Choosing a research topic and narrowing it down.

2. It is important that you select a
topic of interest to you:
Researching will be more fun
Audience will be interested if you are
enthusiastic about your topic.

3. Choosing an interesting topic
When looking for a topic consider:
 that it is a
This means you are adding a new angle or dimension to what
already exists or discover something completely new.
Re+ SearchRe+ Search
Knowledge gap Solving a Problem

4. Criteria for selecting a
topic:
 What should be my area of investigation?
 Why do I want to investigate it?
 How will this topic appeal to my readers’/listeners’
interests?
 Will I be able to offer a new perspective on this
topic?
 Choose a subject of some significance. A subject of
lasting interest will be challenging and gratifying to
pursue. You will be spending a great deal of time and
effort on this so make sure it's of value.

5. STAGE 1
THINKING
ABOUT THE TOPIC

6. Thinking
We start in a general way, by thinking in
broad terms about what the area of my topic
is. Does it consists of the various areas which
might deserve investigation. Example:
“I want to do a research in translation.”
Theories
Practices Problems
Strategies

7. How to do it:
• Choose one area and investigate.
• Discuss with colleagues the questions
relating to that area.
• Identify in your discussion aspects of your
choice which might deserve closer
examination and which could form a
general theme for your research.

8. STAGE 2
JUSTIFYING YOUR CHOICE
WHY DO I WANT TO INVESTIGATE IT?

9. A well-justified topic is one which:
•will contribute to local, national or even
international understanding
• will be useful for your own professional
development
• you are interested in (even if you do not
know a great deal about it) and want to have
an in-depth study and present interesting
facts.

10. How to do it:
• Scan the quality newspapers and other media for
news and comment about the issue.
• Quick-read a couple of recently published books
or journal articles about it to see what issues are
examined, or (even better) which are
recommended ‘for further research’.
• Listen to teachers and other professionals or
people involved in the area.
• Use what you learn to refine and adapt your idea
for your research topic.

11. Magazine
or
Newspaper
Articles

12. STAGE 3
NARROW-DOWN
WHY DO I WANT TO INVESTIGATE IT?

13. The final stage of choosing a topic
is to sharpen the focus of your
choice, so you can investigate a
precise issue in depth.

14. • Topic of your research should be neither too
general nor too specific.
• If it is too general you will be flooded with
information, will lose focus and will have a lot
of work thus making your research difficult.
Example: Arabic- English Translation 
• If it is too narrow, you may not get enough
information on the topic, will be frustrated and
your research will lack enough evidences thus
making it difficult.
Example: Difficulties faced by undergraduate students in
Arabic-English translation with special reference to
vocabulary. 

15. STUDENTS’ DIFFICULTIES IN
ARABIC - ENGLISH TRANSLATION
0R
THE PROBLEM OF VOCABULARY
IN ARABIC-ENGLISH
TRANSLATION

So an ideal topic would be:

16. Some Strategies to Help Focus Your Topic
Aspect -- choose one lens through which to view the
research problem, or look at just one facet of it [e.g., rather
than studying the role of food in Culture and Tradition in
Asian countries; study different types of food in Japan, or,
the role of one particular type of food among in Asian
countries].
Components -- determine if your initial variables or unit of
analyses can be broken into smaller parts, which can then be
analysed more precisely [e.g., Use of technology in class-
rooms can be broken down to use of Smart Boards in class-
rooms].

17. • Place -- the smaller the area of analysis,
the more narrow the focus [e.g., rather than
study culture of Africa, study the culture of
Egypt].
• Relationship -- how do two or more
different perspectives or variables relate to
one another? [e.g., cause/effect,
compare/contrast, contemporary/historical,
group/individual, male/female,
opinion/reason, problem/solution].

18. Time -- the shorter the time period, the more narrow
the focus.
Type -- focus your topic in terms of a specific type or
class of people, places, or things [e.g., a study of traffic
patterns near schools can focus only on SUVs, or just
student drivers, or just the timing of stoplights in the
area].
Combination -- use two or more of the above strategies
to focus your topic very narrowly.

19. A Quick - Tip
Apply one of the above first to determine
if that gives you a manageable research
problem to investigate; combining
multiple strategies risks creating the
opposite problem--your topic becomes too
narrowly defined and you can't locate
enough research or data to support your
study.

20. How to do it:
• Examine an aspect/age-group/area of the
topic
• Ask yourself
1. What does the audience most likely know about
this subject?
2. What elements are most important to this topic?
3. How much can I competently research and
speak in the time I am given to speak?

