RAMAT 110: Race Matters, First-Year Seminar

Selecting a topic can be one of the most challenging aspects of a research project, so it is important not to wait until the last minute to begin this step in the research process. The following suggestions are offered to help you get started.

1. Carefully read the assignment instructions.

In most cases, your course instructor will offer some general guidelines about what they expect, so it is important to start with a clear understanding of those parameters by carefully reading through the assignment instructions and consulting with your instructor about any questions you have before you begin.

2. Start with a general topic, then make it more specific.

If your instructor has not assigned a general topic or theme for your research assignment, it will help to start by identifying a general topic from the course which interests you and then work to hone that topic into a specific thesis or question as you conduct your research and learn more about it. Even if your topic is pre-determined by the instructor, you can make it your own by focusing on a particular aspect which interests you. The research and writing process will be more enjoyable (or, at least, less painful) if you care about the topic you are investigating.

3. Consider what you already know.

Once you understand what is expected for an assignment and have a general topic in mind, you should consider what relevant background information you have already learned in the class to help guide your selection of a specific research topic. Here your class notes, readings, and syllabus can be helpful, since those will indicate key theories, authors, and other concepts related to your research topic that your instructor finds important. To help you develop your topic statement, try to identify at least 3 ideas from class related to the assignment and reflect on how they are connected.

4. Write your topic statement as either a thesis or as a question.

Once you have a clear understanding of the assignment and a topic which interests you, try writing your topic statement as either a thesis you want to defend or as a question you want to answer. Keep in mind that your initial topic statement may not end up being the final topic you write about; for example, your topic statement may need to be broadened or narrowed as you learn more about it via the research process.