Finding Topic Ideas
- Read the Newspaper. (For example, here is a partial list of news stories that have appeared over the past several months from various news sources.)
- Read Current Issues of Magazines on Subjects that interest you.
- Watch the TV and Cable News
- Talk to friends, parents or relatives
- Read Current Headlines from the Online Databases (for example: ProQuest Newsstand carries full text articles for hundreds of newspapers including the Star Tribune, New York Times, Washington Post, etc.)
- Browse Your Textbooks (use Table of Contents or Index)
The library's databases and the subject encyclopedias are tremendous resources to generate research ideas.
Assignment:
Using each of these resources, select TWO topic ideas from each of the listed databases that interest you and fill out this Choosing Topic Ideas assignment sheet.
- Choose a broad subject to begin with, investigate topic and narrow it down.
Tips on Choosing A Topic
- Choose a Topic You Care About! This is the most important criteria when selecting a topic for a research paper. Does it relate to your prior experience/background or knowledge or interest?
- Select a Subject that is timely!
- Choose something for which information exists! Is the amount and kind of information needed available?
- Avoid topics on which too much has already been written. This will bore your teacher and put your paper up against previous papers as comparison.
- Read Selectively and Critique!
- Write down ideas you come up with, keep a log!
- Do preliminary research (This will help you figure out which topics really interest you)
- Will the topic allow you to meet the requirements assigned by the teacher?
- Will the topic interest anyone else?
- Does your topic create an image in your mind? Can you visualize parts of the paper?
- Formulate your Topic into a Question?
What Makes a Good Topic?
- Am I interested in this topic?
You'll do a better job - and enjoy the process more - if you're interested in your topic.
- Is the topic large or broad enough?
Your topic needs to be substantive enough so you can write a 10 to 15 page paper.
- Is the topic specific enough?
Your topic needs to be specific (or narrow) enough so you can cover it adequately in your research paper; a topic suitable for a 100-page paper would be too much to cover in a
10-15 page paper.
- Do I have anything to say about this topic?
If you don't have a point to make about your topic, it will be hard to write about it.
- Will I be able to adequately research the topic?
Do you have access to the types of resources you will need, and can you do the research in the time you have?
Assignment:
KWH Exercise: Selecting two of your more promising topic ideas, write on the attached worksheet, responses to the following questions:
What do You Think You Know about this Topic?
What Would You Like to Know?
How does this Topic Impact Society Nationally or Internationally? |