A topic that is manageable for a research project will not be too broad or too narrow. Manageable topics generally have two to three concepts. Examples of manageable topics include:
- Do children sent to daycare or preschool start kindergarten with more highly developed language skills?
- What impact has deregulation had on commercial airline safety?
Topics with one concept are generally too broad.
- global warming
- body image
- food safety
When a topic idea is too broad, common ways to break down an idea include: place, time period, gender, age group, or ethnic group.
Topics with more that three concepts are usually too narrow.
- What are the 14 different disease-causing genes that were discovered in 2000?
- Are genetically altered soybeans grown in Iowa safe for human or animal use?
Using less specificity will be necessary when a topic idea is too narrow.
Check out the Picking Your Topic is Research video on this page for more specifics on selecting a manageable topic.
"Choosing a Topic" information was based on the information in following websites. Suny Empire State College, DePaul University Library, and Walden University.
