Students should learn that informal and formal inquiries require different types of questions. Formal inquiries require an established process and typically include a specific goal, such as arriving at a new conclusion. For example, a formal inquiry into which other planets might be habitable might ask, “What planets have a composition most similar to Earth?” An informal inquiry does not require the same complex process as researching a formal topic does. The goal of informal inquiry is often to gain context for something or begin exploring a new topic in a general way. For example, students investigating a simple topic, such as favorite sport among their peers, may generate questions such as “What is your favorite sport to play?” or “What is the first sport you learned to play?”

Students should formulate questions to guide their research work. As the research process evolves, the original questions change based on new information, findings, or reflections on the topic being researched. When students modify, or clarify, their questions, they are refining their analysis of their topic. The clarification of questions should be an ongoing process throughout the research.