Selecting a Research Topic
A focused research topic helps you target the most relevant information for the research project. If an instructor assigns a specific topic, it may be possible to give that topic a more specific focus to make it more personally interesting.
When you choose your topic, you need to:
- get started
- identify topic ideas
- understand your topic
- refine your topic
- state your topic as a focused research question
- make a list of helpful keywords
Please remember, the Internet Navigator final research project is NOT writing a formal research paper, but producing an annotated list of sources that demonstrate your ability to do college level research and evaluate what you find.
Get Started
Here are some basic things to consider:
- Understand the assignment. You want to do well, so select a topic that fits within the scope of your assignment. If you're in doubt, ask the professor if your topic is acceptable.
- Select a topic that interests you. Pick something you are interested in so the research is enjoyable.
- Be original. Select an original topic or an original stance on an overused topic. Using the right research strategy, you can find information on any topic.
Identify topic ideas
Ideas for topics can come from a number of places. Here's a list to get you started:
- Textbooks. A textbook can provide an overview of topics.
- Reference Books. Browse the subject area in a library's reference collection. You will find encyclopedias that explain subjects and identify subtopics.
- Magazine/Journal Articles. Magazines and newspapers publish articles on current events. If you already have a topic in mind, search an article database (such as Academic Search Premier or CQ Researcher) to see what is being written on your topic.
- Check Web Sites. Several Web sites can help you locate a topic or identify a subtopic of interest.
Understand Your Topic
A basic understanding of your topic will help you throughout your research and writing. To get a good overview, use a reference tool such as a specialized encyclopedia on the topic you are considering. You can locate encyclopedias in the Reference Collection. You can also take a look at one of the Pioneer Encyclopedias.
TIP: If you can't find an encyclopedia article on your topic, try using broader terms and ask for help from a librarian.
Refine Your Topic
If you find too much, your topic may be too broad. One way to narrow a broad topic such as "the environment" is to limit it. Here are ways to narrow your topic:
| Place |
What location are you interested in? |
What environmental issues are most important in the Southwestern United States? |
| Time |
Are you looking for the last few years? In the future? |
What are the most prominent environmental issues of the last 10 years? |
| Discipline |
What viewpoint are you focusing on? |
How does environmental awareness affect business practices today? |
| Population |
What age, race, gender, nationality, or group are you considering? |
What are the effects of air pollution on senior citizens? |
Remember that a topic will be more challenging to research if it is too:
| Locally confined |
Topics this specific may only be covered in local newspapers, if at all! |
What sources of pollution affect the Ogden valley water supply? |
| Recent |
If a topic is very recent, books and journal articles will not be available, but newspaper and magazine articles will. Web sites may or may not be available. |
What are the president's latest concerns about the environment? |
| Broadly interdisciplinary |
You could be overwhelmed with superficial information |
How can the environment contribute to the culture, politics and society of the Western states? |
| Popular |
You will only find very popular articles about some topics, including sports figures, rock music and rap stars. |
How has Puff Daddy/P Diddy influenced the music of Eminem? |
TIP: If you have uncertainties about the focus of your topic, try the following:
- discuss your topic with your instructor
- discuss your topic with a librarian
TIP: You may need to modify your topic during the research process. You can never be sure what you will find.
Restate your topic as a focused research question
Write a question about your topic. Avoid questions that can be answered with yes or no to encourage exploration of a topic.
For example:
- Ideas = Frank Lloyd Wright or modern architecture
Focused Research Question = How has Frank Lloyd Wright influenced modern architecture?
Make a list of useful keywords
Keep track of the words that are used to describe your topic. Your focused topic statement provides keywords that you can use to search effectively.
- Look for words that best describe your topic.
- Useful words will be found in encyclopedia articles and other reading you do while selecting your topic.
- Find synonyms, broader and narrower terms for each keyword you find in order to expand your search capabilities.
- Keep a list of these words to search in library catalogs, search engines and article databases.
PRACTICE! Use this interactive tutorial to practice choosing keywords!
Exercises
- Identify three narrower aspects of the following broad topics.
In other words, what are three areas you could investigate that
fit into each of these very broad topics.
- Sports
- Pollution
- Politics
- Identify a broader topic that would cover each of the following narrow
topics. In other words, how could you expand these topics to
find more information.
- Menus in Utah prisons
- Urban planning in Box Elder County
- Beaver dams on the Bear River
- Imagine that you have been assigned the following topics.
Think of 5 keywords you might use to look for information on
each.
- How does air quality affect our health?
- What are the barriers to peace in the Middle East?
- What are the arguments for and against snowmobiling in wilderness areas?
- How can welfare reform help poor children?
 Continue -
The Research Project
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