The document discusses the importance of selecting subtopics when conducting research. It explains that subtopics focus the research by answering questions about the topic and create a plan to explore it. Good subtopics come from brainstorming general ideas or pre-searching for specific concepts. The document provides examples of general subtopics for people, places, things and suggests using resources like tables of contents or bold headings to find specific subtopics. It advises determining the number of subtopics based on the research time available and one's ability to complete the work.

1. The Research Process Putting the pieces together. Topic Subtopics Sources Read/Think/Select Notetake Sort & Number Notes

2. Copyright 2002 Deborah B. Stanley All rights reserved No part of this CD-ROM may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the author. Each copy of this CD-ROM is a single user copy to be used by that person for student instruction and/or staff presentation. Made and distributed by Deborah B. Stanley [email_address] All images are from MS PowerPoint Clip Art Gallery and from the Microsoft Office “Design Gallery Live” at http://dgl.microsoft.com/?CAG=1

3. Let’s focus on: Selecting Subtopics Subtopics

4. Concepts to Consider “ What do I want to know about my topic?” Where do they come from? Why are subtopics so important? How do I know if a subtopic is “good”? Subtopics focus research by answering the question: How many should I use? Subtopics

5. Subtopics focus your research: “ WHAT do I want to know about (my topic)?” Subtopics “ HOW do I create a plan to explore (my topic)?”

6. Why are subtopics so important? “ You have absolutely Because if you don’t have subtopics, NO idea what you are doing!” Subtopics

7. Subtopics become the plan for research! Like an architect’s blueprints, Or a doctor’s x-ray, Subtopic Subtopic Subtopic Subtopics Topic

8. How do I know if a subtopic is “good”? Information Subtopics

9. Where do subtopics come from? General subtopics Specific subtopics can be brainstormed. must be pre-searched. subtopics subtopics subtopics subtopics subtopics subtopics Subtopics

10. General subtopics examples: Person: Early life, Education, Accomplishments, Later life Place: Origin, History, Leaders, Economy, Culture, etc. Thing: Who, What, When, Where, Why, How Subtopics

11. This simple story explains general subtopics: A little boy walks into the elementary school library and asks the library media teacher for help because he’s writing a report about dinosaurs. Seeing the difficulty of too much information, the LMT asks, “Perhaps you want to know about its body--what it looked like?” “ Yes, I do!,” said the little boy. “ Maybe you want to know what it ate?,” she asks. “ Yes, my teacher said I need to include that.” “ Maybe you want to know where it lived?” As you can see, the library teacher was guiding him to choose subtopics in order to filter information. Subtopics

12. Specific subtopics examples: Early life, Surveyor, Soldier, General, President Gallo-Roman, Medieval, Renaissance, Enlightenment Inventor, Uses, Improvements Paris: Photovoltaic cell: George Washington: “ I need to search for specific ways to tackle this topic.” Subtopics

13. Look for specific subtopics in: Just like topics, “ pre-search” to research! subtopics subtopics subtopics subtopics subtopics subtopics Book’s table of contents Encyclopedia’s bold subheads Textbook’s units and chapter titles Internet web site’s index or subsections Subtopics

14. How many subtopics should I use? How do I start? How can I adjust? Budget your time according to when your project is due. You or your teacher can judge your ability to access, evaluate, and use information, Fewer days of research = fewer subtopics “ So in a week, can I do ten subtopics?” Well, can you? and your motivation to complete tasks! Subtopics

15. Remember, subtopics are the guideposts on the road to to information management. subtopic subtopic subtopic subtopic