Is Your Research Topic Too Broad?

Many students start off on the first day of a research project with a topic that is way too broad. It's important to recognize this problem and to learn to narrow your topic before you start collecting sources. Otherwise, you will waste a lot of time and energy. Remember that a research topic should never be general.

If you find yourself standing in the library staring at a shelf full of books that could all work as references for your topic, your topic is too broad. A good topic addresses a specific question or problem. Think you might have a problem? Read more about narrowing your topic.