Six Questions to Ask while writing: Who?: Who are the participants? Who is affected? Who are the primary actors? Who are the secondary actors?   What?: What is the topic? What is the significance of the topic? What is the basic problem? What are the issues?   Where?: Where does the activity take place? Where does the problem or issue have its source? At what place is the cause or effect of the problem most visible?   When?: When is the issue most apparent? (past? present? future?) When did the issue or problem develop? What historical forces helped shape the problem or issue and at what point in time will the problem or issue culminate in a crisis? When is action needed to address the issue or problem?   Why?: Why did the issue or problem arise? Why is it (your topic) an issue or problem at all? Why did the issue or problem develop in the way that it did?   How?: How is the issue or problem significant? How can it be addressed? How does it affect the participants? How can the issue or problem be resolved?