The problem selection

Selecting a Topic
How To Select A Research Topic

Selecting a Research Topic
The ability to develop a good research topic is an important skill.
An instructor may assign you a specific topic, but most often
instructors require you to select your own topic of interest.
https://www.umflint.edu/library/how-select-research-topic
Research

When deciding on a topic, there are a few things that you will need to
do:
 Brainstorm for ideas
 Choose a topic that will enable you to read and understand the
literature
 Ensure that the topic is manageable and that material is available
 Make a list of key words
 Be flexible
 Define your topic as a focused research question
 Research and read more about your topic
 Formulate a thesis statement
Selecting a Topic

“Choose a topic that interests you”
Use the following questions to help generate topic ideas.
 Do you have a strong opinion on a current social or political
controversy
 Did you read or see a news story recently that has upset your
interest or made you angry or anxious?
 Do you have a personal issue, problem or interest that you would
like to know more about?
 Do you have a research paper due for a class this semester?
 Is there an aspect of a class that you are interested in learning
more about?
Step 1: Brainstorm for ideas

“Choose a topic that interests you”
 Write down any key words or concepts that may be of interest to
you.
 Could these terms help be used to form a more focused research
topic?
 Be aware of overused ideas when deciding a topic.
 You may wish to avoid topics such as gun control or suicide unless
you feel you have an unique approach to the topic.
 Ask the instructor for ideas if you feel you are stuck or need
additional guidance.
Step 1: Brainstorm for ideas

 Read a general encyclopedia article on the top two or three topics
you are considering.
 Reading a broad summary enables you to get an overview of the
topic and see how your idea relates to broader, narrower and
related issues.
 It also provides a great source for finding words commonly used to
describe the topic.
 These keywords may be very useful to your later research.
 If you can’t find an article on your topic, try using broader terms
and ask for help from a librarian.
Step 2: Read General Background Information

For example
 Browse the Encyclopedia for an information on your topic ideas.
 Notice that both online encyclopedias provide links to magazine
articles and Web sites.
 Use periodical indexes to scan current magazine, journal or
newspaper articles on your topic.
 Ask a librarian if they can help you to browse articles on your
topics of interest.
 Use Web search engines. Google and Bing are currently considered
to be two of the best search engines to find web sites on the topic.
Step 2: Read General Background Information

A topic will be very difficult to research if it is too broad or narrow.
One way to narrow a broad topic such as "the environment" is to
limit your topic. Some common ways to limit a topic are:
By geographical area
 Example: What environmental issues are most important in the
Southwestern United States
By culture
 Example: How does the environment fit into the Navajo world
view?
By discipline
 Example: How does environmental awareness effect business
practices today?
Step 3: Focus on Your Topic – Keep it manageable

Remember that a topic may be too difficult to research if it is too:
 Locally confined - Topics this specific may only be covered in the
(local) newspapers, if at all.
Example: What sources of pollution affect the Genesee County water
supply?
 Recent - If a topic is quite recent, books or journal articles may not
be available, but newspaper or magazine articles may. Also, Web
sites related to the topic may or may not be available.
 Broadly interdisciplinary - You could be overwhelmed with
superficial information.
Example: How can the environment contribute to the culture, politics
and society of the Western states?
Step 3: Focus on Your Topic – Keep it manageable

Keep track of the words that are used to describe your topic.
 Look for words that best describe your topic
 Look for them in when reading encyclopedia articles and
background and general information
 Find broader and narrower terms, synonyms, key concepts for key
words to widen your search capabilities
 Make note of these words and use them later when searching
databases and catalogs
Step 4: Make a List of Useful Keywords

It is common to modify your topic during the research process.
 You can never be sure of what you may find.
 You may find too much and need to narrow your focus, or too little
and need to broaden your focus.
 This is a normal part of the research process. When researching,
you may not wish to change your topic, but you may decide that
some other aspect of the topic is more interesting or manageable.
 Keep in mind the assigned length of the research paper, project,
bibliography or other research assignment.
 Be aware of the depth of coverage needed and the due date. These
important factors may help you decide how much and when you
will modify your topic.
Step 5: Be Flexible

 You will often begin with a word, develop a more focused interest
in an aspect of something relating to that word, then begin to have
questions about the topic.
For example:
 Ideas = Frank Lloyd Wright or modern architecture
 Research Question = How has Frank Lloyd Wright influenced
modern architecture?
 Focused Research Question = What design principles used by
Frank Lloyd Wright are common in contemporary homes?
Step 6: Define Your Topic as a Focused
Research Question?

 Use the key words you have gathered to research in the catalog,
article databases, and Internet search engines.
 Find more information to help you answer your research question.
 You will need to do some research and reading before you select
your final topic.
 Can you find enough information to answer your research
question?
 Remember, selecting a topic is an important and complex part of
the research process.
Step 7: Research and Read More About Your Topic

 Write your topic as a thesis statement.
 This may be the answer to your research question and/or a way to
clearly state the purpose of your research.
 Your thesis statement will usually be one or two sentences that
states precisely what is to be answered, proven, or what you will
inform your audience about your topic.
 The development of a thesis assumes there is sufficient evidence
to support the thesis statement.
Step 8: Formulate a Thesis Statement

 For example, a thesis statement could be: Frank Lloyd Wright's
design principles, including his use of ornamental detail and his
sense of space and texture opened a new era of American
architecture.
 His work has influenced contemporary residential design.
 The title of your paper may not be exactly the same as your
research question or your thesis statement, but the title should
clearly convey the focus, purpose and meaning of your research.
 For example, a title could be: Frank Lloyd Wright: Key Principles of
Design For the Modern Home
 Remember to follow any specific instructions from your instructor.
Step 8: Formulate a Thesis Statement

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