Focusing Your Topic

General sources such as encyclopedias or textbooks will supply background information.  This information can help you focus your topic.

Topics should not be too broad

Choosing a topic that is too broad such as "AIDS" or "child abuse" is unworkable for two main reasons:

A.  The information required to adequately understand the topic would take too much time to gather, evaluate, and use.

B.  The topic is too vast and complex to do it justice.  A short paper or presentation would be superficial, lacking substance and depth. 

Topics should not be too narrow

Choosing a topic that is too narrow such as "holiday traffic patterns in Bellport Village" is unworkable for two main reasons:

A.  The chances of finding sufficient information is doubtful.

B.  The topic is insignificant to most people.

      Narrowing the topic can be achieved in several ways:

A.  Examine the subject from a specific viewpoint/discipline:

•  humanities (literature, music, art, etc.)

•  sciences (biology, chemistry, physics, etc.)

•  social sciences (psychology, sociology, anthropology, etc.)

B. Use a textbook index to see how the topic is divided.

C. Use the subject subdivisions in InfoTrac and other periodical indexes.