Is your topic too vague? Too broad? There are several methods to help you narrow and focus your research. Explore the following three methods to develop a focused research question or thesis statement.
Method 1: Ask Questions
- What is your topic? (i.e. social media, plastic waste, freedom of speech, sleep deprivation)
- What is the context of your research? (school, hospital, community)
- What do you want to achieve? (to discover, explore, explain, or compare)
- What is the nature of your question? (is it a who, what, where, when, how, or why question)
- Are there potential relationships between variables that you want to explore? (causes, correlations, increases, decreases)
Method 2: Use a Topic Development Chart
Brainstorm ideas by writing 2-3 terms in one or more of the columns (hint: this will help you to come up with search terms later).
Broad topic:
Artificial intelligence
|
Subtopics
(What?)
|
Person(s)
(Who?)
|
Time Period
(When?)
|
Location/Place
(Where?)
|
Other ideas
(events, social issues)
|
|
Search engine algorithms
Facial recognition technology
Social media
Advertising
|
Teenagers
Women
African Americans
Doctors/physicians
|
Now (current)
Early 2000s
|
United States
China
Russia
|
Covid-19
Racial inequality
Sexism
Political polarization
|
Focused research questions:
Does facial recognition technology perpetuate racial inequality?
What can be done about the negative effects of social media on teenage girls?
Method 3: Try a Mind Map
You can draw your own, or explore the interactive mind maps on the Credo Reference database.
Watch out for these common pitfalls when developing a research question/thesis:
- Too narrow: a question that is so narrowly focused that there is probably no literature to be found on the topic- or very little.
- Too broad: a question that is so broad it would be impossible to cover in depth in one research paper.
- Too vague/unclear: use of words like 'good' or 'bad' in your research question. It should be clear what exactly you are asking.
- Easily searchable: a simple google search gives you the answer. Avoid questions that can be easily answered with one word, a number, or a list.
- Matter of opinion: a question that cannot be answered in some objective manner.
