To find a topic of interest to you, you may want to consult:
Web sites (look at the list of useful Web sites for choosing a topic in the box to the lower left)
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.
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.
Sometimes your assignment allows you to write about any topic that interests you. If you can choose, consider writing about something:
Try to avoid being assigned a topic that bores you. You will be working on that topic potentially for weeks. Trust us, you'll bet bored if you aren't interested or if there are no resources on your topic.
Listed below are a few databases that offer suggestions. Tip: Librarians can also work with you to help you to uncover your secret research passions, or at least find a workable topic. Ask us!
A question that is too broad may 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.