GENS 279 - Indianapolis

Topic development is the process of going from a broad topic to a specific research question or questions. 

A large topic will include many different facets. You can not cover every facet of a topic within your research paper. 

Read a background article

Read an article about your broad topic. Reading a little about your topic first will help you choose the best angle for your research. Check out some sources for background articles below.

Create a Concept Map

One way to explore the different possibilities for focusing on your topic is to create a topic map. A topic map may also be called a mind map or a concept map. 

To create a topic map

1. Write down your main topic 
2. Draw branches to connect subtopics that are facets of the larger main topic. 
3. Further refine the subtopics by creating another set of branches to add keywords, specific parties, or concepts that are related to the sub-topic. 

Choose your Research Focus

The concept map provides you with a visual representation of the broad topic. 

Look over your map and decide what parts or aspects of the topic interest you most. 

Phrase research focus as a question. 

          What changes are needed to infrastructure to support electric cars?

         Can renewable energy replace fossil fuels? 

         Can changing to alternative energy sources reverse climate change? 

 

Further Refine your topic with a Person, Place, or Time 

 

A person may be an individual, a group of people (such as a specific demographic), a corporation, or an institution. 

Does Tesla's supercharge network improve electric car infrastructure? 

When you add a place to your search you are adding a country or other geographic region to your question. 

How does Scotland's windfarm impact the country's power grid?

Adding a Thing or additional concept further refines your question. 

What impact do offshore wind farms have on climate change?

A time will limit your question to either a historical time frame or a current one. 

How have countries changed their energy production since the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement?