When it comes to teaching students how to write a research paper, there is one area where students struggle: writing a guiding research question. Oftentimes, their research questions are either too vague or off-topic. Teaching high school students how to formulate a research question is an important skill that will help students succeed not only on their research paper assignments but in other areas of their lives as well. A well-formulated research question helps students focus their research, determine the relevance of the information they seek, and effectively communicate the purpose of their research to others. It is the starting point for teaching students how to write a research paper . Research Paper Writing Teaching Unit Here are some steps for teaching high school students how to formulate a research question: Start by introducing the concept of a research question. Explain that a research question is a specific question that a student aims to answer through research. It shoul...