How to Narrow a Research

Topic

How to Narrow a Research Topic

When your research topic is too

broad, ask yourself these questions:
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?

2007, OSU Libraries, Instruction Office

How to Narrow a Research Topic

Lets see how this works with an

example: eating disorders
This topic is too broad (general) to write
about in a short paper. We need to
make it narrower (more specific).

2007, OSU Libraries, Instruction Office

How to Narrow a Research Topic

Who?
TOPIC: EATING DISORDERS
Populations

Age

NEW TOPIC:

Gender

Eating disorders
in elderly females

Race or
Ethnicity
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How to Narrow a Research Topic

What?
TOPIC: EATING DISORDERS
Types

Anorexia

NEW TOPIC:

Bulimia

Anorexia in
elderly females

Compulsive
eating
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How to Narrow a Research Topic

When?
TOPIC: EATING DISORDERS
Timeframes

Current or
historical
view
Period
of life
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NEW TOPIC:

Bulimia in middleaged females

How to Narrow a Research Topic

Where?
TOPIC: EATING DISORDERS
Places

States

NEW TOPIC:

Regions

Anorexia in
Australian women

Countries
2007, OSU Libraries, Instruction Office

How to Narrow a Research Topic

Why?
TOPIC: EATING DISORDERS
Evaluate

Causes

Treatments
Outcomes
2007, OSU Libraries, Instruction Office

NEW TOPIC:

Successful
methods for
treatment of
compulsive eating

How to Narrow a Research Topic

Mix n Match
Combine any number of elements that you derive from
asking these questions until you find an interesting topic
to research.

Some examples:
Causes and treatment of anorexia in college athletes
Prevalence of bulimia in teen-age males in the United States
Changes in treatment for compulsive overeaters, 1950-present.

2007, OSU Libraries, Instruction Office