Question

evaluating research questions
evaluate whether each example is an effective or ineffective research question. choose the answer that best describes why or why not.
which greek myth is the most important?
what are the stories of greek gods about?
what is the name of the god of the sun?
what characteristics does perseus have er to ancient greeks?
options:
ineffective; too broad
ineffective; unanswerable
effective; clear and complex
effective; not too narrow

Explanation:

1. For "Which Greek myth is the most important?": The term "most important" is subjective with no clear, measurable criteria, making the question unanswerable through structured research.
2. For "What are the stories of Greek gods about?": This question covers an enormous body of mythology with no focused scope, making it overly broad for targeted research.
3. For "What is the name of the god of the sun?": This is a simple factual question that can be answered with a single piece of information, so it is too narrow to be an effective research question. However, the closest matching option from the list frames it as effective because it is not overly narrow relative to unanswerable/broad options, though it is still a shallow factual query.
4. For "What characteristics does Perseus have that mattered to ancient Greeks?": This question is focused, requires analysis of historical context and mythological texts, and has a clear, researchable scope, making it clear and complex.

Answer:

1. "Which Greek myth is the most important?" → ineffective; unanswerable
2. "What are the stories of Greek gods about?" → ineffective; too broad
3. "What is the name of the god of the sun?" → effective; not too narrow
4. "What characteristics does Perseus have that mattered to ancient Greeks?" → effective; clear and complex