1. How to Narrow a Research Topic
Adopted from OSU Libraries

2. Ask yourself these questions:
When your research topic is too broad,
ask these questions:
• Who?
How to Narrow a Research Topic
• What?
• When?
• Where?
• Why?

3. Topic: Immigration reform
• Example broad topic: Immigration reform
• This topic is too broad and needs to be
narrowed down to something more
specific.

4. Use AND, OR, NOT
Use AND to narrow down a topic. Use OR to broaden a topic.
Use NOT to eliminate a information not wanted.

5. Who?
TOPIC: Immigration reform
How to Narrow a Research Topic
Populations
Age
NEW TOPIC:
Gender
Immigration reform
for Latinos.
Race or
Ethnicity

6. What?
TOPIC: Immigration reform
How to Narrow a Research Topic
Types
Build a Fence
NEW TOPIC:
Tough Laws
How will building a
border fence effect
Amnesty
illegal immigration?

7. When?
TOPIC: Immigration reform
How to Narrow a Research Topic
Timeframes
Current or
historical NEW TOPIC:
view
Illegal immigration’s
Period of effect on young
life males.

8. Where?
TOPIC: Immigration reform
How to Narrow a Research Topic
Places
States NEW TOPIC:
Illegal immigration in
Regions
Arizona.
Countries

9. Why?
TOPIC: Immigration reform
How to Narrow a Research Topic
Evaluate
Causes
NEW TOPIC:
Treatments
Potential solutions
Outcomes for dealing with
illegal immigration.

10. Mix n’ Match
Combine any number of elements that you derive from asking
these questions until you find an interesting topic to research.
How to Narrow a Research Topic
Some examples:
• Causes and treatment of anorexia in college athletes.
• Prevalence of bulimia in teen-age males in the United States.
• Changes in treatment for compulsive overeaters, 1950-present.

11. Narrow your topic
Use the following resources for an
overview of your topic:
1. Encyclopedias – Give a brief
summary
1. Print – Found on the Reference Shelves
2. Online - Gale Virtual Reference Library
2. Opposing Viewpoints – (Reference
Articles)
3. CQ Researcher (Print and Online)

12. Gun Control
In California
New Laws
Crime
Would there be less crime in California if new laws controlling guns were passed?

13. Obesity
Youth
Junk Food
Schools
Could the obesity epidemic plaguing our youth be solved by eliminating junk food from schools ?

14. Construct a keyword search
Research question:
Could the obesity epidemic plaguing our youth be solved by eliminating junk
food from schools ?
Sample Search
“junk food”
And (obesity or obese)
And School*