In simple terms
A friendly intro before the formal notes — no formulas yet.
The Architect's Blueprint: Designing Your Research Question
Your research question is the single most important sentence in your entire 4,000-word essay. It's the blueprint that guides your research, structures your argument, and determines the ultimate success of your project. A weak question leads to a weak structure, while a strong, focused question provides a clear path to a high-scoring essay.
Think of your EE as building a house. Your chosen subject (e.g., History) is the plot of land. A vague topic like 'The Cold War' is like saying 'I want to build a building'. It's not a plan. Your research question is the detailed architectural blueprint. A question like 'To what extent did the Truman Doctrine dictate US foreign policy in Southeast Asia between 1947 and 1954?' specifies the exact type of house (a historical analysis), its dimensions (1947-1954), its location (Southeast Asia), and the key materials you'll investigate (the Truman Doctrine's influence). Without this blueprint, you can't start building.
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Brainstorm your genuine academic interests and connect them to a specific DP subject you are taking. Your passion will fuel the long research process.
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Conduct preliminary reading to understand the existing academic conversation around your topic. This helps you find a unique niche or angle.
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Draft an initial question that is open-ended and analytical, using command terms like 'To what extent...?', 'How...?', or 'Why...?'. Avoid questions with a simple 'yes/no' answer.
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Refine the question to narrow its scope. Define clear parameters such as a specific time period, geographical location, artist, text, or case study to ensure your topic is manageable within 4,000 words.
Explore the concept
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Full topic notes
Formal explanation with the rigour you need for the exam.
1. Connecting Personal Interest with an Academic Subject
The EE is a marathon, not a sprint. To sustain your motivation over the approximately 40 hours of work, your topic must be rooted in genuine intellectual curiosity. However, passion alone is not enough. Your topic must be firmly grounded within the scope of one of your chosen DP subjects.
Start with what you enjoy: List subjects, topics, or even specific books, films, historical events, or scientific problems that fascinate you.
Align with a DP Subject: You must write your EE in a subject you are studying. Review the subject-specific guidance in the EE guide. A topic that seems like 'Psychology' might actually be better suited to 'Social and Cultural Anthropology' or 'Biology' depending on the specific question and methodology.
Consider your strengths: Choose a subject where you have a strong academic record and a good rapport with a potential supervisor. Your supervisor's expertise is a critical resource.
Avoid 'double-dipping': Your EE topic must not overlap significantly with any of your Internal Assessments (IAs). Examiners check for this, and it can be penalised as academic misconduct.
2. Deconstructing Criterion A: Focus and Method (6 Marks)
Criterion A is the first hurdle and is assessed almost entirely on the quality of your introduction, especially your research question. To score in the top band (5-6 marks), your RQ must be precise, clearly stated, and highly focused. The examiner must understand exactly what you are investigating and how you plan to investigate it. The question must be 'appropriate to the subject', meaning it uses the terminology, concepts, and investigative approaches expected in that academic discipline.
Examiners for Criterion A look for a research question that is stated clearly and exactly in the introduction. Do not make them hunt for it. A top-scoring essay will often state: 'Therefore, this essay will investigate the following research question: ...'. This clarity is rewarded.
3. The Anatomy of a Powerful Research Question
A strong research question has several key ingredients that work together to create a focused and manageable project. Think of it as a formula for success.
Analytical Command Term: Use words that demand analysis, not description. Good examples: 'To what extent...', 'How far...', 'In what ways...', 'Evaluate the role of...', 'Compare and contrast the effectiveness of...'.
Specific Subject/Object of Study: Clearly identify the core focus. This could be a specific text (Mrs Dalloway), a historical figure (Bismarck), a scientific concept (enzyme inhibition), or a social phenomenon (gentrification in a specific neighbourhood).
Clear Parameters (Scope): Narrow your focus with boundaries. This is often a time period (1950-1960), a geographical location (post-war Berlin), or a comparison between two specific things (two poems, two economic policies).
Implicit Argument: The question should hint at a debate or a tension to be explored. 'To what extent was X the primary cause of Y?' implies you will also consider secondary causes. 'How does author X both challenge and reinforce Y?' suggests a nuanced, non-binary argument.
4. The Iterative Process: Research, Refine, Repeat
Your first research question is almost never your final one. The process of developing a strong RQ is iterative, meaning you will circle back and refine it as your understanding deepens. Preliminary research is not something you do after you have a question; it is an essential part of forming the question.
Conduct Preliminary Reading: Once you have a broad topic, read a few academic articles or book chapters about it. What are the key debates? Who are the main scholars? What questions are they asking?
Test for Feasibility: As you read, ask yourself: Are there enough high-quality academic sources available? Are there accessible primary sources? Can I realistically tackle this topic in 4,000 words?
Find Your Niche: Look for a gap in the research or a specific angle that interests you. Perhaps two scholars disagree on a point—your EE could be an evaluation of their competing claims using primary evidence.
Consult Your Supervisor: Your supervisor is your most valuable resource. Discuss your ideas with them at every stage. They can help you assess feasibility, point you towards key sources, and help you refine the wording of your question for maximum clarity and impact.
Keep a research journal or a 'researcher's reflection space' (RRS). Use it to document your journey of refining the RQ. Note down initial ideas, why you discarded them, what you discovered during preliminary reading, and how you arrived at your final question. This process is not only good practice but also provides excellent material for your mandatory reflection sessions and the final Reflection on Planning and Progress Form (RPPF), which is assessed under Criterion E.
Worked examples
See the formulas applied — reveal one step at a time, like the exam.
Refining a Research Question for History
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A student is interested in the Russian Revolution.
Developing a Research Question for English A: Literature
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A student is interested in poetry and social class.
How it all connects
The big idea sits in the middle — tap a linked idea to explore the link.
Tap a linked idea to see how it connects back to the main topic — that connection is what examiners reward.
Glossary
Try to recall each definition before you reveal it.
Quick check
Answer in your head first — then tap to check. No pressure.
Revision flashcards
Flip the card. Test yourself before the exam.
Criterion A: Focus and Method
The assessment criterion (6 marks) that evaluates the topic, research question, and methodology. A high-scoring RQ is focused, appropriate for the subject, and promotes a systematic inquiry.
Key takeaways
Review these before you close the topic — retrieval beats re-reading.
- ✓
Start with what you enjoy: List subjects, topics, or even specific books, films, historical events, or scientific problems that fascinate you.
- ✓
Align with a DP Subject: You must write your EE in a subject you are studying. Review the subject-specific guidance in the EE guide. A topic that seems like 'Psychology' might actually be better suited to 'Social and Cultural Anthropology' or 'Biology' depending on the specific question and methodology.
- ✓
Consider your strengths: Choose a subject where you have a strong academic record and a good rapport with a potential supervisor. Your supervisor's expertise is a critical resource.
- ✓
Avoid 'double-dipping': Your EE topic must not overlap significantly with any of your Internal Assessments (IAs). Examiners check for this, and it can be penalised as academic misconduct.
Practice — then mark it
The whole point: a real Cambridge question, marked mark-by-mark.
Test Your RQ Formulation Skills
Test Your RQ Formulation Skills
Extra simulations & links
PhET, GeoGebra and other curated tools — open in a new tab.
Frequently asked
Checkpoint
One marked question is worth ten re-reads — close the loop before you move on.
Reading it isn’t knowing it — prove it.
Before you move on: do Test Your RQ Formulation Skills on paper, snap a photo, and get examiner-style feedback on exactly where you win and lose marks.