• Description and cause of the problem: Why is this problem a problem? What causes this problem? Why hasn’t it been solved yet? What kinds of disagreements does this problem cause? • Significance of the problem: Why is this problem important and worthy of research? Are a great number of people affected by this problem? Who are they? Why is this problem worth solving? • Research question: What is the question (or questions) that you’re trying to answer through your research? • Sources and research methods: Which types of sources have you used so far? Which types of sources do you plan to use? Why will these sources be the most useful for learning more about your topic?
