Usually researchers start out with a broad topic before narrowing it down to a question. These strategies can help with that process.
Strategy 1: Concept Mapping
Create a visual map your topic that shows different aspects of the topic and how they connect to one another. Watch this video on Concept Mapping for a Research Paper by katmil2020:
Think about questions related to your topic. For example, when researching the local food culture, you might consider:
Why do people buy local?
What specific food items are people more likely to buy local and why?
What are the economic aspects of buying local? Is it cheaper?
Do people in all socio-economic strata have access to local food?
Strategy 2: Who, What, When, Where, and Why(the 5 W's)
If you need to narrow a topic from a broad subject to a specific research question or thesis statement, one of the easiest ways is by asking yourself the 5Ws – who, what, where, when, and why. You don't have to answer all the questions, but should answer enough so that your topic is manageable to research and will fit within your assignment length requirement.
Who
What population or group do you want to look at? Is there an age group to focus on?
Examples: College students, seniors, children, teens
What
What is the subject area or discipline? Does it meet your assignment requirements?
Examples: Terrorism, American Revolution, Agriculture
Where
What geographic location do you want to focus on? This can be a city, state, country, or other.
Examples: Chicago, Montana, Great Britain, North America
When
What time period are you wanting to cover with your research? Is it historical or current?
Provides online reference from digitized reference sources. Searchable by reference source, by subject, or across all sources. Includes a concept mapping function to assist in broadening or narrowing searches. Reliable, reputable reference sources. Citation assistance is available for the most popular formats.
Database covering social issues with Informed, differing views help learners develop critical-thinking skills and draw their own conclusions. A rich resource for debaters it includes pro/con viewpoints, reference articles, interactive maps, infographics, and more.
Get a quick overview of your topic. (Of course, evaluate these articles carefully, since anyone can change them). An entry's table of contents can help you identify possible research angles; the external links and references can help you locate other relevant sources. Usually you won't use Wikipedia in your final paper, because it's not an authoritative source.
