Narrowing Down A Research Topic0

Narrowing Down a
Research Topic: Ultimate

Guide With Examples
Research Methodology
MA I LC
Tutor: Dr. GUERZA Radia
A Step-by-Step Example on Narrowing a
Research Topic
1. Choose a general topic area.
An example could be employee turnover.
2. Give specific description of the topic area.
Example: turnover in the nursing industry
3. Mention an aspect of the specific topic:
Example: factors that affect turnover among
registered nurses
To narrow down a topic’s focus, follow these steps:
4. Note down extra specifics about the topic.
Example: Workplace stress and turnover among
registered nurses.
5. Turn the topic into a sentence or statement.
Example: Workplace stress has a significant impact on
turnover among registered nurses.
6. Fine-tune your topic’s focus using elements such as
time, place, and relationship.
Example: Workplace stress causes increased turnover
among registered nurses in Brooklyn.
What’s Too Broad?
The Dangers of Not Narrowing Down
 Finding tons of sources of information, which makes it
difficult to choose what to omit or include, or what’s the most
essential.
 Finding generic information that makes it tricky to come up
with a clear framework for addressing the research problem
 Lack of adequate parameters to effectively define the research
problem makes it challenging to identify and use correct
methods required for its analysis.
 You come across information that addresses a wide array of
concepts that can’t be included in a single paper.
Consequently, you easily get into unnecessary details.
Tips For Narrowing A Research Topic
Aspect
Select one lens and use it for viewing a
research problem. The other alternative is
to focus on just one angle. For example,
instead of studying the different factors
that cause cancer, study how smoking can
cause lung cancer.
Components
Figure out if the initial unit or variable of
analysis can be partitioned into smaller
components, so you analyze them with more
precision. For example, a study on the use of
tobacco among teenagers can be narrowed
down to chewing tobacco instead of all forms
of tobacco use or teenagers in general. A better
approach would be to focus on male teenagers
in a specific age range and region who chew
tobacco.
Methodology
The methods used to gather data can
reduce the scope of interpretive
analysis required to address your
research problem. For example, you
can design a single case study to
generate data that won’t require an
extensive explanation as that of using
multiple cases.
Place
In general, analyzing a smaller geographical
unit means a narrow topical focus. For
example, instead of studying trade relations in
Asia, focus on trade relations between China
and Singapore as a case study to guide you in
explaining problems in that region.
Relationship
Find out how two or more variables
or perspectives relate to each other.
When you design a study around the
correlation of different variables, it
helps you to reduce the scope of your
analysis.
Examples of variables to look out for
are:
 Cause and effect
 Group and individual
 Compare and contrast
 Contemporary and historical
 Problem and solution
 Male and female
 Opinion and reason
Time
Study periods can be assigned timeframes.
Generally, the shorter a study’s time
period, the more narrow its focus
becomes. For example, instead of studying
trade relations between China and
Singapore, focus on the trade relations
between China and Singapore between
2010 and 2018.
Type
Focus the study topic with regard to a
particular class of people, phenomena,
or places. For instance, a study of
developing better housing near schools
may focus on condominiums,
universities, or building materials
only.
Combination
You can choose at least two of the
above tips to narrow down to a
specific topic.
1.First start out with a general topic.
Take the topic and break it down into
categories by asking the five W’s and H.
1.Who? (American Space Exploration)
2.What? (Manned Space Missions)
3.Where? (Moon Exploration)
4.When? (Space exploration in the
1960’s)
5.Why? (Quest to leave Earth)
6.How? (Rocket to the Moon: Space
Exploration)
2. Now consider the following question areas to generate specific
ideas to narrow down your topic.
1. Problems faced? (Sustaining Life in Space: Problems with
space exploration)
2. Problems overcome? (Effects of zero gravity on astronauts)
3. Motives? (Beating the Russians: Planning a moon mission)
4. Effects on a group? (Renewing faith in science: aftershock
of the Moon mission)
5. Member group? (Designing a moon lander: NASA
engineers behind Apollo 11)
6. Group affected? (From Test Pilots to Astronauts: the new
heroes of the Air force)
7. Group benefited? (Corporations that made money from the
American Space Program)
8. Group responsible for/paid for _____ (The billion dollar
bill: taxpayer reaction to the cost of sending men to the
moon)
3. Finally, refine your ideas by considering
the S.O.C.R.A.P.R. model.
1.S = Similarities (Similar issues to
overcome between the 1969 moon
mission and the planned 2009 Mars
Mission)
2.O = Opposites (American pro and con
opinions about the first mission to the
moon)
3.C = Contrasts (Protest or patriotism:
different opinions about cost vs. benefit
of the moon mission)
4. R = Relationships (the NASA family: from
the scientists on earth to the astronauts in the
sky)
5. A = Anthropomorphisms [interpreting
reality in terms of human values] (Space: the
final frontier)
6. P = Personifications [giving objects or
descriptions human qualities] (the eagle has
landed: animal symbols and metaphors in the
space program)
7. R = Repetition (More missions to the moon:
Pro and Con American attitudes to landing
more astronauts on the moon)
Narrowing Down A Research Topic
Is Vital
Useful References:
Narrowing Down Research Topic: Ultimate Guide With Examples:
https://www.thesishelpers.com/blog/narrowing-down-research-topic/
Text: Ways to Narrow Down a Topic
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/waymaker-level1-english-gen/chapter/text-
ways-to-narrow-down-a-
topic/#:~:text=Steps%20to%20Narrowing%20a%20Topic,the%20five%20W'
s%20and%20H.&text=Now%20consider%20the%20following%20question,t
o%20narrow%20down%20your%20topic.&text=Finally%2C%20refine%20
your%20ideas%20by%20by%20considering%20the%20S.O.C.R.A.P.R./
How to Narrow Your Topic :
http://ww.gavilan.edu/library/documents/narrow_topic.pdf
Selecting and Narrowing down a Topic:
https://www.lagrange.edu/resources/documents/Selecting%20and%20Narrow
ing%20Topic.pdf

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