Using the 5Ws to Develop a Research Question

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Narrator: And Kansas becomes United States. 

If your topic is too broad or vague, you may be overwhelmed with information. If your question is too narrow, you might not find anything at all. Before you start your investigation, take a moment to refine your question. This step will help you focus your search and zero in on what you need to find. 

Imagine the universe of information available on a given topic as water escaping from a fire hose. You can use the five criteria to help make the flow more manageable.