Disciplines are characterized by the kinds of questions their scholars attempt to answer. One way to understand how disciplines ask different questions is to look at assignments on the same topic in various fields. Many disciplines, for example, might be interested in cults. The following questions show how writers in different fields might approach the topic of cults.
SOCIOLOGY
What role does gender play in cult leadership?
HISTORY
Why did the cult of Caesar take hold in ancient Rome?
FILM
How does the movie Fight Club portray contemporary cults?
BIOLOGY
Do individuals susceptible to cult influence share genetic characteristics?
BUSINESS
How do multilevel marketing (MLM) practices depend on cult techniques for their success?
The questions you will ask in any discipline will form the basis of the thesis for your paper. Questions themselves don’t communicate a central idea, but they may lead you to one. For example, the historian who asks “Why did the cult of Caesar take hold in ancient Rome?” might work out a thesis like this:
By raising Caesar to the status of a deity, imperial Rome attempted to unify the various peoples in its far-flung realm into one cult of worship centered on the emperor.
Related topics:
Asking questions in biology
Asking questions in business
Asking questions in criminal justice and criminology
Asking questions in education
Asking questions in engineering
Asking questions in history
Asking questions in literature
Asking questions in music
Asking questions in nursing
Asking questions in psychology