Topic Selection

This module will discuss how to pick a research paper topic of an appropriate scope, and how to expand or focus one's research paper topics. 

Choosing a topic can be difficult and often requires some research. Here are some points to consider when choosing a topic.

Brainstorm

Choose a series of topics pertinent to your paper that you are interested in, would like to know more about, or are relevant to classes you enjoyed the most. These will help you to decide which topics you would like to research and determine how they will fit your assignment given its constraints.

Research the General Background

Do a little preliminary research on your topic to see what resources are available. Generally you want to build on the body of research and not do what has already been done. But too much research on your topic, or too little research on your topic can make writing a paper very difficult. Therefore, when you do research on your topic and decide on what you really feel fits the assignment or your interests, you may need to focus or expand your topic.

Focus or Expand your Topic

If you are unsure, talk with your professor about your topic. He or she will help you decide if it is too narrow or too broad. Keys to narrow down your topic include culture, geographical area, time frame, discipline area, or population group.

Make a List of Keywords

Keywords such as synonyms, broader and narrower terms, and different ways to describe your topic are important for searching later. You may want to use a thesaurus to identify the best possible search terms within a database or library tool. Your preliminary research will allow you to identify what terms experts are using to describe your area of interest.

Write your Topic as a Focused Research Question

Your focused research question will then be broken down into components and be the backbone of your initial searches. It will also be the basis of your thesis.

Throughout the topic selection process, it is important to be flexible. What fits for the scope of your paper may not necessarily be what you want to research later on, and it is important that you keep the scope of your paper and due dates in mind.