*Adapted with changes from: Kurt R. Schmeller Library, The Research Process Guidebook 2015-2016 8
Narrowing the Topic
Have you ever picked a topic, did some research and realized…
The information you found was too vague or had a general quality to it
That you became overwhelmed by the amount of information you found
Or that you began to get frustrated- you didn’t know which direction to go
…well, it might have been, because your topic was TOO BROAD.
Consider the following questions that may help narrow your topic and guide your research.
For an example, these are some ways in which to narrow the broad topic of EDUCATION:
WHO are the people or groups that you want to focus on?
For example: college Students, minorities, Kindergarten – 12th grade, teachers…
WHAT aspect of the topic interests you?
For example: study habits, bullying, education reform, desegregation…
WHICH point of view or approach will you take?
For example: legal, ethical, psychological, scientific, historical, political…
WHEN did important events occur, if any?
For example: today, 1950’s, within the next ten years, during President Reagan’s years…
WHERE do you want to focus, geographically?
For example: Alabama, New York, Europe, China…
At times, it is possible to create several distinct research tracks from a singular broad topic.
Take a look at these:
Track #1- college students > study habits > psychological > today > China
Track #2- K-12 > education reform > historical > President Reagan’s years > New York
Track #3- minorities > desegregation > legal > 1950’s > Alabama
