Research Planning--Part 2 Selecting Your Topic Authored by Ken Burhanna and Billie Reinhart The text only versions provide a linear presentation of the Hands-On flash modules.  The Hands-On modules often incorporate images and interactive presentations to help demonstrate and support the text.  These images and interactive features are lost in the text only format.  Users can supplement their reading of the text versions by going onto the World Wide Web and visiting the web sites and doing the searches that the text indicates.  This is most easily done by printing the text version and using it as a guide. After completing this module you will be able to: 1. Identify Guidelines for Topic Selection 2. Recognize the Qualities of a Good Topic 3. Select an Appropriate Topic Introduction Time spent selecting and focusing your research topic is time well worth the effort. In order to find information in library databases or on the Internet you must understand what you are looking for and how your topic fits into other areas of knowledge. You should also keep in mind that topic selection is a process and sometimes certain steps in the process may need to be repeated. 1. Identifying Guidelines for Topic Selection Some assignments will provide your topic for you.  For example, an assignment might instruct you to: Write an analysis of how F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" handles the themes of corruption and the American dream.   In this case, your instructor has given you a specific topic to write about.    More commonly, however, assignments will provide you with a range of topics or simply some brief guidelines or rules for selecting a topic. Research shows that adult writers are most successful when they do two things: 1. choose what they write about and 2. see their topic as relevant. So don't simply select the easy topic.  Select a topic that means something to you. Some sample topic selection guidelines are: - Describe the role of the arts in child education in Ohio. - Analyze the denotations and connotations of the    logo of a sports franchise. - Summarize and analyze U.S. foreign policy with an    Asian country over the last 20 years. Here is a sample assignment.  Can you identify its guidelines for selecting a topic?     Sample Essay Assignment: -Write a 3 to 4 page (800 to 1000 word) argumentative essay on a topic of your choice.  Your essay should persuade your audience to your position on a controversial topic. -In support of your thesis, refer to at least three credible sources (books, journal articles, web pages, etc.). -Cite your resources according to MLA Documentation Style. -Your paper should be double-spaced with 1 inch margins. -Your paper is due in class in six weeks. Two phrases indicate that this assignment's guidelines for topic selection are: to select a topic of your choice and select a controversial topic. 2. Recognizing the Qualities of a Good Topic A good topic should be engaging and focused, while meeting the criteria of your assignment. By engaging, we simply mean that it is interesting to you and that in turn your writing about it will be interesting to readers. By focused, we mean a good topic should be broad enough to allow you to find plenty of information about it, but narrow enough to fit within the time and space limitations of the assignment. Beware of topics that are about current or local events. Current Events:  Events that have appeared recently in the news are usually too current to serve as good topics for research papers.  Because they are so current, not much serious writing has been done about them. Local Events:  Topics that center on events of local interest are also difficult to research.  Because the topic is not or has not yet been of wide interest, only local news sources like newspapers will have covered the event.  Information on local events can sometimes be difficult to find. 3. Selecting an Appropriate Topic The sample assignment instructs you to: Write an argumentative essay on a controversial topic of your choice. Let's look at some approaches to selecting an appropriate topic for this sample assignment. Brainstorming Sometimes potential topics might come easily to mind, but often times much more consideration is required.   Brainstorming is a good way to start. Brainstorming is the process of capturing possible ideas as they come to mind.   To brainstorm topics for the sample assignment, you would list all the controversial topics that come to mind.   A brainstorming list for your controversial topic might look like this: - Internet music piracy - animal research - affirmative action laws - the future of social security - the role of the arts in child education - privacy in the information age Next you need to go through your list and evaluate the worthiness of your potential topics.  Remember, we're looking for controversial topics. Here are several more topics.  Do they all appear appropriate as potential controversial topics? - Legalization of drugs Yes, this is very controversial, but equally broad.  This topic requires a great deal of focus. - Great ship wrecks of Lake Erie No, this is not a controversial topic. - Human cloning Yes, this is a controversial and timely topic, but take care to focus. - Dog ownership No, this is not controversial, unless you plan on focusing on pit bulls or another vicious breed of dog. Brainstorming is a method of invention. Another method of invention is reading.  Often ideas and thoughts gained through reading will spark your own thoughts (be careful not to plagiarize).   These types of reading resources may be helpful: -- Your textbook -- Journals and magazines that cover your topic -- Encyclopedias, almanacs, and other reference books -- newspapers and web sites For more information about these methods visit the Writing Center's page on Invention. A Note on Background Information The resources listed on the previous frame are all potential sources of background information.   Background information is information that helps focus and clarify your topic.   Because research and topic selection are processes you might need background information to find ideas for topics, to focus your topic, or to understand what additional information you need. Have You Selected Your Topic Yet? Now that you have some potential topics to work with, you need to select the one that most interests you and begin working with it. But hold on, that sounds almost too simple, doesn't it? It might sound simple at first, but remember, topic selection is a process.   By selecting a topic that interests and engages you and meets the requirements of your assignment, you will only be starting the process that focuses and defines your final topic. This concludes Selecting Your Topic