Lesson 4: Choosing a Topic

However, not everyone does.  Choosing a topic can seem very overwhelming.  If you are having trouble choosing a topic, there are some techniques that can make the choice a bit easier: 

• Instructor--Feel free to ask your instructor for suggestions for your research paper.  Your instructor is an expert in his/her field and can certainly suggest worthwhile topics.

• Textbook--Your textbook is also a good source for term paper topics.  Try looking through the table of contents or index for ideas.  If you see a topic that interests you, you can read about it in your textbook and decide if it is worth pursuing.  

• List of topics provided by instructor--Many instructors provide a pre-set list of topics that are recommended for that class.  If you are unsure about what some of the topics are, ask your instructor.  

• Library--The library can also be an effective place to find a term paper topic.  Specialized reference books are available that can help you select a topic in your subject area.   Please see the librarians at the Reference Desk for help.

Refining Your Topic

For instance, deciding to do a psychology paper on child psychology may sound interesting, but is much too comprehensive.  If you were to search the library or Internet for child psychology, you would simply get too much material, much of it too vague or unfocused to be of much use.   

Refining or narrowing your topic by selecting one aspect of the larger subject child psychology would decrease the amount of information you retrieved and make your search more manageable.   A specialized encyclopedia, such as the Handbook of Child Psychology, can help you narrow your topic by introducing you to the subject matter of that discipline.   You can then choose a topic that interests you and read about it in more detail.  

For instance, a search for the more specific topic language acquisition in children would produce less, but more useful information for your research paper. 

~But be careful!  Narrowing your subject too much can result in not enough information and lead to frustration.  A search for language acquisition in children with Down's Syndrome would probably be too specific for the resources of the AVC Library.~

Remember, choosing a topic that is neither too broad nor too narrow is one of the most important decisions you will make during the research process. 

Developing a Thesis Statement

Once you have chosen a topic, you will need to begin formulating a thesis statement for your paper.  Please see your instructor for information on how to develop a thesis statement or consult the Writing Center.