Question bank

Research questions

Every question below is matched with at least one dataset or source that a student can actually obtain, a suggested method, and the ethics tier it would fall under. Questions are starting points: narrow them, combine them, or propose your own.

Literature and New Media

How do collaborative, internet-born horror mythologies (such as the Slender Man or Backrooms lore) mimic or diverge from the structural frameworks of traditional 19th-century gothic folklore?

Dataset: None needed.
Method: Articulate the differences and similarities between modern creepypastas and 19th century folklore. Does what makes them scary differ? What about the backstories? Find and mention examples.
Ethics tier: Green

How does emerging solarpunk literature (which focuses on sustainable, eco-optimistic futures) critically respond to the dominant tropes of young adult dystopian fiction (like The Hunger Games)?

Dataset: None needed.
Method: Research example works that incorporate the stated genres and look into the differences in how the world is presented. Ideally touch on how solarpunk goes beyond just expressing positivity.
Ethics tier: Green

Historical

This section features questions relating to past events, often niche ones, for students to research. The questions here do not incorporate anything relating to human subjects.

What was the dancing plague of 1518? A short, overarching review.

Dataset: None needed.
Method: Find secondary sources to gain an overall idea of what the event was, and then dive into primary sources cited within secondary sources.
Ethics tier: Green

Linguistics

This group houses research questions relating to languages.

How do the naming conventions and descriptive adjectives used on menus in high-end restaurants differ from those used in fast-casual chains, and how do they mathematically correlate with menu pricing?

Applies text analysis to real data.

Source: Menus seen online or in person.
Method: Perform basic text analysis by coding for words like "artisanal," "infused," and "crispy," following it up by mapping those metrics against price points.
Ethics tier: Green (Using public data)

STEM

Looking for inspiration for your scientific paper? This is the spot.

What makes tardigrades so durable against life-threatening situations?

Dataset: None needed.
Method: Start by looking into trustable but more generalized articles, such as those from Britannica, on what tardigrades are. Then follow it up by examining research on tardigrades' survivability in experiments and what physical features or habits ensure their durability.
Ethics tier: Green

Suggest a research question

Students can add to this bank. Send a question you think is worth answering and, if it is accepted, it is published here credited to you by name and school. You do not have to answer it yourself.

One requirement: name a dataset or source where the data could actually be found. A question nobody can get data for is not yet a research question, and finding the source is most of the skill.

Leave this field empty:

Your name

School

Grade

The question

Write it as a question, specific enough that an answer would be a number, a trend or a comparison. "Is the lake getting warmer?" is a topic; "How has August surface temperature in Okanagan Lake changed from 1990 to 2026?" is a question.

Dataset or source

Where would the data come from? A link, a report, an agency, or "I would collect it by…". Required for questions that need data analysis by the student to obtain a conclusion.

Why it matters

Two or three sentences. What would we know that we do not know now?

Credit me by name and school if this question is published.

We use your email only to reply about this submission. It is never published. See the privacy notice.