Free · high school to PhD

Research Question Generator

Enter your topic and get a focused research question plus five alternatives from narrow to broad, each with sub-questions and the data or method you could use to answer it.

An outline is a plan: you write the essay in your own words. Your text is used only to answer and isn't stored.

Example: 5-paragraph essay outline

  1. I. Introduction: hook, background, thesis statement
  2. II. Body paragraph 1: topic sentence, evidence, explanation
  3. III. Body paragraph 2: topic sentence, evidence, explanation
  4. IV. Body paragraph 3: topic sentence, evidence, explanation (or counter-argument)
  5. V. Conclusion: restate the thesis, sum up, final thought

Enter your topic to get an outline built for your essay, with what each section should do and the evidence to look for.

How to write a good research question

  1. 1Start broad, then narrow. Pick a topic you care about, then focus it on a group, place, time or variable.
  2. 2Make it researchable. Choose a question you can answer with the data, time and methods you have.
  3. 3Avoid yes/no questions. Ask how, why, to what extent or what is the relationship between, so there's something to analyse.
  4. 4Check it's original and relevant. Read a little first: a good question fills a gap and matters to your field.
  5. 5Refine with your supervisor. Share two or three options and sharpen the best one before you plan your methods.

Where the research question fits

The standard outline format uses Roman numerals for main sections and letters and numbers for the points under them:

I. Main idea
   A. Supporting point
      1. Detail or evidence
         a. Smaller detail
   B. Supporting point
II. Main idea
   A. Supporting point

The usual outline for each type of writing. Copy one, or let the generator fill it in for your topic.

Research proposal

  1. Title and short summary
  2. Background and problem statement
  3. Research questions or aims
  4. Literature review: what's known and the gap
  5. Methodology: design, data, analysis
  6. Timeline
  7. Expected outcomes and significance
  8. Ethics and limitations
  9. References

Research paper

  1. Introduction and research question
  2. Literature review
  3. Methods
  4. Results
  5. Discussion
  6. Conclusion and further research

Research Question Generator FAQs

What makes a good research question?

It is clear, focused, researchable with the time and data you have, not answerable with yes or no, and relevant to a real gap in what's known.

What are the types of research questions?

Descriptive (what is happening), comparative (how do groups differ), relational (how are two things related) and causal (does one thing cause another).

Is the outline generator free?

Yes. You can try it twice a day without an account, and a free account gets 5 a day. Premium gets 100 a day for every StudyCoach tool.

Is using an outline generator cheating?

An outline is a plan, not the essay. It gives you a structure and points to develop; you research and write every sentence yourself. Check your school's rules on AI tools.

More outline help: Literature Review Generator · Research Proposal · Essay Outline Generator · Research Paper Outline · Outline Format. Also try the thesis statement generator, the citation generator and the AI Essay Grader. Writing a dissertation? Map it out with the free dissertation timeline maker and track it in the Thesis & Dissertation Tracker.

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