Academic Research Booklet

5

Crafting an essay question

Narrowing down a broad topic into a viable essay or dissertation question can feel daunting but using the formula below could help a lot.

Start with your TOPIC and consider what VARIABLES impact on said topic, add in a SPECIFIC factor and you’ll quickly find yourself with a viable essay question – or at the very least a decent starting point to discuss with your supervisor.

For example:

SUBJECT

MEDICINE

TOPIC

WOMEN’S MEDICINE

VARIABLE

GROUP: ETHNICITY AND/ OR AGE RANGE

VARIABLE

OUTCOME: DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

SPECIFIC

MEDICAL CONDITION: ENDOMETRIOSIS

SPECIFIC

LOCATION: NORTH AMERICA

Question: To what extent does ethnicity affect the timeline of diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis in women between the ages of 18-45 in North America?