Choose a Topic

To find a topic of interest to you, you may want to consult:

Course materials (Textbook, handouts, etc.)
Personal interests
The Library's 'Research Starters' guide. This guide offers resources on popular research topics.
Library databases, such as Opposing Viewpoints for suggestions of topics relating to current events. Click the "Browse Issues" link.

Opposing Viewpoints in Context This link opens in a new window
Designed for students who are researching controversial topics, Opposing Viewpoints includes thousands of articles examining all sides of today's hottest social issues.

Be sure your topic is of manageable size and appropriate for the assignment.

Turn your topic into a question. This will help focus your topic.

For example, if you were interested in video/electronic media and its effect on children, you might ask: does playing violent video games lead to violent behavior in adolescents?
What do you anticipate might be the answer to this question? What are you trying to prove in your paper or what side are you defending? In other words, what is your thesis statement? For example, "I don't believe playing violent video games alone leads to violent behavior in adolescents, however, it may contribute to already violent tendencies."
List several reasons for your answer to this question, and several reasons someone might have for answering the question in an different way. These reasons could become points on your outline for your paper.

Narrowing Your Topic

A question that is too broad will retrieve too much information. Here are some strategies for narrowing the scope of a question. They may be used individually or in combination.

Strategy	Explanation	Internet Security Topic
Time	Since 1990? This year? In the future?	Current Internet security initiatives.
Place	Local social norms & values, economic & political systems, or languages.	Internet security initiatives in the U.S
Population	Gender, age, occupation, ethnicity, nationality, educational attainment, species, etc.	Filtering software and childrens' access to Internet pornography
Viewpoint	Social, legal, medical, ethical, biological, psychological, economic, political, philosophical? A viewpoint allows you to focus on a single aspect.	The constitutionality of Internet filtering technology

(From USC Libraries' Web site, based on a Universtiy of Washington tutorial.)

On the other hand, if your topic is too specific or specialized or new, it will be difficult finding enough information to write your paper.