*Research Assistance - Getting Started: Finding a Topic

What are the specifics of your assignment?

Does it ask you to explain something?

Does it ask you to argue a position?

What subject is appropriate for the audience?

Does your instructor approve of the subject?

Will your audience be interested in the subject?

Will your audience already have some knowledge of the subject?

Are you making a claim supported by evidence?

What sources will you consult to gain evidence?

The source for this content is The Little, Brown Handbook ©2016.

If you are finding too much information, you will need to narrow your topic.

• focus on a specific time period or era
• identify a specific population or group
• select a geographic region
• focus on a specific event or person

If you are not finding enough information, consider removing specific concepts from your topic.

Write your topic in the form of a question.

• How did changing gender roles in 20th century United States affect women's fashion?
• What role has globalization played in fashion trends worldwide? Are the effects the same for working and leisure classes?