The CIPQ Guide: Ideation and Brainstorming

The Cambridge International Project Qualification (CIPQ) is an independent research qualification where you write a 5000-word essay pertaining to your in-depth research on a chosen topic. This issue of the CIPQ guide brings you along the ideation and brainstorming process.

7 min readAug 16, 2023

As you begin your CIPQ journey, you are expected to first attend a series of classes to learn about the different processes in academic research, and the ethics and conventions of research. Towards the end of the classes, your CIPQ coordinator will prompt you to submit a research topic and a research question of choice. A suitably crafted research question sets you up for a successful research outcome.

When time came for me to submit my research question, I too was initially scratching my head over what topic I should choose. Fortunately, it did not take long before I made my decision, with the help of the Internet and my teachers, and submitted the question. Hence, I will be guiding you through this process, equipping you with the skills to come up with your own research question.

What is a research question

The aim of academic research is to answer questions through thorough investigation and analysis of data. In the CIPQ, your research question underscores the premise of your research, including the scope of your study.

Research questions come in a plethora of forms, which can be distilled into two main types: quantitative, and qualitative.

Quantitative research
Quantitative research is extremely specific and precise. It is usually done by scientific researchers to answer very detailed phenomena with statistics and figures. Research variables and design are usually specified in the questions itself. These research are also referred to as positivist research, which is the discovery of objective and generalisable truth.

There are various forms of a quantitative research question, all of which serve a different purpose; they can be description, comparison, or relationship focussed.

These types of research questions are generally not recommended to CIPQ candidates as they demand highly skilled knowledge on a particular subject.

An excerpt from Cambridge International’s Learner’s Guide reads: ‘Descriptive research questions are unlikely to offer learners the potential for development of the higher-order cognitive skills.’ [see link to Learner’s Guide below]

Qualitative research
On the other end of the spectrum, qualitative research is more flexible. It enables a wider exploration of the topic which increases critical engagement. They are referred to as interpretivist research, focussing on the interpretation of subjective data. Words and phrases like ‘explore’, ‘discuss’, ‘to what extent’, and ‘explain’ are commonly found in these questions.

Qualitative research questions are highly recommended for CIPQ candidates. These questions make way for argumentative essays, which suits the CIPQ. It is not the subject knowledge they are looking for, but rather your ability to explore, engage with, and discuss a topic.

In summation, qualitative research questions are the springboard on which you are able to critically engage with a topic and argue for, and against, it without limiting yourself to only the presentation of pure numbers and charts.

Why it matters

It is true that research questions can be modified and refined over the course of your research as you obtain more nuanced information. That being said, it is still necessary to craft a good research question to get started with. The reasons are as follows:

Importance of Research
Academic research is a crucial avenue where the boundaries of human knowledge are challenged, tested, and experimented with. This role demands highly serious and committed individuals who seek to enrich the space with useful research.

Hence, your research question matters because it encapsulates the entire premise of your essay: subject-specific researchers may be able to identify the usefulness of your research based on your title alone.

Sustainability of Research Project
You are highly encouraged to choose a research topic which has real and personal significance. Conducting research on something you are passionate about ensures the sustainability of your motivation throughout the journey, so you do not burnout. Academic burnout is a very real issue, and you should take every precaution to prevent it.

More importantly, your research question defines the scope of your research. Keeping in mind the time and word limit, your research question must be framed within a realistic scope that allows you to completely answer it in under 5000 words. Having said that, highly specific questions may cause your research to be myopic, thus defeating the purpose of subject exploration.

How to craft a research question

Ascertaining field of interest: You are to start by ascertaining the field in which you want to research, which can be the sciences, social sciences, or humanities. Once done, narrow your target down to a subject within the chosen discipline. That being said, do note that you are not limited to only the chosen discipline. Your actual research can intersect across multiple disciplines.
It is important to mention that you are not required to base your choice on your A-level subjects. If you are certain of the subject you want to pursue in your undergraduate degree, conducting your CIPQ project on that subject may help your university admissions. Nonetheless, you are still able to demonstrate your research aptitude even if your CIPQ topic does not align with your undergrad studies.
Finding an issue within the chosen subject(s): Once the subject has been determined, you can start making a list of known issues or recent research trends. If you lack the knowledge of your chosen subject, there are websites (see links below) that provide good CIPQ/EPQ question examples. They can be modified to align with your research goals. Alternatively, you can always look up recent publications on your subject on Google Scholar to get a sense of the latest issues that require research and development.
Writing down the questions: Whenever you come across an interesting question, make note of it in a notebook for reference and inspiration. Do jot down any and every question that you may think of. Do not be afraid to accumulate questions.
Selecting a final question via elimination: With a number of potential questions written down, you are to start a brief research to come up with essay content points. You are encouraged to also brainstorm your own points. Ideally, there should be three major points for each side of the argument (e.g. for and against). Eliminate ones that do not have sufficient points; you will be left with one, or a few, final question(s). Do seek advice from your coordinator if you struggle to make a choice. Once done, you are ready to submit your question to your CIPQ coordinator.

Tips I garnered from this process: While you should generate a research question that allows for more interpretive and exploratory research, you must avoid philosophical questions, i.e. questions that are so subjective that there is insufficient academic literature on it, and that are too nuanced for a CIPQ project.

One such example from my personal list is, ‘Is nature essential to mental health?’ In this question, the definition of the terms ‘nature’ and ‘essential’ are not standardised, which makes it difficult to conduct academic research on.

Use of AI for the generation of ideas

With the advent of AI chatbots like ChatGPT, candidates can take advantage of its vast knowledge base by asking it about research trends within a particular field. This ultimately reduces the time required to brainstorm research questions. Keep in mind, however, that ChatGPT 3.0’s knowledge is only updated to September 2021, so information provided will not be the most up-to-date.

A candidate should be aware that they are treading the very fine line of academic research ethics with the use of ChatGPT. It should be vehemently emphasised that plagiarism, or the direct copying, of any ideas generated by ChatGPT, or any AI tool, is unethical and must not be done under any circumstance. A breach of academic code of conduct can be easily detected by plagiarism detection systems; once detected, the candidate’s results will be at risk.

TL;DR Summary

To distil it down, the ideation and brainstorming of a research question is the first step to your CIPQ journey. Take your time to explore your interests, then identify any relevant issues that allow for further research and exploration. You are still able to modify and improve your question later in your proposal stage, so do not be too caught up in perfecting your question. Instead, focus more on the subject with the most research potential and work from there. The easiest, most straight-forward, method is just to write everything down and draw mind maps of points. Do scroll the lists of sample CIPQ/EPQ questions for inspiration.

Resources and References

Disclaimer: Any information given is based on the author’s own experience; the author’s views are personal and do not represent the opinions of any other entity. Every effort has been taken to ensure resource links and information provided in this article are up to the date of publishing and comply with fair use standards.