Coming up with a question, looking for answers

Compiled for the IP 2018 Groningen@Krakow

Getting started on your research for the IP paper means you first have to engage with this year’s topic by reading the theme statement and the mandatory literature. Then look for something that you are interested in and would like to explore within this year’s theme. To turn your ideas into a research project you will need to come up with a research question to guide you through the process. Establishing a research problem involves critically questioning the topic you want to study. Do some brainstorming by talking to other people, ask different kinds of questions (and evaluate them), but first and foremost: read deeper into your topic. While you are reading and brainstorming, think about the kinds of data you would need to support your research. Finally, you should state your research question in one or two sentences and justify your approach to the topic.