First Year > How to do Research > Getting Started: Define Your Topic

1. Choose a Topic

When you are selecting a topic to write on, it's important to:

• choose a topic that interests you.
• understand the requirements of the assignment and follow your instructor's directions.
• talk to your TA or professor if you don't understand the assignment, are having trouble choosing a topic, or have any questions.

2. Refine the Topic

Many students choose a very general topic for their papers, but having a topic which is too general could mean that you'll find too much information to sort through, or information that's irrelevant or inappropriate.

If your sample topic = student stress, then ask yourself some refining questions, like:

• What kind of student stress am I interested in? Exam/test anxiety, residence life issues, parental expectations, relationships, etc.
• What time period am I interested in? Current information, past studies, trends?
• What aspect of stress am I interested in? Psychological, sociological? Health/medical?
• What location am I interested in? Canada, the U.S., anywhere? Manitoba only?
• Do I need to consider things like age, gender, year level?

After the refining process, the topic now looks like: "How does residence life affect first year students' health and behaviour?"