Introduction
Maybe you already have a topic in mind. Or perhaps you aren't sure
what you want the topic of your speech or paper to be. Either way, this
four-step guide will
help you to choose a topic, find background information, narrow
the focus of your topic,
and write a topic statement that will help guide the
development of your speech or paper.
Generate Ideas
Think about the following questions. Better yet, take a pen and
paper and write down some responses. You will, of course, need to keep the
parameters of the assignment in mind.
| Questions: |
Examples: |
What is your
major?
What aspects of
your major interest you? |
Education -
bilingualism in the US.
Agriculture - feeding the world.
Graphic design - how color influences mood. |
| What hobbies or special interests do you
have? |
Body
piercing. Saving the environment. |
| Is there
a topic that you think your classmates should know about? |
Destruction of rainforests by oil
companies.
The
side-effects of secondhand smoke.
|
| What topics have been in the news lately? |
Browse through newspapers, online or
in the Library, to learn about current events. |
It is okay to think broadly at this point. You will narrow
your topic by looking at some background information and
asking yourself some questions about your topic.
Find Background Information
Look at your list of topics. You might have to
discard topics as not appropriate for this assignment. Choose
one or two that interest you the most as potential topics. Keep
in mind your audience and the assignment.
The topics on your list are quite broad. A way to start to
narrow your topic is to look at some general background information
about the subject.
- One of the best places to look for background information is in
encyclopedias. The Library has many encyclopedias, both
general ones, like Encyclopaedia Britannica, and more
specific ones such as the Concise Encyclopaedia of
Foods and Nutrition.
As you read the encyclopedia entries, note interesting facts or
ideas. (Write down some answers to these questions.) The example
below shows how you can move from a simple idea (here, coffee) to an
actual topic. Be sure
to include the source(s) of your information, since you will need
this information for your bibliography.
| Questions: |
Example answers
topic:
coffee
|
| What new things have
you learned about the topic? |
Coffee has been cultivated since the 15th century.
The first coffeehouse opened in 1652 in London. Coffee is
consumed by a third of the world. |
| What aspects of the topic might be interesting to
include in your speech or paper? |
The history of coffee drinking.
The popularity of coffee in the United States.
How caffeine works in the human body. |
| What new questions do you have about the topic as
a result of reading this encyclopedia entry? |
How much land is used to grow coffee?
How much money is made from coffee sales each year?
What is the chemical structure of caffeine? |
Note: While
encyclopedias are great starting places, you'll definitely want
to use more sources in preparing your research, such as books or journal articles, in order to
have a well-balanced examination of facts and issues.
Narrow Your Topic
By now you have a general topic (or two) and some
background information. Your topic is probably still too broad
and needs to be more manageable.
Take a look at the questions that you answered
about your topic and brainstorm what some narrower aspects of the
topic might be. Write down your ideas.
Here's a list following the example of the topic
coffee:
- History of coffee growing
- Popularity of coffeehouses
- Impact of coffee on the world economy
- How caffeine works in the human body
- Coffee - from growing to brewing
Review the list that you just made. Choose one
or two narrower topics. Keep the following in mind:
- Who is your audience?
Which of these narrower topics will be the most interesting
to both you and your audience? Which topics will be
understood by the audience? (Is the audience a
professor reading a paper, or other students listening to a
presentation?)
- What are the specifics of the assignment?
Which topics will fit? (Note that the above
examples are all informative in nature, perhaps not good for
a persuasive speech or paper. A related topic focused
on chemistry might interest you, but not be appropriate for
an economics course.)
- How long do you have to cover the topic? Is
it still too broad?
- Which of these narrower topics interests
you the most? After all, you need to do further
research on this topic... it will be more difficult if it
doesn't interest you.
Now that you have settled on a more specific topic,
write it down as topic statement.
Write a Topic Statement
A topic statement expresses the topic and purpose of your paper or
speech. You will refer to the topic statement as you start your
research. Referring to your topic statement during research can
help you stay focused.
Continuing the theme of coffee, here is an example topic statement:
I will persuade the reader that
moderate consumption of coffee is beneficial. I will
use recent information on the health aspects (mental and
physical) of coffee consumption. I will also address
the negative aspects of excessive coffee drinking.
Background information will include how caffeine is
processed by the human body.
