Many classes require students to complete a research project. The first step in a research project is choosing a topic, a multistep process that results in a topic statement. Use the following guidelines to develop a topic statement:
Start With a Broad Topic
Narrow your topic to a more manageable focus. The most common problem in library research arises when a student chooses a topic that is too broad and is faced with an overwhelming amount of published material. To make a broad topic more manageable, it is essential to focus on a specific area of the topic. A common way to narrow a topic is to consider writing about one of these aspects of the topic:
Write a Topic Statement
Turn your narrow topic into a topic statement. Once you have chosen a narrower focus, write it out as a short sentence. This is known as a thesis or topic statement. It expresses the subject and purpose of your paper.
Evaluate your topic statement. Ask yourself the following questions to evaluate the quality of your topic statement:
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