Narrowing a Broad Topic
Once you’ve settled on a general topic or problem to address for a writing assignment, the next step is to narrow it down to an appropriate focus.
Narrowing a topic can be done in various ways. Most of the time, you will need to use two or more of the following strategies. However, the requirements and scope of your assignment will determine which ones you use.
To narrow a topic, ask yourself the following questions:
- Can you focus your project on a specific aspect of the topic?
- Most issues or concepts can be subdivided into narrower issues or concepts. If you can’t subdivide your topic, then, most of the time, your topic is as narrow as it can get. In addition, it is probably better suited to a short or small project than a long or substantial one.
- In some cases, you might find you need to expand, rather than narrow, a topic selection.
- Can you narrow your topic to a specific time period?
- Restricting your topic to a specific time period can narrow most topics. Many activities or things exist throughout time. Restricting yourself to that activity or thing within a specific time period reduces the amount of material you have to cover.
- For example, armies and soldiers have existed from before recorded history. Restricting yourself to “Army life during World War II” or “Army life in Ancient Egypt” reduces the scope of what you need to cover.
- HINT: There is likely to be a lot more primary and secondary material on army life in World War II than there is on army life in ancient Egypt, simply because more information from recent centuries has survived than from ancient centuries.
- For example, armies and soldiers have existed from before recorded history. Restricting yourself to “Army life during World War II” or “Army life in Ancient Egypt” reduces the scope of what you need to cover.
- Restricting your topic to a specific time period can narrow most topics. Many activities or things exist throughout time. Restricting yourself to that activity or thing within a specific time period reduces the amount of material you have to cover.
- Can you narrow your topic to a specific geographic area?
- Many topics can be limited to a specific region of the country or the world.
- For example, “Wolves” can be limited to “Arctic Wolves.”
- Many topics can be limited to a specific region of the country or the world.
- Can you narrow your topic to a specific event?
- Restricting your topic to a specific event is another way to narrow a topic. However, the amount of information available on a specific event will depend on the relative importance of that event.
- For example, you will most likely find more information on why the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan than you will about the car bomb used by criminals in a local crime.
- Restricting your topic to a specific event is another way to narrow a topic. However, the amount of information available on a specific event will depend on the relative importance of that event.
Taking the time to think through your research question, your topic, and the research available will help you as you draft your ideas.