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FYWS The Art of Walking: Topic/Research Question

Choose a Topic

Find ideas in:

  • Your syllabus
  • Your text
  • Class discussion
  • Your life
  • Current events

Keywords to Try When Searching

Try Searches using the following keywords in order to find additional terminology for your topic: 
NOTE: Place quotation marks around phrases of more than 1 word when searching. (EX: "prison reform")

  • neighborhood walkability
  • pedestrian friendly city
  • pedestrian practices
  • pedestrian traffic
  • pedometer or step counter incentive
  • pilgrimage
  • promenade
  • urban walking
  • walkable community
  • walking - exercise, meditation, sociology of, history, philosophy, health behaviors, etc.
  • walking culture
  • walking lifestyle
  • walking meditation
  • walking plans
  • walkabout

Location Examples:

  • The Americas

  • The Lagoons of Huaringas (Peru)
  • Senor de Huanaca (Peru)
  • Inca Trail (Peru)
  • Walking Pilgrimage from Great Meadows to Czestochowa (US)
  • Appalachian Trial (US)
  • John Muir Trail (US)
  • El Camino del Norte A Chimayo (US)

  • Europe

  • La Via Francigena (England/France/Italy)
  • The Pilgrim’s Way (Wales/England)
  • Glastonbury Tor to Stonehenge (England)
  • El Camino de Santiago (Spain/France)
  • St. Olav Way (Norway)
  • Mountains to Monastery (Bulgaria)

  • Asia

  • Kumano Kodo (Japan)
  • Shikoku Pilgrimage (Japan)
  • Mount Kailash Circuit (Tibet)
  • Baekdu-daegan Trail (South Korea)
  • Char Dham (India)

  • Greece & the Middle East

  • The Abraham Path (Middle East)
  • The Jesus Trail (Israel)
  • The Lycian Way (Turkey)
  • Sacred Way (Tinos, Greece)

  • Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania

  • The Walkabout (Australia)
  • Australian National Pilgrimage (Australia)

 

Find Background Information

Background information helps you: 

  • Start thinking about your topic
  • See the big picture
  • Identify major issues
  • Discover something that interests you

Use quality, professionally produced sources to familiarize yourself with the topic (not just Google and Wikipedia).

Try some of these:

Narrow Your Topic

Consider these questions:

Ask yourself open-ended questions to focus your topic. You don't have to answer all of the questions. Some might not apply or be helpful.

 
Use the five w's: 
  • Who: demographic focus (gender, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status
  • What: aspects and impacts of the topic (sociological, psychological, economic)     
  • Where: geographic location
  • When: either present day or a particular time period in the past
  • Why/How/So What!: importance, significance (societal, individual)