Research Success for High School Students
STEP 2: ...DEVELOP YOUR TOPIC
SUMMARY: In order to identify keywords, you need to have a research question. Having a research question is much easier than just a topic. Topics are often too broad to give you relevant results.
To create a research question, think about the parameters of your assignment. Is there an area that you are particularly interested in? Pick a broad and flexible topic that you find interesting since you'll be spending so much time researching. If you start doing more research and not finding enough sources that support your thesis, you may need to adjust your topic. A topic will be very difficult to research if it is too broad or narrow. One way to narrow a broad topic is to limit your topic by asking questions about the subject based on your background research.
Creating a Research Question
Say you picked the topic "video games." Now we need to focus your topic. To do this, ask the 5 W's:
- Who
- What
- When
- Where
- Why
So say you choose:
- Who- Children
- What - Violence
- When- The last 10 years
- Where- USA
- Why
Form this information into a question:
Are children who play video games in the United States more likely to be violent?
Common Ways to Limit a Topic
Geographic Area
Example: What environmental issues are most important in the Southwestern United States?
Culture
Example: How does the environment fit into the Navajo world view?
Time Frame
Example: What are the most prominent environmental issues of the last 10 years?
Discipline
Example: How does environmental awareness effect business practices today?
Population or Group Involved or Effected
Example: What are the effects of air pollution on senior citizens?
Mistakes to Avoid
Remember that a topic may be too difficult to research if it is too:
- locally confined - Topics this specific may only be covered in local newspapers and not in scholarly articles.
Example: What sources of pollution affect the air in Downtown Phoenix?
- recent - If a topic is quite recent, books or journal articles may not be available, but newspaper or magazine articles may. Also, websites related to the topic may or may not be available.
- broadly interdisciplinary - You could be overwhelmed with superficial information.
Example: How can the environment contribute to the culture, politics and society of the Western United States?
- popular - You will only find very popular articles about some topics such as sports figures and high-profile celebrities and musicians.
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