Choosing Topics

Commit to a Single Viable Topic

Some things to consider when committing to a viable topic are strength of the topic, personal interest, deadline, and source availability.

Just because a topic is interesting, does not necessarily mean it is an appropriate topic to commit to. Controversial ideas may be easy to form an opinion on, but they can be difficult to argue without introducing bias or excluding certain standpoints. Choosing a topic that is concise and less obvious will make formulating an argument simpler.

The all-nighters you might have pulled in Strozier last semester may lead you to think otherwise, but research papers do not happen over the span of one night. Whatever topic you choose must peak your interest enough to last week of researching and writing. Most college students do not get excited about surfing the web for reliable sources or sitting down and writing a paper, therefore picking a topic that interests you is important. Staying attentive and learning new things about something that interests you takes some of the misery out of the process, and dare I say, might make it even somewhat enjoyable.

Another aspect this section advises to consider is the deadline. Some topics can be more extensive than others when it comes to research, and it is important to be cautious that you are not biting of more than you can chew in the time that is allotted to complete the assignment thoroughly.

Finally, although finding something of interest is important, a topic that is too current may not have adequate research available, so being cognizant of the amount of research needed to support your argument is necessary when deciding on a viable topic.