Once you have chosen a general topic idea, the next step is to refine your topic and then formulate a research question.
A topic will be very hard to research if it is too broad or narrow. Pick a topic that is not too broad that you find too much information, and not too specific that you cannot find enough research to support it.
The next few tabs will take you through strategies on how to refine or broaden your research topic.
If you try these strategies and still experience issues in getting your topic to that "sweet spot," then talk to your instructor or a librarian. Your liaison librarian can advise you on how to refine or broaden your topic, so it is "searchable."
Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
One way to narrow a broad topic is to apply context to it, by assigning contextual facets to what you will cover.
For example, you are interested in applying PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions & Support).
| Contextual facets | Examples |
| Discipline / Specific area |
PBIS to improve communication PBIS for emotional and behavioral disorders |
| Population Group |
PBIS in the elementary classroom PBIS for high school students |
| Geographical or Socioeconomic area |
PBIS in rural schools PBIS in urban schools |
| Culture | PBIS for African-American students |
Example: PBIS for high school students with emotional and behavioral disorders.
You could integrate all or some of the facets. Note that if you combine all of the facets, your topic might become too narrow and you might not find enough information!
Below are three different topics that are too broad and how we have gradually refined them so they are in that "sweet spot" of not too specific and not too broad:
| Research topic that is too broad | Topic refined a little | Suitably refined topic | Revised research topic |
|
Engaging apathetic students - in high school | Engaging apathetic students - in high school - in language arts | How can I get my apathetic high school students to become engaged in language arts? |
|
Behavior management strategies - in third-grade classroom | Behavior management strategies - third-grade classroom - for ADHD students | What behavior management strategies can I use for ADHD students in my third-grade classroom? |
|
Positive reinforcement - lower elementary grades | Positive reinforcement - lower elementary grades - disruptive behaviors | What positive reinforcement strategies can I use for disruptive behaviors in lower elementary grades? |
Sometimes, even if you tried to refine your topic just right, you will get too few results on it. You may need to broaden your topic.
A librarian may know advanced search tactics and techniques you have not tried yet to help find results!
If you are still hardly getting any results, broaden your topic a little at a time until you find enough literature. You can expand your research question by widening one of your contextual facets, and if that does not help, getting rid of it altogether. Start by broadening the facet that is least important.
| Topic that is too specific | Broadened a little | Suitably broadened topic | Revised Research Question |
| Managing an overcrowded curriculum in high school physical sciences | Managing an overcrowded curriculum in high school sciences | Managing an overcrowded curriculum in secondary school sciences | How can I manage an overcrowded curriculum in high school sciences? |
| Quantitative and qualitative assessment in the adult language classroom to measure reading comprehension | Assessment in the adult language classroom to measure reading comprehension | Assessment in the adult classroom to measure comprehension | How do I assess in the adult language classroom to measure comprehension? |
| Differentiated instruction by achievement levels in the fourth grade | Differentiated instruction by achievement levels in upper-elementary grades | Differentiated instruction by achievement in elementary school | How do I differentiate instruction by achievement levels in upper-elementary grades? |
GALILEO searches across all of the Libraries' databases at once.
Enter a few keywords and/or "key phrases", or search by title or author > Search or hit Enter/Return
As GALILEO covers a wide range of disciplines, searching within an individual, or a small set of subject-specialty databases can be more on target and efficient. It is worth trying GALILEO first, and then run a similar search in a subject database/set of databases.
Did you know EBSCOhost databases can be searched together?
Enter one of the EBSCOhost databases below> Select 'Choose Databases' > Select desired databases > OK.
Did you know EBSCOhost databases can be searched together?
Enter one of the EBSCOhost databases below> Select 'Choose Databases' > Select desired databases > OK.
PsycARTICLES, from the American Psychological Association (APA), includes full-text, peer-reviewed scholarly and scientific articles in general psychology and specialized basic, applied, clinical, and theoretical research in psychology.