Define Your Topic

Defining your topic makes it easier to focus your research.

Sometimes you are assigned a topic, although you may be able to decide for yourself what you want to find out about that topic.

Sometimes you are able to choose a topic: any topic or in a specific area.

When you choose a topic, make certain it:

1. Meets the assignment requirements
2. Is interesting or matters to you and others
   Activity: Inquiry Topic Hooks (worksheet)
3. There are sources available

Brainstorm topic ideas or areas of a topic
Activity: Selecting Inquiry Topics (worksheet)

You may want to take several approaches:  historical, geographical, societal

Is the scope too broad or too narrow?
Activity: Narrowing Down a Large Topic (worksheet)

A statement of purpose is a sentence which states, in some detail, what you want to learn about in your research project and is a good way to focus your research topic.

Next => Now that you have defined your topic, it is time to define what you know about it.