University Studies Library Guide

Make sure you have read your assignment carefully and understand your instructor's expectations.

Review your course readings, along with other related sources, and think about relevant topics that interest you or that you can engage with:

• topics that make you curious or angry
• topics that are related to your major, hobby, or other interest or passion
• topics to which you can relate to because you yourself (or someone you know) have experienced it

The more engaged you are with your topic, the more fun you will have working on it!

Be prepared to be flexible with your topic idea!

• If it is too broad or vague, you will find too much information and will need to narrow the focus.
• If it is too specific or specialized or new, it will be difficult finding enough information to write your paper this quarter. In that case, you will need to broaden your idea.

How to Narrow Your Topic

Example: I'm thinking of doing a paper on a topic related to "fashion." This topic could develop in many different ways.

Hint - Ask Yourself Questions About Your Topic:

• What do you know about it? What don't you know?
• What aspects of your topic interest you: historical, sociological, cultural, etc.?
• What time period do you want to cover?
• What geographic region do you want to focus?
• Who do you want to focus on? Is there a specific demographic?
• What kind of information do you need?
  • A brief summary or a lengthy explanation?
  • Periodical articles, books, essays, encyclopedia articles?
  • Statistics?

Sample Topic Narrowing Chart:

Example: I'm thinking of doing a paper on "whether genetically altered soybeans are safe for consumers."

This topic as stated is seeking to answer a question for which there may be no answer yet -- more scientific and long-term research may need to be done. How can this be turned into a more manageable topic?

Hint 1 - Look for opportunities for broader or related associations:

• Could you examine other bioengineered foods, in addition to soybeans?
• Could you think broadly about safety concerns and issues -- what might these be?
• Who are the key players in this controversy? Consumer activists? The FDA? Scientists?
• What other issues are involved in this topic? Such as, how should be foods be labeled?

Hint 2 - Brainstorm! (and ask a reference librarian!)

Sample Topic Broadening Chart: