From Curiosity to Question: Turning Interests into Research Problems

Every great thesis begins with a spark—an interest, a frustration, or a moment of curiosity that refuses to go away. But curiosity on its own, while powerful, isn’t enough to carry a thesis from concept to completion. What transforms that initial interest into a meaningful academic endeavor is the ability to ask a focused, researchable question. This transformation doesn’t happen overnight; it’s a process that involves exploration, refinement, and a fair amount of trial and error.

Students often start with broad themes like education reform, climate change, or artificial intelligence. These are vital areas, but they’re too large to tackle all at once. The first challenge is narrowing the scope. Booth, Colomb, and Williams (2008) explain that academic research thrives on specificity. A good research problem emerges when you zoom in: not just “climate change,” but “how urban youth in coastal Malaysia perceive climate risks in everyday decision-making.” The specificity doesn’t limit your creativity—it anchors it.

One effective way to refine your curiosity is to immerse yourself in existing research. Start reading widely, and then read more narrowly. Look for patterns in what scholars are saying. Where do they agree? Where do they differ? Most importantly, what questions are they not asking? Rowley and Slack (2004) suggest that identifying gaps in the literature is a foundational step toward developing a research question. If you're consistently wondering, “Why hasn’t anyone explored this angle?”, you're getting closer to a viable thesis idea.

As you read, keep a question journal. Every time a thought or puzzle comes to mind, write it down. Many of these will be dead ends—but a few might grow into something promising. Lovegrove (2007) advises students to keep a record of how their thinking evolves, because often the path to the final question is more iterative than linear.

It’s also important to shape your question in a way that matches your research goals. Are you trying to explain, evaluate, explore, or predict something? Each goal lends itself to a different kind of question and method. The difference between “What are students’ attitudes toward remote learning?” and “How do students’ socioeconomic backgrounds influence their adaptation to remote learning?” is subtle but significant. The second question not only has sharper focus, but also sets the stage for deeper analysis.

Once you’ve drafted a preliminary question, test it. Is it too broad or too narrow? Is it answerable with the time and resources you have? Can it be supported by existing literature? Ahern and Manathunga (2004) remind us that even the most fascinating question won’t work if it can’t be explored within the constraints of a university thesis project.

Finally, remember that the best research questions are dynamic. They evolve as you do. A question that begins one way might need reshaping once you dig into the field. That’s not a sign of failure—it’s a sign of intellectual growth. Keep asking, keep refining, and eventually, that spark of curiosity will become the question that defines your thesis.

References

Ahern, K. J., & Manathunga, C. (2004). Supervising Doctorates Downunder. Camberwell: ACER Press.

Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., & Williams, J. M. (2008). The craft of research (3rd ed.). University of Chicago Press.

Lovegrove, D. (2007). How to Choose a Good Research Topic. Postgraduate Monitor, 15(3), 22–24.

Rowley, J., & Slack, F. (2004). What is the future for knowledge management? Library Management, 25(1/2), 56–61.