Choosing a good topic is a balancing act. Not too narrow. Not too broad. How can you tell if you're on the right path?
As a general guideline, topics with 2 - 3 concepts are workable:
Only one concept is too broad:
More than three concepts is usually too narrow:
The above guidelines are based on information from Walden University Library. A brief exercise in choosing the best research question is available from SUNY Empire State College.
New to your topic? Don't know where to start?
A helpful first step is to get a broad overview of your topic by searching an encyclopedia.
The following are urban studies encyclopedias written by scholars in the field. Reference works like encyclopedias provide a broad overview of a particular topic and can provide ideas for further narrowing a topic and coming up with different search terms.
Wikipedia is another great place to start your research to get a broad over view of a topic. Be aware that since it can be edited by anyone, not just scholars, it may contain erroneous and biased information about a topic.
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