The "question outline" method: How I stop falling down research rabbit holes.

I have a problem: I start researching a paper, find an interesting tangent, follow it, find another tangent, and three hours later I've read 20 articles and haven't written a word. My research question is a distant memory.

So I invented the "question outline" method.

Before I open a single source, I write down every question I need to answer for my paper.

For a paper on renewable energy policy, my questions might be:

• What policies currently exist at the federal level?
• What policies exist at the state level?
• Which states have been most successful?
• Why were they successful?
• What are the barriers to adoption?
• What do critics say?

Then, when I find a source, I ask: Which question does this answer? If it doesn't answer any of my questions, I don't read it. (Or I save it for later if it seems really important.)

This keeps me focused. I'm not reading randomly. I'm hunting for answers to specific questions. When I've answered all my questions, I have all the information I need to write.

The outline also becomes my paper structure. Each question becomes a section.

Anyone else have a system for focused research? How do you avoid the rabbit holes?

My advisor keeps saying "you need to read more broadly" but also "you need to focus" and I'm like... pick one??

The question outline bridges that gap. It gives me focus (these specific questions) but also allows breadth (the answers might come from unexpected places). I'm going to try this for my lit review chapter.

I'd add: after you answer all your questions, do a "question audit." Look at your list and ask: are these the right questions? Did I miss something obvious? Is one question way more answered than others? That tells you where your argument might be weak or where you need more research.

Thanks for the tool!