Selecting a Topic

1. SELECTING A TOPIC

Topics can come from many places.

•Your teacher may assign one to you.

•Your teacher may provide guidelines.

•You may have complete freedom to choose a topic.

A. BRAINSTORMING POSSIBLE TOPIC IDEAS.

If you are allowed to choose a topic, here are two steps to review possible topics:

a. Look at a variety of sources. Consider categories that may be of personal interest: popular culture, current

issues, historical topics, or science topics.

b. Select a category and brainstorm ideas or possibilities.

B. NARROWING YOUR TOPIC OPTIONS TO A SELECT FEW.

Select a potential topic and generate a list of key words for that topic. Key words are a list of words that will help you find information you need about your research topic. They are called key words because they can unlock the doors that will reveal useful information. As you search more about your topic, you will add more key words. You can see examples of how key words are used by going to “More about Key Words.”

C. GETTING AN OVERVIEW

Is there information widely available on these topics? Encyclopedia, reference materials, short books or books for younger readers are good sources of overviews. If you cannot find overviews on a topic, eliminate that topic. For help, consult “Getting An Overview”.

NOTE: Using a "Topic Decision Grid" may also help you to evaluate possible topics.

D. GENERATING GUIDING QUESTIONS.

Having narrowed your ideas to one or two, generate guiding questions which will help you further define your topic. Guiding questions begin with who, what, where when, why, and what if. If you can create these questions about your idea, then you have a potential topic. You can use the worksheet “Generate Possible Questions” to help you.

check FINAL CHECK ON "SELECTING YOUR TOPIC".

Ask these questions about your potential topic.

Is it

___Interesting, for you and your audience?

___Manageable for your time frame?

___A topic for which you can find resources?

___Original or a new topic for you? Will it keep you curious and interested as you work?

___Well focused, not too broad or too narrow?

___Have you created a list of key words?

If you can answer YES to all the above, continue to the "WRITING A STATEMENT OF PURPOSE."