I need a question for my history IA on cuban missile crisis.

[Ali Amerso]

I have managed to gather a lot of information on the crisis and was looking to do a question on something to do media and the crisis. My current question looks like this To what extent did president Kennedy's Sate department reply to the radio announcement in Moscow differ from his public announcement? I don't think its ok so I haven't started it. However i wouldn't mind doing a question on foreign policy, 'to what extent did the cuban missile crisis affect American foreign policy; a more detailed version of that question.

PLEASE HELP

Thanks

[alefal]

If you're going to go for the research question you already have, you need to specify what issue or event this is all about in the RQ itself. Also, you should be more specific when you mention the 'radio announcement in Moscow.' They probably had more than one during the Cuban missile crisis.

Have you read the subject guide's part about the IA? If not, I highly recommend you do so, and pay attention to the examples of RQs. Notice how they all are specific and to the point.

The foreign policy RQ is too vague as well. As you note, it would need to be more detailed. Foreign policy is a large topic, limit it to one aspect and one country. Maybe also restrict it time-wise. Do you have sources and information enough to write about how the American foreign policy changed towards e.g. United Kingdom? I believe such a twist would make your IA much more interesting and original. "To what extent affected the Cuban missile crisis American foreign relations with the United Kingdom between 1962 and 1970?" would have been an improvement.

If you're going to choose a completely different one, only you yourself can and should write the RQs for your essays. Otherwise, you may be accused for plagiarism, and it would definitely not be original. Look at the sources you found. Do you have any first- or second-hand sources about a specific event (could be a secret meeting, the reason for the Soviet withdrawal, etc.) that disagree? What about comparing two different newspaper articles on a specific event?

Don't keep the RQ be too wide. 2000 words isn't that much, and only a limited part of the essay should be used on analysing your topic.

Good luck with your IA!