What Makes a Research Question Work

The research question is the engine of the whole Extended Essay. Everything you research, argue, and conclude exists to answer it. A precise, arguable question turns a topic into an essay; a vague or unanswerable one leaves you drifting. This lesson sets out the qualities that separate a working research question from a weak one.

The question is the spine of the essay

Under every version of the assessment criteria, a clear and focused research question sits at the center of the marks for focus, framing, and method. Examiners look for a question that is stated explicitly early in the essay and then genuinely answered by the end. If the essay wanders away from its own question, or answers a different question than the one it posed, the whole argument loses coherence. Choosing the question we