1. 1) Start with the topic that you want to study:
“Even if things were the same, people's perception of them might have been very different back then. The darkness of night was probably deeper then, so the moon must have been that much bigger and brighter.” - Haruki Murakami, Japanese author
1) Start with the topic that you want to study:
Art (writing, books, poetry, authors, painting)
Pop culture (movies, music, tv, cartoons, gaming)
Media (news, fake news, journalism, virtual reality, media bias)
Religion (Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, mythology, bible, myths)
Psychology (mind, brain, ____path, studies)
History (past, present, future, specific locations, specific religions, participant, first-hand)
Politics (political parties, laws, government, regulations, bias)
Science (-ology, animals, human nature, chemicals, health)
Race
Economics/money

2. Angle – A viewpoint; standpoint; point of view
“Even if things were the same, people's perception of them might have been very different back then. The darkness of night was probably deeper then, so the moon must have been that much bigger and brighter.” - Haruki Murakami, Japanese author
On your notecard, put #2:
2) Now, look at these synonyms of “perception” – which one(s) would work for your topic:
Perception – Understanding by means of the mind or senses; cognition; understanding
Angle – A viewpoint; standpoint; point of view
Aspect – Appearance to the eye or mind; a way in which a thing may be viewed, regarded, interpreted; part
Perspective – Spatial relations on a flat surface; the state of one’s ideas; seeing all the relevant data in a relationship; a mental view
Viewpoint – Position of observation; an attitude of mind; circumstances of an individual that create an attitude
Relation – An existing connection; an association between things
Recognition – The perception of something as existing or true; realization
Objectivity – Judging something without bias, fairness

3. Religion + Perception Video games + Objectivity
“Even if things were the same, people's perception of them might have been very different back then. The darkness of night was probably deeper then, so the moon must have been that much bigger and brighter.” - Haruki Murakami, Japanese author
#3:
For #3, try and put your topic and your synonym of perception together. Here are some examples:
Religion + Perception Video games + Objectivity

4. Now, make your topic more specific:
“Even if things were the same, people's perception of them might have been very different back then. The darkness of night was probably deeper then, so the moon must have been that much bigger and brighter.” - Haruki Murakami, Japanese author
On your notecard, put #4
Now, make your topic more specific:
Journalism = newspaper, TV news, right-wing news, left-wing news
Religion = Christianity, Judaism, Islam, etc. Prayer, monotheism, polytheism, mythology

5. Should people be held responsible for actions done while sleeping?
“Even if things were the same, people's perception of them might have been very different back then. The darkness of night was probably deeper then, so the moon must have been that much bigger and brighter.” - Haruki Murakami, Japanese author
On your notecard, put #5
Now try and put it together as a full thought in a way that is debatable and researchable.
Examples:
Do the current health impacts of working the night shift suggest a need for future regulation in the US?
Should people be held responsible for actions done while sleeping?
Do Americans have different degrees of subconscious racism based on upbringing?

6. Pick three lenses that you think will help you focus your topic:
“Even if things were the same, people's perception of them might have been very different back then. The darkness of night was probably deeper then, so the moon must have been that much bigger and brighter.” - Haruki Murakami, Japanese author #6
Pick three lenses that you think will help you focus your topic:
-Environmental -Scientific -Economic -Political -Historical -Artistic -Philosophical -Cultural & social -Futuristic -Ethical -Psychological

7. “Even if things were the same, people's perception of them might have been very different back then. The darkness of night was probably deeper then, so the moon must have been that much bigger and brighter.” - Haruki Murakami, Japanese author
Still #6
What do you think these lenses will reveal about your topic. This is not you coming to conclusions, but rather getting specific about focus:
Video games + Perception + Philosophical lens= Should the ethics of real life apply to virtual reality?
Video games + Perception + Cultural Lens = How will different cultures adapt to virtual reality as it becomes more widespread?
Video games + Perception + Historical Lens = How has giant leaps in technology changed cultures in the past?

8. “Even if things were the same, people's perception of them might have been very different back then. The darkness of night was probably deeper then, so the moon must have been that much bigger and brighter.” - Haruki Murakami, Japanese author #6
Can you come up with one final version of your research question? Remember to make sure it’s arguable!