SAR HS 210: An Introduction to Critical Inquiry

There are several tools to help you identify and develop your research question. Here are some steps that might be helpful:

• Browse through the background sources listed below to find ideas for topics. Looking at various entries and chapters can help you find a focus for your question, and identify keywords that you might use when you look for scholarly articles.
• Explore the websites on the right side of the screen. This will give you an overview of health topics that are in the news.
• Test your topic in a general health database like CINAHL. Are there many articles on your topic? Based on the articles you are seeing, you may get ideas for narrowing down your topic or pinpoint an aspect of a topic that interests you.

Research question examples:

• Among adults, what are some risk factors associated with the development of long COVID?
• What public health interventions are associated with decreased maternal mortality in Kenya?

Learn more about developing your research question.