Developing a viable research topic requires some critical thinking skills. When defining your topic, it is helpful to consider the following:

• State your topic as a question

• Identify concepts

• If needed, narrow or broaden your topic

If you like, print this page and use it help you formulate your questions.

1. Formulate two or three questions on your topic:

   1. _____________________________.

   2. _____________________________.

   3. _____________________________.




2. Choose one of your questions and pick out two or three significant words:

   1. ___________.

   2. ___________.

   3. ___________.

Now list synonyms and related concepts for your topic:

________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________

________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________

________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________

Now try to create more focused or narrower questions by using some of the additional terms from the list you created:

1. _____________________________.

2. _____________________________.

3. _____________________________.