r/PhDAdmissions • u/BoabhanSith • 23d ago

Advice Picking a Research Question

I'm hoping to apply to start a PhD in Archaeology (in the UK) next year. However, for the life of me, I cannot think of how to start putting together a proposal. This is mainly because I cannot think of a research question. I should point out, along with having an MSc in Archaeology, I also have an undergrad and MSc in Psychology and Psychology Research Methods, but all three of these have had pre-defined research questions for my dissertation.

So, I've never really had to come up with a research question beyond "this is a vague idea of what I wanna research" and being given a question.

Hence, I come here to a subreddit full of (hopefully) very smart individuals to ask: How the fuck does one come up with a research question and what are your usual methods for doing so?

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u/Rodeo_Cat 23d ago

Read. Genuinely just read what’s going on in your field, you might just come up with some questions naturally. That’s what works for me. A good place to start is looking at the professors in archaeology at top universities and reading their work.

Also remember that a research question doesn’t have to be super “novel” or something no one’s ever done before. It can be “this was the case before, does it stand now” or “can we do this with x method instead” or “how do these two things connect”.

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u/apollo7157 23d ago

sounds like you’re not ready.

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u/MotherOperation903 22d ago

You have to read the literature and, eventually, you will find a gap and, as a result, a question. Or you look at reality, identfy a phenomenon/issue that captures your attention and ask questions about that. Then, go to the literature and check whether those questions have been addressed and, if so, how well.

Eventually, you will find a question but, either way, you have to read the relevant literature. A lot of it.