TOPIC: The Keys to Using the Library for Research

While doing your background reading, think about ways of restricting your topic and formulate a preliminary thesis or topic statement, a 1-2 sentence summary on the main point of your paper.  This will constitute an "introduction" to your paper to be followed by whatever evidence you collected to develop, clarify, and defend this statement.

While working on the thesis of your paper, think about various questions that can be asked about your topic and consider possible controversies, influences, trends, problems, or effects.  To facilitate the planning of your research, as well as to avoid unnecessary research and reading, be as specific as possible in formulating your thesis or topic statement.  You can take certain steps in narrowing your topic such as, (1) do some preliminary reading to become familiar with many facets of the topic, or (2) decide on one aspect of the topic or one focus within the topic.

 The following list describes some of the ways topics can be limited.

• Time span:  the 1970's, not the 20th century
• Place:  Egypt, not Middle East
• Discipline:  the psychological, theological, or economic viewpoint
• Specific event:   Woodstock, not rock concerts
• Specific group:  American Indians, not minorities
• Specific individuals:  Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem, not feminists
• Specific category:  noise pollution, not pollution

When formulating a research question, consider the following:

• Controversies:  arguments for or against capital punishment
• Trends:  trend toward mergers and takeovers beneficial to the economy
• Problems:  problems resulting from one-parent families
• Effects:  effects of TV on the reading levels of children
• Influences:  influence of advertising on language in society
• Causes:  cultural causes of obesity in America

The video explains how to refine a topic using four aspects.   From Broad to Narrow.

If your topic is too broad or vague,you will find too much information and will need to narrow the focus.

Example: "I am thinking of doing a paper on health.”

Define your topic by asking the following questions:

• When you think of this broad topic, what specific issues interest you – careers in health care, specific mental disorders or diseases, the state of health care in the United States? All of these subtopics are facets of the much broader topic – health.
• What aspects of your topic interest you: business, history, legal, physical, psychological, social etc.?
• What time period do you want to cover?
• Do you want to focus on a geographic region or population?
• What kind of information do you need? (e.g., a brief summary or a lengthy explanation; periodical articles or books; statistics)

If your topic is very specific or new, it will be difficult to find enough information to write your paper.

Example: “I am thinking of doing a paper on how fishing in the James River in Richmond, VA has affected the smallmouth bass population.”

This topic as stated is seeking to answer a question for which there may be no answer yet – there may be no or very little research or studies that have been conducted on this topic. How can this be turned into a more manageable topic?

Hint: Look for parallels and opportunities for broader associations:

• Rather than concentrate on a specific species of fish, examine more broad fish populations such as freshwater fish or saltwater fish.
• Examine larger geographic regions that are affected such as the United States.
• Identify the people or groups that encompass this topic such as fishermen or fish & wildlife government departments.
• Brainstorm for other issues related to this topic such as fishery management, fishery regulations, fishing licenses, fish stocking, etc.