Choose a topic that works

Brainstorm potential topics

Think about what you’re interested in.

Ask faculty and fellow students for suggestions, and check encyclopedias and textbooks for ideas as well.

Find background information

If you're not already pretty familiar with your tentative topic, you may need to find out more about it before you go much further.

Narrow or broaden your topic

Too broad: World War I
- Ask "Who," "What," "When," or "Where" to help focus and narrow your topic.
- Better topic: American women's roles in WWI
Too narrow: Eating disorders among blue-eyed men in North Dakota.
- Think in more general terms about your topic.
- Better topic: Eating disorders among men

Last updated by andjsmit on 12/12/2008