2. Improve your Topic

Once you have a general idea of what you want to research and what might be the current issues surrounding it, it's a good idea to get a better understanding of your topic. While doing background research, take note of the following information:

What words or phrases are being used to talk about this topic?
What kind of questions are being asked?
What solutions are being proposed?
Has a solution already failed?
How long has this been going on?

Background Resources

Opposing Viewpoints

Topic overviews, contrasting viewpoints, articles, primary source documents, statistics, videos, and recommended websites.

CQ Researcher

Analytical reports on controversial issues from 1991 to the present. Includes background, chronology, tables and maps, and pro/con statements.

Broad / Narrow / Just Right

Your topic is too broad if...

you are having difficulty discussing something in depth or writing something original.
the only similarity between your resources is that they all mention the word you typed.
there are a lot of subtopics within the concept.
there is a book with that title.

Example that is too broad: North American Tree Squirrels.

Your topic is too narrow if...

you get no (or only a few) results in the databases.
you get a lot results in the databases, but they're not what you're looking for.
you can't seem to find anything to support your ideas.

Example that is too narrow: Squirrel response to student presence on the community college campus in North America.

Your topic is just right if...

you readily find articles that match with your ideas.
you can see the connection between the work, the article, and your interest.
you feel like you'll be able to write enough without stretching it or editing it down too much.

Example that is just right: Different responses to human presence among rural and urban squirrels.