Step 2. Refine Your Topic
Focus
Limit your topic to a single aspect or issue. As you continue to research and write your paper, you may need to revise the focus.
Elements to consider:
- Time - choose a specific historical period or a time before or after a key event
(example: airline security training after 9/11) - Geography - choose a specific locale or region
(example: insect control in Vermont orchards) - Population - choose a specific age group, gender, educational level,
or other demographic (example: Internet use by geriatric women) - Discipline - choose a specific psychological, social, cultural, literary,
or symbolic aspect of the subject (example: Celtic symbolism in contemporary popular culture) - Identify a single variable to focus on
(example: Children’s influence on their younger siblings) - Identify two or more variables to study in combination or compare two aspects of one topic
(example: Republican and Democrat attitudes towards financial aid for college students)
Video Tutorial
Additional Resources
- How to Narrow or Broaden a Search (Davidson College)
- The Information Navigator: Refine Your Topic (MIT)
- How to Narrow or Broaden Your Topic (UCLA)
