A research question is a statement that defines what is to be studied. It is the core of the research project, study, or literature review. Your research question focuses the study, determines the methodology, and guides all stages of inquiry, analysis, and reporting.

Example:

Have social media sites led to an increase in bullying among young adults? 

Your research question should...

• Be focused 
• Identify the problem you're writing about
• Establish significance 

• The Evolution (and Devolution) of Affirmative Action Initiatives
• The Influence of the Antislavery Movement, Republican Ideology, and Federalism on the 14th Amendment
• The Patriot Act: Security/Rights Issues in Historical Perspective
• Title IX and Collegiate Athletic Opportunities
• The Effects of the North American Free Trade Agreement
• Stereotypes Between American and Arab-Americans in the United States
• Religious Exercise in Public Schools
• Nature Within the City: The Greenway Movement and the Transformation of Urban Form
• Public Education and Religious Establishment
• Racial Profiling in post 9/11 United States Content Regulation in Broadcasting
• Effectiveness of Rape Shield Laws
• Globalization and the Anti-Globalization Movement
• Celebrity Influence on Political Campaigns
• The Lemon Test and the Religious Establishment Clause