Once you have selected a topic, you might think you are ready to search for information— but hold on a minute! Ask yourself, what do I want to know about this topic? If it’s a topic you are familiar with, ask yourself, what is the most important point to make about this topic? Such questions give you motivation and focus, and they help you stay on track.

You’ll know what you’re looking for: the answer to your questions.

An outline or overview—a roadmap, if you will—is very helpful at this point. You need to know where you are going, how to get there, and when you have arrived. If necessary, or if you desire, you can revise the outline and the research question as you proceed.

Your answer to the major research question is the thesis of your paper. Have you ever read something, and afterwards found yourself asking so . . . what’s the point? If there is no point, it’s because the essay, research paper, or editorial didn’t have a thesis—or at least a clear one.

Sometimes you won’t refine your own thesis until you’ve completed your research. However, you’ll never find the thesis without a research question.