NNARROWING A RESEARCH TOPIC

Vincent P. Tinerella

THE RESEARCH PROCESS

Ten basic steps in the research process:1. Selecting a Topic2. Formulating a Research Question3. Identifying main ideas and related terms4. Identifying information sources and selecting tools5. Gathering background information6. Locating and retrieving materials7. Determining the relevancy of materials8. Organizing information9. Writing the paper10. Revising the paper

SELECT A TOPIC

Term Paper Topics

• Abortion • Affirmative Action • AIDS • Animal Rights• Anthrax• Assisted Suicide• Asteroids• Blackout• Capital Punishment• Child Abuse• Cloning• Conjoined Twins• Diabetes• Drunk Driving• Easter Island• Eating Disorders• E-mail Spam• Empire State Building• Global Warming• Gangs • Gender Issues Health Care• Holocaust Immigration Islam

A topic is general. It is a category, frequently expressed in a single word or phrase, such as “alcoholism" or “teenage mothers.” A topic is a good starting point, but by itself, it is usually too broad, and so it must be refined.

Ask Yourself Questions About Your Topic:

•Is the topic of interest to me?

•Is my topic appropriate for my audience? Is it relevant to my course?

•How much or how little do I know about it?

FORMULATE A RESEARCH QUESTION

The Q the researcher asks that guides his or her inquiry into the topic. A good research question asks a clear, concise question and helps you keep a tight focus on your topic.

A good RQ is broad enough to allow you to find enough material, but narrow enough to fit within the size and time constraints of your paper.

Choose a RQ worth arguing about or exploring. Your RQ should pass the “So What? Test.”

SO WHAT? TEST

The RQ must not simply state a fact, but take a compelling stand that will be proven or supported in the research that follows….It should make your reader want to see what you have to say…

FROM TOPIC TO RQ

Narrow By ViewpointTOPIC VIEWPOINT LIMITERS RQ

Internet Security

Cultural, Social, Legal, Medical, Ethical,

Biological, Psychological,

Economic, Political, or Philosophical aspects

What is the constitutionality of Internet filtering technology in public libraries?

Vitamins Will a regimen of vitamin therapy prevent heart disease?

Cell Phones Should laws be enacted to prevent cell phone use in automobiles?

Narrow By Time

TOPIC TIME LIMITERS RQ

Vitamins

Date, Year, Century, Era, Decade, Current,

Future, Emerging, Trends

What new developments in vitamin therapy will help prevent heart disease?

What current internet security measures are public libraries using to protect their patron’s personal information?

Internet Security

What did fashion design trends in the 1920’s say about American sexual mores?

Fashion design

Narrow By Place

TOPIC PLACE LIMITERS

Country, Continent Region, City, State, Place, Organization,

Institution

RQ

Steroids in athletics How prevalent is steroid use among NCAA college baseball players?

Obesity Is fast-food to blame for the rising obesity rates in the United States?

Narrow By Population

TOPIC

Eating Disorders

POPULATION LIMITERS

Age, Gender, Nationality, Species,

Group

RQ

What new therapeutic options are available to Bulimia in teenage girls?

Telecommuting Does telecommuting increase work productivity for stay-at-home mothers?

Put It All Together

Topic: Management

Limiters Limiting Criteria Narrowed RQ

Viewpoint “glass ceiling” Management practices to eliminate the glass ceiling ?

Place US American corporations; Fortune 500 Companies

Time Present Current initiatives?

Population Women Women Managers

What current, effective management practices have American Fortune 500 companies initiated to eliminate the “glass ceiling” for their women managers?

Ask Yourself Q About Your RQ

• Does it fit the scope of my assignment? Is it relevant?

• Can I find and access enough documents, statistics, or persons to provide information to develop and support my ideas?

• Is it an "open-ended" question that can be answered with more than yes, no, or a brief statement of fact?

• Does it pass the “So What?”test?

AVOID RQ’S THAT ARE:

• TOO BROAD• TOO NARROW• UNANSWERABLE

IT’S EASY TO REMEMBER

• WHO• WHAT• WHEN• WHERE• WHY

• POPULATION• ASPECT-VIEWPOINT• TIME• PLACE• SO WHAT??????

Let’s Try IT…………………..1. Why does the Brunswick Corporation dimple their golf balls? A. Who Cares???.....Does not pass the “So What” test.

2. Does effective communication increase productivity in the workplace? A. Too broad. Too vague. It does not lead to a position that can be

demonstrated, proved, or investigated.

3. What influence did the UAW have on Dayton, Ohio’s economy in 1973.A. Too narrow to be investigated and answered in the scope of a college paper.

4. Is it dangerous to ignore drunk driving laws enacted in Illinois in the past decade?

A. Yes.

5. Does the increasing use of cell phones in automobiles in the U.S. lead to more traffic accidents and contribute to rising insurance rates?

A. Good RQ. It invokes a variety of ideas and leads to one of two positions that are researchable: (1) cell phone use in automobiles is dangerous; or (2) it is not.

6. Do Eastern Illinois University students that sit in the front and center of their English classrooms get better grades than students who sit in the back and off to the sides?

A. Unanswerable. Essential data is not available.

FINALLY Revise as appropriate

Educate yourself

Review the literature