I bet even doctors, nurses, and dietcians have trouble figuring out what information is reliable and what is just the latest hype.Īnother way writers may focus a topic is to conduct preliminary research. I don’t know how anyone is supposed to make an informed decision about what to eat when there’s so much confusing, contradictory information. Think about all the diet books that are out there! Some say that a low-fat diet is best some say you should cut down on carbs and some make bizarre recommendations like eating half a grapefruit with every meal. Every time I go on the Internet, I see tons of ads for the latest “miracle food.” One week it’s acai berries, the next week it’s green tea, and then six months later I see a news story saying all the fabulous claims about acai berries and green tea are overblown! Advice about weight loss is even worse. I don’t think the media does a very good job of providing that, though. Our instructors are always saying that accurate, up-to-date information is crucial in encouraging people to make better choices about their health. To narrow your focus, explore your topic in writing, conduct preliminary research, and discuss both the topic and the research with others. Narrowing your focus is essential to making your topic manageable.
If your topic is too broad, you will find it difficult to do more than skim the surface when you research it and write about it.
However, more specific choices, such as the pros and cons of sexual education in kids’ television programs or the physical effects of the South Beach diet, are specific enough to write about without being too narrow to sustain an entire research paper.Ī good research paper provides focused, in-depth information and analysis. Each topic has so many facets that it would be impossible to cover them all in a college research paper. Working with an overly broad topic, such as sexual education programs or popularized diets, can be frustrating and overwhelming. Most writers find that the topics they listed during brainstorming or idea mapping are broad-too broad for the scope of the assignment. Once you have a list of potential topics, you will need to choose one as the focus of your essay. Will you be able to find enough information about the topic? Can you develop a paper about this topic that presents and supports your original ideas? Is the topic too broad or too narrow for the scope of the assignment? If so, can you modify it so it is more manageable? You will ask these questions during this preliminary phase of the research process. In either case, try to identify topics that genuinely interest you.Īfter identifying potential topic ideas, you will need to evaluate your ideas and choose one topic to pursue. You instructor may provide a list of suggested topics or ask that you develop a topic on your own. (For more information about purpose and audience, see Chapter 6 “Writing Paragraphs: Separating Ideas and Shaping Content”.) Choosing a topic that interests you is also crucial. Writers understand the importance of choosing a topic that fulfills the assignment requirements and fits the assignment’s purpose and audience. By taking your time and choosing carefully, you can ensure that this assignment is not only challenging but also rewarding. If you choose your topic hastily, you may later find it difficult to work with your topic. Your choice will help determine whether you enjoy the lengthy process of research and writing-and whether your final paper fulfills the assignment requirements. When you choose a topic for a research paper, you are making a major commitment.
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