21. 1. Second Language Acquisition

23. GENERAL TOPIC:
1. Tooth- Decay
2. Scientists/Mathematicians
3. Mobile Phones
4. Life before Islam
5. Tennis
NARROWED TOPIC:
1.Causes of Tooth Decay
2. Albert Einstein's Impact
on the 20th Century
3. Effects of Mobile Phones
on Teens
4. Life of women before
Islam.
5. The Rise in Popularity of
Women's Tennis

24. NEXT WHAT…?!
Got the topic?

25. STEP 1:
• Print the information OUT. Be sure to print
out the information from the website.
• I encourage you NOT to copy and paste it into
Microsoft Word because you will lose
valuable information, including who wrote it,
when it was published, etc. You will need this
information when we create our bibliography.
• REMEMBER: The first step is to just get
familiar with your topic. You are simply
using any search engine to research your
topic to see if you are interested in writing
about it.
• More serious evaluation and gathering of
information from credible sources will take
place in the library.
Once I start researching my topic, what
do I do with the information?

26. STEP 2:
• YOU MUST READ your
information.
• After you have printed out a
valuable piece of information about
your topic, highlight important
information.
• Decide if this is the topic you want
to write your paper on. Don’t be
surprised if your opinion changes.
Once I start researching my topic, what
do I do with the information?

27. TOPIC SUMMARY
Preparing your

28. PARAGRAPHS
•Paragraph # 1 Introduction
•Paragraph # 2 Background
What information is available and what is missing about the topic
(may be divided into more paragraphs)
•Paragraph # 3 Justification
•The reason behind the research and your aims/objectives
•Supporting Evidence (supporting evidence may require the use
of more than one paragraph to explain a sub-topic)
•Paragraph # 4 Sub Topic
•Supporting Evidence (supporting evidence may require the use
of more than one paragraph to explain a sub-topic)
•Paragraph # 5 Conclusion
How will we write the summary once we’ve finished
gathering our sources?

29. Paragraph # 1
INTRODUCTION:
How will we write this paper once we’ve finished
gathering our sources?

30. BODY PARAGRAPHS
•Paragraph # 2 Background
What information is available and what is missing about the topic
(may be divided into more paragraphs)
HOW TO DO IT:
1. Find an example of published research relating to THE TOPIC.
2. Read it carefully, annotating the text.
How will we write the summary once we’ve finished
gathering our sources?

31. 3. Answer these questions:
A) What is the main topic of this research? Why was this topic worth
investigating?
B) What specific questions did the research try to answer?
C) What published material (‘ literature’) has been used to provide
the background or context to the topic being researched?
D) What methods were used to collect data? Who were involved as
participants?
E) What does this research report say about validity, reliability and
ethics?
F)How were data analysed? What findings were produced?
G) How might these findings may be informative?
How will we write the summary once we’ve finished
gathering our sources?

32. The most important question to ask:
How will we write the summary once we’ve finished
gathering our sources?
(h) What is my/ our opinion of this research? What are its
strengths and weaknesses? What criticisms do I/ we have
of the investigation? How might it have been improved?
This extra question gives you an opportunity to be
analytical and constructively critical.
(h) What is my/ our opinion of this research? What are its
strengths and weaknesses? What criticisms do I/ we have
of the investigation? How might it have been improved?
This extra question gives you an opportunity to be
analytical and constructively critical.

33. BODY PARAGRAPHS
How will we write the summary once we’ve finished
gathering our sources?
•Paragraph # 3 Justification
International: The first option is the broadest of all. Is the topic you
are investigating an area of international concern?
National: Closer to home, is your topic an area of concern in your
own country? Is it discussed by government, educators or even the
general public? Does it relate to curriculum or social developments
specific to your country?
Local: Is this an issue which education professionals in your locality
(or even at your anticipated research venue) wish to understand
better, or address in their own practice?
Professional: This area of justification relates more to your own
needs as a developing professional. Will your investigation help you
to do your job better or advance your career, or both?
How to dot it

34. Personal: Lastly, your own interests can provide
relevant personal justification for choosing a
particular topic. Note that interest is not the
same as expertise, so the topic could be an area
which you do not know much about. Indeed, this
may mean you are more curious and questioning
when you carry out your research.
How will we write this paper once we’ve finished
gathering our sources?

35. CONCLUSION
Paragraph # 5
• Rephrased Thesis Statement
• Briefly discuss main points (sub-topics) again
• Suggest how your research will make a
difference in the field of study that you have
chosen.
How will we write this paper once we’ve finished
gathering our sources?

36. Research Proposal
At a later stage you will write a
research proposal which will consist
of detailed information related to the
topic.
It will have these parts


38. ORGANIZE
ORGANIZE
ORGANIZE
ORGANIZE
ORGANIZE
ORGANIZE
Once I start researching my topic, what
do I do with the information?

39. STEP 3:
Divide the information in categories.
Once I start researching my topic, what
do I do with the information?
Information related to the background 1Information related to the background 1
Information related to your introductionInformation related to your introduction
Information related to your contributionInformation related to your contribution
Information related to justificationInformation related to justification
Information related to your background 2Information related to your background 2

40. Cell – Phone Culture in Saudi Arabia
Class room - activity
Organizing information in color codes