The document provides tips for narrowing down a research topic by asking questions to explore different aspects and categories of the topic. It suggests generating questions to learn more about subtopics, how the topic relates to larger systems or histories, and comparing/contrasting different types of the topic. Sample questions are given about the topic of vegans to illustrate how to narrow a broad topic through questioning.

1. Finding Your Angle Senior Project Research

2. Why good researchers are like good detectives Need to find information Experience dead ends Uncooperative and misleading informants Follow leads Persevere despite obstacles Case always gets solved Answers lead to deeper, more significant questions Tough and resilient characters, who despite popular notions, do not need to resort to alcohol and cigarettes to manages their frustration levels with the case.

3. Revolving Research infographic courtesy of UC Libraries

4. Need to narrow topic to make research easier Need to research in order to narrow topic

5. How to narrow your topic

6. Narrowing your topic Develop a Central Question infographic courtesy of UC Libraries

7. Good detectives ask good questions

8. What are the parts of your topic, and how do they relate to one another? Topic

9. What are the parts of your topic, and how do they relate to one another? Vegan Food Politics People Health

10. Are there different kinds of vegans? How much variety is in the vegan diet? What clothing restrictions do vegans have? Are animal products used in other things besides food and clothing? How political is the vegan movement? Does a vegan diet help or hurt your overall health? Do vegans own pets? Are vegans happier? healthier? Topic: Vegans

11. Now, your turn... Write 10 questions on the sub parts of your topic What are the parts of your topic, and how do they relate to one another? Topic

12. How is your topic part of a larger system? Topic

13. How is your topic part of a larger system? Vegan Health Animal Rights Food Production Vegetarianism

14. What contributes to people living longer: better health or better medicine? Are humans meant to be carnivores? Do animals have personalities? Do animals have a soul? What influences our food choices? Is our food production helping or hurting the world’s population? Is it better to be vegetarian or vegan? Are cows treated better in India than in the U.S.? Topic: Vegans

15. Now, your turn... Write 10 questions on the larger systems your topic is a part of. How is your topic part of a larger system? Topic

16. Categories How can your topic be grouped into kinds?

17. Topic: Vegans Vegans by choice Vegans by necessity Child-Teen vegans Vegan athletes Indian vegans Celebrity vegans Political vegans Vegan ranchers Vegan chefs

18. How does your topic compare to and contrast with others like it?

19. Are vegan diets more popular than vegan lifestyles? How do Indian vegans compare to vegans in the U.S.? How are the reasons people choose veganism similar or different? Are all animal rights activists vegan? Do teen vegans do better in school? Are child vegans healthier than non-vegan children? How do vegan athletes compare with non-vegan athletes? Are you considered vegan if your food allergies force you to eat a vegan diet? Topic: Vegans

20. Now, your turn... Write 10 questions comparing and contrasting these different types How can your topic be grouped into kinds? Topic Type 1:____________ Type 2:____________ Type 3:____________ Type 4:____________ Type 5:____________ Type 6:____________

21. How and why has your topic changed through time, as something with its own history? Topic now Topic before Topic before 1988 1994 1983 1998 1990

22. How has the number of vegans changed over time? Is veganism a trend that will disappear soon? Have vegans become more or less political over time? Have the reasons people choose to become vegan changed? What historical figures made people aware of veganism? Were vegans always linked to the animal rights movement? Topic: Vegans

23. Now, your turn... Write 10 questions on how your topic has changed over time How and why has your topic changed through time, as something with its own history? Topic now Topic before Topic before

24. How and why is your topic an episode in a larger history? 1920 1940 1960 1980 2008 Feminism or Pop Music or Fashion

25. How has our food supply changed over time? Has the change in food production affected our diet choices? Has the rise of factory farming turned more people into vegans? Have we become kinder or crueler to animals over time? How have restaurants or cafeterias changed as a result of the vegan movement? Topic: Vegans

26. Now, your turn... Write 10 questions on the larger history your topic is connected to How and why is your topic an episode in a larger history? 1920 1940 1960 1980 2008 Topic

27. How good or bad is your topic? Is it useful? Good Bad

28. How good or bad is your topic? Is it useful? Good Bad

29. Is a vegan diet safe for kids? Are vegans more ethical than carnivores? Do vegans deny their own animal instincts? If animals kill and eat each other, why shouldn’t we? Is there a way to eat an animal and feel good about it? Are vegans forcing their lifestyle on others? Is it possible to live without consuming animal products? Don’t we need to control the animal population? Topic: Vegans

30. Now, your turn... Write 10 questions evaluating the pros and cons of your topic Evaluate your topic: What do you like and not like about it? Like about topic Good Bad Don’t like about topic

31. Ask What if? and other speculative questions

32. What if McDonalds only sold vegan food? What if every school had a working farm? If everyone had to slaughter their own animals, would more people be vegan? Would cows overpopulate the earth if everyone were vegan? Would animals eat us if we didn’t eat them? What if fruits and vegetables were subsidized by the government? Topic: Vegans

33. Now, your turn... Write 10 What if? and other speculative questions about your topic

34. Narrowing your topic Read! Read! Read!

35. Narrowing your topic Example: LARP

36. Organize your keywords

37. Organize your keywords BROAD Narrow

38. Organize your keywords BROAD Narrow Drama Role Play Performance Art Avatars Dungeon & Dragons Psychology Game theory Improvisation Fantasy Games Vampires Renaissance Faire History

39. Where do I find stuff to read?

40. Databases Google Scholar Magazine search engines Search for books!

41. Enter keyword here

42. Success!

43. Databases Google Scholar Magazine search engines Search for articles!

44. Databases Google Scholar Magazine search engines Search for articles!

54. New questions How is adult role play similar or different than child role play? Why is one supported and the other ridiculed?

55. Databases Google Scholar Magazine search engines Search for articles!

61. ?

63. !

65. New question If people pretend to be violent do they become more loving?

66. Databases Google Scholar Magazine search engines Search for articles!

71. New question Who says fantasy can’t save your life?

72. Use this

73. ?

74. Limit!

75. !

77. Organize your research with....

78. http://www.vimeo.com/12687333

81. Success!

82. Revolving Research