Narrowing a Research Topic

Summary

This tutorial guides students through narrowing a broad research topic into a focused question. It introduces an upside-down triangle method, starting with a general subject and adding lenses such as people, place, time period, and point of view. An example uses healthcare and narrows it down to a specific group, location, and legal perspective, resulting in a clear research question. The process encourages students to tailor their topic based on personal interests and academic requirements, with the option to seek further assistance from librarians.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Start with a broad research topic and narrow it down using specific lenses such as people, place, time period, and point of view.
• 👥 Choose a specific group of people to focus on to narrow your topic, such as 'Muslim women' or 'elementary school students'.
• 🌍 Select a particular place to concentrate your research, which could be a geographical location, workplace, or situational context.
• ⏳ Focus on a specific time period that is relevant to your research, whether it's the present, a historical era, or a future projection.
• 👁️ Consider different points of view to approach your topic, such as legal, psychological, political, religious, scientific, or historical perspectives.
• 📝 Formulate a clear and focused research question by combining the chosen aspects of people, place, time, and point of view.
• 🔗 Use the example of healthcare to demonstrate how different students might narrow the same broad subject based on their interests.
• 💡 Remember that not all questions will apply to every research area, and it's not necessary to answer all questions to successfully narrow your topic.
• 📈 Visualize the narrowing process with a pyramid diagram, filling it out step by step as you refine your topic.
• 📑 The final research topic should be well-defined, appropriately narrow, and suitable for an undergraduate or graduate research paper.
• 📧 Seek additional help from SI librarians if needed, through email or one-on-one Zoom conferences.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of the tutorial described in the transcript?

The primary purpose of the tutorial is to guide individuals through the process of narrowing down their research topic by providing a structured approach and examples.

What is the 'upside-down triangle' mentioned in the transcript?

The 'upside-down triangle' is a metaphorical tool used in the tutorial to represent the process of narrowing a broad research topic into a more specific and focused question.

How does the tutorial suggest starting the narrowing process?

The tutorial suggests starting with a broad topic and then applying various lenses or filters such as people, place, time period, and point of view to narrow down the focus.

What are some examples of groups one might choose to focus on when narrowing a research topic?

Examples of groups include Young Democrats, Muslim women, librarians, female college students, elementary school students, and Spanish speakers.

Why is it important to choose a specific place when narrowing a research topic?

Choosing a specific place allows for a more focused study as topics can look very different in various geographical, workplace, or situational contexts.

What is the significance of selecting a time period when refining a research topic?

Selecting a time period helps to limit the scope of the research, making it more manageable and allowing for a deeper analysis of the topic within that specific timeframe.

How does choosing a point of view help in narrowing a research topic?

Choosing a point of view, such as legal, psychological, political, religious, scientific, or historical, provides a specific angle from which to approach the topic, leading to a more focused research question.

What is the final output expected from following the steps in the tutorial?

The final output is a clearly defined, appropriately narrow research topic that is suitable for an undergraduate or graduate research paper.

How does the tutorial suggest refining the research question once the aspects are defined?

The tutorial suggests combining the defined aspects of the topic to form a clear and solid research question, which may require some iteration and adjustment.

What resources does the tutorial recommend for additional help in forming a focused research topic?

The tutorial recommends reaching out to SI librarians for additional help, which can be done via email or through a one-on-one Zoom conference.

What is the significance of the two pyramids shown in the tutorial?

The two pyramids illustrate how starting with the same broad subject area, such as healthcare, can lead to two very different research topics based on the specific interests and choices made by different students.