2. Research Guides

GSS 2246: Banned Books

GSS Librarian

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Brenna Bierman
she/her
Contact:
Central Library - 800FH
615-343-2718

Refining  your Topic

In order to get the best resources possible, we will have to narrow down your topic into a research question. Most of the topics provided are too broad and if you search for information you are going to get thousands of results. On this page we will go over methods for narrowing down your topic into a more specific research question.

Understand your Topic

  • What's been written about your topic?
  • What scholarly conversations are happening around this topic? How can you further this conversation?
  • How might you connect this topic to academic research?

A good way to answer these questions is by using a bibliography or reference source, such as Oxford Bibliographies or Cambridge Histories Online. These resources will provide you with a basic overview of your topic, as well as a list of good starting sources to look into.

Ask Yourself Questions

Take your topic and consider the following prompting questions. Answering these questions help you to lay a foundation for your research by developing a deeper understanding of your topic, while also helping you hone in on key issues, audiences, and debates surrounding the topic.

Why?
 
Who?
 
What?
 
Where?
 
When?
  • Why is this topic interesting?
  • Do you have an opinion on the issues involved?
  • Who are the information providers on this topic? Who would publish information about it?
  • Who is affected by the topic? Can you discover how and why they are affected?
  • Do you know of any organizations or institutions who are affiliated with the topic?
  • What are the major questions for this topic?
  • Is there a debate about the topic?
  • Are there a range of issues and viewpoints to consider?
  • Where is your topic important: at the local, national or international level?
  • Are there specific places affected by the topic?
  • When is/was your topic important? Is it a current event or an historical issue?
  • Do you want to compare your topic by time periods?

Convert your Topic into a Research Question

After you've answered some or all of these questions, you should have a preliminary research question. These questions are designed to help you narrow your scope, however your exact questions and argument are yours to decide. The following is an example of how your topic may develop into a question:

Gender Pay Gap → How does the gender pay gap affect women returning to the workforce after childbirth compared to men?