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Research Guide: Step 3 - Refine your Topic

Step 3 - Refine your Topic

After gathering background information, most researchers find that they will need to refine their topic, as the original is too broad or too narrow in focus. Keep in mind the scope of your assignment and settle on a topic that can be effectively researched and addressed within the required length of your paper.

Step 3 - Methods

Narrow your Topic:

A common issue among researchers is that they initially choose a topic that is too broad and are overwhelmed by topic issues and resources. You can make your topic more manageable by applying these limiting factors:

  • Who - Population or Group
  • What - Focus or Viewpoint
  • Where - Geographic Location
  • When - Time Period
  • Why - Topic Relevance

Broaden your Topic:

You may find that you have chosen a topic that is too narrow because you cannot locate any resources. You can make your topic more manageable by using these techniques:

  • Eliminate Concepts - Am I trying to research too many concepts at a time?
  • Generalize - Is my topic too specific?
  • Synonyms - Are there related terms or concepts that I can search?
  • Currency -  Is your topic so new that there is not much research on it yet?