IB Extended Essay: Refining the question

Refining Your Research Question

The above draft research question "What role does the theme of deception play in the works of Shakespeare?" is still a very broad topic - way too broad to be a workable research question.

To narrow down your scope, one good technique to try is to apply limiting factors (relevant sub-areas of investigation). Ask yourself limiting questions about components of your topic. 

There’s also nothing wrong with including a comparison in your essay, as long as you can provide meaningful analysis within the word limit.

For example:

What role does the theme of deception play in the works of Shakespeare?

• Is there a specific aspect that could be investigated?
  • The effect of deception on illustrating the nature of love
• Which specific text(s) could I focus on?
  • Hamlet (tragedy) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (comedy)

So your refined research question could be:

How does Shakespeare use the theme of deception in Hamlet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream to illustrate the nature of love?

Ask Yourself...

As you continue to refine your research question, remember to ask yourself:

• Is there a range of perspectives on this topic?
• Does the research question allow for analysis, evaluation and the development of a reasoned argument?

Remember: asking the question in a different way might help you to see your topic in a new light.