LibGuides: FYWS The Stories We Tell: Topic

Choosing a Topic

Find ideas in:

Your syllabus
Your text
Class discussion
Your life
Current events

Finding Background Information

Background information helps you:

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

Familiarize yourself with your topic by scanning articles from the popular press. What are people saying about tiny houses, shopping malls and man caves?

MasterFILE Elite*
Designed for public libraries, MasterFILE Elite contains 900+ full-text magazines and journals, plus reference books and images covering business, health, general science and multicultural issues.
Newspaper Source*
Full text for 25 national and international newspapers, as well as television and radio transcripts from CBS News, CNN, FOX News, and more.

Narrowing Your Topic

Use the 5 w's:

Ask yourself open-ended questions to focus your topic.

What: part, aspect, focus
Who: demographic focus (gender, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status)
Where: geographic location
When: either present day or a particular time period in the past
Why/How/So What!: importance, impact (societal, individual)

Keep in Mind:

You don't have to answer all of the questions. Some might not apply or be helpful.
Your approach to your topic might evolve and change as you review the literature.