Choose and Narrow Your Topic - CD 415 - Maxwell - LibGuides at Marshall University

First watch this!

Quick 'How To' video from Seneca Library

Then watch this!

To choose a topic, you must know your end goals...

Introduction...
...Next Steps...

Start by browsing for ideas and inspiration

If your professor has not assigned a topic to you, it can be difficult to come up with something on your own. The goal is to find something you're interested in personally, and to ensure it is focused with a clear structure.

Try browsing through these databases to see if an a topic sparks your interest, and then use the tips below to ensure you are staying on track:

CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window CQ Researcher is often the first source that librarians recommend when researchers are seeking original, comprehensive reporting and analysis on issues in the news. Founded in 1923 as Editorial Research Reports, CQ Researcher is noted for its in-depth, unbiased coverage of health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy.
Credo Reference This link opens in a new window Now offering more than 800 highly regarded reference titles from over 80 publishers, Credo Reference covers every major subject and also provides Topic Pages as a starting point for researchers.
Points of View Reference Source This link opens in a new window Points of View Reference Center (Ebsco) is an interface intended for public, academic, and high school libraries. Points of View is designed to assist researchers in understanding the full scope of controversial subjects. High school and undergraduate students can use Points of View as a guide to debating, developing arguments, writing position papers, and developing critical thinking skills. Each Points of View Essay includes a series of questions and additional material to generate further thought. Also included are thousands of supporting articles from the world’s top political and societal publications. The Points of View Debate Blog is a forum for students to express and exchange their unique views on topics in the news.

Then, evaluate your topic

To determine whether a topic will work for you and for your assignment, consider these questions:

Am I interested in this topic?
Is the topic appropriate to my audience?
What is my purpose for writing about this topic?
Can I fully develop and research this topic within the time frame and word length
Is the topic narrow enough (or broad enough) to fit the assignment requirements (word count, number of source, etc.)?
Will I be able to research this topic adequately enough to satisfy the assignment requirements (page count, due dates, etc.)?
- Try an initial keyword search using Summon from the library's homepage.

If your topic is too broad...

A topic is too broad when you find that you have too many different ideas or resources about that topic, or, when you are becoming overwhelmed by the amount of information out there. While you want to start the writing process with as many ideas as possible, you will want to narrow your focus at some point so that you aren't attempting to do too much in one essay.

Here are ways to make your result list less in quantity, but still high in relevance:

Theoretical approach: Limit your topic to a particular approach to the issue.
- Example: if your topic concerns vaccines, examine the theories surrounding rate of failures in vaccines.
Aspect or sub-area: Consider only one piece of the subject.
- Example: if your topic is vaccines, investigate government regulations.
Time: Limit the time span you examine.
- Example: on a topic on vaccines, contrast public attitudes in the 1950's vs. the 2000's.
Population group: Limit by age, sex, race, occupation, species or ethnic group.
- Example: on a topic on vaccines, examine specific traits as they affect women over 40 years of age.
Geographical Location: A geographic analysis can provide a useful means to examine an issue.
- Example: if your topic concerns vaccines, investigate vaccine practices in Africa or the Middle East.

If your topic is too narrow..

A topic is too narrow if you can't find any information about it. Though student writers most often face the challenge of limiting a topic that is too broad, they occasionally have to recognize that they have chosen a topic that is too narrow or that they have narrowed a workable topic too much. If your topic is so narrowed and focused, it can become too academic or pedantic. If your topic is too narrow, try making it broader by asking yourself related questions.

Your topic is too specific. Generalize what you are looking for.
- Example: if your topic is genetic diversity for a specific ethnic group in Ghana, Africa, broaden your topic by generalizing to all ethnic groups in Ghana or in West Africa.
Your topic is too new for anything substantive to have been written. If you're researching a recently breaking news event, you are likely to only find information about it in the news media. Be sure to search databases that contain articles from newspapers. If you are not finding enough in the news media, consider changing your topic to one that has been covered more extensively.
Use different databases. Use the Summon search on the library homepage to find other databases in your subject area which might cover the topic from a different perspective. Also, use excellent searching techniques to ensure you are getting the most out of every database. Remember if you need help finding databases or techniques, contact a librarian.
Change the Words. Are you using less common words or too much jargon to describe your topic? Use a thesaurus to find other terms to represent your topic. When reading background information, note how your topic is expressed in these materials. When you find citations in an article database, see how the topic is expressed by experts in the field.

