Choosing a topic is usually the starting point in the research process. Sometimes, your professor will have specified topics or suggested topics or the course subject matter will suggest a topic to you. Other times, you may be required to select a topic with little or no guidance or you may need to expand upon or narrow down a suggested topic.

Choosing a topic is only one part of the process of choosing your focus. Once you have decided on a topic that interests you, you should determine what specifically interests you about that topic and develop an open-ended question related to it. This question will help you focus your research.

Developing a research question of the appropriate scope is a critical aspect of determining your focus. A topic that is too broad could result in an overwhelming amount of information and may cause your paper to be unfocused, while a topic that is too narrow may cause difficulty in finding enough information and your paper may be too short or too repetitive to satisfy the assignment.

For instance, you may be interested in dog ownership. The general topic of dog ownership is far too broad, so you will need to determine what about dog ownership interests you specifically for the purposes of your research paper. Let’s assume for a moment you are in a class that discusses legal or ethical issues. Perhaps you are interested in looking at these issues as they relate to dog ownership.

Too Broad Research Question: What are the legal/ethical issues associated with dog ownership in the United States?

This is too broad because there are many, many legal and ethical issues associated with dog ownership such as dog licensing, dog breeding ordinances, dog bite issues, insurance issues regarding dog ownership, and there are many different levels of government creating laws associated with dog ownership, such as city ordinances, county, state and federal government, and various court decisions that impact this area.

Too Narrow Research Question: How do the convictions of Robert Noel and Marjorie Knoller in San Francisco affect the ownership of Presa Canario mastiffs in Milwaukee?

This topic is too narrow because it is specific to one court case, one specific (and rare) breed of dog, and the question addresses a specific locality. The likelihood of finding a number of sources addressing issues this specific is very low.

Right Size Research Question: Given the number of dog bites annually, should insurance companies refuse to cover homeowners with so-called “vicious breed” dogs and/or dogs who have bitten in the past? Are there viable options to non-coverage, such as requiring homeowners to pass a certified dog training program?

This topic is broad enough because it is not limited to a specific dog breed or specific local community, but not too broad because it is limited in scope to a particular issue regarding dog bites. Topics similar to this have been addressed in the local news and on news magazines in the past, and there are likely to be sources from newspapers, legal journals, insurance industry trade journals, etc.

SOURCES THAT CAN HELP

This may seem like a complicated process, but there are many resources available to assist you. Some of the sources listed below may only help you to determine a topic. Others will go a little deeper in discussion of the topic or may direct you to other sources. They may help you formulate a research question as well.

Old Dominion University Library Idea Generator
This is an idea generator provided by Old Dominion University library. Some broad topics are provided; clicking on these broad topics will link to dozens of subtopics. This source may help you determine a topic.

University of Louisville Libraries "Hot Topics"
This is a list of “Hot Topics” provided by University of Louisville Libraries. Clicking on these links will take you to more information such as articles, websites, and related topics. This source may help you determine a topic.

Religious Tolerance.org "Hot Religious Topics"
This is a website from the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance that suggests possible topics of a religious nature. Broad topics are suggested—from those broader topics, subtopics are suggested and discussed. References are often provided. This source may help you determine a topic and may also help you develop a research question.

Bibliography of Bioethics
Location: Raynor Reference Collection
Call number: QH332 .B5X
This is a book that provides citations to other books, documents and journal articles that pertain to ethical questions arising in biomedical and behavioral fields such as abortion, cloning and euthanasia. This source may help you determine a topic and may also help you develop a research question.

Issues and Controversies
Marquette provides a subscription to this database. It is produced by Facts-on-File and has a collection of articles covering over 250 controversial topics. This source may help you determine a topic and may also help you develop a research question.

CQ Researcher
Marquette provides a subscription to this database. Specific topics are discussed in detail, presenting alternative views and a bibliography. This source may help you determine a topic and may also help you develop a research question.

Glendale Community College Argumentative Essay Topics
This is a webpage from Glendale Community College in Maricopa County, Arizona that suggests topics from several areas. There is some discussion of possible issues associated with various topics and links to further resources. This source may help you determine a topic and may also help you develop a research question.

RBC student Christine Woodman's Example Research Questions
This is a link to exemplar research topics compiled by a student in a class at Richard Bland College. Please note, however, that we are providing a link to this page merely as examples of research questions. Some of the research questions presented here are dated, and some statements made within the example research question may or may not be accurate at this time. If one of these topics appeals to you and you would like to develop it further in a paper of your own, please be careful to verify the currency/accuracy of any statement made, such as “researchers claim…” or that something “…is a leading cause of death.”

University of Houston-Victoria Generate and Refine Ideas
This site from the University of Houston-Victoria provides suggestions for generating ideas on your own.

University of Richmond-Where to Start a Paper
This page from The University of Richmond Writer’s Web also provides a guideline for generating ideas on your own.

MORE HELP

If you are still having difficulty in choosing a topic or developing a research question, the following sites may provide additional guidance:

The Owl at Purdue Online Writing Lab-Writing a Research Paper
Purdue University provides a workshop on writing a research paper. This site provides many helpful suggestions.

Kathy Livingston's Guide to Writing a Basic Essay
This is a guide put together by an educator and is located on her personal educational site. Her suggestions for selecting a topic, outlining ideas and choosing a thesis statement are helpful.

Please note that you should use caution when using websites as sources of information. Please see the Signpost criteria for evaluating a website.

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