing, hypotheticals, etc. If you can plug in another topic into your thesis and it still makes sense, it’s too broad