At a Glance: How to Focus

Going from broad to narrow (examples):
Broad topic:	Focused Topic:	Research Question:
Eating disorders	Anorexia	What is the relationship between Instagram and anorexia?
Online courses	Effectiveness of online college courses	Which type of course delivery is more effective for college students: online or traditional?

As a junior or a senior...

...you have by now probably completed a few research papers. Below are a few tactics to help you advance with your research skills, including a brainstorming technique if you get stuck.

The goal for intermediate levels is to quickly work your way to a focused, clear, and appropriately complex research question.

Previous Research

1. Have you researched anything for past courses that you can build upon now by digging deeper, or addressing it with newer, more complex questions?

Can you explore any subtopics that were outside of the scope of the earlier assignment?
What questions did the earlier assignment raise that you didn't address?
Can you connect the earlier topic to a secondary topic to explore them together in a new way?
Important: When using a topic or content from a previous class, always ask your current professor for permission on how and when to use that earlier research and/or content.

Capstone or Career Path

2. Is there anything directly related to your capstone/portfolio, and/or your future career that would benefit you to research now?

Thinking about future courses and/or your life outside the university can spark an idea to ensure you are staying on top of the research in your field, and finding relevant, applicable information to give you an advantage later on.
Try looking for trade journals in your discipline.
- A trade journal is a periodical that contains news and items of interest concerning a particular trade, field, or profession. They're written by experts working in a field, for experts working in a field. Examples include Advertising Age, Chemical Week, and Accounting Today.
- You can find trade journals by entering your keywords into the Summon search on the library's homepage, then choosing "Trade Journal Articles" from the Content Type filter in the Refine Your Search menu on the Results page:

Image: Look for the Trade Publication option on the results page of your Summon search, in the Refine section. Access Summon from the library's homepage, and treat it like Google.

You can also look for subject-specific databases.
- A subject-specific database is a digital platform that houses scholarly and peer-reviewed (and, sometimes, trade) journals specific to a discipline, such as teaching, psychology, history, education, etc.
- You can locate a subject-specific database by clicking on the Article Databases tab on the homepage, and then entering your subject or discipline into the search box. You can also browse the full list of databases by clicking on "All Databases."

Image: Locate the main search box on the library's homepage, and click on the Article Databases tab to search for subject-specific articles (highlighted example), or view the full list with descriptions by clicking on All Databases.

From Topic to Question

How to Go from Topic to Research Question

After choosing a topic and gathering background information, add focus with a structured research question:

1. Explore questions.

Ask open-ended “how” and “why” questions about your general topic.
Consider the “so what” of your topic. Why does this topic matter to you? Why should it matter to others?
Reflect on the questions you have considered. Identify one or two questions you find engaging and which
could be explored further through research.

2. Determine and evaluate your research question.

What aspect of the more general topic you will explore?
Is your research question clear?
Is your research question focused? (Research questions must be specific enough to be well covered in the space available.)
Is your research question complex? (Questions shouldn’t have a simple yes/no answer and should require research and analysis.)

3. Hypothesize. After you’ve come up with a question, consider the path your answer might take.

If you are making an argument, what will you say?
Why does your argument matter?
How might others challenge your argument?
What kind of sources will you need to support your argument?

Concept Mapping

If you're having difficulty, try a Concept Map!

Concept mapping (aka "mind mapping") is a brainstorming technique that lets you visualize concepts and ideas.

This technique starts with a research question or main idea, then adds branches with synonyms, related topic, keywords, and examples.
This technique can be used to generate keywords or main ideas based on your research question, and helpful in making connections between ideas.
For example, if you were assigned to create an oral presentation on how rock music has evolved from the latter half of the 20th century to the present, then your research question would go in the center circle and main ideas (e.g. use of technology, commercialism) would go in the adjoining circles. Next, use the main ideas to develop keywords, phrases, or connections.

Our reference database called Credo Reference will make a mind map for you when you enter search terms. The map it generates consists of related terms that, when clicked, will bring a new set of results, and reset the map according to those terms.

Try it out: Credo Reference

At a Glance: Clear, Focused, Complex

The goal is a clear, focused, complex research question.

Sample Research Questions
Clarity	Focus	Simple vs Complex
Unclear: Why are social networking sites harmful?	Unfocused: What is the effect on the environment from global warming?	Simple: How are doctors addressing diabetes in the U.S.?
Clear: How are online users experiencing or addressing privacy issues on social networking sites like YouTube and Facebook?	Focused: How is glacial melting in Antarctica impacting our food supply?	Complex: What are common traits of those suffering from diabetes in America, and how can these commonalities be used to aid the medical community in prevention of the disease?

CD 415 - Maxwell: Choose and Narrow Your Topic